Welcome to the Independence Day Blog Hop!

When I tell people that I write Regency Romance novels, their response is usually one of two things. It’s either: “Regency? Oh, I love Regency!” Or: “What is Regency?”

To those who ask that second question, Regency is a specific time period in England. It officially began when King George III, who had frequent bouts of insanity, was finally declared officially mad. His son, the Prince of Wales, was named Regent in his father’s stead, although most historians agree the queen really ran the country while Price George played, caroused, and wenched his life away. The Prince, sometimes referred to as “Prinny” became Regent in 1811. In 1820 King George III died. The prince was then crowned King George IV which legally ended the era.

The expanded Regency era is ranges from the time of Jane Austen and the Napoleonic War, until the time Queen Victoria.

Clothing fashions underwent a dramatic change in the Regency era. The influence of the charismatic Beau Brummel took men out of bright colors, satins and ruffles and put them into more subdued colors and styles that evolved into the modern day three-piece suite.

Josephine Bonaparte, wife of the infamous Napoleon, was influential in France. She set the trends for simpler women’s fashions including flowing, empire-style gowns reminiscent of Greek gowns, which were quickly adopted by the English who, no doubt, were grateful to rid themselves of corsets, panniers, and laughable headdresses.

Regency people discarded powdered wig,s and began bathing on a regular basis. Whew, good thing, right?! The wealthy even had indoor plumbing to aid in that worthy endeavor.

While images of hedonistic pleasures often come to mind, the Regency era was also steeped in manners, honor, and duty. If a girl were discovered to have been alone with a man, she was usually considered compromised. The family expected the man to marry her, thus saving her from such a terrible fate of being ruined and thus not likely to ever marry well.

Manners were very formal and if something was not done properly, they were referred to has having ‘bad ton.’  There was a protocol to everything from how many sets a lady could dance with a gentleman in one evening (two), to what to wear while walking (a walking gown).

I love the way people in Regency England spoke so eloquently. There was no mauling the language by the upper classes. They also had a great deal of wit and they excelled in using the understatement.

Regency men were civilized and treated women with courtesy by standing up when a lady entered the room, doffed their hats, curtailed their language, offered an arm, bowed, and a hundred other little things I wish men still did today. But they were not wimpy, oh no! Regency men were also very athletic; they hunted, raced, fenced, boxed, rode horses. They were manly. Strong. Noble. Resolute. Honorable. And that is why I love them!

And that is why I write Regency Romance Novels.

Leave a comment below about your favorite era in history (it can eve be present day, if you wish) and be entered to win a free digital copy of any of my books, which you can find in my Book Shelf.  Please specify which book you’d like to get for free.

Thanks for blog hopping with me!