If You Like…
For this week’s If You Like, if you like The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, you’ll probably also like….
— The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Orczy;
— Scaramouche, by Rafael Sabatini;
— To Catch an Heiress, by Julia Quinn;
— The Accidental Duchess, by Jessica Benson;
— The Spymaster’s Lady, by Joanna Bourne;
— The Scarlet Pimpernel, movie, with Anthony Andrews;
— The Scarlet Pimpernel, movie, with Leslie Howard;
— “Nob & Nobility”, Blackadder, Season III.
Any other suggestions?
One person will be chosen at random to receive a Mischief of the Mistletoe magnet calendar; winner to be announced on Wednesday.
The Scandal of the Season by Sophie Gee
http://www.amazon.com/Scandal-Season-Novel-Sophie-Gee/dp/1416540571/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1310382068&sr=1-1
– follows the poet Alexander Pope as he takes on London society and finds the inspiration for his poem, The Rape of the Lock. Fun, racy with a nice brisk tone that reminds me of the Pink series
Traitor’s Kiss/Lover’s Kiss by Mary Blayney.
If just for the fact it mentions Richard Selwick. 🙂
I’ll second Traitor’s Kiss/Lover’s Kiss by Mary Blayney. 2 books in one.
I’ll also recommend the Liars Club series by Celeste Bradley. The Pretender, The Imposter, The Spy, The Charmer, and The Rogue.
The Rossetti Letter by Christi Phillips.
A story of suspense and romance as two 21st century academics unravel a 17th century Venetian mystery.
Memoirs of a Hoyden by Joan Smith
Lots of humor and running around in the dark. Spies chasing smugglers and one enterprising, bossy and plucky heroine refuses to stay home and be left out of all the fun!
All of these are great suggestions! I second Julie’s Joan Smith suggestion — there is a website, Regency Reads, where you can download some out-of-print regency era books in ebook formats (including Joan Smith’s books).
“E-books for the haut ton.” 🙂
http://www.regencyreads.com
Joanna Bourne’s books are fun and poignant. Great suggestion
This may be a bit of a stretch because I find the entire Pink Carnation series so singularly unique….
A Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May alcott (yes she wrote more than just Little Women)
Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer (Highly improbable, nevertheless an entertaining read)
I agree with the Scarlet Pimpernel movie, it was on last weekend!
I’m excited to try the Louisa May Alcott book, I’ve read most of hers, but not that one.
I would have to like Georgette Heyer Books and Jane Eyre by Bronte!
Mary Jo Putney has a wonderful series
“The Fallen Angels” Check them out!
For those open door romance lovers, try Jo Goodman’s series, “The Compass Club”. Very sexy Peers. Both series have great characters. Happy reading!
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James! OK, there are no spies, but I feel like Eloisa’s characters would get along very well with Jane and her crew.
The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly. No spies, but past and present characters would definitely like each other.
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn….<3
Thank you for such a lovely website!
I just enjoyed reading The Orchid Affair. I recommend The Sixteen Pleasures by Robert Hellenga. Art, mystery and love set in late 1960’s Florence.
And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander. I just finished reading it and loved it. There aren’t any spies, but there is a mystery to solve.
Her Royal Spyness (series)
The heroine is Eloise-ish, (also Pammy and Colin type characters) though set in the 1930s. still very relatable to the present.
However with the story set in 1930’s we get the same kind of famous historical figures interacting with the characters. The historical cameos are simiiar to historical cameos in the pink story.
not espionage but mystery…
These books remind me of the pink series than anything else.
Also
anything by Julia Quinn
Shopaholic
The Spymaster’s Lady/ the Forbidden rose, etc. Joanna Bourne
I whould suggest the Jane Austen mystery series by Stephanie Barron, beginning with Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scaregrae Manor. http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Unpleasantness-Scargrave-Manor-Mysteries/dp/0553575937
Kate Ross’s Julian Kestrel series. Not a spy series, but a Regency detective series. (I literally cry when I read these books, tho, because I can’t keep Ms. Ross’s untimely death out of my mind, thinking what a terrible loss it was, and wondering where the series would have gone.)
Ashley Gardner’s Capt. Lacey series. Again, a Regency detective series, rather than a spy romp, but still good.
I’d also like to add C.S. Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mysteries to my list.
i can add georgette heyer’s short short story collection pistols for two. fabulous characters as always and disguises abound!
Kathleen Winsor’s ‘Forever Amber’. Great story and characters.
First, I agree with the assessment of Forever Amber. Fantastic book. One of my favorites. Also, I just finished reading The Spymaster’s Lady because of this list and LOVED it! Did not see the 3/4-of-the-way-through twist coming at ALL!
An Accomplished Woman, by Jude Morgan. totally hilarious and romantic!
I love the two film versions that you already mentioned but I also love the A&E version of the Scarlet Pimpernel
Thanks for all the recommendations!
I have to second SusanN’s recommendations of the Kate Ross Julian Kestrel (I haven’t read the last one for the reasons you mentioned) series and Ashley Gardner’s Captain Lacy series (I met the author at a signing last year and she mentioned there could be a new one). Both most deserving of more readers.
I will suggest a movie, just to be different. The Black Book (1949) set during the French Revolution, about both sides fighting and trying to outwit one another to get a hold of a book of names kept by Robespierre.
Thanks, Dawn.
If you can bring yourself to read it, the 4th Kestrel book is probably the best, most complex in the series. (All the more heartrending, of course.)
There’s definitely a new Lacey book coming out later this year. AG has been re-releasing the existing books in the series in e-format (including a novella), with a brand new book being offered in September. I’m happy she’s turned her attention back to this genre/series. I love practically everything this prolific author writes under any of her names.
“The Grand Sophy,” by Georgette Heyer. Hands down her best novel and funniest! You never know what Sophy will do or how she will get others to do her will. Not a spy romp but if you love the tone of Lauren Willig you’ll love this novel. . .sooo witty!
Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia series (5 books/4 e-book Novellas and a 20 year later follow up book “Night of a Thousand Stars”). Also Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily series.
Can’t leave out anything written by Elizabeth Peters/ Barbara Michaels!!!