Aurora

Regency Goddesses #3

by D.G. Rampton

70,000+ readers have already discovered the Regency Goddesses Series. The books, which can be read in any order, are regularly in the U.S. top 20 for Historical Romance and Humor & Satire.

♥ an opposites-attract romance
♥ a formidable hero
♥ an irrepressible heroine
♥ a menagerie of lovable characters


“I think the women of your acquaintance have done you a great disservice by allowing you to continue in your deceit. Perhaps next time you meet a lady you will not be so quick to think she is only interested in fortune and matrimony!”

Miss Aurora Wesley is a lady who never allows a seemingly insurmountable problem to overwhelm her. Blessed with irrepressible optimism and ingenuity, she knows how to set about achieving her goals without the burden of excessive scruples. Whether it is establishing a brother to his rightful place in society, rescuing a young heiress from the clutches of her guardian, or match-making for a reticent spinster, Aurora has her hands full sorting out other people’s lives, with little thought for her own.

Until, after one extraordinary encounter, she discovers an overmastering desire to amuse herself by provoking the formidable Duke of Rothworth and turning his well-ordered, respectable existence on its head.

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Regency Romance

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2023

About the author

Bestselling author DG Rampton writes romantic comedy – historical and contemporary – featuring strong-willed heroines, dashing men and sparkling banter.


DGRampton.com

I have always been a creative creature at heart, with a passion for storytelling. But, by some mischievous twist of fate, I found myself studying engineering (the driest and most analytical of subjects) and followed that up by working in the construction industry for ten years. What possessed me, you might well ask! But eventually the call of my creative inclinations proved too demanding and I started to write.

If it wasn't for the wonderful reviews I have received from my readers, I may have never continued my writing journey, so a huge thank you to anyone who has left me a lovely review!

xDG


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Reviews

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book really started off being a fun funny book. The first half kept up the pacing with good action and storytelling. The second half slowed a bit but was still very entertaining. The author has said Aurora bears a resemblance to the heroine of the book The Grand Sophy Enjoyable clean read with a little suspension of disbelief required. Rate 3.75*

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminds me of champagne: light, bubbly, sparkling, inebriating. It took me about ten seconds to fall for the Duke, and just until Aurora pulled out her pistol to fall in love with her. And once you throw in with Aurora, buckle up. Your dull, routine life just got a lot more interesting. And romantic—what an ending! I loved this author’s first two books, but this one is my favorite so far.

[Nelly S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another lovely book in the series, which can be read as a standalone. I’ve enjoyed every single one of them and am sad that it’s come to an end.

[lori huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I had such fun reading this book! Aurora Wesley takes her brother Percy, who has just reached his majority, to London to claim his birthright to the title of Marquess of Dewbury, a claim that they will have to prove to unwilling relations. Having little money, but a lot of determination, during their journey Aurora accosts Julian DeVere, a duke, and steals his purse in a most hilarious way. Aurora and her brother are destined to encounter this duke again after they settle in London.

Somehow, this outrageous character, Aurora, is wonderfully endearing. She does wildly improper things, but always with impeccable manners and speech. She's a meddlesome busybody, but always with an eye to helping someone in need. She's highly opinionated without being bossy. She's fearless, but also very intelligent and clever.

The book is a joy to read for the clever banter alone. This girl can argue and persuade people to her point of view in the most charming way, and yet she'll admit when she's wrong. Aurora is an extremely likable character, as is the Duke of Rothworth, Julian. He's drawn as aloof and world weary, and highly wary of females seeking to trap him into marriage, but also smart, clever, and able to keep up with Aurora's banter and her wily ways.

There are several subplots throughout the book, some of them silly, but all great fun with these entertaining characters. The book is well written and well edited. I recommend it highly.

[Izzie (semi-hiatus) McFussy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, relaxing read in the manner of Georgette Heyer. Aurora was likable and optimistic. Cautionary note: She did edge dangerously close to Mary Sue territory. Handsome Rothworth, duke of few words, was sexy as hell. I appreciated that he was attracted to Aurora’s “Lucy Ricardo” personality without his brain chanting curves…curves…curves. The story was chock full of interesting characters. While there was a HEA, I would have liked an epilogue and a little more follow through for the secondaries.

