Tessa Dare Popular Books

Tessa Dare Biography & Facts

Tessa Dare is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling American historical romance novelist. She has authored fifteen novels and novellas and created five different series. In 2012, she won the Romance Writers of America RITA award for Best Regency Historical Romance for her book A Night to Surrender. Biography During childhood, her family moved often and books took on an important role for her. She says they became "my refuge, my entertainment, my source of information on all sorts of topics... in a way, they were my home. Whenever I felt lonely or uprooted, opening a familiar book gave me comfort. I would read through dinner, read through classes, read into the wee hours of the night, and, yes, I even read while walking!" Dare works as a full-time author and currently resides in Southern California, USA with her husband, two children, and three cats. Her writing Her first publicly seen fiction was Jane Austen fan fiction written under the pen name Vangie. Shortly afterward, she entered and won the first Avon FanLit contest and her short story "Forget Me Not" was published as Chapter Four of the HarperCollins e-book, These Wicked Games. It was from this competition that she broke into publishing, along with the other winner, Courtney Milan. Dare then signed with Ballantine to publish her debut novel, Goddess of the Hunt. In 2011, she switched to Avon with the first book in her Spindle Cove series, A Night to Surrender When asked why she mixes serious emotion with humor, she tied it back to her first date with her husband. "I ran into a flagpole, face-first. More than a decade later, we're still laughing about it. So the juxtaposition of comic absurdity and deeply felt emotion just seems real to me, because it mirrors my own life." Bibliography The Wanton Dairymaid Trilogy      0.5 "The Legend of the Werestag" (prequel)/ "How to Catch a Wild Viscount" new title      1. Goddess of the Hunt (2009)      2. Surrender of a Siren (2009)      3. A Lady of Persuasion (2009) Stud Club Trilogy One Dance with a Duke (2010) Twice Tempted by a Rogue (2010) Three Nights with a Scoundrel (2010) Spindle Cove Series      1. A Night to Surrender (2011)      1.5 "Once Upon a Winter's Eve" (2011)      2. A Week to Be Wicked (2012)      3. A Lady by Midnight (2012)      3.5. "Beauty and the Blacksmith"      4. Any Duchess Will Do (2013)      4.5. Lord Dashwood Missed Out (2015)      5. Do You Want to Start a Scandal (2016)        "(Castles Ever After crossover)" Castles Ever After Romancing the Duke (February 2014) Say Yes to the Marquess (January 2015) When a Scot Ties the Knot (August 2015) Do You Want to Start a Scandal (Sept 2016) Girl Meets Duke series The Duchess Deal (2017) The Governess Game (2018) The Wallflower Wager (2019) The Bride Bet Awards and reception 2009 - Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Historical Novels, Goddess of the Hunt 2010 - Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Regency-Set Historical Romance, One Dance with a Duke 2011 - Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Historical Love & Laughter, A Night to Surrender 2012 - Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Historical Love & Laughter, A Week to Be Wicked 2012 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Regency Romance for A Night to Surrender 2013 - Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Historical Love & Laughter, Any Duchess Will Do Dare has also received multiple starred reviews in Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist. All of her books reviewed at Romantic Times have received a 4 Star or above. She's made the USA Today bestseller list with multiple titles, including Romancing the Duke, Say Yes to the Marquess, Once Upon a Winter's Eve, A Week To Be Wicked, A Lady By Midnight, Beauty and the Blacksmith, and Any Duchess Will Do. The Wanton Dairymaid Trilogy Her debut novel Goddess of the Hunt garnered much praise, with Romantic Times making it a Top Pick and calling it "a daring debut... From the hilarious opening to the poignant climax, Dare uses wit and wisdom, humor and sensuality to relate a tale of tangled love that reveals her ability to touch hearts with her appealing characters." The same publication went on to name it Best Historical Novel of 2009. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and said "Dare seems to have fit all the best of romance into one novel, from sensuous interludes and crafty humor to endearing multidimensional characters." Jane Litte at DearAuthor said "the writing is exquisite" and gave it a B+ Spindle Cove series A Lady By Midnight reached #30 in the New York Times bestseller list on September 16, 2012. A Week To Be Wicked reached #31 in the New York Times bestseller list on April 15, 2012. Publishers Weekly said "Lust, love, and witty repartee are perfectly balanced in this seamlessly plotted romance." In its review of The Beauty and the Blacksmith, Library Journal said that "The intricacies of village life coupled with a lively group of supporting characters make for an engrossing read." Kirkus Reviews called Any Duchess Will Do "Great writing and characterization will keep readers engaged and invested. Sly nods to classic and modern Cinderella favorites enhance an already fun, textured plot. Moments of laugh-out-loud humor, emotional intensity and sensual passion woven through an engaging plot and endearing characters make this a great read for romance fans." Whereas Publishers Weekly said "Though hints of Cinderella and Pygmalion aren’t enough to make the premise plausible, Dare more than makes up for that with romance, humor, and intense emotional drama." In 2015, author Beverly Jenkins picked her Top 10 Historical Romances for a column in Publishers Weekly and ranked this novel #2, saying it is "the epitome of what romance is all about." It made Library Journal's Top 10 romance novels of 2013, calling it a "funny, delightfully unexpected tale." Castles Ever After Library Journal said of the first book in this series, Romancing the Duke "Humor, whimsy, and joy overflow as a most unlikely pair find their happy ending in this fairy tale–come–to–life..." Kirkus called it "a unique storyline, a sweet, fun nod to literary fandom, and two main characters who are perfect for each other yet never would have met if they weren't each at a nadir in life’s journey." References External links Author's Website. Discover the Tessa Dare popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Tessa Dare books.

Best Seller Tessa Dare Books of 2024

  • A Yuletide Kiss synopsis, comments

    A Yuletide Kiss

    Madeline Hunter, Sabrina Jeffries & Mary Jo Putney

    The reigning queens of Regency Romance return with another delightful Christmas collection of three sparkling holiday romances, as stranded travelers find merriment, mistletoe, and...

  • Bound by Your Touch synopsis, comments

    Bound by Your Touch

    Meredith Duran

    In the vein of classic authors like Julia Quinn, Sarah MacLean, and Eloisa James, awardwinning and USA TODAY bestselling author Meredith Duran returns with a bluestocking bent on j...

  • To Marry and to Meddle synopsis, comments

    To Marry and to Meddle

    Martha Waters

    “Sure to delight Bridgerton fans.” USA TODAYThe “sweet, sexy, and utterly fun” (Emily Henry, author of People We Meet on Vacation) Regency Vows series continues with a witty, charm...

  • If the Duke Demands synopsis, comments

    If the Duke Demands

    Anna Harrington

    Fall in love with New York Times bestselling author Grace Burrowes's "favorite kind of historical" where a case of mistaken identity leads to an unexpected love between a duke and ...

  • The Trouble with Dukes synopsis, comments

    The Trouble with Dukes

    Grace Burrowes

    From the New York Times bestselling author of the beloved Windham series comes "a wonderfully funny, moving romance," (Eloisa James) perfect for fans of "sexy heroes, strong heroin...

  • Lights Out Liverpool synopsis, comments

    Lights Out Liverpool

    Maureen Lee

    Number One bestseller Maureen Lee's first novel of the hugely popular Pearl Street series.'With her talent for storytelling, queen of sagawriting Maureen Lee weaves intrigue, love ...

  • Too Scot to Handle synopsis, comments

    Too Scot to Handle

    Grace Burrowes

    Don't miss this "wellplotted, beautifully written story" (Library Journal) about a sexy Scot and the woman who finally captures his heart in the New York Times bestselling Windham ...

  • To Swoon and to Spar synopsis, comments

    To Swoon and to Spar

    Martha Waters

    “Bridgerton fans will like this one.” Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author The Regency Vows series that is “sure to delight Bridgerton fans” (USA TODAY) returns with t...

  • The Devil You Know synopsis, comments

    The Devil You Know

    Liz Carlyle

    From Rita Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Liz Carlyle comes a spellbinding novel in which the ton’s most charming ne’erdowell meets his match in a most unexpecte...

