The Grand Sophy

 Heyer, Georgette. (2009 reprint). The Grand Sophy. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Casablanca.
ISBN: 9781402218941
Pages: 372
genre: Regency romance

annotation: Sophy repays her cousin’s hospitality by reordering his household.

summary: Sophy comes to London to stay with family while her father is on assignment in Brazil. She sees a household in chaos: her cousin's fiancee Eugenia is disagreeable and her cousin Cecilly's potential fiancee is an oblivious poet. She decides to repay them by straightening out these tangles. In the process she might end gaining something unexpected. 

evaluation: very good read

One caveat keeps me from giving this book an excellent rating. Charles and Sophy being cousins and then having other feelings besides familial can be a bit uncomfortable. I think it might have been better for her to be a family friend instead. Otherwise I liked this book a lot. Sophy is irrepressible, intelligent and determined. She doesn't leap into situations without thinking things through. Her solutions can be unorthodox, but they get the job done: the reader cheers for her and also laughs at the fallout especially at the end. The other characters add to the story too: endearing and/or ridiculous. The plot is enjoyable: Charles and Sophy's relationship develops at a believable pace and the events (especially at the end) had me laughing. Like False Colours and The Convenient Marriage, Heyer proficiently brings readers into her world. This is an excellent read for Regency romance fans and those wanting a fun romance. 

what else to read: 

This book reminds me of Shakespeare's comedies in some ways: witty dialogue and a funny road which must be traveled before the couples get arranged the correct way. 

I decided to read Georgette Heyer after finding her heavily recommended during research for a Regency Romance bookmark. For what else to read I'll post other titles I came across. Not all of the titles are "sweet" romances, but they have been rated well in print and/or online reading sources.

Slightly Married by Mary Balogh. 

Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase. 

Allegra by Clare Darcy. 

Crossed Quills by Carola Dunn. 

A Garden Folly by Candice Hern. 

The Lady's Companion by Carla Kelly. 

The Rake's Rainbow by Allison Lane. 

A Debt to Delia by Babara Metzger. 

Princess Charming by Elizabeth Thornton.

False Colours

Heyer, Georgette. (2008 reprint). False Colours. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.

ISBN: 9781402210754          

Pages: 341

Genre: Regency Romance, historical fiction

Annotation: Christopher Fancot pretends to be his twin to avert scandal.

Summary: The Honorable Christopher Fancot has a strong bond with his twin brother Evelyn: each knows when something bad happens to the other. When he gets a feeling something bad has happened to Evelyn he rushes home. He finds his twin missing. His mother pressures him into pretending to be his brother at a dinner with a potential fiancée.  Things become even more complicated when ‘his’ potential fiancée and some other guests visit him at the Fancot country home at Ravenhurst. Christopher finds himself falling in love with his brother’s fiancée and she with him. Even if Evelyn turns up the problems have just begun.

Evaluation: good read

Heyer’s characters are excellent: they are witty and have flaws which cause more humor but also make them endearing. Christopher Fancot is worried for his twin, and smart enough to ‘be’ him, but also would cheerfully cause his twin bodily harm if Evelyn arrives. The fiancée in question, Cressy Stavely, has an intelligent mind which makes her witty. She also is self-aware enough to know she is annoyed with the young step-mother who is taking over her father’s house. Christopher and Evelyn’s mother, her long time suitor Sir Bonamy and the sharp-tongued Dowager Lady Stavely keep the reader laughing as they react to situations and each other. The storyline was luckwarm to me though. It strained my credibility that Christopher was getting away with impersonating his brother. Despite them being twins, the two brothers have drastically different personalities and habits and I could have seen Christopher having more close calls than he did. Also, it seems like we see more interaction between Christopher and his mother than him and Cressy. I had mixed feelings about the pacing of the story. It felt slow at times but then that also gave the reader the chance to really feel a part of Heyer’s Regency England. She does a great job showing Regency England: the slang in the characters’ dialog as well as the details about fashion and other areas of life made me feel like I was there. This is a good read for sweet Regency Romance or anyone interested in the time period.

Note: Georgette Heyer is known as the writer of Regency romance. Anyone interested in Regency romance or just that era should try reading her. She also makes a good match for people who like ‘sweet’ romances versus ‘spicy’. I think other books are better than this one, so I will read another one later.

What else to read:

Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and other writers who lived and wrote in 1800s England.
Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester and Gerareme Tavendale for learning about the  places characters went, the food they ate, etc.
For other writers of sweet Regency, and some Georgian, romances the Good Ton website is a good place to go. (The website name, thenonesuch, comes from a title of a Heyer book.) The website is no longer adding books to its site, but has a database of titles and other interesting information.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is another good Regency Romance. I have an entry for this book on the blog. 

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

Klassen, Julie. (2012). The Maid of Fairbourne Hall. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House.

ISBN: 9780764207099

Pages: 414

Genres: Christian, historical fiction, Regency romance 

Annotation: Margaret goes incognito as a servant at Fairbourne Hall. 

Summary: Margaret Macy decides to trade upper class life for life as a servant after learning her guardian wishes to steal her fortune by forcing her to marry. She learns to be a servant while keeping her identity secret from the other servants and her employers the Upchurches. Her relationship with Nathaniel Upchurch deepens into love. This love is challenged by misspoken words and a trap by her guardian.

Evaluation: excellent read.

Margaret’s reactions to her life and the changes in her character are believable. The thoughts and actions of the other characters are also plausible. The storyline is an interesting mix of everyday and dramatic events that holds the reader’s attention. The atmosphere feels well thought out due to plenty of details (such as reactions to chamber pots). Quotes from books about servant work during the 1800s create a feeling of authenticity about the details. The pace of the story is perfect for a reader who wants to immerse themselves in this world. All of these elements add up to a book that the reader will want to read in one sitting if possible. This book is an excellent read for those wanting to learn more about life in 1800s England and wanting a sweet romance.

What else to read?

Other books by Julie Klassen which also focus on this time period.  

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer is a well-loved sweet romance taking during this time.

Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and other writers who lived and wrote in 1800s England.

The writer's guide to everyday life in Regency and Victorian England by Kristine Hughes can provide more information about this era.

An elegant madness: high society in Regency England by Venetia Murray can also provide more information about this era.