50 Must-Read Regency Romances

Lord of Scoundrels, by Loretta Chase
A classic within the genre follows the infamous Marquess of Dain, whose reputation has not one iota of respectability. But when Jessica Trent walks into his life, Sebastian must convince a good woman to fall from grace—and fall in love with him.

Slightly Dangerous, by Mary Balogh
Mary Balogh is a Regency icon. Christine Derrick is intrigued when the mysterious Duke of Bewcastle invites her to become his mistress—but she isn’t an easy mark, and Wulfric soon realizes he’ll need more than lust to win her over.

It Happened One Autumn, by Lisa Kleypas 
An American heiress travels to England in search of a husband with a title—and the last man that will ever be is Marcus, the Earl of Westcliff. He’s cold, reserved, and stubborn beyond reproach. Then one night changes all of that, but once Lillian and Marcus fall in love, a conspiracy emerges to rip them apart.

Flowers From the Storm, by Laura Kinsale
Another veritable icon of Regency Romance where a wounded man with a dark past is healed by true love. Maddy Timms is a pious, religious woman—which is why she’s suspicious of the notorious rake Sebastian—Earl, Duke, and Viscount—working with her mathematician father. When he has a stroke, Maddy compassionately cares for him and learns that the past is nothing but a memory when confronted by a future with someone you deeply care for.

Devil in Winter, by Lisa Kleypas 
Read It Happened One Autumn and you will meet the villainous Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent, one of Regency’s most beloved (and hated) rakes. There might be no one more dangerous, except Evangeline Jenner’s terrible, greedy relatives. That’s why a marriage of convenience with Sebastian is her only way to escape them. He agrees, but what starts as convenience becomes a relationship he would as soon die—or kill—for.

Romancing the Duke, by Tessa Dare 
After being raised on the fairytales of her writer father, Isolde has given up on true love. How can such happiness find her when she has no money and no home? But luck shines on Izzy when she finds out she’s inherited a beautiful castle from her godfather. There’s just one problem: Ransom Vane, the Duke of Rothbury, lives there. Blinded from an injury in his past, Ransom is harsh and bitter, but when Izzy arrives, one ray of sunshine turns into true love.

When He was Wicked, by Julia Quinn 
When Michael Stirling—a rogue known for his penchant for chasing women—meets Francesca Bridgerton, it is love at first sight. The problem? She’s marrying his cousin in two days.

Thunder and Roses, by Mary Jo Putney
Claire Morgan is desperate to save her small village—that’s the only reason she would approach the man known as the Demon Rake for help. He agrees, with one catch: move in with him, and tarnish her reputation, letting society think the worst of them both. But with them against the world, it’s no wonder an arrangement of mutual benefit eventually turns to love.

Ruthless, by Anne Stuart
Remember the ousted King George I mentioned earlier? Well, he had friends, and in this Regency romance they all secretly gather at a brothel to explore their carnal desires. No one is more accomplished at this than Viscount Rohan, except when it comes to Elinor Harriman, who seems immune to his seduction.

Duke of Sin, by Elizabeth Hoyt
Sinfully attractive but dangerously unscrupulous, Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, has returned from exile to seek vengeance. But he meets Bridget Crumb, his new housekeeper, and finds he has a goal in mind. But Bridget has another reason for being in the Duke’s bedroom, and when her secret comes to light, their bourgeoning romance is threatened by the truth.

A Rogue by any Other Name, by Sara McLean
Another British elite exiled from society because of their dark past, the Marquess of Bourne is back, and back to his old ways. Lady Penelope Marbury doesn’t belong in his world. But she’s the key to helping him right the wrongs done to him, which means he must keep her close, but not let her into his heart.

The Most Dangerous Duke in London, by Madeline Hunter
Clara Cheswick is a heroine with no interest in marriage. She has ambition and drive, publishing a women’s journal. So when the brooding and handsome rake Adam Penrose proposes marriage, she’s skeptical. After all, she’s the daughter of the man his family hates most.

Nothing Like a Duke, by Jane Ashford
Lord Robert Gresham loves Flora Jennings, but after years of pursuing her, he finally gives up. Of course, it’s at that exact moment when Flora shows up at his doorstep, finally ready for love.

Blame it on the Duke, by Lenora Bell
Nicolas, Lord Hatherly, does not want to marry—especially because madness runs in his family, and will inevitably come for him. But he has to marry to pay back his father’s debts. Alice Tombs feels the same way, having pushed away three suitors previously in her attempts to delay marriage. So they strike a deal: a summer to prove their marriage is “real”, and then they can go their separate ways. Except that the summer nights prove sensual, and what is fake and what is real become difficult to distinguish.

Six Impossible Things, by Elizabeth Hoyt
Lord Rimsell is the opposite of a rake: strong, dependable, and honorable, he can be taken for his word. Which is why when he is caught after a moment of temptation with Rosalie Stratton, his course is clear: he must marry her, to protect their reputations. But Rosalie is not all she appears, and her secrets could taint Brody’s honor…

Once Upon a Marquess, by Courtney Milan
Judith Worth hates Christian Trent, the man she fell for who then destroyed her father. So when a difficult situation arises and she has to go to him for help, she is angry and ashamed. But Christian has always loved Judith, and will take this opportunity to do everything he can to convince her he’s not the man she thinks he is.

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, by Sara MacLean
Philippa Marbury is a learned woman, who cares more for books than brooding men. Engaged to a lovely—albeit boring—man, she has the rest of her life planned out. But until the wedding takes place, she decides to pursue the parts of life she has ignored—for research purposes, of course. Enter scoundrel Cross, gaming hall owner and sexual conquest. But can Philippa keep her attraction to Cross purely scientific?

What the Duke Desires, by Sabrina Jeffries
Maximillian’s brother has been dead for a long time—which is why when a letter from an investigator hints that he may be alive, the Duke of Lyons is game to take on the case. But the investigator goes missing, and Maximillian is left with the man’s sister, Lissette, to seek out the truth. Now they are searching for two people, but conspiracy, and attraction, threaten to undo everything they are working for.

If You Deceive, by Kresley Cole
Ethan MacCarrick was brutally beaten and disfigured after being accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He got his vengeance against the man who gave the order, but it only made him hungry for more. Which is why he decides to pursue Madeleine Van Rowen, his enemy’s daughter. But revenge is a dish no longer served cold when passion ignites between them.

The Pleasures of Passion, by Sabrina Jeffries
Niall Lindsay has killed a man, which means he has to flee for his life. He expects the woman he loves, Brilliana, to come with him, but she does not. She doesn’t wait for him, either. When the tarnished Earl returns to society on a mission for the government, he is forced to reunite with his former love, whom he now hates.

A Duke of Her Own, by Eloisa James
A rake must marry to take responsibility for his illegitimate children, fathered over his years of being irresponsible with women. No one is better suited to be the Duke of Villiers’ wife than Eleanor, the daughter of the Duke of Montague. Except that Lisette, the daughter of a different duke, engaged to another man…is the one who tempts him most.

Ravished, by Amanda Quick 
Harriet Pomeroy needs a husband to protect her against the looters and thieves using the caves along her seaside home. Who more fearsome to scare them away than the Beast of Blackthorne Hall, Gideon Westbrook? With his scarred face and dangerous reputation, he is the perfect protector…but it will take a lot to get him to find the heart needed to truly care for her.

A Rose in Winter, Kathleen Woodiwiss
Erienne Fleming is beautiful, with suitors lining up to court her—but she only has eyes for Christopher Seton, an American…and can’t marry him anyway, because of her father’s devastating debts. She is won (or, rather, purchased) by Lord Saxton, a man who wears a mask and cloak to hide the results of a terrible fire. And yet, just as she starts to fall for him, Christopher Seton appears once more. Which will she choose: to remain the wife of a man who may not be able to reveal himself to her, or to betray him?

Forbidden, by Jo Beverly
Serena Riverton is done with marriage after barely escaping her first one with her life. But in a moment of passion, she seduces Francis, Lord Middlethorpe, and suddenly finds herself wondering whether true love can undo the darkness of her past.

Lord of Vengeance, by Lara Adrian
The story of Beauty and the Beast is reinterpreted in this romance where a woman is taken captive in an act of revenge—but eventually, makes the man fall in love with her.

Thief of Shadows, by Elizabeth Hoyt
Winter Makepeace is a cold headmaster and Lady Isabel Beckinhall is tasked with tutoring him in the art of high society—so needless to say, they don’t exactly get along. At least not at first. But little does she know that Winter lives a double life, as a masked vigilante determined to protect his community, even with violence. Could Winter’s dark secret ruin the possibility of love with Isabel?

Edenbrooke, by Julianne Donaldson
Marianne Daventry is bored with her life—so when her sister invites her to a country estate that promises to have some adventure, she jumps at the chance. While Cecily seduces the heir of Edenbrooke, she will enjoy her freedom. Except when she arrives, an innocent flirtation leads her to more adventure than she bargained for.

Arabella, by Georgette Heyer
Penned by the acknowledged original queen of Regency, this romance features a strong-willed heroine who, on her way to London, finds herself indisposed outside the home of Robert Beaumaris. Arabella pretends to be an aristocratic heiress, and so when Beaumaris introduces her to London society as one of them, she is scared of the consequences if he finds out she is a phony.

Cold-Hearted Rake, by Lisa Kleypas 
Devon Ravenel is a devilish rake whose plans are interrupted by the inheritance of an earldom, and the responsibilities that come with it: namely, freeing the estate of debt, and caring for the former Earl’s sisters and the man’s widow. Kathleen doesn’t trust Devon, but can’t deny her attraction to him—resulting in a war for both of them between honor and passion.

Trial by Desire, by Courtney Milan
Lady Kate Carhart has finally healed from the damage done when her husband left her. So when Ned returns without notice, determined to win her back, she is equally determined to resist his charms. But when a secret from her past comes back to haunt her, he is the only one she can depend on.

Marrying Winterborne, by Lisa Kleypas
Rhys Winterborne is ruled by his ambition, and nothing else. So when he meets Helen Ravenel, his desire to possess her is equal to his desire for wealth. But she is unfamiliar with the lengths men in high society will go to to take a woman’s body…including taking her virtue, to ensure that she’ll marry him to protect her own reputation.

My American Duchess, by Eloisa James
The Duke of Trent must marry a woman respected in society—aka, not Merry Pelford, a wealthy American infamous for leaving two betrothals. But one stolen moment between them is all it takes to show that they belong together…if only Merry weren’t already engaged, and determined to make it to marriage this time.

Forever Your Earl, by Eva Leigh
Eleanor Hawke is the original Carrie Bradshaw; a gossip columnist about the sin and scandal of London society. The Earl of Ashford is a constant feature in the column for his rakish behavior…but when he extends an invitation to no longer write about him, but be with him, Eleanor is intrigued. But Daniel’s true intentions are hidden, and when they come to light, will she wind up being the one gossiped about?

When a Scot Ties the Knot, by Tessa Dare
Sweet, awkward Madeline Gracechurch is about to be introduced to London society as an eligible prospect for marriage. The problem is she’s terrified, and so to avoid being pursued, she makes up a Scottish sweetheart. But when the man of her dreams, Captain Logan Mackenzie, shows up, he turns out to be as close to her childish fantasies as she could have dreamed.

Sweet Disorder, by Rose Lerner
Phoebe Sparks has been widowed, and decides never to marry again…except that she deeply cares about the results of the election in her small town, but can’t vote. However, if she had a husband, he could vote for her…enter Nicholas Dymond, brother of the candidate, who will do anything to help him win, including ensuring Phoebe finds a husband. But when an attraction grows between them, more than just politics is at stake.

My Dangerous Duke, by Gaelen Foley 
The Inferno Club is known for debauchery and rogueish behavior—but behind closed doors, they are an army in service of the King, avowed to protect their country and soil their reputations in the name of justice. Duke Warrington has sworn off love, having no time between the Inferno Club’s missions and out of fear of the tragedy that always befalls the men in his family. But complications arise when a kidnapped woman is brought to him and he decides to avenge her—because its more than just king and country he winds up fighting for, but her heart.

The Magpie Lord, by KJ Charles
An M/M Regency romance with a paranormal twist! Lucien Vaudrey has been exiled to China for twenty years. But his brother and father die in mysterious circumstances, and he has inherited both their titles, and their enemies. Stephen Day is a magician approached by the new Lord Crane to help him exact vengeance—and soon, as the magic of love forms between them, their relationship becomes more than just business.

Will’s True Wish, by Grace Burrowes
A shy, Shakespeare-loving heroine falls for an Earl’s spare as he investigates the mystery of dognappings in high-society London. Will is below Susannah in all the ways that matter in the aristocracy—but focusing on solving the case becomes difficult when their attraction rises to the surface.

The Viscount Who Loved Me, by Julia Quinn
Anthony Bridgerton the bachelor of all bachelors, but at long last he’s decided to marry. If only the bride’s older sister, Kate, would stop meddling in his affairs, determined to stop the marriage. But what begins as Kate interfering becomes her hoping that Anthony might choose her instead….

The Perils of Pleasure, by Julie Anne Long
Colin Eversea is about to hang for murder until a mysterious mercenary rescues him. At least, that’s what he thought, but Madeleine Greenway intends to hold him captive until the highest bidder pays. But eventually Colin’s rogueish charm wears her down, and as they flee the people who want him alive in exchange for her death, they fall deeper in love.

An Unlikely Countess, by Jo Beverley 
Prudence is poor, but intends to marry above her station. When she is rescued from robbers by Catesby Burgoyne, a marriage of convenience seems perfect for both of them. But when Cate’s older brother dies, making them both incredibly wealthy, will a change in status change the love between them?’

My One True Highlander, by Suzanne Enoch
A woman finds herself the pawn in the middle of a war between a Highlander clan and the Duke of Lattimer, her father. When she’s kidnapped by the enemy, a bond forms between them that prevents the Scot from using her as a chess piece in a game of deceit.

The Corinthian, by Georgette Heyer 
To avoid marrying her cousin, Penelope Creed runs away from London dressed as a boy. She is discovered by Sir Richard Wyndham, who vows to protect her.

A Night to Surrender (Spindle Cove #1), by Tessa Dare
At times laugh-out-loud funny, this story shows another side of Regency, a side without all the balls and high-society woman. It takes place in a delightful little seaside resort town, where Susanna Finch invites ladies of “good breeding and delicate constitution” to come experience the healing properties of the seaside air, good food, and exercise. But when Lt. Col. Bram and a few fellow soldiers show up under orders to gather a militia in the sleepy town, Susanna fears a full-scale invasion of her safe space.

Someone to Hold, by Mary Balogh
Camille Wescott is a bastard without a title—her parents’ marriage was declared bigamous. Fleeing London society for a setting where she is less notorious, Camille teaches at an orphanage and lives with her grandmother. She meets Joel Cunningham, who is charged with painting her portrait. What begins as a fiery, abrasive relationship—as he once had feelings for her half-sister— soon turns to passion.

When Beauty Tamed the Beast, by Eloisa James
Linnet is betrothed to the Earl of Marchant, a man surrounded by myth and mystery. The most notorious of them all is that he is incapable of love. But Linnet believes she can tame the beast that refuses to love…

Silk is for Seduction, by Eloisa James 
A family of dressmakers find love in this Regency series. Marcelline Noirot is the definition of fashionable, and to make her mark on society she sets out to make over the least-fashionable: the betrothed of the Duke of Clevedon! But that means getting Clevedon on her side, and she finds the task made more difficult by the temptation of seduction between them.

A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal, by Meredith Duran
Simon St. Maur is a rake like no other—but when he inherits an Earldom, he decides to start over, with a fresh reputation. However, he was cut from the will, and a title with no money is useless; so he sets out for an heiress with the money to finance his new lifestyle. He meets Nell Whitby when she breaks into the former earl’s house with a gun in her hand—and proposes marriage. There’s one hitch: she’s not the heiress he thinks she is…

The Secret Mistress, by Mary Balogh
A beauty with a title and pedigree only wants a simple life with a marriage of love. Luckily for her, she thinks she finds it in Edward, the Earl of Heyward, when he defends her honor…unfortunately for him, Angeline is the last woman on earth he should marry.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Jane Austen should be incredibly satisfied that all of these regency romances evolved from the tradition her novels inspired. This classic tale of misconceptions, miscommunication, and misguided interference between a cold, stoic man and a woman who thinks she has him all figured out has endured the test of time.
What regency romance novels do you love?