I really liked both the hero and heroine. The supporting characters were interesting, entertaining, and villainous where applicable. I was pulled into the Regency time period, with descriptions and dialogue that felt authentic and encompassing. There were scenes of fast-paced action intermingled with more sedate, dignified discourses that resemble traditional Austen-like prose.  (Didn’t that sound so Regency-ish?)

There were a few unexpected plot twists, some of which made me wonder of the Duke and Elise would ever get their happily-ever-after. The romance, when they were together, was toe-curling but clean. The main characters had some great chemistry that the author effectively portrayed without using graphic description, something I appreciate. It was easy to get caught up in the main characters’ emotions, particularly during one heart-wrenching scene that I don’t want to spoil.

The story slowed for me near the end (about 80% in) but picked back up. I liked the ending but felt like I wanted to know more. What happened later? Did things ever get resolved regarding the Duke’s circumstances? Were they ever able to settle at his palace? Considering that this is Book One of a series, I’m hoping we will get to see glimpses of the Duke and Elise’s future and have those questions answered.

The Duke’s Undoing was an enjoyable read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone who loves a good Regency romance. I look forward to reading about the other two rogues and their ladies.

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Why “Regency?”

Ever since Jane Austen took up her quill, this form of literature has delighted readers with its irony, wit,  and light romance. It is a “comedy of  manners.”  Georgette Heyer took up where Austen left off, creating a delightful body of work that is read just as repeatedly as Austen’s work. Heyer is the modern day Austen.

What is the appeal of the Regency? Part of it is that it is a well-defined period that could be labeled a fantasy world. Readers know the rules.  It has its own dialogue. Fashions are strictly defined. The  arbitrary rules of the ton are set.  Social mores are understood. When a writer undertakes to write this form, he/she must follow the rules in order to recreate that authentic world that his/her readers are expecting.

The other hallmark of a true Regency is wit and irony. They are elegantly funny. They can make you laugh out loud. Some  of Georgette Heyer’s books (notably These Old Shades and The Corinthian) make me laugh until tears run down my face. Recreating that wit and charm is a joy and a challenge. I want my readers to laugh or at least be tickled by my Regencies.

So, I write Regencies to celebrate the  absurd, to  make people laugh, to warm their hearts, and last of all to carry them back to a time when love affairs were  conducted before the industrial revolution. No trains, no cars, no telephones, no Internet, no e-mail, no texting. And yet, despite the lack  of all these things, Regency heroes and heroines managed to fall in love.

My Regencies:

The Duke’s Undoing, The Taming of Lady Kate, Miss Braithwaite’s Secret,

Rescuring Rosalind. (order in paperback or e-book from Books Page.)

Make room in your life for joy!

Meet the unlikely hero of this Regency Romance—The ,Duke of Ruisdell,

The duke has just returned wounded from the Napoleonic wars. He is weary, cynical, and very bored. Known as the worst rake in England, he finds he has no interest in upholding that distinction, when his friend, the Marquis of Somerset, proposes a bet: “Five thousand guineas says that seducing Miss Elise Edwards will cure your ennui.” Because his friend has just lost a packet to him, he agrees that the bet be posted in White’s famous Betting Book.

The following day, while walking in Green Park, he spies a mysterious young woman, veiled, and obviously grieving. A disembodied voice, sounding strangely like that of his late adjutant, informs him, “The jig is up. That is the girl you are going to marry!” He scoffs, but is nevertheless intrigued by something about the slight figure. He even sketches her and asks if he can be of assistance to her. She declines his offer kindly.

At the opera that evening, he is captivated by a beauty across the Opera Hall. He hears the same voice, saying the same thing. The marquis informs him that the woman in question is Miss Elise Edwards. When he meets her, he recognizes her voice as that of the woman in the park. Now she is surrounded by a surfeit of ex-fiance’s, one of them dangerously unbalanced. Ruisdell discovers an actual bond between them which renders him honor bound to protect her.

Thus begins a train of unstoppable events–dangerous, humorous, devilish, and amorous–that carry his life along at such a pace that the duke soon knows not whether he is on his head or his heels. And then there is that bet . . .l

My new Regency romance has been published!

