Thursday, February 02, 2006

February is... Light Regency Month!

What do we mean by "Light Regency?" Think Julia Quinn and the sparkling Bridgerton wit, as opposed to Mary Jo Putney and Waterloo officers with post-traumatic stress syndrome. Y'all know what we're talking about here--I don't need to elaborate!

Send us recommendations of books full of dukes with stunning pectoral muscles, frothy-skirted damsels, morning trots through Hyde Park, jokes about Prinny, and intrepid pug dogs who inadvertently bring about catastrophe.

7 comments:

Anneliese Kelly said...

I'll bite!

- Julia Quinn, of course. With Romancing Mr Bridgerton, The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loves me at the top of the list.
- Eloisa James, particularly this new Essex Sisters series.
- Mary Balogh. I love A Summer to Remember and Slightly Scandalous
- Anne Gracie. Her stories completely fit the light and fluffy mode, despite her heroines all having been the victims of abuse by their crazy grandfather. Huh.

Though as always, with light Regencies it's a fine line between charming and annoying.

Anonymous said...

Okay, I'm throwing this out there: I am ready to purchase my first romance novel. I think. I've read some, the perks of being friends with scribbling women, but I've never purchased one. I read russian literature, I read the Times. But I'm getting over a break up, and now I need something escapist and funny. Ladies, is light regency the place to start? What do you prescribe as my first ever romance purchase? Why do I feel like the checkout person will judge me? Help please.

Anneliese Kelly said...

First of all, the check out person WILL judge you. But you have recourse: you may judge her (or him) right back. Console yourself with the fact that you don't work at Barnes and Noble. (Snobbish, perhaps, but meant with affection and used only in self-defense).

Now, for the more important part of your question. Light Regency is absolutely the place to start, unless you'd rather comfort yourself with crying over the plights of characters even more depressed than you are (my prefered coping mechanism).

If reading something light, I would chose Julia Quinn The Duke and I (you will love Daphne). If going the other route, I recommend Laura Kinsale. Flowers From the Storm and The Shadow and the Star are both good choices.

Theresa said...

I second flitgirl's suggestion for light regency as good breakup medicine. Contemporaries always make me wonder why it's not me. In a regency, it's really obvious ;)

(Although, after the superbowl, why do I feel reinspired to read SEP's football series?)

Toasty Joe said...

speaking of the super bowl - did any of your d-scribbers (besides the flitgirl) watch the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet? Here's a link to some clips - http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/puppybowl/video_gallery/videogallery.html - and a shameless plug for our own blog in which said Puppy Bowl is discussed: http://theschwizz.blogspot.com

Kate Diamond said...

Oh, don't even mention the superbowl... one of my students, who idolizes the Seahawks, asked me to verify the rumor that I went to high school with one of the players. And there I was, stuck between lying and saying, "Yes, I went to school with him. And he was evil incarnate."

Um. Yeah. Tangent. Definitely start with the Duke and I. Follow up quickly with Viscount Who Loved Me, for a look at the alltime best use of siblings in a series. Ever. (Bridgerton Ball, anyone?)

Excuse me while I go swing my mallet of death...

Toasty Joe said...

Kate, don't leave me in suspense - which player was it? At the very least give me initials.