There exists in every reader’s heart a secret chamber, and in that chamber dwells a longing for candlelit ballrooms, witty repartee, and the sort of romance that unfolds beneath chandeliers whilst society watches through its lorgnettes. The Regency era, that glittering sliver of history, has captured our imaginations for two centuries now—and shows no sign of releasing us from its elegant grasp.
Whether you seek the freshest Regency fiction gracing bookshelves in 2025 and 2026, or you wish to acquaint yourself with the timeless classics that built this beloved genre, we have assembled a most distinguished company of novels for your reading pleasure. Do settle into your favourite chair, perhaps with a cup of tea, and allow us to introduce you to twelve extraordinary books that capture everything we adore about Regency fiction.
1. The Wendy by Erin Michelle Sky and Steven Brown
One might think all the best stories have already been told, but then along comes a novel so thoroughly enchanting that it proves storytelling an art form with endless possibilities. The Wendy whisks readers to 1780s England—that elegant cusp of the Georgian era just before the Regency proper—where an orphaned girl named Wendy Darling dreams of captaining her own ship in an age when such ambitions for young ladies were considered, shall we say, highly irregular.
What makes this Peter Pan retelling an absolute treasure is its masterful capture of period voice. The prose possesses the same delicious wit one finds in the finest nineteenth-century novels—clever asides to the reader, an omniscient narrator with a keen sense of humour, and that particular magic wherein the most extraordinary adventures are recounted with the most delightful understatement. Readers will find themselves quite unable to predict Wendy’s next move as she navigates a world of sword fights, flying ships, mysterious magic that tastes of pickles (yes, truly), and a certain enigmatic young man named Peter Pan.
The characters surrounding our heroine prove equally captivating—a Captain Hook far more complex than any you have met before, loyal companions both human and canine, and a fairy whose temperament changes with her colours. Reviews proclaim it “has all the markings of a classic” and “better than the original,” with readers staying up until the small hours to finish, only to immediately purchase the sequels. The complete trilogy awaits those who fall under its spell, as they inevitably do.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
It would be an act of the grossest impropriety to compose any list of Regency fiction without genuflecting before the altar of Miss Jane Austen, whose works inspired every novel that followed in this tradition. Pride and Prejudice stands as the cornerstone upon which our beloved genre was built.
The story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy has captivated readers since 1813, and one suspects it shall continue to do so for centuries hence. Here we find a heroine of wit and spirit, a hero whose pride conceals a most worthy heart, and a romance that proves first impressions decidedly unreliable. The dialogue sparkles, the characters breathe, and the ironic observations about society remain startlingly relevant. No Regency education is complete without it.
3. Venetia by Georgette Heyer
If Jane Austen created the garden, Georgette Heyer built the entire estate. Venetia, published in 1958, represents this legendary author at the very pinnacle of her powers—and considering she single-handedly invented the Regency romance genre, this is saying rather a great deal.
The beautiful and clever Venetia Lanyon lives quietly in the country with her bookish younger brother until a notorious rake named Lord Damerel arrives at the neighbouring estate. What unfolds is a love story driven by conversation, by two minds meeting and finding themselves perfectly matched. Heyer’s devotees speak of this novel in tones usually reserved for sacred texts, and having read it, one entirely understands why.
4. Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
There are rakes, and then there is Sebastian Ballister, Marquess of Dain—a man so thoroughly wicked he has earned the sobriquet “Lord Beelzebub.” When the formidable bluestocking Jessica Trent arrives in Paris to rescue her dim-witted brother from Dain’s corrupting influence, neither party anticipates the battle of wits that ensues.
This 1995 classic won the RITA Award for Best Novel and has been voted the “Best All-Time Historical Romance” by multiple organizations—honours it richly deserves. The verbal sparring between Jessica and Dain crackles with intelligence and tension, whilst beneath their conflict simmers a passion neither can deny. For those seeking a Regency romance with genuine emotional complexity, this remains the gold standard.
5. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Before it was a Netflix sensation, The Duke and I was capturing hearts through the considerable magic of Quinn’s prose. Daphne Bridgerton, amiable and overlooked, strikes a most unusual bargain with Simon Basset, the new Duke of Hastings: they shall pretend to court one another for their mutual benefit.
Naturally, pretend courtships have a rather inconvenient tendency to become genuine, and watching these two discover real feeling beneath their arrangement provides exquisite pleasure. The novel perfectly balances humour, heart, and the sort of romantic tension that keeps pages turning well past a sensible bedtime.
