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

Who’s that Earl by Susanna Craig

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Who's That Earl (Love and Let Spy, #1)Who’s That Earl by Susanna Craig

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Love and Let Spy, #1

Release Date: August 18, 2020

After being stationed on the island of Dominica for seven long, lonely years, Lt. Thomas Sutherland is finally going back to England. He returns and briefly considers looking up the girl he fell in love with just before he left, the girl he didn’t get to say goodbye to, but never forgot, but then convinces himself that she is no longer his Miss Quayle and that the past is best forgotten. He reports to his commanding officer, General Zebadiah Scott and learns that he has inherited the title of Earl of Magnus as well as the Scottish estate Dunnock Castle. General Scott will not even consider giving Thomas a new post until he goes to Dunnock and makes sure all is well with his tenants. He also tells Thomas that the castle is currently being leased to Robin Ratliff, an author of some renown, but that the lease is up for renewal in less than a month, so will also have to decide if he will renew the lease or take up residence at the castle himself. Thomas sets out, sure that he will not be staying at Dunnock. He arrives and is shocked to learn that Robin Radliff is not in residence, but his amanuensis, Mrs. Higginbotham is and she is none other than Miss Jane Quayle, the woman he fell in love with all those years ago.

Jane Quayle has a secret, she is not a widow or an amanuensis, she is Robin Ratliff, the author of several wildly popular gothic novels. She can’t believe Thomas is standing in front of her! She last saw him the night her life changed forever and has barely given him more than a passing thought over the years (well maybe more than a passing thought, but certainly she hasn’t dreamed about him, at least not very much). Thomas doesn’t want to tell her he is Lord Magnus, so after spying a threatening letter to Ratliff on her desk, he says he was sent to investigate the threats. It doesn’t take long for either of them to figure out the other’s secrets, but it will take longer to figure out who is threatening Jane and for Thomas to decide if he is willing to leave his military career behind and take up the responsibilities of being the Earl. It will take even longer for these two to admit that their love never died and that their HEA is possible if they are willing to reach for it…

I really loved this story, it was a well written, nicely paced novel with wonderful characters. It was a fun read, but not silly, Thomas and Jane are incredibly likable and the chemistry between them is undeniable. I was hooked from the very first page and devoured this book, it is filled with secrets, laughter, steamyish love scenes, a bit of mystery, a demented villain, great secondary characters, some spoiled dogs, second chances and a very delightful ending complete with an epilogue. This is the first book in the series and I am happy to recommend this title and will be anxiously awaiting the next installment!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review of an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Who Wants to Marry a Duke by Sabrina Jeffries

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Who Wants to Marry a Duke (Duke Dynasty, #3)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Duke Dynasty #3
Publication Date: 8/25/20
Number of Pages: 352

Ah! The plot thickens! This is a series with an overarching mystery/villain and there has been nary a real hint about who that might be – until this book. There are still only hints and conjectures, but we can see the solution coming. While you could read this as a stand-alone book, you might have a bit of confusion about the overall storyline. I’ll give you a quick overview of the series scenario and you can decide whether reading this as a standalone is for you.

We meet – and love – the five children of a duchess who has had three husbands – all dukes. She had one child, Fletcher (Grey)(Project Duchess), with her first husband; two children – twins – Marlowe (Thorn)(Who Wants To Marry A Duke) and Gwyn (The Bachelor) with her second husband; two children, Sheridan and Heywood (in the anthology Seduction On A Snowy Night) with her last husband. The series revolves around the untimely deaths of those three husbands. Were they murdered or were all of them just horrible mishaps? We get some definite answers in this book – and maybe the solution will come in Sheridan’s book since I assume that will be the final book in the series.

Marlowe Drake (Thorn), the Duke of Thornstock, is the most secretive, skittish, and distrusting of the duchess’s children. He’d always felt separated from English society because he was raised more in Prussia than in England. When he was very young, his mother married the English Ambassador to Prussia and so, the children were mostly raised there. Marlowe’s mannerisms, phraseology, etc. were more Germanic than English, so he never felt he fit in. At twenty-one, he was newly in London and his older brother Grey warned him about grasping mama’s who would do anything to ensnare a handsome young duke for their equally grasping daughters. Immediately on the heels of that warning, he stepped into what he assumed was one of those very traps and ended up being forced to make an offer for a girl he’d just met. When the girl then refused him, he was incensed and he’s held a grudge against both of them for the last nine years. The blackmail used against him in that trap immediately soured his views on love and marriage.

Olivia Norley is a chemist. It is all she’s ever wanted to be. She has no interest in love or marriage. When she realized the young duke was being forced, by her mother, to offer for her, she immediately refused his offer. Her mother was furious with her, but Olivia was adamant. She certainly didn’t want any man who was forced to offer for her – especially not one who looked as thunderous as this one.

Thorn and Olivia never encountered each other again for nine years. Olivia felt as out of place in society as Thorn and she just didn’t participate. So, when she and Thorn are thrown together because Grey has engaged her services to determine if his late father was poisoned, sparks – both good and bad – fly.

I loved Thorn’s acceptance of Olivia and who she was. It didn’t bother him that she didn’t fit in – he didn’t either. I loved their working together to solve the question of the poisoning and I loved how protective Thorn was – even when he thought he didn’t like Olivia.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and this book and I hope you will as well. It is well-plotted, well written, and the characters are interesting and very likable.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.