#queer regency romance

[missfortunetherogue]

Tidbit Tuesday/WIP Whenever

WHEW I have finally made it through all my tags and made a list of the things I've missed! Will be going through and participating as I can, but of course I gotta start with WIP writing :)

Thank you for the tags, patience, and thoughts over the last month @riddlerosehearts @thepalelawyer @elceewunjo @gortashsrighthand @litsenn @emmyandthetieflings @scoldingdarjeeling @lolthwoven @optimisticgrey @bladesingerlily @cinder-rellish181 @archduchessgortash @ginateeth @lilhumanoid @perpetualmaladaptivedaydream @lottavilja @michanvalentine @vividiana @unovafarm @andromedaancunin @spillingteanotpermitted @baelthi-vp. Truly heartwarming to be thought of by so many 💜

Uno reverse tags to all of you! Plus a few more for @burnt-by-marigolds @endermal @chaushaus @theya-art @lucretiouswept @careful-l-bite @alwaysmauria @et-augury @heartcrystal2000 and @saylofwaterdeep

Offering up the next edition of Madame Wispweed's society paper, in which Dalyria has become a viral sensation overnight 😏

Dearest Sleuthing Readers,

We find ourselves in the midst of a whodunnit! A devilish plant hiding amongst the splendor of a garden path. Unwitting revelers resisting the siren's call of its hypnotic orb. Poor Miss Lia taken in by its glow. Her brother, Archmage Rolan, caught in the crossfire. It was none other than an act of sabotage most foul during poor Viscount Silverbough's whimsical garden soiree.

The question remains: who was the assailant's intended target? Archmage Rolan, Lord Silverbough's reputation, or someone else entirely? Fear not, gentle folk, Madame Wispweed is on the case!

Already my sources have identified a handful of likely suspects: petty patriars with a penchant for feuds; unscrupulous scamps with ties to the hells, from whence the murderous plant originated; and lower-ranked figures who would risk besmirching their honor just to knock a social competitor down a rung.

I fear that is as detailed as I can get at present; to name names without ironclad evidence would be tantamount to slander, my dears. All shall be revealed in due time.

It is with great relief that I report Archmage Rolan has made a full recovery, however. And we all know precisely whom to thank! Miss Dalyria Szarr's name has danced across the lips of everyone in the Ton over the past few days. Some call her a savior. Others insist they saw her drinking Rolan's blood with gusto. My conclusion: Miss Dalyria is in possession of a bright mind and a quick wit, someone unafraid to take action.

We could do with a few more plucky youths like her, and dare I predict we may just get some? Overnight, Miss Szarr has become a cultural sensation among the other young lords and ladies. One cannot step foot near a public space without overhearing youngsters making a game of shouting "Damn the sensibilities!" at one other. This author has even spotted a lass or two cross-stitching the phrase over tea with friends.

If Archmage Rolan does not find her intellect a worthy match for his then I fear his standards shall preclude him from the marriage market entirely. For while Miss Jenevelle may be the beautiful diamond of the season, Miss Dalyria is the first edition rare tome.

While we are on the subject of desirous suitors, Lord Sasha Amastacia arrived on the social scene like a blooming rose in a hailstorm. Beautiful, fragile, and utterly trampled by a deluge of curious nobles plucking at his petals to the chant of "he loves me, he loves me not." Despite possessing an impressive height, one could scarcely spot him in a crowd for all that he remained flanked on all sides.

Except…when he was not. Lord Amastacia was spotted stumbling off in a daze at some point, leaving in his wake several snubbed debutantes and a bed of roses as flattened as him. A most ungentlemanly outburst! It would seem his sudden rise in station has left him lightheaded and in need of a more established gentleman to provide some ground rules in gentlemanly behavior. Whomever could be up to such an endeavor?

Inquisitively Yours, Madame Wispweed

Edit: This is the chapter where Madame Wispweed's identity will be revealed!!! Would love to hear everyone's guesses on who you think they are!

[haridraws]

Pink & purple || Panels from I Shall Never Fall in Love (out now)

[the-bi-library]

Here are some historical romance books with bisexual main characters to read if you liked Bridgerton!!

For @bebisexual 💕

Books listed: Trouble & Strife by Lara Kinsey The Companion by E.E. Ottoman The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de Q by Felicia Davin We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian Slippery Creatures by K.J. Charles One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes Cat Sebastian The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel [Redacted] Solomon's Crown by Natasha Siegel The Sugared Game by K.J. Charles The Scandalous Letters of V and J by Felicia Davin A Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian Her Countess to Cherish by Jane Walsh The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian A Delicate Deception by Cat Sebastian The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite The Hellion's Waltz by Olivia Waite Because You Asked by A.E. Bennet Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian The Spinster's Swindle by Catherine Stein [Redacted] Letters to Her Love by Katherine Grant After the Wedding by Courtney Milan The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian Priceless by Catherine Stein The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite A Scot's Surrender by Lily Maxton

[bookshelvesandtealeaves]

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[instagram]

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING OH MY GOSH. Thank you so much to Tandem Global and Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of this one.

This is the kind of Emma retelling I’ve been looking for. It is absolutely perfect. Sort of Emma meets Gentleman Jack. I was LIVING for it.

The art style is absolutely gorgeous. I am absolutely in love with the art and these characters and everything about the aesthetics of this book. It’s soft and pretty and a little comical at times. The characters expressions are absolutely perfect in every frame and all the colours fit the tone perfectly.

I adored every character. So, so much. George and Eleanor are such a lovely, ridiculous couple, and Charlotte and Sophie are fantastic side characters.

This book explores heavy societal topics such as racism, classism and gender and sexual identity with so much care and nuance and love. I especially loved George’s gender journey and the way so many people accepted them as they are. Queer joy can and SHOULD exist in historical stories too.

I really just can’t recommend this enough.

[hussyknee]

I have decided that USAmerican authors need to be banned from writing about historical Britain until they've undergone some kind of apprenticeship under a British writer. "City block", no "and" after "come/go", absolutely no attention paid to accents or speech patterns between classes and eras. This idiot really said the rain washed 18th century London clean for once. I nearly put my face in my hands and wept. If rain could wash London clean the place would have been fresh as a daisy since it was founded. "Doctors" attending village births in 1818. I'm losing count at this point. I'm in pain. I'm not even fucking British, I've just read a truckload of 18th century historical novels set in the UK and looked up everything I could while I was doing it. Are USAmericans just pathologically incapable of reading and researching other places and cultures before trying to put pen to paper or what. Imagine having this much audacity. My soul is bleeding. I need a hospital

[scifrey]

What's this? "A Woman of the Sea" has a new cover, a new title, and new unlocked chapters over on Wattpad?

That's right!

I am very, very pleased to announce that this novel has been picked up for publication with WWS's very own adult romance imprint 'W by Wattpad', as "Time & Tide"!

Look for the exciting print version in Spring 2024, and continue to enjoy the original Wattpad-exclusive version here in the meantime.

I'll be re-releasing the previously-locked chapters over the next few weeks, so make sure you shelve it in your library to be notified.

For now, you can read the fist six chapters here.

Happy Reading

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC Review: Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall

Preorder

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Publishing Date: January 25, 2022

Synopsis:

From the acclaimed author of Boyfriend Material comes a delightfully witty romance featuring a reserved duke who’s betrothed to one twin and hopelessly enamoured of the other. Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, has twin problems: literally. It was always his father’s hope that Valentine would marry Miss Arabella Tarleton. But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again. Arabella’s twin brother, Mr. Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton, has also grown up…romantic. And fully expects Valentine to ride out after Arabella and prove to her that he’s not the cold-hearted cad he seems to be. Despite copious misgivings, Valentine finds himself on a pell-mell chase to Dover with Bonny by his side. Bonny is unreasonable, overdramatic, annoying, and…beautiful? And being with him makes Valentine question everything he thought he knew. About himself. About love. Even about which Tarleton he should be pursuing.

My Review:

★★★★★

This book was absolutely a delight and I LOVED it. I knew after reading Boyfriend Material that this was going to be good, especially since it's a queer regency and I love queer regencies. But it surpassed my every expectation.

Was it over the top? Yes. Was it absolutely hilarious? Also yes. I highlighted no less than 58 passages as I was reading. Was it also surprisingly sweet? Also yes.