Honorable Mention goes to Mr Key.

I plan to read Rampton’s books whenever a book slump gets me down.

[Christin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Heyer-like romp

This was so fun! It definitely nodded its head to several Heyer novels but managed to stay just on the right side of not being TOO derivative. I know I’ll be rereading this one! I only have one complaint and it’s that occasionally Aurora was a little bit manipulative and annoying: she could do no wrong but yet she got to correct Julian on any perceived lack of character. I liked that he wouldn’t let her get away with too much though; a good match.

[Lynn Put · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun story to read! Such an adventure! I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, which had me laughing out loud and reading late into the night. I loved Aurora’s character who was witty, intelligent and fun loving. And the build up to the romance was wonderful!

[Mrs A Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply excellent!

Absolutely up to Ms Rampton’s usual standard. A galloping and enjoyable read, with strong and amusing characters abounding. Can’t wait for the next one.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing read with great chemistry between H and h but this isn’t anywhere near a comedic traditional regency. It feels far too modern, some actions would be insane by standards of the era and, I never thought I’d say this but, as much as I love a good bantering romance, there was a bit too much banter between the leads. It needed moments of seriousness and true vulnerability to anchor the characters rather than just rapid-fire quips all the way to the happy ending. The bad guys and obstacles were all featherweight in the end.

Rating: 4 blonde wigs
Rereadability: it’s always fun with the hero falls early and hard but probably not a story I’d come back to beyond snippets…

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Funny Bone Is Connected to the -- Blancmange?

Humor, like beauty, resides in the eye (or chuckle) of the beholder. Somehow, a girl waving a pistol while committing a felony and a hero accidentally covered in blancmange just didn’t connect with my funny bone.

Aurora is supremely confident and always lands on her feet. She is the madcap type who calls her sibling “dearest” and hatches improbable plots. She eventually got on my nerves.

I finished the book, but it is not one I will read again.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollicking Regency Romp!

What a cheeky witty tale! Loved all the characters and their unfolding lives. Hopefully, a book 4 is in the planning?

[mikaela (spinebreaker) · Rating 4 out of 5]

the last 20% had SO much cute banter and was enough to make up for the weird pacing

also i love julian. call me a sucker for a straight-laced hero with the heart of a scoundrel

[Jill E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, a mixed bag…

After the first book of the series, I had high hopes for Aurora. It started off with a bang, and I was delighted.

However, this read was not as good as the first. The reparate between Aurora and the Duke was pleasant and entertaining. However, most of the middle of the book seemed too contrived… an acting troupe just happens to be going to the Abbey; conveniently overhearing an crucial conversation allows for Julian and Aurora to accomplish their task much too easily, etc.

Aurora does have a good sense of humor; but as strong a character as Julian is presented at the beginning, he seems to mellow out much too quickly, turning into something of a marshmallow. His character development was not as steady or consistent as was Aurora’s.

There was, I thought, a bit too much confusion regarding Phoebe and the resolution to her difficulties. In fact, her presence in the story did not seem necessary to drive the plot forward.

Unlike the first book, this one relied too much on many contrived occurrences that led to a desired resolution without investigation, problem-solving, ingenuity, etc.

At the same time, the ending very much reflected what the beginning had promised… The start of the book was immediately engaging; unfortunately, the middle did not provide much in the way of challenge or mystery, and I felt like I was metaphorically dragging my feet through quicksand. Surprisingly, by the end of the story the anticipation I experienced in the first chapter of the book was somehow re-introduced and made the ending especially enjoyable.

While this second book in the series was a disappointment in light of how finely tuned and crafted the first book was, perhaps the next book will show that the author has settled in and is able to maintain consistent plot development and pacing.

For those who are looking for a casual read with a happy ending, this book will most likely satisfy.

[BJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very traditional story very much like Heyer. I liked this story with a heroine who manages everyone around her. The H is enthralled but she keeps him at a distance as she resolves a number of issues for her family. She's rather too good at everything but is very likeable as was the hero.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Regency by DG Rampton. Book three of a series that can be read in any order. It’s a fun, fast-paced, witty novel. Definitely reminiscent of Heyer and just as entertaining to read. Highly recommend.

[Heidi Troutman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series.

This one is my least favorite however. While I found the meet cute hilarious and enjoyed the banter between the H and h I did not enjoy all the sexual references in this book. A few witty references here and there are enjoyable, but it was overdone here. There were also several typos which threw off the flow of the reading.

[Flo · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is pretty sad when you read the first 2 books in a series and love them and can't wait for the third to come out. I put Aurora by DG Rampton on my Wishlist in January 2022 and it came out only in April 2022. I began to read it so happily until I hit about the middle of the novel and realized it was going nowhere, just repetition and more repetiton. The banter wasn't that good and there was NOTHING humorous about this silly book. Even the writing was pretty bad. I suppose I will go on reading DG Rampton in the future but will wait patiently for her books to come out. Too bad. I am sad to have to give this writer a bad review, but there it is.

[Mrs Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

This book is a real gem. Fantastic writing that immerses you in the characters. Lots of humour and banter between the leads. I love the heroine - super strong lady who is also really kind and full of laughter. Lots of moments in the book that made me smile. Very clean cut but equally a compelling read. Couldn’t put it down.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unrealistic, often historically inaccurate, over the top .....and loads of fun!

So, realize right now that you must suspend disbelief if you choose to read this one, as there are far too many crazy coincidences and conversations that would never actually happen (why would her brother need to tell her about all the misfortunes that befell them, she was there! Oh wait, that was the author telling US!) But you know what - from the start you know this is not a book to be taken too seriously, so you just roll with it. Great dialogue, great characters, great fun! Loved it! And, applause to Ms. Rampton for not cheapening it with cliched descriptions of kisses and how somebody smells and staring at lips etc etc etc - silly phrases that are all too common in this genre these days. There is a strong chemistry between the H and H from the start, but the descriptions of physical attraction are nuanced, not silly, which actually makes them far more romantic. That was a fun few hours.....

[Bt · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the author says in the epilogue, the heroine reminds one of Heyer's The Grand Sophy.
I enjoyed the book. I laughed out loud quite a few times.
The main thing that's making it lose a star is I wanted a little more from the end Earlier, I'd thought we might get a more danger with the uncle wanting to eliminate Aurora/her brother, or since that didn't happen, some retribution from the dasterdly valet. When the end came, I didn't really understand why the duke was refusing to accept Aurora's yes to his proposal near the end, if he was just in a mood or what. It seemed contradictory to his previous actions/desires. I liked the beginning and middle better than I liked the end. The end seemed to drag out a bit. I did sort of like that card game scene but still didn't understand the duke's thought process behind refusing her in the way he did. But it all worked out for them

[JeniReadsTooMuch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SO MUCH FUN!!

It felt like a Georgette Heyer novel. I laughed out loud so many times and forced my hubby to listen to me read aloud my favorite parts. 😝

Rothworth: I don’t usually picture actors when I read a book, but for whatever reason I saw Theo James as Rothworth. (Maybe because of Mr. Malcolm’s List advertisements?) whatever the reason, it works. 😜 He was a perfectly frustrating hero.

Aurora: very Heyer-esque—spunky, daring, confident, a bit “managing” but all heart.

When I began reading I thought of Hello Dolly. Rory reminded me of Dolly a bit, mainly the fact that she felt justified in getting into other peoples’ business, but somehow it always ended well. :) Rothworth is like Horace in how he seems to only semi-tolerate her.
That’s about where the similarities end, but I still loved it.

[Lucee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far, D.G. Rampton is 3/3 in inauspicious beginnings for her books. The first chapter always puts me on my guard regarding the character or the plot, and yet once I get a little further in, I find my worries melting away entirely. I consider myself rather stringent in my opinion of Regency fiction (Georgette Heyer spoiled me), and reading these books has shown me the light at the end of the searching-for-a-current-day-historical-romance-author tunnel.

Aurora is a new favorite, although I'll purchase physical copies of all three in the series. Our titular character was spirited, intelligent, and fearless. The banter and tension between Rory and her love interest kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the novel (the rain scene specifically comes to mind as a highlight of the story), and I'm so happy at how everything wrapped up in the end.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a fun one to read after a couple of disappointing books. It was funny, and I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, so I really enjoyed that part. It was a little repetitive in some parts, and I thought it needed a bit more balance. They were both strong, confident individuals, and I would have liked if Julian had thrown Aurora off a bit more (though he did a little, in the end). There were a lot of great side characters, though, which was great, though Uncle Charles seemed to do a 180 pretty fast. I liked Percy and Phoebe, and the found family they all made. Easy to breeze through when I needed something light and fun to read!


Content: several references to sexual activities, no explicit descriptions.

[Jyoti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was delightful. It was sort of slow burn clean book. I loved it, the fact that half book wasn't filled with sexual thoughts but actual content was amazing.

Some might argue that it doesn't feel historical because of the arrangement that form the basis of story but all I would like to point is first; it's fiction, second; I can believe that atleast people in early 19th century (mostly) could help others without any worrying, third; family friends (at least then) must be the most basic part of the ton, forming god knows how many matrimonial matches and last but not the least it's very obvious that we as humanity survived because 'females' even if not acknowledged were (and are) definitely smart and resourceful enough, no matter the century.

[Anwesha Rakshit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed through all 3 of the series… Artemesia, Aphrodite & Aurora. I have always been a devout fan of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. I will give the author credit for carrying off a similar style and making her Regency Goddesses a fun read.

My only complaint is that the heroine is given much more license to act outside of Recency decorum than Ms Austen & Ms Heyer did. Also, the books lack a certain finesse that I would attribute to preceding authors. Otherwise, this is probably the closest I’ve come to reading a regency comedy that satisfied my need to read newer works worth reading, in this line. I have reread Ms Austen’s and Ms Heyer’s work countless time, enough to quote entire paragraphs. The Goddess series is a fun and witty addition to my library.

[GG · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. There are so many interlocking stories going on, that Aurora forgets about her own story. At least till the very end. Julian, Duke of Rothworth, brings her to an awareness of her own story and his. It isn't that people come to her with their problems, she sees the problems and decides to take a hand in solving them. Her brother Percy; Phoebe being forced into an unwanted marriage for her wealth; Miss Brinkley, their aunt; Mr. Key, a Capuchin monkey, which was more of an adoption than a rescue. Aurora even rescued the villain, which was very forward thinking of her.

Aurora and Julian finally get their HEA after everyone else. It is highly entertaining. A little slow in places but well worth the read.

Recommended.

[Judith Hale Everett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This third book by DG Rampton is by far the best executed, with delightful characters, an involved and interesting plot and enjoyable banter between the protags. The secondary story could have been better developed in my opinion but worked well enough, and there were some misused words that took me out of the story but not enough that I wanted to stop reading. The free behavior of the heroine was almost too outrageous but her endearing personality made me forgive her and decide to simply enjoy the many improbable and socially improper (but still clean by modern standards) interactions with the hero.

[Dr ANTONY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful

I loved this book. A clever, quick witted heroine, a hero who responds in kind, likeable secondary characters and so well written. Definitely up there with Georgette Heyer; Aurora was Sophy, Venetia and Judith combined. And who wouldn’t want to hide in a dark cupboard pressed closely to Julian? I am often bewildered that film companies will invest millions in bringing Bridgerton to the screen - not a lot of sparkling wit in any of the books, IMO - but these brilliant novels by Ms Rampton are not even on Audible! Unbelievable!
NB review by wife of Dr G, obviously!

[Christiane Robillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Loved this book. It was poignant and humorous at the same time. Granted, there were situations which defied logic but still, they were within the realm of possibility, sort of! The characters were thoroughly lovable and well defined. It was possible to empathize and relate to them. The dialogue was entertaining and enjoyable. There were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. The storyline was original and the scenarios innovative. The only negative was the numerous typos but as the story was so captivating, it was easy to overlook them. Definitely worth reading.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply adore this author and cannot wait for the next book. I am in a slight quandary as I cannot make up my mind if Aurora or Aphrodite is my favourite book. Both are brilliant. Aurora is such a wonderfully spontaneous, bright, cheerful perfection of a woman who just seems to come off the page. Rothworth is direct, proud, intelligent, handsome and quite simply swoon worthy. The book starts brilliantly with one hilarious caper after another which resolve over a period of time. Simply one of the best! ❤️