Irish charm in the Regency/Victorian eras

St. Patrick's Day puts us in the spirit of all things Irish. Oddly, a country very much known for its rich history and romantic folklore plays a minimal role in Regency and Victorian romances.

But that's not to say a few gems can't be found. Here are five such romances from those eras set in Ireland.

Duchess of Sin (Book 2 of Daughters of Erin)

By Laurel McKee

Blonde and beautiful Lady Anna Blacknall is in the mood for mischief. Entering Dublin's most notorious den of vice, she finds herself in the arms of a mysterious, emerald-eyed Irishman. And although he is masked, his tender kiss is hauntingly familiar.Conlan McTeer, Duke of Adair, has come to Dublin to fight for a free Ireland. But he's suddenly reunited with the young Englishwoman who had once claimed his heart, and his passion turns from politics to pleasure. When their sizzling encounter brings danger to Anna's door, she must decide where her loyalties lie-and quickly. For someone will do whatever it takes to destroy Conlan . . . and anyone he dares to love.

Duke Seeks Bride (Book 3 of Love on Holiday)

By Christy Carlyle

Miss Evelyn Graves has never had a holiday. She is much too busy as the personal secretary to the Countess of Waverly. But the Duke of Ballymore Castle in Connemara, Ireland, has invited the countess to visit—and as the countess cannot travel, she has insisted Evelyn go in her stead. Except when Evie arrives, everyone mistakes her for the countess—and it’s clear the family who owns crumbling Ballymore were hoping to match the widowed countess with Alexander Pierpont, Duke of Rennick. Though Alex knows the truth of Evie’s identity, he has an unusual request. He’ll happily show her hospitality if she’ll agree to let others think she’s the countess during her visit.

There’s just one problem: as time runs out on their arrangement and Alex increasingly fears he must in fact marry an heiress to save his family’s fortunes, he finds that his heart now belongs to Miss Evie Graves…and he can’t bring himself to let her go.

A Class Apart (Book 1 of A Matter of Class)

By Susie Murphy

It’s 1828, and Ireland is in turmoil as Irish tenants protest against their upper-class English landlords.

Nineteen-year-old Bridget Muldowney is thrilled to return to the estate in Carlow she’ll inherit when she comes of age. But since she left for Dublin seven years earlier, the tomboy has become a refined young lady, engaged to be married to a dashing English gentleman.

Cormac McGovern, now a stable hand on the estate, has missed his childhood friend. He and Bridget had once been thick as thieves, running wild around the countryside together.

When Bridget and Cormac meet again their friendship begins to rekindle, but it’s different now that they are adults. Bridget’s overbearing mother, determined to enforce the employer-servant boundaries, conspires with Bridget’s fiancé to keep the pair apart.

With the odds stacked against them, can Bridget and Cormac’s childhood attachment blossom into something more?

A Scandal in Dublin

By E.H. Wilder

Dublin, 1813. Charlotte Ramsey is desperate for adventure. Unfortunately for her, there doesn’t seem to be any in Dublin. That is, until her sister’s new beau, Simon, becomes embroiled in a vicious scandal. Now Charlotte must race to prove Simon’s innocence, without her parents finding out. She is joined by Simon’s best friend, Thomas Dempsey. There’s only one problem...Charlotte and Thomas can’t stand each other. But as they descend deeper into Dublin’s underbelly, they may discover more lurking beneath the surface than they expected.

Beneath the Darkening Clouds (Book 2 of Irish Fortune)

By Juliane Weber

Quin and Alannah have overcome obstacles and endured heartache, but their biggest challenge is yet to come. It's 1845 and Ireland is plagued with unrest when the unthinkable happens – the potato harvest on which most Irish peasants depend fails. With their livelihoods destroyed, thousands are left desperate for food, making unease and fear ripple across the land; and with the response of the British government inadequate, hunger and disease soon follow. Now it’s up to Quin and Alannah to save the people living on their estate. But all the while, danger lurks from other quarters, as Quin delves into mysteries from his past, incurring the wrath of powerful enemies.

Join Quin and Alannah on their journey, as love and loyalty are put to the test in a myth-shrouded land.