April 29, 2025 • 32 mins
Dearest Listener, Your presence is formally requested while Jordan and Devonnie explore the classic and popular genre of Historical Romance.
You've surely heard of titles such as Pride & Predjudice by Jane Austen, The Duke and I by Julia Quinn, and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. And while classics for a reason, the romance novels explored in this spicy podcast are sure to have you clutching your pearls and deviate from traditional stereotypes. If you're looking for magic, queer love, and greater representation in your historical reads, this is the episode for you!
https://www.instagram.com/romancerecspod/
https://www.threads.net/@romancerecspod
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Devonnie (00:01):
Welcome to Romance Recs.
We are three romance obsessedbesties sharing book Recs broken
down by genres and tropes so youcan be sure you're getting
exactly what you want out ofyour next read.
Hi guys.
Dev here.
Hey.
I was gonna say what I'm readingright now, but I'm not gonna lie
to y'all, I have about 10 arcs,so we're just powering through
(00:22):
Okay.
There, there's a lot on my plateright now, so do without what
you will keep following theInstagram social so you can see
my reviews of books as theycome.
And that's all I gotta say aboutthat.
Jordan (00:35):
Hi, I'm Jordan.
I just finished Trial of the SunQueen by Nisha j Tulli, and I
listened to that one.
So good.
It was free on Audible with mysubscription and I am still
reading.
I'm beta reading the Song of theLost by Glennn Ashley Patterson.
Devonnie (01:00):
Woo.
Jordan (01:01):
Ooh, it's so good.
So buckle up.
Some bookish banter bam.
Because that the ban that reallyleads us really well into
historical and regency romance.
Right?
Like when you think historicalromance, you think bam.
(01:22):
Like a big flashy
Devonnie (01:23):
air horn.
Jordan (01:24):
Uhhuh
Devonnie (01:24):
So this is yeah, I know it's just us two.
We don't have Christina with ustoday, but she'll be back in our
next episode, so stay tuned forthat.
Unhinged.
Just rocking with Jordan and Itoday.
I do have a quote that I wannashare.
Jordan (01:39):
Give it to
Devonnie (01:39):
This quote is from one of my recs tonight, and this is
a child
Jordan (01:45):
This is a child.
Devonnie (01:46):
parents.
Okay.
Livy says, when her mama and Popare happy, she hears them
jumping on the bed at night.
Are you going to jump on thebed?
Jordan (01:56):
No.
Devonnie (02:00):
we know they're not jumping on the bed for real.
So yeah, this was really cute.
I can't wait to talk more aboutthis book, but very cute.
Jordan (02:07):
you know, being a parent is so weird to be on the other
side of that scandal because Ifeel like everyone stories from
their growing
Devonnie (02:18):
scandal.
Jordan (02:18):
Anyways, family stories.
So funny.
My quote,
Devonnie (02:24):
Sick.
Jordan (02:25):
is gonna be unhinged my quote is actually from the Song
of the Lost by Glennn AshleyPatterson.
So, who knows this quote couldchange by the time it gets to
all of you beautiful readers.
But the way that Glennn writesis.
Poetry.
It's so beautiful and it's sogreat.
Now, I love this quote.
(02:46):
There are more meaningful quotesthat I highlighted, but I this
imagery just stuck with me.
So I'm gonna go with this onetonight'cause this book is
really on my mind Lately, as faras lovers were concerned.
Aric had been as bland asunsalted butter, like picking a
warm sun peach, only to find ittoo soft and over sweet.
(03:09):
Our courtship was short-lived.
Devonnie (03:13):
I love Glenn.
Glenn is like so good at words.
I mean like truly
Jordan (03:17):
who have you ever thought to compare your old
lovers to unsalted butter?
Devonnie (03:21):
Yeah.
Jordan (03:21):
I sure haven't.
I've compared to them to a lotof things.
It's so good.
I was like, I can imagineexactly what kind of lover he
is.
I know
Devonnie (03:30):
and we don't want
Jordan (03:31):
yeah.
Devonnie (03:31):
We want no parts.
Jordan (03:32):
We're not settling.
Devonnie (03:34):
Right.
Shout out to you, Glenn.
Okay.
I'm actually gonna jumpstart usand my first rec is not the book
that I mentioned the quote from,but this is actually gonna be
Salt and Broom by Sharon LynnFisher.
And this is actually a JaneArrow.
We retelling Jane Air.
I always have such a hard timepronouncing that last name, like
(03:55):
it just trips over my tongue.
Anyway, Jane Eyre.
If you're familiar with Jane Eyby what's the author's name?
Jane Austen.
I think she's the one who wrotethat story.
Which follows a bunch ofsisters.
I'm not gonna lie to y'all.
Lemme tell you just something,lemme tell you something.
I've read a couple Jane Austenbooks and I've list watched a
(04:16):
lot of Jane Austen
Jordan (04:18):
It's by Charlotte Bronte, but
Devonnie (04:21):
Yeah, that's what it is.
It's the Bronte sisters
Jordan (04:24):
Bronte wrote it.
Devonnie (04:26):
wrote.
Okay, hold on.
What did the, what the hell didJane Austen do?
Pride and
Jordan (04:33):
pride and prejudice
Devonnie (04:34):
There we go.
Sorry, I was in the wrong book.
Okay.
The Bronte.
Anyway, the.
Jordan (04:45):
Oh.
Devonnie (04:46):
Jane Eyre.
Anyway, this, I love thisretelling because that regular
Jane Eyre story can get over.
It's very formulaic and in thefact that I think it's like the
baseline that a lot of peopletell this type of story, this
trope with.
But this one Sharon Lynn Fisherdid something new where it was
like witchy.
It was a witchy retelling.
(05:07):
The name is the same, butspelled differently, so it's
still Jane Ayre.
And basically Jane Eyre works ata sheltered all girls school,
and she is an orphan herself whogrew up at the school and then
works there teaching potions andall these things.
Her craft is not necessarilyaccepted at this time.
(05:28):
The headmaster, if you will, ofthis, all girls school downplays
the work.
Like definitely doesn't label itas witches or anything.
They're like learning, healingessentially.
But their work is very importantin the story.
Jane Air is, or someone requestsa witch specifically to come to
Thornfield manner by the man ofthe house and.
(05:54):
Basically, Jane and I ends up atThornfield Manor.
She's summoned by this wealthyman to go to the countryside.
She's never left the school.
She knows that there's somethinga little weird about her, and
she can do magic, but shedoesn't know her origins because
she's an orphan.
She goes to this school tobasically lend her witchy
services to see if they canuncover who this unknown.
(06:19):
Demonic or whatever entity isthat's plaguing the estate.
And through that process, shestarts to like, feel things for
the man of the house.
I'm not gonna lie to y'all, therelationship is the slowest burn
I've ever slowed.
Burned.
Like they, they are crawling ata snail pace.
(06:42):
And even when they do
Jordan (06:43):
historical romance.
Devonnie (06:45):
Right, exactly.
Jordan (06:46):
is a slow burn
Devonnie (06:47):
that's how it is.
Even when they do, mr.
Rochester is his name.
Of course.
Even when her and Rochester,right when they do decide, oh,
there's something more here.
We feel something more.
She's still calling him Mr.
Rochester.
And
Jordan (07:01):
that's very historical.
Devonnie (07:03):
historical.
And I hate it.
But it was really fun.
I think I personally like this
Jordan (07:08):
I hate it, but it was
Devonnie (07:09):
of Jane Eyre.
It was cute.
It was funny.
There are also like some deep,dark secrets.
About around Rochester Manor andwhat's all going on there and
why this entity is hos stalkingthem and who the person is,
which I think was really nice.
'cause sometimes it felt like Iwas reading a thriller, but it
was really like a historicalromance.
(07:30):
So I really like the witchyelements of this and the
retelling of this classicalstory that everyone kind of
knows about with this littletwist on it.
It was fun.
But yeah, I'm not a historicalromance girly.
'cause one thing about me, Idon't wanna be in a carriage
ride.
Ooh, I'm gonna take that backbecause if we're in a carriage
for days.
Jordan (07:50):
ride.
Devonnie (07:50):
Yeah, it's, but yeah, like I'd rather be in a carriage
ride if it's in fantasy when itcomes to re, I don't know.
There's some things that withher historical romance that I
just cannot that piss me off.
And there's definitely thebelittling of women, the
downplay of like women's giftsis
Jordan (08:07):
I have a hard time with.
Devonnie (08:08):
Yeah.
Jordan (08:09):
I'll get to that
Devonnie (08:09):
me.
It's yeah.
But I again, I do think it was areally nice retelling for the
story that it was retelling andthe twists that were on it.
So, like Sharon, great job inmaking this witchy and still
keeping to the theme of Bronte'swork.
'cause I think it was veryclose, but it was just like
extra, I don't know.
(08:30):
More relatable, I guess.
Jordan (08:33):
Very nice.
I love that.
I too have a hard time readinghistorical and regency era
romance.
Listen, it is 2025 and we arestill fighting for women's
rights and wrongs.
Okay.
I do not want to read in a timewhere even women at least in
(08:55):
books, they're saying, oh, Ijust need a man to take care of
me.
And oh, well it's me.
What is sex?
Oh, no, wait, I've never heardthat word.
What happens tonight when I getmarried?
Where do babies come from?
I don't wanna read that.
So.
I have been saying it's beenover six months since I decided
(09:16):
that we were gonna do thisepisode because I was the one
that pushed for it because Iknow this is a very popular
genre and also because I wantedto see what I could find and I
found it.
I am very into historical andregency now, but only certain
kinds.
So my first example of ones thatI stand is a Tropical Rebel Gets
(09:42):
the Duke by Adriana Herrera andI got a an A LC copy of this
through Net galley, thanks toWhat are the publishers?
Devonnie (09:53):
So jealous.
I didn't get that.
A LC.
Jordan (09:56):
it was so good by Canary Street Press.
Okay, it was so good.
So first of all, this is thethird book in a series, but
they're all interconnected,standalones.
So I did not feel like I wasmissing out.
Obviously there were othercharacters that popped in and
out and I'm like, oh, theyprobably it's the, these couples
are from the other books, butdid not detract from the story
at all.
(10:16):
So this has great.
Representation.
Neither one of these charactersare white.
They are mixed race.
And you kinda learn wherethey're from.
I don't, I can't even say whereone of them is from because it
kind of gives away the secret,like of their family secret
anyways.
Aurora Alban Wright is aphysician.
(10:39):
She is one of, I think she's thethird female physician to ever
physician.
She takes risks in her career.
She running an undergroundwomen's clinic, so.
Abortion rights.
Abortion is, you know, thechurch rules all here and
abortion is not an option, butneither is premarital sex and
(11:02):
people have that anyways,whether they want to or not
sometimes.
And so, things happen.
But she needs help.
Like she gets to the point whereshe needs help.
Financial help.
Running this clinic.
Right.
And she finds someone who'swilling to front her the money,
who wants to help front her, themoney, who knows her background,
(11:22):
and that is the Duke of Annon.
Okay.
the beginning of this storystarts out with her taking a
carriage after a long shift ofhelping these women.
Apollo, Caesar, Sinclair Roblesdoor, she shows up to his
bachelor pad, his den ofiniquity is what they call it,
(11:45):
and she shows up and she's Iwant you to fuck me.
Devonnie (11:50):
What.
Jordan (11:51):
It starts, yes, it starts that way.
So she's, this is not givinganything away.
This is how it starts.
I need you to fuck me.
And it's just tonight, I needyou to make love to me.
I need you to do this.
I need this.
And I know this won't.
And she's and I know this won'tbe anything for you because you
won't, you only do this withwomen once.
(12:12):
Like it's not a big deal.
Right?
But then when she leaves, hedrops the bomb that his dad just
died and he is now the Duke.
So it starts out that way.
And then we, the rest of thestory picks up a few years
later.
They haven't seen each othersince that one
Devonnie (12:25):
She has a kid.
Jordan (12:26):
No, I'll say that right now.
No, is not, no.
She helps people not have kidsOr decide when they want to.
But he has not been able to stopthinking about her.
He does not think about women inthis way.
And he is, he cannot get her outof his mind.
Okay?
So they find themselves inEurope, I think it was France.
(12:46):
And so all of a sudden he hearsshe's in town'cause they have
mutual friends.
Her two best friends are marriedto like his brother and another
friend.
Devonnie (12:55):
Very close.
Jordan (12:57):
And so he finds cute ways to support.
He like sends her things that heknows she likes just based on
that one night together that shesaid
Devonnie (13:06):
clinger.
Jordan (13:08):
I mean, he is obsessed and he needs to get married, but
she's no, I will not give up myindependence.
I will never be married.
She has secrets from her family,from her past because he's like,
why aren't you getting moneyfrom your family?
They're super rich.
And she's I am not associatedwith them anymore.
But it is very much about Auroraand her independence and her
(13:29):
femininity and her feminism.
His support of that.
And also he's dealing with somepeople that can't get over the
fact that it's not just a whiteman's club anymore.
And it's not, most people, it'snot like he's facing this
everywhere he goes.
It's like a very select couplepeople.
Do you know what I mean?
(13:50):
So you're not like dealing withracism the whole time, and it's
not heavily focused on that.
It's more of a side note whichwas nice to read people of
color, just being a part of theworld
Devonnie (14:04):
Yeah.
Jordan (14:05):
In every part of society, in every part of
society, and it being like onthe way to being normalized.
So it was nice to focus on somany other issues going on at
that time.
So yeah, a tropical rebel.
What gets the Duke, it's superhot and yeah, super great.
And you're unraveling thesemysteries and like what happened
(14:27):
and what's going to happen.
So.
Devonnie (14:29):
I love that I did.
Oh, you said super hot and itreminded me my first rec, salt
and broom is like zero out offive chili peppers.
Babes don't go in there lookingfor spice.
It's very much closed door.
So yeah, I just wanted tomention that.
My next and
Jordan (14:43):
trigger warning close.
Devonnie (14:45):
trigger warning, it's closed to romance.
My next and only rec is Tempestby Beverly Jenkins.
And now I will admit that I haveknown about Beverly Jenkins for
years.
I've known this is like her,like bread and butter, right?
Historical Regency romance andstuff like that.
Westerns and this is my firstBeverly Jenkins.
So could, yeah.
(15:06):
Cheers to me.
I finally broke my Bev Jenkins.
Cherry.
It was a very, I'll say, this ishow I want.
Yeah.
Popping.
Thank you so much for the soundeffects.
This is how I wanna readhistorical romances.
So along the same I don't wannaread about a woman being
barefoot and pregnant in thekitchen and like working to make
everything nice for her husband.
(15:27):
And if that is the.
Story, that's fine, but I needsomething else from her as well.
Tempest is that, this is bookthree in Beverly Jenkins', old
West series.
I didn't read the first twobooks.
And they follow like relatives Ithink in pick and choose picks
and chooses, but.
Tempest follows ReaganCarmichael and Dr.
(15:48):
Colton Lee.
I'm gonna just start by sayingReagan already not typical.
It two black main characters.
The leads are both black andit's in set in Wyoming.
Reagan is rich.
Her family is very wealthy.
She comes from money, but shedecides that she wants a family.
Yeah, she's super independent.
(16:08):
But she really just wanted afamily.
So she signs up pretty much tobe a mail order bride for Dr.
Colton Lee, who is a single dad.
He's a widow.
His daughter's mother had died,but she goes to meet her husband
and literally guys within thefirst 1% of the book, we're in a
carriage and.
Reagan is whipping out her gunto shoot at Bandits who are
(16:29):
trying to overtake the carriage.
And she's a badass.
Like she whips, she likebandits.
Yep.
She like whips out her gun andshe's shooting.
I will say this isn't givinganything away'cause it's also in
the blurb, but she ends upshooting her husband to be.
He basic.
After the bandits disperse morewhat they assume are bandits
(16:49):
come to chase the carriageagain.
But this time it's actuallyhelp, it's people from town
coming to help them.
'cause they just saw thebandits.
She just start firing.
'cause she's I don't know whoy'all are.
Y'all are chasing my carriage.
I'm just gonna start shooting.
So she ends up
Jordan (17:01):
As you
Devonnie (17:02):
her up.
Husband and that is their firstmeeting.
Could you imagine almost killingyour husband?
But it was like a flesh wound.
He's a doctor.
It was very, he.
Jordan (17:13):
it's just a flash.
Devonnie (17:15):
With her being there are things that are annoying.
There are moments where thetownspeople of the town she's
now moving to won't let herspend her money.
'cause they wanna know, is herhusband aware that she's buying
all this new, all these newthings, and where did she get
this money and how does she haveso much money?
And like those things are superannoying.
(17:35):
But when I tell you Reagan.
Carmichael is a class act likethe way she handles these
people.
And she's also very sweet andshe honestly just wants to be a
mom.
She wants to like, you know,cook and have a good life and
have a good family.
And originally they were justgonna be married and it wasn't
gonna be any emotions involved,but.
(17:56):
Things happen, right?
So she loves her.
Colton's daughter.
The daughter loves her.
The daughter's so sweet.
She's the one who said thequote, I read it earlier in the
episode.
She's looking for a mama.
She wants a mama.
Yeah.
Jordan (18:08):
on a bed.
Devonnie (18:09):
Yeah.
So she looking at her parents,her new parents, and she's are
y'all gonna be jumping on thebed?
And it was so funny.
It was so awkward.
I will say that for this likehistorical western fiction vibe,
romance.
The spice was given dirty.
I was like it, but it was soweird because it wasn't using
(18:29):
like crass or crude descriptorsthat we're used to in modern
books, descrip.
It's using like flowery,beautiful language, but also
like y'all are getting to it,
Jordan (18:40):
That's why you read these is
Devonnie (18:42):
Yeah.
Jordan (18:42):
in this, and you're like, Ooh.
Yeah.
His hard member
Devonnie (18:46):
Yes, I was kidding.
And normally in a book set, inthe current present times or
even a fantasy book, I do notwanna read language like that.
So yeah, it was really nice.
It was really good.
And yeah, there's a Reagan goesup against like family.
His family disapproving her, thetown judging her.
And also the fact that she's nota virgin and she's pre, I love
(19:09):
that she's not a virgin, andshe's well, I've been with men
before, so.
You're just gonna have to dealwith it.
And he has to check his ego andhis pride about oh, well, oh,
women aren't supposed to be likethat and dah.
And then he has to check himself'cause it's like, what are you
talking about?
A lot of family dynamics at playin this story.
And there's also like a littlebit of a mystery.
(19:30):
Which you kind of uncover.
But it was really good.
I definitely think that if thiswas book one, I would continue
to read the rest of the series.
So I may have to circle back andread books one and two now that
I know who they're about.
And I think Book four mayactually be about Colton's
sister, whose name is Spring andshe's, yeah, like I absolutely
(19:52):
wanna read about her'cause hercharacter is so unhinged.
So.
Yeah.
Beverly Jenkins.
It is, and I think I'll readmore Beverly Jenkins.
You know, I feel like I reallyenjoy this one, so I'll
definitely pick up more of herbooks.
Jordan (20:04):
Nice.
Well, my next rec is an authorthat I've talked about before,
Emily Raf, who is also very hotin the limelight right now for
standing up for basic humanrights.
Shocking.
I know people, how dare sheprotect her little corner of the
(20:24):
internet for basic human rights.
Fuck off.
Anyways, that's what we have tosay about that Beautiful Things
by Emily Wrath book, one of thesecond Sons series.
This is Regency This.
Is why choose this is fuckinghilarious.
(20:46):
And so if you've read her likePucking around and or anything
else by Emily Wrath, you know,she goes hard.
She goes hard into that.
Why choose?
And it's Polly.
It's all Polly, like everybody'sPolly.
By the end.
They don't start out that way,but it's by the end.
So I'm gonna start by readingthe Goodreads description
(21:10):
because there's a lot of titlesfor people's names and I get
them all really mixed up.
So I'm gonna read it andinterject throughout the
description.
So at 22, Rosalie Harrow isunmarried and near destitute.
She has only two choices.
Snag a wealthy gentleman or takework as a governess.
(21:31):
Neither option appeals toheadstrong Rosalie, and sees
both futures as a kind of cage.
Okay, so her mom passed away, orno?
Yeah, her mom passed away andafter her dad died a while ago
so she has no money.
When Rosalie gets an invitationto Alcott Hall, she believes
(21:54):
she's only there to meet theDowager Duchess, her late
mother's mysterious childhoodfriend.
She has never met this woman,but she, in the letter to her,
says, I was your mother's bestfriend growing up, and she's
I've never heard of you.
So that's weird because I wasclose with my mother.
As soon as she arrives, Rosalieis thrust into the middle of a
(22:16):
house party full of eligiblehigh society ladies who have one
goal win the hand of the newDuke.
So the Dower Duchess, it's herson who is now the Duke, right?
'cause her husband died.
Hilarity and Sue and so theDwier invited all of these
single women of the tone to, andshe's she told her son, you have
(22:41):
to choose one of these.
You need to buckle down and youneed to get married.
'cause her son is a hot mess.
More mess than hot too.
Devonnie (22:48):
Oh God.
Jordan (22:48):
And so she has to weather the center of these
guests while trying to figureout why she's really here.
The dower says that it's becauseshe was best friends with her
mother and she wants to makesure she's okay, but she's I've
never seen you.
I don't know what this is reallyabout.
So she is capable.
She is.
(23:09):
She's wary of this.
Okay.
So then there's the gentleman.
The more she tries to avoid thehigh society husband hunt, the
more she finds herself charmedby three very different men.
There's Lord James, the Duke'syounger brother, who is, he's
(23:30):
doing all the work of the Dukebecause his older brother is
just there to get his dick wet,basically.
Devonnie (23:39):
Oh God.
Jordan (23:40):
Because he just goes around getting drunk and making
a fool of himself.
That's just his life.
He is a first son who should nothave been born a first son.
But Lord James takes care ofbusiness.
There's Lieutenant Releyrecently returned from West
Indies and begrudgingly, whichhistorically that's horrible.
(24:01):
Fuck you, England.
Devonnie (24:03):
Not being in the West in.
Jordan (24:05):
and begrudgingly searching for a wife of his own
because back then to up yourrank in the military, you had to
marry up.
That's how they determined rankin the military, which is wild.
And then there's thetempestuous, Mr.
Burke, who irks Rosalie to noend.
So the clock is sticking downuntil the, my calmest ball,
(24:27):
which is when the Duke's mother,said, you have to announce a
bride at this ball.
If you do not, I am going tochoose.
And that is that,
Devonnie (24:35):
right.
Yikes.
Jordan (24:37):
Rosalie believes marriage is a trap and she will
never get married.
But that does not mean she can'tenjoy the chase while it lasts.
She finds herself incompromising positions with
these three men separately.
She refuses to relinquish herfreedom because of, you know,
(24:58):
she's a woman in this society,but she refuses to be.
Cage.
She's no, I understand.
This is how our society works,but I will not give in.
I do not want these societalpressures that they've forced on
me.
It's really good.
The second one is where itreally gets hot.
The first one is like full oftension and some stuff happens.
(25:20):
The second one was when it getsreally hot.
This is an MMMF, so.
The end.
It does not start that way.
So good.
I listened to it all for free onLibby.
Highly suggest it.
Emily Roth did an amazing job,so kudos.
Devonnie (25:38):
I love that.
I love that.
It's a series too.
I love series, like when youfall in love with the characters
and you just wouldn't keepgoing, so that's good to know.
Jordan (25:46):
it is.
And then I think you only hadtwo, right?
Devonnie (25:49):
Yeah.
Jordan (25:49):
Okay, so I have one more.
To highlight somethingextraordinary by Alexis Hall.
This is number three insomething fabulous series.
They're interconnectedstandalones.
Again, I did not read the firsttwo.
I got this one as an arc throughnet galley.
I know Christina has recommendedAlexis Hall books before on
previous episodes.
(26:10):
Like boyfriend material, Ibelieve it was.
So this one.
Is about shorley come withers.
Devonnie (26:16):
Oh God, I hate it already.
Jordan (26:19):
Oh no, it's just so good you guys.
This book is so good.
He's not interested in gettingmarried because he is so gay,
Devonnie (26:30):
Oh,
Jordan (26:31):
incredibly gay.
But he is being forced to getmarried because that's what's
ex, that's what is expected,right?
So this is a historical romance.
This is queer romance.
But so he's have, he's beingforced to get married and on the
eve of his wedding, his bestfriend, Arabella Tartan.
(26:52):
She is asexual.
She has no interest in anyromance.
She is not able, she's neverbeen able to form romantic
connections.
She just does not have thatdrive.
So actually, she enjoys sex.
I forget what it's called.
Maybe it's not asexual, but Iforget what it's called.
Pan.
Thank you.
Like she just does not formromantic attachments.
But she can even tell that.
(27:13):
He's gonna be miserable the restof his life if he goes through
with this.
Right.
So she says, fuck that.
Not on my watch.
She abducts him the night beforehis wedding in a very dramatic
attempt where he is so plasteredand she gets him out, carries
him down.
His bride to be, is yelling outthe window.
His mother is yelling out thewindow like.
Devonnie (27:34):
so funny.
Jordan (27:35):
Everyone knows it Ley you get back here like yelling
and she's like dragging himalong.
He's no, I won't.
And so listening to this, it'sso funny.
No, I won't.
I wanna back there, mother.
I just, everybody knows what Iwant.
I just can't do it.
So sh she gets him in a carriageand she takes him to Gretna
(27:58):
Green.
There's a, like all this randomthings.
And so they get robbed by anamateur highwayman on the way
Devonnie (28:07):
Oh God
Jordan (28:08):
But it ends up being like he's gay and they have this
weird interaction.
Then he ends up taking thecarriage with them to the thing
and it's so funny.
Devonnie (28:17):
it sounds funny.
Jordan (28:19):
So.
They go to, they get to GretaGreen and she decides that they
should get married.
She will not be forced into a reromantic relationship that she
is not able to have, and he willnot have to marry some lady of
the ton who expects relations.
(28:39):
So they decide to get married.
So this is them getting marriedand figuring out.
Devonnie (28:43):
Oh, lavender
Jordan (28:44):
together.
So the romance here is actuallylike between best friends She
cares for him and loves him, notin a romantic way, but they
love, genuinely love each otherthen it's about their
relationship, but it's alsoabout them finding relationships
outside.
Of their friendship.
So then they it does followtheir individual relationships.
(29:05):
So it's cool to see BellaArabella like navigate that and
then Horley come, withers,figure out what he wants to, so
Devonnie (29:17):
Yeah.
That's cute.
I love that dynamic.
Jordan (29:19):
And it's so unique and it's hilarious.
It's so funny.
So I really need to go back andread the first two in the
Devonnie (29:26):
Yeah.
Jordan (29:27):
So that's mine.
I do have, excuse me scandal byNavea Allen.
I have not finished, And it'snot because it's not amazing so
far.
It's an MMF.
I really wanna finish.
I wanna go back to it, but Icannot until I get all my arcs
read and I've had too many listsof arcs, but scandal, Navea
Allen is also super good so far.
(29:48):
Check it out if you like.
Lights out but you want athrottle historical romance?
Devonnie (29:55):
Oh, interesting.
I do love Navea Allen as awriter, so I'm interested to see
like this, that genre or herturk her take or spin
Jordan (30:03):
She can write it all.
It's so good.
But I think that's everything wefound completely different.
Not your stereotypicalhistorical romance, but
Devonnie (30:13):
I think we need, we needed a little something extra
in
Jordan (30:16):
Yeah.
We're a little too spicy
Devonnie (30:18):
Yeah,
Jordan (30:19):
traditional.
Devonnie (30:21):
and there are so many like great historical romances,
but I just feel because thisisn't something I, a genre I
typically grad gravitatetowards, it's been harder for me
to find.
But like I said, I like BeverlyJenkins.
I like the way she writes.
I would definitely readsomething else by her.
I think I just gotta find moreauthors.
I think Rebecca Witherspoon,who's also an author I like, has
(30:42):
an old west.
Or wild West Series with likecowboys and stuff.
I'm not sure how dated it is,but I love Rebecca Witherspoon
as well.
JJ McAvoy, who I have spokenabout on the pod for her,
princess Prince Bride series.
She also has a couple romancesthat I wanted to read, I just
(31:02):
haven't gotten to yet.
So yeah, there are a coupleauthors out there doing
Jordan (31:06):
Awesome.
Thank you and thank you everyonefor sticking with us.
This is a short one.
We found some things off thebeaten path for this, but we
really enjoyed it.
Hope you did too.
So thanks for listening toRegency and Historical Romance.
If you want more of these recs,if you wanna find.
(31:27):
Other genres and tropes.
Go ahead and look back at ourcatalog.
We have so many hundreds of Recsat this point.
And make sure you're followingus on Instagram, TikTok and
Threads We're most active onInstagram and threads, so give
us a follow at Romance Recs Podand we'll see you over there.
We'll keep you posted on eventsin the Pacific Northwest and all
(31:51):
the fun stuff we're getting upto.
So
Devonnie (31:54):
And quick plug.
If you are in the PacificNorthwest, we have a meetup
happening.
So head over to our page, you'llfind all the information on how
to RSVP and come hang out withus.
Let's read, let's talk books.
Let's do a book swap.
So yeah, head over to ourInstagram page.
Jordan (32:10):
Sunday, May 4th.
All right, and we'll see you intwo weeks back here for a new
episode.
Devonnie (32:15):
Yeah.
Welcome to Romance Recs.
We are three romance obsessedbesties sharing book Recs broken
down by genres and tropes so youcan be sure you're getting
exactly what you want out ofyour next read.
Hi guys.
Dev here.
Hey.
I was gonna say what I'm readingright now, but I'm not gonna lie
to y'all, I have about 10 arcs,so we're just powering through
(00:22):
Okay.
There, there's a lot on my plateright now, so do without what
you will keep following theInstagram social so you can see
my reviews of books as theycome.
And that's all I gotta say aboutthat.
Jordan (00:35):
Hi, I'm Jordan.
I just finished Trial of the SunQueen by Nisha j Tulli, and I
listened to that one.
So good.
It was free on Audible with mysubscription and I am still
reading.
I'm beta reading the Song of theLost by Glennn Ashley Patterson.
Devonnie (01:00):
Woo.
Jordan (01:01):
Ooh, it's so good.
So buckle up.
Some bookish banter bam.
Because that the ban that reallyleads us really well into
historical and regency romance.
Right?
Like when you think historicalromance, you think bam.
(01:22):
Like a big flashy
Devonnie (01:23):
air horn.
Jordan (01:24):
Uhhuh
Devonnie (01:24):
So this is yeah, I know it's just us two.
We don't have Christina with ustoday, but she'll be back in our
next episode, so stay tuned forthat.
Unhinged.
Just rocking with Jordan and Itoday.
I do have a quote that I wannashare.
Jordan (01:39):
Give it to
Devonnie (01:39):
This quote is from one of my recs tonight, and this is
a child
Jordan (01:45):
This is a child.
Devonnie (01:46):
parents.
Okay.
Livy says, when her mama and Popare happy, she hears them
jumping on the bed at night.
Are you going to jump on thebed?
Jordan (01:56):
No.
Devonnie (02:00):
we know they're not jumping on the bed for real.
So yeah, this was really cute.
I can't wait to talk more aboutthis book, but very cute.
Jordan (02:07):
you know, being a parent is so weird to be on the other
side of that scandal because Ifeel like everyone stories from
their growing
Devonnie (02:18):
scandal.
Jordan (02:18):
Anyways, family stories.
So funny.
My quote,
Devonnie (02:24):
Sick.
Jordan (02:25):
is gonna be unhinged my quote is actually from the Song
of the Lost by Glennn AshleyPatterson.
So, who knows this quote couldchange by the time it gets to
all of you beautiful readers.
But the way that Glennn writesis.
Poetry.
It's so beautiful and it's sogreat.
Now, I love this quote.
(02:46):
There are more meaningful quotesthat I highlighted, but I this
imagery just stuck with me.
So I'm gonna go with this onetonight'cause this book is
really on my mind Lately, as faras lovers were concerned.
Aric had been as bland asunsalted butter, like picking a
warm sun peach, only to find ittoo soft and over sweet.
(03:09):
Our courtship was short-lived.
Devonnie (03:13):
I love Glenn.
Glenn is like so good at words.
I mean like truly
Jordan (03:17):
who have you ever thought to compare your old
lovers to unsalted butter?
Devonnie (03:21):
Yeah.
Jordan (03:21):
I sure haven't.
I've compared to them to a lotof things.
It's so good.
I was like, I can imagineexactly what kind of lover he
is.
I know
Devonnie (03:30):
and we don't want
Jordan (03:31):
yeah.
Devonnie (03:31):
We want no parts.
Jordan (03:32):
We're not settling.
Devonnie (03:34):
Right.
Shout out to you, Glenn.
Okay.
I'm actually gonna jumpstart usand my first rec is not the book
that I mentioned the quote from,but this is actually gonna be
Salt and Broom by Sharon LynnFisher.
And this is actually a JaneArrow.
We retelling Jane Air.
I always have such a hard timepronouncing that last name, like
(03:55):
it just trips over my tongue.
Anyway, Jane Eyre.
If you're familiar with Jane Eyby what's the author's name?
Jane Austen.
I think she's the one who wrotethat story.
Which follows a bunch ofsisters.
I'm not gonna lie to y'all.
Lemme tell you just something,lemme tell you something.
I've read a couple Jane Austenbooks and I've list watched a
(04:16):
lot of Jane Austen
Jordan (04:18):
It's by Charlotte Bronte, but
Devonnie (04:21):
Yeah, that's what it is.
It's the Bronte sisters
Jordan (04:24):
Bronte wrote it.
Devonnie (04:26):
wrote.
Okay, hold on.
What did the, what the hell didJane Austen do?
Pride and
Jordan (04:33):
pride and prejudice
Devonnie (04:34):
There we go.
Sorry, I was in the wrong book.
Okay.
The Bronte.
Anyway, the.
Jordan (04:45):
Oh.
Devonnie (04:46):
Jane Eyre.
Anyway, this, I love thisretelling because that regular
Jane Eyre story can get over.
It's very formulaic and in thefact that I think it's like the
baseline that a lot of peopletell this type of story, this
trope with.
But this one Sharon Lynn Fisherdid something new where it was
like witchy.
It was a witchy retelling.
(05:07):
The name is the same, butspelled differently, so it's
still Jane Ayre.
And basically Jane Eyre works ata sheltered all girls school,
and she is an orphan herself whogrew up at the school and then
works there teaching potions andall these things.
Her craft is not necessarilyaccepted at this time.
(05:28):
The headmaster, if you will, ofthis, all girls school downplays
the work.
Like definitely doesn't label itas witches or anything.
They're like learning, healingessentially.
But their work is very importantin the story.
Jane Air is, or someone requestsa witch specifically to come to
Thornfield manner by the man ofthe house and.
(05:54):
Basically, Jane and I ends up atThornfield Manor.
She's summoned by this wealthyman to go to the countryside.
She's never left the school.
She knows that there's somethinga little weird about her, and
she can do magic, but shedoesn't know her origins because
she's an orphan.
She goes to this school tobasically lend her witchy
services to see if they canuncover who this unknown.
(06:19):
Demonic or whatever entity isthat's plaguing the estate.
And through that process, shestarts to like, feel things for
the man of the house.
I'm not gonna lie to y'all, therelationship is the slowest burn
I've ever slowed.
Burned.
Like they, they are crawling ata snail pace.
(06:42):
And even when they do
Jordan (06:43):
historical romance.
Devonnie (06:45):
Right, exactly.
Jordan (06:46):
is a slow burn
Devonnie (06:47):
that's how it is.
Even when they do, mr.
Rochester is his name.
Of course.
Even when her and Rochester,right when they do decide, oh,
there's something more here.
We feel something more.
She's still calling him Mr.
Rochester.
And
Jordan (07:01):
that's very historical.
Devonnie (07:03):
historical.
And I hate it.
But it was really fun.
I think I personally like this
Jordan (07:08):
I hate it, but it was
Devonnie (07:09):
of Jane Eyre.
It was cute.
It was funny.
There are also like some deep,dark secrets.
About around Rochester Manor andwhat's all going on there and
why this entity is hos stalkingthem and who the person is,
which I think was really nice.
'cause sometimes it felt like Iwas reading a thriller, but it
was really like a historicalromance.
(07:30):
So I really like the witchyelements of this and the
retelling of this classicalstory that everyone kind of
knows about with this littletwist on it.
It was fun.
But yeah, I'm not a historicalromance girly.
'cause one thing about me, Idon't wanna be in a carriage
ride.
Ooh, I'm gonna take that backbecause if we're in a carriage
for days.
Jordan (07:50):
ride.
Devonnie (07:50):
Yeah, it's, but yeah, like I'd rather be in a carriage
ride if it's in fantasy when itcomes to re, I don't know.
There's some things that withher historical romance that I
just cannot that piss me off.
And there's definitely thebelittling of women, the
downplay of like women's giftsis
Jordan (08:07):
I have a hard time with.
Devonnie (08:08):
Yeah.
Jordan (08:09):
I'll get to that
Devonnie (08:09):
me.
It's yeah.
But I again, I do think it was areally nice retelling for the
story that it was retelling andthe twists that were on it.
So, like Sharon, great job inmaking this witchy and still
keeping to the theme of Bronte'swork.
'cause I think it was veryclose, but it was just like
extra, I don't know.
(08:30):
More relatable, I guess.
Jordan (08:33):
Very nice.
I love that.
I too have a hard time readinghistorical and regency era
romance.
Listen, it is 2025 and we arestill fighting for women's
rights and wrongs.
Okay.
I do not want to read in a timewhere even women at least in
(08:55):
books, they're saying, oh, Ijust need a man to take care of
me.
And oh, well it's me.
What is sex?
Oh, no, wait, I've never heardthat word.
What happens tonight when I getmarried?
Where do babies come from?
I don't wanna read that.
So.
I have been saying it's beenover six months since I decided
(09:16):
that we were gonna do thisepisode because I was the one
that pushed for it because Iknow this is a very popular
genre and also because I wantedto see what I could find and I
found it.
I am very into historical andregency now, but only certain
kinds.
So my first example of ones thatI stand is a Tropical Rebel Gets
(09:42):
the Duke by Adriana Herrera andI got a an A LC copy of this
through Net galley, thanks toWhat are the publishers?
Devonnie (09:53):
So jealous.
I didn't get that.
A LC.
Jordan (09:56):
it was so good by Canary Street Press.
Okay, it was so good.
So first of all, this is thethird book in a series, but
they're all interconnected,standalones.
So I did not feel like I wasmissing out.
Obviously there were othercharacters that popped in and
out and I'm like, oh, theyprobably it's the, these couples
are from the other books, butdid not detract from the story
at all.
(10:16):
So this has great.
Representation.
Neither one of these charactersare white.
They are mixed race.
And you kinda learn wherethey're from.
I don't, I can't even say whereone of them is from because it
kind of gives away the secret,like of their family secret
anyways.
Aurora Alban Wright is aphysician.
(10:39):
She is one of, I think she's thethird female physician to ever
physician.
She takes risks in her career.
She running an undergroundwomen's clinic, so.
Abortion rights.
Abortion is, you know, thechurch rules all here and
abortion is not an option, butneither is premarital sex and
(11:02):
people have that anyways,whether they want to or not
sometimes.
And so, things happen.
But she needs help.
Like she gets to the point whereshe needs help.
Financial help.
Running this clinic.
Right.
And she finds someone who'swilling to front her the money,
who wants to help front her, themoney, who knows her background,
(11:22):
and that is the Duke of Annon.
Okay.
the beginning of this storystarts out with her taking a
carriage after a long shift ofhelping these women.
Apollo, Caesar, Sinclair Roblesdoor, she shows up to his
bachelor pad, his den ofiniquity is what they call it,
(11:45):
and she shows up and she's Iwant you to fuck me.
Devonnie (11:50):
What.
Jordan (11:51):
It starts, yes, it starts that way.
So she's, this is not givinganything away.
This is how it starts.
I need you to fuck me.
And it's just tonight, I needyou to make love to me.
I need you to do this.
I need this.
And I know this won't.
And she's and I know this won'tbe anything for you because you
won't, you only do this withwomen once.
(12:12):
Like it's not a big deal.
Right?
But then when she leaves, hedrops the bomb that his dad just
died and he is now the Duke.
So it starts out that way.
And then we, the rest of thestory picks up a few years
later.
They haven't seen each othersince that one
Devonnie (12:25):
She has a kid.
Jordan (12:26):
No, I'll say that right now.
No, is not, no.
She helps people not have kidsOr decide when they want to.
But he has not been able to stopthinking about her.
He does not think about women inthis way.
And he is, he cannot get her outof his mind.
Okay?
So they find themselves inEurope, I think it was France.
(12:46):
And so all of a sudden he hearsshe's in town'cause they have
mutual friends.
Her two best friends are marriedto like his brother and another
friend.
Devonnie (12:55):
Very close.
Jordan (12:57):
And so he finds cute ways to support.
He like sends her things that heknows she likes just based on
that one night together that shesaid
Devonnie (13:06):
clinger.
Jordan (13:08):
I mean, he is obsessed and he needs to get married, but
she's no, I will not give up myindependence.
I will never be married.
She has secrets from her family,from her past because he's like,
why aren't you getting moneyfrom your family?
They're super rich.
And she's I am not associatedwith them anymore.
But it is very much about Auroraand her independence and her
(13:29):
femininity and her feminism.
His support of that.
And also he's dealing with somepeople that can't get over the
fact that it's not just a whiteman's club anymore.
And it's not, most people, it'snot like he's facing this
everywhere he goes.
It's like a very select couplepeople.
Do you know what I mean?
(13:50):
So you're not like dealing withracism the whole time, and it's
not heavily focused on that.
It's more of a side note whichwas nice to read people of
color, just being a part of theworld
Devonnie (14:04):
Yeah.
Jordan (14:05):
In every part of society, in every part of
society, and it being like onthe way to being normalized.
So it was nice to focus on somany other issues going on at
that time.
So yeah, a tropical rebel.
What gets the Duke, it's superhot and yeah, super great.
And you're unraveling thesemysteries and like what happened
(14:27):
and what's going to happen.
So.
Devonnie (14:29):
I love that I did.
Oh, you said super hot and itreminded me my first rec, salt
and broom is like zero out offive chili peppers.
Babes don't go in there lookingfor spice.
It's very much closed door.
So yeah, I just wanted tomention that.
My next and
Jordan (14:43):
trigger warning close.
Devonnie (14:45):
trigger warning, it's closed to romance.
My next and only rec is Tempestby Beverly Jenkins.
And now I will admit that I haveknown about Beverly Jenkins for
years.
I've known this is like her,like bread and butter, right?
Historical Regency romance andstuff like that.
Westerns and this is my firstBeverly Jenkins.
So could, yeah.
(15:06):
Cheers to me.
I finally broke my Bev Jenkins.
Cherry.
It was a very, I'll say, this ishow I want.
Yeah.
Popping.
Thank you so much for the soundeffects.
This is how I wanna readhistorical romances.
So along the same I don't wannaread about a woman being
barefoot and pregnant in thekitchen and like working to make
everything nice for her husband.
(15:27):
And if that is the.
Story, that's fine, but I needsomething else from her as well.
Tempest is that, this is bookthree in Beverly Jenkins', old
West series.
I didn't read the first twobooks.
And they follow like relatives Ithink in pick and choose picks
and chooses, but.
Tempest follows ReaganCarmichael and Dr.
(15:48):
Colton Lee.
I'm gonna just start by sayingReagan already not typical.
It two black main characters.
The leads are both black andit's in set in Wyoming.
Reagan is rich.
Her family is very wealthy.
She comes from money, but shedecides that she wants a family.
Yeah, she's super independent.
(16:08):
But she really just wanted afamily.
So she signs up pretty much tobe a mail order bride for Dr.
Colton Lee, who is a single dad.
He's a widow.
His daughter's mother had died,but she goes to meet her husband
and literally guys within thefirst 1% of the book, we're in a
carriage and.
Reagan is whipping out her gunto shoot at Bandits who are
(16:29):
trying to overtake the carriage.
And she's a badass.
Like she whips, she likebandits.
Yep.
She like whips out her gun andshe's shooting.
I will say this isn't givinganything away'cause it's also in
the blurb, but she ends upshooting her husband to be.
He basic.
After the bandits disperse morewhat they assume are bandits
(16:49):
come to chase the carriageagain.
But this time it's actuallyhelp, it's people from town
coming to help them.
'cause they just saw thebandits.
She just start firing.
'cause she's I don't know whoy'all are.
Y'all are chasing my carriage.
I'm just gonna start shooting.
So she ends up
Jordan (17:01):
As you
Devonnie (17:02):
her up.
Husband and that is their firstmeeting.
Could you imagine almost killingyour husband?
But it was like a flesh wound.
He's a doctor.
It was very, he.
Jordan (17:13):
it's just a flash.
Devonnie (17:15):
With her being there are things that are annoying.
There are moments where thetownspeople of the town she's
now moving to won't let herspend her money.
'cause they wanna know, is herhusband aware that she's buying
all this new, all these newthings, and where did she get
this money and how does she haveso much money?
And like those things are superannoying.
(17:35):
But when I tell you Reagan.
Carmichael is a class act likethe way she handles these
people.
And she's also very sweet andshe honestly just wants to be a
mom.
She wants to like, you know,cook and have a good life and
have a good family.
And originally they were justgonna be married and it wasn't
gonna be any emotions involved,but.
(17:56):
Things happen, right?
So she loves her.
Colton's daughter.
The daughter loves her.
The daughter's so sweet.
She's the one who said thequote, I read it earlier in the
episode.
She's looking for a mama.
She wants a mama.
Yeah.
Jordan (18:08):
on a bed.
Devonnie (18:09):
Yeah.
So she looking at her parents,her new parents, and she's are
y'all gonna be jumping on thebed?
And it was so funny.
It was so awkward.
I will say that for this likehistorical western fiction vibe,
romance.
The spice was given dirty.
I was like it, but it was soweird because it wasn't using
(18:29):
like crass or crude descriptorsthat we're used to in modern
books, descrip.
It's using like flowery,beautiful language, but also
like y'all are getting to it,
Jordan (18:40):
That's why you read these is
Devonnie (18:42):
Yeah.
Jordan (18:42):
in this, and you're like, Ooh.
Yeah.
His hard member
Devonnie (18:46):
Yes, I was kidding.
And normally in a book set, inthe current present times or
even a fantasy book, I do notwanna read language like that.
So yeah, it was really nice.
It was really good.
And yeah, there's a Reagan goesup against like family.
His family disapproving her, thetown judging her.
And also the fact that she's nota virgin and she's pre, I love
(19:09):
that she's not a virgin, andshe's well, I've been with men
before, so.
You're just gonna have to dealwith it.
And he has to check his ego andhis pride about oh, well, oh,
women aren't supposed to be likethat and dah.
And then he has to check himself'cause it's like, what are you
talking about?
A lot of family dynamics at playin this story.
And there's also like a littlebit of a mystery.
(19:30):
Which you kind of uncover.
But it was really good.
I definitely think that if thiswas book one, I would continue
to read the rest of the series.
So I may have to circle back andread books one and two now that
I know who they're about.
And I think Book four mayactually be about Colton's
sister, whose name is Spring andshe's, yeah, like I absolutely
(19:52):
wanna read about her'cause hercharacter is so unhinged.
So.
Yeah.
Beverly Jenkins.
It is, and I think I'll readmore Beverly Jenkins.
You know, I feel like I reallyenjoy this one, so I'll
definitely pick up more of herbooks.
Jordan (20:04):
Nice.
Well, my next rec is an authorthat I've talked about before,
Emily Raf, who is also very hotin the limelight right now for
standing up for basic humanrights.
Shocking.
I know people, how dare sheprotect her little corner of the
(20:24):
internet for basic human rights.
Fuck off.
Anyways, that's what we have tosay about that Beautiful Things
by Emily Wrath book, one of thesecond Sons series.
This is Regency This.
Is why choose this is fuckinghilarious.
(20:46):
And so if you've read her likePucking around and or anything
else by Emily Wrath, you know,she goes hard.
She goes hard into that.
Why choose?
And it's Polly.
It's all Polly, like everybody'sPolly.
By the end.
They don't start out that way,but it's by the end.
So I'm gonna start by readingthe Goodreads description
(21:10):
because there's a lot of titlesfor people's names and I get
them all really mixed up.
So I'm gonna read it andinterject throughout the
description.
So at 22, Rosalie Harrow isunmarried and near destitute.
She has only two choices.
Snag a wealthy gentleman or takework as a governess.
(21:31):
Neither option appeals toheadstrong Rosalie, and sees
both futures as a kind of cage.
Okay, so her mom passed away, orno?
Yeah, her mom passed away andafter her dad died a while ago
so she has no money.
When Rosalie gets an invitationto Alcott Hall, she believes
(21:54):
she's only there to meet theDowager Duchess, her late
mother's mysterious childhoodfriend.
She has never met this woman,but she, in the letter to her,
says, I was your mother's bestfriend growing up, and she's
I've never heard of you.
So that's weird because I wasclose with my mother.
As soon as she arrives, Rosalieis thrust into the middle of a
(22:16):
house party full of eligiblehigh society ladies who have one
goal win the hand of the newDuke.
So the Dower Duchess, it's herson who is now the Duke, right?
'cause her husband died.
Hilarity and Sue and so theDwier invited all of these
single women of the tone to, andshe's she told her son, you have
(22:41):
to choose one of these.
You need to buckle down and youneed to get married.
'cause her son is a hot mess.
More mess than hot too.
Devonnie (22:48):
Oh God.
Jordan (22:48):
And so she has to weather the center of these
guests while trying to figureout why she's really here.
The dower says that it's becauseshe was best friends with her
mother and she wants to makesure she's okay, but she's I've
never seen you.
I don't know what this is reallyabout.
So she is capable.
She is.
(23:09):
She's wary of this.
Okay.
So then there's the gentleman.
The more she tries to avoid thehigh society husband hunt, the
more she finds herself charmedby three very different men.
There's Lord James, the Duke'syounger brother, who is, he's
(23:30):
doing all the work of the Dukebecause his older brother is
just there to get his dick wet,basically.
Devonnie (23:39):
Oh God.
Jordan (23:40):
Because he just goes around getting drunk and making
a fool of himself.
That's just his life.
He is a first son who should nothave been born a first son.
But Lord James takes care ofbusiness.
There's Lieutenant Releyrecently returned from West
Indies and begrudgingly, whichhistorically that's horrible.
(24:01):
Fuck you, England.
Devonnie (24:03):
Not being in the West in.
Jordan (24:05):
and begrudgingly searching for a wife of his own
because back then to up yourrank in the military, you had to
marry up.
That's how they determined rankin the military, which is wild.
And then there's thetempestuous, Mr.
Burke, who irks Rosalie to noend.
So the clock is sticking downuntil the, my calmest ball,
(24:27):
which is when the Duke's mother,said, you have to announce a
bride at this ball.
If you do not, I am going tochoose.
And that is that,
Devonnie (24:35):
right.
Yikes.
Jordan (24:37):
Rosalie believes marriage is a trap and she will
never get married.
But that does not mean she can'tenjoy the chase while it lasts.
She finds herself incompromising positions with
these three men separately.
She refuses to relinquish herfreedom because of, you know,
(24:58):
she's a woman in this society,but she refuses to be.
Cage.
She's no, I understand.
This is how our society works,but I will not give in.
I do not want these societalpressures that they've forced on
me.
It's really good.
The second one is where itreally gets hot.
The first one is like full oftension and some stuff happens.
(25:20):
The second one was when it getsreally hot.
This is an MMMF, so.
The end.
It does not start that way.
So good.
I listened to it all for free onLibby.
Highly suggest it.
Emily Roth did an amazing job,so kudos.
Devonnie (25:38):
I love that.
I love that.
It's a series too.
I love series, like when youfall in love with the characters
and you just wouldn't keepgoing, so that's good to know.
Jordan (25:46):
it is.
And then I think you only hadtwo, right?
Devonnie (25:49):
Yeah.
Jordan (25:49):
Okay, so I have one more.
To highlight somethingextraordinary by Alexis Hall.
This is number three insomething fabulous series.
They're interconnectedstandalones.
Again, I did not read the firsttwo.
I got this one as an arc throughnet galley.
I know Christina has recommendedAlexis Hall books before on
previous episodes.
(26:10):
Like boyfriend material, Ibelieve it was.
So this one.
Is about shorley come withers.
Devonnie (26:16):
Oh God, I hate it already.
Jordan (26:19):
Oh no, it's just so good you guys.
This book is so good.
He's not interested in gettingmarried because he is so gay,
Devonnie (26:30):
Oh,
Jordan (26:31):
incredibly gay.
But he is being forced to getmarried because that's what's
ex, that's what is expected,right?
So this is a historical romance.
This is queer romance.
But so he's have, he's beingforced to get married and on the
eve of his wedding, his bestfriend, Arabella Tartan.
(26:52):
She is asexual.
She has no interest in anyromance.
She is not able, she's neverbeen able to form romantic
connections.
She just does not have thatdrive.
So actually, she enjoys sex.
I forget what it's called.
Maybe it's not asexual, but Iforget what it's called.
Pan.
Thank you.
Like she just does not formromantic attachments.
But she can even tell that.
(27:13):
He's gonna be miserable the restof his life if he goes through
with this.
Right.
So she says, fuck that.
Not on my watch.
She abducts him the night beforehis wedding in a very dramatic
attempt where he is so plasteredand she gets him out, carries
him down.
His bride to be, is yelling outthe window.
His mother is yelling out thewindow like.
Devonnie (27:34):
so funny.
Jordan (27:35):
Everyone knows it Ley you get back here like yelling
and she's like dragging himalong.
He's no, I won't.
And so listening to this, it'sso funny.
No, I won't.
I wanna back there, mother.
I just, everybody knows what Iwant.
I just can't do it.
So sh she gets him in a carriageand she takes him to Gretna
(27:58):
Green.
There's a, like all this randomthings.
And so they get robbed by anamateur highwayman on the way
Devonnie (28:07):
Oh God
Jordan (28:08):
But it ends up being like he's gay and they have this
weird interaction.
Then he ends up taking thecarriage with them to the thing
and it's so funny.
Devonnie (28:17):
it sounds funny.
Jordan (28:19):
So.
They go to, they get to GretaGreen and she decides that they
should get married.
She will not be forced into a reromantic relationship that she
is not able to have, and he willnot have to marry some lady of
the ton who expects relations.
(28:39):
So they decide to get married.
So this is them getting marriedand figuring out.
Devonnie (28:43):
Oh, lavender
Jordan (28:44):
together.
So the romance here is actuallylike between best friends She
cares for him and loves him, notin a romantic way, but they
love, genuinely love each otherthen it's about their
relationship, but it's alsoabout them finding relationships
outside.
Of their friendship.
So then they it does followtheir individual relationships.
(29:05):
So it's cool to see BellaArabella like navigate that and
then Horley come, withers,figure out what he wants to, so
Devonnie (29:17):
Yeah.
That's cute.
I love that dynamic.
Jordan (29:19):
And it's so unique and it's hilarious.
It's so funny.
So I really need to go back andread the first two in the
Devonnie (29:26):
Yeah.
Jordan (29:27):
So that's mine.
I do have, excuse me scandal byNavea Allen.
I have not finished, And it'snot because it's not amazing so
far.
It's an MMF.
I really wanna finish.
I wanna go back to it, but Icannot until I get all my arcs
read and I've had too many listsof arcs, but scandal, Navea
Allen is also super good so far.
(29:48):
Check it out if you like.
Lights out but you want athrottle historical romance?
Devonnie (29:55):
Oh, interesting.
I do love Navea Allen as awriter, so I'm interested to see
like this, that genre or herturk her take or spin
Jordan (30:03):
She can write it all.
It's so good.
But I think that's everything wefound completely different.
Not your stereotypicalhistorical romance, but
Devonnie (30:13):
I think we need, we needed a little something extra
in
Jordan (30:16):
Yeah.
We're a little too spicy
Devonnie (30:18):
Yeah,
Jordan (30:19):
traditional.
Devonnie (30:21):
and there are so many like great historical romances,
but I just feel because thisisn't something I, a genre I
typically grad gravitatetowards, it's been harder for me
to find.
But like I said, I like BeverlyJenkins.
I like the way she writes.
I would definitely readsomething else by her.
I think I just gotta find moreauthors.
I think Rebecca Witherspoon,who's also an author I like, has
(30:42):
an old west.
Or wild West Series with likecowboys and stuff.
I'm not sure how dated it is,but I love Rebecca Witherspoon
as well.
JJ McAvoy, who I have spokenabout on the pod for her,
princess Prince Bride series.
She also has a couple romancesthat I wanted to read, I just
(31:02):
haven't gotten to yet.
So yeah, there are a coupleauthors out there doing
Jordan (31:06):
Awesome.
Thank you and thank you everyonefor sticking with us.
This is a short one.
We found some things off thebeaten path for this, but we
really enjoyed it.
Hope you did too.
So thanks for listening toRegency and Historical Romance.
If you want more of these recs,if you wanna find.
(31:27):
Other genres and tropes.
Go ahead and look back at ourcatalog.
We have so many hundreds of Recsat this point.
And make sure you're followingus on Instagram, TikTok and
Threads We're most active onInstagram and threads, so give
us a follow at Romance Recs Podand we'll see you over there.
We'll keep you posted on eventsin the Pacific Northwest and all
(31:51):
the fun stuff we're getting upto.
So
Devonnie (31:54):
And quick plug.
If you are in the PacificNorthwest, we have a meetup
happening.
So head over to our page, you'llfind all the information on how
to RSVP and come hang out withus.
Let's read, let's talk books.
Let's do a book swap.
So yeah, head over to ourInstagram page.
Jordan (32:10):
Sunday, May 4th.
All right, and we'll see you intwo weeks back here for a new
episode.
Devonnie (32:15):
Yeah.
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com