Millicent is a delightful, romantic, historical romp through 1830s Louisiana. (Okay, not quite Regency, but with the same elegant and fun flavor.) I haven't read much romance lately, but this one could revive my interest in the genre. It's fresh and fun, a page-turner lite. Thanks for the read, Ms Rogers!

Felicia Rogers writes clean and inspirational fiction, some of it historical, some with romantic suspense, and some with humor. I've had the pleasure of editing a few of her books in the past (although not this one) and she's always impressed me as a responsive, conscientious author, eager to improve her craft and offer readers her best possible work. Currently I'm editing the sequel to Millicent, entitled Master Amelia (oh, and we both publish select books through Astraea Press; that's called full disclosure). Oh, and if you haven't read the Regency I edited for her, The Ruse, you're missing a delightful romp. She'll have a sequel to that out this year, too.

Gossip sheet corner: My blogging buddy J.L. Salter not only has a new title coming soon from Astraea, he's also just signed a contract with Dingbat Publishing for the prequel to his hilarious screwball romantic comedy, Curing the Uncommon Man-Cold. This one's entitled Scratching the 7-Month Itch, and it promises to be just as wacky. Congratulations, Jeff, on your new titles!

And rumor sez the incomparable Kay Springsteen has just submitted a new title to Astraea. Way to go, lady!

Personally, there are only four (maybe five) scenes to write on the third novella in the Scoundrel of Mayfair series, and then I'll be making an Astraea submission myself. So cheers for me, too!

And cheers to you, gentle readers. Have a great week!

Vivian

What a delightful story, and I don’t say that lightly. The reviewers who complain that Agatha, the dowager duchess, could not have forced her grandson into an arranged marriage against his will, in my opinion, have rather missed the point of the story. Of course she could not have forced him into the marriage, and I have no doubt author Leah Sanders is perfectly aware of that fact. Baldwyn accepted his grandmother’s machinations out of love for her; certainly Agatha made loving her into a duty…

No, the characters aren’t the deepest. The plotline is based upon the characters’ emotions, not upon successive events or some grand occasion, and it almost doesn’t matter where they are or what they’re doing; only their interactions carry the story. For what it’s designed to be, this is a sweet, engaging read with some laugh-out-loud lines, and I quite enjoyed it.

Look out, Devil Duke. Here I come.

This full-length novel is a clever and subtle retelling of the Father Christmas story with a Regency twist, and it’s a leisurely, comfortable read that formed lovely word-pictures in my mind. Lady Ivy is entertaining, with her outspoken manners and yearning to marry for love, and Phillip Green the toymaker, a/k/a the 12th Duke of Greenbriar, is engaging and intriguing in the classic role of a man who is perfect for one career but is forced through circumstances to adopt another. With luck, this will become another continuing series from this talented author.

This sweet novella has a lot of chemistry between the characters, a simple plotline dominated by emotions rather than events, and a more readable writing style than the average debut epubbed novella.

Although the emotional machinations of the hero and heroine went on a bit long for this reviewer, and although there were the usual Regency-era historical inaccuracies such as a Christmas tree and modern language usage, none of that detracted a whit from my enjoyment of the story. On the contrary, watching Ewan learning to understand his heart, and Grace learning to trust in his love, made for a sweet, endearing tale.

I'll be cheerfully watching for this author's next book. Four stars for the strong debut novella.

Clever take-off on Charles Dickens, and the man himself gets a cameo mention. This is a fun paranormal time-travel twist on the traditional Regency (say that three times fast), and the Regency plotline is sufficiently traditional that the paranormal bits don't bother this historian. Love it!

This is a full-length novel, not a traditional Regency but a surprisingly intricate cloak-and-dagger, spy-and-adventure story with a generous splash of romance. The amount of plotting, organization, and research that went into this book's preparation leave me astonished. The clever, well-sorted resolution, and the sweet romance, are more than satisfying. I've been pleased with author Sherry Gloag's work before; this time, not even the occasional misplaced word or lacking quote marks dulled my delight nor stopped me from clicking through to the next screen. Well done indeed, lady!

There's something bittersweet and tender about a second-chance-at-love Regency, and this one is no exception. Henry and Emma were seen stealing kisses five years ago and were separated when Henry's father forced him to leave the country. Emma was left alone, a compromised spinster, losing faith in Henry's return and finally settling into life on society's fringe. But Henry finally does return, and this time he's determined to claim Emma as his bride. She can't resist him, even as she doesn't trust him nor herself.

Author Christina Graham Parker captures the Regency flavor and at the same time writes a lovely, heartstring-tugging romance, not the easiest of joint tasks. There are a few historical inaccuracies within this novella. Henry went to the Continent and spent five years there… during the Napoleonic Wars, and there's a Christmas tree, something that makes me sigh. And it seems the Regency library remains a mystery to some writers.

But these details didn't matter for the novella's major plot points, and the gentle sparks growing between Henry and Emma drew me back in and held me captive. If you read for the history, you might want to give this one a miss or at least know what you're getting. But if you love a sweet romance that's really a romance, consider downloading the sample. Judge for yourself.

It can be difficult for a historian to enjoy a Regency romance, because it's difficult finding one that's even close to historically accurate. Author Patricia Kiyono has captured the flavor of the Regency — the manners and mores — in this sweet novella, despite a few historical slips in the background details.

If you enjoy likeable characters, a gentle plotline, a developing relationship, and a clean read, you'll likely enjoy this short. If you're the more historically inclined sort, be warned there are some places where you'll roll your eyes. Ballet dancing during a private musical performance, teaching children to read and write using paper rather than chalkboards, a writer calling on her publisher and being paid royalties, and already-bound books on shelves at a bookstore rather than buying the printed pages at the bookseller's and having them bound at the bookbinder's — if none of this bothers you, try downloading the sample.

Admittedly I stopped a few times. But the flavor and gentle romance kept drawing me back, and I for one enjoyed this thoroughly. Four stars.