My heroines are always unconventional feminists.
In the first book in the Marleigh Sisters series of Regency novels you’ll meet Lila Marleigh, the eldest daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress. Lila and her sisters moved to London when they were little. Now, as an adult, Lila owns a gambling salon. The second sister, Anya, is a musician in Queen Charlotte’s court. And Mira, the third sister, is a gossip columnist. All each sister wants is to not depend on anyone and defy the London ton that refuses to accept them as its own. You’ll never have me dwelling on tired tropes of virginity and chastity in my books. All of my heroines have sexual agency. And by this, I don’t just mean that there is consent in their relationships. I mean that for them sex means passion and fun.
Lila is a tiny bit like me.
There’s a very annoying side to Lila. Yes, she has strong passions and longings, and she’s defiant of convention and fiercely independent. But the one thing I really share with her is that I get more animated and sociable when I’m feeling vulnerable. Like me, Lila finds it hard to show people her vulnerabilities and needs someone who can see through her energetic, sparkly façade. (Ah, but will Ivor Tristram be that man?)
Regency times were the height of colonialism.
Regency romances are supposed to be fun and frothy, sure. And there’s witty banter and some hilarious situations (like when Lila has a strop in a tavern and throws tankards around…enjoy that one!) But this is the early 1800s. I don’t shy away from the fact that this is the height of British colonialism and slavery. Meaning, we see characters like Maisie, whose mother was a nanny from the Caribbean. We meet Sunil, Maisie’s love interest, a lascar from India. In future books, there’s backstory set in British colonies. Oh, and there are romps through London rat pits and pleasure gardens like you’ve never seen them before.
There’s an Oscar Wilde-ish character you might fall in love with.
While each book focuses on one of the Marleigh sisters, and people like Lila will feature in future books too, one of your favourite characters may just be Kenneth Laudsley, a friend of Lila’s who never hesitates to give his droll opinion on matters of dress and etiquette. What is his opinion on etiquette? Be as outrageous as you dare.
There’s a mystery in each book and a mystery that spans all books in the series.
Yes, this is a Regency romance and so the romance side of things is the most important. (Oh, and there is some naughtiness in the bedroom…some of it not in the bedroom at all…) But there is a mystery in each book that often has more serious themes. Spanning the series there is also some backstory about what happened to the sisters’ parents – oh, and another little mystery that I can’t mention without giving away a huge spoiler. Enjoy!
Amita is a writer, based in London. She first discovered her love for Georgette Heyer’s sparkling banter and runaway horses when she found one of Heyer’s romantic adventures in a second-hand bookstall as a teenager. There was no looking back – as in, it took another few decades to realise that Heyer was more than just a delicious obsession. Amita’s first Regency, Unladylike Lessons in Love, comes out in 2023 and takes readers on a ride through a diverse 19th century London landscape like you’ve never seen it before. Amita’s Arya Winters series of mysteries is published with Agora. The first came out in 2021.
