The Regency ‘season’ was on the verge of springing to life and for the doting ‘mamas’ of Britain’s wealthiest families, romance (and scandal!) was at the beating heart of the social whirl of lavish balls, ‘at homes’ and fashionable assemblies. This famous age of love and elaborate courtship has long captured the hearts of readers – from the enduring wit and entertainment of Jane Austen’s novels to the much-loved tales of Georgette Heyer – while contemporary Regency romance fans have been bowled over by frothy, feel-good TV costume dramas like Bridgerton. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Star, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
But how close to the reality of aristocratic courtships over 200 years ago are these scandal-laden adventures and sexy romps which have become such a favourite with readers and audiences down the decades? Did Regency London truly witness a place where dashing heroes and independently minded heroines flirted, fought and side-stepped scandal, all the while in the single-minded pursuit of the perfect match? And who were the real women who went looking for love in the age of elegance, and what were their lives really like? Harnessing what she calls the perfect pairing of romance and the Regency, debut author Felicity Day – who enjoys writing about British history and heritage – brings.
