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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Judith and Peregrine start out on the wrong foot with the Fifth Earl of Worth. To their horror he is their guardian and not an old fogy as they were hoping so Judith could twist him around her little finger. This also has a mystery does Peregrine just have rotten luck or is someone out to get him?
I'd say this is one of my favorite Heyer books so far, with a murder plot thrown in to keep things interesting! The couple is a bit more traditionally Regency than many of Heyer's books, but the twisty plot kept me on my toes. If I hadn't already read the sequel I might have been unsure where the romance would end up--as it was I enjoyed trying to puzzle out how in the world we were going to get there.
Reread it today, because I just bought Infamous Army and realized belatedly that it's a sequel to Regency Buck, which I cracked open years ago and of which I've forgotten nearly everything. All I remembered was that it was a story of two young, impulsive wards and their haughty, high-handed guardian, and that it was where I first learned about Beau Brummell.
Wealthy young Judith and Peregrine Taverner travel to London to make their mark in the polite world, only to be alternately thwarted and aided by their mysterious and extremely fashionable (and much younger than I remembered -- I guess 27 seemed like 37 in high school) guardian, the Earl of Worth. Judith's vast inheritance, which is apt to grow larger should Peregrine somehow expire, paints a bullseye on her brother's forehead, and someone has taken aim. The story revolves around this mystery, as well as the Taverners' debut into London Society.
I have to say that realizing how little agency Judith has in this book despite her wealth knocked a star off the book. Despite her boldness and her defiance of social norms, she still maintains and acknowledges a certain helplessness, especially in allowing Worth to manage her affairs. I'm pretty sure that it's historically accurate with regards to female agency back then, but it's still frustrating to see how, especially in the last part, she basically just gets moved around like a sack of meal. Judith's snooty headstrong manner, which I very much admired, deserved more.
Worth was a typical Heyer hero -- in other words, a complete flight of fancy. I don't know a single man who can be the first in fashion, enigmatic and infuriating, impossibly rich, and wily enough to have all possible inheritance intrigues soundly in hand at the same time. However, I have no complaints. I liked it when Judith threw Worth off his game, which were the moments when he seemed truly human, rather than a wish fulfillment fantasy.
Peregrine is still utterly charming, though his endless diatribes on the merits of boxing and sailing do wear on. They show Heyer's remarkable research, which I appreciate, but it still can get pretty tough to slough through massive paragraphs about horses.
Despite all this, I enjoyed rereading Regency Buck, because this is Heyer as I remember her best. Her characters are engaging and seeing the famed figures of history strolling around and speaking about waistcoats and cabbages was as educational and as fun as it was years ago.
Wealthy young Judith and Peregrine Taverner travel to London to make their mark in the polite world, only to be alternately thwarted and aided by their mysterious and extremely fashionable (and much younger than I remembered -- I guess 27 seemed like 37 in high school) guardian, the Earl of Worth. Judith's vast inheritance, which is apt to grow larger should Peregrine somehow expire, paints a bullseye on her brother's forehead, and someone has taken aim. The story revolves around this mystery, as well as the Taverners' debut into London Society.
I have to say that realizing how little agency Judith has in this book despite her wealth knocked a star off the book. Despite her boldness and her defiance of social norms, she still maintains and acknowledges a certain helplessness, especially in allowing Worth to manage her affairs. I'm pretty sure that it's historically accurate with regards to female agency back then, but it's still frustrating to see how, especially in the last part, she basically just gets moved around like a sack of meal. Judith's snooty headstrong manner, which I very much admired, deserved more.
Worth was a typical Heyer hero -- in other words, a complete flight of fancy. I don't know a single man who can be the first in fashion, enigmatic and infuriating, impossibly rich, and wily enough to have all possible inheritance intrigues soundly in hand at the same time. However, I have no complaints. I liked it when Judith threw Worth off his game, which were the moments when he seemed truly human, rather than a wish fulfillment fantasy.
Peregrine is still utterly charming, though his endless diatribes on the merits of boxing and sailing do wear on. They show Heyer's remarkable research, which I appreciate, but it still can get pretty tough to slough through massive paragraphs about horses.
Despite all this, I enjoyed rereading Regency Buck, because this is Heyer as I remember her best. Her characters are engaging and seeing the famed figures of history strolling around and speaking about waistcoats and cabbages was as educational and as fun as it was years ago.
Kinda long and slow in parts, but I enjoyed it a lot. There is a bit of a mystery, which, while not hard to figure out, put a different twist on the usual romance story.
The one where rich Judith Taverner and her brother Peregrine are the wards of the Earl of Worth. Not her best.
At first I hated this book, the plot had no excitement and the characters were dull. I kept reading for the little tidbits of interaction between Judith and the Earl. This brought me to the end where the plot actually gets exciting and at the end I found I quite enjoyed it. However, it took WAYYY too long to get going.
Lord Worth, you are hilarious.
Heyer really likes writing men that are gallant but can be utterly sarcastic. Our Lord Worth is one of them. Surprisingly, he is one of the younger men (in his late twenties) and quite a dandy. All I could think of was Ben Barnes.
This story has two siblings on their way to London after the death of their father. After being told not to come to London by their guardian, their Uncle Lord Worth, they do so any way. On their way into the city they end up in a bit of a hit with another carriage. The gentleman in the carriage instantly has words with them and they dislike him from that moment on, hoping never to come in contact with him again. To their surprise, he is their Uncle... but not the Uncle that they thought would be their guardian. No. That uncle died, and their father accidentally wrote in his will for the 5th Lord Worth to take over guardianship - him.
So begins their accumulation to the city and their constant run ins with their Uncle. Meanwhile, now being heirs to a huge fortune, there is some sinister games a foot with their lives.
Some people feel like they're reading two different books when it comes to this. I feel the mystery is always lurking in the background, but it is not until we get accustomed to the characters that the mystery takes front and center.
Lord Worth falls in that line of men / characters that bicker and annoy the main character but deep down love them and would do anything for their love. After finishing this book, I jumped into Book #4 which focuses on the Lord's brother who we do meet. I have been enjoying this series and I do hope that the last book continues my 4 star ratings.
Heyer really likes writing men that are gallant but can be utterly sarcastic. Our Lord Worth is one of them. Surprisingly, he is one of the younger men (in his late twenties) and quite a dandy. All I could think of was Ben Barnes.
This story has two siblings on their way to London after the death of their father. After being told not to come to London by their guardian, their Uncle Lord Worth, they do so any way. On their way into the city they end up in a bit of a hit with another carriage. The gentleman in the carriage instantly has words with them and they dislike him from that moment on, hoping never to come in contact with him again. To their surprise, he is their Uncle... but not the Uncle that they thought would be their guardian. No. That uncle died, and their father accidentally wrote in his will for the 5th Lord Worth to take over guardianship - him.
So begins their accumulation to the city and their constant run ins with their Uncle. Meanwhile, now being heirs to a huge fortune, there is some sinister games a foot with their lives.
Some people feel like they're reading two different books when it comes to this. I feel the mystery is always lurking in the background, but it is not until we get accustomed to the characters that the mystery takes front and center.
Lord Worth falls in that line of men / characters that bicker and annoy the main character but deep down love them and would do anything for their love. After finishing this book, I jumped into Book #4 which focuses on the Lord's brother who we do meet. I have been enjoying this series and I do hope that the last book continues my 4 star ratings.
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated