I'm an Australian author of contemporary and historical romances, plus history non-fiction.
My books range from sexy to erotic, late 1700s to the mid 1800s, and with a dash of Australia thrown into the mix. My heroes and heroines challenge tradition and my stories often expose the seamier levels of life.
I now live in a sunny part of Australia after spending many years in developing countries in the South Pacific. My greatest loves are traveling, anywhere and everywhere, meeting crazy characters, and visiting the Australian outback.
I hope my books bring history alive and you have fun adventuring with my roguish heroes and feisty heroines.
1815 Beaded Coin Purse With Pinchback Ormolu Frame. Would have been carried inside a reticule, or larger bag, so a woman had small coinage on hand to pay for items on those occasions when a gentleman wasn’t with her to pay for them. Via Ruby Lane Antiques.
A reticule, or purse, or handbag, was usually carried by a woman during the Regency period to carry all their daily necessities. Earlier, women used pockets that tied at the waistline and were hidden in the folds of their skirts. Empire style, or early 1800s, high-waisted dresses made it impossible to either sewn in a pocket or to tie on a pocket.
1815 Beaded Coin Purse With Pinchback Ormolu Frame from Jane Austen and Bridgerton years. #JaneAusten #Bridgerton #handbag #RegencyFashion books2read.com/suziloveReticules
Lapdesk, English. Exterior covered in metal with a lacquer finish and edged with stamped and gold lacquered brass strips. Interior veneered in kingwood with plush velvet writing surface. walpoleantiques.com
1820 Lapdesk, English. Exterior covered in metal with a lacquer finish and edged with stamped and gold lacquered brass strips. Interior veneered in kingwood with plush velvet writing surface. walpoleantiques.com
1820 Metal Exterior Travel Lap Desk from Bridgerton years. #bridgerton #RegencyEra #Travel #BritishHistory books2read.com/SuziLoveWritingTools
1812 Man’s wool, linen, and cotton long coat with four shoulder capes, European. Also called a Carrick Coat, a Driving Coat, or a Redingote in France. via Metropolitan Museum, NYC, USA. ~ metmuseum.org
A Regency Era, or early 1800s, gentleman was outfitted in more practical fabrics, such as wool, cotton and buckskin rather than the fussy brocades and silks of the late 1700s. The men in Jane Austen’s life and the Bridgerton men would have worn this sort of warm and practical coat like this when riding his horse in inclement weather or when driving his carriage.
Definition: Carrick Coat: Or Garrick or Coachman’s coat, with capes, or collars, popular in 19th century for riding and travel.
1812 ca. Back View. Man’s Caped Coat, Or Carrick Coat, European.
Wool, linen, and cotton. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org1812 ca. Front View. Man’s Caped Coat, Or Carrick Coat, European.
Wool, linen, and cotton. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org1812 ca. Back View Black and White. Man’s Caped Coat, Or Carrick Coat, European.
Wool, linen, and cotton. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org1812 ca. Front View Black and White. Man’s Caped Coat, Or Carrick Coat, European.
Wool, linen, and cotton. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org1812 ca. Front View Black and White With Umbrella. Man’s Caped Coat, Or Carrick Coat, European.
Wool, linen, and cotton. via Metropolitan Museum New York City, U.S.A. metmuseum.org
1816 December. Promenade Dress, or Pelisse, English, also called a Redingote in France. High cambric muslin dress trimmed at the bottom with a single flounce of work, shaped without any fulness to fit the body, plain long sleeve finished by a triple fall of narrow lace. Over this is the Angouleme pelisse of crimson velvet, lined with white Sarsnet, and trimmed with a single Welt of crimson satin, a shade lighter than the pelisse. Shaped the to the body and without much fullness, confined at the short waist with narrow velvet band, edged to match. Small stand-up collar, supports a rich lace ruff, which is worn open in front of the throat. Sleeve has little fullness and is confined at the wrist by three narrow bands of puckered satin. Bonnet of white satin a la Royale with a large bunch of flowers and tied under the chin with satin ribbon and finished in front with a full quilling of tulle. Black silk ridicule, exquisitely worked in imitation of the ends of an India shawl and trimmed with black silk fringe. White kid gloves and black walking shoes. Fashion plate, hand-colored engraving on paper. Published in Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’, London.
Promenade Dress, Pelisse, Redingote, Or Walking Dress. Jane Austen and her contemporaries wore long coats like these to keep warm when out and about, visiting, shopping etc. The thin muslin dresses worn in the early 1800s were little protection against European winters.
1816 December. Promenade Dress, or Pelisse, English, called Redingote in France. High cambric muslin dress trimmed at the bottom, plain long sleeve finished by a triple fall of narrow lace. Over this is the Angouleme pelisse of crimson velvet, lined with white Sarsnet, and trimmed with a single Welt of crimson satin, a shade lighter than the pelisse. Bonnet of white satin a la Royale with a large bunch of flowers and tied under the chin with satin ribbon. White kid gloves and black walking shoes. Fashion Plate in Rudolph Ackermann’s ‘The Repository of Arts’, London. Fashion Women 1815-1819 History Notes Book 28 https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1815-1819
Love the Bridgerton family and Jane Austen? Reader Or Writer of Regency Era stories? Mourning and riding fashion, dresses, hats, shoes, reticules or bags, underclothing and fashion accessories. books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1815-1819
History Notes 28 Fashion Women 1815-1819: This book looks at what was fashionable for women in the Georgian Era and at the end of the Regency Era in Britain and the reconstruction in Europe after the wars. Lifestyles were freer and fashions expressed this by becoming the focus of most women’s lives. A wardrobe full of opulent accessories was requisite. Includes mourning and riding fashion, dresses, hats, shoes, reticules or bags, underclothing, and fashion accessories.
Are you a reader or writer of the Regency Era? Lover of the Bridgertons and Jane Austen? Mourning and riding fashion,underclothing and corsets. #Bridgerton #JaneAusten #RegencyFashion #mourningFashion https://books2read.com/SuziLoveFashionWomen1815-1819
Fashion Women 1815-1819 History Notes Book 28 What did Jane Austen wear? This book looks at what was fashionable for women in the Georgian Era and at the end of the Regency Era in Britain and the reconstruction in Europe after the wars. Lifestyles were freer and fashions expressed this by becoming the focus of most women’s lives. A wardrobe full of opulent accessories was requisite. Includes mourning and riding fashion, dresses, hats, shoes, reticules or bags, underclothing, and fashion accessories.
1823 Couple In Evening Costumes, French. Short length dancing dress of white gauze, short sleeves, pink ribbon trim, flowers, parure, or jewelry set, dancing shoes and hair in a bandeau. Man in half dress of black tailcoat, yellow vest, short length white trousers, high white cravat, blue fob, and curled hair style. via Modes Francaises L’Indiscreet, France.
From the finish of the 18th century until 1820, men’s fashions in European and European-influenced countries moved away from the formal wear of brocades, lace, wigs and powder to more informal and relaxed styles. Focus was on undress rather than formal dress. Typical menswear in the early 1800s included a tailcoat, a vest or waistcoat, either breeches, pants, or the newer trousers, stockings, shoes or boots, all worn with an overcoat and hat. This basic ensemble was accessorized with some form of neckcloth or cravat, gloves, walking stick, cane or riding crop, handkerchief, fobs, watch and perhaps a quizzing glass or eye glass.
Skirted coats were replaced with short-fronted, or cutaway, tailcoats worn over fitted waistcoats and plain, white linen shirts. Knee breeches were gradually replaced by tight-fitting pantaloons and later trousers, decorative shoes with buckles were replaced with a variety of boot styles, and fussy and ruffled neckwear gave way to intricately tied, white linen neck cloths. A Regency Era, or early 1800s, gentleman was outfitted in more practical fabrics, such as wool, cotton and buckskin rather than the fussy brocades and silks of the late 1700s.
1809 Wedgwood and Byerley showrooms for Wedgwood china, York Street, London, UK. Plate via Rudolph Ackermann’s Repository of Arts. The premises of master potter Josiah Wedgwood in York Street, St James’ Square, London, U.K. Wedgwood china was known for its high quality, beautiful glazes and Wedgwood trademark printed on the back of each item. The London show-room was managed by Thomas Byerley, who also held a quarter share of the business. From 1790 to 1810 the firm was known as Wedgwood and Byerley. Josiah Wedgwood had smallpox as a child with left him with a weakened knee so he couldn’t work the foot pedal of a potter’s wheel. Instead, he concentrated on designing pottery and unique glazes. By 1763, he was commissioned by high ranking British people, including Queen Charlotte.
In 1780, his longtime partner died and Wedgwood’s left leg had been amputated so he asked Erasmus Darwin to help run the business and their children married. The Wedgwood inheritance allowed Charles Darwin to pay for being a naturalist. From 1786 to 1789, Wedgwood took on the project of duplicating the Portland Vase from the 1st century BD. His two sons took over the business and Josiah died at home in 1795. During his life, he helped invent modern marketing and direct mail, money-back guarantees, traveling salesmen, self-service, free deliver, buy one get one free and illustrated catalogs.
