Category: Regency Era (1811-1820)

The Regency in Great Britain was a period when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent. On the death of George III in 1820, the Prince Regent became George IV. The term Regency can refer to various stretches of time; some are longer than the decade of the formal Regency which lasted from 1811–1820.
Preceded by: Georgian era
Followed by: Victorian era
Monarch: George III, George IV, William IV

Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife by Anna Campbell

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife (Cinderellas of Mayfair, #1)Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife by Anna Campbell

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Cinderellas of Mayfair, #1

Release Date: August 13, 2025

After a youthful indiscretion, which left her ruined and estranged from her family, Lady Athene Colton-Heath is forced to reinvent herself. Thankfully, with the support of her friend Sylvie Lebeau, the owner of Sweet Little Nothings, a bon-bon shop in London, she becomes Aphrodite de Smith and writes poetry for London’s courting swains. And after her failed romance, she has resigned herself to a quiet, solitary life. But that was before she met Sir Hugo Brinsmead, when he came into the shop for a gift for the current belle of the season, and wants Aphrodite to write a verse for the lady. The mutual attraction is instant, but Athene is convinced that they can’t be together because of her troubled past.

Sir Hugo Brinsmead came to London with the vague intention of finding a bride. He meets Athene aka Aphrodite when his friend Ivor Bilson, convinces him to send a gift for Lady Petronella Fitchett, the ton’s reigning debutante, a woman he has no intention of courting. But when he meets Athene, he knows he has met the woman he wants to marry, too bad she keeps turning him down. When she agrees to an affair, he is sure he can convince her to change her mind, until he can’t. He loves Athene and won’t stop trying to win her, but are they destined for happiness or heartbreak?

What a great start to a new series! I loved this story, it was well-written, nicely paced and has a very fresh plot. Athene and Hugo are clearly meant to be, but Athene is convinced that her past is impossible to overcome and refuses to ruin Hugo’s life. But Hugo is not a man that is willing to walk away from love. Their journey to HEA is filled with emotion, secrets, longing, steamyish love scenes, heartache, and surprising twists that change everything. This book was a delight to read, and I highly recommend it to my fellow historical romance readers!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Murder at Donwell Abbey by Vanessa Kelly

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Murder at Donwell Abbey (Emma Knightley Mysteries Book 2)Murder at Donwell Abbey by Vanessa Kelly

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Emma Knightley Mysteries #2

Release Date: November 25, 2025

Things have finally settled down after the excitement of last year’s murder and now that her father is preparing to marry Miss Bates, Emma Knightley is tasked with throwing the happy couple a betrothal ball. She is wondering how to accommodate all the guests that Miss Bates wants to invite at Hartfield when her brother-in-law John suggests that she host the event at her husband’s estate – Donwell Abbey. Since her father is to remarry, it means that she and George can finally move to his estate, and throwing a party is a perfect way to determine what needs to be done at the manor before they relocate.

But things don’t go as planned and the night ends with the death of Donwell Abbey’s chambermaid Prudence Parr. At first glance, it appears her death is a tragic accident, but on closer examination it is clear that she was murdered. Emma is horrified by the murder and can’t trust either the village’s inept constable or their coroner to catch the real killer, so once again, she investigates the crime and soon realizes Prudence’s murder may be linked to other criminal activities in Highbury. Together with her husband George, her father’s betrothed Miss Bates and her nephew Henry, Emma will follow the clues and find justice for Prudence.

What a great installment of the Emma Knightley Mysteries! This book starts about 6 months after the last book and Emma getting ready to turn over the reins of Hartfield and become the mistress of Donwell Abbey, but a murder shakes up everything! The story has a tragic murder, wonderful secondary characters, smuggling, lots of suspects, twists and turns, before coming to a nail-biting ending! This book had me absolutely sure I knew who the murderer was but then had me second guessing myself more than once, only to be surprised that in the end, I was both right and wrong! Overall, this was a great read and one I highly recommend to lovers of a good mystery. This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *