Welcome back! We are so pleased you are joining us for our podcast book group: Reading with Libraries!
This week we are celebrating Valentine’s Day with not only our constant love of books, our podcast book group, and all of you – but also with a look at some Regency romances.
In our book group we have fun talking about books, and provide useful information for library people doing Reader’s Advisory work. There are so many books out there that it’s tough to be an expert on all of them. So we pick a new genre each week to chat about and hopefully provide you with some insight into what may be an unfamiliar genre!
Our book group is very inclusive; there are no “right” or “wrong” books here! We just like to read and chat about books, and want you to share what you are reading too! All of us will take away at least a title or two that we want to read at the end of our time together.
Who is joining us this week? We are excited to welcome returning Guest Hosts Annie and Ariel!
Beverages:
Each week we like to connect the theme of our books with our beverages, and we each came prepared with our own drink to enjoy while we talk about our books. You are an important part of this book group, so if you don’t have a beverage go ahead and get one now. Each of our beverages will have a recipe or a link on our episode page, so you can try them yourself!
This week our beverages come from the Jane Austen Centre! Check out their site for all of these beverages, and many more – plus a lot of great information.
Arthur Parker’s Fortifying Cocoa Creating cocoa at home took time, skill and a special pot. The chocolate pot, looking like a small samovar or carafe, stood on legs so that a heat source could be placed beneath it. The chocolate and milk were melted together, stirred from the top by a whisk, and poured out. This task would be performed at the table by one of the members of the family. The cakes of chocolate talked about in this recipe were made by grinding cocoa beans and mixing them with sugar and spices, such as aniseed, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla and nutmeg. The whole mixture was then moistened and formed into bricks or cakes to be used at a later date. Today’s cocoa recipes can gain a flavor of the past by including a spoonful or two of whatever spices you like best.
Mead: Home Brewed Honey-Wine Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water, and frequently fruits, spices, grains or hops. (Hops act as a preservative and produce a bitter, beer-like flavor.) The alcoholic content of mead may range from about 8% ABV to more than 20%. The defining characteristic of mead is that the majority of the beverage’s fermentable sugar is derived from honey. It may be still, carbonated, or naturally sparkling, and it may be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet.
Blood Orange Shrub 5 or 6 medium blood oranges, peeled and juiced {yield is about 1 1/2 cups juice}
- 1/2 cup turbinado or raw sugar
- 3/4 cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Combine the peeled skins of the oranges {the colored part of the orange peels} with the sugar, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for at least one hour.
- Juice the blood oranges.
- Remove the pieces of orange zest and add the blood orange juice and the Champagne vinegar to the sugar mixture.
- Stir well to dissolve any sugar particles.
- Transfer the shrub mixture into a clean jar, seal it, and shake it to further blend the ingredients. Store the shrub mixture in the refrigerator. Allow 2 to 3 days for the flavors to meld, before enjoying.
Ginger Tea
“Ginger, long been used to soothe upset stomachs and ward off colds, makes a wonderfully spicy and invigorating tea. With its restorative properties, it would have been a natural choice for women battling morning sickness at the start of their confinement. Lady Catherine suggests just such a “Ginger Tisane” in Jane Odiwe’s latest novel, Mr. Darcy’s Secret.”
- Pour one half pint of boiling water on a teaspoonful of ginger; add sugar and milk to taste.
Genre Discussion:
Let’s start with a quick definition of our genre. Regency romances are a subgenre of historical romance novels set during the period of the English Regency or early 19th century. There is a lot of overlap between Regency and historical romance, but purists break them into different groups.
This comes to us from our friends at Wikipedia: “Regency romances are a subgenre of romance novels set during the period of the British Regency (1811–1820) or early 19th century. Rather than simply being versions of contemporary romance stories transported to a historical setting, Regency romances are a distinct genre with their own plot and stylistic conventions. These derive not so much from the 19th-century contemporary works of Jane Austen, but rather from Georgette Heyer, who wrote over two dozen novels set in the Regency starting in 1935 until her death in 1974, and from the fiction genre known as the novel of manners. In particular, the more traditional Regencies feature a great deal of intelligent, fast-paced dialogue between the protagonists and very little explicit sex or discussion of sex.[1][2] “
“Traditional Regency romance
The distinction rests on the genre definition of Regency Romance: works in the tradition of Georgette Heyer, with an emphasis on the primary romance plot, are considered traditional. Traditional Regency Romance writers usually pay close attention to historical detail, as their readers are notorious for noting errors, and the writers often do extensive research so they can clearly understand and replicate the voice of the genre.[3] After Heyer’s novels became popular in the United States in the 1960s, many publishers began publishing other Regency-set books by new authors, including Clare Darcy and Elizabeth Mansfield. Signet, Dell, and Fawcett were among those publishing Traditional Regencies in paperback; the latter eventually began a special imprint, Fawcett Coventry, which published Regencies and romances from other historical periods.
Regency Historical romance
The Regency-set books written by authors such as Christina Dodd, Eloisa James, and Amanda Quick are generally considered to be Regency Historical works. Regency romances which may include more social realism, or, conversely, anachronistically modern characterization, might be classed by some as “Regency Historical”, signifying that their general setting is in Regency England, but the plot, characterization, or prose style of the work extends beyond the genre formula of the Regency romances published by Heyer and her successors. Characters may behave according to modern values, rather than Regency values.
The sensual Regency historical romance has been made popular in recent years by Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, Loretta Chase, Lisa Kleypas, Stephanie Laurens, and Julia Quinn. These novels are much more explicit than the Traditional Regency works and include many more love scenes.”