1809 Josiah Wedgwood and Thomas Byerley China Showrooms in Jane Austen’s times in York Street, London. #JaneAusten #RegencyEra #London #trade https://books2read.com/suziloveYLD
1876 ‘Queen Bess’ Corset By Worcester Company, American. Made of silk, bone, and metal. Named ‘Queen Bess’, this corset was awarded the bronze medal at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 and was patented in 1877. A well documented piece, it is unique in its design, which has been carefully constructed to support the wearer’s outer garments. The straps would assist in keeping the corset in place and hinder any shifting due to the heavy fabrics, and the bustle roll at back would ease any strain the wearer might experience from the excessive weight of the skirt. Credit Line:Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of E. A. Meister, 1950 Accession Number:2009.300.3496a–e
Corsets 1850-1880 History Notes Book 19 Towards the end of the 1800s, corsets changed to give a fashionable silhouette and be a decorative fashion item. Tight lacing helped give a narrow waist and a feminine form under clothing while decorative corsets became desirable fashion items. Victorian corsets for small waists and fashionable silhouettes. Corsets during the Victorian Era, or late 1800s, tightened to give tiny waists and fashionable silhouettes.
18th Century Early. Silk, Leather, and Linen Mules, European. Embroidered in the Florentine Style, a type of flame stitch canvas work with varied stitch lengths often in subdued tones. via Metropolitan Museum, NYC, U.S.A.
shoes_18th Century Early. Silk, Leather, and Linen Mules, European. Embroidered in the Florentine Style, a type of flame stitch canvas work with varied stitch lengths often in subdued tones. via Metropolitan Museum, NYC, U.S.A.
18th Century Early. Silk, Leather, and Linen Mules (shoes), European, and embroidered in Florentine Style. #shoes #georgianfashion #europe https://books2read.com/suziloveFashWomen1700s
HN_1 Fashion Women Late 1700s History Notes Book 1 by Suzi Love.
What was fashionable for women in the late 1700s? Extravagant colors and fabrics and outrageous styles were all seen in these flamboyant fashions.
books2read.com/suziloveFashWomen1700s
Love After. Waterloo: Blurb: When Lady Melton and her son, Daniel, are forced to join antagonistic Captain Belling and the last group of wounded British soldiers evacuating Waterloo and traveling back to London, she expects clashes with army deserters. What she doesn’t anticipate is how much she and her son will need the belligerent Captain after they reach London. https://books2read.com/suziloveLAW
Book Hook: Lady Melton had conversed with gentlemen in Brussels who’d held similar views to the Captain, and who had looked down their aristocratic noses at any lady who defied tradition. Explaining her long-term interest in medicine to men who assumed that ladies lived to sip, shop, and embroider had been futile, and one of many reasons that she’d gladly left London and traveled to the Continent to live with her brothers. Ironic that she and her unborn child had been safer in battle-torn Europe than in the country of her birth, and sad that she and Daniel were now forced to return to family members that she disliked and a claustrophobic lifestyle that she barely tolerated.
She glanced around the Captain’s headquarters. Most of the walls remained intact, so at least she and her son would be partially protected from the elements tonight. Her brothers’ house hadn’t fared so well. British infantrymen had commandeered a French cannon and had been dragging it down the road towards Brussels when it had misfired. The shell had gone high over the trees and exploded near Brendon’s camp-side hospital. The majority of the roof had collapsed, dragging down large sections of the walls, and forcing them to sleep in army tents the past few nights.
Despite Wellington’s victory over Napoleon four days earlier, soldiers, to use the term loosely, still lingered around Waterloo. They and deserters from both sides had joined local famers in picking through the remains of bodies, uniforms, and armory to pilfer anything of value. There’d been nowhere safe to hide a lady and her son, so her brothers had packed what remained of their equipment and taken them, along with a few wounded British soldiers, to the Captain’s quarters, knowing that his orders were to protect whoever remained of French stragglers and deserters.
The twins hadn’t lingered, because Wellington and what was left of his British troops were marching back towards Brussels and Brendon’s skills as a physician were urgently needed. Benjamin, an aide to Wellington, had stayed to organize the repatriation of their soldiers and the departure of their sister and nephew.
When Lady Melton and son join antagonistic Captain Belling and last group of wounded British soldiers evacuating Waterloo, she expects clashes with army deserters.What she doesn’t anticipate is how much she and her son will need the belligerent Captain after they reach London. #RegencyRomance #MilitaryRomance https://books2read.com/suziloveLAW
Book Hooks: Ironic that Lady Melton and her unborn child had been safer in battle-torn Europe than in England. #MilitaryRomance #RegencyRomance #BattleofWaterloo books2read.com/suziloveLAW
