Book Review: The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer

Title:  The Unknown Ajax
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Genre:  Regency romance
Pages:  373

Rating:  B+

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):  When the irascible Lord Darracott's eldest son dies unexpectedly, the noble family must accept their estranged Yorkshire cousin as heir apparent. They are convinced he will prove to be a sadly vulgar person, but nothing could have prepared the beleaguered family for the arrival of Major Hugo Darracott.  His clever and beautiful cousin Anthea is sure there's more to the gentle giant than Hugo's innocent blue eyes and broad Yorkshire brogue would lead one to believe. But even she doesn't guess what he's capable of, until a family crisis arises and only Hugo can preserve the family's honor, leading everybody on a merry chase in the process . . .

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I should have known this was going to happen.  When trying to decide which to read first, The Talisman Ring or The Unknown Ajax, I thought that this book might be better to save for last, as it sounded more like a typical Heyer romance than the other book did.  Unfortunately, it was the wrong choice.  While The Unknown Ajax is a good book, it is nowhere near as good as The Talisman Ring or most of Heyer's other works.

I think my biggest complaint about this book is that it took forever for anything to happen.  Most of the book was just a very slow lead up to the last fifty or so pages.  I just kept waiting for the plot to really begin, and it never happened.  There were funny moments here and there that helped break up the dragging sections.  But the book lacked much of Heyer's usual witty dialogue that makes her books so much fun to read.  Fortunately, those last chapters were incredible and made the first 300 pages worth reading.  (I also realize that I'm reviewing this book right after reading The Talisman Ring, which was non-stop humor and adventure, so my opinion of this book could change if read again at a different time).

There were some good characters in the book, a couple of annoying ones, and a few that were just blah.  Anthea, who the book description describes as "clever and beautiful" was one of the annoying ones.  At first I liked her, because she had spunk.  But then the spunk seemed to become more and more shrewish, until the very end when she suddenly became fun again.  Her cousin Hugo was one of the good characters.  Humble, strong, and kind with a hidden sense of humor, he was the perfect addition to the Darracott family, who lived under their irritable and ruthless grandfather's rule.  The one character I wish had gotten more attention and development was Anthea's aunt, Lady Aurelia.  Quiet and stern, she's incredibly intelligent and quick, and not afraid of her father-in-law in the slightest.  I wish Heyer had written a whole book about her.

The Unknown Ajax was a good read, but hard to get through.  I can often read a Heyer book in a day or two, usually because the dialogue is so good, I don't want to put the book down.  In this case, it took me four days with a break in there to read Persephone.  Not my favorite Heyer book, but I'd read it again for those hilarious last chapters.  B+

Book Review: The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer

Title:  The Talisman Ring
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Genre:  Regency romance
Pages:  303

Rating:  A+

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):  When spirited Eustacie stumbles into a band of smugglers, she is delighted to be having an adventure at last. Their leader, young heir Ludovic Lavenham, is in hiding, falsely accused of murder. Pursued by the law, Eustacie and Ludovic find refuge at an unassuming country inn. The resourceful Miss Sarah Thane and the clear-thinking Sir Tristram Shield gamely endeavor to prevent Ludovic's arrest and Eustacie's ruin as the four conspire to recover the missing talisman ring that will clear Ludovic's name.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When I started reading The Talisman Ring, I came really close to putting it down and not bothering with it.  The book started off introducing two of the four main characters, and at first, I couldn't stand Eustacie.  In the beginning, she seems so spoiled and melodramatic, and I just wanted to slap her.  I didn't think I could possibly bear reading an entire book about her.  I'm so glad I decided to stick with it, because this book is hilarious.  It's a romance, an adventure, and a comedy all rolled into one. 

The four main characters are Eustacie, Ludovic, Tristram, and Sarah.  When I saw that two of the character's names were Eustacie and Ludovic, I was a little worried that Heyer had lost her mind, but their names turned out to be very fitting.  Eustacie is a headstrong girl with an overactive imagination; Ludovic is the handsome heir who's resorted to smuggling to keep himself busy.  They're both funny and impatient and headstrong.  But my favorite characters were their friends Tristram and Sarah.  Tristram is Ludovic's serious, no-nonsense cousin with a dry, and sometimes wicked, sense of humor.  Sarah is their new friend who treats everything serious with a mocking tone and everything humorous in a grave, serious tone.  Together, this ensemble of personalities have incredibly funny conversations that made me literally laugh out loud while reading.