When frigate Captain Buckingham Kernow-Smith encounters a sprite in a topiary garden going by the name of “Gannymede,” he  remembers his Shakespeare. Pulling off her stocking cap, he reveals the character of “Rosalind” from As You Like It, played, in this case, by the appealing Fanny Edwards.

Three years pass. The War over, Buck encounters his Rosalind at a ball, where she has developed into a notable beauty. However, her guardian confides to him that she is dancing on the very edge of propriety. Buck, who has been fighting the French since he was twelve, also finds the ton confining and sympathizes with Fanny/Rosalind’s plight as a properly reared young lady.

Together, they make a dangerous pair, toeing the line between respectability and scandal, indulging in a masquerade in daylight, riding together in a phaeton race, and laying plans for Fanny/Rosalind to play a role in Covent Garden Theater. When they push their fun too far, Fanny faces ruin and the demimonde. Will Buck confide his secrets and overcome his life-long aversion to marriage in time to save his fair Rosalind and live happily ever after? Can there be a happily ever after for someone as headstrong and impetuous as Rosalind?

* Buy for your Kindle HERE  * Buy a paperback HERE

* Buy for your Nook HERE     * Buy it for Kobo HERE

To enter a drawing for a free e-book, go to my facebook page: G.G. Vandagriff-Author. Like the page and comment on the page!

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When Buck resigns from the Royal Navy at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, he seeks out his Rosalind again and finds she has become an elegant young lady with outrageous ideas. She is determined not to be tamed by the repressive rules of society, and spends her days dancing on the edge of ruin. As Buck also despises the arbitrary rules of the ton, they make a rather audacious pair!

The book will be released in mid-March on Amazon Kindle and Barnes and Noble Nook.

Don’t miss the present sale of The Duke’s Undoing, my first Regency, on Amazon for 99 cents.

Buy It Here

Rescuing Rosalind’s cast of characters will have many characters my readers will recognize:

Captain Charles Buckingham (Buck) aka Baron St. James, Our Hero

Miss Fanny Edwards aka “Rosalind,” Our Heroine

Elise Northcott, Duchess of Ruisdell, Fanny’s Sister

Peter Northcott, Duke of Ruisdell, Fanny’s Brother-in-Law

Viscount Westringham, aka Commander Clark, Buck’s former commander and Fanny’s suitor

Earl of Warmsby, Fanny’s suitor

Lady Clarice Monton, Fanny’s Aunt

Miss Susannah (Sukey) Braithwaite, Fanny’s Aunt’s Companion

Duchess of Beverley, (Caro) Elise’s bosom friend, a playwright

Duke of Beverley, (Ned) Ruisdell’s bosom friend

Miss Sophie Edwards, Elise and Fanny’s sister

Miss Anna Stone, Sophie’s companion

You can now buy all three e-books for $7.99. A great boon for Christmas giving to that special romance reader on your list. They are clean, but very romantic.

The e-book of “Three Rogues and Their Ladies” is available here. There is a link on the right side of the Amazon page that says: “Give as a gift.” All you need is your recipient’s e-mail.

The paperback version is available here.

Five Stars!

“A companion novel to the regency romance bestsellers, The Duke’s Undoing and The Taming of Lady Kate, all part of Three Rogues and Their Ladies series.

In Miss Braithwaite’s Secret, Caroline has left her London season early, with a broken heart over the sudden engagement of Ned Beverley. She’d hoped he returned her regard, but evidence points to the contrary. Caro returns home and is eventually cajoled out of her low spirits by her good friends, Kate and Jack, and joins their weekend house party. Ned shows up as an invited guest–alone–without his fiancé. When Caro learns that his fiancée broke off the wedding, she believes there is hope again until she discovers that Ned harbors his own broken heart over the rejection.

This begins the series of misunderstandings that both Caro and Ned become caught up in as they try to stay away from each other despite their growing attraction. From misunderstood conversations to vying suitors that escalate to a breath-taking adventure when outside forces conspire to keep the two apart, Miss Braithwaite’s Secret does not disappoint. A companion novel to Vandagriff’s regencies, The Duke’s Undoing and The Taming of Lady Kate, readers will love the appearance of their favorite characters of Elise and Kate once again. Miss Braithwaite’s Secret will delight regency romance fans with Vandagriff’s signature witty characters, fast-moving plot, and plenty of romance. Highly recommended for a cozy afternoon read!”

Buy for your Kindle here

Buy Paperback here

Buy for your Nook here 

The Marchioness of Northbrooke, Katherine (Kate) Bailey-Wintersham—Recently married and now neighbor of Caro’s in Wiltshire.

The Marquis of Northbrooke, John (Jack) Bailey-Wintersham—Kate’s husband, Caro’s childhood sweetheart and nearest neighbor in Wiltshire.

Lord and Lady Jonathan Braithwaite—Caro’s parents.

The Dowager Marchioness of Northbrooke, Serena Bailey-Wintersham—Jack’ mother

Members of the House Party:

The Duke and Duchess of Ruisdell—a young couple intimate with the Northbrooke’s.

The Marquis of Someset—An intimate of the Duke’s and the biggest gossip in England

Miss Violet Archer—The Duchess of Ruisdell (Elise’s) childhood friend

The Duke of Beverley, Edward (Ned) Fitzhugh—Caro’s secret love interest who has, unbeknownst to anyone, broken her heart.

The Marquis of Cleaverings—Stephen—Playmate of the dowager in Devon, cousin to the Marchioness of Northbrooke and heir to her father’s estate.

Other players:

Lady Sarah Randolph—former fiancé of Duke of Beverley

Lord Harry- Retired soldier, son of Cleaverings, and suitor for Caro’s hand.

Lord William-Vicar, son of Cleaverings, and suitor for Caro’s hand.

Looking for Beta Readers!

1. The dialogue is more extravagant than in common use today. Use of contractions  should  be limited to gentlemen speaking to one another. Contractions were considered slang, and therefore not genteel speech.
2. There is a lot more detailed description of dress and appearance than in other forms of fiction.
3. There is a lot of peculiar slang used among gentlemen. All of mine is authentic.
4. The term “ton” is a French word (French was heavily interlarded into their speech at the time) which meant the upper ten thousand in society. Your behavior or person could be “bad” ton or “good” ton.
5. A lady could be ruined very easily by any one of the following things: a. Riding in a closed carriage alone with a gentleman (to whom she is not affianced); b. Being alone in a room with a closed door with a gentleman to whom she is not affianced; c. Being caught kissing a gentleman to whom she is not affianced; d. Riding  or driving  down St. James’s St.; Living alone without a companion (elderly ladies) or chaperone (young ladies); Going anywhere alone without a chaperone (even shopping or visiting); Visiting a gentleman’s lodgings even if one did not enter; Dancing more than twice with the same gentleman in one evening (even if one was engaged); Waltzing without the permission of one of the patronesses of Almack’s
6. The order of rank among the nobility is as follows: a. Duke, Duchess; Marquis, Marchioness; Earl, Countess; Baron, Baroness; Viscount, Viscountess; Baronet, Lady
7. A “Corinthian” was a gentleman who excelled at sport: Gentleman Jackson’s and Cribb’s Parlor were the meccas of the art of boxing; Manton’s was the Gentleman’s shooting gallery; Tattersall’s (or Tatt’s) was the place gentleman gathered to look at horses for sale or to buy said horses; High Perch Phaetons or Curricles were sporting vehicles favored by Gentlemen for racing.
8. The only acceptable sources of wealth for gentlemen were: Inheritance; Gambling; Army or Navy; Church; The Arts
9. The worst thing a gentleman could do was to cheat at cards
10. If a gentleman killed someone in a duel, he could “clean his slate” by fleeing to the Continent for at least a year.
11. Tories (conservatives) frequented White’s Gentlemen’s Club. Whigs (liberals) frequented Brook’s.
12. Children of peers (nobility) were know as Lady (first name) or Lord (first name) unless they had a title of their own.
13. Gentlemen were referred to by their friends by the name of their property, i.e., Northbrooke, Walsingham. Their social inferiors referred to them as my lord. Social equals who were not intimates referred to them as your lordship. (Unless person in question is a duke, in which case it is Your Grace).
14. The Season lasted from April to mid-June, coinciding with the time Parliament was in session. During this time, debutantes were presented to the Queen, and made their come out in Society. London was often referred to as the Marriage Mart during this season. Being presented at Almack’s Assembly Rooms was essential for the success of a season. To do so, one needed a voucher from one of the Patronesses.
15. Anyone “in trade” “smelled of the shop” and was considered a “cit.” Not eligible for ton.
16. Ladies were called “Originals” if they were “out of the common way.” Both Lady Clarice and Lady Susannah (Sukey) were Originals. So was Kate. One had to be very very careful not to become vulgar or “fast” if one aspired to be an Original.
17. The fashionable hour for riding in Hyde Park was 5 pm. One could ride in Rotten Row at Hyde Park early in the morning (galloping). At 5, the object was only to see or be seen.

It is my belief that the attraction of Regencies for readers is this rigid structure of rules which set up a very rigid world. Getting around or co-existing with these rules is often the theme of a Regency. Favorite plots revolve around marriages of convenience, elopements, rescues, but like Jane Austen’s works (upon which Regencies are based) the ultimate goal of each book is always a happy marriage. My books are considered “clean” and are modeled after my favorite Regency author Georgette Heyer. Many of her books are “laugh out loud” funny, but all have rare wit and grace. All my previous books (except my first Regency) have been serious. I have come to believe that we all deserve a laugh and a happy ending once in awhile. Regencies have long been my “dessert.”

One of our first views upon coming into Barcelona from the airport was a bright red skyscraper shaped like a squiggle. This was our first introduction to the city that prides itself on its quirkiness. I was pleasantly surprised to find our destination to be a clean, bright metropolis bubbling with happy activity and the lightheartedness of modern artists Picasso, Gaudi, Miro, and others less famous.

The language commonly spoken is Catalan, a hybrid of Spanish and French. Since the death of Franco, the Fascist dictator who ruled that the province of Catalunya should be part of Spain and that its people speak Spanish, Barcelona and the rest of the province have reverted to speaking Catalan. However, Spanish is easily understood as most people are bi-lingual.

On our first day there, we found ourselves lost among a maze of charming old streets in the Cathedral district as we looked for the Picasso museum. Plane trees towered in small plazas presided over by five story apartment buildings that had stood for hundreds of years. Wrought iron balconies, attached to neo-classical facades, boasted flowers, shrubs, and vivid bougainvillea. Some of the streets between these buildings were so narrow that pedestrians could only walk two abreast. Barcelonans were busy walking their dogs through the byways or shopping in the tiny grocery stores for their daily bread.

We finally came upon the large and airy Picasso museum.  Though he grew up in Barcelona, Picasso relocated to Paris in his thirties, and vowed never to return as long as Franco was in power. However, he sent “home” a collection of paintings for the museum. They are his early representational works, and are quite a surprise. At the age of twelve, Pablo Picasso was painting portraits that compare favorably with the Old Masters. Those of us who cannot see genius in his abstract work will be pleasantly surprised to find this evidence of a bona fide prodigy. Picasso is to have said, “When I was young, I painted as an old man. When I was old, I painted as a child.”

Our second day in Barcelona was spent taking an art tour. A very knowledgeable guide took us first to see “The Sagrada Familia,” a modern cathedral by the fanciful architect Antoni Gaudi. A massive structure, still under construction, it was begun in the early twentieth century and is slated for completion by 1226. It is nothing less than a modernist’s version of a gothic cathedral. Three facades are currently under construction, with only those depicting the Holy Family at Christ’s birth and the agony of his death completed to a satisfactory extent. The sight of this magnificent cathedral is breathtaking. Though uncompleted, its spectacular concept is evident. As with a Gothic cathedral, one can spend a very long time gazing at its complexities and making new discoveries, such as Gaudi’s own face overlooking a Pieta of Christ and Mary.

Others of Gaudi’s projects we saw that day were the upscale Guell Parc built on a hillside with its fanciful mosaic wall (said to have been constructed of smashed china pieces), and the art nouveau façade of Casa Mila. Barcelona brims over with works by this architect ranging from lampposts to bridges.

Cheek by jowl with the city’s modern works, there is the magnificent Gothic quarter with its own glorious cathedral. The older and newer sections of the city are surprisingly compatible, making it an adventure to explore and photograph. It is full of serendipities—you never know what you are going to find around the next corner of this innovative, energizing city.