Heart to Heart

[#1]

A few years ago, readers who'd adored them lamented what was seen as the demise of the traditional Regency romance when several publishers closed their Regency imprints.  Set during the period in British history  when the Prince of Wales ruled as regent in his father George III's stead while the monarch was ill -- 1811 through 1820/30 for romance --Regencies adhere to the usual romance-HEA construct. Yet Regencies also follow fairly distinct requirements for wardrobe, decorum and often depict certain time-honored hook-up scenarios like the "rake tamed by the virgin" and the arranged marriage.

The "classic" Regency generally was very well mannered and contained little overt sensual imagery or language, and many fans miss that "sweetness."  Yet some "contemporary" Regencies retain the charm and relational push/pull of the classic style while pairing it with a bolder, yet still classy brand of sensuality that well may please the heat-seeker, as well as the reader gently dipping into more steamy romance waters.

Barbara Metzger's immensely satisfying and savor-worthy "Bargain Bride," is one such treat, a delicious romance reminiscent of old-school love stories, yet packing the fairly literal punch of a feisty, terribly-flawed-in-her-vulnerability heroine, and the man who has a lot of 'splainin' to do.

Betrothed at 19 to a gawky tween chit, Kendall Westmoreland, Viscount Westfield, sowed his wild oats and then some before his fiancée's father drags him to the now-grown woman's side.  West's certain the spinster will agree to amicably parting company; she can't possibly want a man who's made her wait 13 years to wed.

Yet West doesn't count on Persephone "Penny" Goldwaite's having fallen for him at first sight, mooning over him for years and, finally, her bearing a West-sized grudge concerning his probably having wenched and drank away her dowry while she pined and, well, aged.

He also doesn't factor in her being gorgeous - or packing a damned-solid right hook. 

While the pair agree parting without shackling themselves to misery is a capital idea, Penny's pere thinks otherwise, and his forcing the issue causes West and Penny to face their attraction, their fears and an exquisitely torturous journey not just to happily ever after, but toward the trust that simply will allow them to consummate the marriage already!

Oh, but this novel is such fun to spend hours enjoying, not simply glomming. Seeing these crazy kids make prideful mistakes - sometimes train-wreck like in scope - and watching their attempts to wrest control of their lives from fate and their own misconceptions is almost, almost as good as their passion is sweetly fiery.

What makes you want to savor a book as opposed to glom it?  Were you a fan of the traditional Regency, or do you prefer the new style?

[#2]

Wow, the "damned-solid right hook" alone makes that sound interesting.

I'm sorry if I sound stupid - I'll try to use the excuse that it's already evening here and that I'm rather tired - but what exactly is the difference between a traditional and a "modern" Regency? I didn't quite get that... *blush* 

I know I'm not very sophisticated mentioning that, but every time I read Ms. Metzger's name I'm irritated because the German word "Metzger" means "butcher". Sorry, couldn't help but say it! *blushesharder*

[#3]

No, no need to blush, you bloodthirsty wench! (Wow, the "damned-solid right hook" alone makes that sound interesting) As I was attempting to communicate above -- but, shocker, was unclear -- it's not much different from what we're used to, but rarely did it have much 'hotness.'  Of course, we think of the Heyer Regency as 'traditional,' and the lines from Zebra and Signet which closed. You'll often hear them referred to as "sweet," and in some the love story also seems to spin out longer with details of interaction bet h/hn taking greater precedence/interest. 

I like that Metzger, whom I believe wrote trad Regencies, though I can't, unfortunately, speak w/ expertise about their level of sensuality, etc.  What I can say is "Bargain Bride" seems to me a combination of the great things about the trad Regency mixed with more contemporary fire in both emotion and sensuality.

Funny about "metzger.'  It's like seeing folks with English names like Baker, Butcher, Tanner... My maiden name, kline, got Anglicized somewhere along the way... 

[#4]

Hi Michelle!

Savor.  Oh, I love that word!  To me it means to basically take it slow , take your time, read each word and paragraph thoroughly.,  Let each one twine itself around you like a warm blanket on a cold night.   You empathize with the characters and feel what's happening to them.  To me it means that you become a part of the story instead of just reading the words.  You're feeling the story!

It can be heady stuff, because when the story ends, you're still connected to these characters.  They're a part of you for a long period of time.  Sometimes they never leave you.  When you savor a book, you never really forget it.  You remember favorite passages and parts that you underlined in the book.  You can even go straight to them.  At least that is what happens for me.  I've even found myself looking at a book, seeing the title, looking at the cover and just smiling.  The reason being that this was a good book and I know that if I don't want to re-read it at the moment, I can still remember something about it, by just giving it a glance.

When I go back and re-read passages and parts that I've underlined, I get that same feeling for them that caused me to underline them in the first place.  I've even found, sometime that they are more profound than they were back then.  Maybe it has something to do with age, because sometimes the words wash over me and I have a deeper understanding of the meaning of the passage.  Then I find myself holding the book to my heart and smiling because those words have touched me once again in a different way!

I was a fan of the original Regency.  They were so classy and elegant! There were no better heroes than those dashing rakes who stole the virginal heroine's heart.  Like in a movie, you know they got their HEA and it faded to black.  You had to imagine the rest.  There were no love scenes in words to explain it to you.  Not like today.  They had a certain sweetness and just a bit of sensuality.  Just enough to start your heart to fluttering!  Ah, those were the days!  As for the contemporary regencies, I haven't read one.  I've found that as romance novels progressed, I progressed with them.  The eroms are still hard for me to deal with as far as descriptive language is concerned.  That's when I could almost be pulled back to something like a sweet Regency to read.  Mind you, I said almost.  There are too many other sub-genres now to completely pull me back, but I think it would be a nice change.    

[#5]

Michelle, I for one prefer the new version of Regency. I want my romance on the sizzle burner. 

Deb

[#6]

Why should we have to choose one over the other? I love the traditional Regencies and still have many on keeper shelves, including several of Barbara Metzger's. But I would not want to give up the longer, sexier, more varied European historicals either. I want to read both.

And even among the trads, there were levels of sensuality. Check out trads by Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley,  Jean Ross Ewing, Anthea Malcolm, Mary Jo Putney, and you will see not all the trads were "sweet." And nearly any of Carla Kelly's yield evidence that not all the characters were lords and ladies. There were always envelope pushers among Regency authors.

[#7]

New style for me, please!