books

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DNF: The Curse of Lord Stanstead

The Curse of Lord Stanstead (2015) Mia Marlowe Set in London in 1819. With his pretenatural ability to influence the thoughts of others, Garrett Sterling is sent to gather Cassandra for the Order of the M.U.SE. He’s entirely unprepared for his immediate attraction to the comely little firestarter. But it’s an attraction that he must […]

Counting on a Countess

Counting on a Countess (2018) Eva Leigh Set in England in 1817 Christopher “Kit” Ellingsworth was made an Earl for his service during the war. But since returning his done little but attempt to drown his memories in alcohol and women. Until he receives an inheritance–with strings attached. “I’ll have money, won’t I?” Kit demanded […]

The Governess Game

The Governess Game (2018) Tessa Dare Set in England in the early 1800s Alexandra Mountbatten has been struggling to make a living tending clocks, but a mishap sees her taking a position as governess to the wards of Chase Reynaud, one of the most notorious rakes in London. Her friends have opinions. “It doesn’t matter […]

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score (2018) Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks) Set in London in 1817 Sam Fox is an ex-boxer and a Free Black–a pillar of his community who tries to help others as he was helped by this before him. Some black families, like Sam’s mother’s people, had been in England for centuries. […]

Band Sinister

Band Sinister (2018) K.J. Charles Set in England in the 1800s. This is probably the sweetest KC Charles book I’ve read. It’s a M/M romance, and there is boinking, but there is less boinking than I’ve come to expect, and I absolutely adore the main characters. Guy Frisby and his sister Amanda live in seclusion. […]

The Duke’s Gambit

The Duke’s Gambit (2018) Tracy Grant Set in Scotland and London in 1818-1819 The end of the previous novella is start of this book. Malcolm’s sister Gisèle has disappeared with a member of the Elsinore League and so Malcom and Gisèle’s husband Andrew head to London to look for her. Unfortunately, events in Scotland become […]

Midwinter Intrigue

Midwinter Intrigue (2017) Tracy Grant Set in Scotland in 1818 The 14th Malcolm and Melanie Rannoch book is a short story. It’s really an interlude between the previous book and the one that follows, that gets them from Italy back to Britain (in this case, Scotland). It also ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, […]

Gilded Deceit

Gilded Deceit (2017) Tracy Grant Set in Europe on Lake Como in 1818 This is book 13, and follows immediately upon the events of the previous novella. Malcolm and Melanie have fled England. Lord Carfax has threatened to expose Melanie’s past, so to protect her–and the whole family–they’ve left for Italy, with Raoul, Laura, and […]

Mission for a Queen

Mission for a Queen (2016) Tracy Grant Set in London and the Alps in 1818. This is book 12, and reading order has become important. Malcolm and Melanie have fled England after Lord Carfax used Melanie’s history against David–Carfax’s heir–in an attempt to break David’s relationship with playwright Simon Tanner. While family and friends in […]

Let Me Be The One

Let Me Be The One (2002,2015) Jo Goodman Set in England in 1818. Elizabeth Penrose is a spinster, and quite happy about it. She spends times with her friends, and helped prepare the rout at Battenburn castle. But those around her seem to want her wed–whether she wants or no. “Louise is trying her hand […]

Unmasked by the Marquess

Unmasked by the Marquess (2018) Cat Sebastian (Regency Imposters) Set in Regency England, mostly London. Alistair, Marquess of Pembroke has been struggling to rebuild his fortunes after his father left the estates in ruin, spending much of his money on his mistress and the children he had with said mistress. He also wants to see […]

A Week to Be Wicked

A Week to Be Wicked (2012) Tessa Dare Set in England in Scotland in the early 1800s. Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne is a dissolute rake. His cousin is trying to reform him, but it’s not working particularly well, and in a few months, Colin will have access to his own funds when he comes of […]

The Richmond Thief

The Richmond Thief (2017) Lisa Boero Set in London in the early 1800s. The widow Lady Althea Trent–a woman of scientific bent and interest in insects–and her sister-in-law Jane are traveling to London, so that Althea might experience London, and so she and Jane can visit with their cousins, the Levanwoods. But things are not […]

