Can Vicky foil the plans of a shameless fortune hunter? Regency England After breaking off her engagement, society belle Vicky Seymour decides to return to her childhood home in the countryside. On the way, she crosses paths with the menacing Andrew Massingham, who is about to elope with naïve young heiress Drucilla Hedgely. Believing Andrew to be an unscrupulous fortune hunter, Vicky decides to take Drucilla with her. Furious at the desertion, Andrew soon chases after them. But when disaster strikes, Andrew and Vicky are forced into uncomfortably close quarters. Each wilful and accustomed to having control, their personalities soon start to clash. And though Vicky believes herself incapable of falling in love, it may prove difficult to protect her heart… The Luckless Elopement by Dorothy Mack is a classic Regency Romance with a witty, spirited heroine.

    No one could guess she had been forced to take a position in trade—or that she had come to the Earl of Auden’s estate to entice him into naming her dismayingly disagreeable cousin Anthony heir to a fortune that she then could share.But Elizabeth had stiff competition for the Earl’s imperious favor…from the schemingly seductive Lady Isabel Courtney and her odious little boy, Owen…from the implacably upright Richard Courtney and his unfortunate honesty…and from the memory of the Earl’s first wife, who had made him despise women who deceived.Elizabeth knew she could never reveal the truth to the Earl—even when she forgot about gaining his fortune and began losing her heart….

    Then, however, Agatha must go up to London--where her dim-witted, gorgeous younger sister Celia, on the ton, seems to have fallen dangerously head-over-heels for that notorious rake Lord Averson! So off Agatha trundles, with flirtatious help along the way (her first shattering kiss!) from an irresistibly attractive stranger. And who does this stranger turn out to be?. Lord Averson himself, of course--though it's then revealed that Celia doesn't adore the 35-ish Lord but his empty-headed young nephew David. All is set up, then, for a Darcy/Elizabeth-style courtship between worldly-wise Averson and quick-witted Agatha. She can't believe that Averson would care for her, though "she was dangerously close to forming a lasting tendre for him, and that would never do!" Averson, less worldly-wise than he seems, has decided never to marry--because he believes that genteel women can't enjoy sensual pleasures. But an eccentric old fairy-godmother type, Lady Draysham, soon sets both parties straight. So, after a bit of foul play is foiled by Averson (a fortune-hunting old flame of Agatha's has her abducted), there'll be the inevitable fadeout--with happiness for both Agatha and doughty, not-so-dim-witted Celia. Standard Regency fare in the ungushy tradition, complete with Beau Brummell cameo (not flamboyant, "his attire actually suggested a quiet elegance"), but likable, reasonably tart, and non-idiotic.

    But the arrogant (and irresistible) Diccon discovered her deception quite easily and felt he was honor-bound to offer marriage to the young lady. Valentine would rather suffer London's ton than marry a man who didn't love her--wouldn't she? Regency Romance by Joan Wolf; originally published by Signet

     Andrew Tyson, the Marquess of Blagdon, was the most elegant and dashing gentleman that any husband-hunting beauty could want as her perfect match. Clearly Miss Carrington and Lord Tyson were as different as night and day. In fact, there was only one thing on which they agreed. Both would do anything to avoid the trap of marriage, even if their only way of escape lay in pretending to love each other…