Georgette Heyer Challenge

The Grand Sophy

2011-09-13T21:01:00.002-05:00

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sophy is a 20-year old girl who has had an eccentric upbringing, being raised by her father on the Continent. When he heads to Brazil for a few months, she is left in the care of her aunt in England, whom she barely knows. She immediately makes waves with her arrival, bringing a dog, a monkey and a parrot with her to entertain her many cousins.

Sophy realizes that the quiet household she has come to needs to be shaken up. Her cousin Cece is in love with a dreamy poet who is NOT the right man for her. She sees her serious cousin Charles headed into a loveless, but respectable and practical marriage. And she senses that Hubert is hiding something from everyone. Using a keen wit and charm, unforgettable Sophy uses her unorthodox methods to set it all to rights.

I would love to see what would happen if Sophy moved in with me! This book was hilarious and contains some of the funniest arguments I have ever read. This was a book I couldn't wait to get back to reading each time I had to put it down. My only complaint is that things ended a little too tidily for someone as unpredictable as Sophy. But I did think the ending would play out much better as a movie than it did in written form. I know I just said Venetia was my favorite, but this has quickly supplanted that one as my new favorite Heyer novel.

Venetia

2011-09-05T22:23:00.002-05:00

Venetia by Georgette Heyer

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This book is an absolutely rollicking Regency romp. I loved it from the first page.

Venetia is a 25-year old woman living in Yorkshire living with her crippled younger brother Aubrey. Her recently deceased father never let her leave the small country village where their estate was located and she felt her loyalty lay with her brother, especially since the elder brother and heir named Conway was serving in the military in France.

Venetia has a quick wit and liberal ideals, but she has never known any excitement outside of what she has read. She has two devoted suitors, but all of her attempts to be rid of them seem to backfire.

But things change when the "Wicked Baron" comes to town. Lord Damerel, known for being a rake of the highest order, stops into his neighboring estate, meets Venetia and decides to prolong his visit. What starts out as mere flirting develops into a deep friendship that neither has ever known. But to pursue the relationship could cost Venetia her reputation.

This is the perfect book for those in the mood for a delightful period romance. The dialogue is sharp and all of the characters are sketched with just the right accouterments. I thought this book was funny, charming, and a delight to read. This is my favorite Heyer yet.

Review: The Quiet Gentleman

2011-08-16T07:52:00.000-05:00

The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer
Paperback, 368 pages
Sourcebooks Casablanca Reissue May/June 2011, originally published 1951
ISBN: 9781402238833
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Originally posted at Burton Book Review, Rating:

Returning to his family seat from Waterloo, Gervase Frant, seventh Earl of St Erth, could have expected more enthusiasm for his homecoming. His quiet cousin, stepmother, and young half-brother seem openly disappointed that he survived the wars. And when he begins to fall for his half-brother's sweetheart, his chilly reception goes from unfriendly to positively murderous.
One of Heyer's most suspenseful Regency romances, The Quiet Gentleman combines an ingenious mystery plot with her signature witty style and effervescently engaging characters.

Although most of Heyer's romances seem to follow a formula of witty heroine vs the world who doesn't realize the direct path to everlasting love, The Quiet Gentleman sets itself apart. Focusing on Gervase Frant, the Seventh Earl of St Erth, the novel strays from the female point of view and even adds a bit of gothic and mysterious tones. Our hero, Gervase, returns to his (estranged) deceased father's estate after serving in the army to claim his inheritance, much to the dismay of his half-brother and stepmother who didn't actually think he'd survive Waterloo. Gervase is of the character where he could shrug off their dislike of him, but things get dicey when strange happenings occur that put Gervase in harm's way. Could his half-brother Martin really detest him so much as to wish that Gervase were dead? Is the step-mother the epitome of the evil witch? Or, is the house really haunted?

The romance comes in when Gervase meets Martin's love interest, Marianne, who is a beautiful and cheerful young lady with many admirers. Martin is quite protective of his invisible tie to her, and Gervase is a bit more dashing than Martin and an immediate rivalry occurs. Luckily, Gervase's cousin Theo is on Gervase's side and acts as a bit of a buffer between the brothers and is a trusted confidante of Gervase. And when Gervase's friend Lord Ulverston comes to stay, Martin earns another foe. Thrown into the mix was Miss Drusilla Morville, neutral friend and loyal companion to all (who could always be counted on to do the Dowager's tedious tasks).

It has been my previous experience with Heyer that her novels take a bit to get used to its jargon of Regency speak and a myriad of characters who normally take a bit of time to comprehend. With The Quiet Gentleman, there was not an immediate onslaught of unfamiliar names and we are taken right to the action after the opening description of the magnificent homestead of Stanyon, which is somewhat of a medieval fortress turned castle turned grand estate, which in itself becomes a bit of a character in the story.

I enjoy Heyer's writing because of the way she writes with class, and I love knowing that I will be entertained just because of a silly situation or a witty remark. I am not expecting a thrill-ride or something so extraordinary to knock my socks off; I simply appreciate the story and the setting. Heyer had such a clever mind and writing style, and she did it very well. Heyer is similar to Austen and I often feel that Heyer is overshadowed by Austen, even though Heyer was so much more prolific. I have read ten Heyer's and one full Austen now, and I have not been disappointed with Heyer's romances and mysteries yet. I think I enjoyed this one most of all because of its slightly different formula. It is put in her romance genre, yet I enjoyed the mystery of it most of all. And the fact that it didn't focus on a woman and instead followed the gentleman (and then the women in his life) was a nice change of pace for me. For real Heyer and Austen fans, this one should not disappoint in the least.

Read an excerpt here. In honor of Georgette Heyer's 109th birthday, Sourcebooks is temporarily offering ALL 46 of Heyer's titles in e-book format at $1.99 each:

http://www.sourcebooks.com/readers/casavip/happy-birthday-ms-heyer.html

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MS. HEYER!

eBooks Available for $1.99

Sale prices are only good August 15-August 21, 2011

Heyer’s Birthday: August 16, 2011

Review: Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer

2011-08-10T08:39:00.000-05:00

Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer
Paperback, 368 pages
Sourcebooks Casablanca reissue June 2011, originally published 1955
ISBN: 9781402238796
Review posted by Burton Book Review

A Delightful Tangle of Affairs…
The Earl of Spenborough had always been noted for his eccentricity. Leaving a widow younger than his own daughter Serena was one thing, but leaving his fortune to the trusteeship of the Marquis of Rotherham – the one man the same daughter had jilted – was quite another.
When Serena and her lovely young stepmother Fanny decide to move to Bath, Serena makes an odd new friend and discovers an old love. Before long, they’re all entangled in a clutter of marriage and manners the likes of which even Regency Bath has rarely seen.

Bath Tangle is another one of Georgette Heyer's witty romances, and this one really had me laughing towards the end. Lady Serena is a willful young woman, destined to be a spinster, who now lives with her younger mother-in-law who has no idea how to reign in Serena's wild ways. Lord Rotherham has been named as a guardian of her inheritance, which really should not be of a huge concern except that he must also approve of whom Serena chooses to marry. This could become tangled due to the fact that there is some prior history between Lady Serena and Lord Rotherham where Serena backed out of their marriage negotiations at the last moment.

Serena is a wonderful character to read of, and she was the exact opposite of the ladylike of her sweet-natured mother-in-law, Fanny. After Serena's father's death, we wondered what exactly would happen to Serena, and how the arrangement between her and Rotherham would wreak havoc. Lo and behold, Serena becomes reacquainted with a previous suitor and they contrive to hide their relationship until the proper mourning period has passed. All this seems simple and straightforward, yet as only Georgette Heyer can divulge, Regency hijinks galore follows Serena everywhere she goes. Rotherham is left to wonder at her, as he obligingly lets her live her wild life, but poor Fanny is all in a flutter and Serena' betrothed doesn't know whether to be besotted or scornful.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the reader knows that Lady Serena is making another mistake by betrothing herself to Major Hector Kirkby. And there are more love tangles in Bath as Rotherham is engaged to a young lass who has no idea what she is getting herself into besides the idea of a coronet. As always, Bath Tangle contains a lot of witty remarks and colorful Regency dialogue with a bit of action at the end, making for a typical Georgette Heyer romance that demonstrates her clever prose with ease. For readers who are new to Heyer, they may not appreciate the prose at first, especially as this one started off hard to follow with many characters. It turns out that the story ended up following along with just a few of these initial characters and thus became easier to follow after a few more chapters. Moreover, it was a bit slow to reach any feverish pitch, so Bath Tangle would be best suited for those already with an admiration for Georgette Heyer. This was my eighth Heyer novel, and I am still ready for more of Heyer's classy writing and charming Regency situations. I have enjoyed both her romances and her mysteries, and if you have enjoyed Jane Austen, you really need to discover Georgette Heyer as well.

Read an excerpt of Bath Tangle here and one from later in the book can be found here towards the 'product description'.

Why Shoot a Butler?

2010-10-24T17:57:00.004-05:00

Title: Why Shoot a Butler?
Author: Georgette Heyer
Original Copyright: 1933
Copyright: 2009 (Sourcebooks); 329 pgs.
ISBN: 978-1-4022-1795-1
Series: N/A
Sensuality: N/A
Genre: Mystery

Summary: London barrister Frank Amberley is on his way to visit his uncle, Sir Humphrey Matthews, in the country. Opting to take his cousin Felicity's so-called "short cut", Frank gets lost and stumbles onto an interesting scene: a dead man in a car and a young woman standing in the road, claiming she didn't kill him. Frank believes she didn't murder the man despite the circumstances, but he's sure she knows more than she's telling. Revealing her presence at the scene of the crime to the local police would complicate things unnecessarily, so he omits the fact when he reports the murder and starts making his own inquiries.

Comments: I usually have a hard time reading mysteries because sometimes I figure out the clues faster than than the protagonist. Not so with this mystery. Frank keeps things to himself, so you really don't know what he's already discovered, and we have to guess what he's up to until the author lets us in on his secrets -- unless you're his Aunt Marion. Lady Matthews is apparently a lot shrewder than anyone would guess, and manages to figure out much of the mystery, though only person who knows that is Frank. She's my favorite character and Frank adores her. There was one character who's behavior made me think that perhaps this person was the culprit or, the very least, an accomplice. Since this book is a mystery, I don't want to go into too much detail about the characters and their actions, since I don't want to give anything away.

Being a barrister, Frank's familiar with crime in general, and motives, so he's not a complete amateur when it comes to mysteries. He's also abrasive and he has little respect for the investigative abilities of the local constabulary. And after seeing them at work, it's not surprising. I imagined Frank to be like those characters in the old black and white movies. In fact, since the book was written in the 30s, I could easily picture Cary Grant, or one of his contemporaries, playing the part. It made it easier for me to "get" the characters and I enjoyed the book more for it.

This was my first Heyer mystery and I really like it. I will definitely be reading her others.

Finished: 1 October 2010

Christina
(Note: Cross-posted from my blog)

Civil Contract

2010-08-28T21:42:00.000-05:00

Civil Contract. Georgette Heyer. 1961/2009. Harlequin. 432 pages.

"The library at Fontley Priory, like most of the principal apartments in the sprawling building, looked to the south-east, commanding a prospect of informal gardens and a plantation of poplars, which acted as a wind-break and screened from view the monotony of the fen beyond."

Okay, so that first sentence doesn't even hint at what the story is about. And it offers little incentive to the reader. Fortunately, most readers need only hear Georgette Heyer's name to know that this may be a gem of a book. For those that aren't the "most" in the readers listed above, I'd like to think I'm doing my part. A Civil Contract is a satisfying read in a very gentle and subtle manner. I enjoyed it. Enjoyed the characters and the subtle complexities of its non-plot. This is a very human novel.

You're probably wondering, but what is it about??? Adam Deveril is a soldier whose father has just died. He's inherited a title--he's now Viscount Lynton--but he's also inherited an overwhelming debt. A debt that is due to negligence, gambling, and mismanagement. He's got a mother (Dowager is how she's referred to in the text), and two sisters Charlotte and Lydia. Charlotte is engaged to be married, so she's not one of his primary concerns. However, his mother and sister are. He's been advised that he should marry for money. He finds the idea repugnant. Especially at first. But even Lydia, his younger sister, knows that sacrifices are called for in this occasion. It is her discussions of how she needs to be marry an older man for his money to "rescue" the family, that has Adam pondering how much he's willing to do for his family.

The family home, Fontley, is at risk. All their property is at risk--most of their holdings are mortgaged already. And only their townhouse and Fontley remain. Adam feels that the honorable thing to do would be to sell everything they can and hope to break even. That is hope they have enough money to settle their debts. Whatever small amount may be left would be settled upon his sister for her dowry. He's not worried so much for himself, for his comfort. He knows that he can go soldiering again and live on his pay if need be.

Of course, this newly-discovered money problem does mean that he cannot marry his first love, his supposed one and only love Julia Oversley. They met when he was injured. She became enamored with a vision of a dashing, heroic soldier. He became enamored of her beauty and charm. The parents consented at the time, though Lord Oversley did feel they weren't well suited for one another. But now that he's poor and soon to be without a home, he knows the only honorable thing is to break the engagement. Oversley does agree with him. Julia's brokenhearted. Adam is melancholy but resolved that he's doing the right thing, the responsible thing.

Enter Jonathan Chawleigh. A very wealthy man, but not "genteel" or gentle bred. Oversley introduces the impoverished Adam to Chawleigh with the hopes that they can solve each other problems. Chawleigh has high hopes for his daughter, his only child, Jenny. He wants to see her marry a proper gentleman, a man with a title, a man with dignity and distinction. A man that is part of the ton. Adam is shocked at first, but the more he considers the idea, the more he comes to feel it would be doing the better thing for his family--his mother and sister. The couple does meet first. And Chawleigh was right, Jenny doesn't overwhelm men with her beauty and charm and grace. She's the opposite of Julia in a way. Shy. Intelligent. Meek. Forgiving. Generous. Unassuming. And practical. Above all else practical. For those that are familiar with it, think Proverbs 31. Jenny is the essence of a Proverbs 31 woman. So after meeting her, while not overwhelmed by her beauty, he sees that they could live together amicably. They'd "suit" each other. Neither is dishonest. She knows that her husband is in love with another woman. He knows that she knows he's in love with another woman. Yet this awkward situation somehow doesn't stay awkward. Not for long. She doesn't demand love. Her only hope--in the beginning--is for respect and dignity.

I loved Jenny. I did. I loved her father Jonathan. The scenes with him are just satisfyingly good. I loved Adam's aunt Lady Nassington. I loved Adam's sister Lydia. So many of the characters were just so wonderfully human, so thoroughly developed. I loved this quiet and gentle but always intelligent novel about marriage and love and family.

I wouldn't say that I liked A Civil Contract better than A Convenient Marriage. But it was so much better than April Lady!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Foundling

2010-08-28T21:38:00.003-05:00

The Foundling. Georgette Heyer. 1948/2009. Sourcebooks. 439 pages.

When the young gentlemen strolling through the park with his gun on his shoulder and an elderly spaniel at his heels came within sight of the house it occurred to him that the hour must be farther advanced than he had supposed, for the sun had sunk below the great stone pile, and an autumnal mist was already creeping over the ground.

The Duke of Sale (Gilly) is twenty-four. But. He's never lived his own life, or made his own decisions. He's had an entourage for as long as he can remember. An entourage that is determined to keep him safe, healthy, and comfortable. An entourage that Gilly feels discourages his independence, his individuality. He's never known a day of freedom.

Until. His cousin Matthew shares his troubles--he is being blackmailed. And the Duke determines to "solve" this family problem all on his own. He'll do it by being nobody. Without "being" the Duke, without being the head of the family. No. He wants to see if he's capable of being a man. Of thinking and acting like a man.

Does he succeed? At over four-hundred pages, you can imagine he does. But this new freedom doesn't come without risks and challenges and mishaps. He'll pick up not one but two strangers along the way. One young man, Tom, who is foolish and prank-loving. And one young woman, Belinda, a foundling, he "rescues" from an "uncle" who doesn't have the best of intentions. Belinda will BELIEVE any man who offers her a purple dress, you see. Or a ring. She's as silly as silly can be. But Belinda is NOT the love interest of Gilly. (I was quite relieved!)

The Foundling is not my favorite Georgette Heyer. It is a bit too long. There were so many potential ending places in the last hundred pages. Places where one more paragraph could have nicely done the job. But. For whatever reason, this ending would not be rushed. I liked it, but didn't love it.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

April Lady

2010-08-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

April Lady. Georgette Heyer. 1957/2005. Harlequin. 270 pages.

There was silence in the book-room, not the silence of intimacy but a silence fraught with tension.

April Lady is an enjoyable albeit predictable read. Our hero, Cardross, and our heroine, Nell, have been married over a year when the novel opens.

The book begins with an argument over money. The wife is being scolded by her husband for going over her quarterly allowance. It’s not that he’s not fabulously wealthy. He is. He just wants his wife to be able to account for the money he’s given her, for the unpaid bills that arrive at the house.

After the scolding, Nell is horrified to learn that she missed one bill. It is for a Chantilly lace dress. She can't possibly tell her husband the truth--the bill got buried in a drawer, forgotten. She can't possibly expect her husband to understand this circumstance. Perhaps her brother can help her...

Nell is keeping other secrets from her husband. She is lying about giving money to her brother, Dysart, to cover his gambling debts. She knows she is disobeying her husband by “supporting” her brother like this. But she can’t understand why her husband blames Dysart for being an addict. He should know that Dysart just can’t control himself when it comes to gambling and racing. Being unsure of her husband’s love (and respect), Nell spends much of her time afraid of her husband. She’s afraid to be honest with him, which is all that he is asking of her.

Both husband and wife are deceived. She is certain that he doesn’t love her, that their marriage is one of convenience not love. And he is certain that she doesn’t love him, that she married him for his money. (Her family is always in need of money since her father and brother are gambling addicts.) The reader is the only one who knows the truth: these two do love each other, and have loved each other from the beginning.

Is Nell as silly as she seems? Is Cardross as tyrannical and unforgiving? Will these two ever be completely honest with one another?

While I didn't love the plot of this one--at least as much as other Heyer novels I've read in the past--I did enjoy the characters. Particularly the "minor" characters. Nell has a sister-in-law, Letty, whose troubled love life steals the show, in a way. She's in love with a man, Jeremy Allandale, deemed "unsuitable" by her older brother. (Letty gets one of her many scoldings in the second chapter.) This love affair is "aided" by Letty's cousin, Selina Thorne, a young lady who has read too many novels. This romance provides my favorite scene of the novel!

Dysart, Nell's brother, and Mr. Hethersett, Cardross' cousin who has a way of being in the right place at the right time to aid Nell out of her messes, also add to the novel's charm.

One of the weaknesses of this novel, however, is Cardross. It's hard for the reader to fall in love with Cardross when he's only in a handful of scenes. (He spends most of the novel out of town on a trip.) Especially when most of those scenes show him scolding the women in his life. Are Letty and Nell silly? Yes. But still, that doesn't mean it's fun to read Cardross' condescending scoldings. (Or Dysart's scoldings for that matter!)

Also, I felt the romance between Cardross and Nell to be a little lacking. We're told that it was love at first sight. Yet we rarely see these two in the same room. And when they are in the same room, he's either scolding her or she's awkwardly avoiding him in conversation. These two are uncomfortable in their scenes together. Neither wants to be vulnerable. Neither wants to show too much.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Beauvallet

2010-08-11T10:49:00.000-05:00

Beauvallet. Georgette Heyer. 1929/2010. Sourcebooks. 301 pages.

The deck was in shambles.

Dona Dominica, the daughter of the former governor of Santiago, Don Manuel de Rada y Sylva, is on her way back to Spain--along with her dying father, when their ship the Santa Maria is boarded by English adventurers (pirates) led by the fearless El Beauvallet (Nicholas Beauvallet). The two are taken captive by Beauvallet and brought aboard his ship, Venture. But he promises--and it's not a promise without risk--to return these two safely to Spain. If anyone can land an English ship safely into a Spanish port during these hostile times it would have to be Beauvallet.

At first Dominica hates her captor. She refuses to admit to herself that he is a little charming, a little handsome. She flirts with the other men to drive him crazy. But. Soon she has to admit that there is an attraction between them. And she's shocked to hear him boast recklessly of his honorable intentions to make her an English woman before the year is out. Since she is his captive, you might think this would be easy. Just set sail for England instead of Spain. The lady seems willing enough. But Beauvallet wants the challenge. So he keeps his promise--his first promise--both father and daughter arrive safely in Spain. Beauvallet returns to England, to his family, to his Queen.

But Dominica has not been forgotten. And a few months later, Beauvallet is ready to pursue his lady. To woo her in Spain. With England and Spain so very, very close to war--how can an Englishman, a pirate, a dreaded pirate, safely enter Spain? He has boasted that he will find a way...

Meanwhile, Dominica's father dies and she is taken into her aunt's family. Her aunt!!! Oh what a character Dona Beatrice is! She's a strong, strong woman with a mind of her own. She has a way of bullying all the men in her life including her son, Don Diego. She has determined that he will marry--must marry--Dominica.

Beauvallet is an exciting and dramatic historical romance set in the Elizabethan era. Beauvallet is a bold adventurer who will risk it all to win his lady love. With his faithful companion, Joshua Dimmock, by his side, Beauvallet is ready for any challenge. The book had action, adventure, drama, and romance. I enjoyed Beauvallet very much!

The opening chapters of Beauvallet definitely reminded me of The Sea Hawk, a 1940 film starring Errol Flynn.

Question #2

2010-08-10T08:40:00.000-05:00

Which Georgette Heyer novel would you recommend to a newbie? Why? Are there any novels you wouldn't recommend?

My answer: Is it strange that I'd want to recommend a 'good' one instead of a 'great' one? Of course, that would all be subjective, wouldn't it?! I think some of her novels are more accessible than others. (For example, some take three or four chapters to introduce--really introduce--the main characters.) I think I would recommend The Black Moth or These Old Shades or The Convenient Marriage.

I wouldn't recommend The Toll Gate.

