This was a terrific book! It took a little to get into, because we first meet Lady Ombersley and her brother, Sir Horace, and both are caricatures of the proper lord and lady of their day. But once Sophia arrives on the scene, the fun begins. Sophia, Sophy to her friends, is an amiable, kindhearted, irreverent female who would have made an excellent man, with how well she can handle the ribbons and being such a capital whip. Or to quote Heyer, “From being a female sunk below reproach Sophy be...

This was a terrific book! It took a little to get into, because we first meet Lady Ombersley and her brother, Sir Horace, and both are caricatures of the proper lord and lady of their day. But once Sophia arrives on the scene, the fun begins. Sophia, Sophy to her friends, is an amiable, kindhearted, irreverent female who would have made an excellent man, with how well she can handle the ribbons and being such a capital whip. Or to quote Heyer, “From being a female sunk below reproach Sophy became rapidly an unconventional girl whose unaffected manners were refreshing in an age of simpers and high flights” (and mothers given to nerves, spells and vapors.)

Sophy’s time on the Continent with her diplomat father, hobnobbing with its aristocracies and power players, has given her prolific insight into the human condition and the ways people work, and, blessedly, she uses that knowledge for the betterment of others, rather than herself. She sees the good in people and does not take offense when they behave badly. Generous of spirit, she is someone easy to befriend and she is also more than a match for the Ombersley clan’s ruling overlord: its eldest son, Charles Rivenhall. Charles isn’t a bad sort, just strong-willed and of strong character. Lord Ombersley is befuddled often by his brood and spends most of his time at White’s. This, combined with the shocking debts his inattention has wrought, has led Charles to be uptight and dictatorial, and until Sophy arrives, there has been no one able to stand up to him. When Cecilia relates her woeful tale of Charles opposing her alliance with an unemployed, aristocratic poet, Sophy can’t believe they have let Charles grow into such a tyrant. She would never permit Sir Horace (she only refers to her father as Papa when she is vexed) to “become so dictatorial, which is a thing the best of men will do, if the females of their families are so foolish as to encourage them!” Sophy is not at the house but a few hours before she deduces that everyone is miserable and sets to work setting things to rights.

One of the things I love about Sophy is how she never puts more weight on things that they’re due. The main trying of her felicitous manner is the odious Miss Wraxton, Charles’s bluestocking puss of a fiancée. Miss Wraxton is a proper miss, skilled at backhanded comments, but Sophy isn’t offended or hurt and constantly outwits the woman who is vastly responsible for everyone’s misery. This isn’t to say that Miss Wraxton is a villain; she’s not. She’s just a woman of oppressive social propriety who is mortified at the undignified behavior of others, who feels it is her Christian duty to save others from themselves. Sophy acts indeed better than I would behave, if I had had to deal with Miss Wraxton‘a maneuverings. Sophy is more than up to handling to nosy fusspot, with delicious results.

This clean read is resplendent with clever turns of phrase and a flippant, tongue-in-cheek narrator. It is so much fun to read! I did cringe at the descriptions of the loan shark, but given that this was written in 1950, they fall in line with some of the attitudes prevalent in England, at the time of the story and in the time the story was written. The audiobook seamlessly skips the references. The audiobook was quite good, particularly giving us the perfect hauteur of the ton of the time. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will reread! 5/5 stars.

** spoiler alert **

My love of Jane Austen has led me into the genre of Regency Romance novels (which I wasn't familiar with before). This book was promoted as a popular Kindle download, and I can see why. It's a bit wordy at times (but not as wordy as Dickens), but still enjoyable. I felt like it was a cross between Austen's Emma/Pride and Prejudice and a Shakespeare comedy (maybe Much Ado About Nothing)-- especially with the ending - it was a circus!

There's a lot going on in the nove...

** spoiler alert **

My love of Jane Austen has led me into the genre of Regency Romance novels (which I wasn't familiar with before). This book was promoted as a popular Kindle download, and I can see why. It's a bit wordy at times (but not as wordy as Dickens), but still enjoyable. I felt like it was a cross between Austen's Emma/Pride and Prejudice and a Shakespeare comedy (maybe Much Ado About Nothing)-- especially with the ending - it was a circus!

There's a lot going on in the novel and a lot of characters to keep track of, but it's a good romantic comedy. Sophy Stanton-Lacy, about 20, comes to stay with the Rivenhalls (Lord and Lady Ombersley) while her father is in Brazil. Sophy is not like any other lady they are acquainted with, as she's spent most of her life on the continent (as her father is a dipomat) throughout the Napoleonic Wars. Lady Ombersley is charged with finding Sophy a husband during her stay.
Sophy turns the household upside down with her free-spirit, quick wit and outspokenness/independence. Everyone loves her except her older cousin Charles, who's a bit uptight and now runs the family's finances because his father has practically gambled them out of house and food. Charles has this really annoying fiancee, Eugenia Wraxton, who tries to control Charles and bend him to her will.

Sophy begins to "fix" the Rivenhall household, "interfering" in everyone's life. Cecilia, just came of age to be engaged, and her family wants her to marry Charlbury...unfortunately Charlbury got sick as he was about to court Cecilia, and now she's engaged to a penniless poet, who's only redeeming character is his looks. Sophy's plan is to show Cecilia that she DOES love Charlbury -- but by pretending that herself and Charlbury are in love!

Sophy also "fixes" Hubert's gambling debt in a hilarious scene, probably my favorite in the book.

Finally, Sophy nurses little Amabel back to health, while Eugenia Wraxton won't come near the house for fear of getting sick. Sophy's nature allows Charles to open up, become less of a tightwad, become closer with his family, and see Eugenia for what she really is.

It has all the Regency traits: farces (all contrived by Sophy); a secondary romance (Cecilia and Charlbury/Fawnhope); false engagements; marriages of convenience (Charles/Eugenia); balls, carriage riding, theater, horse-back riding, boxing, gambling, and shooting. I think Heyer did a great job making the story feel real.

You like Sophy from the beginning, feel for Cecilia, hate Eugenia, but don't know to hate Charles or love him.