Georgette Heyer (August 16 1902 - July 4 1974,) was an amazingly prolific writer who created the Regency England genre of romance novels.
Although Jane Austen published during this period (1811 - 1820), she was writing contemporaneously while Heyer was making very well-researched historical fiction, full of all you could ever want: romance, fashion, upper classes, cross-dressing, arranged marriages, murder, intrigue and humour!