Dressmakers Historical Romance Book Series by Loretta Chase

Silk Is for Seduction by Loretta Chase (2011)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Dressmakers series. Marcelline is the oldest sister and ambitious dress designer who wants to catch a future duchess as a client. In order to do this, she kind of almost maybe seduces the Duke of Clevedon who’ll be footing the bills, but he’s more intrigued by Marcelline and not interested in rushing to the altar with the woman he’s had an understanding with since childhood. As much as Marcelline tries to resist Clevedon’s advances and prioritize the interests of her business, she keeps slipping up and ends up in his arms. It’s rough going when she realizes he’s in love with this guy, while also becoming friendly with his almost-fiancee. I enjoyed seeing both of their struggles between propriety, duty, and their actual feelings for each other.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase (2012)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 2 of the Dressmakers series. Lots of bickering, flirting, plus a road trip in this book. Sophy is a dressmaker and secret newspaper informant, often in disguise as a maid at various social events. The Earl of Longmore doesn’t understand why no one notices Sophy everywhere they go, but he’s mostly an oblivious male here not knowing that dressmakers are treated as overlooked servants. Clearly, he’s biased by his own attraction for her. We get into some drama around Longmore’s sister, who is publicly compromised at a ball, engaged to a dowry-seeking scoundrel, and who runs off and needs chasing. Longmore and Sophy end up on the road together to find his sister, and make the most of the trip by starting a physical affair. It’s fun and chaotic and flirty, even though it seems like there’s no hope for an actual future.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Vixen in Velvet by Loretta Chase (2014)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Dressmakers series. Leonie and Simon, Marquess of Lisburne, have chance meeting after chance meeting, but somehow get entangled because Lisburne seems to be related to all the important folks of the week. Leonie’s mostly focused on trying to keep the dress shop afloat after her sisters are indisposed (one pregnant and ill and the other hiding in the country to deflect scandal). Lisburne is mostly trying to protect his soft-hearted poet of a cousin from scandal and can’t seem to stay away from Leonie, despite his better judgment. He even bets her that she won’t be able to transform another grumpy cousin into the belle of the ball, even though she is completely confident that she can. It was fun seeing these two scheme together, flirt, banter, and Lisburne completely and totally support Leonie’s business efforts. I enjoyed all the plotting and scheming against common foes and the development of the secondary romance in the background. Such a fun book.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase (2015)

Historical romance. Regency-era England. Book 4 of the Dressmakers series. With all three of the dressmaking sisters paired off, we finally get the story of Lady Clara, the marquess’ daughter who had been the favored customer of the dress shop. She’s paired up here with a grumpy barrister, Oliver, known as Raven to everyone else. Clara calls on Raven’s help in searching for the younger brother of a girl she knows from the charity school, but it’s probably a lost cause as the boy likely fell into a bad crowd and a gang. But Raven is stupidly smitten with Clara and loses sense of logic in order to help her. We get to see them team up to solve the mystery, while also getting closer together along the way. There’s a lot of hesitance on Raven’s part since he sees himself as a lowly barrister, undeserving of Clara’s attentions. But she’s stubborn and goes after what she wants. There’s also some looming drama with Raven being third in line for a dukedom and also separately, the target of a thug assassin because he’s too good at his job of sending criminals to jail. High external drama, but low-angst on the romance.

Ebook and audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby.