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reading_historical_romance's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Tropes: rogue/scoundrel, Elizabethan-era privateer, defiant captive, action/adventure
+This novel is a stand alone Heyer historical romance/adventure written in 1929, and is one of her earlier works
+The novel takes place in the spring/summer of the year 1586 during the Elizabethan era.
+It is a swashbuckling action/adventure motivated by the hero's mission to rescue the heroine.
+Locations: At sea in the Atlantic on board the Venture; Alveston manor in Hampshire/Lord Beauvallet's estate; Madrid, Spain; and a flight from Madrid on horseback to the northern coast of Spain
+H/Nicholas (Nick) Beauvallet (35) and h/Dominica de Rada y Sylva (18-25; her exact age is not given, but she is unmarried and under guardianship)
+Sir Nicholas Beauvallet is a privateer in service to her Majesty, and the younger son of the 6th Baron of the house of Beauvallet. His older brother, Gerard, is Lord and 7th Baron. Gerard is married to Lady Kate. The brothers have a younger sister, Lady Adela Stanbury. She is mentioned but does not appear in the novel. Nick's expressive blue eyes are his notable feature. He is fluent in both French and Spanish.
+Dona Dominica is an only child; her mother is deceased and she has been living with her father Don Manuel in the West Indies during his service as the Governor of the island of Santiago. She is Spanish, with very white luminous skin, dark hair and flashing dark eyes. She is a wealthy heiress.
She and Nick speak to each other in Spanish; as he assists her with words due to her "broken English" when they arrive in England.
+The novel begins when Nick and his crew are attacked at sea and capture a Spanish ship that is headed to Spain with Dominica and her father on board. Nick falls for Dominica and swears that he will go to Spain, marry her and make her an Englishman within one year. The plot of the novel is Nick's race to keep his promise to Dominica; who finds herself in the clutches of her impoverished maternal aunt and her husband and son, Diego, upon her return to Madrid. Her aunt vows to marry her to Diego so that Dominica's fortune will then be under their control.
+This is a fast-paced and fun adventure story full of daring-do and breathless escapes as Nick snatches his lady love from beneath the collective noses of his Spanish enemies.
+This novel is a stand alone Heyer historical romance/adventure written in 1929, and is one of her earlier works
+The novel takes place in the spring/summer of the year 1586 during the Elizabethan era.
+It is a swashbuckling action/adventure motivated by the hero's mission to rescue the heroine.
+Locations: At sea in the Atlantic on board the Venture; Alveston manor in Hampshire/Lord Beauvallet's estate; Madrid, Spain; and a flight from Madrid on horseback to the northern coast of Spain
+H/Nicholas (Nick) Beauvallet (35) and h/Dominica de Rada y Sylva (18-25; her exact age is not given, but she is unmarried and under guardianship)
+Sir Nicholas Beauvallet is a privateer in service to her Majesty, and the younger son of the 6th Baron of the house of Beauvallet. His older brother, Gerard, is Lord and 7th Baron. Gerard is married to Lady Kate. The brothers have a younger sister, Lady Adela Stanbury. She is mentioned but does not appear in the novel. Nick's expressive blue eyes are his notable feature. He is fluent in both French and Spanish.
+Dona Dominica is an only child; her mother is deceased and she has been living with her father Don Manuel in the West Indies during his service as the Governor of the island of Santiago. She is Spanish, with very white luminous skin, dark hair and flashing dark eyes. She is a wealthy heiress.
She and Nick speak to each other in Spanish; as he assists her with words due to her "broken English" when they arrive in England.
+The novel begins when Nick and his crew are attacked at sea and capture a Spanish ship that is headed to Spain with Dominica and her father on board. Nick falls for Dominica and swears that he will go to Spain, marry her and make her an Englishman within one year. The plot of the novel is Nick's race to keep his promise to Dominica; who finds herself in the clutches of her impoverished maternal aunt and her husband and son, Diego, upon her return to Madrid. Her aunt vows to marry her to Diego so that Dominica's fortune will then be under their control.
+This is a fast-paced and fun adventure story full of daring-do and breathless escapes as Nick snatches his lady love from beneath the collective noses of his Spanish enemies.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Vomit
papi's review against another edition
4.0
Light gothic romance fiction, among my Mom's favorites. Considerably better than the average gothic romance. Some of them are more like historical fiction, such as Simon the Coldheart. I read them from time to time when I was growing up.
holtfan's review against another edition
5.0
2021 Review
Not sure I would give this book 5 stars if I had to do it over again, but still quite fun. It is certainly a more dramatic, Shakespearean story than you usually get from Heyer. I liked it. Didn't love it. The heroine is a little too useless for my taste. But it is hard not to fall in love with Beauvallet.
2016 Review
A grand, romantic, swashbuckling adventure set in the Elizabethan era. "Mad Nicholas" Beauvallet is a privateer and favorite of Queen Elizabeth. After a sea battle with a Spanish ship, he finds himself confronted with unexpected prisoners: a wrathful Spanish lady and her dying Father. Determined to return them to Spain where there is a price on his head, Beauvallet finds himself falling in love with the lovely Dona Dominica, and determines to woo her. However, in order to claim her as his bride, he will have to venture through Spain, flaunt two monarchs, and snatch her away before she is given to another!
Pirates, monarchs, true love, what is not to love? I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the stereotypical Heyer characters come to life in a different setting. All the descriptions are richly researched but not overwhelming. I loved the cameos from Sir Francis Drake, Elizabeth I, Mary Stewart, and other historical figures. The book even references another Heyer novel, [b:Simon The Coldheart|311126|Simon the Coldheart|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320418205l/311126._SY75_.jpg|3083876], as a sort of predecessor.
Beauvallet had all the charm and courage of [b:The Scarlet Pimpernel|136116|The Scarlet Pimpernel|Emmuska Orczy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1406764899l/136116._SX50_.jpg|750426] which also endeared him to me.
Not a perfect book, but a charming one if you are looking for a romp with romance and adventure!
Not sure I would give this book 5 stars if I had to do it over again, but still quite fun. It is certainly a more dramatic, Shakespearean story than you usually get from Heyer. I liked it. Didn't love it. The heroine is a little too useless for my taste. But it is hard not to fall in love with Beauvallet.
2016 Review
A grand, romantic, swashbuckling adventure set in the Elizabethan era. "Mad Nicholas" Beauvallet is a privateer and favorite of Queen Elizabeth. After a sea battle with a Spanish ship, he finds himself confronted with unexpected prisoners: a wrathful Spanish lady and her dying Father. Determined to return them to Spain where there is a price on his head, Beauvallet finds himself falling in love with the lovely Dona Dominica, and determines to woo her. However, in order to claim her as his bride, he will have to venture through Spain, flaunt two monarchs, and snatch her away before she is given to another!
Pirates, monarchs, true love, what is not to love? I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the stereotypical Heyer characters come to life in a different setting. All the descriptions are richly researched but not overwhelming. I loved the cameos from Sir Francis Drake, Elizabeth I, Mary Stewart, and other historical figures. The book even references another Heyer novel, [b:Simon The Coldheart|311126|Simon the Coldheart|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320418205l/311126._SY75_.jpg|3083876], as a sort of predecessor.
Beauvallet had all the charm and courage of [b:The Scarlet Pimpernel|136116|The Scarlet Pimpernel|Emmuska Orczy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1406764899l/136116._SX50_.jpg|750426] which also endeared him to me.
Not a perfect book, but a charming one if you are looking for a romp with romance and adventure!
brookepalmer796's review against another edition
3.0
Swashbuckling high adventure and romance. A nice fling for a busy time of year.
skyepieonthefly's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
This was an alroght historical fiction. I was expecting something both grander and funnier. I will try something else by her that is hopefully less melodramatic then this book.
This was an alroght historical fiction. I was expecting something both grander and funnier. I will try something else by her that is hopefully less melodramatic then this book.
actsofcarla's review against another edition
2.0
This is a little hard to rate, as I had fun reading it while working my way through a nasty cold... but once I was done, I couldn't escape the feeling that it was not really a very good book! Charming at times, but not very good. It was like watching an old silent film about Zorro or the Scarlet Pimpernel, which is fun. I love a good swashbuckle! I think my big issue was... it was all too easy for Nick. Everything falls into place perfectly and there is never any doubt. I love acts of derring do and triumphant romantic happily ever afters, but it's not much of a story if they don't have to fight for it.
Also, they mess up the Spanish. Dominica keeps calling him "querida," which is the feminine form. Basically, she refers to Beauvallet as a woman during their love scenes. It was jarring at first, but I ultimately settled on imagining him as genderqueer in those moments.
Also, man! He is all about fondling that pomander. But then again, I would also clutch my potpourri necklace for dear life if I was surrounded by stinky pirates. Also, so many ruffs. Like, I get it Georgette, this is Elizabethan. It's cool.
From the text exchange with my friend Sophie:
Soph: Swash swash buckle buckle ruff
Me: Buckle buckle swash swash ruff
Me: Ruff swashbuckle dash dash dare
Me: I laugh in the face of danger!
Soph: Mustache mustache buckle ruff swash
Soph: Also she says "the beauvallet" 1 gazillion times
Me: UM, I think you mean, "El Beauvallet."
Also, they mess up the Spanish. Dominica keeps calling him "querida," which is the feminine form. Basically, she refers to Beauvallet as a woman during their love scenes. It was jarring at first, but I ultimately settled on imagining him as genderqueer in those moments.
Also, man! He is all about fondling that pomander. But then again, I would also clutch my potpourri necklace for dear life if I was surrounded by stinky pirates. Also, so many ruffs. Like, I get it Georgette, this is Elizabethan. It's cool.
From the text exchange with my friend Sophie:
Soph: Swash swash buckle buckle ruff
Me: Buckle buckle swash swash ruff
Me: Ruff swashbuckle dash dash dare
Me: I laugh in the face of danger!
Soph: Mustache mustache buckle ruff swash
Soph: Also she says "the beauvallet" 1 gazillion times
Me: UM, I think you mean, "El Beauvallet."
imbookingit's review against another edition
3.0
I never quite connected with this pirate tale. There wasn't anything wrong with the story, but I suspect all detail will be gone from my memory within days.
burningupasun's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't like this as much as the other two Heyer books I read, but it was still pretty fun! Plus, set in my favorite era, Elizabethan. It was a little bit of a struggle to adjust to the dialogue, but overall an enjoyable read.
katietaylor04's review against another edition
4.0
I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. This was my first Heyer encounter and I am very impressed with her writing style, her characterization, and grasp of history. I was hesitant at first because I wasn't exactly sure if it was going to be clean. It is described as a romance on the front of the book and that can go either way fast. But it was so clean. A romance that I loved to follow combined with swashbuckling pirates, courtly intrigue, plots, excitement, all of it combined to make a gem of a book that I am glad to have found.