“Many Regency romance novels include the following:
- References to the ton (le bon ton)
- (“The ton” is a term commonly used to refer to Britain’s high society during the late Regency and the reign of George IV, and later. It is a French word meaning (in this sense) “manners” or “style” and is pronounced as in French ([tɔ̃]). The full phrase is le bon ton meaning “good manners” or “good form”)
- Depictions of social activities common during the social season such as carriage rides, morning calls, dinner parties, routs, plays, operas, assemblies, balls, etc.
- References to, or descriptions of, athletic activities engaged in by fashionable young men of the period, including riding, driving, boxing, fencing, hunting, shooting, etc.
- Differences of social class
- Marriages of convenience: a marriage based on love was rarely an option for most women in the British Regency, as securing a steady and sufficient income was the first consideration for both the woman and her family.[4]
- False engagements
- Cyprians (sex workers), demireps (women of ill repute), mistresses and other women employed by rakehells and men from the upper classes
- Mistaken identity, deliberate or otherwise
- Mystery or farce elements in the plot”
From Harlequin: For having been such a short time period, the Regency era left a legacy of romance thanks to authors like Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, who helped pave the way for modern romances. The world of rakes, dukes, lords, ladies in gowns, scandals and grand balls awaits!
Suggested Reading Resources:
- 12 Enchanting Regency Romance Novels – Early Bird Books
- 10 Best Historical Romance Novels – Publishers Weekly
- 100 Must-Read Historical Romances | Book Riot
- Laugh Your Past Off | NoveList | EBSCOhost
- Sexiest Regency Romances: Bodice-Rippers That Go All the Way From Bookish.com
- Harlequin.com | Guide to Historical Romance
Goodreads lists:
- Regency Romance: Paranormal Style
- Lords, Dukes, Rakes…Oh My!
- Regency Romantic Spy Thrillers
- Regency: Heroine Masquerades as Boy
- Great Regency Romances
- Regency, Victorian and Edwardian WLW (women loving women)
Our Book Discussion
Now we are a little more familiar with this week’s genre, and we have enjoyed some of our special beverages, let’s get to the book discussion! Note: most of the books provided below are examples of authors our Guest Hosts loved. Use these as a starting place for your exploration of this genre!
(Clicking on links below will take you to Amazon.com; if you buy one of these nice books – or anything else – we may get a small percentage of Amazon’s money. This makes a huge difference in the work we are able to do, so thank you in advance for your help here!)
“Wanted: Governess for duke’s unruly children
Edgar Rochester, Duke of Banksford, is one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in England, but when it comes to raising twins alone, he knows he needs help. The only problem is the children have chased away half the governesses in London. Until the clever, bold, and far-too-enticing Miss Mari Perkins arrives.
Lost: One heart to an arrogant duke
Mari knows how to wrap even the most rebellious children around her finger. But their demanding, wickedly handsome father? He won’t be quite so easy to control. And there’s something else she can’t seem to command. Her heart. The foolish thing beats so wildly every time the duke is near.
Found: A forbidden passion neither can deny
As his employee, Mari is strictly off-limits. But what if she’s the one breaking all his rules? In the game of governess versus duke, how can Edgar maintain his defenses when the only thing he wants to do is let the tempting beauty win . . .?”
“She was in the wrong place…
Fiercely independent and adventurous, Poppy Bridgerton will only wed a suitor whose keen intellect and interests match her own. Sadly, none of the fools from her London season qualify. While visiting a friend on the Dorset coast, Poppy is pleasantly surprised to discover a smugglers’ hideaway tucked inside a cave. But her delight turns to dismay when two pirates kidnap her and take her aboard a ship, leaving her bound and gagged on the captain’s bed…
He found her at the wrong time…
Known to society as a rascal and reckless privateer, Captain Andrew James Rokesby actually transports essential goods and documents for the British government. Setting sail on a time-sensitive voyage to Portugal, he’s stunned to find a woman waiting for him in his cabin. Surely, his imagination is getting the better of him. But no, she is very real—and his duty to the Crown means he’s stuck with her.
Can two wrongs make the most perfect right?
When Andrew learns that she is a Bridgerton, he knows he will likely have to wed her to avert a scandal—though Poppy has no idea that he is the son of an earl and neighbor to her aristocratic cousins in Kent. On the high seas, their war of words soon gives way to an intoxicating passion. But when Andrew’s secret is revealed, will his declaration of love be enough to capture her heart…?”
“Spindle Cove is the destination of choice for certain types of well-bred young ladies: the bookish, the shy, the heartbroken or misunderstood. It’s a haven for young women who don’t quite fit in.
Victor Bramwell, the new Earl of Rycliff, knows he doesn’t belong here. So far as he can tell, there’s nothing in this village but spinsters and sheep. But he has orders to gather a militia. It’s a simple mission, made complicated by the spirited, exquisite Susanna Finch–a woman who is determined to save her ladies’ refuge from the invasion of Bram’s makeshift army.
The last thing either of them expects is a powerful attraction. Much less explosive passion. The village of Spindle Cove is set for an epic battle of the sexes…but will love conquer all?”
If you want to chat about romance books with our Guest Hosts, you can tweet Ariel at @BooksAndSass and Annie at @whimsicalannie. Tell them you heard about them on Reading With Libraries!
Conclusion:
Thank you so much for joining us for this discussion with our Reading with Libraries podcast book group! A special thank you to our Guest Hosts Ariel and Annie!
And of course, as we celebrate on Valentine’s Day, remember that we love you guys for being part of our book group each week! Thanks for being such important members of the group, and for the suggestions you send, and nice comments you make. You are our favorite Valentines!
Join us next Thursday with another genre, more guest hosts for our book group, and more books to share and discuss. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you don’t miss a single episode! And if you want to hear more about the work we do in libraries – which is always interesting! – subscribe to our podcast Linking Our Libraries.
Bring your book ideas, bring your beverages, and join us back here on Thursday!