D.L. Carter (full name Dee Leana Carter) is an Australian-born American author best known for writing humorous romances that blend Regency-era historical settings, fantasy (especially elvish/magic worlds), paranormal elements, and occasional science-fiction or superhero twists.
She is particularly noted for creating strong, intelligent, resourceful heroines (often described under the banner of “Reasonable Intelligent Heroines”), sharp wit, identity-swap or cross-dressing plots, Austen-inspired variations, and lighthearted-to-epic stories that mix comedy with romance and adventure.
Biography and Background
Carter’s official author bio is characteristically tongue-in-cheek:
“D.L. (Dee Leana) Carter was decanted from her incubation pod in the outback of Australia many decades ago. This terrifying event was closely followed by shrieks of ‘there, there it goes. Hit it with a brick!’ These valiant attempts to correct the existence of D.L. were, unfortunately, unsuccessful and she now resides in New Jersey, US., in a box with her toys, [a/two] human being[s] and a variable number of cats writing humorous romances in the regency, elvish and paranormal universes. If she appears distracted when you speak to her please wave coffee under nose.”
She maintains an active presence via her official website (dlcarterauthor.com), a Facebook author page, and related blogs (including funwithghoulsandgoblins). She has participated in conventions and written essays on topics such as representation of gay characters in traditional romance publishing.
Writing Style and Themes
Carter specializes in:
- Humorous Regency and historical romance (often with cross-dressing, inheritance schemes, or social satire).
- Fantasy/paranormal romance involving elves, elemental magic, sex magic, and empire politics.
- Austen variations and Pride & Prejudice-inspired stories (some set in space or with murder-mystery twists).
- Urban fantasy/comedy (witches, giant monsters) and superhero satire (insurance adjusters cleaning up after heroes).
- Standalone novels and short series featuring clever plots, family dynamics, stubborn protagonists, and happily-ever-afters with emotional depth.
Her work frequently features “reasonable intelligent heroines” who challenge societal or magical constraints rather than passively falling into romance. Reviews commonly praise originality, humor, pacing, and character agency, though some note occasional editing quirks or unconventional epilogues.
Bibliography (Selected / Approximate Publication Order)
Carter has published around a dozen books (counts vary slightly by source between series installments and standalones). Key titles include:
Changing Magic series (epic fantasy/paranormal romance)
- The Use (also referenced as The Use of Changing Magic or involving “sex magic” themes; 2011) – A human tutor in an elvish empire deals with infertility among magicians and forbidden knowledge.
- The Complications of Changing Magic (2015/2017) – Continues the story after major magical and political upheavals, including flooding and new forms of magic.
Ridiculous Lovers series (Regency romance)
- Ridiculous! (2012) – Identity theft Regency-style: A woman assumes her late cousin’s male identity to protect her family and encounters a duke. Highly popular, with thousands of ratings (approx. 3.97–4.4 average depending on platform).
- Obstreperous (2015/2017) – Sequel focusing on the Boarder family, fraudulent wills, and unsupervised young ladies in Bath.
Other series / related
- First Destroy All Giant Monsters (World Wide Witches Research Association, 2012) – A woman investigates her aunt’s disappearance and confronts giant monsters.
- The Adventures of a Super Hero’s Insurance Adjuster (Super Support Company, 2014) – Comedy about cleaning up after superheroes/villains; the protagonist is wrongly suspected of being a new supervillainess.
Standalones and Austen variations
- Crimes of the Brothers (2013) – A woman escapes a destructive brother via an unexpected inheritance involving multiple brothers.
- Ruined Forever – Pride & Prejudice variation in which Elizabeth is accused of pushing Mr. Collins down the stairs; Mr. Darcy (a Cambridge law student) becomes involved.
- Gentlewoman Urgently Seeks Husband (2017) – Another Austen-inspired tale involving matchmaking pressures, misunderstandings about pregnancy, and Hunsford.
- Dawn of Autumn Light (2017) – A mortal woman seeks elvish help to restore literacy and civilization after wars.
- Midshipman Elizabeth Bennet (2020) – Space-opera Pride & Prejudice variation: Ensign Elizabeth serves on Captain Darcy’s warship Pemberley.
- Summer Bride (2023) – Paranormal Regency: Eleanor Grant is chosen as a “Summer Bride” for an Elanfine (dark elf) prince amid disappearing previous brides and green skies over London.
Additional titles and editions appear across Amazon, Goodreads, and retailer listings (some with audiobook versions narrated by Rachael Beresford).
Reception and Popularity
- Ridiculous! is by far her most-read and highest-profile work, frequently cited as a standout humorous Regency with identity-swap elements.
- Overall Goodreads average around 4.0 across thousands of ratings and over a thousand reviews.
- Readers and reviewers highlight witty dialogue, inventive plots, strong female leads, and genre-blending. She has a dedicated following among fans of light-to-medium-spicy historical and fantasy romance who prefer intelligent heroines over pure insta-love tropes.
- Available primarily in Kindle/ebook, paperback, and some audiobook formats via Amazon and other retailers.
Online Presence
- Official site: dlcarterauthor.com (features book descriptions, buy links, and reviews).
- Amazon author page and Goodreads author profile.
- Facebook: D. L. Carter author page.
- Occasional blog posts and convention appearances.
Carter continues to be associated with independent/self-published or small-press humorous romance that prioritizes cleverness, agency, and genre playfulness. For the most current list of titles, availability, or new releases, check her official website or major retailers.