Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

This romance set in Regency times

inspires with its beauty, settings and

endearing characters who follow on

from the favourite book of “These Old Shades”

which was set about twenty years previously.

The charm of the earlier characters cannot

fail to amuse and entrance the reader with

their various quirks and foibles.

Lady Fanning, with her two children who

are remarkably alike in temperament to herself and her husband

when they were younger, Lord Rupert with his

carefree attitude and his Grace, the Duke of Avon

and the Duchess with her engaging personality, who enlighten the story. The Duke's old friend,

Sir Hugh Davenant, also puts in an appearance.

The story is evolves around Miss Mary Challoner and the Duke's son,

the Marquis of Vidal.

An unlikely romance ensues after many adventures

and misapprehensions. Miss Mary's own father had been disinherited

by his own father for marrying her mother and Mary, being a little

different from her mother and sister did not wish for the same consequence

to happen upon the Marquis, who wishes to marry her.

The story is set in a time where propriety in all things was of the highest importance

in society. Respectability and being seen to act in a proper manner did take

precedence over actions and how people were seen to live their lives.

The story is lively and amusing. The characters are so authentic and also likeable.

It is a pleasure to read this book and follow the whims and fancies of the characters

and their journey to France.

There is also humour in the story and wonderful descriptions given on the page of the sea,

the horses, the towns, the inns and balls. It is a wonderful and intoxicating novel to read.

Descriptions of the characters give substance to the story and Miss Mary Challoner was an

unlikely character, seeming to be staid and strait-laced but also well educated.

It is a captivating story which appeals for the romance of the situation.

Due to

unexpected circumstances at one time Miss Mary Challoner found herself travelling in France

without her abigail and luggage which was seen to be not at all appropriate and without

assistance at an opportune moment she would have found herself in a dire predicament.

It is wonderful to read of the manners and way of life of Regency times where it is

so different from today and the expectations of society were so very exacting in modes

of dress and customs. Fencing and duelling also came into play.

The Regency setting gives the book an added charm for all

of these different modes of conduct and expectations.

The delightful "Arabella" by Georgette Heyer

This book is a delight to read. The story is refreshing,

light and wonderful. I enjoyed this book immensely.

Arabella is sent to London to make her debut in polite society

of the Regency times. Coming from a country town London

is quite fascinating and new to her. There is much to delight in and

enjoy with the new fashions and parties and society balls.

Georgette Heyer is known as the queen

of the Regency romance and this book certainly lives up to form

with the wonderful descriptions of dress, fashions and formality during

these years. The etiquette, manners and decorum all play their

place in the story. I loved reading of the refinement of the times, London in

the Regency where elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen would display

their fine horses and curricles in the parks where they would often go for

an outing in the mornings; the humour of a situation where Mr Beaumarris's grand-mother

tells him that his grand-father would turn in his grave to see the young men

dressed without lace at their collars and wrists and without powder in their hair.

Mr Beaumarris is the perfect English gentleman whom Arabella

forms an attachment to.

The story sparkles and Arabella does unknowingly give herself away as not quite

the society girl as people are led to believe with her concerns

for a chimney sweep and a poorly treated mongrel dog who she requests

Mr Beaumarris to look after when she realises that the dog may not be welcome after

all at her place of residence in London.

Being young, a little rebellious and acting without thinking Arabella does inadvertently get into a scrape of momentous proportions as regards the expectations of society where she is mistakenly believed to be a wealthy heiress.

Matters are not helped by the appearance of a younger brother in London who becomes embroiled

in difficulties of great magnitude.

I was surprised by the ending of the story which is quite admirable and pleasing. Mr Beaumarris proves his worth as a romantic hero of the story.

A wonderful romance well worth reading.

I will have to look out for more Georgette Heyer books as they are such a delight

to read.

“These Old Shades” is a book I remember enjoying as it was

an exquisiste story of a girl who became disguised as a page and also

found “The Conqueror” to be an excellent informative account of the Norman conquest

of England.

In recent years I also

read “The Nonesuch” which I enjoyed reading.