Regency Rakes Who Break Every Rule in the Book
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- The Regency period (1811–1820) saw George IV rule as Prince Regent during his father's illness, creating the social backdrop for England's most decadent historical romances.
- Julie Anne Long's Between the Devil and Ian Eversea is part of the Pennyroyal Green series, which follows the scandalous Eversea and Redmond families across multiple novels.
- Amanda McCabe's The Wallflower's Mistletoe Wedding was published in 2017 as part of Harlequin's historical romance line.
- Caroline Linden's Love in the Time of Scandal (2015) is the third book in her Scandalous series, following interconnected London families through overlapping scandals.
- Suzanne Enoch's An Invitation to Sin (2004) and The Handbook to Handling His Lordship (2014) showcase her signature mix of titled rogues and women who refuse to play by ton rules.
- Vivienne Lorret's How to Forget a Duke (2017) is the first in her Misadventures in Matchmaking series, where a heroine's perfect memory becomes her greatest liability.
Between the Devil and Ian Eversea — Julie Anne Long
The wildest Eversea brother finally meets his match in a bargain that could ruin them both.
Ian Eversea is the family's beautiful disaster — charming enough to talk his way out of anything, reckless enough to need the skill constantly. When scandal threatens to destroy him for real, he makes a desperate deal with a woman who has her own reasons to risk everything. Long writes Regency romances where the banter crackles and the consequences feel earned. The Pennyroyal Green books are interconnected but standalone, so you can jump in here if you want the most volatile sibling's arc first. Our current copy shows the spine creases of a book that's been read more than once — always a good sign in a historical romance. Explore our current copy of Between the Devil and Ian Eversea or browse more Romance books at Patina.
The Wallflower's Mistletoe Wedding — Amanda McCabe
A Christmas house party, a strategic sprig of mistletoe, and a wallflower who's done hiding in the corner.
McCabe delivers exactly what you want from a Regency holiday romance: witty banter, simmering tension, and a heroine who's smart enough to engineer her own happily-ever-after. The wallflower trope gets flipped when the "shy" protagonist uses the Christmas chaos to claim what she wants — and McCabe writes desire scenes that feel earned, not dropped in to hit a page count. This one's pure comfort reading: low-stakes external conflict, high-stakes emotional payoff, and enough festive atmosphere to make you crave mulled wine in January. The mass-market format makes it perfect for tucking into a December handbag. Explore our current copy of The Wallflower's Mistletoe Wedding or browse more Romance books at Patina.
Love in the Time of Scandal — Caroline Linden
A compromising letter, a man she shouldn't trust, and a scandal that could destroy them both.
Penelope Weston is trying to outrun scandal when a damning letter lands in the wrong hands — and her only option is Benedict Frost, the one person in London who might be as good at secrets as she is. Linden writes interconnected family dramas where the scandal in one book ripples into the next, so the stakes feel cumulative. The third Scandalous novel ups the tension by making both protagonists actively trying to protect reputations while falling for each other anyway. Linden's historicals are tightly plotted — no filler subplots, no wasted scenes — and the emotional beats land hard. As of May 2026, Patina's Regency romance collection includes several Linden titles for readers chasing that addictive multi-book continuity. Explore our current copy of Love in the Time of Scandal or browse more Romance books at Patina.
An Invitation to Sin — Suzanne Enoch
An heiress with a revenge plan meets a man who knows exactly what she's up to — and wants in.
Caroline Witfeld just inherited a fortune, making her the Season's most dangerous catch. She's not hunting for a husband; she's hunting for the people who destroyed her family. Enoch writes antiheroes who scheme, flirt, and manipulate their way through ballrooms — and heroines who are just as calculating. The 2004 publication date means this one predates the "sunshine hero" trend; expect sharp edges and protagonists who aren't apologising for wanting power. The revenge plot gives the romance actual stakes beyond "will they admit their feelings," which is why Enoch's work holds up when fluffier contemporaries age out. Our copy has that satisfying mass-market heft — thick enough to feel substantial, slim enough to read in an afternoon. Explore our current copy of An Invitation to Sin or browse more Romance books at Patina.
The Handbook to Handling His Lordship — Suzanne Enoch
A family estate on the brink, one season to marry well, and a newly minted lord who refuses to play by Society's rules.
Lady Emily Portsman has exactly one London Season to save her family from ruin — marry rich or watch everything crumble. Enter Nathaniel Stokes, the brand-new Lord Westfall, a self-made man with a title and zero patience for ton politics. Enoch's "Scandalous Brides" series pairs desperate heroines with men who've earned their fortunes rather than inherited them, and the class tension adds bite to the romance. The 2014 publication date means it's recent enough for modern consent dynamics but still rooted in historical restrictions that make the rebellion feel earned. Emily's not a wallflower; she's a strategist. Nathaniel's not a rake; he's a pragmatist. The match works because neither of them believes in fairy tales. Explore our current copy of The Handbook to Handling His Lordship or browse more Romance books at Patina.
How to Forget a Duke — Vivienne Lorret
A woman cursed with perfect memory and a duke desperate to forget — opposites in the most literal sense.
Jacinda Bourne has an indelible memory: every moment of her life plays back in perfect detail, including the humiliation of being jilted. Rafe Danforth, Duke of Rydstrom, wants nothing more than to erase his past — and Jacinda's gift is his worst nightmare made flesh. Lorret's "Misadventures in Matchmaking" series builds romances around unconventional heroines (a matchmaker who can't stop remembering, a wallflower who eavesdrops, a bluestocking who schemes), and the first book sets the tone: high-concept premise, emotionally grounded payoff. The memory gimmick could tip into twee, but Lorret plays it as psychological burden — Jacinda can't move on because she can't forget, and that's a genuinely interesting obstacle for a romance heroine. Comparable to Sarah MacLean's rules-breaking debutantes or Tessa Dare's smart-mouthed spinsters, if you want Regency heroines who think their way through problems. Explore our current copy of How to Forget a Duke or browse more Romance books at Patina.
Regency romance earns its reputation for scandal — but the best ones know that rebellion only matters when there's something real at stake. These six titles deliver rakes who gamble with more than money, heroines who refuse to be ruined quietly, and emotional payoffs that feel earned, not handed out. Shop all Romance books at Patina Paperbacks →
Where can I buy secondhand Regency romance novels in Australia?
Patina Paperbacks stocks a rotating collection of preloved Regency romances, including titles by Julie Anne Long, Caroline Linden, and Suzanne Enoch. We're Sydney-based and ship Australia-wide, so you can browse online and have them delivered. Check the Romance collection for current stock.
What's the difference between Regency romance and historical romance?
Regency romance is a subset of historical romance set specifically during England's Regency period (1811–1820), though many authors stretch it to cover roughly 1800–1830. The genre's defined by its focus on social rules, scandal, and the marriage market — think ballrooms, rakes, and reputations. Historical romance is the broader umbrella that includes Medieval, Victorian, and any other pre-20th-century setting.
Are Suzanne Enoch's Regency romances part of a series?
Some are, some aren't. An Invitation to Sin is a standalone, while The Handbook to Handling His Lordship is part of the Scandalous Brides series. Enoch writes interconnected families and recurring settings, but most of her books work as standalones — you'll catch callbacks if you read in order, but you won't be lost if you jump in mid-series.
What should I read if I liked Caroline Linden's Love in the Time of Scandal?
If you want the same interconnected-family drama with high emotional stakes, try Linden's other Scandalous novels or Sarah MacLean's Rules of Scoundrels series. For tightly plotted Regency romances where the scandal drives the story (not just window dressing), Lorraine Heath's Scoundrels of St. James series or Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove books hit the same notes — smart heroines, rakes with actual emotional arcs, and banter that doesn't waste your time.
Do Regency romances have explicit content?
It varies wildly by author and publisher. Traditional Regency romances (think Georgette Heyer) fade to black or close the bedroom door. Modern Regency historicals — especially those published by Avon, Berkley, or Kensington since the 2000s — often include explicit scenes. The books in this round-up (Long, Linden, Enoch, Lorret, McCabe) tend toward moderate to high heat, but always within the context of the romance arc, not just dropped in for shock value.