Helpful Score: 1
This isn't the story of one happy couple -- but four couples. Thus, we see the reason for the title, "Cotillion," 4 couples engaged in the dance of love. Kitty Charings has spent her life secluded in the country, pining for a London season and the love of handsome Jack Westruther. Of course, Jack is aware of her feelings but he's too busy being a rake to worry about Kitty right now.
Matthew Penicuik, Kitty's skin-flint guardian, has decreed that he will be giving his considerable wealth to Kitty -- if she marries one of his grand-nephews. When Jack (one of those grand-nephews) doesn't arrive to ask for Kitty's hand, she plots a way to get a season in London and some revenge on Jack. She asks another cousin, Freddy Standen (a cousin not interested in marrying and not needing Kitty's windfall), to conduct a counterfeit engagement with her.
Now, Freddy has great fashion sense and is a fine dancer, but he's not brilliant or handsome. But he's too nice a guy to hurt the feelings of Kitty, so he reluctantly agrees. Since he has a family in London, he agrees to take her to stay at his parents' home and escort her to-and-about London for a month. While becoming part of the social swirl, Kitty meets some secondary characters that give Kitty and Freddy the opportunity to learn more about each other and themselves.
Unfortunately, I listened to this book and the reader did not bring forth the sparkling dialogue that I'd heard so much about. I plan to read it again later (but not by hearing it read). I missed out on the scintillating dialogue that other reviewers have been gushing about. Perhaps there are times when a book must be read to get the full import.
Matthew Penicuik, Kitty's skin-flint guardian, has decreed that he will be giving his considerable wealth to Kitty -- if she marries one of his grand-nephews. When Jack (one of those grand-nephews) doesn't arrive to ask for Kitty's hand, she plots a way to get a season in London and some revenge on Jack. She asks another cousin, Freddy Standen (a cousin not interested in marrying and not needing Kitty's windfall), to conduct a counterfeit engagement with her.
Now, Freddy has great fashion sense and is a fine dancer, but he's not brilliant or handsome. But he's too nice a guy to hurt the feelings of Kitty, so he reluctantly agrees. Since he has a family in London, he agrees to take her to stay at his parents' home and escort her to-and-about London for a month. While becoming part of the social swirl, Kitty meets some secondary characters that give Kitty and Freddy the opportunity to learn more about each other and themselves.
Unfortunately, I listened to this book and the reader did not bring forth the sparkling dialogue that I'd heard so much about. I plan to read it again later (but not by hearing it read). I missed out on the scintillating dialogue that other reviewers have been gushing about. Perhaps there are times when a book must be read to get the full import.
Helpful Score: 1
I would definately read this book again. I feel that the point of this book is that real life people are better that dreamy men we read ablout in books. That was true of the hero in this book. He was not handsome or dashing, but he was a solid true friend, and he grew on me. I loved that the heroine was not perfect. She was a bit silly, so that made her more relatable. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
Helpful Score: 1
You can't miss with Georgette Heyer ... Freddy is one of my favorite Heyer heroes!
Helpful Score: 1
Good read!
Helpful Score: 1
An enjoyable, light-hearted story of romance and intrigue.
