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

Christmas in Cumbria Anthology by Various Authors

On By TracyIn Anthology, Christmas, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Movie / Story Retelling, Novella, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Christmas in Cumbria: A Regency Romance CollectionChristmas in Cumbria: A Regency Romance Collection by Various Authors

Tracy’s rating (based on the two reviewed novellas): 5 of 5 stars

Series: Anthology with ties to each author’s ongoing series

Release Date: November 6, 2023

Let the Spirit of Christmas sweep you away! Christmas in Cumbria features THIRTEEN STORIES of love and romance from your favorite authors…

Let these glorious stories full of Christmas magic and true love—with more than a hint of steam— sweep you away to a time gone by. Indulge yourself free of guilt with this collection from USA Today and Amazon bestselling authors.

In my opinion, this collection is worth buying, not only is the price amazing, but even if you only read one or two of the selections included in the anthology you will be delighted and know that it was money well spent. I was lucky enough to receive ARCs from two of my favorite authors and would buy the book just for either one of their stories!

The Smuggler’s Christmas Rogue by Jane Charles, 4.5 stars – During her first season, Miss Sheena MacGregor met and fell in love with Camdyn Oaks, Earl of Irvine and heir to the Marquess Walsingham. She believed that he loved her too, but on the night he begs her to elope with him, her brothers and uncle arrive from Scotland as well as Camdyn’s father, and the ugly truth of how they met is revealed and just like that Sheena’s heart is broken. She immediately returns to Scotland determined to forget she ever laid eyes on Camdyn. But fate has other plans and a year and a half later, Sheena and her brother Ewan find themselves in need of shelter for the night and must to her dismay, end up at Oakley Park, the home of the Marquess Walsingham.

Camdyn Oaks, now Marquess Walsingham, is still in love with Sheena, though he tries to move on, he soon realizes that she is the only woman for him and sets out to win her back. Her family stands by her refusal to see him or even speak of him, but her uncle finally listens to Camdyn’s side and agrees to help him by letting him know when they go to Edinburgh and what events they will attend, but he will not force Sheena to talk to him. Happy for the chance to see her again, Camdyn returns to his estate to wait for word, but a few days before Christmas, Sheena and her brother arrive on his doorstep seeking shelter. Overjoyed by the unexpected opportunity to reconcile with Sheena, Camdyn welcomes them with open arms. But it is clear that Sheena wants nothing to do with him and plans to leave the next morning. But when help for his cause comes from an unlikely source, Camdyn will not waste a second of the limited time he has, because he knows that Sheena is his only chance for happily ever again and he won’t let her slip away a second time without a fight.

The was a very sweet second chance for romance between feuding families. Sheena was hurt deeply and unwilling to give Camdyn a chance to explain himself and refused to believe his claims of love, I understood her bitterness, but I felt that she held on to that bitterness a bit longer than necessary. Other than that small quibble, I really enjoyed this story and would happily recommend this novella. This story is included in the Christmas in Cumbria anthology and is part of the Scot to the Heart series with a connection to the Trents.

A Governess Should Never…Kiss at Christmastide, Emily Windsor, 5 stars -Once upon a time, Miss Charlotte Webster fell in love with her childhood friend Marcus Scarcliffe, the Duke of Shawdale, and when they danced together at the Christmas ball, she believed that he might return her feelings. But shortly thereafter, Marcus left for London and when he returned he was a changed man, gone was the kind, happy boy, and along with him any hope of a happily ever after. Things went downhill from there, with the death of her father and the realization that she was penniless, but still had to care for her ailing uncle and her childhood home. Working as a governess, she barely keeps her head above water and when she learns that Marcus is in need of a governess for his ward, she jumps at the chance to be close to her home and if she is honest, to him. But when she learns that he doesn’t plan to be home for Christmas, she issues a challenge to him, if he still wants to go on his business trip after attending three Christmastide events with her, she will work for free until he finds a finishing school for Dinah, but if she wins he will employ her until Dinah’s debut and pay to fix her roof. It is a bet she plans to win!

Unbeknownst to Charlotte there is a very good reason for the drastic change in Marcus, but even he can’t deny the feelings that seeing Charlotte again stirs in him. So against his better judgment, he accepts her challenge, fully intending to win. But somewhere between dancing at a Christmas ball, a winter wedding, long walks in the countryside, a very unpleasant dinner party, and some sage advice from a stranger, Marcus realizes that life is short and that love is more important than making money. But will Charlotte still have him when she learns the truth or will his past cost him the love of his life?

OMG, I loved this story and although it is a novella, it is a full story, never feeling rushed or skimpy. Written as a loose retelling of Dicken’s Christmas Carol, this story is a lovely second-chance, friends-to-lover romance. I loved Charlotte and Marcus, their chemistry is undeniable and their interactions are delightfully witty and charming. The secondary characters, especially Dinah are wonderful and I loved the cameo of William Wordsworth! This story is included in the Christmas in Cumbria anthology and is loosely tied to The Governess Chronicles series.

I would highly recommend the anthology just for these two stories alone, but knowing that there are 11 more stories by well-known authors: Tammy Andresen, Sadie Bosque, Chasity Bowlin, Collette Cameron, Adele Clee, Christine Donovan, Amanda Mariel, Nadine Millard, Emily Royal, Tabetha Waite and Elizabeth Ellen Carter in the book makes me say that is a must-buy!

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

The Rake and the Rose by Eva Devon

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

The Rake and the Rose (Once Upon a Wallflower #3)The Rake and the Rose by Eva Devon

Tracy’s rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

Series: Once Upon a Wallflower, #3

Release Date: October 30, 2023

Years ago, Rose Digby learned that you can never trust a rake, the point was driven home when their father, a renowned artist and rake, was dumped by his patron, and the family was evicted from their home. Her father died in an asylum and their mother wasted away to nothing, dying not long after, despite Rose’s attempts to save her. These events hurt, but that pain was nothing when compared to the betrayal done to her by her friend and secret crush, Alexander Markby, the son of her father’s patron, The Earl of Derby. After their eviction, Alex cut off all communication with Rose and her brother, Hugh. Now years later, Rose has dedicated her life to warning others of the dangers of overindulgence and the overreaching power of the nobility, writing books and pamphlets on the subjects. But when she is investigating a new story and is denied entry to an exclusive club, she sees the answer to her dilemma walking out the door. She confronts Alex in his coach and all but demands that he help her. He agrees, but she wonders if she has made a huge mistake by agreeing to pose as his mistress. There will be lessons learned on this adventure, but will she learn that pleasure is not the root of all evil, or will her stubborn nature prevent her from finding true happiness?

Alex Markby, the new Earl of Derby was a young man with no power when his father cast out the Digby family and has spent the years since his father’s death trying to right the wrongs done to them. His best friend, Hugh Digby appreciated his help but felt that Alex was too much of a rake and forbade him to have any contact with his sister Rose. Alex is heartbroken, but agrees, not wanting to taint Rose with his reputation. But when Rose demands his help, he sees the opportunity to show Rose that he is not the rake she believes him to be and that taking pleasure is one of life’s joys and not the road to ruin she believes it to be. But Rose is a tough nut to crack and just as he thinks he is getting through to her, things begin to fall apart and he will have to face the fact that her fear may be a barrier he cannot break.

This was a good story, a bit darker than the previous books, but still very good and quite emotional. My heart broke for Alex, he truly has a heart of gold and was constantly judged by the Digby siblings. I began to wonder at Rose’s supposed intellect when she clearly couldn’t see the truth about Alex and her steadfast and unrelenting prejudice against him. I understood she had suffered, but she held on to her disdain for much too long and didn’t grovel nearly enough. That aside, the book is filled with lots of emotion, secrets, misinterpretations, misconceptions, steamyish love scenes, a hero with a heart of gold, a no-nonsense grandmother, an overprotective brother, dukes who talk too much, and finally a HEA. This is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title as the series is very loosely connected. I enjoyed this book and would be happy to recommend the title 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. All opinions in this review are my own.*