On this, the last day of our engagement week, we're ending with shoutouts of some Regency stories we noticed when you shared your stories on Day 2 as well as some other Regency favorites! If you haven't already, check out these Regency stories we recommend!
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An Impossible Deception by Spiszy
FOR FANS OF BRIDGERTON. To save her family's reputation, Isabella must impersonate her twin sister to deceive her sister's husband in a scheme that depends on her not falling for him.
Identical twins Isabella and Arabella Garvey have nothing in common except their looks: where Arabella is a confident socialite, Isabella hides from society, ruined by scandal. But when Arabella runs away with a secret lover to escape her loveless marriage, Isabella must impersonate her sister in order to save her family's reputation.
The only problem? In order to outfox Arabella's cruel and clever husband, Isabella must start living with him, and it doesn't take long for her to discover a passionate and respectful man under his icy exterior. But is she willing to destroy her sister's reputation in order to be with the man she loves?
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A Bet On Hearts by Sylvia-Norcroft
Miss Mina Haswell has always been a firm believer in matters of the heart, holding steadfast to the notion of love, especially when it came to her betrothed, a dear childhood friend. However, fate took a cruel turn, as she found herself draped in mourning attire, her heart shrouded in grief, unable to fathom the prospect of love ever gracing her life again.
Following her father's untimely demise, the esteemed title of Viscount Sinclair, which he had borne with distinction, is unexpectedly passed on to a distant kinsman, the somewhat reclusive Mr. Royston Langdon. As their paths converge, Mina and Royston embark upon an unconventional journey, filled with twists of fate and unforeseen challenges.
Intrigued by the enigmatic Miss Haswell, Mr. Langdon proposes an audacious wager - a game of hearts. If Mina succeeds in aiding Royston in winning the affections of his potential bride, he pledges to magnify her inheritance settlement threefold. In return, should Royston assist Mina in capturing the heart of her desired suitor, she would be compelled to relinquish her beloved summer residence, a sanctuary where her fondest memories were woven, amounting to a significant portion of her settlement. Their stakes are equal, for Mina had lived far from the scrutinizing gaze of the ton, while Royston remains a newcomer to its glittering, complex world.
Yet patience is not a virtue Miss Haswell is known for, and Mr. Langdon seems to derive a peculiar pleasure from vexing her at every turn. Amidst the whirlwind of emotions, societal expectations, and their ever-escalating exchanges, a question lingers:
Could this daring wager, initiated by the whims of fate, possibly result in a victor, or would the unpredictable game of love rewrite the rules entirely?
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As a gambler's daughter, Frances was resigned to spending her life masquerading as a boy, learning how to shoot a pistol and fight with a sword. Constantly moving from town to town, it was far safer than being a girl. But when her father dies suddenly, she must pack her bags and return to England, to search for the family she has never met.
Hoping to find her place at last, the last thing Frances expects is that she will need to continue the masquerade - or risk her life and her heart.
A light-hearted regency romance.
A Marriage Most Inconvenient by zeen2805
Forced into marriage by duty and obligation, The Duke and Duchess of Rothbury parted ways a week after saying their vows under the explicit understanding that theirs was a marriage in name only. There would be no expectations of love, fidelity, or romance.
The Duke hates the American Heiress who married him only for his title, completely unaffected by the senseless tragedy that had made their marriage necessary in the first place. When an illness forces him to retire to the country, he makes sure to choose the property where his wife wouldn't be. Except that she is, and she is still as insufferable as ever.
The Duchess resents the man who killed her youthful dreams of love and abandoned her to live his bachelor life unencumbered. When she is jilted by her lover, and faced with inevitable ridicule, she decides to retire to her beloved estate in Cornwall, where she runs an orphanage. Never once does she expect to run into her cold, selfish, insufferable arse of a husband!
Forced into each other's company by circumstance, the couple begin to unravel their individual prejudices. Resentment turns into respect and friendship. Respect and friendship soon turn into attraction and affection.
Was love closer than either one of them could ever have imagined?
And that begged the question; can the Duke win his wife's favor, or is it far too late to make their marriage a love match?
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In a family of dark-haired children, blonde Ivy has always felt like the odd duck out. Always finding herself in trouble, she sees her potential redemption when the village's new visitor asks her to show him around. Everyone is sure to take notice when she's on the arm of a handsome man. But her new friend is more charming than she expected, and she soon hopes for a lot more than sightseeing. If only she could shake the feeling that he is hiding something from her...
Sam Hemsworth is an agent working for the Rose Agency. A new case brings him to a picturesque village where any visitor is the latest news. The constant attention from the residents is not ideal when you need to discover someone's darkest secrets. Being attracted to the daughter of the family he's sent to investigate isn't overly helpful, either. He had better complete his mission as quickly as possible before Ivy's dog steals his wooden leg again... or the dog's owner steals his heart.
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The Duke's Bidding by KianaBerkman
A Duke's bidding is not easily defied. John, the only son of the Duke of Ashbourne finds himself on the cusp of being betrothed to a girl he barely remembers. In order to escape this fate he chooses to defy his birthright and adventure into the unknown. Nearly a decade later, he returns home-a self made man and the Captain of a fleet of ships-just to find himself wanting to embrace the very reason he walked away from it all. Will his past choices stand in his way? Or will he find a way to rise above it all and find happiness?
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Sands of Time - Engagement Weeks
Fiction HistoriqueSands of Time is an event that focuses on a full week of fun activities in a single theme.