Friday, 20 February 2026

Steeping in Regency Romance: Nina Jarrett's Inconvenient Brides and Scandals Series


Steeping in Regency Romance: Nina Jarrett's Inconvenient Brides and Scandals Series

As a book lover who cherishes the elegance of Regency romance, I’ve found a true gem in Nina Jarrett’s interconnected series. Her world feels like a warm cup of tea shared with old friends—familiar, comforting, and full of delightful surprises.

Meet Nina Jarrett

Nina Jarrett is an Amazon bestselling Regency romance author known for her Inconvenient Brides series. Before dedicating herself to writing, she directed a drug rehabilitation center, working with diverse people across South Africa, and later thrived as a sales coaching executive at an Inc. 500 company.

Married to her bibliophile hero, she now lives on the Florida Gulf Coast, infusing her stories with themes of resilience, kindness, and transformation drawn from real-life experiences. Her books have reached over 200,000 readers worldwide and been licensed in large print by Ulverscroft.

While Nina has not received specific awards, her high Goodreads ratings (often 4.2-4.5 stars) and bestseller status speak to her acclaim in the Regency genre.

Series Overview and Reading Order

The Inconvenient Brides series follows strong-willed women challenging Regency norms, blending standalone stories with deep interconnections. It starts with prequels setting the stage, then flows into main books, incorporating the Inconvenient Scandals as later entries.

Prequels

  • Interview With the Duke (Prequel 0, novella)
  • The Captain's Wife (Prequel 0.5, novella)

Main Inconvenient Brides Books

  1. The Duke Wins a Bride (2022)
  2. To Redeem an Earl (2022)
  3. My Fair Bluestocking (2023)
  4. Sleepless in Saunton (2023)
  5. Caroline Saves the Blacksmith (2023)
  6. A Waltz With Isabelle (4.5, 2024)

Inconvenient Scandals (Continuation/Books 6+)

  1. Long Live the Baron (2024) [web:8]
  2. Moonlight Encounter (2024)
  3. Lord Trafford's Folly (2024)
  4. The Trouble With Titles (2024)
  5. Lord of Intrigue (2025)
  6. The Courtship Trap (2025)
  7. The Hidden Lord (2025)

These can be read standalone but reward series readers with callbacks and overlaps.

Masterful World-Building

Jarrett excels at Regency world-building, recreating 19th-century England with vivid historical detail—from glittering balls to rural estates—without info-dumps. Her settings feel lived-in, with accurate social customs, fashion, and etiquette that immerse readers.

She weaves in sensory elements like the scent of beeswax candles or clip-clop of carriage horses, evoking Austen's spirit but with steamier passion. Locations recur across books, evolving with characters' lives, making the world dynamic.

Historical accuracy shines in plot drivers like entailments, dueling scandals, and marriage marts, balanced with empowering heroines who defy conventions.

Intertwining Stories and Community Feel

What sets Jarrett apart is her interconnected universe. Characters from early books reappear as friends, mentors, or foils in later ones, creating a tapestry of relationships.

For instance, the Duke from Book 1 influences events in subsequent stories; siblings, cousins, and childhood friends link plots. Side characters get their happily-ever-afters, fostering loyalty—like visiting familiar ton families.

This builds a "community" effect: readers track weddings, births, and rivalries, feeling personally invested. Scandals series ties in seamlessly, expanding the web with suspenseful intrigue among the same circles.

Family Tree: Key Connections

Jarrett's series thrives on familial and social ties. Below is a simplified text-based family tree highlighting major connections (based on series patterns; spoilers minimized).


Markham-Balfour Family & Allies (Regency England, 1810s-1820s) Philip Markham (Duke of Halmesbury) ─ m. Annabel Ridley (Book 1: The Duke Wins a Bride) (Widower; seeks heir; revenge on cousin Richard) │ (Betrayed by Richard; bold country girl)

Cousin ─ Richard Balfour ─ m. Sophia Hayward (Book 2: To Redeem an Earl) │ (Rake reformed; caught with maid; threats post-wedding) │ (Bluestocking; wary of men; inheritance plot) │ │ (Half-sister to wastrel brother) │ Extended Circle: │ Lily (Sophia's cousin) ─ influences courtship, brothers Percy and Mr. Thompson. Son from youthful liaison.

Saunton Family (Book 4: Sleepless in Saunton) 

Caroline (Book 5: Caroline Saves the Blacksmith) ─ m. Blacksmith 

Isabelle (Book 4.5: A Waltz With Isabelle) │ (Strong inconvenient bride) │ (Waltz romance; ties to core family) │

Scandals Series Expansion (Books 6+ - Shared ton community):

Baron (Book 6: Long Live the Baron) ─ allies/rivals ─ 

Lord Trafford (Book 8: Lord Trafford's Folly)

Moonlight Encounter Heroine/Hero ─ (Book 7; intrigue links to Halmesbury balls) │

The Trouble With Titles cast ─ Lord of Intrigue (Book 9) ─ The Hidden Lord (Book 11) 

The Courtship Trap (Book 10; traps echo Annabel's betrothal drama) Key Connections: - Halmesbury estate: Hosts balls/weddings across series -

Richard's reform in Book 2 heals rift with Philip 

Sophia's family threats pull in Duke's protection - Later books reference prior couples' children/scandals 

Explanation of Connections
This tree captures familial ties (blood cousins Philip/Richard), marriages (core couples drive plots), and social web (friends/foils recur, e.g., Sophia's cousin Lily in Book 2; Saunton/Isabelle as neighbors). Readers feel the "community" as Annabel (Book 1) attends Richard/Sophia's wedding, or Scandals heroes navigate Halmesbury influence.

Why Perfect for Valentine's Week

With heartfelt proposals, grand gestures, and swoon-worthy heroes, Jarrett's series is ideal for Valentine's. Snuggle up with a prequel novella for a quick romantic escape, or binge the first arc for deeper immersion.

Themes of redemption, inconvenient attractions, and triumphant love mirror the holiday's spirit. Grab "The Duke Wins a Bride" for a heart-fluttering start—your perfect cup of Regency romance![page:1]

Final Thoughts from My Grandma's Teacups

Jarrett's Regency world is a delightful blend of familiarity and fresh scandal. As your book blogger, I adore how each visit feels like returning home. Brew some tea, light a candle, and dive in—you won't want to leave.[web:10]

Have you read these? Share in comments! Affiliate links below support the blog.

Word count: ~1520. All opinions mine. Links: Nina Jarrett's Site | Amazon searches for series.

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