Valentine was exceedingly grumpy and tended toward the opposite of introspection, though he did eventually realize that he was demisexual and also gay. Bonny did not delude himself as to his sexuality but tended rather strongly toward the dramatic. Really he and his sister made quite the pair and were rather a trial for staid, determinedly practical Valentine.

Having nearly all the side characters be queer made this over-the-top story even more delightful, and made for plenty of comical 'of course they are' moments of realization for Valentine. I am here for unapologetically queer regency romance characters. Really there aren't enough of them.

Do you like Regency romance? Do you like queer romance? If yes, then do yourself a favor and read this. You'll thank me, once the hysterical laughter has subsided and you can breathe again. In case you need further enticement, Alexis Hall has described it as "Dude, Where's My Curricle," which is both hilarious and accurate.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for providing an e-arc for review.

Favorite Quotes:

"You need to go away this instant and put your head in a bucket of water." Tarleton did not, in fact, go away that instant and put his head in a bucket of water.

---

Thankfully, Valentine had slept where he had fallen and still in his clothes-- thus sparing them both an intimacy they were not prepared for.

---

He positively pitied the poor woman who was going to have to spend her life with the lightning storm of wayward impulses given human form that was Bonaventure Tarleton.

---

"What is happening, please? I did not invite an assessment of my kneeling."

---

Not to be outdone by physical expressions of dismay, Tarleton flung both his hands in the air, like a diminutive Prometheus defying the gods.

---

Having apparently taken his fill of the bitter draft that was Valentine, he cast himself upon a nearby chair and flung an arm across his face. "What is wrong with you?" This felt unwarranted. And somewhat hypocritical, coming from a man who clearly had many, many things wrong with him.

---

There was a long silence. They Tarleton stood up, but only in order that he might further misuse the furniture by violently reoccupying it.

---

"I'm hoping a madcap chase across the country will bring you together." "It is doing literally the opposite."

---

Growling with all the gravitas of a lapdog, Tarleton tugged again at Valentine's coat. "I may be but little, but I am fierce."

---

Oh God, what did that mean? And why was Valentine suddenly too warm and too... looked at? Even though Tarleton wasn't actually looking at him.

---

"Well," returned Tarleton, with a noticeable lack of gratitude, "thank you for destroying my dreams." "I was under the impression I was saving you from an unpleasant reading experience."

---

Behind him came the chaotic rustling of a chaotic person getting dressed chaotically.

---

"A Stable? Anything? Tarleton, we could die." "This is England. If people died of rain, there'd be nobody left."

---

"Of course it will hold me. I'm tied to a chair. You've tied a duke to a chair. I hope you're pleased with yourselves."

---

Valentine's eyes were beginning to ache from the demands of expressing so much scepticism.

---

Silence descended like the guillotine.

---

Peggy shrugged. "Hero. Heroine. In an ideal world, one would be both."

---

While Valentine was a duke and, therefore, did not whine, he was nevertheless aware that his tone was not as unwhineful as it could have been.

---

For someone with all the poise and patience of a sparkler, Bonny was moving with astonishing care.

---

"No," said Valentine slowly, and with a vague sense of dread that perhaps he was going to be peculiar even by the standards of people who were peculiar. "I have never felt that sort of inclination towards anyone, man or woman."

---

Bonny just sparkled enigmatically. "Follow me." "That's not an explanation," Valentine pointed out. "That's a direction."

---

And for a little while, he was nothing but horizon.

---

"It is now the nineteenth century, and we respect women and treat them as equals in areas not pertaining to politics, property, warfare, finances, or the law."

---

Things had gone astray. That much had been obvious for quite some time. But Valentine was starting to realise that astray was not so much a binary state as a spectrum of disaster upon which they had not yet ceased progressing.

---

A huge yawn attacked Valentine out of nowhere.

---

"For someone who reads as much as you do, your sense of the heroic is oddly banal." "Sometimes the truest heroism is."

[littleredchucks]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 19/? Fandom: Original Work Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Summary:

“To formulate a plan is a very fine thing and should never be mocked or dismissed, for a world without plans is a world in chaos, most certainly. But it must be said, that despite this, the world will always rebel at the thought of a plan, and Fate shall conspire to thwart all attempts made by humanity to control its surroundings and prospects and path. Human beings love order, you see, but life is a creature of chaos and so, as it has been said before, our best laid plans must go awry.”