Book Review: Georgette Heyer's Regency World

2010-08-06T07:00:00.002-05:00

Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester
400 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks reissue (August 1, 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-1402241369
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating:

Immerse yourself in the resplendent glow of Regency England and the world of Georgette Heyer...

From the fascinating slang, the elegant fashions, the precise ways the bon ton ate, drank, danced, and flirted, to the shocking real life scandals of the day, Georgette Heyer's Regency World takes you behind the scenes of Heyer's captivating novels.

As much fun to read as Heyer's own novels, beautifully illustrated, and meticulously researched, Jennifer Kloester's essential guide brings the world of the Regency to life for Heyer fans and Jane Austen fans alike.

At first glance, readers may get excited that this could be a piece of literature focused on something regarding Georgette Heyer. This is definitely not a biography of Heyer, but more of an inside look at the culture of the Regency period in which famed author Georgette Heyer wrote of. From the styles of clothes and the dances that were acceptable to the period, to references to Heyer's novels and to the Prince Regent, this is an intelligent look at the Regency period that gives the novels of Jane Austen and Heyer a lot more context.

I am a huge fan of Georgette Heyer for the way that her writing style makes me laugh and for the silly situations that Heyer put her characters in. I have only read one Austen novel (Pride and Prejudice) and about six or seven of Heyer's Regencies. Heyer is touted as the Queen of Regency, and I would not disagree there. This reissue of Georgette Heyer's Regency World is a wonderful companion to Heyer's Regencies and I appreciate the amount of research the author must have done in order to put something like this together. Not entirely entertaining such as a Heyer regency, this goes into encyclopedia-like detail about anything and everything Regency related and what it was like to be gentleman or a lady at that time, and I must say, I would much prefer to be a gentleman. The life of a lady was a lot more restricted, unless of course she was lucky enough to become a widow and then she could enjoy herself (after a responsible period of mourning, of course!). Yet, what was amazing to me was that wives were also 'allowed' to have affairs once she provided her husband with an heir. And never expect a man to be faithful.. why, that is unheard of!! I found much of the information written to be very interesting and enlightening, especially the references to the actual people of the Regency period such as Beau Brummel and the Royal family, and the medicinal habits which make me cringe.

Once upon a time I was whimsically wishing that I were a grand lady riding in a phaeton in Hyde Park during promenade hour, but after reading this tell-all of the Regency Period, I am pretty much happy to have my own voice as a married woman as I am definitely demanding fidelity from my husband! I cannot imagine what it must be like to witness the privileged folks out dancing and partying their lives away, while the common folks struggled to put bread on their table. And all one had to do to be privileged was to be born in that family, and there was zero requirement to be intelligent or charitable or to have a job. The job of the privileged was to honor the code, unwritten and written, of the privileged.

"It was acceptable to offer one's snuff-box to the company but not to ask for a pinch of snuff from anyone else."
"During the Season it was essential to be seen in Hyde Park during the Promenade hour of 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm."

This was an interesting read for me as a casual Regency fan, though I suspect that those more familiar with the period may find this work old news, though there are quaint line drawings which also add some life to the text. Absolutely everything was covered, from the fashions to the carriages to the houses to the dances.. I will set this book right up on the Heyer bookshelf and may even have to refer to its glossary and Who's Who section for my next Heyer read; if you are a Heyer reader this should go along with your Regencies as well. You can get the zoom in/preview feature of this work on Amazon here by clicking on the image of the book.

Question #1

2010-08-03T20:32:00.004-05:00

Which Georgette Heyer novel did you read first? What was your first impression?

My answer: My first Heyer novel was Regency Buck. I remember loving it at the time. I'd never read anything like it before. One of the things I loved about "discovering" Georgette Heyer was learning that she was a family-favorite. I wish my mom had recommended her sooner!

I'd love to hear your answers! You can share your responses in the comment section!

Venetia

2010-08-02T19:16:00.000-05:00

Venetia. Georgette Heyer. 1958/2009. Harlequin. 368 pages.

Venetia. Georgette Heyer. Read by Richard Armitage. 2010. Naxos AudioBooks. Abridged. 4 hours, 48 minutes.

"A fox got in amongst the hens last night, and ravished our best layer," remarked Miss Lanyon. "A great-grandmother, too! You'd think he would be ashamed!" Receiving no answer, she continued in an altered voice: "Indeed, you would! It is a great deal too bad. What is to be done?"

I love Georgette Heyer. I do. I just love her. Most of her books leave me feeling happy, satisfied. Some more than others. But still, it is always difficult for me to name one book as my favorite. Or even two or three books as my favorites. Just when I think I've found it--the perfect Heyer--I read another and change my mind again. Such is the case with Venetia. I absolutely loved this one.

Venetia is a woman (25) living with her younger brother, Aubrey (17), and being courted by two equally unsatisfying gentlemen of the neighborhood, Edward Yardley and Oswald Denny. The Lanyon siblings do have an older brother, Conway. But he is in the army, and he hasn't been at Undershaw in years. Venetia and Aubrey do not miss him at all. Life is fairly routine for the two. Until. Lord Damerel ("The Wicked Baron") returns to his estate.

The two meet when she is trespassing on his land. He has no idea who she is. But she has a fairly good idea who he is. Especially after he kisses her! Yes, he kisses her.

"Who are you?" he demanded abruptly. "I took you for a village maiden--probably one of my tenants."
"Did you indeed? Well, if that is the way you mean to conduct yourself amongst the village maidens you won't win much liking here!"
"No, no, the danger is that I might win too much!" he retorted. "Who are you? Or should I first present myself to you? I'm Damerel, you know."
"Yes, so I supposed, at the outset of our delightful acquaintance. Later, of course, I was sure of it."
"Oh, oh--! My reputation, Iago, my reputation!" he exclaimed laughing again. "Fair Fatality, you are the most unusual female I have encountered in all my thirty-eight years!"
"You can't think how deeply flattered I am!" she assured him. "I daresay my head would be quite turned if I didn't suspect that amongst so many a dozen or so may have slipped from your memory."
"More like a hundred! Am I never to learn your name? I shall, you know, whether you tell me or no!" (33)

He intends to know her better while he's in the neighborhood. Venetia doesn't need a Lady Denny to tell her that would be unwise. But. When her brother, Aubrey, has a riding accident and is saved by none other than Damerel...well, she can't help getting to know him much, much better. And soon they become great friends. Of course, it's a friendship with always a hint of something more...

Lord Damerel isn't the only newcomer to the neighborhood. Soon Venetia and Aubrey welcome TWO very unexpected house guests. Conway has gotten married--her name is Charlotte. And Charlotte and her mother have come to stay at Undershaw. And the mother is quite the character. How long can Venetia stand to share a home with such a woman? Venetia begins to think about her options...and wishing it was more socially acceptable for her to set up her own home.

What did I love about this one? Everything! I loved the characters. I loved the main characters: Venetia, Aubrey, and Lord Damerel. I loved the minor characters too! Edward Yardley, Oswald Denny, Charlotte Lanyon, Mrs. Scorrier, etc. I loved the dialogue--the conversations. They were so well done! So exciting. Whether Venetia was having a heated argument with Mrs. Scorrier or flirting with Lord Damerel, there was just something about this one. So many memorable scenes. I think it would make a WONDERFUL movie.

The romance. Venetia and Lord Damerel make a great couple. There is such chemistry from the start! Every scene with these two is satisfying! It was a joy reading this one.

He released her hands, but only to pull her into his arms. "When you smile at me like that, it's all holiday with me! O God, I love you to the edge of madness, Venetia, but I'm not mad yet--not so mad that I don't know how disastrous it might be to you--to us both! You don't realize what an advantage I should be taking of your innocence!" He broke off suddenly, jerking up his head as the door opening on to the passage from the ante-room slammed. (221)

Venetia is a Georgette Heyer romance that does not follow her usual pattern.

The audiobook! Wow, wow, wow! I LOVED listening to Venetia. I did read the book first, so I would be familiar with the story, the characters. But then I listened to this one. And it was so very satisfying! I didn't think it was possible for me to love Lord Damerel more than I already did...but hearing the part read by Richard Armitage...wow!!! He does such a wonderful job with all the characters!

In other news:

The Convenient Marriage is the next Georgette Heyer audiobook to be narrated by Richard Armitage. It releases in August 2010.

In August, Austenprose will be celebrating Georgette Heyer! The month long celebration includes: "thirty-four book reviews of her romance novels, guest blogs, interviews of Heyer enthusiast from the blog-o-sphere, academia and publishing and tons of great giveaways." The schedule can be found here.

The Toll Gate

2010-08-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

The Toll Gate. Georgette Heyer. 1954. Harlequin. 304 pages.

The Sixth Earl of Saltash glanced round the immense dining-table, and was conscious of a glow of satisfaction.

Georgette Heyer can have some rather off-topic openings, in my humble opinion, often it isn't until the second, third, or even fourth chapter until the reader can discern who the main characters are. Her books often start with a large cast of characters, focus in on a handful towards the middle, and then begin to gradually expand back into a larger cast as all the small details begin to create a bigger picture.

The Toll Gate was an enjoyable Heyer experience for many reasons. It is part love story, part mystery. The main character is a retired soldier (still young), a Captain John (Jack) Staple. He's one of many family members called to celebrate the engagement of the "Sixth Earl of Saltash" in the first chapter. However, not being the sociable sort--at least not among his family--he departs the weekend-celebration early. His destination is to ride to visit his friend, a Mr. Babbacombe. But having a rather later start than he'd planned originally, AND having taken a shortcut off the main road AND having been delayed/confused by the storms, he soon finds himself lost.

He comes to a toll-house late at night. He finds it manned by a young boy. A very young boy--a frightened child--named Ben. He learns that Ben's father, Bream is the last name, the official keeper of the gate is away. He told his son that he'd be back in a few hours, but then never returned.

Jack--a rather tall and brave and strong man--has pity on this boy and agrees to stay with him (and protect him) until his father returns.

So, Jack adopts Bream's station and becomes the temporary keeper of the toll-gate. He meets quite a few people. But the thing that changes his life forever is that he meets the tall and splendid Miss Stornaway. She is the Squire's daughter--his only child--but the property is being entailed away. Henry Stornaway--the lady's cousin--will inherit it all when the old man dies. An event that seems all too close at hand for the spirited and one-of-a-kind heroine.

And then the mystery starts to unfold...

I enjoyed this one. I enjoyed the character development. And the story was interesting. This was more adventure, more mystery than romance. If you're looking for wooing scenes in parlours and parks, parties, and country dances then this isn't the Heyer for you.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sprig Muslin

2010-08-01T14:17:00.000-05:00

Sprig Muslin. Georgette Heyer. 1956/2009. Harlequin. 288 pages.

Mrs. Wetherby was delighted to receive a morning call from her only surviving brother, but for the first half hour of his visit she was granted no opportunity to do more than exchange a few commonplaces with him over the heads of her vociferous offspring.

Sprig Muslin is an enjoyable Georgette Heyer novel. It's easily accessible, which isn't always the case, and it's a quick action-packed read. What kind of action? Well, more comedy than drama. And by action, I don't mean explosions.

The hero of Sprig Muslin is Sir Gareth Ludlow. Gareth is the brother who is visiting his sister, Mrs. Wetherby. He's there to say that he's going to propose marriage to a woman, Lady Hester. It's all planned out. He's gotten the father's permission, etc. But his sister is shocked. Her brother could have anybody, anybody. Why would he seek out a spinster (she's in her late twenties) who's so boring? (From his sister's position that is. Gareth doesn't find her boring at all. He finds her smart.) His sister thinks the match is unfair. Unfair to him. She knows that her brother has never quite recovered from the death of his fiancee seven years (is it seven?) before. But he's convinced that the time is right, that the girl is right.

However, somewhere along the way--on his way to visit the girls' family on their estate in the country--he happens to "rescue" a young damsel in distress, Amanda. Amanda "Smith." Her stories and tall tales outnumber the hairs on her head. He knows she's under seventeen. He knows that she is running away from home. But he doesn't know who she belongs to...(her name, her home, her situation, etc.) or what to do with her. She's determined to find employment--a chambermaid, a maid, a dairy maid, a governess, etc. All this in an attempt to prove she's "mature" and ready to get married to her soldier-love, Neil.

So he takes her with him. He brings this strange girl with a mind all her own with him on his journey to propose to Lady Hester. Her family is more than a little confused and unsettled about the affair. They think it is an affair--that he's brought his mistress along with him. A Mr. Fabian Theale is Hester's uncle, I believe. It is his notion that the young miss is Ludlow's mistress. That she is that sort sort of "lady." That she is his for the taking if he can steal her right out from under Gareth.

Amanda doesn't know much about Theale except that he's old and a bit fat. But she does see him as serving her immediate needs. She needs transportation and a way to sneak out of this new situation. And Theale is more than willing to oblige. Of course, he hasn't any idea that she's good at manipulating and bamboozling those around her. A girl fond of novels. A girl with a vivid imagination. A silly, very gullible, unthinking girl.

He does propose. And she does listen to him calmly. But she knows that he is not in love with her. And while for many spinsters of that age, the thought of marrying anyone, of having a chance to have a home of their own and children of their own, might tempt them to marry for convenience or companionship...she's not ready to settle for that yet. She doesn't want to be a convenient companion. She knows he likes her. As a friend. As a listener. As a sympathetic, angelic companion. But he doesn't love her. Doesn't want her. Doesn't need her as a soul mate, as a lover.

The morning after the proposal, Sir Gareth wakes up to find that Amanda has given him the slip. That she is off with Theale. And he knows that Theale is not a proper companion for a young girl. That he's a very improper one. So off he goes to give them chase. He must "rescue" Amanda.

Amanda doesn't need rescuing so much from others as from herself. She's prone to getting in and out and in and out and in and out of trouble and messes galore. And no one is EVER going to boss her around.

This is a funny, fast-paced, never-ending chase to the altar. But just who will end up saying I do....

Bath Tangle

2010-07-05T19:15:00.000-05:00

Bath Tangle. Georgette Heyer. 1955/2009. Harlequin. 336 pages.

Two ladies were seated in the library at Milverley Park, the younger, whose cap and superabundance of crape proclaimed the widow, beside a table upon which reposed a Prayer Book; the elder, a Titian-haired beauty of some twenty-five summers, in one of the deep window-embrasures that overlooked the park.

I wish I could say that I loved this one, but I can't. I just liked it. Perhaps if I hadn't just read Black Sheep or Sylvester, I would be more enthusiastic about Bath Tangle. But while I enjoyed many of the characters in Bath Tangle--our two heroines Serena, the daughter, and Fanny, the stepmother--I just didn't love the story, the plot. I felt the characters never got a good chance to shine. Our hero, the Marquis of Rotherham--and for once I prefer the title to his real name, Ivo--could have been great. There were a few chapters where I thought he was. What kept this one from being great, in my opinion, is that Rotherham was an absent hero, for the most part. And while Serena and Rotherham had great chemistry while they were together, they spent most of the book apart. Each being engaged to another. So though I enjoyed the last two or three chapters, I can't say I loved this one.

So what is it about? Serena and Fanny are mourning. Serena's lost her father--who spoiled her a bit--and Fanny's lost her husband. The two women decide to stay together, to live together. And eventually the two decide to spend part of the year in Bath. Rotherham is the man her father named as a guardian of sorts. He is the man in charge of Serena's finances. He is the man who must give his consent for her to marry. But you should know that Ivo and Serena don't get along. They were at one time close, they were engaged to be married in fact. But she called off their wedding just months before the big day. So now she's a bit concerned as to what this might mean...especially when an old love (Hector) reenters her life.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Black Sheep

2010-06-25T19:12:00.000-05:00

Black Sheep. Georgette Heyer. 1966/2008. Sourcebooks. 280 pages.

A little before eight o'clock, at the close of a damp autumn day, a post-chaise entered Bath, on the London Road, and presently drew up outside a house in Sydney Place.

Abigail (Abby) Wendover and Selena Wendover are the two aunts responsible for raising their young niece, Fanny, a young lady who is just getting ready to come out in society. When the novel opens, Abby has just returned to Bath from visiting some of her brothers and sisters. So she has missed the early stages of Fanny's young love. Fanny has fallen in forever-and-ever love with Stacy Calverleigh, a man with a bit of a reputation.

While no one can deny that he comes from a good family, it's also undeniable that since Stacy has come of age, the family's financial standing has continued to fall. He desperately needs to marry money if he's going to "save" the family home and keep up appearances--living a certain lifestyle.

Fanny may be young, but she'll inherit a great deal of money when she comes of age. Enough to tempt young Calverleigh. That's how Abby and her brother, James, see it anyway. Selena, well, she's easily charmed. And Stacy has a way of making her think the best of him. Abby fears that Stacy may convince Fanny to elope with him.

Soon after Abby returns home, Miles Calverleigh arrives. He's the "black sheep" of the Calverleigh family. (He's been in India for years.) He has come to Bath quite unaware that his nephew, Stacy, has been there.

Can Abby convince Miles to intervene? Will Miles see his young nephew's affair as being any of his concern? After all, he has never met the boy.

What starts out as "concern" for Fanny and Stacy, develops into something more--much much more. Has Abby found love at last? Will her sister, Selena, let Abby go?

I loved this one. I did. I loved Abby. I loved Miles. I loved the way these two clicked right from the start. I loved the banter the two share. I loved the way that neither really denies the attraction. How Abby doesn't necessarily fight the attraction she feels for Miles. She likes spending time with him. She likes his company. And she isn't one of those to say, well, what will the neighbors think. (Now, Abby, does care a little about what her family thinks.) Miles is unlike so many of the other men that Abby has known. But she likes him just the way he is. I loved how these two accept one another as is. These two are oh-so-compatible.

I would definitely recommend Black Sheep.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sylvester

2010-06-15T19:10:00.000-05:00

Sylvester: Or the Wicked Uncle. Georgette Heyer. 1957/2009. Harlequin. 368 pages.

and

Sylvester: Or the Wicked Uncle. Georgette Heyer. Read by Richard Armitage. Naxos Audio Books. 4 hours and 51 minutes.

Sylvester stood in the window of his breakfast parlour, leaning his hands on the ledge, and gazing out upon a fair prospect.

I loved this one. I loved, loved, loved it. Of course, I expected to love it. It is Georgette Heyer after all. So what is this historical romance about? It's about the sometimes-arrogant Duke of Salford. Sylvester Raynes. When the novel opens, Sylvester is having a cozy little chat with his mother. Telling her how he feels it's time to get married. He has certain things he is looking for in a wife. And he's got five women on his list that might just do. Unfortunately, love and romance don't enter into it, for him. His mother does set him right on that account at least:

'Thank you, I have heard enough to be able to give you my advice!' interrupted his mother. 'Don't make an offer for any one of them! You are not in love!'
'In love! No, of course I am not. Is that so necessary?
'Most necessary, my dear! Don't, I beg you, offer marriage where you can't offer love as well!' (13)

Sylvester then goes to see his godmother. Maybe her advice will be more useful, more practical than his mother's.

'Now, if you were only a fairy godmother, ma'am, you would wave your wand, and so conjure up exactly the bride I want!' (31)

She can't wave her wand, but she can send him to meet her granddaughter, Phoebe Marlow. The way she phrases this suggestion irritates him, still, he is in need of a wife. And she might just do after all. He had teased his mother earlier saying,

'What could be more romantic than to marry the girl who was betrothed to me in her cradle?' (22)

So off he goes to meet Miss Marlow. But his mother was right to suspect that it might not be that easy. That the girl might need to be wooed. That her son shouldn't assume that any woman would swoon and say yes to his proposal.

'My dear, has it not occurred to you that you might find yourself rebuffed?'
His brow cleared. 'Is that all? No, no, Mama, I shan't be rebuffed!'
'So sure, Sylvester?'
'Of course I'm sure, Mama! Oh, not of Miss Marlow! For anything I know, her affections may be engaged already.'
'Or she might take you in dislike,' suggested the Duchess.
'Take me in dislike? Why should she?' he asked, surprised. (22)

That conversation ends with him boasting, "Well, Mama, you said yourself that I make love charmingly!" and "I'm not hard to swallow, you know."

So who is Phoebe Marlow? She's a young woman who doesn't welcome the idea of Duke Salford coming to offer for her. The two met very briefly in London--so briefly that Sylvester doesn't even remember--and her first impression of him wasn't the greatest. In fact, Sylvester's eyebrows inspired her to write him into the novel she was writing. As the villain, Count Ugolino. (Many of her characters were inspired by people she met during her London season.) So to learn that this man is on his way to see her, to ask her to marry him, is a bit of a shock. To make matters worse, her novel is to be published! Does Sylvester read many novels? Will he recognize himself? What's she to do? Is there a way she can escape this awkward predicament? But of course! But it's not without its risk!

Sylvester and Phoebe challenge one another. And the tension between the two is just about perfect. If you like that sort of romance--think Beatrice and Benedick, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe, and Margaret Hale and John Thornton. Sylvester is all about overcoming BAD first impressions.

I love Heyer. I love her style. I love her wit. I love her characters. And there are so many characters to love in Sylvester. If you haven't read her before, you might consider starting with Sylvester.

The audio book. I have nothing but good to say about Naxos' production of Sylvester. It is narrated by Richard Armitage. And he does such a wonderful job with it! He brings the characters--both male and female--to life. It was easy for me to follow the story--to know who was speaking at any given time. (That's not always easy to do with just one narrator.) There is just enough drama to keep it lively. It is abridged. But there is still so much to love! I would definitely recommend this one! (And in case you're curious, you can find it on audible.com).

Cotillion

2010-06-01T21:46:00.000-05:00

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a book I have been wanting to read for awhile. It seems to be a favorite for Georgette Heyer fans and now I can see why!

As is typical for me with Regency novels, this started out slow. There always seems to be a learning curve while I move myself back in time, figure out who the characters are and what their titles mean, and adjust my head to the antiquated language and slang. But by the end I was turning pages so fast and I had to force myself to go to bed. I couldn't wait to see how it all ended and I was not disappointed.

Kitty Charing is the ward of a grouchy old man who has decided that she will inherit his fortune if she chooses one of his great-grandnephews to marry. Kitty is horrified by the proposal and is desperate to get away to London so she can figure out what to do with her life. But in order to do so, she convinces Freddy Standen (one of the nephews) to agree to a sham engagement. While in London, Kitty is exposed to a world of fashion, frivolity, and nobles behaving badly. She makes new friends and finds old family, but everyone seems to want something that they can't have. As the heroine, Kitty tries to set it all to rights, and in the process she figures out her own heart as well.

This was my in-person's book club pick for this month. While I certainly enjoyed reading it, I don't really think it's a book that will generate a lot of discussion. Still, I'm happy that I got an excuse to move it up my TBR list. I definitely recommend this one.

A Civil Contract

2010-04-23T00:56:00.000-05:00

I had no clue about ‘A Civil Contract’ when I took it from the library. I was shocked to find a completely different treat awaiting me. It was not the customary elopements or falling in love matters but the convenient marriage axiom where the relationship follows the fulfillment of a bargain on both the sides. Heyer spins the tale with the parody of Adam on the brink of financial ruin with only a handsome face to recommend be paired opposite the unsightly but moneyed Jennifer. Adam who is head over ears in love with Julia marries jenny in anticipation of straightening out his pitiful circumstances. 

The convenience marriage discomfits Adam in the early days where his father-in-law persists on showering them with extravagant gifts. But a few days time suffices to explicate the aptness of his decision and soon learns to enjoy jenny’s company. Jenny is levelheaded and sympathizes with her situation being only too palpable to give her any anticipation for a love match. The way Julia faints at the house party would have unnerved any woman, but she deals the situation with tact. She dons the role of a caring mother, an ideal wife and a pleasing daughter. She doesn’t cringe away from the thought that Adam would never love her the way he does Julia, but she secures his affection and confidence. Adam may hold his heart for Julia, but those little pleasures, he would share only with his wife. She beguiles in proffering happiness around her family as if there is no tomorrow. A Civil Contract is more of a divergence from smooth sailing lifestyles. It brings to our notice some of life’s practicalities and how we should look at it. Contract is a tranquil and matured novel that teaches values like love and sacrifice and every minute of your read benefits you.

I first thought this book was a mistake. But when I began composing this review, I realized the specialty of it and I decided not to resist multiplicity. Heyer continues to give a variety in the story she weaves.

A marriage of convenience can at times be the best suited during hardships despite the melancholy it could possibly create.

Penhallow

2010-04-01T09:33:00.000-05:00

Cross-posted from BookLust.

Penhallow, by Georgette Heyer, was my choice for this month's Classics Circuit. When I heard that Heyer was this month's choice, I literally squealed with excitement as she is one of my favorite authors. I love to read her for when I am in the mood for a light, happy and fun story.

Penhallow is not light, happy or fun. It was a very difficult book for me to read and, much as it pains me to say it... I did not enjoy it. I think it was well written, but the story was hard for me to connect to. (On a side note, this is one of the reasons I no longer give ratings to books on my blog- how do you rate a well-written book with a storyline you disliked?)

Penhallow takes place in the English countryside, like all Heyer's mysteries. Adam Penhallow is a horrible autocratic man who keeps his many children (legitimate and illegitimate) close to him, ruling every aspect of their lives with an iron will. They are all terrified of him, and they all hate each other. Their lives revolve around horses, getting into massive arguments with one another (and their spouses, significant others, the maids, etc.), sponging off their father, and generally hating their lives.

The murder mystery is a little different than the usual fare because the murder doesn't occur until 2/3rds of the way through the book, and the readers know who did it and why. The remainder of the story is the fallout from this murder and how it affects everyone's future.

I have said before that Heyer's mysteries have a much more caustic sense of humor than her Regency or Georgian romances. I would go so far as to say Penhallow forgets the humor and focuses only on the sarcasm. I said before that this book is well-written; you can feel the tension and the anger, all simmering and coming to a boil. There are so many characters (far more than necessary!), but after a while you realize you don't need to get them straight because no one likes anyone else, anyway. And nearly all of them would have a motive to commit the murder that is done.

I can't help but feel that Heyer was having a really bad day/week/month/quarter when she wrote this book. I know she was generally not a happy person in her adult life, and she often felt that she deserved to be at a higher status socially than she actually was. These insecurities come out in full force in Penhallow, and it made me uncomfortable to read the story. I didn't like any of the characters. I didn't like the glimpse into Heyer that the book gave me. I wanted to scream and shake people. I definitely don't recommend this book as a first (or even a tenth) Heyer to read, but if you like books that focus on intricate and sometimes disturbing relationships between family members... then this is for you.

I did find two aspects of the story really interesting, based on recent reading and Georgette Heyer. First, there is a set of twins in this book, male ones, and one is very jealous when the other falls in love with a woman and the twin relationship is changed completely. This reminded me of the twin girls in Cassandra at the Wedding, in which a similar circumstance occurred. I love reading books with overlapping themes of that sort in a small time frame!

Second, this book touches a theme that often comes up in Heyer's books- the idea that one is "born" into a class and that "blood will tell." In These Old Shades, a huge aspect of the novel is that one of the characters grew up an abandoned orphan but it was so obvious she was really of high birth because of her grace, manners and interests (as opposed to a certain farmer who is only interested in horses, sheep and cows). In this book, that theme comes up in a slightly different manner. Penhallow of the title is a country gentleman. He loves to ride horses and be outside and hunt, etc. His second wife was from the city and their son dislikes horses, riding, hunting and anything else outdoorsy, so Penhallow says repeatedly that he doesn't think this child can be his. This time, it's not so much the class distinction (though that's there, too) but the "city mouse/country mouse" distinction. It comes up in other ways during the story that would give away some of the plot, so I can't share. But it was interesting to see a slight shift in the way this (ridiculous) theory was applied by Heyer in her stories.

So while I didn't like Penhallow, I think it was interesting on other levels besides the story. Also, I can't find a picture online of my edition, but I have one from 1942 that has an advertisement to buy war bonds on the back cover and mentions a lot about the war in the publisher information. It also had a newspaper clipping inside that had a torn-off portion of an ad for buying whiskey at "pre-war" prices. I wrote about finding this book here. I love that I have a book by one of my favorite authors in such a historical context of an edition. (I know that sentence makes no sense, but I don't know how else to say it!)

Do you have a wonderful edition of a book that you love and appreciate?

Black Moth

2010-02-25T13:57:00.000-06:00

The Black Moth. Georgette Heyer. 1921/2009. Sourcebooks. 355 pages.

Prologue: Clad in his customary black and silver, with raven hair unpowdered and elaborately dressed, diamonds on his fingers and in his cravet, Hugh Tracy Clare Belmanoir, Duke of Andover, sat at the escritoire in the library of his town house, writing.

Chapter one: Chadber was the name of the host, florid of countenance, portly of person, and of manner pompous and urbane.

Loved this one. I had my doubts--I'm not sure why--but I ended up just loving it. Why did I have doubts? Well, for some reason I thought that since this was Georgette Heyer's first novel it would perhaps be clumsy or awkward. Not quite as good as the others that I've come to love. Is it her best work? Probably not. But it's good. It's fun. It's fun in a dashing kind of way.

The characters. So many to love, so many to love to hate. Jack Carstares, Earl of Wyndam, our proper hero. Richard, his younger brother with a secret. Lavinia, Richard's wife, the woman I ended up loving to hate! Tracy, Lavinia's "devil" of a brother who thinks kidnapping is the way to get your heart's desire. Diane, the lovely woman adored by two men--one a highwayman, one a kidnapper. Miles, a good friend who has always believed in his friend no matter what. And so many more!

The writing. So much to love. It's detailed, but not in a heavy way. More in a witty kind of way. Take this description of Lavinia, "She was ever thus -- not two minutes the same." For those readers who mind the details, you'll find much to appreciate! I found it richly detailed and the world depicted by Heyer was just fascinating.

This book is loosely connected with These Old Shades.

Devil's Cub

2010-02-25T03:39:00.002-06:00

His excesses had banished him from the country yet he could not put her away from his mind. What could he do but take her for his companion. It all lay in the hands of the leading lady to devise a plan to preclude an abduction that could ruin the repute of her injudicious sister. But her obligation doesn’t cease with this. She also takes on the mission of taming the male shrew and managing him.

If only he were real and all mine......

Dominique, the marquis of Vidal accredited for his scandalous reputation as a rake disgraces the family with yet another brawl. Of all the allegations, his new uproar had the effect of producing an ill fate to his name. Accordingly his parents ship him off to France, rather than confronting the ramification if he is anywhere in the vicinity. But his journey would be fragmentary without any distractions, he convinces Sophia to accompany him. Fortunately for Sophia, Mary intercepts his plan and goes instead regardless of what turn would Dominique’s fury take. Desperate as she may be, her fortitude never once fail her, she shoots at him with a pistol.

Vidal, who had never expected even a speck of virtue in any of his indulgences , offers for marriage in vain to silence the scandal that would arise therewith. Mary refuses the offer as she is absolutely aware that the intention is purely circumstantial and there being no foundation for love; even though she is in greatly in love with him. The shot having made its effect defers their departure by a few days in the course of which he becomes extremely cordial; as soon as he appreciates her insidiousness he forms an attachment for her.

A way out this dilemma presents in form of her friend Juliana. She elopes with Comyn, Juliana’s heart broken lover, and a man of undeniable verbal skills. Vidal, by the time so deep in love with Mary, repairs to Dijon at once to conciliate with her. Their wedding receives approbation from everyone except Leonie. Mary leaves in search of a respectable position. But her being unescorted lays her in the open to an excess of disrespect.

At this precise moment, she stumbles upon a gentleman in whom she discerns a familiarity, pours her desolation into him. Vidal who had followed her into the inn is equally shocked to see his father (Avon) beside Mary.

Her tenacity and intrepidity prepares her for all the personal risks involved and only the selfless Mary could commit herself to this task. She remains perspicacious all through the story exhibiting prudence at stopping a duel by pouring water over the combatants and also running a thick cloth through the swords. Her profound knowledge and perceptivity empowers her role in the plot and proves beyond doubt the she is the predilection for Vidal.

Dominique captivates every heart by being a crack shot, a notable whip and a gamester and his performance is at its best even when he is disguised; although his being a little callous casts a shadow on his perfections. He is as nonchalant as his mother before and there is a want of acuity in most of the affairs.

There is no scrape in which his ire has not publicly landed him in trouble. It is also Avon’s smartness that pulls him out of his recent blunder. His behavior is that of a 4 year old than a 24yr old and the need to tame him becomes apparent inasmuch as the job becomes Mary. Electrified by her charm, Vidal falls in love with her intensely enough to make his existence empty without her.

The appearance of Leonie, Avon and Rupert enliven the picture with old memories. Passing years has reduced Avon’s balefulness by no more than alleviating his rakishness. The relationship between the father and son is again so mysterious, yet a thorough understanding is there between them; every conversation has its irony.

Devil’s cub is an impelling paperback with outstanding blend of persona intermingled with humor and romance in favor of irrefutable magnetism towards its fans.

These Old Shades

2010-02-25T03:21:00.001-06:00

“Desolation might make a man fiendish” applies to the count when he makes life for both himself and his family all the more miserable and the mere contemplation that his only daughter is in employment with the duke whom he had reviled all his life is beyond forbearance. If death could only placate the public disgrace…

The first in the series of the Alastair trilogy is the taster of romance, comedy, action and adventure encompassed in one course. TOS is a picture perfect comedy set against the backdrop of pre-regency and post-Jacobite rebellion. The entr’acte of the story spectacles with Leonie dissembling as Justin’s (Avon) page, giving an opportunity for Avon to reprise his arch enemy, the comte de saint vire. It is unbeknownst to the world that comte is Leonie’s father and on unearthing this singularly significant information, Justin manipulates a strategy that would result in the acquaintance of the truth with the society and also right Leonie in the eyes of the world.

Sinsyne, from a page she ameliorates to a position of a ward where she gets launched into the society with a great deal of success. In the mean while, the Comte taking desperate attempts in shielding the truth, in one situation, intimidates Leonie to a situation accentuating debase and infamy; that in cognizance of which she is driven to the folly of leaving the duke’s shelter. This being rendered fallow, his predicament leaves him with no option but to kidnap her. Nevertheless, Leonie’s intellect should not be underestimated; no sooner than being said she slips out of his hold and returns to her monsignor. The Comte envisages a stiff counter in Avon who has expedited obtaining of the proof than the former had expected. A society gathering is what Avon needs to hyperventilate the already disheveled Comte constraining him to shoot himself at the countess’s outburst of the truth. Leonie is righted, but the only missing piece in the wholesome happiness is her fallacy to have fallen below Avon’s standards; in the belief of their union being unbefitting ,her confusion is only momentary to last long, ends in their nuptials.

TOS is a hilarious and a preeminent fiction portraying the best of the hero and heroine along with a laudable supporting cast. Justin (aka devil, as Tracy Belmonair from TBM) essays the role of an outlandish hero with a shady past and an evil smirched reputation (satanas); whose thoughts and principles are practically outside the comprehensions and capability of any normal person. From the start till the end he remains to be on dictating terms, unfathomable and versatile and acts a sculpture lacking emotion and expression. He is quite composed until he sets eyes on Leonie, his complete opposite. The counterpart of Avon, she is quick-tempered, pertinacious, and unruly and to top it, tongue lashing, but the way she twists Avon around her little finger, as Rupert puts it, is pretty on her part. She has a childlike reverence for Avon that purges him of all his flagitiousness. She seems to be the one person Justin would die to please, love and laugh with. Thus the notorious rake redeems in the passionate love making of Leonie. Their love is quite subtle while it expels his one time fascination for Jennifer (Diana Beuleigh).

The incorrigible Rupert (Andrew), the fussy Fanny (Lavinia) and the convivial Merrivales ( supposedly to be jack carstares of TBM) who assist in the plan also add to the story though the best is the Comte who is bad enough to swap his daughter for the sake of the title and his death serves the good purpose of restoring what he impounded from her. His mania for title mists up his vision over the honorable where it shatters his whole family for nothing. His conscience suffers no pang over the unjustifiable sin he had committed and he isn’t anxious to reconcile Leonie even during the last few minutes before he chooses death. Sardonically, it is ignominy and not remorse that drives him to such measures.

TOS is purported to be the resurrection of TBM from the villain's part. The characters of her first novel reappear under different names and enchant us with more humor. Tracy (Justin in TOS), duc of andover falls in love with Diana Beuleigh (jennifer), but is unsuccessful in winning her heart which is already lost to jack.

In an attempt to force her hand, he kidnaps her from under Jack’s(lover of Diana, merrivale in TOS) nose.This gives a likely explanation for the unspoken understanding between jenny and Avon in TOS. He knows he has lost her to jack/merrivale, but not until he meets the titian hair beauty(leonie) that he realizes he is not entirely vanished in fate. I especially like Heyer's concern in setting up Tracy in some way or another so that victory appears on both sides. By bringing Leonie, she has brought life not only to tracy/avon but also to those who deeply felt for Tracy's ill fortune (like I did).

TOS is one of my evergreen favorites as no one but Heyer could cook up a story as sweet and exciting as this.

Devil's Cub

2010-02-22T22:21:00.000-06:00

A young nobleman sprawls nonchalantly inside his coach, despite the dangerously fast pace at which it is traveling. When highwaymen hold up the coach, his demeanor does not change. Without a second thought, he pulls the trigger of the small pistol in his pocket, blowing a hole through both his coat and an unfortunate robber's head. In a bored voice, he commands his coachman to drive on, leaving the body in the road.

With this opening scene, Georgette Heyer tells the reader all they need to know of Dominic Alastair, Marquis of Vidal. He is cold-blooded, reckless and quite dangerous. However, the frivolous beauty Sophia Challoner and her greedy mother do not recognize this. Both imagine Sophia can behave scandalously with the marquis and eventually force him to propose marriage.

Only Mary, Sophia's sensible sister, recognizes who would come out the worse from such an encounter. When she intercepts Vidal's note instructing Sophia to meet him late one night so they can run away together, Mary decides to disguise herself and take her sister's place. She imagines the marquis will let her return home once he discovers the deception and will think twice about approaching Sophia again.

What Mary does not realize is Vidal has been sent into exile by his father after nearly killing a man in a duel. Vidal intends to go to Paris, where he plans to make Sophia his mistress. When he finds Mary in his coach, he imagines she has the same loose morals as her sister and forces her onto the boat instead.

So begins another delightful romp by the incomparable Ms. Heyer, featuring a deliciously tangled plot filled with romantic misunderstandings, in which true love wins out over all.

Vidal soon realizes the practical, resourceful Mary is no lightskirt but a lady of quality. Chagrined (for he does not make a habit of abducting virtuous women) he offers her marriage as a way of salvaging her reputation. To his shock, she refuses. He cannot help but grow intrigued by this unusual miss who seems to know just how to manage him. Before long, he's desperate to wed her, not out of duty, but for love.

Mary, meanwhile, resists Vidal at every turn despite her growing affection for him. She believes the marquis's family will never accept a lowly gentleman's granddaughter as a spouse for their son. While staying in Paris with Vidal's cousin, Juliana, Mary becomes involved in the relationship between the flighty girl and her sober, correct suitor, Mr. Comyn. The different romantic plotlines become hopelessly entangled, and Heyer once again shows how deftly she can get her characters into trouble, then get them out again.

Yes, Heyer charmed me with another witty, wonderful tale. I wasn't sure she would be able to redeem the marquis, who if anything was even more wicked than his father, the Duke of Avon (introduced in These Old Shades). But by subtle degrees, she showed he did, indeed, have a heart. I greatly enjoyed becoming reacquainted with several characters who played key roles in These Old Shades, including the Duke of Avon, still head-over-heels for his lovable wife, the Duke's mischievous brother, Rupert, and of course, the irrepressible Leonie, Duchess of Avon.

My grade: A.

False Colours

2010-02-22T03:09:00.000-06:00

Due to the extravagancies of the mother, one of the rakish twins disappears with an engagement ahead and the other twin has to masquerade for the sake of avoiding any scandal. Their uncle has set a condition that if Evelyn gets married, he can come by his inheritance and manage business. This leaves Christopher fancot, the smart diplomat to impersonate his brother at the party given by Cressida stavely. However relieved kit felt, the arrival of Cressida’s grandmother flusters him. Without any idea,Kit falls deeply in love with Cressida and makes known his intentions. the smooth sail faces distortion when Evelyn reappears with a sling and an infatuation. In the meantime, their mother submerged to the neck in debts consents to marry her longtime lover, the rich baron Bonamy. Cressida’s grandmother mortified by the deceit negates the alliance to kit. The insidious kit is left with the duty to contrive a plan to avoid any scandal.
I loved Cressida so much. She is very like jenny chawleigh in the Contract. Cressy is a dependable and a responsible preference for kit. The impersonation was the finest. The only defect in the writing was that of the puzzling climax. I was at loss to understand the climax.

Venetia

2010-02-15T08:01:00.002-06:00

"If poetry be the food for love” a passionate love between two contrasting estates of an affluent girl and that of a pauper prince. Amidst the honeyed phrases and the trickling dulcet, one loses oneself in a reverie redolent of happiness and pleasure.

Venetia is a dulcet strewn regency romance taking readers into the world of aria and canto, a gentle love blossoming between a simpleton and a poetical rake. Beautiful Venetia has known to a great extent less of the outer world. Her dress gets caught to the shrubbery only to be rescued by the estate’s handsome owner and when Damarel saves the invalid Aubrey, the acquaintance grows into gentle love growing more with every day. The improvised appearance of Conway’s wife deprives her of the powers that once she had, concomitantly divert her onto getting launched which her aunt benignly volunteers to proffer. Damarel resolute to comply with Venetia’s idea of marriage persuades her to venture forth into the city pleading on the grounds of his scandalous repute to besmirch her unsullied one.

Venetia finds city life disagreeable though the fashionable circles are a treat, her longing to be at the priory possesses her. Her spirits rises when she meets her mother after a long time and she explains of her predicament that deterred in her marrying Damarel. She leaves for the priory pursued by her uncle reasoning with her in vain the encumbrances of the proposed nuptial. Much to the displeasure of the family as they must unequivocally be, at the matrimonial options with a rake, the estranged lovers reunite in expectation of a protracted bliss ahead.

Venetia is special in every aspect pervading over an incomparable language. The love is insinuated softly into the theme. Unlike other Heyer leading ladies, Venetia is sensible, sweet and is not a whit hair brained. She is not one of those wide eyed water fountains ever plaguing, but a vivid and smart one.

Damarel and Venetia share their fame equally though Damarel’s part is the best. Conscious of Aurelia’s repute, he buries his love only to have Venetia contract a better marriage. Heyer has composed such an atypical novel. Damarel’s introduction begins with tales of his notoriety as a rake, but all the while he behaves like a scholarly gentleman of colossal wisdom and there could be no point at which he gives the impression of being deplorable. Heyer turns our attention towards liking Damarel where she transforms him into the one person any lady would die to possess for herself in the face of his past repute. Venetia is new-fangled as to its divergence from the usual plots.

It was a flow of aria, a trickle of poetry, a soft descend of romance that whispered Venetia is the chimera of a dream.

Book Review: The Masqueraders

2010-02-11T18:29:00.002-06:00

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer
Sourcebooks reissue, December 2009; originally published 1928
Product ISBN: 9781402219504
Price: $13.99
Review Copy provided by Sourcebooks
The Burton Review Rating:

Such a daring escape…

Their infamous adventurer father has taught Prudence Tremaine and her brother Robin to be masters of disguise. Ending up on the wrong side of the Jacobite rebellion, brother and sister flee to London, Prudence pretending to be a dashing young buck, and Robin a lovely young lady.