Besides all the hilarious dialogue (which is the best part of the whole book), the story was exciting and adventurous, and the romance was sweet.  I'm so incredibly happy I gave this book a chance past chapter one, because if I hadn't, I would have missed out on what is now one of my favorite Heyer books ever.  A+

Book Review: Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer

Title:  Footsteps in the Dark
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Genre:  Mystery
Pages:  347

Rating:  A-

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):  What begins as an adventure soon becomes a nightmare... Locals claim it is haunted and refuse to put a single toe past the front door, but to siblings Peter, Celia, and Margaret, the Priory is nothing more than a rundown estate inherited from their late uncle-and the perfect setting for a much-needed holiday. But when a murder victim is discovered in the drafty Priory halls, the once unconcerned trio begins to fear that the ghostly rumors are true and they are not alone after all! With a killer on the loose, will they find themselves the next victims of a supernatural predator, or will they uncover a far more corporeal culprit?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

First, let me start off by saying "HAPPY NEW YEAR!!"  Now that that's out of the way, I can start on the review.

Why Shoot a Butler? was my first Georgette Heyer mystery, and Footsteps in the Dark is my second, but I enjoyed this one so much more.  The characters, the dialogue, the setting, the mystery itself -- they all work together to make an awesome story.

In this book, there are four main characters, rather than one or two.  The siblings - Peter, Celia, and Margaret - and Celia's husband Charles are at the center of this adventure.  Interestingly enough, even though it's only the siblings who get mentioned in the book description, Charles is really the strongest and most predominant character in the book.  Each one has a unique personality that gets to shine; even the secondary characters get plenty of development.  The dialogue is typical of a Heyer novel - witty, sarcastic, and fun.  Especially when Charles was part of the conversation.  (Obviously Charles was the best character in this book.)

The setting for the mystery was perfect too.  An old estate with hidden passages and creaking stairs and overgrown woods.  It just radiated secrecy and intrigue.  And the mystery itself was exciting and spooky.  It was one part mystery and one part ghost story.  I loved it.  My only problem was that once again, I figured out ahead of time who the villain was.  Fortunately, I hadn't also figured out the how or why, but it was a little disappointing to not be surprised at the end.  Of course, someone else reading the book might not figure it out at all.  

Overall, the book was great.  Romance, humor, mystery, sarcasm - what else could you possibly need?  A-

Book Review: Why Shoot a Butler? by Georgette Heyer

Title:  Why Shoot a Butler?
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Genre:  Mystery
Pages:  329

Rating:  A-

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):  Every family has secrets, but the Fountains' are turning deadly... On a dark night, along a lonely country road, barrister Frank Amberley stops to help a young lady in distress and discovers a sports car with a corpse behind the wheel. The girl protests her innocence, and Amberley believes her--at least until he gets drawn into the mystery and the clues incriminating Shirley Brown begin to add up...
In an English country-house murder mystery with a twist, it's the butler who's the victim, every clue complicates the puzzle, and the bumbling police are well-meaning but completely baffled. Fortunately, in ferreting out a desperate killer, amateur sleuth Amberley is as brilliant as he is arrogant, but this time he's not sure he wants to know the truth...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Why Shoot a Butler? was my first Georgette Heyer mystery, so I really didn't know what to expect when I started it.  Having only read Heyer's regency romances, I thought there was a good chance the story would have witty dialogue, lots of descriptions of people and places, and an interesting heroine.  I missed two out of three.  First, there's no heroine, but a "hero."  The main character of this story is Frank Amberley, a barrister/amateur sleuth with a smirking haughtiness that hides his intelligence and passion.  He actually reminds me of Sir Percy Blakeney, aka the Scarlet Pimpernel, except that Sir Percy uses humor and goofiness as a cover the way Amberley uses arrogance.

Secondly, the long descriptive passages that Heyer normally has in her romances are nonexistent here.  In this book, Heyer's main focus is not on the landscapes or what people are wearing, but on the mystery itself.  Her story is non-stop movement from beginning to end; there's no time to spend on descriptions.  The story may seem a little bare at times because of the lack of any involved details on the characters and their surroundings, but since the plot never really slows down, there isn't a lot of time to notice it. 

The one thing I did guess correctly was the dialogue.  It wouldn't be a Heyer book without amazing conversations and sarcasm.  Amberley's dialogue is sharp, witty, and biting.  His conversations with his uncle are hilarious, as his uncle doesn't always understand sarcasm.  But the best conversations are between Amberley and Shirley Brown, the possible "femme fatale."  She's not impressed with Amberley's wit, and has no problem telling him off.

As for the mystery itself, it was exciting and had the appropriate number of twists and turns, with a somewhat unexpected ending.  I admit that after reading a lot of mysteries (and watching a lot of crime shows), I've realized that it's never the obvious person you suspect, and therefore I'm not always surprised at the endings.  With this book, as I said, I was somewhat surprised because I had two guesses as to who the villain was, and one of them was right.  But I never guessed the motive or how the solution would unfold.  A-

Book Review: A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer

Title:  A Civil Contract
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Genre:  Regency romance
Pages:  422

Rating:  A-

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):  Adam Deveril, Viscount Lynton, returns home from war to find his family in financial ruin. To help his family, he sacrifices his love for the beautiful Julia and marries plain Jenny Chawleigh, whose father is a wealthy businessman determined to marry his daughter into a title.
Adam chafes under Mr. Chawleigh's generosity, and Julia's behavior upon hearing of the betrothal nearly brings them all into a scandal. But Jenny's practicality and quiet love for Adam bring him comfort and eventually happiness. And over time, their arranged marriage blossoms into love and acceptance across the class divide.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For Christmas this year, I asked for a bunch of books by Georgette Heyer, and I got them!  Of the Heyer books I got, A Civil Contract was the first one I read.  Unlike most of Heyer's other books, this book is much more serious in tone, and its love story isn't a whirlwind, swoon-worthy romance.  Adam Deveril and Jenny Chawleigh marry for convenience, and they face their ups and downs together, eventually realizing that they do love one another.  It's not the typical passionate, breathtaking love that comes and goes, but a deep, steady love that's grown out of mutual respect and companionship.

Heyer's heroine in this story is very different from her typical female leads.  In most of Heyer's books, the girl is beautiful but poor; Jenny Chawleigh is the opposite.  Neither poor nor beautiful, she does possess a good head on her shoulders and a dry sense of humor.  Her "hero," Adam Deveril, doesn't deserve the title.  He's often rude to Jenny, and sometimes fails to hide his feelings for his first love Julia whenever she's around.  Lucky for him, Jenny is a very understanding and patient woman.

I really enjoyed how Heyer looked at what might be the outcome of an an arranged marriage.  The disbelief and awkwardness at first, followed by the slow acclimation to one another's personalities, and finally the realization that what the two of them share is much more enduring than the feelings of being "in love."  Heyer never becomes unrealistic by having either of her characters suddenly wake up one day and say, "I can't believe I didn't see it before! I'm madly in love with him/her!"  I admit a little part of me was hoping for that breathtaking aha! moment, but in the end, I'm glad it didn't happen.  It would have seemed forced and unreal.  What Heyer portrays in A Civil Contract is a real love, which was a refreshing change from the typical romance.  A-

The Newest Addictions

Over the summer, I developed new addictions that took over my movie, TV, and book preferences.  The first addiction is everything BBC & Masterpiece.  I am absolutely in love with the British and their dramas.  The second, somewhat related addiction is period dramas.  Anything taking place in the past, especially the Jane Austen era, is an absolute must.  And the final addiction is the murder mystery.  Just consider my TV schedule.  Castle, Unforgettable, Psych, and Grimm are all murder mystery shows.  Of course when the addictions overlapped - such as a BBC murder mystery - that was the absolute best.

BBC (non-period drama/murder mystery)

• Primeval Season 4 -- After hearing that this dino-themed sci-fi series was going to be continued after its original cancellation, I was sadly disappointed when the fourth season finally arrived.  While it wasn't terrible, it didn't live up to the first few seasons.  Part of the problem is that they killed off most of the original cast, and the new characters just don't fill those voids.  The other part of the problem was that the show seemed to become overly sensational, like they were compensating for the lack of character development and chemistry with over-the-top, end-of-the-world scenarios.  Will I still watch season 5 if they ever decide to air it?  Yes.  (B-)
• The Last Enemy -- This miniseries starring Benedict Cumberbatch showed just how scary an Orwellian, "Big Brother is watching" government could be.  Mathematician Stephen Ezard returns home to England from China to find his homeland has changed radically since recent terrorist attacks.  Cameras on every corner, ID cards containing your entire life, and computer chips embedded in your skin that can track your every move.  It's a very thrilling story that really makes you think.  Unfortunately, the British seem to hate happy endings, so don't watch this movie and expect to feel good afterwards.  But I'd still recommend this miniseries (best seen as a companion to 1984 by Orwell and A Brave New World by Huxley) simply as a means of opening people's eyes to a possible future.  (A)

Period Dramas (non-BBC/murder mystery)

• Jane Eyre (2011) -- I have seen many versions of Charlotte Bronte's book since it's one of my favorite romances ever.  This most recent movie version, starring Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska, is a poorly done remake.  While the filmography might be called artsy, the story itself was sadly undeveloped and contained huge holes.  Plus, the eeriness that's felt throughout the book is missing completely from this movie.  Another complaint I have is that Fassbender's Rochester is too calm and gentle.  Edward Rochester is supposed to brusque, brooding, and somewhat violent.  But I could have forgiven all of that had it not been for the ending.  Bronte wrote one of the best endings ever; it's sweet, romantic, and funny.  But this movie version destroyed it, and for that I cannot forgive them.  (D)
• The Duchess --  So depressing!  Kiera Knightley and Ralph Fiennes star in this period drama about a loveless, arranged marriage.  The Duke marries a young woman of good family in order to have an heir, but he doesn't love her and continues to sleep with every other female.  Including her best friend.  The Duchess falls in love with a young politician, becomes pregnant with his child, and has her child forcibly taken away from her.  She then goes home to live with her husband, his mistress, and all of their children as one big family.  After watching this movie, even though I'm tired of them, I had to watch a silly rom-com just so I could watch something happy.  (C)
• Venetia by Georgette Heyer --  I love Georgette Heyer's regency romances, and this one was great.  Venetia is a young woman who is about to resign herself to spinsterhood, when her rakish neighbor, Lord Damerel, returns home and swoops her off her feet.  At first he only does it out of boredom, but he soon discovers that Venetia doesn't fall for his tricks and games, which intrigues him.  He soon realizes that he's fallen in love with her, but as his bad reputation will ruin hers, he refuses to let anything come of it.  But Venetia doesn't intend to let him go so easily.  This story made me smile so much because the bantering and flirting between Venetia and Lord Damerel reminded me so much of the relationship between Castle & Beckett.  This is a fun romance with surprising ending.  (A) 
• Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer --  This book has now caused my three-way tie for best Heyer book to become a four-way tie.  Funny, exciting, romantic- an all-together amazing read.  Sylvester is an aloof duke looking to get married.  His godmother suggests her friend's daughter Phoebe, so he decides to meet her.  Phoebe is an interesting young woman who wants more than anything to publish a novel, which she ends up doing successfully.  Unfortunately, the villain in her story is based off Sylvester himself, and as the two end up growing closer after a series of adventures, her book ends up causing the relationship a great many more hurdles and adventures to overcome.  I loved this book so much, I could not put it down or stop laughing as I read it.  (A+)

Murder Mysteries (non-BBC/period drama)

• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie -- I read this book because my sister was taking a detective literature class, and both she and my mom liked the book.  It was so amazing!  Absolutely intense, gripping, and mind-bending.  I had no idea who the murderer was; every theory I had was completely wrong.  Definitely one of the best murder mysteries out there.  (A+)
• Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series --  I started reading these mystery novels after finishing Christie's And Then There Were None.  I loved the television version of these novels, starring David Suchet, so I figured the books would probably be even better.  They were.  The best of all them was Murder on the Orient Express.  Christie is gifted when it comes to keeping her readers on their toes.  In every one her books, I was completely amazed by the ending.  (A to A+)
• Heat Wave by Richard Castle -- This first book from the fictional TV author isn't bad, but it's definitely not one of the best mystery novels I've read.  Honestly, I didn't expect it to be amazing, since it is from a TV show..  It was like reading the script for an episode of Castle, except the mystery wasn't that quirky or exciting, and Castle & Beckett's counterparts end up together.  I'll probably stick to the TV show rather than read the rest of the Heat series.  (B)
• Castle: Season 3 -- What can I say about this show that I haven't said already?  It's still just as amazing as ever, but I'm starting to agree with my sister about the Beckett's mom story arc.  Could they just solve it and move on already?  The more twisted it gets, the more I lose interest.  The rest of the season was great however, especially the steampunk episode.  And nothing could have prepared me for that season finale.  Now that the 3rd season's out on DVD, I can't wait to get it and rewatch all the Castle/Beckett awesomeness.  (A+)

Title:  Lady of Quality
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Format:  Paperback
Pages:  304
Genre:  Regency romance/Clean romance
Date Started:  May 25, 2010
Date Finished:  May 26, 2010

Rating:  A

Description (from Barnes & Noble):  When spirited, independent Miss Annis Wynchwood embroils herself in the affairs of a runaway heiress, she is destined to see a good deal of Mr Carleton, Lucilla's uncivil and high-handed guardian. And, chafing at the restrictions of Bath society, Annis has to admit that at least Mr Oliver Carleton is never boring.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I couldn't help but think of Ciaran Hinds for the part of Mr. Carleton.  I just kept seeing him as Captain Wentworth, from the 1995 adaptation of Persuasion.  I think it's because Mr. Carleton is the complete opposite of a typical Heyer hero.  Instead of a dashing young gentleman or an aloof older Lord/Earl, Carleton is an impolite, domineering "rake" with very few scruples, who isn't even described as handsome.  And despite all of this, you find yourself attracted to him.  (Of course, I know Wentworth would never be described as a "rake" of any kind, but the physical description of Carleton pretty much matches Ciaran Hinds' Captain Wentworth.)

The secondary characters of Ninian and Lucilla were great too.  Their storyline was as amusing and fun as the main characters'.  The other secondary characters were good too.  Annis' brother and sister-in-law helped round out the story, because there had to be someone older and responsible somewhere in the book to balance Carleton and Lucilla.  My least favorite character is Miss Farlow.  She is by far the most annoying character of all Georgette Heyer's books.  Just imagine if Miss Bates from Emma and Mr. Collins from Pride & Prejudice had a daughter.  *shudder*  That's Miss Farlow.

I really can't put my finger on exactly why I didn't like this book as much as Heyer's others.  Especially since sarcasm abounds in this book, and I love sarcasm.  I think it's probably Annis.  I just wasn't able to connect with her.  The book is still good, especially with such a drastically atypical male lead, and worth reading again.  A

Title:  Arabella
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Format:  Hardcover
Pages:  284
Genre:  Regency romance/Clean romance
Date Started:  May 22, 2010
Date Finished:  May 24, 2010

Rating:  A+

Description (from Barnes & Noble):  Daughter of a modest country clergyman, Arabella Tallant is on her way to London when her carriage breaks down outside the hunting lodge of the wealthy Mr. Robert Beaumaris. Her pride stung when she overhears a remark of her host's, Arabella pretends to be an heiress, a pretense that deeply amuses the jaded Beau. To counter her white lie, Beaumaris launches her into high society and thereby subjects her to all kinds of fortune hunters and other embarrassments.

When compassionate Arabella rescues such unfortunate creatures as a mistreated chimney sweep and a mixed-breed mongrel, she foists them upon Beaumaris, who finds he rather enjoys the role of rescuer and is soon given the opportunity to prove his worth in the person of Arabella's impetuous young brother...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Absolutely wonderful!  This book has tied with The Convenient Marriage and The Reluctant Widow for my favorite Georgette Heyer novel.  The only part of book that dragged a little was the long description of Arabella's brother's faults and escapades.  Other than that the book is fantastic.

The two main characters were amazing; both of them were so real and thought-out.  The more Beaumaris teases Arabella, the more you fall in love with him.  Arabella is great too.  She's spunky and outspoken and headstrong, but also a bit too proud and naive.  The storyline was so funny; all of the crazy situations Arabella gets herself into and then drags Beau into as well.  And I loved Ulysses!  My sister would love him too.  Not just because he's a dog, but also because he steals every "scene" he's in.  I am definitely putting this on my wish list for my birthday.  I can't wait to own it and reread it!  A+

Title:  Charity Girl
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Format:  Hardcover
Pages:  254
Genre:  Regency romance/Clean romance
Date Started:  May 16, 2010
Date Finished:  May 16, 2010

Rating:  A

Description (from Barnes & Noble):  A sparkling Regency romance from the queen of the genre--Viscount Desford tries to help a very young lady walking to London alone, and finds himself working hard to prevent his young charge from bringing ruin upon herself--and him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Barnes & Noble really needs better descriptions for their books.  If I was picking a book based on what the summary said, I might never have read this book.

I was completely surprised by the ending!  Heyer's romances tend to follow a formula, and you always know who's going to end up together.  This book completely destroyed that.  I had no idea it was going to end that way, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I was happy with the twist.

The characters in this book were amongst Heyer's best.  Four great main characters, an awesome set of secondary characters, and four perfectly awful villains.  Cherry, the title character, reminded me a lot of Fanny Price; very sweet, very soft-spoken, taken advantage of by her relatives, and just a little bit more outspoken than Fanny when she finally gets her freedom.  And if you think Aunt Norris from Mansfield Park is evil, it's because you haven't met Cherry's aunt.  She makes Aunt Norris look nice!

There was a lot less slang in this book so it was very understandable.  The dialogue was great too, as usual.  Some parts of the story were a little slow, but overall the book was great.  A

Title:  The Corinthian
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Format:  Hardcover
Pages:  244
Genre:  Regency romance/Clean romance
Date Started:  May 15, 2010
Date Finished:  May 15, 2010

Rating:  A-

Description (from Barnes & Noble):  Beset by marriage-minded relatives, Sir Richard Wyndham nearly plunged into a dutiful betrothal. But just in time, lovely, impulsive Penelope Creed climbed out a window—and into his arms. Dressed as a boy, Pen was escaping her own demanding relatives, and wanted only to return to her childhood estate. Sir Richard refused to permit a young lady to travel unescorted, no matter what her garb. But upon discovering his charge meant to ride a mail coach, the sophisticated lord nearly changed his mind! Still, before long, marriage wasn 't looking quite the evil it had been—if he had the right bride in his arms...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is the first time I ever disliked a Heyer heroine.  She was so irritating; I might even compare her to nails on a chalkboard at times.  Her character could have been done so much better.  I liked that she was atypical; she didn't fit with the other Heyer heroines.  But some of her differences were extremely annoying.

The secondary characters left much to be desired too, except Cedric.  He's one of my favorites in this book.  He's humorous, exciting, and surprisingly well-developed for a minor character.  Luckily, people like George, Louisa, Beverly, etc. all had very small parts, so you don't have to put up with their ridiculousness for very long.

It was nice that this book followed a slightly different storyline from Heyer's usual formula.  I say slightly different, because a good deal of the formula is still in there.  The hero, Richard Wyndham (whom I love), starts out as a drunkard, but he very quickly becomes as respectable as the rest of Heyer's male leads.  There's still the May-December romance, the awkward situations, and the great dialogue.  The big difference is that the heroine of the story is pretending to be a boy through most of it, which introduces some very new, very interesting situations.  The very last scene in the book is the best example of this.  Made me laugh so hard.  A-

Title:  The Cotillion
Author:  Georgette Heyer
Format:  Hardcover
Pages:  316
Genre:  Regency romance/Clean romance
Date Started:  May 11, 2010
Date Finished:  May 14, 2010

Rating:  A+

Description (from Barnes & Noble):  The three great-nephews of cantankerous Mr Penicuik know better than to ignore his summons, especially when it concerns the bestowal of his fortune. His freakish plan is that his fortune will be his step-daughter Kitty's dowry.

Eager to put an end to the attentions of all these fortune-hunting men who pursue her, Miss Kitty Charing flees to London with Freddy Standen, a confirmed bachelor. Kitty finds life in the exciting city more wonderful than she ever imagined, but is it the city or the man who brought her newfound happiness?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is completely irrelevant to my opinion of the book, but why is it that most of the new reprints of Georgette Heyer's books have covers that are completely unrelated to the story?  Yes, the title is The Cotillion, and a cotillion is a dance, but the three girls waiting for dance partners has absolutely nothing to do with the book.

This is one of Heyer's funniest books.  Her characters, their personalities and eccentricities, the trouble they get themselves into.  A faked betrothal, elopements, crazy family members.  All of it is so funny!  A few of the characters can grate on your nerves, but their annoyingness doesn't detract at all from the great dialogue and romance in the book.  One problem I did have was that Heyer included a lot more Regency era slang into the book, so I felt like I needed an interpreter at some points.  But that didn't make the book an less awesome either.  A+

Title: The Reluctant Widow
Author: Georgette Heyer
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 279
Genre: Regency romance/Gothic/Clean romance
Date Started: May 4, 2010
Date Finished: May 5, 2010

Rating: A+

Description (from Barnes & Noble): Penniless Elinor is rather surprised at the carriage that meets her from the stage, and more so at the decayed grandeur of the house to which she's transported. Realising that there has been a case of mistaken identity she agrees to an audacious plan.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I loved this book! So much comedy, sarcasm, and excitement! This was so different from any other Heyer book I've read. The heroine gets thrown into a situation, practically against her will, and her way of coping through sarcasm was so much fun. I love sarcasm, especially when it's done well. The hero is of course equally sarcastic to her, and the dialogue between these two was so good, I didn't even need the plot or secondary characters to enjoy the story. The two of them sending stinging barbs at each other was enough.

Of course, the plot and the secondary characters did add a lot of excitement and comedy to the story. Lord Carlyon's younger brother Nicky and his dog Bouncer were probably my favorite characters in the whole book. They were both constantly getting into trouble and "under" people's feet, but you couldn't help but love them. Elinor had her patience worn thin by both of them, but she still loved having them around. I always love the comic relief, and these two never disappointed.

The plot of this story was great too, because it was Gothic mystery novel. Riddles and secrets that needed to be solved. Secret passageways. Political intrigues. French spies. This is one of my favorite Heyer books. Actually, it's one of my favorite books... period. A+

Title: Friday's Child
Author: Georgette Heyer
Format: Paperback
Pages: 423
Genre: Regency romance/Clean romance
Date Started: May 2, 2010
Date Finished: May 2, 2010

Rating: A+

Description (from Barnes & Noble): Young Lord Sheringham, rejected by the woman he deeply loved, could not gain his inheritance until he married. On a passionate impulse, he vowed to marry the next woman he saw. Enter Hero Wantage, the adorable life-long friend who has secretly loved Sheringham her entire life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This book was so wonderful. I loved the atypical hero (as in male lead, not the character Hero... confusing). Most of Heyer's men seem to always fit the same description. They're all tall, in their thirties, somewhat domineering and overbearing in their attitude, a little aloof, very elegant but manly, usually an Earl/Lord. They're usually the strong, silent type. Sherry (a.k.a. Lord Sherringham) has very few of these qualities. Sure, he's tall and a Lord, but that's about as far as it goes. Sherry is in his twenties, very open and amiable, hot-headed, not aloof at all. He's just so different from Heyer's other male leads; he's more like the willful, younger brother of the other heroes.

Hero, as in Sherry's wife, wasn't Heyer's typical female lead either. Yes, she was young and inexperienced with the ways of society, but she was also very timid, very quiet, with very little self-confidence and no "cheekiness." She gains more self-esteem and self-assurance throughout the book, but by the end, she's still very much a very sweet, very obedient girl.

Sherry's friends provided great comic relief, as well as moral support for the main characters. They're always there when Sherry and/or Hero need them, and they know when to step in and what to do. The one friend's fear of the dowager Sherringham is hilarious. The pains he goes through in order to keep out of her way were so funny. This whole book had me laughing out loud. Sudden elopements, a fake duel, two simultaneous kidnapping schemes gone wrong, the final piece of dialogue. This book was just amazing. A+

Title: April Lady
Author: Georgette Heyer
Format: Paperback
Pages: 268
Genre: Regency romance/Clean romance
Date Started: May 2, 2010
Date Finished: May 2, 2010

Rating: B+

Description (from Barnes & Noble): It was the most brilliant match of the season--the marriage of wealthy Lord Cardross to the enchanting Lady Nell. But Nell harbors one secret in her heart, she is deeply in debt. Unable to reveal the truth to her husband, Nell tries to settle her muddled financial affairs, but finds herself caught up in a terrible deception.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This book would have seemed so much better if I hadn't read it right after rereading The Convenient Marriage. Their storylines are so similar that I thought that Heyer might have run out of ideas. Both books feature a marriage between an older man and a younger woman. Both brides believe their husbands are in love with their old flames. Both husbands are in love with their brides, but believe their wives only want their money. Both brides get themselves tangled up in a crazy scheme. Both go to their brothers for help. Both brothers attempt highway robbery to help their sisters. Both brothers have problems with gambling and gambling debts. Very, very similar.

That doesn't mean the book wasn't good. There were enough differences to keep the book from seeming like a pale copy. The characters are very well-developed and believable, and their dialogue is amazing. The drunk brother and his friend provide lots of comic relief. The dramatic sighings and cryings and temper tantrums of the spoiled sister-in-law were also written well, because instead of being annoying, her "fits" were written in such a way that sometimes you sympathized with her, sometimes you laughed at her, and most of the time you rolled your eyes.

Overall, it was a very well-written book with great characters and dialogue, but lacked some originality. B+

Conveniently Awesome

Title: The Convenient Marriage
Author: Georgette Heyer
Format: Hardcover (not pictured)
Genre: Georgian Romance/Romantic Comedy
Date Started: August 12, 2009
Date Finished: August 13, 2009

Rating: A

Description (from Wikipedia): Horatia Winwood, a stammering girl barely out of the schoolroom, takes the place of her beautiful older sister (who is romantically involved elsewhere) in entering into a marriage of convenience with the wealthy Earl of Rule. The tentative understanding between the new husband and wife is complicated when Rule's old enemy, Lord Lethbridge, takes an interest in his young bride, in order to exact revenge over a scandal of several years earlier.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Georgette Heyer, who set the foundation for the Regency romance novel, did an amazing job with this book. It is the perfect mixture of romance, intrigue, and comedy. I loved this book so much, I read it again before sending it back to the library.

Horatio Winwood is my favorite atypical heroine. She is the opposite of the usual romance novel's leading lady. Instead of being a busty blond with large cerulean eyes (I hate most romance novels for their ridiculous women who all look like Dolly Parton or Pam Anderson), Horry is a short, rather young girl with dark hair, gray eyes, eyebrows that refuse to arch, and a pronounced stutter. She bounces back between feistiness and timidity, depending on the situation she's in, and she seems to be a magnet for trouble.

When she marries the Earl of Rule, Horry does it out of love for her sister. As the book progresses, Horry slowly comes to realize that she is falling in love with her husband, while he has been in love with her almost the entire time. But this book isn't just about the romance between the couple. It's also a story of the folly of revenge, as well as a comedy as you watch the Georgian equivalent of the Three Stooges (Horry's brother, her brother-in-law, and her brother's best friend) attempting to "quietly" fix up all of Horry's problems.

Another reason I enjoyed the book is because it was an amazing romance novel without the smut. When you hear the words "romance" and "novel" put together, most of the time the image conjured in your mind is that of a Harlequin romance whose cover sports a Fabio look-a-like. The entire book is spent describing the sexual escapades of the heroine. The Convenient Marriage was a romance novel that focused on romantic love, not lust. And for that reason, I intend to purchase my own copy soon, and pick up some more of Heyer's books. A