  • Earls Trip synopsis, comments

    Earls Trip

    Jenny Holiday

    Ted Lasso meets Bridgerton for a 19th century spin on The Hangover in USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday’s laughoutloud bromantic comedy featuring three Regencyera Earls on...

  • The Dare and the Doctor synopsis, comments

    The Dare and the Doctor

    Kate Noble

    With writing that is “nothing less than brilliant” (Booklist) comes the third in the witty, sexy Winner Takes All series from Kate Noble!Dr. Rhys Gray and Miss Margaret Babcock are...

  • At Your Pleasure synopsis, comments

    At Your Pleasure

    Meredith Duran

    In the vein of classic authors like Julia Quinn, Sarah MacLean, and Eloisa James, awardwinning and USA TODAY bestselling author Meredith Duran is at her very best in this sensual a...

  • When a Duchess Says I Do synopsis, comments

    When a Duchess Says I Do

    Grace Burrowes

    Treat yourself to a delightful Regency romance with a fairytale twist "much in the manner of Mary Balogh." (Kirkus) Duncan Wentworth once tried his hand at rescuing a damsel in dis...

  • Stranger at the Wedding synopsis, comments

    Stranger at the Wedding

    Frances Lynch & D.G. Compton

    Mistaken identity, romance, suspense perfect for fans of Bridgerton'I cannot marry him,' said Caroline. 'I am not Kate. I am only her twin.' All Caroline knew when she came to her...

  • The Widow Wore Plaid synopsis, comments

    The Widow Wore Plaid

    Jenna Jaxon

    The Battle of Waterloo made them widows, but each has found new happiness. And Jane, Lady John Tarkington, intends to keep her freedom, even if loveand one particular gentlemanare ...

  • The Heart Of A Bluestocking synopsis, comments

    The Heart Of A Bluestocking

    Renée Dahlia

    When an uncommon lawyer meets an unusual doctor, their story must be extraordinary...September 1888: Dr Claire Carlingford owns the bluestocking label. Her tycoon father encouraged...

  • Scandalous Summer Nights synopsis, comments

    Scandalous Summer Nights

    Anne Barton

    From "a delightful new voice in historical romance" (Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author) comes a scandalous Regency romance about a sinful rogue who falls in love with h...

  • Great Escapes synopsis, comments

    Great Escapes

    Dixie Lee Brown, Tessa Dare, Gaelen Foley, Stephanie Laurens, Julie Anne Long, Lynsay Sands, Candis Terry, Lori Wilde, Jude Deveraux, Johanna Lindsey, Susan Elizabeth Phillips & Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

    Great Escapes: An Avon Summer eBook Sampler Celebrate summer love and sunny skies! Avon Books is delighted to present this free ebook sampler, which includes excerpts from classic ...

  • To Love and to Loathe synopsis, comments

    To Love and to Loathe

    Martha Waters

    Named a best romance of the year by Entertainment Weekly Named a most anticipated romance by Oprah Daily, Marie Claire, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, and more!“There was no romance novel mor...

  • In the House of Dark Music synopsis, comments

    In the House of Dark Music

    Frances Lynch & D.G. Compton

    A graveyard, sinister music, a small child's nightmare...A children's tune played on a hurdygurdyA small boy's nightmareThe same tune played by an old blind beggar outside a foggy ...

  • A Deal With the Devil synopsis, comments

    A Deal With the Devil

    Liz Carlyle

    The acclaimed author of The Devil You Know pens a shimmering novel about a Scottish noblewoman on the run from her past and a powerful English lord brought to his knees by desire. ...

  • Flora and Grace synopsis, comments

    Flora and Grace

    Maureen Lee

    The Second World War a mother must make a heartbreaking sacrifice in order to save her child...'Maureen Lee weaves intrigue, love and warmth into every page' MY WEEKLY'A fine writ...

  • His Bride for the Taking synopsis, comments

    His Bride for the Taking

    Tessa Dare

    A Regency Romcom novella from bestselling author Tessa DareIt's the first rule of friendship among gentlemen: Don't even think about touching your best friend's sister.&#...

