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Book Review: April Lady by Georgette Heyer
While reading psycho-thrillers back to back, I thought to give it a break (recommended by one of my reading group members before I turn to the dark side. Buhahahahaha) and so I chose Regency Romance queen Georgette Heyer whose The Grand Sophy and Devil’s Cub I had completed few months back.
April Lady is a typical romantic book but which will make you smile. It is also an easy read, specially for the mind to relax, even after there is so much melodrama. In fact, it acted as the sort of relaxing/ meditating music one usually listens to for sleeping. And when I talk of sleep, yes, this time, I completed it slowly slowly in a fortnight.
However, if I have to recommend between this book and The Grand Sophy, I will pick the latter one only (for it had that X entertaining factor).
Keep watching my blog for more book reviews!
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Book blurb: Impetuous Lady Helen Cardross had collected quite a basket of little white lies in her efforts to help those less fortunate than herself. There were, for example; her own dashing, debt-ridden brother, and her husband’s love-sick, youthful sister. But to her adored (and adoring) lord and master, there could be no dissembling of integrity, honor, or truth. One faced up to grim reality — unless one were Lady Helen. When his family’s priceless jewels disappear, Lord Cardross is aghast at the idea that his lovely new wife might be the culprit, but he soon discovers the truth about Lady Nell’s situation. And between his concern over his wife’s spending sprees, rescuing her impulsive brother from one scrape after another, and attempting to prevent his own half–it’s no wonder the much-tried earl can’t see where he’s gone wrong. And now owing a shocking amount of money, Nell doesn’t dare tell him the truth–that she’s loved him from the first, and thought he’d married her for convenience. |
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About the author: Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Stella Martin. Her Regencies were inspired by Jane Austen, but unlike Austen, who wrote about and for the times in which she lived, Heyer was forced to include copious information about the period so that her readers would understand the setting. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer’s greatest asset. Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance. |
| Rating: 7/10 |
| Genre: | Historical Romance |
| Book Name: | April Lady |
| Author: | Georgette Heyer |
| Pages: | 246 |
| Publication Year: | 1957 |
Book Review: Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
Is it necessary that we need to read any book series in a particular order, i.e. chronologically? Yes, but if you are not able to find the previoust ones, should you skip on the sequels as well? Of course not. I mean this is what I think. So after completing The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (click on the hyperlink to check my review of this book read a month back), there were many other books recommended to me by the same author, one of which was These Old Shades and Devil’s Cub, but since I couldn’t get hold of the former one, I started off with the latter.
You know I had never heard of Georgette Heyer during my school or college days, I am sure I would have loved these even better then. In fact, the author has been very popular for many in my reading groups have entire collection of her books or have read each one of her books. But better late than never!
The book starts in a typical fashion – the male protagonist being a playboy and I wondered if it is going to end in a typical fashion. However, as I had heard that Georgette’s females have strong character sketches – feisty, witty, intelligent and sensible, I continued and glad I did that. Although there was too much drama in the end, it was an outright entertainer. And in the end, it brought a stupid smile on my face once I completed reading this book.
Please check below a few dialogues from this book:
“You will very soon be. Sit down. Why are you not at the ball?”
“I had no inclination for it, sir. I might ask, why are not you?”
“Not finding you there, I came here,” he replied.
“I am indeed flattered,” said Miss Challoner.
He laughed. “It’s all I went for, my dear, I assure you. Why was that fellow holding your hands?”
“For comfort,” said Miss Challoner desolately.
He held out his own. “Give them to me.”
“You will like her,” he persisted. “Egad, she’s after your own heart, maman! She shot me in the arm.”
However, if I have to recommend between this book and The Grand Sophy, I will pick the latter one only.
Keep watching my blog for more book reviews!
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Book blurb: When lovely, saucy Mary Challoner had practiced her bold deception upon the hot-blooded, fiery-tempered young Marquis of Vidal–substituting herself for her young sister he had thought to carry off to France–she had little notion he would grimly hold her to her part of the bargain. Now he had left her, and she was alone, a stranger in a strange land, prey to the intrigues of glittering, heartless, 18th century Paris. Only one person could rescue her–the Marquis himself. But how could she ever trust this man? How could she even hope to overcome the contempt in which he held her? And how could even the sudden flowering of her love ever bridge the terrible gap between them? |
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About the author: Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Stella Martin. Her Regencies were inspired by Jane Austen, but unlike Austen, who wrote about and for the times in which she lived, Heyer was forced to include copious information about the period so that her readers would understand the setting. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer’s greatest asset. Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance. |
| Rating: 8/10 |
| Genre: | Historical Romance |
| Book Name: | Devil’s Cub (Alastair-Audley #2) |
| Author: | Georgette Heyer |
| Pages: | 323 |
| Publication Year: | 1932 |
Book Review: The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
I hadn’t read romantic books in months, not even preferring this genre in years post college. Still when I heard (read read) about The Grand Sophy being referred by many in my reading group as one of the books that must be read, I thought to give it a try. Just a disclaimer: I am currently into the mood of light reading and since I pick only fiction, bear with me, my dear blog posts reader, such easy reads for some more time. No no, don’t leave my blog for ever, I will revert to a few serious books soon enough.
This was a book published in older times, still the protagonist, a female took charge of herself and surroundings when it was not supposed to be then, made it more likable for me. Though some characters were stereotyped, the writing of Georgette Heyer made this book a non stoppable one for me. You can imagine my level of liking (read addiction) with this – I read it till late 2 nights consecutively even when my baby had slept off when I have to sparingly utilize my hours of sleep every night. However, please do not think of comparing it with some literary insight books or Mills and Boons (or other such type containing sex scenes) and you have a winner here. I loved the book so much to give it a 10-on-10.
Keep watching my blog for more book reviews!
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Book blurb: With her inimitable mixture of exuberance and grace Sophy soon sets about endearing herself to her family, but finds herself increasingly drawn to her cousin. Can she really be falling in love with him, and he with her? And what of his betrothal to Eugenia? |
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About the author: Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Stella Martin. Her Regencies were inspired by Jane Austen, but unlike Austen, who wrote about and for the times in which she lived, Heyer was forced to include copious information about the period so that her readers would understand the setting. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer’s greatest asset. Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance. |
| Rating: 10/10 |
| Genre: | Historical Romance |
| Book Name: | The Grand Sophy |
| Author: | Georgette Heyer |
| Pages: | 338 |
| Publication Year: | 1950 |
Ethereal Jinxed 