Could cost them both their hearts…
Then Prudence meets the elegant Sir Anthony Fanshawe, and Robin becomes the mysterious hero of the charming Letitia Grayson, and in order to have what they truly want, the two masqueraders must find a way to unmask themselves without losing their lives…

I must confess.. this novel took me awhile to endear itself to me. More than half of the book I was scratching my head trying to figure out the main POINT to the masquerading. A boy and a girl.. masquerading as opposite genders and I just couldn't fathom why. Sure, I knew the dad was in a heap of trouble.. they were in hiding.. and were used to this stuff and were having fun pulling the wool over every one's eyes. A Jacobite rebellion, they were on the wrong side, and needed to have other identities. But for some reason I had thought they were masquerading as each other, and that doesn't make much sense does it? And then a host of male characters coming and going and I just couldn't get my head wrapped around it. So then I google for reviews, and imagine my horror and astonishment that others are touting this as their favorite Heyer! What in goodness's name was WRONG with me?

Alas.. I happened upon this one single review and the light bulb goes off (thank you!). The background fills in, I understand and the picture of typical hilarious Heyer hijinx is revealed to me. I am so utterly thick sometimes I wonder where my brain is. Ok, so all of that behind of me.. where does this leave the book with me in the long run?

No, not another five star read.. how could it with that unfathomable beginning? But I am grateful that I did continue on, because the ambitiousness of this story is really imaginative. It is full of rough and tumble scenes, particularly with Prudence who is masquerading as a Mr. Peter Merriot, who is quick on her/his feet with a sword. Her brother, a sprightly little man called Robin, is masquerading as a Miss Kate Merriot is silly as he flirts with Prudence's admirer...then he goes even further incognito and becomes a man again but must wear a mask so that he is only known as the Black Domino.. So fun that people walked around with swords on their hips back in the day. Hence.. the aptitude for duels, and there are quite a few here. We also have incorrigible characters who are also card players, another fun past time of the day.. and then the romances are noteworthy of course, especially with the whole cross-gendering thing.

There are quite a few charming and fascinating themes in this story, with fun little inside-style type jokes that made me grin. I was charmed by the calling of their father "The Old Gentleman" (who is so totally completely over the top full of himself); and the romance interest of Prudence, Sir Anthony Fanshawe was affectionately known as "The Mountain" were silly names but so fitting; themes of blackmail saves the day once again..masqueraders that get in further and further with no hope of escaping suspicion.

The scrapes and twisting plots are really intriguing and reach a fun climax towards the end, and I am very glad to have continued through with this Georgian historical romance. I do understand where those slightly more intelligent than I have chosen this one as their favorite. So far, that is still Arabella for me. For those who are just beginning on their Georgette Heyer journey, I beg of you to not choose this one. There are 50 more of her works that will probably suck you in a lot more quicker than this one will, and who wants to start with one that could leave a bad taste in their mouth? Because I assure you, Heyer is certainly worth your time, and after you have about 7 or 8 under your belt you should be ready for the absolute ingenious quality of The Masqueraders.

See my other Georgette Heyer posts here or here.

The Masqueraders

2010-02-10T22:46:00.001-06:00

Cross-posted from Library Queue

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my fourth Georgette Heyer book and I seem to be enjoying them more and more. This one is definitely different from the other books I've read by her. This book isn't set in the Regency period, but rather earlier in the Georgian era. It is just after the 1745 Jacobite Rising (of which I ashamedly knew nothing about) when a brother and sister appear on the scene in London. They appear to be high society, but no one can say for sure who they are or where they come from.

The couple are in fact brother and sister. However, they are escaped Jacobites and they are also cross-dressers. They both fall in love while trying to keep their true identities secret to protect themselves. When their father comes to town acting as a viscount, even Prudence and Robin (AKA Peter and Kate Merriot) can't figure out what the truth is anymore.

The book has romance, mystery, comedy, duels and even a murder. I was heartily confused at the beginning of the book as the characters and their assumed identities are introduced. But once I figured out who was who, this was great fun.

The Black Moth

2010-02-09T17:44:00.000-06:00

This review is cross-posted from BookLust.

The Black Moth is Georgette Heyer's first novel, written while she was a teenager. She uses updated versions of some of the characters in her more popular novel These Old Shades (which is where the title These Old Shades comes from). In mid-1700s in England, an earl has passed away, and his eldest son must be found to impart the news. The son, Jack Carstares, however, was disgraced six years ago when he accepted blame that should have been his younger brother's for cheating at cards. After years abroad, John is now "working" as a highwayman in Surrey. His younger brother Richard has aged unnaturally since the cheating incident and is married to a temperamental beauty who is likely to bankrupt him and possibly leave him for another man.

And then there is the dangerous and enigmatic Duke of Andover (known as "the Devil") who is pulling all the strings (particularly those attached to the purse). He falls so deeply in love with the lovely young Diana Beauleigh that he attempts a kidnapping, only to be foiled by Jack Carstares. This sets off a chain of events that changes everyone's lives in dramatic (and thoroughly entertaining) ways until everyone is sorted out and settled to live happily ever after.

Though I have long been a Georgette Heyer fan, I never read The Black Moth because I don't like These Old Shades. Why read the precursor to a book I didn't enjoy? When Sourcebooks offered me this one to review, I accepted because I felt it was time I read Heyer's first book. I'm glad I did so for my own sake, but as I expected, The Black Moth is nowhere near my favorite Heyer novel.

Heyer writes very authentic to her period, littering her stories with slang and references to gentlemen's clubs and gardens that most modern readers would not understand. The Black Moth is no exception and the quirks of language (using "an" instead of "if," for example) can make it difficult to establish a reading rhythm. Also, there are very few characters in this novel with whom it is easy to sympathize. Jack and Diana are intelligent and funny and beautiful, and some of the minor characters are fun, too, but most of them were hard to like. And the plot is just so dramatic and swashbuckling that it was easy to believe Heyer wrote this book as a teen.

I appreciated this novel more for the insight it gave me into Heyer's writing than for the story itself. You can see glimpses of the style Heyer will evoke in all her novels here- the witty manservant, the bumbling inn keeper, the hero who appears to be a fashionable fop but is actually quite intelligent and sharp, the selfish and profligate beauty, the wicked but strangely attractive villain... it's all here!

Another aspect of Heyer's storytelling that I find fascinating is the psychological beliefs held at the time. For example, the Duke of Andover's whole family spends well beyond their means and has to beg, borrow and steal money from others to meet "debts of honor" (gambling debts). But they never seem to make any effort to improve themselves, instead blaming it on flaws in the family character and cheerfully continuing to pile on debt after debt. Heyer strongly believed that some people were born to be rich and some were born to be poor, or that some were born to be Gentlemen and some were born to be Commoners, and that never the two 'ere meet. It's interesting to see that at play even in her earliest novel.

So while I recommend Georgette Heyer's historicals and mysteries to anyone with a love for witty dialogue, light romance and an authentic setting, I would not recommend starting with The Black Moth. Rather, read some of her other works first and then come back to this one later to see where she started and how she developed. It's more fun that way because while the story is entertaining, it's not her best.

Note: Once again, I take issue with the Sourcebooks cover art. I have no idea who the two women on the cover are supposed to be, and I don't think they really pertain to the story at all. As far as I recall, there was never a scene with two ladies reading a letter.

I received this book for free to review.

These Old Shades

2010-01-17T23:49:00.000-06:00

Like The Masqueraders, Georgette Heyer's These Old Shades is another unabashedly romantic, exciting adventure story set in Georgian times, with one extra element. The novel is most importantly a tale of redemption. The hero, Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon, is an amoral, jaded, ruthless nobleman, proud of the nickname "Satanas" given him by polite society. But even this dangerous, dishonorable man has a flicker of goodness left in him, which shines forth when he falls in love despite himself.

Avon impulsively rescues a Paris street urchin from a life of poverty and abuse when he notes the youth's resemblance to the Comte de Saint Vire, his old enemy. Avon makes "Leon" his page, knowing all along "Leon" is really "Leonie," a young woman dressed as a boy. What's more, Leonie is the Comte's daughter. Desperate for a male heir, the Comte placed the infant girl in the care of a peasant couple and passed the couple's newborn son off as his own.

Nursing a grudge decades old, the Duke of Avon intends to use Leonie as an instrument of revenge against the Comte. He brings her to his English estate as his ward and charges a female cousin with teaching her to become a lady. Slowly, Avon's thoughts turn from his own revenge to restoring Leonie to her rightful place. The young woman's innocence, mischievousness and forthrightness awaken tender feelings in him, and her love for Avon as her rescuer makes him strive to be the man she believes him to be.

I was afraid at first Heyer would make Leonie too wide-eyed and adoring for my tastes, but she balanced those elements of her character nicely with stubbornness, hot-headedness and an ability to take action on her own behalf. (In one of my favorite scenes, Leonie backs Avon's brother into a corner with a fencing foil, enraged the young man called the Duke "Satanas" in front of her.) When Leonie's father, the Comte, tries to kidnap her, she proves more than capable of engineering her own rescue. The romance between her and Avon at times seems more of a parent-child relationship, but she is able to stand up to the Duke when she wants to and is sometimes wiser than him, despite their 20-year age difference. She is definitely a heroine who knows her own mind.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the story was seeing Avon's acquaintances and family members reacting to the change in "Satanas." Many of them had reason to mistrust or even hate the Duke, but they all became his allies in the end because they cared for Leonie. Avon finally revealed Leonie's parentage to the world in a tense, exciting scene, with the villainous Comte getting his just desserts.

I very much enjoyed this unusual romance and look forward to reading the sequel, Devil's Cub. My grade: A.

The Masqueraders

2010-01-04T11:07:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful way to begin a new year of reading - lost in the pages of yet another excellent novel by Georgette Heyer.The Masqueraders might just be my new favorite; it certainly equaled The Grand Sophy and Arabella. Luckily I had New Year's Day off; I could barely put down this Georgian-era, wildly romantic adventure story.

Prudence and her brother, Robin, have lived their lives at the center of their opportunistic father's wild plots and intrigues. Their involvement in the recent Jacobite rebellion has left Robin with a traitor's sentence hanging over his head, so they decide to hide in plain sight - mingling in London society, Robin disguised as a fetching, vivacious young woman, and Prudence as a dashing young man.

The siblings play their roles to perfection but inwardly begin to chafe at the masquerade, especially when both lose their hearts - Robin to the enchanting Letitia Grayson, and Prudence to Sir Anthony Fanshawe, a distinguished mountain of a man. Then their flamboyant father arrives in London to launch his most daring scheme yet - to claim the title and riches of a viscount. Will he succeed in making himself and his children respectable? Can Robin and Prue ever abandon their disguises and declare themselves to their true loves? Is this a Georgette Heyer novel?

The plot was deliciously convoluted, humorous and suspenseful, but once again, Heyer's wonderfully drawn characters charmed me the most. I adored Prue, who played the part of a courageous young man with such wit and resourcefulness, but retained a womanly desire for a lover to cherish her, and even to take care of her. I also loved how her brother Robin threw himself so unreservedly into a woman's role, even while inwardly itching to cast aside his petticoats in favor of a sword or pistol.

The siblings' adventurer father was an absolute scream: a man of unshakable confidence and breathtaking audacity who puffed himself up like a peacock and proclaimed his genius to anyone who would listen. (And, darn it, the way he brought his intrigues to a successful conclusion made at least some of that bragging justified!) My favorite character, though, was the seemingly indolent Sir Anthony, an endlessly fascinating man with a sharper eye and quicker wit than anyone suspected and with the capacity, beneath his respectable surface, to throw himself headlong into danger for love's sake. He and Prue were well matched, indeed, and I will admit, their romance set my heart all aflutter. Sigh.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T20:27:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you're still having fun with the challenge! I know that I am! How many Heyer novels have you read so far? Do you have a favorite so far? Are there any you're hoping to get to in the next year?

Envious Casca

2009-12-28T15:49:00.000-06:00

Title: Envious Casca

Author: Georgette Heyer

First Published in 1941

Favorite Line: He was like a clumsy, well-meaning St Bernard puppy, dropped amongst a set of people who were not fond of dogs.

This review is crossposted from BookLust.

Plot Summary:

A Christmas house party is arranged at a wealthy old bachelor's house against his wishes. Present are his brother and sister-in-law, his nephew and niece, a playwright, a ditzy beauty, a kind Plain Jane and a business partner. These personalities collide, however, and the house party is more explosive than congenial. Then the host is found dead in a locked room, and suddenly, everyone is a suspect. Inspector Hemingway must sort through the lies and the politics to determine who killed the wealthy host. And what does The Life of the Empress Catherine have to do with everything?

When I am not sure what I want to read next, I always turn to Georgette Heyer because I know I'll settle in quite easily with her books. I never feel restless reading her. I know I'm always in for a good story. And as this one takes place during Christmas, it seemed the ideal time to sit down with it!

I read almost all Heyer's historicals (though for some reason, I just can't bring myself to read Cousin Kate or any of the older-than-Georgian era ones) when I was in high school and early in college, all in a big blitz. But I've collected her mysteries more slowly over time, and I've really enjoyed taking my time getting through them. Heyer wrote some historical mysteries, but most are set in the England contemporary for her time- usually between WWI and WWII. And, as Heyer was nothing if not a product of her time, they tend to have a great many subtle hints about the class system, money and Modern Times. Much as I love Heyer's work, I know deep down that she was probably a fairly haughty woman who believed in a class system. I also know that she looked down on fans of her work. Oh, well!

For some reason, the characters that populate Heyer's contemporary mysteries are not nearly as easy to empathize with as those in her historical novels. The mysteries are usually populated with rude and unkind people, most of whom dislike each other and the person who was killed. I don't know why this is the case, and I'll spare you all my psychological theories :-) However, even with generally unlikable characters, Georgette Heyer can write a very good story.

This one is no exception. Even though most of the characters were unlikable, their conversations were hilarious. There were so many snide remarks, so many one-off insults and so many ridiculously funny situations that it was impossible not to giggle. And the mystery, too, really caught my interest. Though I had an idea of who committed the crime early on in the novel (which is saying a lot, as I never know those things), it was very interesting to see how it happened.

One aspect of Heyer's contemporary mysteries that I dislike somewhat is her tendency to pair off people romantically towards the end. The romance in this one you can see coming probably from very early on, so no spoilers. But it upsets me when a man, for the entire course of a novel, is rude and sometimes downright cruel to people (regardless of whether it's justified or not) and then suddenly realizes he is in love with the nice, plain girl. And the nice, plain girl decides he's the man for her. I mean, really! Is he going to act differently after marriage? Why does he deserve such a nice person? I hate when that happens, and it happens so often in books.

Ok, off that soap box.

That's my last review for the year, so hope you all had a merry Christmas and best wishes in the new year!

Devil's Cub

2009-12-28T12:05:00.000-06:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1932/2009. Devil's Cub. Sourcebooks. 310 pages.

There was only one occupant of the coach, a gentleman who sprawled very much at his ease, with his legs stretched out before him, and his hands dug deep in the capacious pockets of his greatcoat.

Every Heyer book is packed with potential--with promise. Will it be the one to become my new favorite and best? Can it top the previous Heyer novels I've read? Because just when I think I've found the perfect Heyer, the one that just has to be the best one ever, I find myself falling for another hero, charmed by another great couple, or hooked by another adventure or drama.

Devil's Cub is a sequel to These Old Shades. That giddy-making couple of Justin and Leonie have an all-too-grown-up son, Dominic (aka Vidal). And boy does he have a way of getting into trouble. (Some might say he takes after his dear old dad--back before his marriage calmed him down. Though Leonie fears he takes after her--after her side of the family.) After his latest scandal, his father decides it would be best for him to leave England, to spend some time in Europe. His mother would like to see him settled down, married to a girl who can calm him down and keep him safe and happy. (If he's happily married then surely he won't be getting into so many duels. After all, he's mostly fighting men over women.)

But Vidal doesn't head to France (to Paris) alone. He plans on taking Sophia Challoner along with him. To set her up as his mistress. (Tis done there, he assures her.) He sends a letter, a note, telling her where and when to meet him. She doesn't get the note. It's intercepted by her older sister, Mary. (In poor Mary's defense, it is addressed to "Miss Challoner.) How can one sister save the other? Well, for better or worse, Mary decides to go disguised in her place. Granted, she doesn't know the destination (Paris). She thinks she'll be able (easily) to return home after her true identity is discovered. But what she doesn't know about Vidal could fill a book.

How will he react to this trick? Can Mary hold her own?

I love, love, loved this book. Granted, I didn't love everything about this one. There is one scene in particular that I didn't care for at all. (One scene that made me very uncomfortable--SPOILER--a scene where Vidal wants to show his strength to Mary--pointing out how easy it would be for him to do her harm.) But for the most part, I really enjoyed this one. It wasn't so much Mary-and-Dominic that I loved so much as the whole package. All the characters (about half of these were carried over from These Old Shades) that make this one work really well. I loved how everything came together at the end. It was oh-so-satisfying.

I mentioned that These Old Shades is my mom's favorite book. Well, I think Devil's Cub might end up being mine. At least for now.

These Old Shades

2009-12-25T16:52:00.000-06:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1926. These Old Shades. HQN. 334 pages.

A gentleman was strolling down a side street in Paris, on his way back from the house of one Madame de Verchoureux.

My mom's favorite Heyer. I've spent most of my life--well, my adult life--hearing about how wonderful Georgette Heyer is. How These Old Shades is the Best Book Ever. So I was excited to get a chance to read this one. To find time to squeeze it in this busy holiday season. What is it about? And did it live up to my expectations?

These Old Shades is historical romance. (This is not a Regency romance, however, for those who think of Heyer as only a writer for that period.) It stars a bad boy-in-need-of-reforming named Justin Alastair (His Grace of Avon). When our hero first meets the will-be-heroine, she is dressed as a he. Leonie has been living as Leon for several years--since she was twelve or so. He buys her. She becomes his page. And oh-how-she-loves him, idolizes him as her rescuer, her savior. But he--at first--is thinking only of revenge, of payback, of finally getting "justice" on a wrong several decades old. When will his thoughts turn to love...well...you'll have to read this one yourself and see how this romance (deliciously) develops.

It is a fun little book. A completely satisfying and giddy-making romance. So did it live up to my expectations? Mostly. I can't say it's my favorite Georgette Heyer. I've read so many this past year--so many that just felt oh-so-right and oh-so-fun. But I am glad I read it. I am glad I get to share my thoughts with my mom. I *do* think this would be a fun novel to start off with. To introduce someone to Georgette Heyer. I think it is one of her best. One of the more accessible ones as well.

Arabella

2009-12-20T16:50:00.000-06:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1949/2009. Arabella. Sourcebooks. 312 pages.

The schoolroom in the parsonage at Heythram was not a large apartment, but on a bleak January day, in a household where the consumption of coals was a consideration, this was not felt by its occupants to be a disadvantage.

Arabella Tallant, a young country girl, has been invited by her godmother to London. She's to have her season, an unexpected surprise, in a way, though much hoped for. Her parents--especially her mother--hope she will find a husband during this season--since it will likely be her one and only season in town. Arabella wishes this as well. She's not wanting a magnificently wealthy husband or a titled husband.

When Arabella has an accidental encounter with a well-dressed stranger, well, her temper gets the best of her. And she declares herself to be fabulously wealthy. Before she knows it, everyone in town has heard the news. Arabella is quite an heiress! And she's become the town's new It girl. Everyone simply loves adoring her, making much of her. But can Arabella find a husband who will love her for who she really is?

Arabella is a very likable character. She's spirited and opinionated. And the man who's 'destined' to win her heart is quite nice as well!

I enjoyed spending time in this one! Yes, it's a bit formulaic in places. But I almost always enjoy the books anyway. There is just something comforting, satisfying, and happy-making about them. Most Heyer books feel like good friends.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Devil's Cub

2009-12-13T17:08:00.001-06:00

Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
Product ISBN: 9781402219535
Historical Romance
Reissued by Sourcebooks, originally issued in 1932
Publication Date: November 2009
Review Copy from the publisher
The Burton Review Rating:
See my other Heyer reviews

Synopsis:

Devil's Cub is one of Georgette Heyer's most famous and memorable novels, featuring a dashing and wild young nobleman and the gently bred young lady in whom he finally meets his match…
Like father, like son…
Dominic Alistair, Marquis of Vidal and fiery son of the notorious Duke of Avon, has established a rakish reputation that rivals his father's, living a life of excess and indulgence. Banished to the Continent after wounding his opponent in a duel, Vidal schemes to abduct the silly aristocrat bent on seducing him into marriage and make her his mistress instead. In his rush, however, he seems to have taken the wrong woman…
A young lady of remarkable fortitude…
Determined to save her sister from ruin, virtuous Mary Challoner intercepts the Marquis's advances and throws herself into his path, hoping Vidal will release her upon realizing his error. But as the two become irrevocably entangled, Mary's reputation and future lie in the hands of a devilish rake, who finds her more fascinating every day…

Hooray for another fun-tabulous Georgette Heyer novel! This one is more Georgian than the typical Regency novels she wrote, but reads just as well. In Heyer's Devil's Cub, she brings to life the Lord Vidal, otherwise known as Dominic, who is yet another dashingly irresistible debonair gentleman that every blushing beauty would like to get her hands on. Some he happily obliges, but then he promptly walks away. This time, in typical Heyer tragical comedic fashion, Mary attempts to save her naive sister Sophia from Lord Vidal but in doing so, Mary threatens to ruin her own chances at a respectable future.

This is the second in the series of the Alastair trilogy (Heyer really liked these characters); the first book of the series, These Old Shades (1926), perhaps in fitting Heyer comedic fashion, arrived 26 hours too late at my doorstep, forcing me to read this series out of order. Once I had gotten thirty pages into Devil's Cub, the arrival of These Old Shades wasn't enough to deter me from this one. Let me stop right here and pronounce the fact that I am a Georgette Heyer fan (possibly upgradeable to junkie status). She is devilishly clever in her stories, and she makes me laugh (oh.. all right, except for once). I love the way she can take the same sense of a plot and make each of her books new and clever, illustrating how she expertly develops her characters. (I say this because the plot in The Convenient Marriage resembles this one somewhat.) Yet, Devil's Cub was no exception to Heyer's ability to breathe laughter and life into age old plots. For some reason in all the regency novels I've read, there is always the pressing need to find an eligible bachelor for the young girl who needs to get out of her mama's house.

