A debut novel with flashes of brilliance, and a deliciously Gothic vibe, The Cruel Night drew me in at once and I devoured the book in a single sitting. It's a short read at just over 200 pages, but long enough to deliver a compelling story that packs an unexpected emotional punch.

Under a Gilded Sky is an engaging story that surpasses expectations of a Western-flavored romance. It does not pigeonhole easily as a light, traditional historical romance, but crosses into broader women's fiction with its themes of sisterhood, family loyalty, and self-discovery

No one ever accused the social justice warriors of the French Revolution of moderation. In her Château de Verzat series, author Debra Borchert personalizes the chaos, carnage, and brutality of the period through the stories of memorable heroines.

Marvelous is a novel that comes with a built-in audience. Who can resist the prospect of a Beauty and the Beast retelling based on the real life "beast" who inspired the fairytale.

A rags-to-riches story complete with a Gilded Age setting, what's not to love?  Shana Abé penned a winner with An American Beauty.  In this fictionalized account of Arabella Duval Huntington's fascinating and controversial life,

Catnip for fans of Gilded Age settings, this novel offers pleasant escapism for readers who enjoyed the author's previous books. Since the Netflix drama, this historical period has become very crowded in historical fiction.

In the slow burn tradition of TV's most watchable sleuth duos, Audrey Sinclair, the Duchess of Fournier, and Bow Street officer Hugh Marsden are a Regency Kate Beckett and Richard Castle, and hands-down the most engaging pair I've read in the last few years. Their chemistry infuses every book, keeping readers like me hungrily piling up the breadcrumbs of their intensifying attraction

With some Three dozen Regency romances under her belt, Cheryl Bolen has made the short, breezy read a specialty. Defended by a Duke is Book 6 in her Beresford Adventures and follows the same entertaining formula as the rest of the series,

The Duke's Best Friend  has a political backdrop that sets it apart. Heroine Kate Meacham was reared by her grandfather, a Foreign Office "legend" who moved in elite diplomatic circles.

A romance is in deep trouble when the only interesting chemistry is between the hero's grandparents. Back in the day, when I opened a Mary Balogh novel, I could almost hear my own sigh of relief. Immediate immersion. Smooth, accessible style. Vivid storytelling. Passionate, loving romance.

This is a heartwarming very clean romance, charmingly told, with some fresh elements that set it apart from other similar stories. It's not the author's best work, which has earned higher scores from us, but it's an enjoyable series debut from a prolific writer.

It's splitting hairs to choose which of Mary Kingswood's books best reflect the attributes of a Georgette Heyer-style traditional Regency romance. Most are serious contenders, and A Summer Game is no exception.

Light romance doesn't have to be plausible to be entertaining. Titled in the style of Regency hit Mr. Malcolm's List ( 2020), author Megan Walker's latest novel is another on-brand addition to Shadow Mountain's Proper Romance line-up.

If Georgette Heyer wrote Gone With the Wind. Alverstone is a slam dunk historical family saga, a vividly filmic Regency ‘Downton Abbey’ that has it all: romance, villainy, humor, and adventure, set against a backdrop of glittering balls, sprawling estates, and the battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars.

For readers seeking a finish-in-one-sitting romance,  Love and Liberty is a short, enjoyable page-turner with a late 1860s setting and a relatable heroine

Mimi Matthews is the consummate Regency romance professional. Her blend of elegant whimsy, compelling characters, clever plot twists, and pervasive romantic tension has been a winning formula for the past seven years.

A rags-to-riches story complete with a Gilded Age setting, what's not to love?  Shana Abé penned a winner with An American Beauty.  In this fictionalized account of Arabella Duval Huntington's fascinating and controversial life,

Who doesn't love the idea of a honeymoon in Venice? Frederick and Grace Percy (Lord and Lady Astley) were rudely interrupted as newlyweds on their Egyptian stopover in The Cairo Curse and are trying for a honeymoon reset.

Paging suckers for an English country house mystery! The Mandeville series may be just the fix you're jonesing for. A decade has passed since Louisa Arnold altered the doomed trajectory of Hill House, home of the Mandevilles, in Book #1 A Time to Change.   Book #2 brings us to 1924, introducing a new main character, romance author Nell Potter.

Many readers have a soft spot for historical romances seasoned with a dash of mystery, which is what author Jennifer Moore serves in Book 2 of her Blue Orchid Society series: Inventing Vivian.

What a splendid contribution to Tudor fashion history for re-enactors and enthusiasts! Let’s face it, historical costuming is an irresistible rabbit hole for ‘dedicated followers of fashion’ drawn to a particular period. Author Judith Arnopp is one of that happy league. Tudor is her catnip, and she shares her wealth of accumulated knowledge, as both an author and re-enactor, in "How to Dress Like a Tudor."

Catherine Curzon's compact biography The Real Queen Charlotte delivers a deeper dive on the woman Bridgerton viewers associate with enormous coiffure and mixed ethnicity.