Members’ Regency Fiction Releases for November 2023

Tristan Fitz-James, the Marquess of Bridebourne, has been in love with his best friend, Lady Sophia Rowan, his entire life. He’s about to propose at Christmas when fate cruelly pulls the lovers apart. Two years later, when they meet again at the same holiday house party, they’re enemies. Tristan has earned a reputation as a London libertine, and Sophia wants nothing to do with him. He broke her heart once, and she vows it’ll not happen again.

When they’re locked together in a room during a festive game of hide and seek, secrets and passions flare in the dark until they’re discovered by other guests. There is only one solution that’s honorable. Marriage.

Tristan is determined to win back Sophia even though she would rather throw away her reputation than marry the man who stole her heart then stomped on it. Undeterred, he vows to find a way to show her how good they are together.

It’ll take more than mistletoe and holiday goodwill to mend these broken hearts and bring the two of them together again. Yet, Tristan has always believed in Christmas miracles. He just has to show Sophia that Christmas present and the promise of Christmas future will overcome their past.

Can wishing upon a star ever come true?

Abigail Grantham has always taken a keen interest in astronomy since her brother Sir John Grantham enlisted her aid as a young girl to keep records of his astronomical discoveries. Abigail is delighted when her uncle, Lord Longmore, invites her to stay at Longmore Hall in Buckinghamshire as he needs her assistance to compile a star chart.

When Abigail arrives at the Hall, her Aunt Longmore introduces her to local society. However, Abigail also spends a great deal of time in her uncle’s observatory, viewing the night skies alongside her uncle’s neighbor, fellow astronomer William, Viscount Rochvale.

Lord Rochvale is intrigued by Abigail, and when he discovers that they share an interest in ancient buildings and Roman history, he contrives to become better acquainted with her away from her uncle’s observatory, taking her to places of archaeological interest with a view to winning her heart. But the astronomical project they are working on makes courtship difficult, and William’s plans are further frustrated by his rakish cousin Gerald Burnby, who becomes a frequent visitor to Longmore Hall, seeking out Abigail too.

After a valuable Roman urn disappears from Longmore Hall, a series of mysterious occurrences unravel, presenting a puzzle Abigail has no idea how to solve. However, when events escalate into peril, Abigail discovers that it is the night sky that holds the secret to the missing urn—as well as to her stolen heart.

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From pitfalls to perfection – your essential Regency writing companion

Are you writing stories set in Regency England? Do you want your characters and settings to feel authentic? Then this is the book to help you escape common pitfalls and breathe authenticity into your writing.

Writing Regency England is the only guidebook tailored specifically to help you to avoid the most commonly seen errors in Regency fiction. All historical authors face the challenge of not having lived during the time they are describing, and also share the problem of “you don’t know what you don’t
know.” No one gets everything right! But non-British authors writing about England also have the disadvantage of not being steeped in the language, geography, culture and history of the country from living there. While some readers don’t care about accuracy as long as a story is good, others do
and if you get too many things wrong, they may leave bad reviews and put you on their ‘authors to avoid’ list.

British author Jayne Davis and American author Gail Eastwood combine their perspectives and meticulous research to offer invaluable insights into Regency language, setting, and society. Expanded from a presentation given at the RFW conference in 2021, this indispensable guide illuminates common
pitfalls but also can spark creative ideas rooted in the authentic details of Regency life.

Abigail Bailey longed for adventure. After living a sheltered life as the daughter of a vicar in the small village of Somerset, the excitement of London called to her. While traveling to McDonough Castle in Scotland after the death of her father to visit her lifelong friend Emma, she inadvertently crosses paths with ex-spy Camden Davenport, Duke of Stafford. Camden was handsome, mysterious, and unlike any man she had ever met before, but she was not prepared for the risky escapade they were about to embark upon, and it makes her question whether she has the strength to endure it, not to mention the power to withstand the charms of her new guardian.
When Miss Bailey overhears a plot that puts both of their lives in danger, Cam finds the attractive young lady thrust upon him, and in order to keep her safe, they must embark upon a journey that will test both of their limits. Cam’s attraction to Abigail only grows stronger the more time he is with her and when a dangerous villain from his past threatens them both, he realizes how far he will go to keep her safe.
A love story filled with passion, peril, intrigue, and espionage. This London season will be filled with more than just balls, gossip, and Lady Weatherby’s bad poetry, because A Duke is Always Dangerous, especially when the woman he loves is threatened.

On this road trip, one bed is never enough…

For Double and Mary Shayler, a road trip to London should be the perfect holiday away from Northfield Hall. Married for 25 years, they are on their way to visit their son and get some much-needed quality time.

The only trouble is that Mary is mad at Double. Still. And as much as he tries to apologize, he only seems to make things worse instead of better.

As they get farther and farther away from the comfort of their home, Mary and Double have to face the fears swirling behind their every interaction: do they still love each other enough to stay together?

Enjoy this one-hour read from award-winning author Katherine Grant!

ROMANTIC REGENCY SHORTS

Four delightful, short, and sexy Regency holiday romances by best-selling author Janna MacGregor.

Titles include The Earl’s Christmas Bride (previously published in the holiday anthology ‘Tis the Season), Red Ribbons and Rogues, Never Enough Mistletoe Kisses, and Kissing Boughs and Pampered Pugs.

When being a rake wears thin… Edmund Ashdowne—Viscount Evermore—has been accustomed to getting by on his handsome face and his scandalous reputation, but now that he’s been ordered to reform by his brother, he’s rebelling. Again. Tired of the restrictions and judgments of the beau monde, he needs an escape. When he meets a woman who isn’t charmed by his looks or anything else he represents, his interest is piqued, and a new idea takes hold.

One doesn’t need sight to see it’s time for a change… Miss Anna Standish is an heiress in her own right. As the only living child to a wealthy baronet, her existence has been lonely, but what she longs for is love. Much in demand of fortune hunters, the fact she is mostly blind sours many potential suitors. Well, they can all sod off. In order to meet the goals she has for her life, she will take a chance on an unconventional offer. For freedom.

When marrying in haste doesn’t exactly go to plan… As their Christmastide nuptial trip to Brighton gets underway, Edmund realizes his marriage of convenience won’t be as easy—or as convenient—as he thought once confusing emotions come into play and troubling accidents dog their steps. Challenges arise between the unlikely pair that go deeper than initial attraction, and when Anna suddenly goes missing on Christmas night, everything comes into sharp focus. If they wish to have a real marriage complete with love, they’ll need to fight for it, and a Christmas miracle wouldn’t be amiss either.

Captured heroes. Skilled pirates. Risky rescues. Strong heroines. And a blizzard for the ages.

While war rages on the Continent, Lieutenant Christmas Astley-Milne must return to sea, but he wants nothing more than to return to the woman he has always loved and left behind in, To Sir Christmas, With Love.

From the workhouse to the British army, then captivity courtesy of Napoleon’s men, Lieutenant Daniel Barrett has never known the warmth or safety of a real home until he kisses a woman under the mistletoe in, Yule be Home for Christmas.

Captain Ansell Ransome is determined to get to Whitstable to meet his wife, Cassia before they journey onto Canterbury to spend the Yuletide. However, as a renowned smuggler and barterer of British prisoners of war and contraband, he will have to be nimble and dodge the revenue riders and other smugglers, all of whom long to capture him in, The Pirate’s Yuletide Treasure.

Three books in one box set! Three adventurous men! Three courageous women!

Love does not advertise. Love extracts no price.

When a young widow wishes to marry again, will the man she grows to love ask more than she can give?

Mrs. Tynley Wallingford yearns for a comforting marriage to a man whom she can respect. She’ll go to any lengths to find the best candidate who can respect her, in turn. Even correspond with one fellow at length before she agrees that Kendryck Hollens is the man whose words awaken her desire for a husband she might grow to love.

