Impetuosity and Maturity
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Georgette Heyer is, of course, the queen of the historical romance. In her career she wrote over fifty novels, many of them set in the Regency period. "Friday's Child" is another of her Regencies although it's not one of my favourites. However it still bears the hallmarks of her excellent writing skill with some particularly amusing dialogue amongst some of the young bucks in the story.
Hero Wantage has always loved Sherry, Lord Sheringham, her neighbour. When Sherry's marriage offer is rejected by the beautiful Isabella he vows to marry the next woman he sees - which happens to be Hero. At first it's just a marriage of convenience, Sherry and his friends imagine their life won't change at all, Hero will just tag along as when they were young, but despite this rather dramatic naïveté, as events unfold and Hero falls into scrape after scrape, Sherry has to look at things a little differently.
Hero has always loved Sherry but as she falls into more and more trouble Sherry's exasperation turns into anger - until he begins to understand the worth of his wife. There's a kind of growing up into responsibility theme in this book, and the growing up happens particularly to Hero who wasn't brought up to be a Viscountess. The real stars of the book, for me, aren't the hero and heroine but Sherry's friends Ferdy, George and Gil. These three are fantastically amusing, good-hearted toward Hero and some of their dialogue is just brilliant.
The youth of the hero and heroine in this book doesn't always appeal to everyone but those who enjoyed A Convenient Marriage and Cotillion will probably like this story. It's not one of Heyer's best but it's still well worth a read.
Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008
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My Favourite Heyer
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All Georgette Heyer's novels are the same. The hero and heroine battle the odds and fall in love. Seems so simple, yet each book is different and delightful in its own way. Nearly all are set in Regency England, including this one. Heyer is a superb historian with a wonderful eye for detail and a fantastic ear for dialogue. This book is advertised in quite a menacing way, but is anything but. It is full of gentle humour and fantastically romantic and ridiculous escapades that it is a joy to read. Here, an arrogant young man, thwarted in what he believes is the love of his life, makes do with a childhood girlfriend as the 'booby' prize. Naturally, she does and always will, loves him passionately, but he's too much of a ninnyhammer to see it. The trials and tribulations of their love life are silly and frivolous and just perfect in every way. My mother used to read these books when I was a child, and I discovered them when I had children of my own. On a grey day, when all is against you and nothing in the world is right, there is nothing better than a hot bath, some fluffy pyjamas and this book to set the world to rights again.
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makes you cry with laughter
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This is such a funny romantic story. I devoured this book in less than two days and enjoyed every minute of it. I was sad to leave the characters at the end. I loved some of the supporting characters especially ferdy who seems to always be drunk and confused. The novel to a large extent seem to be on the hero Sherry growing up and accepting responsibility in his life and realising that you don't know what you've got till its gone.
Definitely a book for keeps!
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Best of Them All
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Although I have read all of Georgette Heyer's novels, this is the only one which has ever made me cry. Ms. Heyer is a stylistic master, and here she neatly balances the comedy of the ridiculous with romance and pathos. Terrific supporting cast, as well as a memorable heroine. The best novel of them all.
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Witty , Charming , Excellent Characters , Heyer's best
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What can I say about this book just pick it up and you forget everything ,you are transported back to regency england with these splendid characters. The hero and his sidekicks made me laugh out loud several times , the detail of the clothes and the period is amazing . No one can touch Georgette Heyer for regency romance
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