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__ceecee__'s Reviews (414)
I'm conflicted. On one hand, it was unlike any Heyer I have read. It certainly was the one with most sensuality in it. It's all so meta as well. I don't know if I should applaud Venetia as a character for she is very intelligent in some aspects, but also exasperating in some. Maybe it's because I related to Venetia a lot that I may be too harsh on her.
I love how unconventional Venetia, Damerel and Aubrey were. Venetia must be the most unconventional heroine of Heyer's I have read. Or maybe conventional? She's strikingly beautiful, capable, intelligent and independent. She was lucky to have found a friend in Damerel, an out and out rake (but only because he was heavily heartbroken with his puppy love which ruined his reputation, of course). And they fall passionately in love within a month because they luckily found a friend, an equal, etc etc. It was all pretty convenient, when Damerel hasn't done much here. All he did was brood over his circumstances, a meta Byronic hero. He hadn't proven anything to Venetia that he was worthy. While Venetia was hatching up plans to reunite with her love, Damerel was partaking of Hull's cheese. Men like Damerel may mend their ways when they meet their true love, but it would still be an uphill battle. Even Venetia is saving him from his debts, and Damerel is getting all these advantages because he was the first truly interesting man Venetia met. It even is most likely that he'll cheat or have orgies with Venetia. Though I'm not against that arrangement, it certainly is a bit scandalous. And Venetia is taking all of this in stride. Damerel, lucky bastard!
Is it romantic? It still was a marriage of intellectual equals. I don't know, I like how unconventional the story is, but because of my circumstances and it hit too close to home, I did not enjoy it as much. For reality truly is different from fiction.
I love how unconventional Venetia, Damerel and Aubrey were. Venetia must be the most unconventional heroine of Heyer's I have read. Or maybe conventional? She's strikingly beautiful, capable, intelligent and independent. She was lucky to have found a friend in Damerel, an out and out rake (but only because he was heavily heartbroken with his puppy love which ruined his reputation, of course). And they fall passionately in love within a month because they luckily found a friend, an equal, etc etc. It was all pretty convenient, when Damerel hasn't done much here. All he did was brood over his circumstances, a meta Byronic hero. He hadn't proven anything to Venetia that he was worthy. While Venetia was hatching up plans to reunite with her love, Damerel was partaking of Hull's cheese. Men like Damerel may mend their ways when they meet their true love, but it would still be an uphill battle. Even Venetia is saving him from his debts, and Damerel is getting all these advantages because he was the first truly interesting man Venetia met. It even is most likely that he'll cheat or have orgies with Venetia. Though I'm not against that arrangement, it certainly is a bit scandalous. And Venetia is taking all of this in stride. Damerel, lucky bastard!
Is it romantic? It still was a marriage of intellectual equals. I don't know, I like how unconventional the story is, but because of my circumstances and it hit too close to home, I did not enjoy it as much. For reality truly is different from fiction.
Storytelling does have its problems but it was a fun romp. The Earl of Rule - what a man
Scientific jargon go in over my head, and the book is probably 75% explaining everything science and math about the story. Not to say that's a bad thing. But i don't know how it all checks out, they're painstakingly explained so maybe they were, and it's Goodreads Book of the Year 2021 so it must be good.
I actually learned more about interstellar travel, time relativity, centripetal force etc because of it.
The plot was good, just enough to make the happy coincidences not be annoying or take one out of the story. I especially like how Rocky was a good alien from the start. Years of consuming sci-fi has made me learn not to trust aliens or anyone beside the protagonist in space. I still remember "Sunshine" and how everyone dies there. Rocky was a godsend, the book hinged a lot on luck, but also a lot of science as well. It makes sense that Ryland spent his remaining days in Erid and almost happily too. That way the fate of the earth during his absence is ambiguous since he never reached earth to get a definitive answer, and at least earth and erid were saved. happy ending for all!
I really appreciate the microbiology/biology aspect and the climate aspects, those i can understand. i'd really love to know what exactly happened to earth while he was away but that's a whole other book.
*3.5 stars
I actually learned more about interstellar travel, time relativity, centripetal force etc because of it.
The plot was good, just enough to make the happy coincidences not be annoying or take one out of the story. I especially like how Rocky was a good alien from the start. Years of consuming sci-fi has made me learn not to trust aliens or anyone beside the protagonist in space. I still remember "Sunshine" and how everyone dies there. Rocky was a godsend, the book hinged a lot on luck, but also a lot of science as well. It makes sense that Ryland spent his remaining days in Erid and almost happily too. That way the fate of the earth during his absence is ambiguous since he never reached earth to get a definitive answer, and at least earth and erid were saved. happy ending for all!
I really appreciate the microbiology/biology aspect and the climate aspects, those i can understand. i'd really love to know what exactly happened to earth while he was away but that's a whole other book.
*3.5 stars
I first read P&P in grade school, an abridged "school library" version, and I was astonished by Mr Darcy's first proposal and confused how Elizabeth could so easily change her heart (I really thought they hated each other and suspected that Lizzie really only felt indebted to Darcy
Entertaining on the first half, lost me with the last half. Cute and quirky couple but not mature for my tastes
My all time favorite contemporary romance novel. Susan Elizabeth Phillips knows how to write fun quirky romcoms but I think this one is her best.
How she weaves a romance between two very unlikely characters is genius. Sugar Beth was a high school queen bee and mean girl. Colin was a young Irish immigrant eager to live the Southern life and write his novels. When they meet 15 years later, there's a reckoning.
The characters are all alive and vibrant, especially Sugar Beth who at first seemed irredeemable.
This book also caused me to be very curious about Georgette Heyer novels and now she's one of my favorite authors too! SEP and GH truly understand romance that women seek, REAL romance between two mature and understanding people
How she weaves a romance between two very unlikely characters is genius. Sugar Beth was a high school queen bee and mean girl. Colin was a young Irish immigrant eager to live the Southern life and write his novels. When they meet 15 years later, there's a reckoning.
The characters are all alive and vibrant, especially Sugar Beth who at first seemed irredeemable.
This book also caused me to be very curious about Georgette Heyer novels and now she's one of my favorite authors too! SEP and GH truly understand romance that women seek, REAL romance between two mature and understanding people
One of my favorite Heyer couples! I love it when I can actually read how they developed love for each other, and that their dialogues were vibrant banter, rich with chemistry.
But I can't resist! Hugo is so steadfast and reliable and the way he chose Anthea without much doubt is swoon worthy. I love how Anthea was thoroughly rude to him on their first meeting and Hugo took it in stride but he fell in love with her when she was unguarded. Anthea was a levelheaded heroine like most GH heroines are. I love that she told Hugo that he can choose anyone he wants, that he should consider other women because he didn't experience the world of courting so much. That is a legitimate belief because one would really think Hugo wasn't exposed so much that he would "settle" for his cousin, and people could legit think their marriage was a convenient one. But who cares? Not Hugo!
I love the way their proposal was built up. The reader knows why Hugo made up his fake fiance so that Anthea would stay unguarded and warm to him and that made them bond. It was hilarious how she found out, and romantic when Hugo finally confessed and eventually proposed to her. All this in the middle of the book!
It's one of those Heyers where the dialogue between the couple is "there", not simply narrated. There are so much interaction between them. Unlike in, say, Venetia, where the majority of the couple's interactions and the way they fell in love were implied, not shown through dialogue.
I feel sorry for the customs officer who had to be duped to save the family. I reckon he wasn't a bad guy as Richmond says he was. He seemed to me just a police officer doing his job - containing and possibly eradicating smuggling in the area. Alas, he has no power over a rich family, which was tragic really. But the rich family are the main characters so they get to win.
I'm sure GH wanted to comment on smuggling historically, but ended up brushing it off under the rug because of how her books were made to be structured. The publisher wanted a fun frolic romance. Yet Heyer wanted to be a serious historical novelist. I can understand her struggle there.
Spoiler
I'll let it slide that they're first cousins because it was acceptable back then. Another of my favorite couple was in "The Grand Sophy" and they were first cousins too. *sigh*But I can't resist! Hugo is so steadfast and reliable and the way he chose Anthea without much doubt is swoon worthy. I love how Anthea was thoroughly rude to him on their first meeting and Hugo took it in stride but he fell in love with her when she was unguarded. