[Note from Frolic: This post is brought to you by our friends at Kensington. Looking for your next regency romance novel? Look no further than Notorious by Minerva Spencer and The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh by Ella Quinn!]
Corsets. Horses. Sprawling manors with plenty of places to steal kisses. What are we on about? The regency era, of course! Regency romance is such a unique, glittery genre, and we can’t help but wish we could live inside it. Here are just five of the many reasons why!
1. The Outfits
Whether you’re more of a riding pants or ballgown kinda person, you’re in luck! You’ll need those riding pants for when you and your betrothed share an exciting horseback ride, and the ballgown for the important diplomatic function later tonight. Personally, we prefer the ballgowns, like the one on the cover of Notorious by Minerva Spenser. The story within the gorgeous cover is even better. Although Drusilla doesn’t really want to marry, her heart seems to be making an exception for her best friend’s brother, Gabriel. Anything can happen when you throw on a lace corset and a can-do attitude!
2. The Sprawling Manor Homes
The heroes and heroines that live in Regency manor homes have it all: fireplaces, tapestries and sprawling grounds on which to get your nature fix. Not to mention all of the horses you get to pet, like, all the time. If anyone needs us, we’ll be setting up a rousing game of croquet on the grounds! Don’t forget your parasols.
3. The Grumpy Leading Men with Ten Thousand a Year and A Soft Spot for Ladies Who Laugh
The men in Regency novels seem to check all of the boxes. Rich? Check. Handsome? Check. Will worship at your feet? Check, check, check. Our leading man of choice is Sebastian from The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh by Ella Quinn. Though Anna has held a flame for Sebastian for years, it may be too late when he starts to court her. Something else about Regency men? They don’t give up very easily.
4. The Ample Tea Times
In Regency novels, tea time is scheduled. You literally get a break from your day in order to drink tea. Is there anything better than that? We certainly don’t think so. Grab your teacup and raise your pinkies. With any luck, there’ll be cake, too!
5. The Balls
Dancing, champagne, and the tension between you and your love interest. Swoon, swoon, swoon! Did we mention the string quartet in the corner? It’s probably playing your favorite waltz as we speak. Grab your favorite romance hero, like Gabirel from Notorious or Sebastian from The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh and get to dancing! You can read more about both of these great titles below.
Time travel may not have been invented yet, but we can always take a trip back to the land of tea, ballgowns and sprawling manors in a great Regency novel!
Notorious by Minerva Spencer, out now!
The cure for a willful wife . . .
Drusilla Clare is full of opinions about why a woman shouldn’t marry. But that doesn’t stop the rush of desire she feels each time her best friend’s brother, notorious rake Gabriel Marlington, crosses her path. So imagine her dismay when she finds herself in the clutches of a scoundrel, only to be rescued by Gabriel himself. And when Gabriel’s heartless—and heart-pounding—proposal comes, it’s enough to make Dru’s formidable resolve crumble . . .
. . . is a smitten husband.
She’s sharp-tongued, exasperating—and due to one careless moment—about to become his wife. Still, something about Drusilla has Gabriel intrigued. First there’s the delicious flush of her skin every time she delivers a barb—and then the surprisingly sensual feel of her in his arms. Gabriel even finds himself challenged by her unusual philosophies. And when he discovers a clandestine rival for Dru’s affection, his temperature flares even hotter. But the real threat to their happiness is one neither of the newlyweds sees coming. If they’re to save their future—and their very lives—they’ll need to trust in each other and their growing love.
The Secret Life of Miss Anna Marsh by Ella Quinn, out now!
Since she was a young girl, Anna Marsh has dreamed of Sebastian, Baron Rutherford asking for her hand in marriage. But that was in another life when her brother Harry was alive, before she vowed to secretly continue the work he valiantly died for. Now as Sebastian finally courts Anna, she must thwart his advances. Were he to discover her secret, he would never deem her a suitable wife…
Sebastian has always known Anna would become his wife someday. He expects few obstacles, but when she dissuades him at every turn he soon realizes there is much more to this intriguing woman. Somehow he must prove to her that they are meant to be together. But first he must unravel the seductive mystery that is Miss Anna Marsh…
