I’ve been on a reading binge lately, focusing on historical romances. I have a soft spot in my heart for Regencies, not only because they were the first kind of romance novel I ever read, but also because I have a pile of degrees in eighteenth-century literature–so I’m always interested to see how other authors deal with the period!

This review is for three historical romances I read last week. They were all fun in completely different ways and well worth picking up and giving a read. Check them out!

Primrose and the Dreadful Duke by Emily Larkin.  Larkin may be my new favorite historical author. I hadn’t read anything by her before, and this book had me laughing aloud before the first chapter was done. Oliver, the hero of the book, is charming and lighthearted, the sort of character who all too often ends up playing a sidekick rather than the lead. Here, he’s the perfect match for Primrose, the bookish heroine who finds herself at a house party with a murderer who’s out to get Oliver. It’s a light mystery and a delightful romance, and I’ll be stocking up on more of Larkin’s books. 5 stars.

Earl to the Rescue by Jane Ashford. Gwendeline Gregory is a bit of a silly heroine in this book, though it was nice to find a departure from the standard bookish girls who don’t quite fit in. And the hero, Alex St. Audley, is kind and charming and tries to do the right thing by Gwendeline. I didn’t quite buy the kidnappings–or rather, I wasn’t deeply invested in them–but I liked the book, for all that.  4 stars.

Someone to Trust by Mary Balogh. As usual, Balogh’s writing is absolutely gorgeous, drawing the reader into her characters with style and grace. I was delighted to discover in Elizabeth Overfield a Regency heroine over thirty. And even better, the hero, Colin Handrich, Lord Hodges, is a younger man! At twenty-six, he’s old enough to be on the marriage market, but when he falls for Elizabeth, they have to face some interesting opposition from their society–and their own hearts. 5 stars.