6. A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare
Miss Minerva Highwood possesses an unconventional passion for geology and an even more unconventional plan: she shall present her fossil discoveries to a prestigious scientific society in Edinburgh. The gentleman assisting her in this escapade? One Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne, a rake who requires a scandal for reasons of his own.
What follows is a road-trip romance of the most delightful variety—four hundred miles of shared carriages, one-bed situations, and the gradual discovery that perhaps one’s travelling companion is rather more wonderful than initially supposed. Tessa Dare’s trademark wit illuminates every page, and reviewers rightfully declare, “This is what romance should be!”
7. Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
Before there was Venetia, there was Devil’s Cub—the 1932 novel that has never gone out of print. The Marquis of Vidal, known as “Devil’s Cub” for his wild habits, intends to spirit away one young lady but accidentally abducts her sister Mary instead. When Mary shoots him (on purpose, one must note), the true adventure begins.
The conversations between these two adversaries-turned-lovers are, as the young people say, priceless. For readers of Austen and Quinn who crave strong-willed heroines and emotionally complex heroes, this Georgian-era gem delivers magnificently.
8. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has spent twenty-eight years following every rule society prescribed for proper young ladies—and where has it got her? Firmly on the shelf, that’s where. When she composes a list of forbidden activities including gambling in a men’s club, attending a duel, and being properly kissed, she inadvertently entangles herself with Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston.
Sarah MacLean’s debut novel established her as the “utterly intoxicating queen of historical romance,” and this tale of a wallflower’s rebellion demonstrates precisely why. The heroine readers have longed for—intelligent, determined, and done with waiting—finds her match in a rake who never expected to fall.
9. Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
Four young women, relegated to the wallflowers’ corner of London’s marriage market, form a pact to help one another find suitable husbands. The first to take centre stage is the beautiful but penniless Annabelle Peyton, who has absolutely no intention of falling for Simon Hunt—a man who made his fortune rather than inheriting it.
The Wallflowers series has enchanted readers for two decades, and this opening novel establishes everything we love about Lisa Kleypas: complex heroines facing genuine stakes, heroes who earn their happy endings, and prose that balances sensuality with genuine emotion. One cannot recommend it highly enough.
10. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
Anthony Bridgerton has decided to marry—sensibly, without love, to a suitable young lady who will never capture his heart. He selects the incomparable Edwina Sheffield as his future viscountess. There exists but one small obstacle: Edwina’s older sister Kate, who despises Anthony thoroughly and has vowed he shall never wed her sibling.
The enemies-to-lovers tension between Kate and Anthony practically combusts from the page. Their battles of wit, particularly during a rather infamous Pall Mall game, have become legendary among romance readers. When duty and desire collide, the results prove most satisfying indeed.
11. Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
Wulfric Bedwyn, Duke of Bewcastle, has ice where most men keep their hearts—or so all of London believes. When he encounters Christine Derrick, a widow who accidentally spills lemonade on his person and then dares to laugh, something most unexpected occurs. The coldest duke in England begins to thaw.
Mary Balogh is a titan of the genre, and this concluding novel of her Bedwyn Saga demonstrates why. The parallels to Austen’s Mr. Darcy are deliberate and delicious, yet Christine and Wulfric’s story belongs entirely to themselves.
12. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
We conclude our list with perhaps the most extraordinary Regency romance ever penned. Christian Langland, Duke of Jervaulx, suffers a stroke that imprisons his brilliant mind within a body that cannot communicate. His relatives, seeing opportunity, commit him to an asylum. His unlikely saviour? Maddy Timms, a devout Quaker spinster who recognizes his trapped intelligence.
Medical professionals have praised Kinsale’s accurate portrayal of Broca’s aphasia, but it is the love story that devastates readers in the most beautiful way possible. The role reversal—watching a powerful duke become dependent whilst a gentle Quaker woman becomes his champion—creates something genuinely transcendent.
Your Next Great Regency Adventure Awaits
The Regency era offers readers an escape into a world of elegant manners, sharp wit, and romance that unfolds against a backdrop of social strictures both frustrating and fascinating. Whether you begin with the foundational classics or dive into the freshest offerings of 2025 and 2026, you shall find companions for many a pleasant evening’s reading.
We might particularly suggest beginning with The Wendy, whose Georgian setting and masterful period voice shall prepare you splendidly for all the Regency delights to follow. After all, every great reading journey must start somewhere—and one could hardly choose a more enchanting first step.
