Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer

Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: Originally 1955, this edition--July 2011
Source: Sourcebooks (publisher review request)
Review: 3.5/5 stars


Brief Summary: Lady Serena is reunited with her former suitor, whom she jilted several years ago, when her father names him, the Marquis of Rotherham, her guardian in his will. Both Serena and the Marquis are hot-tempered and obstinate so quarrels ensue. In true Georgette Heyer fashion, witty-dialogue abounds. The romantic plot thickens as Serena becomes reacquainted with the man she had once loved when she was much younger, who had been sent packing by her father because he was not a good match for her.
My Thoughts:  Georgette Heyer does not disappoint.  Even though Bath Tangle wasn't quite as charming as some of her other books, it still hits the spot when you're looking for that Regency Romance fix.  The plot is pretty predictable but it doesn't really matter.  Even though we know the destination, the journey is always fun.  The hero and heroine are unfortunately not often together in this book but when they are in the same room, the sparks fly with heated arguments and sparring of words that Heyer is famous for.
Recommendations: To all Austen and Regency fans.
Ratings: 1.1.2  Pretty clean read with a smattering of mild profanity.


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The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

Genre: Romance, historical fiction
Published: Originally 1928, re-edition Feb. 1, 2010, 325 pgs.
Source: Review copy from the publisher, Sourcebooks


Review: 4/5 stars

The Masqueraders is full of love and adventure. It has a slightly different setting than the other Heyer novels I've read as this one is set around 1750, just after the failed Jacobite rebellion. Brother and sister Robin and Prudence Tremaine were part of the rebellion just as they have been part of many schemes and adventures during their lives wandering all over Europe following their father. Now they are returning to London incognito, Robin playing the part of a lady and Prudence as her gentleman brother, while they wait for their father to come for them. High adventure ensues including mistaken identity, sword-fighting, duels, falling in love, highway robbery and more.

This is a fun book with interesting characters and lots of adventure. I knew very early on who would fall in love with whom but it was a fun ride getting to that conclusion. Georgette Heyer has yet to disappoint.

Rating: 1.2.1 Includes some violence but not graphic.

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

Genre: Regency romance
Published: Originally 1932, this edition--1 Nov. 2009
320 pgs.
Review book from Sourcebooks
Review: 4.5/5 stars

Whenever I read a regency romance novel I realize again what a hopeless romantic I am. It comes as a surprise because I'm really quite a practical person, but something about the story of a reprehensible rake changing his life and habits all for the love of a sensible, intelligent girl gets me every time. I know that in real life that kind of thing is completely unrealistic. I would never believe in the real world that a promiscuous womanizer would completely change and become faithful to one woman because he finally found someone he couldn't live without. Give me that unrealistic story in the form of a regency romance, especially a Georgette Heyer novel, and I will swallow it hook, line, and sinker. It's pretty pathetic, I know, but it's my weakness.

As I began reading Devil's Cub I thought I may have found an English rogue that I wouldn't like. The Marquis of Vidal seemed too wicked and objectionable even for me. The heroine, Mary Challoner is so clever, sensible, and unassuming, however, that as she falls in love with the Marquis I can't help but do the same. It really makes no sense to me, this attraction I have for these literary men since I'm not at all attracted to "bad boys" in real life. My husband is about as straight-arrow as they come.

This latest Heyer novel made me want to pick up another immediately. It was predictable yet completely enjoyable with a fast paced story line, clever dialogue, and interesting characters.

Rating: 1.1.1 Includes some mild innuendo, mild violence, and a little language but not enough to warrant a 2 rating in my opinion.

Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer

Rating: 1.1.1

Recommended audience: Teen to adult

Category: Romance, historical, regency

Review: 4/5

Georgette Heyer was an amazing writer. This is the third of her many books that I've read and I continue to be impressed with her. She really did her research about the Regency time period in England and it shows in her books. The other two Heyer novels I've read were both about spinsters finding love, while this one is about a very young girl and her foray into society, her many missteps, and of course, falling in love. Though there is not laugh-out-loud kind of humour, I think this book is very funny. The characters are interesting, likable, and believable and the dialogue between them is a high point of the book. I recommend Friday's Child to anyone who wishes that Jane Austen had written more books.

Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer

Rating: 1.1.1 (PG)
Recommended audience: Teen and up
Category: Historical, romance
Review: 3.75/5

I would probably have given this a 4/5 star rating but it was a little too much like the last Georgette Heyer book that I read. Both books are set in Bath and both have "almost spinster" type heroines. Black Sheep is about a 28 year old who has charge of her 17 year old orphaned niece who is heiress to a great fortune. Georgette Heyer's novels are very much dialogue driven with a lot of dry humor within the conversations. Her characters are interesting, witty, laughable, and reprehensible, depending on which one you are describing. In this particular novel, the hero's disregard for social etiquette is amusing and very likable as is the heroine's intelligence and wit. I've said before that I have a special place in my heart for Regency Romance that stems back to my first encounter with Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice. While I have read some of this genre that is complete fluff, I've been impressed with Heyer's books so far. There were several times that I wished I'd had a dictionary with me while reading this book. It also is not just a romance but is a book about family relationships and duty. I would recommend this book but I would suggest that you don't read it together with Lady of Quality.

Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer

Rating: 2.1.2 (PG)
Recommended audience: Mostly adult but some teens might like it
Category: Historical romance
Review:


I was 14 years old when I read Pride and Prejudice and fell in love with Jane Austen and the whole Regency period. I don't know what it is about this time period--the manners, high society, empire waist dresses, social requirements and taboos, sexual tension because of strict social rules, or whatever--I really like to read about it. I also like to read about a good rake (for those of you who aren't familiar with Regency England a "rake" is a real ladies man). Maybe it's one of my weird fantasies that I can fulfill through reading because I don't like "rakes" in real life. So this novel was just my cup of tea. It is about a 29 year old lady who has never been tempted to marry because all of her many suitors have never really been interesting enough. Of course, she is brought together with a very uncivil gentleman of disrepute and can't stop thinking about him. I've never read any books by Heyer before but I'm glad to have been introduced to her recently. Although she passed away in 1974, she had written over 50 books in her lifetime almost all regency romances. From what I can tell, all of her books are clean and not the kind of trash that have covers with women's dresses falling off and clinging to shirtless Fabian-like men. I would definitely recommend her books to all of you Jane Austen fans who want more to read from this time period.