Venetia

Venetia (1958) Georgette Heyer Set in England in 1818 (guessed from death of the queen) The first meeting of the two is problematic–Damerel grabs Venetia and kisses her. He does stop when he resists, and it’s not like such things were uncommon, but… it’s distressing to modern sensibilities. Aside from that, I quite liked it. […]

The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh

The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh (2015) KJ Charles (Society of Gentlemen) Set in London in 1818. This is the prequel to the previous three books, a short story about two somewhat minor characters who appear in the other books: Gabriel Ashleigh, brother to Lord Maltravers, who is, at best, a knave. Gabriel has lost everything–literally […]

A Fashionable Indulgence

A Fashionable Indulgence (2016) KJ Charles (Society of Gentlemen) Set in London in 1819 As I continue to read backwards through this series, we come to the story of Justin and Harry. Harry’s father was disowned by his family, and took his wife’s name, Gordon. The family ended up on the continent when they were […]

A Seditious Affair

A Seditious Affair (2016) KJ Charles (Society of Gentlemen) Set in London in 1819 This is the second book, in the series I am reading backwards. I read the first chapter a couple months ago, and put it down, because I wasn’t comfortable reading about BDSM. I mean, reading boinking passages in romance embarrasses me. […]

A Gentleman’s Position

A Gentleman’s Position (2016) KJ Charles (Society of Gentlemen) Set in London in 1820 I am, apparently, reading this series backwards. I’d picked up the previous two books and read a few pages but wasn’t in the mood for them at the time. Richard is a younger son, an honorable man, and the one who […]

Lord of Secrets

Lord of Secrets (2013) Alyssa Everett Set in England in 1820. I almost quit reading this when I realized that it didn’t have a mystery sub-plot. But I was curious enough that I kept reading. David Linney, Marquess of Deal is haunted by his past. He believes he will never be worthy of love, but […]

The Duchess Deal: Girl Meets Duke

The Duchess Deal: Girl Meets Duke (2017) Tessa Dare Set in England in the early 1800s The Duke of Ashford is in need of an heir. “If I died tomorrow, everything would go to my cousin. He is an irredeemable prat. I didn’t go to the Continent, fight to preserve England from tyranny, and survive […]

The Ruin of a Rake

The Ruin of a Rake (2017) Cat Sebastian (The Turner Series) Set in London in 1817 Lord Courtenay’s reputation is a rake and a libertine is well-deserved. He drank and gambled and whored and ended up spending his fortune. But the death of his sister–after her complete ruin–and his love for his nephew have complicated […]

The Lawrence Browne Affair

The Lawrence Browne Affair (2017) Cat Sebastian Set in Cornwall, England in 1816 Lawrence Browne, the Earl of Radnor is mad. He’s driven away most of his staff, and the local vicar is worried about his stability. “Five servants quit,” Halliday said, tapping Lawrence’s desk in emphasis. Dust puffed up in tiny clouds around the […]

It Takes Two to Tumble

It Takes Two to Tumble (2017) Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks) Set in England in 1817 Ben Sedgwick is happy being the vicar of Kirkby Barton. He is engaged to the girl who has been his best friend since childhood, and he feels comfortable about his calling. He might not want to, but when he […]

Bewitching Benedict

Bewitching Benedict (2017) C.E. Murphy I really enjoyed CE Murphy’s Magic and Manners, so when I saw she had a straight-up historical romance, I put it on my wish list, and then got a surprise when Tania got it for me. Set in the late 1700s (Many of the male characters fought in the Napoleonic […]

Shores of Desire

Shores of Desire (1997) Tracy Grant Set in Europe in 1815 Robert Lescaut is a French colonel and spy, who has come to Scotland to try and discover who killed his wife–a woman he believed was a Scottish Blair. Emma Blair is tired of the feuding between the Blairs and Lauders, so when Captain Robert […]