(an older cover version shown here)

I couldn't make up my mind, though, if I should loathe or love Vidal. Oddly enough, our heroine had the same conundrum. 'Strait-laced' Mary knew what type of man he was, but of course that glitter in his eye made Mary wonder if there were more to him than just charm and arrogance. But I was getting a little unnerved at the fact that every time a pistol was near Vidal it invariably would go off. Murderer! (Dueling was still the rage then). Or, was he and his pistol always in the wrong place at the wrong time? And it is just this occasion that sends Vidal packing to Paris, fleeing England, but unbeknownst to him, he is bringing along Mary and not the silly Sophia. And hoity-toity Vidal gets his comeuppance and is shot by none other than Mary herself!!!

The melodramatics continue when all of the main characters and their family members collide in Dijon, where Mary consented to marry a Mr. Comyn as opposed to Lord Vidal, and more misunderstandings occur when the mom and dad (who are featured in These Old Shades) get into the middle of it. (Funny little side note was that the parson in Dijon that they were counting on doing the marrying would not do it for them anyway).

There were quite a lot of supporting characters in this one and many cousins and uncles for which I getting ready to draw a genealogical chart if one more relation was mentioned. I was getting confused! But that didn't detract from the hilarious adventures and the witty dialogue that is seemingly typical Heyer traits. I loved this one, and can't wait for my next Heyer romp.

Not wanting to give the rest of the plot away, and there is indeed a lot more that could be said, I'll simply say that was another win for Georgette Heyer.. she is my go-to-gal when I need a pick-me-up and I am so happy to report that this one did just that. The sequel to Devil's Cub is An Infamous Army.

If you are lucky, maybe you can find These Old Shades, Devil's Cub, and An Infamous Army in the 2006 omnibus shown here:

Review: Arabella

2009-11-10T11:27:00.002-06:00

Arabella by Georgette Heyer
Product ISBN: 9781402219467
Price: $13.99
BookDepository has this for $9.99 FREE SHIPPING
Sourcebooks Publication Date: August 2009
The Burton Review Rating:

Synopsis:

"One Little White Lie . . .Armed with beauty, virtue and a benevolent godmother, the impetuous but impoverished Arabella Tallant embarked on her first London season with her mother's wish in mind: snare a rich husband. But when fate cast her in the path of arrogant, socially prominent Robert Beaumaris, who accused her of being another petty female after his wealth, the proud, headstrong ingenue made a most startling claim -- she was an heiress! Suddenly Arabella found herself the talk of the ton and pursued by every amorous fortune hunter in London. But would her deceitful charade destroy her one chance for true love . . . ? "
Georgette Heyer is a prolific writer of Regency fiction, writing both romances and mysteries with some historical novels also thrown in. Out of the few Regency style novels of Heyer's that I have read so far, Arabella is my absolute favorite. I was completely wrapped up in the story from the very beginning as I was sucked in by Heyer's seemingly unending witty and charming writing style. I feel like I read this book at the most opportune time for me where I needed a light-hearted but not silly and redundant romance. The story of Arabella was a charm in itself that I would be happy to re-read it in the future.

The main protagonist is Arabella who is the eldest daughter among a merchant family and is sent off to London to her godmother to be put out on the town for all the socialites to see. The goal is for Arabella to make a suitably wealthy marriage match which would in turn open doors for the rest of her siblings. Quite to the contrary, Arabella disturbs these chances when she meets the most eligible bachelor in town, Mr. Robert Beaumaris, the epitome of the male fashion in England. Not having a clue as to who he is or what his status is as the veritable nonpareil, the rookie Arabella is provoked into telling a silly white lie that she herself is a wealthy heiress.. and the Heyer madness begins!

Robert of course is intrigued by Arabella's innocent nature and is not fooled for a moment by her little charade, but indeed helps to spin it into web that is quickly out of control of Arabella's naive hands. Her aunt has no idea why so many bachelors have thus come to court Arabella, and it is quickly apparent that everyone in town believes Arabella to be the wealthy heiress that she is definitely not.

One of the endearing scenes features Arabella taking pity on a young chimney sweep who was being misused by old Grimsby. The moment Arabella meets the boy she cleans him up and foists him on Robert to give him a proper life, much to the chagrin of Robert's friend, Fleetwood:

'It ain't that I'm a coward!' protested his lordship. 'But we shall have all the fools in London staring after us! I can't think what's come over you, Robert! You're never going to keep this brat in Mount Street! If it leaks out, and it's bound to, I suppose you know everyone will think it's a by-blow of yours?'
'The possibility had crossed my mind,' agreed Mr Beaumaris. 'I am sure I ought not to let it weigh with me: Miss Tallant certainly would not.'
'Well, damn it, I think that prosy fool, Bridlington, was right for once in his life! You've gone stark, staring mad!'
'Very true, I have known it this half-hour and more.'
Lord Fleetwood looked at him in some concern. 'you know, Robert, if you're not careful you'll find yourself walking to the altar before you're much older!' he said.
'No, she has the poorest opinion of me,' replied Mr Beaumaris. 'I perceive that my next step must be to pursue the individual known to us as "ole Grimsby".'

The most charming part about this story is Arabella's kind nature. She is sweet, kind to animals (and chimney sweepers), and absolutely hilarious when dealing with Robert Beaumaris. Her brother Bertram is a fine chap as well who also goes to London and gets himself into major gambling scrapes. Poor Bertram and Arabella each have their own potentially disastrous secrets and as expected, Beaumaris comes to the rescue in the end, but he lets them each suffer long enough to wreak havoc on their personal lives.

Heyer's writing is superb in this one, I breezed through this read with ease, and was so sad to be done with the story. The characterizations of Arabella's family, friends and the London scenes made me want to transport myself back in time, although I certainly would want to distance myself from some of the fortune hunters that we meet in Arabella's story. I would not hesitate to recommend this novel to Regency enthusiasts, Austen fans, romance readers and, of course, Heyer fans. I have many more Heyer reads to go, but I wonder if they could hold a candle to this one, I was laughing out loud during some of the adventures of Arabella. Her sympathy for others was a delight to behold, for both the reader and for Robert Beaumaris, although Robert was caught up in her sympathies more often than he intended. He was quite the knight in shining armor but not so much that we despised the characterization. This is easily one of my absolute favorite reads of 2009.

See my other Georgette Heyer related posts here. (At Burton Book Review)
This is how much I ADORED ARABELLA:

Arabella

2009-11-04T20:19:00.000-06:00

Arabella by Georgette Heyer

Arabella is one of nine children, the daughter of a country vicar in rural Yorkshire. While she is certainly well-bred, she has virtually no money to her name. Her mother sends her to London to live with her godmother in the hopes that her beautiful face will capture the fancy of a wealthy bachelor who can help set Arabella and her sisters up for the rest of their lives. But Arabella's impulsive and impetuous nature, coupled with her naivete, put her in a predicament that makes her wonder whether she will ever find the right man to marry.

This Regency romance novel had humor in spades. Arabella's antics cracked me up. I also got really excited about the romance in this book. Not because I didn't know who Arabella was going to end up with. But the WAY that she ended up with him was really clever. This book has some unexpected plot twists that kept me enchanted with the story. And while the beginning of the novel went on for far too long for my taste, this is probably my favorite Heyer yet.

Cross-posted from Library Queue.

Footsteps in the Dark

2009-09-20T22:32:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone! This is my first post on the Georgette Heyer Challenge blog, and I'm so happy to be here :-) I adore Heyer. I once wrote a post on Historical Tapestry gushing about her, and I continuously gush about her on my blog, too. And comment on other people's blogs when they read her. So I was so thrilled to find this blog and to review on it as well! I'll just post the Heyers I've reviewed on my blog on here, first, and then maybe my favorites... and if I read new-to-me ones, I'll get those up as well. Thanks a lot, Felicia, for setting this up. It is an excellent idea.

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Favorite Line: "A remark more calculated to provoke a peaceful man to homicide I've never yet heard."

It's funny sometimes, how books packed with so much excitement and memorable characters can just sit placidly on your shelf, waiting to be read. Footsteps in the Dark is a thriller mystery of the first order, complete with secret passageways, priest holes, skeletons and a cowled monk. Of all Heyer's historicals, it reminds me most of The Reluctant Widow (one of my favorites!) with its full cast of characters, most of whom are related to each other. The book is full of hilarious one-liners and wonderful character interplay, Heyer's trademark. I find in books like this that I get so wrapped up in the chemistry between characters that the plot becomes secondary. It's unfortunate that character interaction is so hard to review, really, since it is such an integral part of books. In Footsteps in the Dark, the characters (Charles in particular, playing against Peter) all deal splendidly together, and the book is a great romp because of it.

I don't know if the plot itself is very tight, mystery-wise. I am never the sort of reader who tries to figure out the whodunnit before getting to the end of the novel, so I don't keep an eye peeled for clues and red herrings the way that many readers do. I think, in a rural setting, though, there are only so many people who can be the "bad guy," so it isn't too difficult to determine who it will be. This didn't bother me in the least, though, because Heyer's writing is just so hilarious in this book. She has such a knack for witty banter. Though, a slight annoyance in this story was that her clear derision for the police once more shines through. She seems to have had major issues with law enforcement- she doesn't seem to have found them very effectual in her dealings, I guess! But overall, a fun and entertaining read.

The Grand Sophy

2009-09-19T00:51:00.000-05:00

I am so glad all the hype totally paid off! An absolute delight of a book even though I had quite an interrupted read, by far the longest I've ever taken to finish a Heyer. But Sophy was such a scream and I loved how infuriated Charles was by her. And oh the ducklings and possibly one of the best declarations of love in all the Heyer novels. So very good and satisfying. I'm so glad I kept it for the last.

Mind you, one thing though. The anti-Semitism was bloody awful! I'd been noticing it over all the novels --- the scornful labels of 'Jews' as synonymous with vulture moneylenders --- but was excusing it with a nervous laugh of "haha, it's Heyer doing verisimilitude, it's not her fault, she's not being anti-Semitic, she's just writing people of a certain time and place ... haha haha." But this one just went full force and I pretty much did a Colon trying to climb into his own helmet sort of thing. *Pratchett reference, sorry*

Not only was this the first time we actually met one of these 'Jew' moneylenders but he was characterised as a complete villain and maybe even a cariacature, and the fact that Sophy pulled a gun on him made me go "oh hey now, hold on there, Heyer!" Urgh. It got me wondering whether it wasn't so much a case of Heyer writing people of a certain time and place as a case of Heyer herself being a person of a certain time and place. Ack. My Heyer has clay feet.

But that aside, awesome awesome awesome novel.

April Lady

2009-09-18T19:53:00.000-05:00

This is the last of the older Georgette Heyer reviews I wrote for my blog. From now on, reviews I post will be for books I've just finished.

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At the heart of April Lady lies a cautionary tale about how suspicion and resentment can grow when spouses do not communicate with one another. However, there was nothing preachy about this enjoyable novel, told with Georgette Heyer's customary wit.

Nell is a 19-year-old bride, madly in love with her husband, Lord Cardross. She fears, however, that this worldly, much older gentleman married her only because he needed a wife and found Nell more amiable than other ladies of the ton. She cannot forget her mother's admonitions not to hang on Giles and to look the other way should he take a mistress. So she holds him at arm's length ...

Giles is head-over-heels in love with Nell but suspects she only married him for his vast fortune. After all, he brought the dibs into tune again for her impoverished father and brother (i.e. got them out of debt). His suspicions grow after Nell overspends her quarterly allowance and seems to be concealing something from him. So he holds her at arm's length ...

Nell finds herself in debt partly because she lent her brother Dysart, a chronic gambler, 300 pounds, something which her husband had asked her not to do. She believes Giles has settled all of her bills, but she forgets one tucked at the back of a drawer: 300 pounds for a lavish court dress. Ashamed and fearful of Giles's reaction, she asks her brother to raise the money for her. Of course, complications ensue.

The reader is aware all along Giles would forgive his bride if only she told him the whole truth. But she is young, lacks confidence and is terrified of losing any affection he may hold for her. Nell could have been a tiresome character, but in Heyer's hands I found myself rooting for her. Toward the end of the novel, she finds her confidence and strength, which was a joy to see.

Two subplots concern Letty, Giles's flighty, naive half-sister, who is determined to marry a young man of no fortune and position, and Dysart, a well-meaning rouge who has fallen into bad company. Heyer deftly resolved these plot threads with a great deal of sparkling humor. Dysart, in fact, helps Nell out of her difficulties in ways she never expected.

Once again, Heyer's characterizations were one of the best things about the novel. Even when the characters exasperated me, I sympathized with them. They were all likable despite their many flaws. Heyer's characters are so vivid, they seem to live on after I have reached the final page.

My favorite minor character was a cousin of Letty's who helped her and her beau meet and make plans behind Giles's back. The cousin, Selina, imagined herself as the heroine of a Gothic novel, complete with melodramatic dialogue. Her scenes were laugh-out-loud funny (even my husband thought so when I read one aloud to him.)

Arabella

2009-09-15T22:05:00.000-05:00

It’s official: I love Georgette Heyer. I just finished another of her Regency romances, Arabella, and was once again enchanted by her lovingly drawn characters, witty and entertaining plots, brilliant dialogue and painstaking depictions of Regency life. I even enjoyed getting on the computer every couple of chapters to look up Heyer's many colorful, often baffling, Regency expressions (although I grumbled good-naturedly to my husband about it.)

Heyer’s Cinderella story concerns the London debut of Arabella, the beautiful daughter of a Yorkshire vicar of modest means. Arabella’s titled godmother has agreed to sponsor her during the Season, and if Arabella can attract a proposal from a well-to-do bachelor, she might be able to give her seven siblings a more comfortable start in life. I could not help loving Arabella from the very first chapter. She was just so ADORABLE, with her naivety, lack of town polish and habit of getting herself into scrapes whenever her anger was aroused.

Arabella’s carriage breaks down en route to London outside of a hunting lodge belonging to Mr. Beaumaris, the “Nonpareil,” as he is known in society circles. Mr. Beaumaris is the man everyone in London imitates (he starts a dandelion craze when he wears one in his buttonhole for three days straight.) He is THE arbiter of fashion and good taste, able to launch a debutante into a brilliant Season simply by smiling at her, or to make her a wallflower if he turns his back. He is also fabulously wealthy, quite jaded and very, very bored.

When Arabella overhears Mr. Beaumaris speculating she is another scheming girl after him for his wealth, she invents a wild story (with the help of too many glasses of champagne) that she is herself a great heiress and thus uninterested in his fortune. When she arrives in London, she finds to her dismay the story has spread, and she must fight off fortune-hunting suitors of her own. Simultaneously, Mr. Beaumaris decides to amuse himself by paying a great deal of attention to Arabella, thus making her the toast of the town.

But as he gets to know this innocent, charming girl from the country, Mr. Beaumaris is surprised to find himself falling for Arabella. He is utterly enchanted by her refreshing honesty, her strong character and her determination to do what she knows is right, no matter what society might think. Before long, he is going to any lengths to win her esteem: for example, taking in and finding a trade for an ill-favored chimney sweep’s apprentice whom Arabella rescues from an abusive master. (Her incandescent rage when she confronts the cruel sweep and frightens him into giving up the boy is a joy to behold.)

One of the great delights of this novel was experiencing Mr. Beaumaris’s transformation from a complete cynic into a man in love, traced humorously through monologues directed at his dog, Ulysses (another charity case Arabella foists on him). The scenes between the dignified Mr. Beaumaris and the scruffy mutt were some of the best in the novel.

Arabella, meanwhile, develops her own feelings for Mr. Beaumaris, enjoying his company much more than that of any of her tiresomely persistent suitors. But how can his attention to her be any more to him than a diverting game? And how can she ever confess to him she is not rich at all? Arabella’s brother Bertram becomes the means toward solving her problems when he visits London with well-heeled friends and spends as if he too were affluent, and Arabella must devise a scheme to keep him out of debtor’s prison.

Arabella was a very satisfying read that made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. I wish Heyer had written a sequel, as I would love to see other adventures befall these delightful characters. I can’t think of any higher praise I could give to a novel.

Charity Girl

2009-09-12T10:44:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed The Grand Sophy so much, I had to try another novel by Georgette Heyer. Charity Girl, the story of a penniless orphan and her would-be rescuer, did not disappoint. It wasn't as good as The Grand Sophy but was still an enjoyable read, populated by idiosyncratic characters and filled with tantalizing details about Regency life.

It's to Heyer's credit she managed to take a formulaic premise for a novel and make something out of it, while springing a few surprises on the reader along the way.

Viscount Ashley Desford, known as a man-about-town but who has kind intentions and a good heart, encounters Charity (Cherry) Steane on the road to London. Cherry is running away from her cruel aunt and cousins, who have treated her as a drudge. She hopes her irascible grandfather will have pity on her and give her a home long enough for her to find some way to earn her own keep.

Ashley gives the young woman a ride to London, but when they find her grandfather has left town, all sorts of comic complications arise. Ashley must decide how to give Cherry some sort of respectable future while guarding her reputation, and his own, from gossip, as their unchaperoned journey has given rise to rumors he has less than honorable intentions toward her. Adding to his troubles is the fact that Cherry is the daughter of a disreputable man treated as a pariah by those in high society.

While Ashley searches for Cherry's grandfather, he leaves Cherry in the care of his dearest friend, Henrietta Silverdale. Henrietta's hypochondriac mother and a pair of jealous servants bring new dilemmas to Cherry and Ashley's lives. Everything comes to a head when Cherry's father, thought dead, re-enters her life with schemes to wring money or a marriage proposal out of Ashley. But all ends well, of course, with two characters discovering a long-delayed happily-ever-after.
Heyer has a gift for creating engaging, believable characters whose voices I can hear while I read and who make me chuckle with their all-too-human foibles. Her light, engaging prose carries me easily through her stories and into a bygone world of handsome gentlemen, fashionable ladies and genteel manners.

I just wish I had some sort of Regency glossary to consult while I read. Charity Girl was peppered with period slang I could only sometimes decipher from context. It was especially frustrating during conversations between young, single gentlemen speaking of their amorous adventures. I felt like a child listening in on an adult conversation I could only half understand!

Sprig Muslin

2009-09-11T21:18:00.000-05:00

I liked Sprig Muslin far better than Charity Girl and Lady Of Quality even though it featured the same trope of hero rescuing young pretty thing and then foisting her upon the goodwill of his heroine.

This one featured a young pretty thing I rather liked cos she had all the will and character and way more intelligence the others lacked. She was quite hilariously determined and even more so when we finally meet the guy she's so determined to reach. Bloody awesome twist of characterisation. Not to mention the instantly obvious fact that our heroine could learn some of that defiance while the pretty young thing could learn some meekness in return.

And just when it looked like our heroine had been taken out of the narrative, Heyer deftly brought her back in a hurt/comfort context and I cheered. Damned satisfying resolution both in terms of romance as well as hysterical awesomeness.

The Grand Sophy

2009-09-10T22:43:00.000-05:00

Hello, I'm Felicia, and I looooove Georgette Heyer! I read my first Heyer, The Grand Sophy, last December and have not looked back. I will be sharing my reviews of Heyer novels here. So far, I have enjoyed every one I have read.

In the next several days, I'll be posting the Heyer reviews I've already written for my own blog, Scaling Mount TBR. I'll start with The Grand Sophy.

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Georgette Heyer's Regency romance, The Grand Sophy, a novel bubbling over with mirth, was just what I needed to shake me out of my recent reading doldrums. I thoroughly enjoyed the hours I spent in the company of the irrepressible heroine, Sophy Stanton-Lacy, and her relatives and acquaintances.

I had never before read a Heyer novel, as I typically shy away from anything labeled a "romance." (This one even had the Harlequin logo on the cover!) But after seeing glowing reviews of her novels posted at Historical Tapestry and other blogs, I decided to give her a try, and I'm so glad I did! Her prose was witty and sparkling, her plot deftly spun and her characters mostly endearing. (Those who were not at least made me chuckle!)

A pall of gloom has settled over the Ombersley household. Charles Rivenhall, the eldest son, has used a large inheritance to bring his family from the brink of financial ruin (caused by his father's gambling debts). Consumed with worry over the future of his siblings, he has become joyless and humorless and - worse - has gotten himself engaged to Miss Eugenia Wraxton, an intolerably prim and proper young lady who never hesitates to let others know of her breeding and virtue.

As if that weren't enough, Charles's sister, Cecilia, is infatuated with a handsome poet who writes very bad verse and is a dead bore, to boot. Her romantic notions have blinded her to the virtues of a much worthier man who not only has money and position, but truly loves her. And younger son, Hubert, has gotten himself into financial trouble, which he naively hopes to rectify by betting on horses.

Into this mess storms cousin Sophy, with her unconventional forthrightness, boundless energy and determination to set everything to rights. Arriving for an extended stay after her father goes to Brazil on a diplomatic mission, Sophy immediately takes the measure of each family member. She has a kind heart, a keen intelligence and a gift for manipulation, and she uses these traits to nudge her relatives toward what she knows will make them happy (even if they have not realized it themselves). Charles is offended by her unconventional ways and frequently clashes with her, but Sophy refuses to back down, and despite his claims of intense dislike for her, a spark soon ignites between the two.

Sophy always stays one step ahead of Charles as he desperately tries to rein her in, but in the end, she finally meets her match in him. All is resolved in a perfectly choreographed scene, with each major character arriving at an Elizabethan country manor and pairing off with the right person.

Heyer sketched the personality of her characters with crackling dialogue. I could hear their voices in my head and predict how each character would react in different situations. The plot moved at a brisk pace and never got bogged down. I always enjoyed returning to Sophy's world and discovering what she would do next. If Heyer's other novels are half as much fun to read as this one, I will have found a writer to treasure.

The Talisman Ring

2009-09-05T01:37:00.000-05:00

I wasn't sure whether The Talisman Ring was a mystery or a romance when I picked it up but it proved to be quite a delightful read and I particularly loved how everyone was more or less of equal stature, no main leads with supporting characters but more of an ensemble. I was a bit nervous about the young excitable French thing being my only female protagonist so the arrival of Miss Thane with all her humour and intelligence was such a relief. And she only turned out to be a scream of a heroine.

Loved her, loved the way she humanised her hero, loved her totally singleminded brother. And was particularly pleased to see how the rather chilling villain was rendered almost sympathetic by the end. The love stories were handled with enough subtlety of detail and absurdity of humour within the greater context of the mystery to make me fall in love with Heyer all over again. She is Teh Awesome. Truly.

The Reluctant Widow

2009-08-29T12:08:00.000-05:00

The Reluctant Widow was pretty awesome. I had a total shout of mental laughter when I recognised the Jane Eyre governess premise. But oh how Heyer took it to such beautifully ridiculous heights. Bwee hee hee. She's so clever. *fangirls madly*

Loved our heroine, the strength and slight vulnerability of her. Particularly intrigued by the lack of physical detail given to our hero but omigod he was too too marvellous. He was so maddeningly reasonable that both our heroine and I reacted with the same choking indignation. Oh that was brilliant. Darling Heyer.

The Napoleonic spy intrigue was enough of a subplot for me to tolerate without getting bored. And the other characters made for a lovely mix of contrasts and humanity. Not to mention the dog! *squee* I finally realised what it is about Heyer writing animals that I love so much, that works so well. She writes them like she writes humans. There's no difference.

And I loved how bookish our heroine was! Actually, I'm fairly certain by now that Heyer's favourite Austen is Sense And Sensibility. Cos this is at least the third that references it. The other two named the novel. This one caused me no end of giggling with our heroine constantly accusing our hero of lacking all sensibility, to the point where he repeated it back to her. Too funny!

But omigod that final scene was so effective. I mean, written with such skill that I yelled about five times in my head "Kiss her! If you kiss her, she'll believe you! JUST KISS HER!" And then he did and it was perfect, resolved the scene to perfection.

Also, quite possibly one of the best last lines in a novel ever. *nods*

The Unknown Ajax

2009-08-22T00:48:00.000-05:00

Whoops, I forgot for a few weeks there about Our Heyer. No matter, back on track now.

I had the damnedest time trying to read The Unknown Ajax. It just wouldn't hold my interest. I think I may have overdosed on Heyer's style to the point of taking it for granted. I glossed and skimmed rather than lost myself in every single sentence.

But oh man, totally awesome hero and fabulously smart heroine. And their conversations were the most delightful absurdities. Loved that, loved that, loved that. The rest of the characters and smuggling history and claustrophobic setting I could have done without.

And this wasn't helped one bit by the Spelling Mistakes (!!!) I found. At one point there was even the wrong name given to the hero! *boggles* Damnit, I'm going to have to actually go through the re-read with a black pen, aren't I? Bah.

Regency Buck

2009-08-08T01:57:00.000-05:00

This was exactly what I wanted in terms of hero and heroine battling in magnificently fiery misunderstandings. Until towards the end when she suddenly lost all her energy and became rather stupid. I didn't like that one bit, didn't like the way Heyer allowed him to take over the narrative and drive the action. Damnit, our heroine could have just easily figured out the mystery and taken matters into her own hands. So I was quite miffed with that and found the recapping at the end quite unnecessary which even ruined the big declaration scene. *pout*

I did love finally seeing Beau Brummell --- god, Heyer makes him out to be utterly fascinating, I had such a different idea of him over the years, just like our heroine --- and all the royalty and the Pavilion at Brighton. Some excellent characterisation with the supporting players and I particularly loved the way she drew Mr Taverner. I was in two minds about him almost all the way and only the fact that it was a Regency romance gave me any certainty about who our heroine would end up with.

Faaaasscinating writing, Heyer. Flawed but fascinating. And seeing as this was published in 1935, yep, on with the evolution.

The Foundling

2009-08-02T07:11:00.000-05:00

The Foundling was too much like Charity Girl in terms of guy separated from girl for nearly threequarters of the narrative for me to enjoy it. Which was a damned shame cos they were so sweet and shy that I would have loved to read a novel where they spend the whole time in close proximity, learning to come out together. As it was, I quite liked how he gained his independence and found himself.

But argh, digressing from both main characters to the supporting ones just bored me to death. Too much too long, not innarested! Pretty much made me realise how long it's been since I've read a Heyer wherein boy battles with girl, tempers flying and intellects clashing. But hope springs and all that.

A Civil Contract

2009-07-26T04:54:00.000-05:00

Can't say much for it except that it seemed a far more serious book, what with the money problems and the war, the latter of which I pretty much took to skimming and felt only slightly guilty. So no moments of laughing out loud. But oh marvellous characterisation with the heroine's father. He practically jumped off the page, so real and recognisable and fully three-dimensional. Struck dumb with awe again, yes.

It was a very strange love story, so subtle as to be almost non-existent, especially with the deliberate unprettiness of the heroine, very much about the mature love that comes from friendship rather than the burning passion of young love. As far as I was concerned, the story totally needed explicit sex so I was particularly intrigued and frustrated by Heyer covering that only in one phrase about 'awkward moments'. Had me squinting and glowering at the page, trying to read the invisible text, damnit. Mind you, I spent enough time speculating about whether our hero was Aquarian or Capricorn. *lol*

Written in 1961 which makes me wonder if Heyer felt the need to get 'serious' after forty years of writing fluffy romance. Except she didn't write only fluffy romance, did she? Nope. Me, I feel a little sad knowing I only have a few left to read. Inevitable but waaaahhhh ...

The Grand Sophy

2009-07-24T15:39:00.001-05:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1950/2009. The Grand Sophy. SourceBooks. 372 pages.

Why couldn't Emma be more like Sophy? When Sophy Stanton-Lucy comes to visit her cousins (and stay with her aunt and uncle), she brings something vitally refreshing to the household. Charles Rivenhall, the 'man' of the household in a way, since he is the one holding the purse strings, is engaged to be married to a prim-and-proper (and-sometimes-meddling) young lady, Eugenia Wraxton. Cecelia Rivenhall is in love with a poet, Augustus Fawnhope. But her parents--and her brother--would much prefer her to marry Lord Charlbury. Unfortunately right after he spoke with her father but before he could present himself to the lady, he came down with the mumps. While he was out of the picture, Mr. Fawnhope stepped in speaking words of love and admiration. It is up to Sophy to puzzle out the ins and outs of this family and play matchmaker extraordinaire. Throw in a couple of her own suitors buzzing around the place--quite a few eccentrics I might add particularly Lord Bromford--and we've got the makings of a great romantic comedy. Sophy is a firecracker of a heroine with a mind of her own and the gumption to say and do what she pleases. But she also has a big heart. Her good intentions sometimes lead her to make 'poor' choices, but Sophy is strong enough and resourceful enough to take care of herself. A fact that just infuriates her cousin Charles.

Jane Austen's Emma may be a matchmaker like Sophy. But poor Emma is hopelessly stupid and selfish in comparison. The joke is always on Emma, everything is funny and charming in a way--but it is at her expense. Sophy is a delightful heroine. Sophy is far from selfish. She's always thinking of others. Wanting others to be happy--to get their happily ever afters. And she's observant as well. I loved Sophy. I did.

This is a fun little novel that I'm happy to recommend.

The Corinthian

2009-07-24T15:38:00.002-05:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1940/2009. The Corinthian. Sourcebooks. 261 pages.

The Corinthian is one of the funner Georgette Heyer novels I've read in recent months. Heyer is great at writing romantic comedies. True, Heyer isn't always the most original author, her books often follow a handful of different patterns. But they're patterns that work time and again. And there's the difference, in my opinion. There is something satisfying and delightful about her books, her characters. So some plot devices are familiar, that doesn't mean the stories and characters themselves are stale and uninteresting. Far from it actually. Her characters are ones that you want to spend time with.

In The Corinthian, we've got a bachelor, Sir Richard Wyndham, who happens to rescue a damsel in distress, Penelope Creed. Penelope set on running away from her aunt--who is encouraging her into a loveless marriage with her cousin Fred--is disguised as a boy. Richard, while on his way home and a bit drunk at that, sees Pen climbing out her window--by way of her bed sheets of course. He "catches" her just in time. Granted, this "she" is dressed as a he. But there's no fooling Richard. A bit amused at the situation, and wanting to run away himself to avoid an unpleasant appointment the next day, he decides to help out. She wants to escape London--and her aunt--and travel to Bristol (or near Bristol anyway). She's got a childhood friend, Piers, who she fancies herself madly in love with. Five (or so) years ago, these two promised themselves to each other. Hearing this tale, Richard decides to join in the journey and ensure her safety. The two will go together. He will act as her tutor-uncle-cousin and 'protect' her along the way. (Each identity is used on their journey at various stages.) Their journey is rarely boring--they get in and out of trouble along the way.

This one is playful and fun. There's some adventure thrown in as well--and a murder!--but at it's heart this is a romantic comedy.

Cousin Kate

2009-07-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

Cousin Kate was a curious read, though. It was thrillingly and deliciously gothic to the point of scaring me half to death. And the love story aspect was quite sweet and relatively straightforward, a wonderful mundane contrast to the high bizarre melodrama. I loved our heroine's wit and disarming straightforward manner. The hero could have been a little more interesting but it was sweet enough to see him be charmed by her.

But honestly, I don't know if Heyer was trying to emulate a particular goffic style or just being lazy because she kept lapsing into the most ridiculously long chunks of narrative or monologue. Totally unnecessary and damned near ruined the whole reading experience for me. Talk about keen disappointment. My Heyer has clay feet, wot?

Cotillion

2009-07-13T08:23:00.000-05:00

Cotillion is defined as "a type of patterned social dance that originated in France in the 1700s and was originally made up of four couples in a square formation, the forerunner of the quadrille ..."

Cotillion, Heyer-style, is three couples and one devious romantic 'hero' type making trouble and oh man, what a mad wonderful dizzying whirl of plot complications and highly contrasting characters. Well, technically a fourth couple is created very late in the piece and is so hysterical that okay yes, I'm now totally counting them as the official fourth. Hee!

Gosh, the characterisation was wonderful. Especially our hero! Cos from the blurb on the back, I had no idea what his name would be and had a vague memory from scanning some Heyer article that perhaps it would be Freddy but perhaps I remembered wrong. I did sort of hope it would be Hugh, the grave prickly Rector, but wasn't sure if that was entirely kosher.

But oh I certainly didn't expected our hero to be, as a friend rightly pointed out when I forced her to read the first two pages when he appears, a Bertie Wooster! Hysterically inarticulate but, unlike Wooster, marvellously practical and unaffected. So sensible that when everything came to a head, I was chafing and chafing for him to appear, so much so that when he did I had to burst out with "Oh thank god!"

And our heroine was gratifyingly spirited and indignant, compassionate and fair-minded. What I loved best was that she grew up and came out over the course of the novel, evolved her understanding of the world and of people in such a great steady smart way. Lovely character arc.

Which made the romance kind of refreshing in that it was a far more subtle deepening of a friendship and understanding with the passion emerging at exactly the right moment with exactly the right ferocity. I did like that for itself, knowing that this particular couple will be intimate friends as well as lovers, that they understand each other perfectly. So I was all wreathed with grins at the utterly sweet final scene. Hee.

I especially loved that the 'romantic hero' type was showed up in all his unpleasantness, that he didn't win the day, and that in effect the nice guys got the girls. So clever of Heyer and so sweet of her! *claps happily* 1953 this was written, evidence of a definite evolution, whee!

Oh Heyer. Thank you for existing.

Devil's Cub

2009-07-04T02:12:00.000-05:00

Omg, Devil's Cub was so awesome. Quite unwittingly I had built up high expectations and, though there were some doubts at the start, boy did it turn out wonderful.

He was so frightening! And bloodthirsty! And frightening! Drunken, violent, cruel, reckless, immoral, misogynistic Bad Man! My brow was crinkled for much of the first half, wondering how Heyer was going to redeem this quite alarming man and render him sympathetic and beloved to me, wondering if she could.

Omg Heyer, allow me to bow down.

And my hope/suspicion was borne out quite beautifully cos from the moment our heroine did a certain thing, our hero became human and all the more considerate. I was totally hanging out to hear him confess that that was precisely the moment he fell in love with her but unfortunately that didn't happen.

He did declare himself in the most deliciously fervent terms at the end and oh, had me beaming ear to ear in the middle of court. Nothing like a romance wonderfully realised.

Our heroine was an interesting character from a writer point of view. Cos she was introduced with a lot of promise, the word 'bluestocking' even was used which got the reader me all excited, and she was quietly sarcastic to her absolutely appalling mother. Then I was fairly disappointed to see her behave with such primness and propriety for a good long while. But every now and then she would do the most brazen defiant thing that had me gasping with admiration and privately cheering her on. So it was a very odd mix of demure but defiant and I'm still not entirely sure I approve or like her very much.

But certainly she was the exact sort of personality to calm him down and handle him, which she pretty much admits. It was very much the way Jane manages Rochester in the early days and you could look at her behaviour as passive aggressive manipulation but oh it was too much fun to watch him be tamed. No greater joy in the romance reading experience.

Could have done without the exposition of the previous book but it was pretty awesome to see most of those characters and see how they've changed and stayed the same. I did think that perhaps Heyer hadn't quite mastered the hilarity of the verbal misunderstandings yet cos they were a bit too messy, not quite as deftly handled as in the later books I've read, and went for a little longer than absolutely necessary.

But ahahahahaha, awesome plot and fabulous complications and an excellent amount of characters driving their own plots, all intersecting, overlapping, tripping over each other and finally resolving with the most breathtaking elegance. I mean, damn, Heyer!

I particularly adored how she had our most deliciously dangerous Duke appear near the start of the novel and then not reappear until the very end when everything seemed hopeless. It was too too marvellous, that moment we recognise him when our heroine has never met him before. A cheer went up in my head.

Really Heyer managed the taming of her devil's cub to perfecton. Cos not only was what she did necessary but then to have what he did at the end was exactly what we needed in order to know he would never again be so violent and bloodthirsty even if it is to claim her. I was convinced, anyway.

And hee, the lovely weariness of Mr Fox and the unchanged boyish exclamations of Rupert and the ramblings of Fanny ... so excellent to have them all colour in the humour of Heyer. I wonder exactly how many years come between the writing of this and These Old Shades. I assumed they came directly after but no, this was written in '32 and that was in the Twenties, wasn't it? Intreeeguing. I should look it up now but I can't be arsed.

*** This is a relatively spoiler free version of my original review ... here it is in all its spoilery glory. Consider yourself warned. :p

These Old Shades

2009-06-27T05:13:00.000-05:00

Curious experience. Was Heyer not sure whether to go for drama or for comedy or did she deliberately pitch it between the two so she could move from one to the other? I did note it was written in the Twenties so perhaps she was still figuring out what she wanted to write. But then I got distracted by the memory of The Masqueraders also written in the Twenties and hallo, again with the genderbending, Our Georgette. Intreeeeeeguing. I can totally see myself hunting down a biography or something once I've cut a thorough swathe through the Regency romances.

But oh, despite bracing myself for the non-Regency fashions, I was quite hooked and did enjoy it far more than expected. Maybe because of the shifting tone and definitely because of the fascinating plot and the utterly enigmatic hero. Yeek! I mean, really he's so sinister at the start and, while I was vaguely amused at the very homoerotic dynamic set up between him and his friend, it almost bordered on paedophilia when our heroine disguised as a boy arrived. Pederasty, isn't it? Cos you only know the page is a girl if you've read the blurb on the back.

Man, I liked that device so much, of Heyer narrating in the facade with masculine pronouns instead of telling us the secret up front like she did in The Masqueraders. Makes for such interesting reading, a great secret thrill of conspiracy between her and us, that knowing wink. So it was a bit annoying to see the page be so revoltingly wide-eyed and adoring. Argh! I keep wanting to read Heyer write a snarky girl-pretending-to-be-a-boy and really get into the gender issues, elbows flying and all. Cos, having read The Corinthian, The Masqueraders and this, clearly it's a trope that captured her imagination for a while. I wonder if she felt she'd explored it all she could within the parameters of the decade and her own ability.

Only when I was a good way in did I realise or remember that this is a sort of sequel or at least references events in The Black Moth and man, did that make me grind my teeth cos all of a sudden I wanted to read that one even though I'm fairly certain it's too soon in my Heyer journey to properly appreciate her 'juvenilia'. And the irony is I wouldn't be reading These Old Shades if I didn't know it's a prequel to the book I really want to read, Devil's Cub. *lol*

But there were enough clues to piece together the story quite nicely and chuckle at the characters four years on and delight at Heyer writing a love story for the bad guy in that novel. I did love the way she redeemed him but still chill us as to his fiendish mind. And argh, his sarcasm ... *dies with happiness* He was so viciously subtle and droll. The conversation with the fellow who comes to buy the page, the one who keeps talking about his wife ... oh man, that killed me with giggles.

He was so marvellous, even with his horrible fashions and foppish ways. *shudders* La, sir, the only fop I adore is Percy Blakeney! But I consoled myself that the Duke of Avon could very well be what Heyer imagined Blakeney to be before the Revolution. Still what bloody amazing nerve to have such a fop as our hero. Not just a bad guy but a foppish bad guy who picks up a fan in the course of the novel! *convulses* Dude, Heyer. You rock. Although I do wish you would stop calling so many characters Anthony. This is the third I've encountered and really, that's more than enough, thank you.

The heroine did nothing for me. Frankly, she was a bit of a credulous idiot, witlessly adoring, frequently obnoxious and annoying. And when she talked to herself, she was even more annoying! No, I did not care for her at all. I'm really rather hoping the heroine in Devil's Cub will be a lot wittier and more interesting but, keeping my theory of Heyer heroines in mind, it prolly won't be the case. No matter if so, I'll buy Frederica and re-read that next.

Marvellous use of the younger sister and brother. My god, how Heyer distinguishes voices just takes my breath away. I could hear them, that capture of pace and intonation was just perfect. She's so incredible with dialogue. Argh. *foams at the mouth with envy* And I do love her over-abundance of commas and exclamation marks. I'd scream if I saw them in anyone else's work. In hers, they seem to fit right into the delightful satire and so I feel quite a horrid glee at each burst of such.

"My Lord John"

2009-06-22T13:03:00.000-05:00

"My Lord John: A tale of intrigue, honor and the rise of a king" by Georgette Heyer
Product ISBN: 9781402213533
Price: $14.99
449 pages (includes Genealogy charts, preface, characters, glossary and reading guide)
Publication Date: May 2009 by Sourcebooks
The Burton Review Rating: 1.75 - 2 stars

"Set in the last days of the reign of Richard II, just before Henry V succeeded him to the throne, the eponymous hero is Henry's brother, John, Duke of Bedford. Heyer brings the medieval world to life, creating a panoramic view of a royal family's intricacies, intrigues and sibling rivalries, along with the everyday lives of the servants, clerics, and vassals in their charge."

That blurb is significant to remember as you read this. It is quite true regarding the details that Heyer retells, and when preparing my own review of the book I had specifically come up with the word "panoramic" to describe this, and afterwards realized that the description was not unique to me. But the word fits splendidly due to the nature of the book. My Lord John is immediately plagued by a quagmire of names... so much so, that I doubt that anyone unfamiliar with the era of Medieval times up to the Wars of the Roses would even want to attempt to understand what is going on here. I have read medieval fiction and non-fiction before but this one starts off with so many names including nurses, wives etc. having dialogues with each other without proper introductions to the reader that I had to stop reading and brush up again on the nobility of Medieval England. When you open a novel that begins with pages of family tables and genealogical references, you know you'll need to get your thinking cap on.

Heyer opens this novel up with 1393 - 1399 when Richard II is king, and is known as Cousin Richard to the lordings (the children) that we are immediately introduced to. Right off the bat I came across some interesting words that I had to look up. (Barbican, postern, herber.) This time I had the forethought to look in the back of the book and found the glossary and a reading guide! Heyer captures the dialogues between the lords with seemingly accurate phrases for Medieval times (hence the need for the glossary) and jumps right into her settings without much of a preamble. The story continues with the lordings of Henry of Bolingbroke (later Henry IV) and the small details of their comings and goings as they learn through gossip and messengers the goings-on of their King, Cousin Richard and the political upheaval the King creates which drastically effects the children. These lordings of Henry of Bolingbroke are number four boys and two girls, but the most important are Harry and John and given the most attention to in Part I. Harry who later becomes King Henry V after his own father is king, is taken under the wing of Richard II (or taken hostage, depends on how you look at it), and John is the My Lord John as referred to in the title. (I am really struggling to not turn this into a history lesson!).

Major events occur around the family such as the headstrong uncle to the King Richard, Thomas Woodstock is murdered after being sent into exile, more plots and arrests and soon after the children's father, Henry of Bolingbroke is also sent away. Hence, uprisings among the families and the start of the Wars of The Roses soon after that although not reaching that part in the book. I soon found that I was becoming engrossed with the story once it started to feel like Heyer was staying in one place with the characters at this point, but then she lost me again as we reach the 1400's when John becomes a Lord Warden in the North. The transition of King Henry IV after King Richard is deposed is cumbersome and drawn out. Heyer attempts to recreate the relationship of the boys with their father King Henry, but the grasp is tenuous at best. John's elder brother Harry is sent to deal with the Welsh and Owen Glendower. Their brother Thomas goes to Ireland. The two sisters Phillippa and Bess are married off and scarcely mentioned again except when the one dies which causes heartache for her father the King. Ongoing rivalries plague Lord John, the relationships with the nobles and the King are the focus, and the outcome of traitors and heretics are dispersed throughout. The problems with the new Pope are mentioned and the politics with their neighboring countries are also discussed, always in the glazed overview of minute details over and over.

The relationship between Henry and Harry, father and son, is also a running theme throughout the book, as the one is destined to succeed the other. The rivalries of the many families are a confusing mess throughout the book, with seemingly every family name featured such as Beauforts, Nevilles, Hastings, Beauchamps, Huntingdon, Kent, Despenser.. the list goes on and on and I am quite thankful for handy reference guide in the beginning of the book: four and a half pages devoted to "The Characters", and I enjoyed the Genealogy tables as well as the preface written by Heyer's husband.

