Past Thrills for you

Celebrating Historical Romantic Suspense. Contgratulations to Pam, she won a copy of Captured Countess from me and Darcy Burke's the de Valary Code.  Than you to all who entered. Look out for more exciting things from PastThrills.com over the next few months.



Captured Countess by Ann Lethbridge

Never trust a spy!

Nicoletta, the Countess Vilandry, is on a dangerous mission—to lure fellow spy Gabriel D'Arcy into bed and into revealing his true loyalties. With such sensual games at play and such strong sensations awakened, suddenly Nicky's dangerously close to exposing her real identity.
Gabe knows that the countess has been sent to seduce him. The only question is to what end? He's never met such a captivating woman—and he's determined to enjoy every seductive second she spends as his very willing captive!

"Plenty of tension and dangerous excitement blended with poignancy and passion." —RT Book Reviews on Falling for the Highland Rogue

 The de Valery Code by Darcy Burke

Miss Margery Derrington and her dear aunts are in dire straits. Their discovery of a rare medieval manuscript will hopefully stave off their creditors—if it’s worth what they hope. Margery reluctantly allies with a reclusive scholar to use the book to pursue a treasure that could exceed her expectations. Amidst danger, secrets, and an insatiable attraction, is Margery gambling just her financial future . . . or her heart?

 Academic Rhys Bowen can’t believe he has his hands on the elusive de Valery text. Solving its hidden code and unearthing its legendary treasure would establish him as one of Britain’s leading antiquarians, finally casting him out of his brilliant late father’s shadow. But when a centuries-old organization convinces Rhys of the perils of disturbing the past, he must choose between his conscience…and the captivating woman he’s sworn to help.


Click the above link to participate. Visit  PastThrills.com

Until next time.

Harlequin Authors Summer Beach Bag Contest

This is the first day of our Summer Beach bag contest. 


Here is the Calendar of events to get you started. It's vacation season and excitement mounts as that long-awaited time at the beach approaches. To add to your anticipation, some Harlequin Historical authors are offering a bevy of prizes to fill your beach bag with fun items (and BOOKS of course!) for that relaxation time. Each participating author will have an activity planned on their website for their special day. You may be asked to comment on a blog, do a scavenger hunt, or visit a Facebook page. For each day you participate, your name will be entered into the Grand Prize drawing. At the end of the month on June 29, one day from the calendar will be randomly selected. One of the entrants from that day will then be randomly selected to win the grand prize of a Kindle Fire (or whichever equivalent product is available in your region). The more days you visit, the better your chances! We look forward to seeing you. Click here for official rules and eligibility.

Participating Authors

June 4 - Blythe Gifford

June 5 - Jeannie Lin

June 6 - Deb Marlowe

June 7 - Michelle Willingham

June 11 - Kate Welsh

June 12 - Barbara Monajem

June 13 - Terri Brisbin

June 14 - Amanda McCabe

June 18 - Annie Burrows

June 19 - Ann Lethbridge

June 20 - Julia Justiss

June 21 - Cheryl St. John

June 22 - Bronwyn Scott

June 25 - Carol Townend

June 26 - Margerite Kaye

June 27 - Michelle Styles

June 28 - Diane Gaston

June 29 - Grand Prize Drawing

Regency Fashion ~ August

by Ann Lethbridge


Friday turned out to be quite eventful. The postman brought three books to my door. The French versions of The Rake's Inherited Courtesan.

I absolutely love the cover! It is so different to the UK and North American Cover which you see on the right bar, but it is just as nice. In fact, to me it realy is evocative of at least one of the scenes in the book. And I adore the title. All right, so I can't read more than a few words, but this is my first foreign version of a book so I am sure you don't begrudge me a little excitement.

Here is the deal, firstreader from France to comment on the blog, gets one of my three copies.

Now enough of this writerly stuff I hear you say. We want Fashio. And your wish is my command.


This is from pre Regency, but still in our long Regency period and is taken from the Ladies Monthly Museum.

As you can see, it is called undress, but clearly these ladies are out in the garden or perhaps in the park. Not the sunshade, which looks to me if could just as easily serve to keep the rain off, which they must be expecting with all those layers.

First Figure: Village hat of straw or chip, with cap, and flowers in front, underneath the hat; black net cloak with lace trimming; and white cambric muslin robe. Second Figure: Grecian bonnet of straw or white muslin, with lilac trimming; Jersey jacket with worked or printed border; pale blue gloves and straw coloured shoes. I like the term village hat, don't you, very evocative of summers in the country. I'm not sure what is Grecian about the other bonnet.?


Our next offering is well into the Regency ~ August 1816.

From La Belle Assemblee

Round, high dress of fine cambric, or jacconet muslin, ornamented at the bottom with four rows of Vandyke trimming of rich embroidery, surmounted by a flounce vandyked at the edge. Full sleeves of muslin, à la Duchesse de Berri, confined by bands of embroidered cambric, and surmounted by imperials wings of clear muslin. Treble ruff of broad lace, and sash of muslin, the ends trimmed with lace of a Vandyke pattern. Bonnet of leghorn ornamented with ears of Indian corn, and turned up slightly in the front. Shoes of lilac kid. The hair in full curls, dressed forward. Talk about fussy. But so pretty. Delicious and feminine. This is definitely one I can see one of my characters wearing. Note to self. Write a book set in 1816.

Can't wait.

Until next time, Happy Rambles

Flora and Fauna of Regency Britain -February

I thought we might start with the naturlists description of February.

...all Nature is wrapped in a robe of dazzling whiteness; and the ‘bitter-biting cold’ showers of sleet, and sudden gusts of wind, drive us to our homes for shelter, against the inclemency of the season. They sudden thaws, also, which take place in February, --the return of frost and snow—and the change again to rain and sleet, contribute to render this month particularly unfavourable to the pedestrian and the lover of out-of-door exercise and amusements.

If you are researching weather in a particular period/month, you might find the this link helpful. What I learned for a variety of February's in this period was that the norm of temperature was about -2C that snow was an occurrence, but heavy snow was always an even worthy of note and that tempteratures fluctuated above and below the norm. I think that frost was much more common that snow. Heavy snow was anything more than a sprinkle.

It must also be remembered that houses were heated with wood or coal burning fires, so your front would be warm and your back cold, that frost would build up on the windowpanes. My husband can remember waking up as a child in the days before central heating with frost on his pillow. There were no down jackets or waterproof boots. You will see something else in the picture of the carter. Wind. England tends to have high winds in Fall and Winter. Gales are often mentioned.

So although it wasn't much colder in England than it is today, it was more difficult to keep warm. Chilblains were a problem for sure. The further north you went, the more snow and of course the colder it became. But nothing like the freezing temperatures here in the North of North America, which of course begs the question about how the pioneers lived. Lots of furs, I suspect.

Okay, so that is the weather, and what about flora and fauna I hear you muttering. Well not much is going on in the natural world, but February is the start of Spring in England. Snowdrops appear, because it really isn't that cold. I had to do a recheck on that because Wiki said something about soldiers in the Crimea, but snowdrops are listed by our Naturlist as something one would find in 1826, so we are safe. whew. I really liked this picture which shows birds and a beloved favorite of childhood the catkin, the flower of the hazel tree, which later produces hazelnuts (like a filbert). Catkins are also known as lambs tails.

The other thing one might see is February, during our time were lambs. Lambing did indeed start in February.

My final entry is

About the beginning of the month, the woodlark, one of our earliest and sweetest songsters, renews his note.

Their habitat was heathland. The male has one of the finest bird songs in Britain, a liquid, flute-like descending song.


Well, I could probably ramble on, but I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into February, and will join me again as we continue our ramble through Bath, and whatever else takes my fancy over the next little while.

And since my new anthology is out, Satin and Snakeskin in Brides of the West, though not a regency, it is a historical, I am going to offer a free copy to one of my blogreaders. Just in time for Valentine's day. Be daring, leave a comment, and I will draw from a hat.

Until next time, Happy Rambles.

Regency Ramble Events

What is happening in my world over the next two months?


October 1, No Regrets is released. Look for it in your local bookstore, or on Amazon.

October 15, Regency Ramble Quarterly Review. I will be drawing for a prize from my news letter list. To subscribe, see the side panel of my Regency Ramble blog and on my website micheleannyoung.com

October 27, Book signing in Seattle, at the Emerald City Writers Conference. Sleepless in Seattle - I don't think so, but I will be signing and meeting with some of my American Title Sisters

November 5, Book signing at Chapters in Woodbridge. This is a very friendly store. If any of you are in the area drop by, you will also find some other great Toronto writers hanging out.

There will be more, but these are the things that are confirmed.

In my last blog I took a poll about whether you wanted to go around the circle again on Regency Fashions. The overwhelming response was yes. So next month we will again go month by month. I will try to give you new fashions and gowns, but if occasionally I duplicate, I hope you will forgive me.

Happy Rambles.