I just read Lady Elizabeth's Comet by Sheila Simonson, and I was blown away by how good it was. It was obvious the book was well-researched and the author is very knowledgeable about the Regency period; add to that an intelligent heroine, swoon-worthy hero, and sparkling wit, and I had to get the rest of her regencies. Sadly, there are only 4 in all, and I'm reading a sequel of sorts - Love and Folly. This one is more infused with history and politics of the time but still impeccably written. Anyway...I am now on a traditional regency high and really need more recommendations in Simonson's style. Here are the authors I'm already aware of:

Georgette Heyer (of course...how could I not?)

Mary Balogh (I'm not too sure her writing style fits me)

Jo Beverley (ditto to Mary Balogh)

Mary Jo Putney (I've enjoyed her books in the past)

Emma Jensen (I really like A Grand Design)

Here are the ones I'm going out to get based on AAR's recs:

Marjorie Farrell

Nonnie St. George

Sheri Cobb Smith

Anyone have other traditional regencies they want to rave about?

REGENCIES!!!!! My first love.

Simonson is a hidden gem, as far as I'm concerned - she's pretty darned awesome.

There's a Regency group (called Regency) at YahooGroups where the trads are especially loved - lots of great recommendations from there. Personally, I have a slew of trad authors I've enjoyed but I still have to read a whole lot more NTM authors.

Gail

Thanks for the suggestion, pioneervalleygirl. I will go post this over there as well.

Amanda Quick writes some very good Regency novels.  Where the Heyer led you to the bedroom door, Quick walks right through, and she has some pretty good mysteries and excellent villians.

I really enjoy Patricia Oliver, Carla Kelly, and Joan Wolf (as well as Balogh & Heyer). I've never read Sheila Simonson, I'm going to look for her.

 Also, A Compromised Lady by Elizabeth Rolls (the only one by this author I liked) was a great read. A bit longer than the traditional Regency (Harlequin Historical).

Carola Dunn  ... She wrote some great regencies before she got into mystery.

Anne Gracie - Really good regencies. 

Mira Stables - Great older regencies

Donna Simpson - She's a favorite at AAR

Jeanne Savery -  I like this author very much.  Taming Lord Renwick is a favorite

My daughter really loved Judith Lansdowne and I thought she was good too.

Most of my favorites keep it to kisses or flirt with the bedroom but stay true to the morees of the time.

I envy you all the great books that you haven't yet read!  I will check out Simonson. I don't remember reading any by her.

Some of my favorites have already been mentioned but here's a couple more. 

In addition, I wouldn't totally "give up" on Mary Balogh until you've tried her earlier stuff-for Signet.  Some are being/have been re-released but some have not.  I find her earlier writing style different to what she's doing today and MUCH prefer it. 

Patricia Veryan-if you like Nonnie give PV a try.  When she first got published, Nonnie belonged to a PV fansite that I was part of.  She pretty much said that PV was her major inspiration(in a good way). 

Barbara Allister

Edith Layton

Emma Lange

I'll post more when I can get to my shelves-I'm a trad reader from way back....

I have only read two of Loretta Chase's novels :  Miss Wonderful and Lord of Scoundrels, but enjoyed them immensely.  The dialogue in LOS was very witty, and I do enjoy witty bantor between the protagonists.   Miss Wonderful I just remember being extremely funny.  I laughed out loud a couple of times, as I have done with some of Georgette Heyer's books.  Also, and this is going back awhile and she no longer writes, Clare Darcy had several books, all titled with the heroine's name, and she was good at well defining her hero/heroines.  Hope this helps and thanks for the tip on Sheila Simmonson, I have never heard of her and plan to check her out!