  • A Rogue of Her Own synopsis, comments

    A Rogue of Her Own

    Grace Burrowes

    In this instant USA Today bestseller, a marriage of convenience between a duke's niece and a reformed rogue leads to a delightful battle of wills. For Miss Charlotte Windham, the b...

  • The Sins of Lord Lockwood synopsis, comments

    The Sins of Lord Lockwood

    Meredith Duran

    Steamy romance sizzles between a resurrected earl and his repentant bride in USA TODAY bestselling author Meredith Duran's latest historical romance.Back from the dead, an earl see...

  • Seduce Me with Sapphires synopsis, comments

    Seduce Me with Sapphires

    Jane Feather

    “Irresistibly sexy and witty, Jane Feather is one of the alltime greats of historical romance.“ Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of Heiress for Hir...

  • No Longer a Stranger synopsis, comments

    No Longer a Stranger

    Joan Johnston

    Get swept back to the untamed American West in this thrilling romance filled with powerful passion and breathtaking action in the days after the Civil Warfrom the New York Times be...

  • The Bachelor synopsis, comments

    The Bachelor

    Sabrina Jeffries

    Fans of Bridgerton will love this irresistibly fun new family in a series to savor from the New York Times bestselling author, as the grown children of a thricemarried dowager duch...

  • The Fine and Handsome Captain synopsis, comments

    The Fine and Handsome Captain

    Frances Lynch & D.G. Compton

    Will she ever escape her past?Romantic suspense for fans of Joan Aiken and BridgertonYoung Hester Malpass knew little of her past. Only that she was an orphan who was now working i...

  • How to Catch a Wild Viscount synopsis, comments

    How to Catch a Wild Viscount

    Tessa Dare

    She's on the hunt for a hero…Luke Trenton, Viscount Merritt, returned from war a changed man. Battle stripped away his civility and brought out his inner beast. There is no charm o...

  • The Devil to Pay synopsis, comments

    The Devil to Pay

    Liz Carlyle

    Liz Carlyle, New York Times bestselling author of The Devil You Know and A Deal With the Devil, continues her devilish streak with this sensual regency romance.By day, Sidonie Sain...

  • Heiress for Hire synopsis, comments

    Heiress for Hire

    Madeline Hunter

    USA Today BestsellerIn this stunning series debut from New York Times bestselling author Madeline Hunter, a duke’s mysterious bequest brings fortuneand passionto three young w...

  • The Lady Detective synopsis, comments

    The Lady Detective

    Ava January

    London's lawbreakers and loathsome lords ... beware!How does a wealthy widow avoid the marriage market in 1890s London?If you're Lady Theodosia FortescueBrown, you hide behind outr...

  • The Husband List synopsis, comments

    The Husband List

    Ella Quinn

    Beloved by Regency fans and those who enjoy richly detailed historical romance, the chaotic and captivating Worthington family returns in a delightful new novel from this USA Today...

  • Luck Be a Lady synopsis, comments

    Luck Be a Lady

    Meredith Duran

    Romance sizzles between a famous heiress and an infamous crime lord in this fourth sexy novel in the Rules for the Reckless series from the USA TODAY bestselling author of Fool Me ...

  • Wicked Intentions synopsis, comments

    Wicked Intentions

    Elizabeth Hoyt

    From the New York Times bestselling author who Lisa Kleypas hails as "too good to be true" comes the first book in her beloved Maiden Lane series. A MAN CONTROLLED BY HIS DESIRES ....

  • The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount synopsis, comments

    The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount

    Julia London

    Lady Phoebe Fairchild is well aware that the ton would be appalled to learn of a young lady of quality involved in a trade. Therefore, she resorts to selling her beautiful handmade...

  • To Have and to Hoax synopsis, comments

    To Have and to Hoax

    Martha Waters

    Named a Best Romance of April by Goodreads, Popsugar, Bustle, and more!“A laugh out loud Regency rompif you loved the Bridgertons, you’ll adore To Have and to Hoax!” Lauren Willig,...