Heyer fans like me who have only read her romance and mystery novels are in for an about face, as this is truly pure historical in nature and not with the usual comedic settings or romantic rendezvous nor the tongue-in-cheek of slapstick comedy romps that Heyer is best known for. At first look I believed I could only recommend this work to those who are very familiar with the background of this turbulent era, and for those who would like a closer look at John and the circumstances of his upbringing and his relationship with his family. But the fact that there was no sense of satisfaction from this book, I now hesitate to recommend this at all. I cannot truly imagine there being any new insights here that would be better be accomplished through reading a less time consuming and more engaging book.

I wanted to really, really like this novel, but this time I have to say that as both a Heyer fan, and Medieval era fan, I obviously did not enjoy this. It started to become a chore for me but I was pulled through only by Heyer's interpreting of the dialogues between the subjects which were interesting if they were not interrupted by Heyer's backtracking through explanatory history. Through the conversations of the nobles is when Heyer's wit shone through, unfortunately there was just not enough of this to make this tome worthwhile to me. It is said that Heyer researched meticulously for this book, which was published after her death, and she originally had intended to publish three books. Perhaps if more drama was inserted within which would merit it a historical fiction work, and indeed separating out and dramatizing the major events throughout the three books, this endeavor would have succeeded. But instead, a billion details about many characters of the time are squashed into 440 pages that lack the typical Heyer flair. The wording that Heyer uses to detail the story does not promote its readability, it actually hindered any progress that could have been made. It also had the feeling of one step forward, two steps back with the myriad of recollections of events amidst the current storyline.

The wording was dull, dry and emotionless and read more like a text book rather than the intended novel. There is zero romance, and I am very confused as to why on the Amazon website the editorial review is "rapturously romantic". Unless the use of 'romantic' the reviewer meant antiquated. Not a single romance brewing unless of course the mere mention of a death of one wife and the marrying of another (or the mentioning of having an affair) is what is called romantic! The Amazon tags also bring up Romance and Regency in several forms and there is none of that in this work. The cover for this book, although pretty, has nothing to do with this book either. I would put a warrior's shield on it in place of the woman (or even a man to represent John). The fact that the book trudges along for endless pages till its absolute insane conclusion in MID-SENTENCE because Heyer's manuscript breaks off there is utterly asinine!

The Masqueraders

2009-06-21T00:14:00.000-05:00

I confess I had high hopes for this one considering it features a double crossdressing. Unfortunately, Heyer didn't quite bring the rest of her formidable talent to the table.

Don't mistake me. The brother in drag was marvellous, absolutely marvellous. But he was quite let down by our heroine. Our hero was quite unflatteringly described as a mountain, over and over again to the point where I never felt like I was given a chance to fall in love with him. And there was a curious distance between the characters and the narrative, like Heyer hadn't quite managed how to get into the hearts and souls of her lovers, really unpack the intricacies of their personalities so we could love them for all their faults and idionsycracies.

Thing that disappoints me the most? Our heroine didn't do anything. Even in drag, all she did was attend parties and stand around and talk a little. There was no real vivacity, no engagement, no power as a protagonist. And the one time she got into serious trouble, our hero literally rode in and saved her. *sighs heavily* She was entirely too passive and too stolid for my liking.

I mean, part of me really admires Heyer for having such a range of heroines --- the naive pretty young thing, the sarcastic bluestocking, the spirited hoyden, the quiet respectable type --- and how she never writes the same character twice. And one day in the distant future, I fully intend to read all the Regency romances of Heyer in chronological order because I'm beginning to suspect her heroines get a lot more interesting as she grows older. *nods*

It didn't help that it's set pre-Regency so the fashions were not at all sexy to me. All those details of fashion and visuals that I usually adore and savour and cherish here verged on boredom and even caused an occasional cringe.

It could have been so marvellous if Heyer had given both brother and sister an equality of temperament, fierce and volatile and spirited. I know she does like to balance her siblings out which is fair enough but it worked to a completely deleterious effect here. I'd like to have seen them both struggle with their roles, have all sorts of comical mishaps and introduce all sorts of gender discourse. This was just so placid ...

As it was, I turned to the front to check when this particular book was written, thinking perhaps it was a Seventies book. Nearly fell out of my chair when I read 1928. GOOD GOD, HEYER! Would this have been racy then? I don't know nearly enough about the gender discourse and fads of the Twenties to know whether having a guy in drag for three quarters of the novel would be a shocking or a delicious thing then. So perhaps Heyer went as far as she could for the times. I can't help but wish she'd gone further.

Certainly I recognised the whole highwayman romance homage/parody. Pity it's not a trope that appeals to me any more. I think it did at one time, perhaps when I was in the throes of my Scarlet Pimpernel loff. It was glamourous, yes, but far too serious, not nearly enough of Heyer's thrilling sarcasm. And the occasional killing left me a little queasy, with the characters reacting as casually as they did.

Mind you, I did like the cleverness of the final twist. Made me laugh at myself. There's that glimmer of Heyer wit I adore.

Arabella

2009-06-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

Vastly amusing, this one, and a damned awesome plot. I was a bit underwhelmed by the naivete of our heroine until she ran into our hero and holy god, the way she fired up was something awesome to behold. Too too awesome.

And the way Heyer writes children and animals just makes me want to clutch her feet and sob total worship. God, imagine if she'd written children's lit! Although it was curious that for the first time I could actually pick out phrases or sentences that were identical to Austen. Don't know if that's Heyer's fault or Andrew Davies' BBC adaptation or Nick Dear's film adaptation --- one word, one look from Persuasion --- or actually Austen. Postmodernism for the argh!

Faro's Daughter

2009-06-06T12:43:00.000-05:00

Frankly I wasn't looking forward to Faro's Daughter because nothing bores me more in a story than extended fretting about money and I figured any narrative featuring gambling would bring the inevitable. But man, the violence of our two leads totally took me aback, the way they reacted with such fiery antagonism to each other and flew off the handle at the least opportunity.

Luckily, Heyer reined them in just at the right moment and maybe the novelty of such characterisation kept me reading when I might have cried off in disgust. As it was, their violence made me keenly anticipate the moment when each was brought down, Slain By Their Loff That They Could Not Foight. And ooh, his was marvellous. A great "Ha!" moment. I don't recall hers so clear. Hmm. Ah well. *shrug*

Plus they were surrounded by enough amiable characters to make for lovely subplots, appreciable both in terms of reader emotion and writer skill. I did want to see a novel devoted to Lucius, just to get to know him better and see what sort of woman would match him wit for devious wit. But I suspect maybe I liked him better than Heyer eventually did. Mmm.

The Convenient Marriage

2009-05-31T16:59:00.000-05:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1934. The Convenient Marriage. Reprinted by Sourcebooks, 2009.

"Lady Winwood being denied, the morning caller inquired with some anxiety for Miss Winwood, or, in fact, for any of the young ladies. In face of the rumour which had come to her ears it would be too provoking if all the Winwood ladies were to withhold themselves."

We meet the Winwood family early on in The Convenient Marriage. We spy on them (in a way) as Mrs. Maulfrey comes to call--or should I say get the juicy gossip on the latest news in the family. Elizabeth, the oldest sister is upset and rightfully so. Her mother, Lady Winwood, has just agreed to an engagement between her and the rich Earl Rule. The problem? Elizabeth is in love with a poor (at least relatively speaking) soldier, a Mr. Edward Heron. Charlotte, the middle sister, doesn't see what the big deal is. After all, in her way of thinking marriage doesn't amount to much. She has no interest--so she claims--in becoming someone's wife. But the youngest sister, Horatia feels her sister's pain. And she's determined--though she stutters or stammer and has thick eyebrows--to do something to solve this dilemma. She gives Mr. Heron her word that she will not let their hearts be broken. Her plan is quite bold and quite wonderful. By that I mean it is deliciously entertaining. The first few chapters of this one are so full of promise. Especially the second and third chapters. If there was an award for the best-ever-second-chapter-in-a-book, I'd nominate The Convenient Marriage.

However, the book soon settles down. As you can probably guess from the title, it is about a marriage--a husband and wife. Marcus Drelincourt (a.k.a. The Earl, or Marcus, or simply 'Rule') and his wife, Horatia (or Horry). And since the marriage occurs early in the book--by page sixty--the reader knows that there must be some drama in the works. And indeed there is. There's the former (and somewhat still current) mistress who's jealous and spiteful, Lady Massey. There's the cousin-who-would-inherit-it-all-if-only-Rule-would-hurry-up-and-die, Mr. Crosby Drelincourt, a cousin. And the villainous and cold-hearted Lord Lethbridge. All three of these people add to the drama--each in their own little way. All want to get revenge on Rule. All want to see the happy little couple become miserable. And oh the plotting that goes on that tries to break up this pair!

Horatia's closest friend is her brother, Pelham. Though he's a bit of a gambler--and often an unlucky one at that--he's got a good heart. I don't know if it was Heyer's intent to make him so likable, so enjoyable, but I just really liked him in spite of his flaws. He truly had his sister's best interests at heart. And she does need someone to look out for her with all the villains roaming about the town (or should that be ton) out for revenge.

None of the characters in The Convenient Marriage are perfect. All are flawed in one way or another. But the relationships are genuinely enjoyable, and are quite well done. The atmosphere of The Convenient Marriage--much like Heyer's other novels--is so rich, so detailed, so luxuriously drawn. The society. The fashion. The wit. The charm. The dangers of being unique in a world where conformity reigns. The delicate balance between being respectable, being boring, and being the Talk or Toast of the ton.

Recommended.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Frederica

2009-05-31T16:58:00.002-05:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1965/2009. Frederica. Sourcebooks. 437 pages.

Not more than five days after she had despatched an urgent missive to her brother, the Most Honorable the Marquis of Alverstoke, requesting him to visit her at his earliest convenience, the widowed Lady Buxted was relieved to learn from her youngest daughter that Uncle Vernon had just driven up to the house, wearing a coat with dozens of capes, and looking as fine as fivepence.

I love Georgette Heyer. I know not every reader will find her writing a traditional, delightful treat to savor slowly but surely. But for me, it's just as much about the experience as the end result. I won't lie. Georgette Heyer never offers an easy read, a fluffy read. If the modern day romance novel is the wonder bread of the literary world, Georgette Heyer would offer readers the fiber-heavy complexity of whole grains.

It's romance. Never doubt that. Her books are all about (often unlikely) heroes and heroines finding love. And her books almost always have more than one couple finding love and deciding for marriage. But her books are never just about romance. They're about society and family and life itself. Her characters are human: in other words, she's smart enough to make her characters--all her characters--flawed. I think the fact that they're so complex makes the comparisons to Austen so natural and so right.

And her books are satisfying. But instead of the quick-and-easiness of modern romance novels, her books offer a lingering satisfaction. (I'm not knocking modern romance novels. Not really. I'm as guilty as can be of enjoying a nice smutty book now and then. But you've got to admit that at least some modern romance novels are mindless and forgettable often starring mix and match heroes and heroines.

Frederica Merriville is a charming heroine who doesn't want to be the heroine. As an older sister, and as a woman in her mid-twenties, she feels the spotlight should always ever be on her younger and oh-so-beautiful younger sister, still in her teens, Charis. She has come to London in hopes that she can launch her sister into society, into the ton. She wants her sister to have a chance to find love and happiness and marriage and family. You know, all the things she thinks she'll never have for herself. And Charis isn't her only consideration. She's got three brothers: Harry, Jessamy, and Felix.

Lord Alverstoke is frustrated and amused. In the past few days, he's had both of his sisters beg him to give a ball in honor of their daughters coming-of-age. He's said no, not once but twice. But the third time may just be the charm. When Frederica--the daughter of a slight acquaintance--shows up unexpectedly, asking him for his help, he's surprised to hear himself say yes. In part because he knows that launching the oh-so-beautiful Charis into society will annoy his sisters because their daughters are oh-so-plain. Yes, his nieces will get the ball. But he'll expect Lady Buxted to introduce the Merriville sisters. To welcome them both into her fold and take them along with her own daughter into society. It's blackmail of the amusing sort: his money will pay for her daughter's chance--the clothes, the shoes, the hats and bonnets, the gloves, etc.--but he will get to see her squirm at having to 'help' these strangers.

Soon Lord Alverstoke is acting as guardian of the Merriville family. He proclaims them distant cousins, and society opens their arms...true, Charis, is quite beautiful, and true, Frederica knows how to hold her own in conversation. But it is his wealth and his prestige that get the ball rolling so to speak.

What did I love about Frederica? How fully-fleshed the characters are. We don't just see Lord Alverstoke falling in love with Frederica. We see him come to love the whole family. We see Frederica's brothers up, close, and personal. We see the lovable but troublesome Felix have one adventure after another. We see the lovable eagerness of Jessamy. Both brothers became favorites of mine.

I loved the characters. I loved the slow-and-easy (in no hurry to get there) pace of the romance. The book is not boring--far from it--but it's comfortable not excitable.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Talisman Ring

2009-05-31T16:57:00.001-05:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1936/2009. The Talisman Ring. Sourcebooks. 303 pages.

How to introduce this one? Think, think, think. I could mention that it has a heroine that reminds me of Catherine Morland of Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen fame. Because it does. Eustacie de Vauban is silly and impulsive and much too much into romantic novels with daring adventures and dashing, swoon-worthy heroes. She, like Catherine, has an over-active imagination. But, this book isn't her story alone. So maybe that wouldn't quite be fair.

The book opens with a dying old man, the family patriarch, Sylvester, calling his family together. He wants his granddaughter, Eustacie, whom he rescued from France before the revolution got started with all the guillotining, to be safely married. He wants his great-nephew (Sylvester is Tristam's great-uncle), Tristam Shield, to marry her. He decidedly does not want Basil "The Beau" Lavenham to be the man for the job. Though since Ludovic Lavenham's "death" there is really no one closer in the line to inherit his title and his lands. But is Ludovic really dead?

The more time Eustacie spends with Tristam, the more she knows that he is not the one for her. He is not adventurous. He is not romantic. He is not impressed with her storytelling and imagining. He is much too grounded in reality to ever be dashing and heroic. He's simply put not hero material. So Eustacie makes up her mind to run away. In the middle of the night. On horseback. What could be wrong with that?

Well, maybe just maybe as she's running away...she runs right into the middle of a pack of smugglers. Instead of being scared silly. She's in love with the notion. An adventure worthy of any real heroine! Fortunately for her, her kidnapper is none-other than her cousin Ludovic. He's a man already on the outs with the law--charged with a murder several years previous. But is he guilty of that crime?

Can Eustacie (and company) prove Ludovic's innocent of murder? Can they redeem his name, enable him to come out of hiding, and claim what is rightfully his?

This one is silly and fun. A pure delight. It's just comical.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

False Colours

2009-05-31T00:10:00.000-05:00

False Colours turned out to be quite marvellous in terms of the characters. The mother was such a scream! And I loved how our hero reacted to her, mirroring exactly my shock and disbelief and laughter. Always particularly cool when a writer's skilful enough to do that. Great pair, the two of them, with just enough sense to make them admirable and enough humanity to make them likeable and of course that great lively sense of humour that Heyer does so well. All the twists and turns of romantic plot were just too funny and engaged me with gratifying efficacy.

"The Convenient Marriage"

2009-05-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

"The Convenient Marriage" by Georgette Heyer

Product ISBN: 9781402217722
Price: $13.99
Publication Date: February 2009 through Sourcebooks

The Burton Review Rating: 4 of 5 stars

The blurb:

"Horatia Winwood is simply helping her family: When the Earl of Rule proposes marriage to her sister Lizzie, Horatia offers herself instead. Her sister is already in love with someone else, and Horatia is willing to sacrifice herself for her family's happiness. Everyone knows she's no beauty, but she'll do her best to keep out of the Earl's way and make him a good wife. And then the Earl's archenemy, Sir Robert, sets out to ruin her reputation...
The Earl of Rule has found just the wife he wants; unbeknownst to Horatia, the Earl is enchanted by her. There's simply no way he's going to let her get into trouble. Overcoming some misguided help from Horatia's harebrained brother and a hired highwayman, the Earl routs his old enemy, and wins over his young wife, gifting her with a love that she never thought she could expect."

I love this author! Georgette Heyer has been around for a very long time, yet with the reissue of her many novels she is attracting a new generation. The Convenient Marriage is my third Heyer, and second romance that I have read of hers. The blurb above really tells the gist of the story, so I am not going to reiterate it here; with all the the simplistic and predictable events we still get pulled in a fantastic way. It is full of quaint scenes and fun romance set in earlier times, in Jane Austen fashion, but what I enjoy the most is the fact I find myself grinning to myself as I read her books. The Convenient Marriage is no exception to the grinning, sometimes it is laugh out loud funny with the hijinks of the heroine and her brother and his bosom buddies. There is a slew of interesting characters with Horry and her sisters and of course the obligatory numbskull character Mr Drelincourt who is upset the Earl of Rule has decided to marry after all these years which puts him further down the line in the inheritance.

Horatia is stuttering fool, her brother is a drunk gambler, and the older man she married is besotted with her yet she is too immature to realize it. Her new husband, The Earl of Rule, is portrayed as a doting and tolerant man with none of the typical 'rake' or roguish ways so typical of a Heyer romance. This romance is complete with a sword fight, kidnapping, parties and pinching diamond shoes. Since this is actually one of Heyer's earlier romances from 1936 she was still honing her writing skill and perhaps had not perfected the Heyer Genre as this is not one of her most popular books. It got a teensy slow in one or two parts but I really did enjoy the comical aspect of it and I do not hesitate to recommend this to anyone interested in the Jane Austen/Regency Romance genre. This is the epitome of a comically charming period romance.

The Quiet Gentleman

2009-05-24T03:57:00.000-05:00

But urgh, The Quiet Gentleman was just the pits. I couldn't believe how incredibly colourless the heroine was. Perhaps she was Heyer's Emma, her attempt to write a heroine nobody would like? I mean, the one flash of feeling came so late in the game that I pretty much reacted exactly like our hero, wanting to smother her in kisses right then and there. But it made for a bloody dreary read, everything she said was so eminently sensible and yes, "prosaic" that I began to cringe every time she opened her mouth. For f**k's sake, woman, exhibit some personality!

What I did mildly appreciate was the whole Gothic(k) parody/homage and how our two leads were the exact antidote for such melodramatic goings-on. And kinda suspected the baddie from about a third into the novel which was validated quite nicely. But oy, it was such a boring read that I was almost tempted to go back to Friday's Child just to remind myself of how awesome Heyer is. Pity I had to return Frederica but that will be purchased at some point during the year.

The Unfinished Clue

2009-05-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

"The Unfinished Clue"
By: Georgette Heyer
Product ISBN: 9781402217968
Price: $12.99
Publication Date: March 2009 by Sourcebooks
The Burton Review Rating: 3.5 stars of 5

"A houseful of people he loathes is not Sir Arthur's worst problem…
It should have been a lovely English country-house weekend. But the unfortunate guest-list is enough to exasperate a saint, and the host, Sir Arthur Billington-Smith, is an abusive wretch hated by everyone from his disinherited son to his wife's stoic would-be lover. When Sir Arthur is found stabbed to death, no one is particularly grieved—and no one has an alibi. The unhappy guests find themselves under the scrutiny of Scotland Yard's cool-headed Inspector Harding, who has solved tough cases before—but this time, the talented young inspector discovers much more than he's bargained for."

This is a charming mystery who-dun-it reminiscent of Agatha Christie. We meet a host of characters at a weekend party, setting up the scene for when the crotchety but quite rich Sir Arthur is found stabbed to death. As I was introduced to the characters I found myself smiling, their nuances were quite humorous. Heyer has a way with the dialogue between the characters that evoke a sense of watching an old movie in your head.

The suspects are many: There is the emotionally abused wife, the son who would never please his dad, the dapper but gambling nephew always needing money, the couple who are visiting but the wife has designs on the rich man's money, the shallow cabaret dancer.. oh and there are a few quaint romances within..
As the mystery unfolds we get a sense of the dysfunctional family attributes of the deceased's family, and even neighbors as well that we have to figure into the equation of suspects.

Although not entirely a pageturner, the story itself was a pleasure to read, entertaining, and the mystery was interesting as well as the resolution. It was the strong cast of characters that made this a worthwhile and classy mystery read. Given its first issue date of 1934, it was written quite well and seemed modern, and I have no problems recommending this to anyone who enjoys a mystery or the Agatha Christie style crime novels.

There is an excerpt from about the middle of the book here at Georgette Heyer.com

Georgette Heyer, born August 16, 1902 at Wimbledon, London; died July 4, 1974 in London of lung cancer. Her first published work was when she was 19 and she continued to write to help support her family, writing more than 50 books. She is known as the forerunner of the Regency Romance era. More information on her biography and titles can be found at The Historical Novel Society.

The image below is another cover from one of the past issues of the crime novel, which actually depicts it quite well (1937 by E. P. Dutton & Co.):

The Nonesuch

2009-05-17T13:00:00.000-05:00

"The Nonesuch" by Georgette Heyer
Product ISBN: 9781402217708
Price: $13.99 Publication Date: April 2009, Sourcebooks
The Burton Review Rating: 4 stars

"A charming Georgette Heyer romance about finding love at any age."

Georgette Heyer is a well known author for her Regency England novels. She had written over 50 books by the time of her death in 1974. Luckily for the new generation, many of her books are being reissued through Sourcebooks. The novel, "The Nonesuch" is one such historical romance, and it is set somewhere in the mid 1800's. While the text is somewhat dated, it is done so that we truly feel we are reading something written in that time period. It reminds me of reading Margaret Mitchell and Louisa May Alcott. There were a few words that were 'new' to me.. although the words I am sure were quite old. Such as sennight, which I looked up: a week. And the line "O my God! thought Sir Waldo. Now we are in the basket!" I also have seen the phrase "on the shelf" for those unmarried girls past their prime (at 26?!)

This novel has a simple storyline: The nonesuch (a talented, popular guy) is Sir Waldo who comes to town to settle an estate he has inherited. We are introduced to those he crosses paths with. Miss Ancilla Trent is a governess to Tiffany Wield within that circle, and the Nonesuch and Ancilla fall in love from afar. Of course there are obstacles to that inevitable path, and we chuckle along the way as the younger set in the story supplies enough antics to keep up occupied. The characters are well-defined and I often found myself wishing I was watching a black and white movie instead of reading it. There was a lot of dialogue going back and forth and it would have played really well on the Silver Screen.