Tynley takes a risk and sails to Wales with the best intentions. She finds in Kendryck a man with a noble ambition—and a family filled with age-old conflict and despair.

Kendryck Hollens returns home to Wales after fifteen years abroad, a stranger to his cantankerous family. He assumes his rightful title as baron of the legendary house of Strade and attempts to change the dastardly reputation of his ancestors, and put his siblings on the right path to a purposeful life.

Thrilled that Tynley has come to his home, he notices that her presence creates challenges among those in his family. But he feels assured she can help him obtain what he wants most in this world.

When a tragedy threatens to ruin his ambition and his family, he fears the price of endurance will ruin Tynley’s personal objective too—and drive her from him.

How much can one ask of one whom they love? Are any prices too high?

Indulge in the magic of Christmas with this enchanting anthology featuring three captivating love stories that unfold beneath the mistletoe.

In Christmastide with his Countess, Scarlett, the Countess of Oxford, finds her icy barriers melting amidst a snowstorm that traps her and her estranged husband, Hunter, Earl of Oxford. Will the magic of Christmas bring them back together, or will past wounds keep them apart forever?

In Merry MIsrule, Joanna Merryton, scarred by the pranks of her youth, is forced to confront her past when Lord Elijah Kentmore, a war-weary soldier, returns home. With memories muddled by war, he seeks redemption in the one woman he wronged. Can he win her forgiveness and find love under the mistletoe?

In Her Christmas Wish, Lord Charles Blythe, Earl of Doverton, devises a plan to thwart an unwanted inheritance by pretending to marry. When he chooses Emily Nicholls, a governess, as his fake bride, unexpected desires flare between them. But duty and love stand at odds. Will they choose passion or obligation as they celebrate a Christmas that could change their lives forever?
Let these heartwarming tales of love, forgiveness, and second chances fill your holiday season with warmth and cheer. Discover the power of love beneath the mistletoe in this festive collection.

A serious clergyman whose brothers die, leaving him an unexpected duke. A woman who is making her way as a Bow Street runner. An investigation that leads them to the truth—and each other . . .

Jasper Lincoln is happy tending to his congregation when news arrives of his brother’s death in battle. Jasper’s father, ailing for several months, slips away, unable to bear the news. And on that same night, Jasper’s brother, Lord Sutton, drunkenly falls down the stairs, dying instantly, making Jasper a sudden duke. He harbors lingering suspicions about these two deaths and seeks help at Bow Street.

Orphan Shelby Slade grew up on the cruel streets of London, surviving as a pickpocket until being rescued by Mr. Franklin, head of the Bow Street runners. Shelby finds her purpose, becoming the only female agent at Bow Street. She is assigned to the Duke of Edgehaven’s case and fights the growing attraction she feels for the solemn clergyman-turned-duke.

As her inquiry proceeds, Shelby believes the previous duke was poisoned with arsenic and that the new duke’s niece, who has suddenly turned mute, may have witnessed her own father’s murder. Together, with Edgehaven’s help, she searches for answers, wanting to uncover the truth regarding both deaths.

Will Shelby’s investigation lead to discovering the killer’s identity—and will she live long enough to claim happiness with Jasper?

Do you want to build a nobleman?

Once upon a December, best friends Caroline and Estelle brave the cold English winter and build a snowman in the woods. Caroline playfully shapes him into her ideal suitor, narrating all the qualities a man would require to catch her attention. Later that day, a stranger knocks on the door: Lord Snowdon, a dashing gentleman dressed in blue and white, bearing an invitation to the family’s holiday festivities. The next day, Caroline walks back to where she built her snowman…only to discover that it’s gone!

Is it Christmas magic at work, or is something less innocent going on? Caroline senses that Lord Snowdon is not exactly what he seems, and more than one guest has a hidden agenda. When vital documents are stolen from the house, it’s crystal clear that someone is up to no good. Can Caroline uncover the plot threatening to ruin the holiday joy and keep her heart from breaking?

