Love Romance Passion » Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com Because Books Don't Fall Asleep Afterwards! Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Review: The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-quiet-gentleman-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-quiet-gentleman-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Sun, 02 Oct 2011 09:27:20 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=12206

Summary: When Gervase Frant returns to England to become the new Earl of Stanyon he finds his welcome home to be not so welcoming. Turns out his stepmother and half-brother would have been happier had he died in battle!

As he faces his stepmother’s resentment and his brother’s disdainful jealousy, a chilling midnight presences in his room disturbs his sleep followed closely by several possibly fatal accidents at every turn. Somebody is clearly trying to finish the job that Napoleon failed to do.

The obvious suspect is Martin, his half-brother. With Gervase dead, Martin would be free and clear to assume the title he’s sure is rightly his. But could it really be Martin? He seems so wet behind the ears. Of course it could be his stepmother, Lady St. Erth, but she would more likely encourage another to do it than get her hands dirty herself.

Until Gervase can figure it out he’s lucky to have his cousin and steward Theo watching his back along with his best friend and his stepmother’s young guest, Drusilla.

Review (with spoilers): The romance between Drusilla and Gervase was placed on a major back burner and was complicated in the beginning with Marianne who could have easily been his romance interest (it’s on the back cover even). Gervase winds up eschewing Marianne because she’s too innocent---if blinded to what “flirting” could do to increase a man’s assurance of her interest. Her heart isn’t likely to be touched by him and he yields the floor to other suitors like Martin.

Drusilla comes to Gervase’s attention when she rescues him from injury and with her ever practical air. Too be honest, Drusilla’s admiration is expected by the reader because after all Gervase is titled, wealthy, dresses fashionably (read dandy) and always pleasant tempered, but her admiration is told instead of shown by Heyer so the whole thing comes across flat, which is too bad because the story is pretty good other than that.

I enjoyed the story more for figuring out who wanted Gervase dead. The villain came as a surprise... well okay, I suspected said villain once but couldn’t come up with motive so dismissed rather quickly. That just means I have to brush up on my Regency some more!

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Buy: The Quiet Gentleman

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-quiet-gentleman-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 0 Review: The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-corinthian-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-corinthian-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:02:09 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=3828

bookreview1

The Corinthian ranks in my top 5 favorite Georgette Heyers to date.

My favorite things about this novel:

  • The hero and heroine spend a majority of the book in each other’s presence.
  • The heroine cross-dresses to look like a young lad for most of the novel with the hero helping her in her disguise.
  • The heroine is not a fainting female and is intelligent, if a little young.
  • The childhood sweetheart of the heroine has his own love match and is no way put out by the romance between the hero and heroine.
  • The thief cant: snabble and snaffle are my two new favorite words.
  • The kiss scene. How’s that for a tease?

Corinthian: a man about town, esp. one who lives luxuriously or, sometimes, dissolutely.

---dictionary.com

Sir Richard Wyndham reminds me a bit of Lord Worth. [Hopefully I’m recalling the right hero.]  With Wyndham however it is easier to tell his amusement and enjoyment around Penelope Creed.

Penelope or Pen as she’s referred to when dressed like a boy, is escaping her aunt’s household. She won’t marry her cousin! She won’t! She will marry instead her childhood sweetheart, Piers Luttrell, with whom she’d made a secret engagement five years ago.

Richard is on the verge of making the worst mistake of his life. He’s planning to give his suit to Melissa Brandon, a cold practical woman, because his family is badgering him to marry. The idea drives him to drink. Imagine his surprise at seeing a young lad escape through a window via knotted bed sheets... and then to find out that the lad is in fact a young chit of a girl barely out of the school room.

I’ve noticed in the novels that I’ve read so far that Heyer likes to pair considerably older gentleman with young ladies still in their early teens, rarely in their twenties. It’s usually about a decade age difference. Why do you think she did this?

Rating: 4 Stars

Buy: The Corinthian

Find and buy more Georgette Heyer novels.

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-corinthian-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 3 Review: The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-convenient-marriage-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-convenient-marriage-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:24:17 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=2507

bookreview

This novel is definitely one of my overall favorites of Heyer’s so far. It’s easy to read and follow despite the language and research. I loved all the side characters and Rule most of all. The leads were very well matched for each other.

Lizzie Winwood, the Beauty, is engaged to the Earl of Rule, an older man whom she does not love. Edward Heron holds her heart, but Lizzie is too well bred to ignore the duty she owes her family to accept this great match. Her youngest sister, Horatia—Horry—Winwood, decides this situation will just not do. In a scandalously forward manner Horry approaches Rule and offers herself up in trade to her sister despite her disadvantages in looks and speech. She knows she’s not his first choice, but as Marcus obviously does not know Lizzie well enough to love her, he must agree any Winwood would do. Amused by the young girl, (he’s twice her age), Rule accepts her proposal and marries her right away.

Horry experiences wealth and freedom for the first time and goes a little wild. She learns to gamble, though she does fairly poorly, purchases things without any real thought to cost, and makes friends with unacceptable members of society. Horry comes off immature for the first half of the book because she is, but Rule keeps an eye on her in his usual casual and easy going manner and does not involve himself overmuch. He came to the marriage thinking he was in love with a widow. He did not marry the widow because he knew she could not, or perhaps, would not be faithful in the years to come and has determined Horry is and will be even if she is young and prone to fancy.

Rule’s amusement and fondness easily translate themselves to the reader. From his actions you can tell he’s falling for his young new wife. It’s harder to tell with Horry, as she spends a good portion of the book running around after Lord Lethbridge in pursuit of his friendship and the chance to pit her card skills against his. Lord Lethbridge is after revenge against Rule and uses Horry in an attempt to instigate it. Other characters seek to help him or eagerly wait in the wings watching for a chance to run to Rule with news of her scandalous ways. Luckily Rule, her brother and his friends come time and again to Horry’s rescue. A Convenient Marriage is an amusing romp through Regency England and sure to win your heart.

Rating: 4 Stars

Buy: The Convenient Marriage

Find and buy more Georgette Heyer novels.

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-the-convenient-marriage-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 1 Review: Faro’s Daughter by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-faros-daughter-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-faros-daughter-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:31:00 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=409

bookreview

Faro's Daughter by Geogette Heyer is an excellent read, but fairly short. The whole story gets told in 285 pages. This is one of the first novels of hers that I've read that has a lot of lead interaction. In fact they're nearly at each others throats in every other scene. It makes for a fun read.

Who is Deborah Grantham?

If you asked Adrian Maplethorpe he would say she is like a living goddess. She is beautiful, poised, elegantly mannered, full of grace, and charm. He would ask her to marry him if she would have him.

If you asked Max Ravenscar he would liken her unto a harpy, a jade, a doxy, a trollop, a wench, a cheating baggage, and a Jezebel. The woman would strangle a kitten for money and power. In short Deborah Grantham is vulgar.

What's a Faro's Daughter to do?

She'll make Max Ravenscar pay for the ill treatment and poor manners he's bestowed upon her person, that's what she'll do. What better way to make him regret his folly but to do the exact thing he fears and agree to marry his cousin? No money could bribe her to relinquish Adrian from his calf-love. The only thing she wants is for Ravenscar to admit his faults and misconceptions of her person.

So for the first time, Deborah caters to Adrian's infatuation. She lets him think she will marry him upon his majority but begs him not to tell his mother about their plans. It is however a most excellent idea to inform his trustee and cousin Max all about it!

On a public excursion surrounded by good ton, Deborah chooses most willfully to look and behave in the worst of fashions. Let Ravenscar see how a true harpy would behave! Adrian is disturbed by the affectation but writes it off to nerves.

In counter Max wins her aunt's debts from the brute who would use them to finagle Deborah into a position as his mistress. But even holding the debts and mortgage over her head, Deborah refuses to relinquish Lord Maplethorpe. Instead, Deb comes to the most brilliant of ideas!

She is going to kidnap Lord Ravenscar....

Overall this was a wonderful farce that included some of the best tit for tat I've had the pleasure to read. I simply couldn't put it down. For a wager between hearts that is full of flair and humor read Faro's Daughter. This is definitely going on my favorites shelf!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Buy: Faro's Daughter

Find and buy more Georgette Heyer novels.

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-faros-daughter-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 4 Review: Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-beauvallet-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-beauvallet-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:43:19 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=6599

Beauvallet is one of my top favorite Georgette Heyer romances. It’s one I would recommend for a guy to read because of how daredevil the hero is and how much action and high jinks take place.

Sir Nicholas Beauvallet is a dashing pirate with a rakish charm. He’s the bane of the Spanish empire and good friends with other famous privateers such as Sir Francis Drake. He’s gallant, courageous to the point of foolhardiness, and full of confidence. His ego is adorable because it’s so over-inflated and lighthearted.

Dona Dominica de Rada y Sylva is a gutsy heroine. When captured she steals Beauvallet’s dagger and waves it at his nose. When forced aboard Beauvallet’s ship she snubs him, flirts outrageously with another officer, and ignores him. Obviously she’s just hiding her true feelings—the instantaneous crush, the deepening attraction, the utter fascination. The more she pushes him the more under his spell she falls.

When he promises to win her hand in marriage, she scoffs. Not likely! When he says he’ll pursue her right to her doorstep in the heart of Spain, she laughs. Impossible! When he says, “Risk not!” she begins to hope. But can it be done?

Some of the funniest scenes are Beauvallet flaunting his presence under the Spanish aristocracy and nobody being the wiser. I’m so happy that Heyer kept it in mostly Beauvallet’s point of view because we got to his side of the story and laugh at the supposedly mystical and magical escapes he managed to execute under Spanish noses.

It’s also an unusual historical I feel because of the monarchs and events happening.

Relative Time Period – Tudor:

  • Spanish Inquisition – 1478 to 1834
  • Henri III – 1551 to 1589
  • Elizabeth I – 1533 to 1603
  • Phillip II -  1527 to 1598
  • Sir Francis Drake – 1577 to 1580 – around world trip

The references to the Spanish Inquisition are just cloying and realistic enough to make you shudder with all the “infinite kindness of the church” and whatnot. I’m not an expert of anything, but the way the dialogue happened almost made one think that King Phillip had no idea what truly happened during the churches inquisition sessions. Does anybody know if he did or not?

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Buy: Beauvallet

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-beauvallet-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 2 What are the best Georgette Heyer Romances? Poll: http://www.loveromancepassion.com/what-are-the-best-georgette-heyer-romances-poll/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/what-are-the-best-georgette-heyer-romances-poll/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:45:45 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=2514

Georgette Heyer wrote over fifty novels in her lifetime. Forty of them were full length romance novels or historical novels. Wow! This was all before computers! Now with new trade versions of her books coming out again, her name is cropping up everywhere: on blogs, on Twitter, in emails.

Vote for your favorites! Let new readers of Heyer know which ones they simply can not miss!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

How many have you read? Which ones are your favorites? Leave a comment below and share your opinion!

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/what-are-the-best-georgette-heyer-romances-poll/feed/ 12 Review: Frederica by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-frederica-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-frederica-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:19:09 +0000 Sasha Muradali http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=3204

guestreview

By: Sasha Muradali, guest reviewer

Frederica is a stylish and witty Regency novel by Georgette Heyer.

The novel centers around a young girl named Frederica who brings her younger sister and the rest of their siblings to London. She is determined to secure a fabulous marriage for her astoundingly beautiful, cherub-faced sister named Charis.

If you are looking for a Jane Austen fix, and are not interested in reading any 'remakes' or pseudo-Austen novels, you want to read Frederica.

But be warned, like Austen, Heyer enlists the use of old English to convey the feel of her stories. So prepare yourself with the mindset of Regency dialogue.

Enlisting the help of her cousin, the Marquis of Alverstoke, Frederica embarks on a journey quite distant from the one she initially imagined.

Refreshing, lovely, smart and straight forward, Frederica more than makes a lasting impression on the dashing Marquis.

Quote from chapter 1:

But Alverstoke's besetting sin was a tendency to become rapidly bored. It had vanquished his sisters; for although neither of them could suppose, reviewing the numerous dazzling barques of frailty who had lived under his protection, that he was impervious to feminine charms, neither was so muttonheaded as to indulge optimism very far when he seemed to be developing a tendre for some diamond of birth, beauty, and fortune, thrust under his nose by one or other of his sisters. He was perfectly capable of making the lady the object of his gallantry for a few weeks, and then of veering off at a tangent, forgetting her very existence.

Agreeing to launch Charis and Frederica into London's high society, Lord Alverstoke who is normally cautious of his family, finds himself entertained and entranced.

Some of the best scenes in the novel are the interactions between Lord Alverstoke and his two overbearing sisters: two overbearing, shallow women whose sole purpose in life is to manipulate others, especially him, in order to get what they want.

The novel is humorous, light-hearted and smut-free.

It's really that type of novel, ideally read, on a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea and a scone on the side.

While, Frederica is not Pride and Prejudice, it is a nice, comfortable way to get your Austen-fix.

This book is highly recommended.

Now go watch Lost in Austen and smile.

Rating: ★★★★½

Buy: Frederica

Find and buy more Georgette Heyer novels.

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-frederica-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 1 Review: Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-charity-girl-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-charity-girl-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:48:26 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=549

bookreview

Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer is one scrumptious romp of trouble after the next. It all begins when Miss Charity Steane was found wandering the hillside, luggage in one hand and very sore feet. She is picked up by Viscount Ashley Desford and whisked away in his curricle as blasé as anything you please. He knows he can’t convince her to return to her miserably wretched aunt and so must take it upon himself to see that she is taken care of.

Cherry (Charity) is of course pleased beyond measure that he is not putting her through a lecture and more than willing enough to carry her the rest of the way to London. She has high hopes of running down her grandfather and begging him to take her up. Even if she has to resort to another menial position like the one she held at her aunt’s inside his home.

But the pickle of it becomes when Cherry and Desford find out that her grandfather is not in town. The neighbors do not know his direction, and the sole man inside the home refuses to speak about his master. Desford immediately sets about getting Cherry off his hands and into some more respectable ones. He doesn’t want to damage her reputation and as a single bachelor he can’t feasible continue to keep her in his care. So he settles her at Lady and Miss Silverdale’s home.

Miss Henrietta Silverdale and Desford were once a long time ago thought by their fathers to be an excellent match. They of course both knew better. Now Henrietta is entertaining new suitors and Desford seems to have his eye on Cherry. He is certainly gong well above and beyond the call of duty to locate her grandfather and find her a respectable situation.

What will happen when Desford confronts her grandfather with the charge of his granddaughter? Will Cherry remain in the good graces of Lady Silverdale? Will Henrietta’s brother, Charles, whisk Cherry off to call his own? What will Henrietta’s suitor think of the whole affair? Full of messes as well as larks, Charity Girl will have you alternately tutting like an old hen and giggling like a schoolgirl over all the crazy shenanigans.

Rating: ★★★½☆

Buy: Charity Girl

Find and buy more Georgette Heyer novels.

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-charity-girl-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 0 Review: These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-these-old-shades-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-these-old-shades-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Sun, 13 Mar 2011 04:15:09 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=4996

arcreview

These Old Shades is a mashup of several of my favorite romance plots all rolled into one story. It’s a May/December where the hero is significantly older than the heroine. It’s also a Guardian/Ward pairing as well as Employer/Employee. The heroine even goes half the novel cross-dressing, though the hero is aware of this fact. She’s also a bit of a Cinderella figure going from rags to riches. There’s revenge, kidnapping, and a little cat/mouse too. In short, it’s got it all.

The hero is one of the reasons why I love this story so much. He’s portrayed as a dandy with scented handkerchiefs and heeled shoes. He’s keenly aware of fashion and how he appears to others. But underneath his dandyish appearance, Justin Alastair, the Duke of Avon, is an alpha male hero to the core. He’s got an agenda with an old foe, Compte de Saint Vire, and with our heroine Léonie. The only thing he isn’t prepared for is love to knock him right off his dainty yet manly heels.

The heroine is a bit of a spitfire. To some she might appear as simply a fawning submissive under Alastair with her constant "Yes, Monseigneur" and "No, Monseigneur" but in actuality she’s very aware of what she’s doing. Léonie is described as a Nonpareil in the book which means there isn’t anyone (i.e. a woman who is) her equal. For the time period, which is pre-revolutionary France, this is definitely true. She cross-dresses, swordfights, becomes the hero’s personal page, wins over a prince, goes the way of Eliza Doolittle and learns to become a lady, and still manages to mangle the English language.

Georgette Heyer really utilized the side characters in These Old Shades in my opinion. One of my favorite passages doesn’t even contain the hero and heroine though it is entirely focused on them. It’s a section of dialogue between two side characters examining what’s going on between the leads.

These Old Shades is my absolute favorite Georgette Heyer romance. I haven’t read them all yet, but I have a pretty good feeling this statement would remain the same even if I had.

I give it a perfect score.

Rating: ★★★★★

Buy: These Old Shades

Find and buy more Georgette Heyer novels.

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-these-old-shades-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 5 Review: Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-devils-cub-by-georgette-heyer/ http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-devils-cub-by-georgette-heyer/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:41:26 +0000 Keira http://www.loveromancepassion.com/?p=80

bookreview

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer is enchanting and will assuredly transport you to another world. Georgette Heyer, praised to be the new Jane Austen, was born in 1902 and her tales are quite old but hold the same classic feel as any one of Austen’s novels. I can picture the whole novel as a movie and am surprised that I’ve not seen it made into one. Of course I haven’t checked in at IMDB so I could be quite wrong about its silver screen status.

This is my first time reading Heyer and such I found it tough to start (as such it's affected my rating). The writing while at first difficult to read and to get into because of the level of vocabulary and particular word phrasing which is unusual for today’s standard’s. However it gets easier the more you read. By the end of the book you’re practically flying through the pages trying to get to the end of the story and see the leads get their happily ever after.

In the true spirit of a Regency novel, this novel includes a secondary romance to entertain us. Neither romance goes to the bedroom, in fact the first and only kiss mentioned is at the very end of the tale. My one fault with the story was there was much too much time spent on ditherings going on around the leads and not nearly enough time focused on them. They were more thrown together in the beginning when Dominic kidnapped poor Mary than later.

Mary Challoner is determined to save her sister from scandal and intercepts a letter from Marquis of Vidal to her sister Sophie arranging an illicit tryst. A daring scheme to take her sister’s place and fool Vidal comes to her and Mary rushes through with it, barely thinking out the consequences.

When Vidal finds out he’s most upset and assuming her to be like her untoward and loose sister, Vidal forcibly takes her the rest of the way to France. Once there, Mary is able to make her true nature known and flummoxed Vidal is forced to do the one thing he never thought to do – propose marriage. Imagine his surprise when Mary refuses! What’s a Marquis to do?

Rating: ★★★½☆

Buy: Devil's Cub

Find and buy more Georgette Heyer novels.

Online Stores ]]> http://www.loveromancepassion.com/review-devils-cub-by-georgette-heyer/feed/ 3