You know I absolutely adore a historical romance, particularly if it is set within the Regency in Britain. There are so many great ones – and I feel like I have barely scratched the surface with what I have read – but I am always drawn to the ones that celebrate strong female heroines, and explore the different positions, constraints and freedoms women experienced during this period.

This is why I am so excited to share with you Suzanne Allain‘s new novel, and am so grateful that I was given an advance review copy!

You might recognise Suzanne Allain as the author of Mr Malcolm’s List, as well as screenwriter for the very excellent film version which proved a true, witty comedy of manners. And if you liked Mr Malcolm’s List, you will certainly not be disappointed by The Ladies Rewrite the Rules.

A young widow

Diana Boyle is a beautiful, rich, but young, widow. Though it is expected that she will marry again, Diana is quick to realise how much freedom she can find within her status as a widow so vows that she will never marry again.

That is, of course, until she discovers she has been named in a list of eligible heiresses that might provide fortunes to younger sons who need to marry for wealth. Any reader of Regency fiction will know that second, third, fourth (and so on!) sons, bereft of the fortune that falls upon the first brother and heir, need take on a profession or a wealthy wife. Incensed, Diana goes to meet the author, and give him a piece of her mind.

A handsome hero

Maxwell Dean believes he is helping those younger sons in his predicament by writing The Rich Ladies Registry or the Batchelor’s Directory – and never once considers that the ladies in question, listed alphabetically, might not want their name included in such a document.

But she reminded herself that the devil himself could transform into an angel of light, and that she had absolutely no interest in men, even handsome ones. Especially handsome ones.

Chapter 2.

When Diana meets him, she realises he is handsome, but clueless about the experiences of the women listed there. So, in retaliation, she pulls the ladies who are named in the directory together, so that they might usefully use the power that they wield, and write their own rules in the game of courtship.

Incensed, Diana pulls the ladies who are named in the list together so that they might get their own back, and write their own rules, realising the power that they wield.

The power of female friendship

I devoured this novel in two sittings, and absolutely loved this premise – for two reasons.

First, Allain wrote wonderful female characters with the friendship between them at the forefront of the story, always. Now don’t get me wrong – this novel is most definitely a romance and the hero is a great one, with the perfect will they-won’t they romantic tension – but in turning the usual way Regency society works (particularly in novels) on its head, Allain brokered some great friendships between the women in the story.

I particularly loved the close camaraderie that developed between Diana and Lady Regina Townsend, and found myself rooting for her happiness as much as Diana’s.

The life of Regency widows

Secondly, I really enjoyed this story because of the exploration of the unique freedoms women could experience in widowhood. As widows, women of Diana’s social standing could access money and property in ways that almost all unmarried women could only dream of. In real Regency England, widows could conduct affairs, and exercise control, that might seem alien to our understanding of the female experience of early nineteenth-century England.

This is of course not to say that every rich widow’s life was easy and without external factors trying to keep her in check. But I think Allain did a brilliant job of engaging with this part of the life cycle and creating a truly independent heroine who takes charge of her own life.

I hope if you decide to pick up a copy of The Ladies Rewrite the Rules that you enjoy it as much as I did. It was published just last week, on January 9th 2024, so you can find it in your favourite book shop, as well as here and here.

Thank you to Berkley, Suzanne Allain and Austenprose for gifting me a copy of the book in exchange for review.