Category: Victorian Era (1837-1901)

In the history of the United Kingdom, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardian period, and its later half overlaps with the first part of the Belle Époque era of continental Europe.
Preceded by: Regency era
Followed by: Edwardian era
Monarch: Victoria

What Happens in Brighton by Various Authors

On By TracyIn Anthology, Author Collaboration Series, Book Publicity, Check Content Warning/Triggers, Georgian Era (1714-1837), New To Me Author, Non-Traditional Romance, Novella, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Standalone Title, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

What Happens in BrightonWhat Happens in Brighton by Anna Bradley, Tracy Brogan, Kerrigan Byrne, Gayle Callen, Christy Carlyle, Sofie Darling, Eileen Dryer, Barbara Russell & Misty Urban

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Connected to Several of the Authors Ongoing Series

Release Date: February 10, 2026

Set in the enchanting seaside town of Brighton, England, where the sun kisses the shore and dreams linger in the salty breeze, a vibrant tapestry of souls will Vicar’s daughters and country maidens striving to ascend the social ladder, widows daring to seek a second chance at joy, and heartbroken singles clinging to the fragile hope of love. I enjoyed this collection a lot, but the following novellas really stood out to me:

Queen of Hearts by Anna Bradley – 4 stars: A bit of a love at first sight trope – To give her ailing brother a chance to take treatments in Brighton, seamstress Charlotte “Lottie” Bathurst, scrims and saves to let them stay for two weeks, but when they are robbed, she will either have to cut the visit short or gamble to recoup the lost funds. She dresses up as a young man and goes to Hart’s Ace, catching the notice of the owner Armitage Hart.

The Way We Were by Gayle Callen – 5 stars: A second-chance romance after losing a child – This was a very emotional story, Lucy Lawton and her husband Captain Reginald “Reggie” Lawton have been separated for a year, she doesn’t expect him back for two weeks, but learns he is already in England and was seen with another woman on his arm! Lucy goes to Brighton to confront him and to tell him she wants to lead separate lives. Only to learn who the woman really is and that her husband isn’t willing to give up on their marriage.

A Day at the Beach by Eileen Dreyer – 4.5 stars: Another second chance romance – After 6 long years, Phillip Long, the Earl of Everleigh has returned after being sold to a press-gang by his wife. He is back and wants answers, but what he finds is more questions! Eleanor Long, grieved deeply for her husband, and has stayed in England to protect Everleigh’s estate for their son – but it has been a fight with his grasping cousin. She is shocked when Phillip returns and accuses her of having him press-ganged and makes other accusations. Can they find the truth and their way back to each other?

A Night You Won’t Remember by Barbara Russell – 4 stars: After Lady Esther accidentally meets Alexander, the Duke of Richmond and mistakes him for someone else, they form a friendship. Later she is shocked to learn that he is the duke her mother has been trying to set up with! She hates to admit it, but she likes him and when the chance to see him again in Brighton comes up, she is excited to see him again. But a wild night with her social rival may ruin any chance she has with Alexander, when she takes his prized fencing foil and can’t remember what she did with it!

This anthology contains nine never-before-published novellas, some with connections to the author’s own series and with several different tropes, ensuring that there is really something for everyone in this collection! I highly recommend this collection and will definitely be looking up some of these author’s backlists!  My overall rating is based on an average of all nine novellas

*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. *

 

Binding the Baron by Charlie Lane

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Binding the Baron (Alchemy of Desire #1)Binding the Baron by Charlie Lane

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Alchemy of Desire, #1

Release Date: December 19, 2025

In an alternate late-Georgian era England, where transcendent powers are weld by the titled men of the ton and the men of the gentry practice alchemy, something strange happened when Lady Diana Chester’s grandfather passed away and his powers transferred to Diana instead of her cousin Apollo, the new Marquess of Fordham. She is shocked by the discovery and keeps it secret and tries to find a way to transfer the power to Apollo, whom she is supposed to marry. She goes to great lengths to end the betrothal, including purchasing a love potion, which part of is accidently ingested by alchemist, Temple Grant – a favorite of the king. She is able to salvage most of the potion and has Apollo take it and obsess over his mistress. But that doesn’t negate the effect the potion had on Temple, who was immediately smitten and asked her to marry him, and she can’t deny she is attracted to him too, but she has no time for a tryst and slips away, sure the potion will wear off with no long-lasting effects. The next day she is confronted by Apollo who has learned the truth and tries to kill her to gain the power, forcing her to run for her life. She isn’t sure what to do and makes her way back to the potion shop, where she finds safe-haven and an unexpected protector in the form of Temple Grant.

Temple Grant performed a service for England and King William rewarded him with the title of Baron Knightly and the position of Royal Alchemist. But the honor didn’t make his life better as the king assumed it would, in fact it made things worse – he and his family were ostracized by his fellow alchemists and shunned and belittled by the ton – leaving him adrift between two worlds. Add to that the king wants him to marry into the ton and has tasked him with an impossible mission. When he meets Diana and accidentally ingests a drop of her love potion, he believes she would make the perfect wife for him – too bad she doesn’t agree, telling him the potion is responsible for his proposal. But even after the potion should have worn off – he still wants her. She finally agrees when he offers her something she needs, protection from her cousin. It is the perfect solution, she gets protection and he gets the bride the king has ordered him to take – falling in love was never part of the bargain – until it was…

I really enjoyed this fun and quirky story; it is well written and nicely paced with wonderful characters. I loved Diana and Temple, they had an incredible connection, and their banter was highly entertaining. The story is filled with amazing characters, laugh-out-loud moments, a completely redeemable villain, steamyish love scenes, magic, found family, some nail-biting moments and finally a lovely ending with the promise of HEA. I will admit that I didn’t really understand the magic system, and even now, I still don’t understand, and the story did drag a bit – but the story was fun, nonetheless. This is the first book in a new series, and I am happy to recommend this title for anyone who enjoys historical romantasy!

*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. *