The storyline itself is not a far-reaching plot, therefore it was slightly slow at times, but how it all goes about it is so charming with the style of writing it becomes amusing and witty. However predictable the plot may have seemed, I did enjoy this novel and I look forward to her other books. The book made me smile and I enjoyed the way the writing took me back to that period.
From what I can tell, there are some of her other books that are more widely coveted, and I am glad that this was my first Heyer knowing that it can only get better.
There is a website on the author, Georgette Heyer with book news and other information there.

Check out The Burton Review for my other reviews!

The Nonesuch

2009-05-17T07:38:00.000-05:00

The Nonesuch was another dreary read with mildly amusing bits. I didn't care for the fact that everyone else in the narrative made for the drama rather than our main pair even though I realised that was the particular quirk. *sigh* Far too respectable for my liking.

The Convenient Marriage

2009-05-09T00:40:00.000-05:00

The Convenient Marriage was less appealing, mostly because of the different period and the stupid powdered hair. Because even with the high shirt points, I rather like the Regency look. For some reason I haven't unpicked yet, I can relate to the Regency fashion sense and see the eroticism of it, maybe just because of Pride & Prejudice. So maybe it was the visuals that kept damaging my engagement because certainly the story centres around one of my favourite romance ~~cliches~~ tropes and I was quite impressed with Heyer daring to give her heroine a stammer. As it was, there were some startlingly hot kisses which delighted me cos I'd been privately bemoaning the lack of sex. But yeah, for the most part, I was quite unmoved and bored, even.

Couldn't find the cover for the library edition I read so this is the re-release cover.

Venetia

2009-05-02T06:37:00.000-05:00

Oh I did love Venetia with its marvellous coming out story, rather hot sexual tension, and genuinely shocking twists of plot. Plus it was utterly refreshing to have a penniless hero and the way Venetia rose to the occasion and twisted it to her own end had me in total admiration. Way cool.

Lady Of Quality

2009-04-25T09:37:00.000-05:00

Lady Of Quality went flat on me. Did appreciate the dynamic between the two leads and how the love story proceeded along quite straightforward lines. That was refreshing. But really there was no spark to the narrative as such, the subplots quite unexciting. And as different as the guy was in terms of his shocking bluntness, I did miss the character insight that came from so many novels beginning from the guy's point of view. I didn't feel as close to this guy as I have with the others and I missed that. I like how Heyer as a romance novelist completely flies in the face of convention with her beginnings.

Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle

2009-04-18T05:38:00.001-05:00

Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle I found vastly entertaining. I love how Heyer writes children, they're so real and screamingly funny. I mean, the Button incident had me gasping at the page, it was so perfectly set up and executed. And oh christ, the fire between those two was just exhilarating and damned near overwhelming. And they were both utterly wonderful in their own rights, especially the fact that she was determinedly unattractive for a good long while.

That was the library copy I read but the one I bought was this cover. Which I have to say is the only one so far that doesn't match the novel at all. How peculiar.

Charity Girl

2009-04-11T04:08:00.000-05:00

Charity Girl was another disappointment. Mostly because the plot itself necessitated the separation of guy from girl for about threequarters of the novel. In fact, I don't think they had more than three scenes together. Which was a damned shame cos they were pretty cool in their own right. Made for a pretty unengaging narrative. I felt a bit sorry for Heyer having written herself into a corner as such. Even if she might disagree.

Frederica

2009-04-04T08:47:00.000-05:00

So I spent the evening being absolutely delighted by Frederica and so very very glad that my momentary disappointment has been proved uncharacteristic. Loved her, loved him, loved the young boys, totally gratified by the absolutely caustic humour. And oh man, how the hell does she do it? Come up with such different characters and such different scenarios time after time after --- no, I'm not going to follow that thought any further because if I do, I'll never write again.

The Toll Gate

2009-03-30T04:59:00.000-05:00

Fairly disappointed with The Toll Gate. Although I was exceedingly grateful to find a Heyer heroine who wasn't in her teens and wasn't horribly naive. Still, the love story aspect, while quite sweet, was resolved far too quickly for my satisfaction and I really wasn't interested in the criminal mystery aspect that took up the rest of the narrative so that was a bit of ho hum. No particular vivacity of wit or screamingly funny verbal exchanges either.

Friday's Child

2009-03-22T00:22:00.000-05:00

Oh man, this is definitely the start of an obsession. new obsession, that is. Cos the tiniest suspicion lingered as to whether my enjoyment of the first was just novelty. But having finished my second at about two this morning, I theenk not.

Omigod, I love Georgette Heyer so very much! Like foaming at the mouth sort of much. Gah! *spasms*

Friday's Child was utterly mad and totally riveting. Aside from the hysterical plot, the dialogue omg! How the two best friends, while quite different, talked in the same short incoherent phrases ... I could hear them so clearly and it never failed to be funny, never became tedious in terms of sentence structure. Dude, talk about skill! And omg, some of the dialogue exchanges and hilarious verbal misunderstandings had the mental me falling about in fits of laughter. Pity the physical me can't actually do that cos she's too busy gripping the book and reading fast.

Admittedly, the innocence of the female protagonist neared grating point but every time it did, she was always redeemed by the best friends seeing her much clearer than our male protagonist. He was completely mad in his own right. Every time he contradicted himself with such flagrant confidence, my brain spasmed between outrage and sheer joy.

Totally. Awesome. Characters. Every single one of them, from major to minor to even Pug and Gil the canary. Hee. And I particularly applauded the keen-eyed attention to the more debauched and unsavoury aspects of Regency English society.

Damned fine stuff. Also, I adore these covers.

The Corinthian

2009-03-13T02:49:00.001-05:00

Hello. *waves* I'm dri, just joined the Georgette Heyer Challenge. I've read quite a few of her books over the last few months and already have reviews up elsewhere which I'll post over the next few weeks so as not to clutter up the blog. Just wanted to also apologise for the brevity of this first one. I think I was sort of shellshocked with delight. But no doubt, it will be purchased and re-read and reviewed at length in the coming months.

~~~~~~

Read my first Georgette Heyer today, courtesy of the most excellent boojumlol.

Had no idea she was so scarily awesome and screamingly satirical. And since it was The Corinthian, there was the most delicious genderbending subtext. Which is, I suspect, why this particular one was lent to me as an introduction to Heyer. Although, considering the way it ended, maybe not that subtextual. *lol*

Kinda really loved it. This may well be the start of something ~~beautiful~~ obsessive.

Footsteps in the Dark

2009-02-11T14:01:00.000-06:00

Georgette Heyer is best know for her Regency romances where her combination of historical detail and witty characterisation won her many fans. She also wrote twelve detective stories; Footsteps in the Dark is the first of these.

Footsteps in the Dark is a very readable and enjoyable volume if you are Heyer fan or otherwise know what to expect. Three siblings inherit an old house, The Priory. Peter, Margaret and Celia together with Celia's barrister husband and an aunt move into the building with the idea of a long vacation. However, things don't go as planned. Things, instead, literally go bump in the night: monk-like ghosts flit around the garden and someone is found dead. Is the explanation supernatural or criminal? Well, no prizes for guessing.

If you start this book expecting cutting edge plot or gritty realism you'll be sorely disappointed. What we have here is escapism criminology. The plot is a little thin, so what keeps you reading, as always with Heyer, is the characterisation, the witty asides, the flashes of realism in relationships. The majority of the book is laden with every cliche from secret passages to bits reminiscent of Mrs Radcliffe's much parodied Mysteries of Udolpho. In fact, so busy with such fussy fancy is the plot that one almost expects Scooby and Shaggy to appear looking for a snack in the castle kitchens. Instead we have unflappable Aunt Lilian who bears a strong resemblance to some of Bertie Wooster's aunts.

This was Heyer's very first detective novel and it shows, but provided you are prepared for all the pseudo-medieval fixtures and fittings, it is still a great duvet read. By the time Heyer wrote her next crime work her husband was a barrister and her plots had improved. So, if you've read this and didn't like her work, do try another as it is not typical. I think my favourite is Detection Unlimited.

This review is crossed posted at the ibooknet blog.

Detection Unlimited

2009-01-14T14:52:00.000-06:00

Originally published: 1953

As the title implies there are many suspects for the murder of Sampson Warrenby, found dead under a tree in his garden with a bullet through his brain and many people all too ready to tell Inspector Hemingway who did it.

I was immediately drawn into a world gone by in a small village, with characters such as Mrs Midgeholme with her pack of Pekes, whose names all begin with ‘U’, Mr Drybeck, the old-fashioned solicitor, Warrenby’s long-suffering niece, Mavis, the country squire and his lady-wife, the maiden aunt Miss Patterdale, and the village bobby on his bicycle. A spot of blackmail, and a number of twists and turns in the plot kept me interested to the end.

Charity Girl

2008-12-11T12:44:00.002-06:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1970. Charity Girl.

Charity Girl is an enjoyable Regency Romance by Georgette Heyer. It is one of her later novels, and it perhaps loses a little of the charm that made her books sparkle in previous years. But it is an enjoyable read nonetheless. Charity Girl is similar in plotting-but-not-pacing to an earlier novel, Sprig Muslin which Heyer wrote in 1956. Both books feature gentleman rescuing damsels-in-distresses. Both women, I believe, were running away. Both, I believe, were heading from the country to the city. Both gentlemen find the situation frustrating. Both gentlemen take the "damsels" to their old-maid best friends to watch after. Both gentlemen end up with the "old maids" friends. Both men actually have the situation work to their advantage in the romance department strangely enough. But the books are different in many ways.

Viscount Desford is our hero who rescues the young Charity, "Cherry." Cherry is running away from her aunt's house. She's tired of being Cinderella-without-a-prince. She's hoping that her grandfather will take her in. He lives in London. She doesn't. She needs a way to get there...and Des comes through. But when the girl's grandfather isn't home...Desford delivers the girl to the care of Miss Henrietta Silverdale and her mother, Lady Silverdale. Cherry is content to stay there and make the most of her time--helping Lady Silverdale even though she's a bit cranky and becoming good friends with Henrietta. Desford is off on his own to try to track down this grandfather. He tries place after place, city after city, following clue after clue.

There are plenty of twists in this one--to the girl, to her family--and this one really begins to sparkle there in the end. (But it has a slower beginning.) Some memorable characters. Some clever conversations. Enjoyable enough.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Regency Buck

2008-12-06T13:17:00.001-06:00

Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer

Originally published: 1935

Published in trade paperback by Sourcebooks, Inc.: August 1, 2008

rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Georgette Heyer book, and I really enjoyed it. This Regency romance novel will delight Jane Austen fans as well as those who find Austen's stories a little too slow.

Judith Travener and her brother Peregrine are wealthy orphans who travel to London to meet their guardian. They expect to find their ward, Lord Worth, to be much older and are shocked to discover he is practically their own age. Life in London gets interesting with the new heiress and her brother in town whilst Lord Worth puts a crimp in everyone's plans.

This is a perfect read for a cold and rainy day--a romance with a little mystery thrown in. My only complaint was that it was a little predictable for me. But I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to read more of Heyer's works.

Charity Girl

2008-12-06T13:14:00.000-06:00

Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer

Originally published: 1970

Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca: September 1, 2008

rating: 3 of 5 stars

Viscount Desford is an unmarried gentleman who finds Charity Steane running away from her aunt's household on the way to London. Rescuing her puts Desford in a social pickle and he turns to his best friend, Lady Hetta Silverdale, for help. Bound by honor, Desford goes on a search to find Charity's missing grandfather.

I liked Charity Girl, but it was missing something I found more readily in Regency Buck. Perhaps it was that little element of intrigue that kept me turning pages in Regency Buck. Interestingly, Charity Girl was written about 35 years after Regency Buck, and I definitely noticed a difference in her writing style. I found Charity Girl a tad heavy on the Regency period slang and wished I had a dictionary nearby on a few occasions!

Overall, Charity Girl was a nice easy romance. I will continue searching out Georgette Heyer books for my future romance literature fix. She is one of my favorite authors discovered in 2008!

Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer

2008-11-26T20:24:00.000-06:00

Fanny Wendover, young, attractive and lively has certainly caught the eye of many men. But lately, a dashing young man who seems too good to be true, Stacy Calverleigh has set his sights on her. He has charmed her and her aunt, Selina, with his appealing attitude and sweet words. Unfortunately, Fanny’s other aunt, Abigail or Abby, thinks that Stacy is just a guy who’s more interested in Fanny’s money.

Since Fanny’s an orphan, she’s been under the care of her two doting aunts and her uncle who’s her guardian. Fearing that Fanny will be tricked and hurt by Stacy, Abby tries to keep them apart. Well, she can’t really separate them but she keeps an eye on them whenever she can. Fanny is only 17 years old and Stacy’s much older. Therefore, it’s quite odd and disturbing to know that an older man would genuinely be interested in Fanny. There’s also been a case of unsuccessful elopement in Stacy’s past.

Now there’s another Calverleigh in the picture. It is Stacy’s uncle, Miles Calverleigh who has also tried to elope some 20 years ago. Because of that and as punishment, he’s been sent to live in India. Well, the prodigal son has since returned and he has set his sights on Abigail Wendover herself! Two Calverleighs showing interest in two Wendovers! It couldn’t be more fascinating.

Miles doesn’t seem to care for anyone else or what other people think of him. Although Abby tries to refrain herself from laughing out loud at the things that Miles say, she just couldn’t help chuckling every now and then during their conversations. They’re obviously falling for each other but can the Wendover family accept such a man as Miles Calverleigh, the known black sheep of his family?

The ending is a delightful one. I was curious to find out if Stacy will actually marry Fanny or if he’ll just ditch her because he can’t get approval from her aunt and uncle. Will Fanny also see his true colours and not put him on so high a pedestal?

I’m so glad this book has been a better read than Friday’s Child, the first Georgette Heyer book I’ve read. There are only 18 chapters in this book so it wasn’t quite a drag. I was pleasantly surprised to come across some funny parts in it and actually laughed at them. I don’t remember laughing once with Friday’s Child! Maybe I should give these books a chance.

*Cross posted here*

Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer

2008-11-25T20:31:00.000-06:00

This was my first Georgette Heyer book and at least, it’s better than Austen. It is still dull for me, the story was slow and I really couldn’t wait to finish the book! So I’m really, really glad it’s over.

Anyway, what day were you born on? I was born on a Wednesday and I guess I’m full of woe. Friday’s child is loving and giving, which describes Hero perfectly. Hero’s an orphan and she’s been under her cousin’s care ever since she was young. Well, her cousin wasn’t really fond of her and her life’s actually quite miserable.

The hero in the story would be Sherry or Lord Sheringham. He has asked the Incomparable or Isabella for her hand in marriage but was rejected. Feeling indignant that he should be married right away so that he can have full control of his money, which was left to him by his late father, he vowed that he’d marry the next girl he meets. Sherry’s quite addicted to gaming and he is in a lot of debts.

And it’s no other than Hero Wantage who’s about to be sent to Bath to become a governess. She’s also Sherry’s childhood friend and adores him completely. When he suggests that they get married, she agrees on the condition that they don’t interfere in each other’s lives. It’s like they’re free to do what they want but in a discreet way, I guess. So, they set off to London and Hero says goodbye to being a governess.

With the help of Sherry’s cousins, Gil and Ferdy, the wedding goes smoothly. They nickname Hero ‘Kitten’. After that, life goes on as usual. Hero gets along very well with Gil, Ferdy, and another of Sherry’s friend, George, who’s completely smitten with Isabella and has always been trying to win her heart. Thanks to the characters of Gil, Ferdy, and George, as they make the story much more interesting! What would the book be without them?

Hero also lands herself in a number of scrapes and Sherry helps her out since he’s her husband and he’s responsible for her. But for how long will he tolerate it all? Hero utterly worships him and would do anything to make him happy. Whatever he says, she follows. She doesn’t really have a mind of her own but then when it comes to love, can’t blame her, right?

If you want to try Georgette Heyer’s books, I’m not sure if you should start with this one. I have more Heyer books to go and I hope that they might be better than this.

*cross posted here*

The Reluctant Widow

2008-11-20T14:48:00.000-06:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1946. The Reluctant Widow.

The Reluctant Widow surprised me. Completely surprised me. You'd think by now that I'd be used to how good Georgette Heyer novels are. But no, I can be a bit dense sometimes. What threw me on this one, is that it added some mystery and suspense--and some gothic elements borrowed from classics as well--to the wit and romance I've come to expect. I am not a big mystery-suspense fan, but this one worked for me. Really really worked for me.

After her father committed suicide, Elinor Rochdale decides the best thing for her to do is to find herself a situation (employment) as a governness. She doesn't want to be a poor, helpless female relation to be traded around her few remaining relatives. Her mind is made up. Her bags are pack. She's ready to board the coach. Only problem is...she boards the wrong coach. Instead of arriving at Mrs. Macclesfield's estate to care for a six year old boy, she arrives at a strange estate owned by Lord Carlyon. He thinks she's there in reply to his advertisement. He is looking for a woman to marry his cousin Eustace Cheviot.

This mix up is not immediately evident to either party. And it makes for a rather comical dialogue. But once he realizes the mistake--he becomes convinced that this mistake was pure fate. His cousin, Eustace, they soon learn is on his death bed. A suitable woman must be found--so he claims--to marry him before he takes his last breath. And in Carlyon's (also "Ned") opinion, Miss Rochdale is quite the woman for the job. He does manipulate her in a way to say yes. To marry a complete stranger is an odd request. But his argument that he won't last through the night carries some weight. She won't be burdened by an actual husband. She'll be a widow soon enough. And there might just be enough money from her husband's estate to give her enough to live on--if she's economical--the rest of her life. It's a tempting offer. But one that she is almost always hesitant of.

But say yes she does. And soon Eustace is with us no more. His death--ruled accidental--came at his cousin's hand. Lord Carlyon has two brothers--John and Nicky. Nicky, quite in self defense, is responsible for Eustace's death. In the coming week--between his death and his funeral--it is revealed that Eustace had more than a few secrets he'd been keeping. The family soon suspects that he was involved in espionage. Mrs. Cheviot (Miss Rochdale, Elinor) has to live on her husband's estate--a place called Highnoons. There are a few servants remaining. And Carlyon is off to fetch Elinor's former governess, Miss Beccles (Becky). Nicky who took an instant liking to his new cousin wants to hang around the place as well with his dog, Bouncer, to protect them all.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Soon after Mrs. Cheviot moves in, she's greeted by a strange man--a man with a French accent--who appeared out of nowhere, with no introduction. He did not enter through the front door. No, she learns he entered through a secret passageway. And that scares her--as well it shoud. Telling Nicky of her unexpected visitor, he decides to leave Bouncer with her to protect her. (A job he is more than happy to take on.) And he soon comes (within a day) to the decision to remain there with her himself. He has a mind that the mystery man will be back to search the house. And he wants to be ready for him.

I'll stop there. Let me just say that I loved this one. Loved, loved, loved it. Loved all three of the brothers--Ned, John, Nicky. Loved Bouncer, the dog. Loved Becky, the former governess. Loved the main character Elinor. Loved the story.

Mystery. Suspense. Great wit. Great characters. Fast-paced. Everything to love, nothing to hate.

Definitely recommended.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Regency Buck

2008-11-10T14:45:00.000-06:00

Heyer, Georgette. 1935. Regency Buck.

"Newark was left behind and the post-chaise-and-four entered on a stretch of flat country which offered little to attract the eye, or occasion remark."

Georgette Heyer was a wonderful writer. A beloved writer, in fact, known for her regency romances in particular. Her books are rich in detail--but not in a burdening, cumbersome way. And her characters are always nicely drawn from human nature--flaws abound, but that's always a good thing. Vices and temptations abound in her works--drinking, gambling (be it at the gaming table or in a sporting arena), keeping bad company, and fashion to name just a few examples. (How is fashion a vice? Well, if you're too vain or selfish and spend too much time primping in front of a mirror, then chances are you're in for a comeuppance. Also, spending too much money on fashion--clothes, hats, gloves, jewelry, etc.--is just one way it can be a vice.)

In Regency Buck, we've got the story of a brother and sister newly arrived in London. Peregrine Tavener, the brother, and his older sister, Judith Tavener. They are coming to set up house, and perhaps even more importantly to meet their guardian. (Both of their parents have died. And the father's will left them under the care of Lord Worth.) They are expecting an older gentleman. A man that would have been the contemporary of their father. Someone with gout presumably. What they find is that Lord Worth is a young man--just a handful of years older. He isn't particularly pleased with this added responsibility, and he's not shy admitting this to his wards. But for one year at least--until Judith's birthday--Lord Worth is their official guardian.

The Taveners do set up their own house. Mrs. Scattergood, a relation (cousin???) of Lord Worth, is Judith's companion. Needed during that time to protect young women and provide them with counsel on how to behave in society. An older woman to act as chaperone. Of course, Peregrine, offers protection to his sister as well. But who's protecting him? Peregrine being prone to gambling and partying. When Peregrine becomes engaged to a young woman, Harriet, then a few strange coicidences occur to threaten his life which convinces Worth that someone is out to kill his ward.

The two stand to inherit much money when they come of age. And for this reason, suitors abound for Judith's hand. One of her most persistent suitors is her cousin, Bernard Tavener. But Lord Worth turns them all away. Saying that no man will marry her while he is still her guardian. Something that both repulses and pleases her. She's known some of the men are completely unsuitable--some as old as her father, all looking for a wealthy wife--but the idea of being controlled by a man irritates her at the same time.

Worth (Julian) and Judith (whom he persists in calling Clorinda) are always bickering. The banter flows easily between these two. While both tend to be a bit cranky around the other, the reader knows without any doubts that these two secretly feel very differently about each other.

I love Worth and Judith. I love the rich-layers of Regency Buck as well. For example, Judith's reading of Sense and Sensibility. And the presence of Lord Byron and the discussion of his poetry. There are a dozen or so other things I could point out, but those are just two examples of bits that made me smile.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews