Hot Regency Find: These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

I have recently become acquainted with the author Georgette Heyer, who wrote over fifty novels in her life time. Impressive. She is often placed into the same vein as Jane Austen, but I find that Austen and Heyer both offer distinctly differently elements in their books. Perhaps the only comparison that holds true is that they both wrote works set in the Regency. But that is a blog post for another day.


I just finished Heyer’s These Old Shades. I must admit to first being ill disposed toward the heroine, Léonie, but she soon grew on me. I really did not warm to this book until chapter 10 and then I found that I could not put it down. Perhaps, I had to slowly taste what was being offered before I realized I like it.

These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer




 



Paperback: 384 pages (Also avaliable on Kindle)

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Reprint edition (October 1, 2009)



Language: English

ISBN-10: 9781402219474

ISBN-13: 978-1402219474

The gentleman in question is Justin Alastair, the Duke of Avon, known by friends and enemies alike as Satanas--the devil. On this particular evening, the dangerous rake crosses paths with Léon, a red-headed youth of low birth who is fleeing a certain beating at his brutal brother's hands. On a whim, Avon buys the boy and makes him his page. It soon becomes clear, however, that Léon is not what he seems, and that Avon has an ulterior motive for bringing him into his household. Set in pre-Revolutionary France, These Old Shades follows a twisting course as young Léon (or is it Léonie?) is swept up in a dangerous mystery: how to account for the page's amazing resemblance to the sinister Compte de Saint Vire, for example; and why will this man go to any lengths to get the youth in his power?

Hot Regency Find: Mr. Malcolm's List by Suzanne Allain



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Publisher: LeMoyne House (February 25, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0982368208

ISBN-13: 978-0982368206

Publishing Formats: paperback and e-book

The Honorable Mr. Malcolm has a secret. This elusive matrimonial prize, long the target of desperate debutantes and their matchmaking mothers, is well known for his fastidiousness. What is not well known is that he has a list of qualifications for his future bride. Can any woman hope to win the heart of such a hardened critic? Selina Dalton can only try her best. And when she begins to succeed, Jeremy Malcolm is not sure whether he has discovered the perfect woman... Or the perfect hoax.

I really enjoyed the book Incognito by the same author. This book sounds like a delightful comedic romp in the gentleman’s search for the perfect bride. I have enjoyed that Suzanne Allain is writing stories where the hero has romantic qualifications.

I’m putting this book into my to-be-read pile which is growing higher by the day.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Hot Regency Find: Incognito by Suzanne Allain

This is a new feature which I will be showcasing on Sundays. I will showcase a Regency related book, but it will not always have a book review to accompany it. Sit back and enjoy and I hope perhaps you will find a new book to read.

Incognito by Suzanne Allain


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Mistaken identities, stubborn lovers and great comedy; what more do you need, but to go read this book. :)




This delightful book by Suzanne Allain is a quick read. It is in the vein of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer.




Lady Smithfield has two daughters, Lydia and Emily. Lydia is considered the most beautiful according to Lady Smithfield. Where Lydia is fair and pale and beautiful, Emily has dark hair and she is not considered the ‘beauty’ by their mother. The Smithfield’s are not as well off since the death of Lord Smithfield (Think Sense and Sensibility and the Dashwood’s thrown out of Norland upon Mr. Dashwood’s death). So, it is with great relief and delight that Lady Smithfield receives a letter from the Duke of Alford honoring the arrangement between his late wife and Lady Smithfield. That arrangement is for his son Lord Wesleigh, to marry Lady Smithfield’s eldest daughter Lydia.




Lord Wesleigh does not want to marry a woman he has never met. Lydia is in love with someone else, so Emily arranges to marry Lord Wesleigh instead. Lord Wesleigh decides to go incognito to the town the Smithfield’s live in and observe his bride-to-be from afar before he decides. In a predictable twist of fate Lord Wesleigh prefers Emily to Lydia anyways. Except now Lord Wesleigh will not stop masquerading as someone else until he is sure Emily’s affection is real and she is not after the-not-incognito Lord Wesleigh’s money. Comedy and laughter ensures.




I read this book in one sitting. While it was very predictable in the outcome I laughed out loud on many occasions. It was well written and was an enjoyable Regency romantic romp. If you like Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen you will like this book.




The only dislike I had was that there was not as much character development as I would have liked due to the short length of the book. Personally, I like well rounded and developed characters. I instantly liked most of the characters in this book and was able to identify with them. I just wish there was a little more.




I would read this book again and recommend it to others. A great Regency romp can be had with Incognito.






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