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Jane
Austen
Jane Austen may be called the original Regency romance novelist.
She perfectly captures the way of life in Regency England, with wonderful
insight into human relationships and a light touch humor and wit. All her
novels are excellent, but naturally one must consider Pride and Prejudice
to be the prime example. I have a special affection for her early novel,
Northanger
Abbey, a delightful satire on the Gothic novels that were so popular
in Regency times.
Mary
Balogh
This popular and prolific author has established herself as a master
of the genre. She is able to write light-hearted and amusing romps like
The
Unlikely Duchess and The Famous Heroine, but she
is also capable of wonderfully indepth characterizations that explore human
weaknesses and betrayals and the triumph of love. Some prime examples are
Lord
Carew's Bride, Dancing with Clara, and "The Anniversary"
in From the Heart.
Susan
Carroll
This author has a wonderful sense of humor, perfect for the Regency
genre. Her best is The Bishop's Daughter, in which Hellfire
Harry returns from the war to find that the villagers have erected an immodest
statue of him, followed closely by The Wooing of Miss Masters
and Brighton Road.
Loretta
Chase
Loretta Chase's Regencies are peopled with complex, believable characters
whom one comes to care about and remember long after the book is finished.
Of her traditional Regencies, Knaves' Wager is my personal
favorite. Her Regency historical Lord of Scoundrels
is widely considered one of the top romance novels of all time.
Dinah
Dean
Aspiring writers should read Dinah Dean's The Cockermouth
Mail for the perfect example of how to gradually develop a believable
and touching romance between a hero and heroine. The Country Gentleman
is also gem, blending romance, intrigue, humor and English village life.
She has also written a series of novels set in Russia during the Napoleonic
wars that combine romance and adventure in a unique and masterfully depicted
milieu.
Carola
Dunn
Carola Dunn is at her best writing tales of adventure and intrigue.
Among her best Regencies are The Miser's Sister, The Tudor Secret,
and Scandal's Daughter, a ripping yarn in which the hero
and heroine must flee across Europe from an amorous Turkish pasha intent
on making the lady his mistress. Another tale of flight is Miss Jacobsen's
Journey, unique in the Regency realm for its Jewish hero and heroine.
Dunn has now carried over her talent for writing mysteries into her charming
Daisy Dalrymple series set in England of the 1920s.
Georgette
Heyer
The undisputed Queen of the Regency Romance. Her wonderful tales
have formed the basis for the genre that we know today. You can't really
go wrong with Georgette Heyer, but among my personal favorites are April
Lady, Devil's Cub, Faro's Daughter, Friday's Child, and of course,
ahem,
The Nonesuch.
Carla
Kelly
Carla Kelly has quickly established herself as one of the genre's
best. Characterization and the development of the romance between the hero
and heroine are her strong points. Reforming Lord Ragsdale
is perhaps the finest example of the "reformed rake" storyline, with two
vivid and realistic characters coming to terms with their problems. She
also has an excellent grasp of the period and its problems:
Mrs.
McVinnie's London Season and With This Ring both
deal with the fate of wounded sailors and soldiers during the Napoleonic
conflict. On the lighter side, Miss Billings Treads the Boards
features a sweet, portly, balding hero who's a refreshing change from the
usual strapping rake.
Lynn
Kerstan
Another relative newcomer who has proven her mastery of the genre,
Lynn Kerstan's stories are both amusing and emotionally compelling. The
superb
Celia's Grand Passion is a masterful portrait of two
people who overcome the pain and betrayal of their pasts through love.
Lucy
in Disguise is a much more light-hearted caper complete with a
scene-stealing owl, but it is the completely opposite yet perfectly matched
hero and heroine who really steal the show.
Elizabeth
Mansfield
Elizabeth Mansfield writes consistently entertaining and romantic
tales, with the perfect balance of keen wit and heartfelt emotion. My
Lord Murderer stands out as one of the best Regencies of all time,
while in Passing Fancies she created a lovable and memorable
scholarly hero who lurks unnoticed in the background until he is needed.
A
Regency Charade deals masterfully with the reconciliation of a
married couple separated by a misunderstanding. Other wonderful books include
A
Brilliant Mismatch and The Reluctant Flirt.
Dawn
Aldridge Poore
The Miss Sydney Regency Mysteries are a charming and original
series of four books: The Brighton Burglar, The Secret Scroll,
The Cairo Cats, and The Mummy's Mirror. Miss Roxanne
Sydney, the daughter of a classical scholar, reluctantly takes in a mysterious
border named Lymond after her father's death and soon becomes embroiled
in investigating the thefts of art and artifacts. Though she is quick to
suspect Lymond, he soon becomes her partner in detection. The romance between
the independent Roxanne and the delicious Lymond is wonderfully developed
and drawn out over the course of the four books. The first person narration
is artfully done, allowing the reader to see Lymond's growing feelings
for Roxanne while she remains in the dark. The series culminates with an
archeological dig in Egypt that fans of Elizabeth Peters will enjoy.
Joan
Smith
This amazingly prolific author of over 80 Regencies is my personal
favorite. Her stories are a perfect blend of romance, adventure, intrigue
and humor. Her plots frequently involve mystery or espionage elements that
serve to bring the hero and heroine together in entertaining situations
rather than detracting from the romance as is often the case with less
skilled authors. Her heroes are particularly appealing because they are
human and uncertain rather than arrogant and demanding. She often uses
first person narration from the heroine's point of view in a highly effective
way. Among her best titles are Love's Way, Memoirs of a Hoyden,
and A Tall, Dark Stranger.
Patricia
Veryan
Patricia Veryan has written three sweeping sagas set in Regency
and Georgian England. The Golden Chronicles deal with the aftermath
of the Jacobite rebellion, The Tales of the Jewelled Men involve
a secret cadre of traitors, and The Sanguinet Saga centers around
the villainous Claude Sanguinet and his brothers. Each series features
a widely varied cast of friends, a pair of whom take center stage for each
novel and, naturally, fall in love. Her books feature everything one could
want in the way of romantic entertainment. It's best to read them in order,
as they are listed
here.
My personal favorites are The Dedicated Villain, in which
the villain of The Golden Chronicles becomes a hero with the help
of his lady love, and The Mandarin of Mayfair, in which the
part-Chinese August Falcon overcomes his sense of isolation, helps his
friends defeat the villains, and finds love.
See a list of More Favorite Books
See a list of Award
Winners
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