Try changing the point of view from first person to third person in the opening of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, and you will understand the power a first-person narrative can have. I doubt that the opening sentence would be among the most famous in American literature had Melville written “His name is Ishmael” rather than “Call me Ishmael.” Or imagine Jane Eyre without the pervasive presence of Jane’s consciousness. The reader’s understanding not only of who Jane is but also of Rochester and other characters would be quite different if the story had been told in a different point of view, as Jean Rhys shows in Wide Sargasso Sea, her deconstruction of Charlotte Brontë’s classic text.

First-person narratives are common in literary fiction; in fact, some critics charge that first person point of view is overused in contemporary literary fiction. In popular fiction, first person was often adopted by writers of Gothic romances, and, more recently, it has been used by dozens of chick lit authors. It seems to work particularly well in establishing the conversational, confidential tone for which these authors are aiming. It has the same effect when Kristan Higgins adopts it for her contemporary romances. The intimacy it creates between character and reader has also made it an effective choice for authors of romance/women fiction hybrid novels by authors such as Lisa Kleypas, Marsha Moyer, Barbara Samuel, and Deborah Smith. But generally genre fiction privileges third person point of view, and there has been an unwritten rule that historical romance authors particularly should avoid first person narratives.

The traditional Regency is not the subgenre in which one would expect to find rebellious authors, but several trad Regency authors have ignored conventional wisdom and used first person point of view. Diana Brown’s The Emerald Necklace (1981) showcases the dangers and the advantages of first-person tales.

[What's life without a little risk?...]

Ashlyn Macnamara
A Most Scandalous Proposal
Random House / February 26, 2013 / $7.99 print & digital

At the age of two and twenty, Julia St. Claire is headed firmly and happily for the shelf. For years, she has watched her older sister pine for a man who barely acknowledges her. Determined to guard her heart against that sort of pain, Julia seeks nothing more than a civilized, sensible union. Then just such an arrangement is offered—by the man of her sister's dreams—and Julia must choose: betray her sister or turn to her childhood friend, Benedict at the risk of opening her heart.

Benedict Revelstoke has resigned his commission and returned to the social whirl of the ton, expecting to pick up his life where he left it: attending his club, gambling, and secretly loving Julia St. Claire. When he learns a rake has made her betrothal and reputation the object of a wager, he seeks to warn her. But when he betrays his feelings before the reticent Julia, he fears he has lost their longtime friendship-until she turns up at his townhouse with a scandalous proposal.

It’s always exciting to try a new author, so I was eager to check out Ashlyn Macnamara’s A Most Scandalous Proposal.  Though seemingly a traditional Regency historical romance, Macnamara has chosen to play with structure and plot elements in a way that I found both amusing and rewarding.  There are a number of hints throughout that Macnamara had an homage to Sense and Sensibility in mind, most notably in the basic personality types of the two sisters, but in other, smaller ways as well (including a cameo appearance by the actual Austen novel). Macnamara gives it all her own twists and turns, and sets her version in the affluent environs of Regency London.

[London calling...]

Sophia Nash
The Duke Diaries
Avon / February 26, 2013 / $7.99 print, $6.64 digital

Six Regency heroes—One royal hangover

After a royal bachelor party of the century, Lady Verity Fitzroy wakes up to find her brother's archenemy, Rory Lennox, the Duke of Abshire, in her bed. While Rory has always fascinated her, nothing can convince her to marry this rake even though her reputation is in peril. Indeed, there are far graver worries that plague her. If she is unmasked as the author of the infamous Duke Diaries, no one can save her . . . not even the man of her dreams.

Though he has known Verity since she was still in the schoolroom, Rory never imagined her to be such a spitfire! Which only makes the challenge of winning her hand more intriguing. Never mind that he has no interest in a wife. But when this secret war hero discovers the root of Verity's horrendous troubles, he realizes he must face down his greatest fears not only to save her . . . but to win her hand and her heart.

Sophia Nash’s Royal Entourage series has been described as “one part The Hangover, one part Entourage.” The Duke Diaries is the third book in the series, and the relationship between Rory, Duke of Abshire, and Lady Verity Fitzgerald, one of the five sisters of James, the Duke of Candover, is the kind that I enjoy most. The two begin with a history, but the relationship develops gradually. The reader sees Rory move by stages to a love for Verity so huge that it would have been unfathomable to him earlier.

[In this case, it really is about the journey...]

Julia Justiss
The Rake to Ruin Her
Harlequin Historical / March 1, 2013/ $6.25 print, $5.99 digital

Known as “Magnificent Max,” diplomat Max Ransleigh was famed for his lethal charm until a political betrayal left him exiled from government and his reputation in tatters. He seems a very unlikely savior for a well-bred young lady.

