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The Game of Hearts: True Stories of Regency Romance
Meet the Real Women of Regency RomanceFans of the Bridgerton books and Jane Austen will love Felicity Day’s collection of true stories from women who have lived and loved in Regency England.
Welcome to London’s marriage season. Spring has arrived in 1810, and six high society women are preparing for the biggest moment of their finding a suitable husband. But their stories aren’t what you may have read in historic romances by Julia Quinn or Georgette Heyer. In The Game of Hearts, go behind the drawing-room door with history author Felicity Day and delve into the competitive world of love, scandal, and fortune. With shocking revelations about London’s most eligible heiresses and the society they live in, you’ll see British history and love stories from a whole new perspective.
May the best lady win. For our six privileged bachelorettes, life wasn’t like a Regency romance; they had to work for their happily ever after. Even if it meant competing with dozens of other women who want the same thing. By using the letters, diaries, and other confessions from our heroines, Felicity Day shares how they and many other Regency women combined attraction with practicality to navigate upper-class British society, known as the ton, and its courtship rituals. And with obstacles such as scandals, rakes, and social warfare, you’ll discover how love and success may not always win, but perseverance shall.
Discover more true stories from real Regency heroines,
How the survival of Britain’s elite families depended on their children’s marriagesWhat really happened during a grand ball and promenadeHow the game of conversation and attraction unfolded between a lady and her suitorWhat became of those who did and did not secure a match
So if you liked historic women biographies like Jane Austen at Home, The Palace Papers, or A Room of Their Own, then you’ll love The Game of Hearts.
Welcome to London’s marriage season. Spring has arrived in 1810, and six high society women are preparing for the biggest moment of their finding a suitable husband. But their stories aren’t what you may have read in historic romances by Julia Quinn or Georgette Heyer. In The Game of Hearts, go behind the drawing-room door with history author Felicity Day and delve into the competitive world of love, scandal, and fortune. With shocking revelations about London’s most eligible heiresses and the society they live in, you’ll see British history and love stories from a whole new perspective.
May the best lady win. For our six privileged bachelorettes, life wasn’t like a Regency romance; they had to work for their happily ever after. Even if it meant competing with dozens of other women who want the same thing. By using the letters, diaries, and other confessions from our heroines, Felicity Day shares how they and many other Regency women combined attraction with practicality to navigate upper-class British society, known as the ton, and its courtship rituals. And with obstacles such as scandals, rakes, and social warfare, you’ll discover how love and success may not always win, but perseverance shall.
Discover more true stories from real Regency heroines,
How the survival of Britain’s elite families depended on their children’s marriagesWhat really happened during a grand ball and promenadeHow the game of conversation and attraction unfolded between a lady and her suitorWhat became of those who did and did not secure a match
So if you liked historic women biographies like Jane Austen at Home, The Palace Papers, or A Room of Their Own, then you’ll love The Game of Hearts.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2022
9 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 5, 2023
A well researched and informative book which at times was confusing due to the proliferation of the names Spencer, Vane, Sarah and Caroline.
I appreciated the inclusion of a regency woman who was not an aristocrat in the person of the author Sydney Owenson a.k.a.Lady Morgan.
The illustrations and extensive bibliography were added bonuses.
I appreciated the inclusion of a regency woman who was not an aristocrat in the person of the author Sydney Owenson a.k.a.Lady Morgan.
The illustrations and extensive bibliography were added bonuses.
May 9, 2025
For someone who loves reading Regency romances, this narrative nonfiction about what courtship and marriage were actually like for women from the aristocracy during the Regency was fascinating.
April 28, 2024
The Game of Hearts offers a glimpse into the lives of real women who sought love in Regency-era London, focused on six leading ladies and their social circles. Felicity Day draws from diaries, letters, and newspaper accounts to reveal the experiences of these women, with tales as scandalous as those in any fictional Regency romance novel!
I love Regency romances and recently have been really interested in reading more non-fiction about the period, which is what drew me to this book. I recently read a sort of beginners' guide to the period which didn't end up passing on much extra information than I'd already picked up just from reading novels, and left me disappointed. Whereas The Game of Hearts really does get deep into the detail and cover lots of specific information and insight about the period by looking at certain ladies' lives.
Some of the earlier chapters were tasked with doing a lot of upfront work, as there were a lot of intertwined and complex relationships and family connections to explain, which wasn't helped by a lot of the women and men sharing forenames or surnames. However, as the named people reappear throughout the chapters, I ended up with a pretty extensive catalogue of names and histories in my head! Once I started to keep track of everyone, it was much easier to read and I really enjoyed all the new information I learned about the era.
The content:
Introduction - The book starts with a good introduction which explains the Regency period clearly and sets the scene well for the upcoming stories. It also provides context and appreciation for how advantaged and small this group of elites really was.
Ch1-2: These chapters focus on Lady Sarah Spencer as well as mentioning lots of people that reappear in later chapters. Drawing on the experience of these people helped to further introduce details of Regency life.
Ch3 - This chapter covers Sydney Owenson, women in employment, spinsterhood and marriage later in life.
Ch 4 - This chapter introduces Frances Anne Vane-Tempest and the public court case her aunt took against Frances' betrothed, which attracted public and media attention like a modern day celebrity divorce case does.
Ch 5 - This chapter focuses on Harriet Fane and her long and windy tale of marriage settlements.
Ch6 - This chapter covers special licenses, marriage ceremonies and honeymoons.
Ch7 - This chapter introduces Magdalene De Lancey, marriages to men in the armed forces, death of a spouse, mourning and remarriage.
Ch8 - This chapter follows Lady Augusta Boringdon, adultery, separation and divorce.
Ch9 - This final chapter finishes with detailing the fate of the 6 leading women.
I really enjoyed this non-fiction book about the Regency period, and it did a really good job of explaining the social rules and the laws of this time. And it did this by highlighting the lives of 6 real Regency women who I had definitely never heard of before, so I learned a lot from this book.
Note: There appears to be two entries for this book on Goodreads but with different taglines (True Stories of Regency Romance Vs The Lives and Loves of Regency Women) so I will post this review against both books.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
I love Regency romances and recently have been really interested in reading more non-fiction about the period, which is what drew me to this book. I recently read a sort of beginners' guide to the period which didn't end up passing on much extra information than I'd already picked up just from reading novels, and left me disappointed. Whereas The Game of Hearts really does get deep into the detail and cover lots of specific information and insight about the period by looking at certain ladies' lives.
Some of the earlier chapters were tasked with doing a lot of upfront work, as there were a lot of intertwined and complex relationships and family connections to explain, which wasn't helped by a lot of the women and men sharing forenames or surnames. However, as the named people reappear throughout the chapters, I ended up with a pretty extensive catalogue of names and histories in my head! Once I started to keep track of everyone, it was much easier to read and I really enjoyed all the new information I learned about the era.
The content:
Introduction - The book starts with a good introduction which explains the Regency period clearly and sets the scene well for the upcoming stories. It also provides context and appreciation for how advantaged and small this group of elites really was.
Ch1-2: These chapters focus on Lady Sarah Spencer as well as mentioning lots of people that reappear in later chapters. Drawing on the experience of these people helped to further introduce details of Regency life.
Ch3 - This chapter covers Sydney Owenson, women in employment, spinsterhood and marriage later in life.
Ch 4 - This chapter introduces Frances Anne Vane-Tempest and the public court case her aunt took against Frances' betrothed, which attracted public and media attention like a modern day celebrity divorce case does.
Ch 5 - This chapter focuses on Harriet Fane and her long and windy tale of marriage settlements.
Ch6 - This chapter covers special licenses, marriage ceremonies and honeymoons.
Ch7 - This chapter introduces Magdalene De Lancey, marriages to men in the armed forces, death of a spouse, mourning and remarriage.
Ch8 - This chapter follows Lady Augusta Boringdon, adultery, separation and divorce.
Ch9 - This final chapter finishes with detailing the fate of the 6 leading women.
I really enjoyed this non-fiction book about the Regency period, and it did a really good job of explaining the social rules and the laws of this time. And it did this by highlighting the lives of 6 real Regency women who I had definitely never heard of before, so I learned a lot from this book.
Note: There appears to be two entries for this book on Goodreads but with different taglines (True Stories of Regency Romance Vs The Lives and Loves of Regency Women) so I will post this review against both books.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
May 13, 2024
This is a fascinating, entertaining and often deeply moving social history of women from the aristocracy and landed gentry (the 0.1%) in the Regency era in the UK. Carefully researched from primary sources including letters, diaries and newspaper articles, it frames its narrative around six women in particular but includes plenty of contextual information and details about their contemporaries. I found all the discussions of social customs and conventions interesting but was especially intrigued by the information about financial settlements, marital infidelity, and 19th century divorce law and practice.
As a long-time reader of historical fiction and romance, I’ve often come across characters or plot lines that appear outlandish or flat-out unbelievable, but I take back all my eye-rolling - truth is at least as strange as fiction in many respects and my jaw dropped at some of the experiences related in this book. Some of my preconceptions about social conventions of the era were also dispelled by facts such as the average age of first marriage for aristocratic women of this period being 25 years, much later than is suggested by much popular fiction and television productions, and the amount of and variation in work that upper class women could and did do outside the domestic sphere.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing style is very accessible without being in any way dumbed down, and unlike the majority of history books I read, it is not overloaded with footnotes to interrupt the reading flow. I highly recommend this for anyone who reads historical fiction and/or historical romance, or who simply has an interest in women’s history.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.
As a long-time reader of historical fiction and romance, I’ve often come across characters or plot lines that appear outlandish or flat-out unbelievable, but I take back all my eye-rolling - truth is at least as strange as fiction in many respects and my jaw dropped at some of the experiences related in this book. Some of my preconceptions about social conventions of the era were also dispelled by facts such as the average age of first marriage for aristocratic women of this period being 25 years, much later than is suggested by much popular fiction and television productions, and the amount of and variation in work that upper class women could and did do outside the domestic sphere.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing style is very accessible without being in any way dumbed down, and unlike the majority of history books I read, it is not overloaded with footnotes to interrupt the reading flow. I highly recommend this for anyone who reads historical fiction and/or historical romance, or who simply has an interest in women’s history.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy.
June 6, 2024
A super accessible and informative book all about real lives and experiences of marriages in Regency Britain. A great book for fans of Bridgerton who was to learn more about the time period and the reality of the lives their favourite characters lead.
I was immersed in this book and while there were things I expected, I was amazed by some of the exciting facts and tidbits the author gives us. We really follow these characters from debuting in the ton until after their marriage when kids are involved and war arrives. Sometimes it did feel that I was reading the gossip scandal sheet myself with all the juicy details compiled.
I was immersed in this book and while there were things I expected, I was amazed by some of the exciting facts and tidbits the author gives us. We really follow these characters from debuting in the ton until after their marriage when kids are involved and war arrives. Sometimes it did feel that I was reading the gossip scandal sheet myself with all the juicy details compiled.
July 9, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book - The Game of Hearts by Felicity Day.
This book is like real life Bridgerton but insights into real life events of the time. This is a mixture of diary entries and letters and doesn't just focus on one character which I found a little confusing. I have read war diaries before and struggled and thought I would give this a try but have realised non-fiction is not for me.
This book is like real life Bridgerton but insights into real life events of the time. This is a mixture of diary entries and letters and doesn't just focus on one character which I found a little confusing. I have read war diaries before and struggled and thought I would give this a try but have realised non-fiction is not for me.
October 17, 2024
It can get a bit confusing with all the names being Sarah, Anne, and Charles (I felt I was reading a Tolstoy book by how many times I had to go back to the family tree). Nonetheless, it was a very interesting perspective about the aristocracy and their love lives during the Regency. I was missing some notable mentions. How could Byron only be mentioned once?
December 22, 2023
Impeccably researched and beautifully laid out, this book is a gem for Regency lovers, writers and readers alike. The true-life stories within are fascinating, in all their glory, shame, romance, heartbreak, joy, sorrow, disappointment, and fulfilment. I loved the many facets of attachment addressed and the several myths about women's situations busted by exhaustive research in diaries, memoirs, letters, contemporary accounts, and newspapers. It was a little difficult keeping all the ladies straight, as their stories are interwoven and divided by topics of interest, but that just means I'll have to read it again! A triumph and a must for anyone interested in real life during the Regency.
July 14, 2024
It’s no secret that I love all things Regency – be it Jane Austen, Bridgerton, or the Jonathan Groff episode of Doctor Who. I also love discussions about historical accuracy, and how it relates to our understanding of a time period. When I came across this book, it was an obvious read for me, and I absolutely loved it.
Drawing on letters, personal accounts, and more, Felicity Day guides us through the reality of the Regency romantic life, busting some myths and confirming others. I was in equal parts surprised about what was true and what wasn’t from our popular imagination; for example, I never thought that most aristocratic women didn’t get married until their late twenties, or that weddings really did take place in intimate ceremonies in the family drawing room.
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I also appreciated how clear the author was that the Ton, and by extension those featured in her book, represents an elite few rather than life as a whole. Day’s descriptions of their lifestyles and parties reminded me of people like the Kardashians, whose ultra-wealth (and their display of it) is so far detached from the lives of everyday people. I thought she did an excellent job of placing all of the families and individuals she discussed in the correct context, explaining what a dowry actually is, and giving a wider view of a life that we often think of as being common, if not almost universal, experience.
This was such a fascinating read, and I enjoyed it immensely. I think it will be of interest to any fans of Regency fiction, and anyone interested in the romances – and particularly the lives of women – in the past.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
Drawing on letters, personal accounts, and more, Felicity Day guides us through the reality of the Regency romantic life, busting some myths and confirming others. I was in equal parts surprised about what was true and what wasn’t from our popular imagination; for example, I never thought that most aristocratic women didn’t get married until their late twenties, or that weddings really did take place in intimate ceremonies in the family drawing room.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
I also appreciated how clear the author was that the Ton, and by extension those featured in her book, represents an elite few rather than life as a whole. Day’s descriptions of their lifestyles and parties reminded me of people like the Kardashians, whose ultra-wealth (and their display of it) is so far detached from the lives of everyday people. I thought she did an excellent job of placing all of the families and individuals she discussed in the correct context, explaining what a dowry actually is, and giving a wider view of a life that we often think of as being common, if not almost universal, experience.
This was such a fascinating read, and I enjoyed it immensely. I think it will be of interest to any fans of Regency fiction, and anyone interested in the romances – and particularly the lives of women – in the past.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
May 8, 2024
I think a lot of us have been enamoured by the regency era, from Jane Austen to Bridgerton, swept up into the romance of it all and the intricate history behind the era. This book was absolutely fab in bringing an element of realism into the enchanting romance of the time.
It was well written with greatly conducted research. We get insights into real life events of the time and it reads easily however it can be quite a big, heavy chonk of information. I was occasionally quite daunted by the large chunks of text and long chapters which had me taking regularly breaks, probably a good thing really to help me absorb and digest more of the information. I would have loved some original extracts from letters of the day rather than little snippets.
I had thought there would be more of a focus on individuals shining a light on their stories but names were peppered in throughout so I felt a slightly disconnected to the flow of people and information but the format was a good one once you got into it - I just think I was expecting something different!
I think if you have a prior interest and a curiosity into this era, this is mostly certainly the book for you! I really enjoyed learning about the people of regency and their lives and all things marriage and romance.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
It was well written with greatly conducted research. We get insights into real life events of the time and it reads easily however it can be quite a big, heavy chonk of information. I was occasionally quite daunted by the large chunks of text and long chapters which had me taking regularly breaks, probably a good thing really to help me absorb and digest more of the information. I would have loved some original extracts from letters of the day rather than little snippets.
I had thought there would be more of a focus on individuals shining a light on their stories but names were peppered in throughout so I felt a slightly disconnected to the flow of people and information but the format was a good one once you got into it - I just think I was expecting something different!
I think if you have a prior interest and a curiosity into this era, this is mostly certainly the book for you! I really enjoyed learning about the people of regency and their lives and all things marriage and romance.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
April 28, 2024
The Game of Hearts offers a glimpse into the lives of real women who sought love in Regency-era London, focused on six leading ladies and their social circles. Felicity Day draws from diaries, letters, and newspaper accounts to reveal the experiences of these women, with tales as scandalous as those in any fictional Regency romance novel!
I love Regency romances and recently have been really interested in reading more non-fiction about the period, which is what drew me to this book. I recently read a sort of beginners' guide to the period which didn't end up passing on much extra information than I'd already picked up just from reading novels, and left me disappointed. Whereas The Game of Hearts really does get deep into the detail and cover lots of specific information and insight about the period by looking at certain ladies' lives.
Some of the earlier chapters were tasked with doing a lot of upfront work, as there were a lot of intertwined and complex relationships and family connections to explain, which wasn't helped by a lot of the women and men sharing forenames or surnames. However, as the named people reappear throughout the chapters, I ended up with a pretty extensive catalogue of names and histories in my head! Once I started to keep track of everyone, it was much easier to read and I really enjoyed all the new information I learned about the era.
The content:
Introduction - The book starts with a good introduction which explains the Regency period clearly and sets the scene well for the upcoming stories. It also provides context and appreciation for how advantaged and small this group of elites really was.
Ch1-2: These chapters focus on Lady Sarah Spencer as well as mentioning lots of people that reappear in later chapters. Drawing on the experience of these people helped to further introduce details of Regency life.
Ch3 - This chapter covers Sydney Owenson, women in employment, spinsterhood and marriage later in life.
Ch 4 - This chapter introduces Frances Anne Vane-Tempest and the public court case her aunt took against Frances' betrothed, which attracted public and media attention like a modern day celebrity divorce case does.
Ch 5 - This chapter focuses on Harriet Fane and her long and windy tale of marriage settlements.
Ch6 - This chapter covers special licenses, marriage ceremonies and honeymoons.
Ch7 - This chapter introduces Magdalene De Lancey, marriages to men in the armed forces, death of a spouse, mourning and remarriage.
Ch8 - This chapter follows Lady Augusta Boringdon, adultery, separation and divorce.
Ch9 - This final chapter finishes with detailing the fate of the 6 leading women.
I really enjoyed this non-fiction book about the Regency period, and it did a really good job of explaining the social rules and the laws of this time. And it did this by highlighting the lives of 6 real Regency women who I had definitely never heard of before, so I learned a lot from this book.
Note: There appears to be two entries for this book on Goodreads but with different taglines (True Stories of Regency Romance Vs The Lives and Loves of Regency Women) so I will post this review against both books.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
I love Regency romances and recently have been really interested in reading more non-fiction about the period, which is what drew me to this book. I recently read a sort of beginners' guide to the period which didn't end up passing on much extra information than I'd already picked up just from reading novels, and left me disappointed. Whereas The Game of Hearts really does get deep into the detail and cover lots of specific information and insight about the period by looking at certain ladies' lives.
Some of the earlier chapters were tasked with doing a lot of upfront work, as there were a lot of intertwined and complex relationships and family connections to explain, which wasn't helped by a lot of the women and men sharing forenames or surnames. However, as the named people reappear throughout the chapters, I ended up with a pretty extensive catalogue of names and histories in my head! Once I started to keep track of everyone, it was much easier to read and I really enjoyed all the new information I learned about the era.
The content:
Introduction - The book starts with a good introduction which explains the Regency period clearly and sets the scene well for the upcoming stories. It also provides context and appreciation for how advantaged and small this group of elites really was.
Ch1-2: These chapters focus on Lady Sarah Spencer as well as mentioning lots of people that reappear in later chapters. Drawing on the experience of these people helped to further introduce details of Regency life.
Ch3 - This chapter covers Sydney Owenson, women in employment, spinsterhood and marriage later in life.
Ch 4 - This chapter introduces Frances Anne Vane-Tempest and the public court case her aunt took against Frances' betrothed, which attracted public and media attention like a modern day celebrity divorce case does.
Ch 5 - This chapter focuses on Harriet Fane and her long and windy tale of marriage settlements.
Ch6 - This chapter covers special licenses, marriage ceremonies and honeymoons.
Ch7 - This chapter introduces Magdalene De Lancey, marriages to men in the armed forces, death of a spouse, mourning and remarriage.
Ch8 - This chapter follows Lady Augusta Boringdon, adultery, separation and divorce.
Ch9 - This final chapter finishes with detailing the fate of the 6 leading women.
I really enjoyed this non-fiction book about the Regency period, and it did a really good job of explaining the social rules and the laws of this time. And it did this by highlighting the lives of 6 real Regency women who I had definitely never heard of before, so I learned a lot from this book.
