Helpful Score: 1
A great Heyer romance. I love these so much that I re-read them from time to time. Somehow ended up with 2 copies of this one. A classic romance.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a superior Georgette Heyer work; a bit darker and more serious than most of her other books, but as always there is the fast wit, and a happy ending.
Kate Malvern is the orphaned daughter of a goodhearted, gambling-prone father and a beautiful but poor mother. Her father's death leaves her alone and impoverished in the world, and she comes to stay with her old nurse, Sarah, while looking for a new job. An aunt comes along and kindly and affectionately invites her to stay in her husband's family estate. Kate agrees, reluctantly-- because none of her relatives have never acknowledged her existence before. Staplewood, the estate, is beautiful and cold, and there she meets her cousin Torquil (a young man with the face of an angel), her sickly uncle Sir Timothy, and Sir Timothy's nephew Phillip. At first, everything seems too good to be true, and slowly, Kate unravels the deep secret that haunts the family.
Kate is a very charming and appealing heroine. She is mature yet innocent, is very witty and charming without being obnoxious, and is spirited without being willful or heedless. The hero, kind-hearted Phillip, is neither a dandy nor a cynical Corinthian, which is quite refreshing. Although still a Cinderella story of sorts, the romance between them is much more satisfying and believable than those in most other Heyer works.
Overall, a very interesting and different book from Georgette Heyer, and one of her best.
Kate Malvern is the orphaned daughter of a goodhearted, gambling-prone father and a beautiful but poor mother. Her father's death leaves her alone and impoverished in the world, and she comes to stay with her old nurse, Sarah, while looking for a new job. An aunt comes along and kindly and affectionately invites her to stay in her husband's family estate. Kate agrees, reluctantly-- because none of her relatives have never acknowledged her existence before. Staplewood, the estate, is beautiful and cold, and there she meets her cousin Torquil (a young man with the face of an angel), her sickly uncle Sir Timothy, and Sir Timothy's nephew Phillip. At first, everything seems too good to be true, and slowly, Kate unravels the deep secret that haunts the family.
Kate is a very charming and appealing heroine. She is mature yet innocent, is very witty and charming without being obnoxious, and is spirited without being willful or heedless. The hero, kind-hearted Phillip, is neither a dandy nor a cynical Corinthian, which is quite refreshing. Although still a Cinderella story of sorts, the romance between them is much more satisfying and believable than those in most other Heyer works.
Overall, a very interesting and different book from Georgette Heyer, and one of her best.
Heyer abandons somewhat the comedy of manners that she is so well-known for and enters the darker realm of the gothic novel. The heroine of the piece is Kate Malvern, a penniless orphan, who has just lost her latest job as a governess and her home. An aunt that she knows little of offers her a home at Staplewood Manor. Her aunt, Minerva Broome, wants Kate to act as a companion and friend to her young cousin, Torquil, who happens to be a charming and clever young man but who is troubled by frequent mood swings and bouts of depression. All too soon Kate discovers that all is not well at Staplewood Manor. There is an atmosphere of secrecy and deception. And Kate soon finds that she doesn't know whom to trust or what to do. In Kate Malvern, Heyer has created a witty, courageous and gallant heroine that engages the reader. The avid Georgette Heyer fan may miss the lively light hearted romps she is most famous for, but I can recommend this book as a wonderful read, especially for its gallant heroine.
As always, Georgette Heyer creates lovable characters and an entertaining story.
A little different from her other Regency romances, in that seems to be a combination of her mysteries and romance, set in rRegency England. All of the usual excellent repartee, with a little tension from the mystery. The sons in all of the households Kate lives in, are nothing but trouble for her. This last one, her cousin is the worst, and the best, for he brought her together with the man she learned to love. Read it to find out what her cousin did to make life so miserable.
Wonderful, typical Heyer read. Engaging and amusing characters in a lovely setting.
This Heyer has a bit of a Gothic element to it -- fine writing, as always.
Not my review, but it captured everything I felt:
The novel is good, but as far as Heyer is involved, there isn't much ton society drama that we all love. Cousin Kate is 25, beautiful and extremely intelligent. She's not from good ton, like most Heyer characters, but she's not bad either, and hence, is left to be the poor relation in the novel, which gets her into difficulty when she becomes aware what her aunt (who's scheming & selfish)has planned for her. It's a mystery that becomes rather emotional and intense at the end. Good read. (Aysha Henna Khan, a student, February 25, 2003)
The novel is good, but as far as Heyer is involved, there isn't much ton society drama that we all love. Cousin Kate is 25, beautiful and extremely intelligent. She's not from good ton, like most Heyer characters, but she's not bad either, and hence, is left to be the poor relation in the novel, which gets her into difficulty when she becomes aware what her aunt (who's scheming & selfish)has planned for her. It's a mystery that becomes rather emotional and intense at the end. Good read. (Aysha Henna Khan, a student, February 25, 2003)
Very good story.
This edition is not the one posted. It is an older copy published in 1973, and the ISBN number had been marked out by someone. It's in fairly good condition, a bit yellowed and someone has taped a small tear on the back cover, but it's in decent shape.