Lady in Ruby is a whimsical, wintry novella set in the Secrets of the Zodiac world of Regency-era spies. You can read this story as a standalone, or at any time while you go through the rest of the series!

A love match would not do. She would make an advantageous match—a brilliant match!

At the age of nineteen, Lady Dorothea Rowlandson was practically on the shelf. Had she not suffered her father, the earl’s, untimely death months before last year’s season, she would surely by now be a married lady—the established wife of an illustrious peer. With such a regrettable delay, time was ever more of the essence if she wished to secure her own future and that of her sisters.

Miles Shaw holds an encumbered estate. It is only logical, therefore, that he commence the London Season on the hunt for a well-endowed wife. His personal code of honor requires he be upfront about this goal, so that he deceives no one. And as he fully intends to love and cherish the wife of his choosing, he will naturally bring as much to the union as he receives. After all, he is a landed gentleman with no shortage of charm.

When chance forced Miles and Dorothea to partner one another for the first dance of the first crush of the season, Fortuna could only have been in a funning mood. To have fostered so unsuitable a connection was nothing short of absurd. For what could a peer of the realm’s daughter and a gentleman of no consequence, with his pockets to let, possibly have in common?

Mysteries swell in London’s snowbound Hell
The Other Face of the Christmas Shilling – Kathy L Wheeler
Lady Thomasina Staunton takes refuge in an abandoned house as far from London, her friends, and her family, as she can get. But her ruse of an absent husband fighting the French backfires. Horribly so.

When Florentine Comier, former Duc of Bouchard, returns unexpectedly from months of travel, he is shocked to find a stranger living in his home, claiming to be his wife.

Despite the deception, Florentine cannot help being drawn to the beautiful and rebellious Lady Thomasina, and soon discovers a love he never believed possible. But danger looms on the horizon as not everyone believes decent Frenchmen exist on England’s shores.

A Christmas Ha’penny’s Worth of Love – Amanda McCabe
Lady Elizabeth Rathburn hates being apart from her Miss Greensley’s Girls and being forced to stay at her bullying father’s cold, lonely estate. She hopes she might at least find her old friend, a handsome young man she only knew as “Mick,” but he no longer appears in their old meeting spot by the river.

Until she finds out “Mick” is actually Lord Michael Hamilton, the son of her family’s old enemy! Worse—her father insists she must marry Lord Michael to seal a new business deal and end the enmity. Feeling betrayed, Eliza runs to her beloved La Sous Rose at Christmas time, only to be trapped in a snowstorm with Michael, the one man she despises—and desires. The man who declares he has loved her all this time, but how can she trust him now?

In “To Steal a Duke,” the enchanting first book in The Sisterhood of Independent Ladies series, Cecilia, the brilliant twin sister of Charles, the imaginary Duke of Hasterton, takes center stage. Born in Germany and raised to safeguard her family’s title and wealth, Cecilia conceals her true identity, masterfully upholding the illusion that her brother is real. Yet, when her mother’s health deteriorates and she longs for a final visit to London, Cecilia cannot deny her.

To ensure their intricate deception remains intact, Cecilia poses as her mother’s companion, the captivating Miss Celia Bening, in the bustling London society. Amid this charade, she catches the eye of Lord Elias Raines, a skilled solicitor. As Elias delves into the peculiarities surrounding the Duke of Hasterton, a passionate and at times heartbreaking romance ignites between him and the intriguing Miss Celia.

Secrets and desires collide, forcing Elias to make a monumental decision—assist Cecilia in safeguarding her crafted world or expose her illegal scheme that could result in her imprisonment. “To Steal a Duke” is a delightful and passionate Regency tale filled with intrigue and suspense, where love and honor intertwine, and a lifetime of secrets threatens to unravel their carefully constructed lives.