Barbara Metzger Books In Order

Publication Order of House of Cards Books

Publication Order of Royce Lie Detectors Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

Barbara Metzger is a historical romance author best known for writing Regency romances. She has written more than a dozen novellas and more than three dozen novels in her long career that she launched in 1981 with her novel “Bething’s Folly.” Apart from her career as a fiction author, she has also worked as an artist, editor, greeting card verse writer, and proofreader. Her novels which are usually set in England during the Regency period have won a ton of awards including the Madcap award for humor in romance writing, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and a RITA from the Romance Writers of America. The Romantic Time Magazine also gave her two Career Achievement Awards. Metzger never got married and currently loves in Montauk with Tino her rescue long-haired Chihuahua. When she is not reading or writing romances or painting, she can be found volunteering at the Montauk public library, yard sailing, beach combining, and gardening.

Metzger was born in New Rochelle and went to Connecticut College for Women from where she graduated with a philosophy degree. once she graduated, she went to work writing poems and verse for a greeting card company. It was great training for the future author as she got to be innovative and play with words. She would later get a job with Pocket Books and Ace Books as assistant editor, positions that would help develop a feel for what was good writing. By the time she published her debut novel “Bethings Folly,” she was a 37-year-old artist that was working on the beaches of Montauk where she specialized in driftwood art. Over time, she wrote more than fifty works of fiction that won her several recognitions and awards over the years.

While Barbara Metzger spent years writing historical romance, she felt it was time for a change as she dove into contemporary fantasy. Barbara Metzger loved the freedom of fantasy as she could set her stories in made-up towns and cities, unlike historical romances. She has asserted that she would often get a lot of flak from readers if she wrote a pub into the wrong street in Manchester. With contemporary fantasy, she made up the town of Paumanok Harbor and created a lead character with paranormal abilities. She also gets to combine aspects of fantasy, sci-fi, the paranormal, chick-lit, humor, and mystery. Breaking into the new genre, she wrote under the pseudonym Celia Jerome, which is a combination of her parents’ first names. She has said that she chose to honor them given that they were so influential in the development of her interest in a career in fiction writing. She also decided to use a pseudonym since she did not want to confuse her regency romance audience who might buy a Barbara Metzger novel only to find it was a contemporary fantasy.

Barbara Metzger’s “Ace of Hearts” is the story of Alexander Edicott Carde the Earl of Carde. He is one of the most eligible bachelors in town but he is yet to marry as he will not get hitched except for love. But then three options present themselves out of the blue though they are nothing like the perfect woman he had in his mind. Pushed into a corner, the only way to escape London and in the process try to fulfill a promise he had made to his father. He had vowed to find his half-sister Lottie that had gone missing when her mother had been involved in an accident more than ten years past. It had been a death bed promise and hence he knew he had to fulfill it to get the peace of mind he needed. He runs into Nell, a young woman who had been but a girl when Lottie had gone missing all those years ago. She is now a beautiful woman and while he could not pursue a commoner while he was back home in London, he thinks he should do right by her. But the more he tries to get close to her the more he pushes her away even though his heart is already entangled in the relationship they have built.

“Jack of Clubs” by Barbara Metzger opens to Jack Endicott back home and at a loss having had a tough experience in the war. He still needs to prove himself to the Earl of Carde who is his elder brother though his sibling believes it is not necessary. The earl loves and is proud of his brother for his exemplary service in the military. However, both brothers are feeling guilty for not resolving the mystery of their lost sister which they had promised their father they would do. Needing something to do, Jack opens a high-end gaming hall he calls “The Black and The Red,” hoping that he can get the money to find his sister and while at it also earn his own income. The establishment fast becomes a success but then he gets a visit from his former teacher named Allie Silver who asks him to take care of Harriet who is the child of a soldier that fell in the line of duty. Allie believes that Endicott is the best person to take care of the girl and is also hoping that he would need someone to take care of Harriet who is homeless. A woman without connections would find it hard to find employment and there are very few alternatives to working that she Allie finds feasible. Jack agrees to take both women in and in no time, he cannot live without them. Allie with her attitude and prim ways grows on him and he is almost like a father to Harriet.

Barbara Metzger’s “Queen of Diamonds” opens to Queenie Dennis arriving in London after the death of her mother. She is also in town to let the Endicott family in on what happened to Charlotte their half-sister that had gone missing about a decade past in a freak carriage accident. But then an accomplice to the crime hears of her plans and warns her that she would find herself in prison if she spoke about the incident. Scared of going to prison, she decides to head to France to pursue her studies as a fashion designer. Years later, she goes back to England where she opens Madame Denise Lescartes fashions but is still determined to provide information to the Endicotts who she believes have suffered for far too long. One night out in town, she meets Lord Harry Harkness searching for his good for nothing in-law that has stolen the family diamonds. Queenie/Denise has the connections to help locate the in-law while Harry has the connections that will make it possible for Queenie to sell her fashions to the elite ladies of London. The more they work together the closer they become even though a relationship would be tough given that Queenie is not from the elite class.