Note: There appears to be two entries for this book on Goodreads but with different taglines (True Stories of Regency Romance Vs The Lives and Loves of Regency Women) so I will post this review against both books.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
September 9, 2023
By dissecting letters exchanged among well-to-do Regency-era folk, the author breaks down stereotypes that Bridgerton et al have depicted about how women were prudish or parents were overbearing about marrying their daughters off. As it turns out, women and their parents were generally practical even if society was much harsher on women for failing to meet marriage expectations. (Spoiler: Some parents didn't mind if their daughters stayed single and supported their lavish lifestyles!)
That said, the accounts were difficult to follow because of the numerous persons involved. The book organised the women's experiences according to themes, e.g. what courtship was like, the costs of eloping; and illustrated them by comparing the lives of different women. It was a headache trying to recall the details of a character's life from chapter to chapter that even if some of the insights were interesting, I couldn't get past the info overload in the reading experience.
That said, the accounts were difficult to follow because of the numerous persons involved. The book organised the women's experiences according to themes, e.g. what courtship was like, the costs of eloping; and illustrated them by comparing the lives of different women. It was a headache trying to recall the details of a character's life from chapter to chapter that even if some of the insights were interesting, I couldn't get past the info overload in the reading experience.
October 5, 2023
This is a non-fiction history book but the tales it tells will be most familiar with any avid Regency Romance readers. Gathered from the letters, diaries, and memoirs of 20 or so members of the ton, every story, every tidbit of gossip, every court case sounds like the blurb for one or two books I have come across. Even the strange case of an English lord unknowingly married to a Scottish woman was used in a murder mystery I've read recently.
I enjoyed listening to this book. The narration feels very much like reading fictional historical romances and getting to know more about the actual facts of the time period is a bolster to my love of many authors who take their research more seriously than some.
I laughed, I cried, I was angry, I was happy. It didn't feel like a history lesson at all.
I enjoyed listening to this book. The narration feels very much like reading fictional historical romances and getting to know more about the actual facts of the time period is a bolster to my love of many authors who take their research more seriously than some.
I laughed, I cried, I was angry, I was happy. It didn't feel like a history lesson at all.
February 16, 2023
Great for fans of things such as Bridgerton.
A real in sight into matters of the heart. Just how marriages and affairs were conducted in the past.
Entertaining. Enlightening.
I especially liked the images and pictures shown. Gave an extra connection to those talked about within the book.
A real in sight into matters of the heart. Just how marriages and affairs were conducted in the past.
Entertaining. Enlightening.
I especially liked the images and pictures shown. Gave an extra connection to those talked about within the book.
May 19, 2024
I would like to thank netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a highly interesting book that focuses more on marriage than love. It dispels a lot of commonly held beliefs about the regency. It also introduces some truly interesting women who had more control of their own future than historical fiction would have you believe.
This is a highly interesting book that focuses more on marriage than love. It dispels a lot of commonly held beliefs about the regency. It also introduces some truly interesting women who had more control of their own future than historical fiction would have you believe.
August 7, 2024
We love Regency and love the stories of Regency women who belonged to the Ton.
This is how they really lived and it talks about aristocrats and women from other classes.
Well researched, informative, and intriguing
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This is how they really lived and it talks about aristocrats and women from other classes.
Well researched, informative, and intriguing
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
November 10, 2023
An informative account of the lives and loves of the Regency period. Taken from real letters and diaries of the age. However, found it at times rather confusing with so many different names and references in one paragraph.
June 2, 2024
Very nice non-fiction book about the real lives and romances of various upper class women during the Regency period. Lots of info and well organised into a general timeline of a woman's life, from debut, marriage options, weddings, childbearing, affairs, and death.
November 7, 2022
As a big fan of Regency fiction I was happy to see this audiobook available at our local online library.
It was informative and enjoyable.
It was informative and enjoyable.
November 26, 2024
Bridgerton upper class and gossip meets Jane Austen’s world.
January 14, 2025
Very informative and readable
April 13, 2025
I found this interesting, enjoyed reading it but I found it confusing in parts, the timeline went in circles a bit.
December 25, 2025
In my research of the Regency, I came upon this book with the stories of real women of the era. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction—or more amusing! I found this book well-written, enjoyable and useful. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews