I'm happy to welcome Wendy May Andrews, author of The Duke Conspiracy, a sweet Regency romance. Wendy loves the Regency period-- here are her top reasons why:
Top Ten Reasons I Love Regency
Romance
10. All the Books I get to read in the name
of Research – as the Regency era is my favorite period to read about, and a
writer really must keep abreast of what is current on the marketplace, it could
actually be considered a tax deductable expense ;-)
9. The Settings – Regency era England had
spectacular decor and architecture. I find it a challenge to sufficiently
describe these but they are a great pleasure and one of the reasons I love Regencies.
8. The Clothes – I am sure wearing all
those layers regularly would be wearying today, but everything a Regency lady
wore was so elegant. And there was a specific, appropriate gown to be worn for
each occasion. A lady could change her clothes up to six times a day!
Gentlemen, too, had elaborate, spectacular wardrobes. I would have loved to see
that time with my own eyes. It is a pleasure to write about.
7. The Manners – the lords and ladies of
Regency England had such impeccable manners. They were so proper and there were
quite rigid rules involving any social interactions. But it’s so fun to read
how the characters either circumvent these rules or accomplish their ends
within them.
6. The Vocabulary – connected with the
correct manners, Regency lords and ladies were very well read and had a much
more extensive vocabulary than most people today. And they had hilarious
expressions for things, like bosky, foxed, or disguised means drunk and blunt,
brass, and ready refer to money.
5. The Conflicts – Since the Regency era
also coincides with the Industrial Revolution there were so many changes taking
place. Women were gaining rights, and many members of the ton were gaining or losing their wealth based on various
inventions. It is a fascinating time period.
4. The Research – There are reams of
information available about the Regency era. I spend hours researching. So many
fascinating things were taking place politically with the Napoleonic wars and
then all the negotiations when the war ended. Fashions were changing.
Industrialization brought modern conveniences.
3. Jane Austen – really, need I say more?
Who doesn’t love her? Austen’s writings were contemporary for her but they have
stood the test of time.
2. The Excitement – Regency romances always
hold such an edge of excitement. The lords and ladies were so sly with their
speech. There are so many subtleties; most Regencies need to be read carefully
to catch the nuances. The conflicts and developments of the times lead to many
exciting twists and turns to the story.
1. Georgette Heyer – the number one reason
why I love Regency Romances. Georgette Heyer, the godmother of the genre, was
amazing. Her comedic timing and use of tension and conflict keep readers coming
back for more. I love to read and reread her books over and over.
So what do you think? I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood for a little Regency romance now :)
Isn't the cover gorgeous?
The Duke Conspiracy
Wendy May Andrews
Sweet Regency Romance
Clean Reads
March 2015
Miss Rosamund Smythe, the only daughter of
a baron diplomat, is finding the Season to be a dead bore. After her stint at spying while in Vienna
with her father, she wants a higher purpose in life than “just” being a wife.
His Grace, Alexander Milton, the Duke of
Wrentham, wants a quiet life with a “proper” lady as his wife after the
tumultuous childhood he had. His parents
had fought viciously, lied often, and Alex secretly wonders if he was even his
father’s son.
Rose and Alex grew up on neighboring
estates and have been best friends since she was four years old but a family
feud has torn their friendship apart.
At a Society event Rose overhears a plot to
entrap Alex into a marriage of convenience.
Her loyalty to their old friendship as well as her knowledge of the
conspirator, Sir Jason Broderick, causes Rose to overcome her aversion to
Wrentham in order to warn him of his danger.
Alex’s complicated childhood has caused him to despise all forms of
deception so Rose avoids telling him how she knows so much about Sir Broderick.
When Rose is abducted by Sir Broderick to
prevent her interference, Alex must deal with his own conflicted feelings to
help her rescue herself. Can they claim their happily ever after despite the
turmoil?
Excerpt
Alex
gazed at his old friend in admiration. If anyone had ever told him he would be
standing in Burlington House surrounded by Elgin’s Marbles debating with Miss
Rosamund Smythe about who might be conspiring to entrap him into marriage, he
would never have believed such a claim. But here they were. And she looked
mighty fetching as she gazed up at him expectantly. He had to make an effort to
remember what she had said. Oh yes, something about ideas to investigate. He
wondered absently what she could possibly know about investigations and clues
and all that. But she was right. They needed to have a direction. The only
trouble was he was drawing a blank about any possible ideas.
All he
could do was shrug helplessly. “I am so sorry, Rose, but I have absolutely no
idea where to start. To the best of my knowledge I have never had any dealings
with Broderick. I developed an instant dislike of the man upon first making his
acquaintance, but I cannot even tell you why, as we have barely conversed.”
The
duke was clearly flabbergasted over this development and was even slightly
ashamed to not have a ready solution. Rose must have realized this. She
hastened to reassure him. “Never mind about that. We both agreed earlier that
the best place for us to start is with Lady Anne. That will have to be my job,
as you will just be walking straight into their plot if you try to do anything
about it. Now, I really must be going, so we must hurry and establish another
appointment to meet up to discuss any of our findings. In the meantime, you
should speak to your solicitors or man of affairs or whatever you might have
along those lines and see if they are aware of any issues Broderick might have
with you. Those gentlemen might know more on the subject than you.”
“How
did you get so smart about such things?”
Alex
was intrigued by the blush that spread over her face at this unanswerable
question. The only thing she could offer was “My father is a diplomat,” with as
much dignity as possible.
Alex
allowed the moment to pass and was rewarded by the look of relief on her face.
He hurried to make an appointment as they saw her maid approaching. “Would it
be remarked upon if you come here again tomorrow or the next day?”
“Probably
not,” Rose answered. “My mother never rises before noon and is really only
concerned with how I spend my evenings. But you had best give me at least one
day to try to make the acquaintance of Lady Anne, so let us say the day after
tomorrow. That gives me a day and a half to gather as much information as
possible. I shall start with my friend Lady Elizabeth. She is a font of
knowledge about the ton, as well as
being friendly with Lady Anne.” While she was speaking she fumbled with her
drawing supplies, finally tucking them under her arm. “Wish me luck,” she
concluded as she once more faced the duke.
The duke watched a myriad of emotions
chase themselves across his companion’s face. He was unable to identify most of
them, but he thought she looked rather wistful as she offered him a brief
curtsy before she hurried away without another word.
Alex stood in the same spot for several
moments, watching her retreating figure, wondering if she would look back
before exiting the building. He was unprepared for the profound disappointment
that swept over him as she strode away with purpose, never once glancing back
in his direction. Slowly bringing his focus back to the statue she had been
sketching, the duke allowed the entire interlude to play itself out in his
mind. Giving his head a shake to rid himself of the melancholy that had
befallen him, he followed in her footsteps and strode from the hall.
About the Author
Wendy May Andrews has been reading whatever
she could get her hands on since the age of five. She has been writing for
almost as long but hasn’t been sharing those stories with anyone but her mother
until recently. Wendy lives in Toronto with her own real-life hero. When not
writing or reading, they love to travel wherever the mood takes them.
Twitter:
@WendyMayAndrews
