Jane Austen. Her name is well known through out various circles and her works continue to inspire writers and readers alike. She is perhaps, the greatest example of a regency romance author. Regency romance novels are better known as ‘novels of manners’. They are comprised of stories and tales usually based on the ton. The ton was the high society of the Regency period. A person or action described as good ton was accepted by Society and a person or action described as bad ton was deemed unacceptable.
What Makes a Regency Romance Novel
A common plot in a regency romance novel, frequently deals with a mystery needing to be solved, similar to that of Romantic Suspense Fiction. A great example of the use of espionage in a regency romance would be Catherine Coulter’s An Intimate Deception (Signet - April 1983 - ISBN-10: 0451122364 ISBN-13: 978-0451122360). To rescue her father, who is being held hostage by Napoleon, a French woman must pose as an experienced widow to spy on England. This novel adequately uses espionage in the regency time frame and brings in well-known characters to spice up the tale. Mistaken identity, deliberate or otherwise and false engagements are also highly popular regency plot lines.
As made evident in all of Jane Austen’s work, regency romance books depict activities that were common during the social season and deemed fashionable by young men and women of the period. Such as balls, carriage rides, assemblies, theatre events, riding, fencing, shooting, gambling and of course the infamous suppers.
Top Regency Romance Authors
A very incomprehensive list of some of regency romances greatest accreditations are as follows:
Elizabeth Mansfield - Referred to by The Paperback Forum has “One of the enduring names in romance.” Elizabeth Mansfield secured a name for herself with her acclaimed novel: My Lord Murderer (Jove - August 1, 2000 - ISBN-10: 0515087432 ISBN-13: 978-0515087437) and A Regency Charade (Jove - February 1, 1987 - ISBN-10: 0515089168 ISBN-13: 978-0515089165) which tells the story of a married couple separated by a misunderstanding who find love again at a masquerade ball.
Patricia Veryan - Patricia Veryan has written three sweeping sagas set in Regency and Georgian England. The Golden Chronicles, The Tales of the Jewelled Men, and The Sanguinet Saga cover everything from the aftermath of the Jacobite revolution to villainous brothers and secret traitors.
Jane Austen - Perhaps the first and greatest regency romance author of all, Jane Austen’s works are renowned for their witty conversation and unbeatable protagonists. Though she never married, Jane Austen was adept at portraying the lives of women in the ton and out of it, the courtship process and the unexplainable connections between a man and woman in love.
Her greatest novel was undoubtedly Pride and Prejudice(Book Sales Inc. - ISBN-10: 1848373104 ISBN-13: 978-1848373105), making Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy household names around the world. Jane Austen also incorporated another element of regency novels by including subplots of other couples as well as the romance between the main protagonists.
Regency Romance And Erotica
Most regencies contain very little discussion of sex and hardly any explicit sex. Though there are a few that have contained the more contemporary love scenes that have become so popular today. Such authors as Anita Mills, Mary Balough and Sandra Heath were considered the first to show sexual relations between the hero and heroine.
An example of a modern regency romance is Candace Camp’s Suddenly (HQN Books - Reissue edition February 1, 2010 ISBN-10: 0373774451 ISBN-13: 978-0373774456). Suddenly carries the unique wit of Candace camp while channeling Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Mrs. Emerson seeks a rich husband for her elder daughter (who is in love with a lowly pastor) in order to bring the younger daughters out into society.
Another daughter; Charity at 18 years old, is not faint of heart and approaches a man, recently established as Earl after the death of his brother, and proposes he marry her. There are unsuspecting twists, with blackmail and pet monkey’s being involved, making the novel the type of page-turner Candace Camp has come to be known for.
To learn more about Regency Romance Fiction, there is a resource site available from The Good Ton.
Jessica Hastings - Jessica Hastings is a published author/poet, professional reviewer, and avid reader. Schooled in journalism and creative writing, she ...
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