Except that Miss Caroline Denby doesn't want to be saved…she wants to be ruined! To Caroline, getting married is tantamount to a death sentence, and meeting the rakish Max at a house party seems the answer to her prayers…. Surely this rogue won't hesitate to put his bad reputation to good use?

What does the title of Julia Justiss's latest book tell us? That a scandal-ridden rake will ruin a virtuous young woman? Perhaps. But longtime readers of Julia Justiss will know that the truth will be somewhat more complicated than that.

At a country house party, we meet Max Ransleigh, once “Magnificent Max,” a disgraced young man who has nowhere to hide because of his involvement in an assassination attempt on Wellington. He was actually used by a duplicitous French widow who played on his sense of honor, but unfortunately, rumors have a way of sticking. He’s avoiding London and his politically-connected earl father and he’s not welcome at the family home in the country either. Max is, however, always welcome at the country house of his cousin Alastair—even if he has to skulk in the shadows lest his very presence ruin some young lady’s reputation. The timing for a visit is off because Alastair’s mother is hostessing a house party to give her youngest daughter a touch of bronze before her London season.

[Something tells me it'll all work out...]

On January 28, 1813,  publisher Thomas Egerton released Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. In the 200 years since, this single novel has become a sizable industry, spawning not only repeated reprints of the original and foreign language editions (the first French edition of Pride & Prejudice was published the same year as the book's debut) but thousands (yes, thousands) of  novels based on the book and even more web-based fan fiction, not to mention children's books, comic books, annotated editions, picture books, movies, television mini-series, spoofs (both written and filmed), and YouTube videos.

Rather than reel off numbers, let's take a look at some examples of what Jane Austen hath wrought.

It's hard to draw the line between fan fiction and sequels or retellings, but I guess we'll use whether or not the work in question has been published and is for sale. I'm afraid that, otherwise, it's not always possible to make the distinction. When I first engaged with Janeites online, Pride & Prejudice fan fiction was rampant. We still have remnants of those halcyon days at The Republic of Pemberly Bits of Ivory Archive. And it's still going strong at other sites like The Derbyshire Writers' Guild. Some of these “inspired-by” stories have been quite good (and some not).

[You win some, you lose some...]

In my First Look on Susan Carroll's The Lady of Secrets ,  I talked about the fact that, in the beginning of the book, it was not possible to tell which of the two men introduced in the first chapter was the hero, although it was obvious that one of them was. [SPOILER ALERT!]

It is not unusual to find two men vying for the heroine's attention but it is less likely that you won't be able to pick out the hero pretty early on. In The Lady of Secrets I really thought that Sir Patrick Graham with the sad eyes would end up with Meg, our Lady of Secrets. It turns out I was wrong. Meg's preference for the less-refined Armagil Blackwood, foster son of an executioner, becomes apparent after several chapters. And, truth be told, I had the same preference. Sir Patrick turned out to be a more problematic character. You'll have to read the book to get the whole story.

There is closure at the end and both Sir Patrick and Armagil find a measure of peace. And Meg? Here is what Armagil Blackwood has to say as they sail away from England.

“I do love you, Margaret. I thought I should tell you that in case you are still having trouble reading my eyes.”

She placed her hand along his cheek, smiling mistily up at him. “I fear you will always be a difficult man to read. So I am very pleased to hear you say you love me. You should mention it more often.”

“Every day, milady. You may depend upon it.”

[Everything worked out for the best, then...]

If I could fill a Christmas basket for each of you with my favorite Christmas historical romances of 2012, I’d include a book for each day of Christmas week: four new releases and three reissues.

Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight, Grace Burrowes
I love Grace Burrowes’s large, loving Windham clan—eight siblings and parents who are as fascinating as their children. Lady Louisa’s book is the sixth in the series. It features not only a Windham heroine who is smart and different and determined to avoid matrimony (for what seems to her very good reason), but an even more unusual her—a pig-farming knight who is clearly her social inferior. Secrets abound, and the delighted reader is soon cheering for these two practical lovers to attain an HEA that is everything their poetry-loving hearts deserve. Library Journal named this book one of the best romances of 2012.

[They hero and heroine certainly sound refreshingly different...]

Today, we're thrilled to have Author Valerie Bowman (and regular H&H contributor!) at Heroes and Heartbreakers. Valerie's Secrets of a Wedding Night is released tomorrow, and is a delicious Regency-set historical which author Lisa Kleypas says is “too delightful to miss.” Thanks for joining us, Valerie!

Since my debut Regency romance novel, Secrets of a Wedding Night, has a lot of mentions of weddings, what better topic to discuss on H&H today than the fascinating subject of Regency weddings?

Unfortunately, weddings during the Regency were not always the grand affairs we have today. Instead, they were (by law) performed in the morning and usually only the family and very close friends of the bride and groom were in attendance. Often the bride simply wore her best dress, though Princess Charlotte wore a grand concoction of silver (see picture below). White was popular, but apparently so was blue. Veils made a comeback in this period as well and long white kid gloves were essential.

[You've gotta have the gloves!...]

Elizabeth Hoyt
Thief of Shadows
Grand Central / June 26, 2012 / $7.99

Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he’s the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles—protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide.

Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she’s asked to tutor the Home’s dour manager in the ways of society—flirtation, double-entendres, and scandalous liaisons—Isabel can’t help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar—and his lips so tempting.

During the day Isabel and Winter engage in a battle of wills. At night their passions are revealed . . . But when little girls start disappearing from St. Giles, Winter must avenge them. For that he might have to sacrifice everything-the Home, Isabel . . . and his life.

Thief of Shadows is the fourth book in Elizabeth Hoyt’s wonderfully dark and seductively romantic Maiden Lane series. Dynamic characters and lush scenery transport us to a bygone era that both enchants and seduces the senses.

[Enchanting and seductive! Sounds delicious!...]

Today we welcome author Bronwen Evans to Heroes and Heartbreakers. Bronwen’s most recent release, Invitation to Scandal, features a heroine who makes her not-quite-honest living as a smuggler. And she’s here to share what she knows about real-life options for women in the early nineteenth century. Thanks, Bronwen!

If you were a member of the nobility in the early 1800s, and of the female persuasion, you were totally reliant on men for your keep; your husband, father or brother. If, due to dire circumstances, you were left to fend for yourself, not only did you have virtually no skill-set with which to earn enough money to keep you in comfort, but the disgrace attached to any form of work saw you outcast from Society.

Ladies were not raised to work. They were raised to think of their position in Society and to marry well. Their role was to run a household and bear children. Nothing more.

[We’ve come a long way in that regard, that’s for sure...]

Alyssa Everett
Ruined by Rumor
Carina / $5.99 digital / May 21, 2012

After waiting five years for her fiancé to return from the war and marry her, Roxana Langley has been jilted! She may have longed for excitement, but this was not what she had in mind...

Who could possibly throw over a woman as beautiful and vivacious as Roxana? Certainly not Alex Winslow, the Earl of Ayersley, who has spent years trying in vain to forget his unrequited love. When he learns she’s been abandoned by her cad of a fiancé, he finds himself offering a shoulder for her to cry on. Comfort soon turns into a passionate kiss-and scandal when they are caught in an embrace.

Only one thing will save Roxana from certain ruination: marriage to the earl. The match may save her reputation, but responsible, tongue-tied Ayersley is a far cry from her dashing former fiancé. She’s convinced Ayersley is merely doing his duty...while he’s sure Roxana is still in love with another man. Are they trading one disaster for another?

After reading Alyssa Everett’s debut novel, A Tryst With Trouble, I was excited to discover Ruined by Rumor. Everett’s lighthearted dialogue was again a feature, as was the old-school Regency romance plot, but what I really loved was her hero.

[Ooh, and who doesn’t love a particularly delicious hero!...]

Just a couple of years ago, I first read one of Georgette Heyer’s lesser known—indeed, often thought Lost—works, The Great Roxhythe (of which, read much more here). Set in the latter days of Charles II’s reign, it tells of a fictional courtier to the King who helps set in train many of the more notable political events of the day. Now, while this is far from my favorite Heyer—indeed, it is among my very least favorites, and I completely understand why the author herself refused to have it reprinted within her lifetime—it did impel me to do one thing but few of her others have: further research.

Before reading this novel, I knew barely anything about Charles II. I knew he had been sent into exile as a youth (another Heyer, The Royal Escape, deals with this), and that the song “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” is about him. I guess I could also have claimed passing acquaintance with his luxuriant locks, his love of a particular breed of spaniel, and his famous succession of mistresses; plus, I vaguely recalled a Robert Downey Jr. movie featuring him one time. But after reading this novel, I started reading up, learning all kinds of fun facts to know and share: my favorite being that, while he died without a legitimate heir, he had twelve illegitimate kids, one of whom is an ancestor of both Princess Diana and Camilla Parker-Bowles…and that Prince William, should he ascend the throne, will be the first direct descendant of Charles II in the more than three hundred years since his reign. (What? It’s interesting.)

[Calling all history buffs...]

Christine Merrill
Lady Drusilla’s Road to Ruin
Harlequin/Apr. 3, 2012/$6.25 print, $4.79 digital 

Considered a spinster, Lady Drusilla Rudney has only one role in life: to chaperone her sister. So when her flighty sibling elopes, Dru knows she has to stop her! She employs the help of a traveling companion, who looks harmless enough….

Former army captain John Hendricks is intrigued by this damsel in distress. Once embroiled with her in a mad dash across England, he discovers that Dru is no simpering woman. Her unconventional ways make him want to forget his gentlemanly conduct…and create a scandalall their own!

Lady Drusilla’s Road to Ruin, the latest Regency historical from Christine Merrill, is pure, unadulterated fun.  It’s a road story replete with an elopement to Gretna Green, coaching inns, cross-dressing, and highway robbery, all presented with a wink and a knowing grin.  It’s a special treat for those who love Regencies and are familiar with a host of common story elements, told with a twist.

[Come on, baby, let’s do the twist!...]

Alyssa Everett
A Tryst With Trouble
DP/April 1, 2012/$10.74

Dogged for years by painful gossip about his father’s homosexuality, the Marquess of Beningbrough—Ben, to his friends—has protected himself by becoming the ultimate man’s man. Passed over by suitor after suitor in favor of her pretty but vapid younger sister, clever, forthright Lady Barbara Jeffords has reached the disappointing conclusion most men are shallow, boorish clods. When a philandering footman turns up dead, the two square off: he’s sure she’s determined to pin the crime on his hapless young cousin, while she thinks he means to shift the blame to her sister. To find the real killer, Ben and Barbara must declare a truce that threatens to expose both their buried insecurities and their growing desire for each other.

A Tryst With Trouble is Alyssa Everett’s first novel. It’s a lighthearted Regency with a murder mystery plot, told in first person, alternating between the hero, Ben, and the heroine, Barbara. Yes, a murder mystery can be lighthearted…neither murdered character has any lines, so there’s no chance to develop deep empathy for them.

[But we’re guessing deep empathy develops between hero and heroine—right?...]

In more excellent romance news, Julia Quinn announced today on her Facebook page that the cover for A Night Like This had been released to retailer sites like Amazon and B&N, so of course we had to go check it out, and how pretty is it, really?

A Night Like This—which will be available on May 29, 2012—follows the first book in the Smythe-Smith series, Just Like Heaven, and features “Daniel Smythe-Smith and mysterious governess Anne Wynter.” Here’s an additional bit about the book:

On A Night Like This in Regency England, anything can happen, especially when a beautiful pianist sitting in at the annual Smythe-Smith musicale catches the eye of a haunted, hunted man in desperate need of redemption. 

We’re stoked to dive back into the Smythe-Smith world soon—how ’bout you?

Today, author Carolyn Jewel joins us to explain what faulty apertures  and a writing implement have to do with her upcoming release, Not Wicked Enough.

What do these two things have in common?

—A doorknob malfunction

—A flaming pencil

I will immediately end your suspense. Both of these things appear in my historical romance, Not Wicked Enough (Berkley Sensation, out Feb. 7). I don’t think it’s possible, or even desirable, to write a historical novel that is completely and infallibly accurate; there’s just no way to be sure about everything. All the same, I do like to be more accurate than not.  For my flaming pencil scene, I already had primary historical documentation that sparked the idea. The doorknob malfunction required separate research to be sure my idea was possible.

[On doorknobs and pencils...]

I’ve recently begun trying to read all of Mary Balogh traditional Regencies that I missed when I first glommed the author. I have a particular fondness for Christmas Regencies, at least Balogh’s, so Christmas Beau was an obvious choice to start.

The plot is simple: It’s a revenge story that turns on the person seeking revenge. The hero, Max, was a perfect gentleman while he was engaged to Judith, but his reserve made her frightened of him, and she rejected him in favor of Andrew Easton. That turns out to be a big mistake. Andrew is false to her on many levels, and when he dies, Judith is a much more wary woman.

She travels to London with her two children and her beloved sister-in-law, who has a romance in the secondary plot. She rejoins society and Max finds her there, seeking out both her and her family for particular attention. Judith is ashamed of how she treated him—she sent her father to break the engagement —and senses he’s still angry with her. But her family love his attentions, however, and he invites them all to a country house party at his estate. She suppresses her misgivings and attends.

[Always trust your instincts...]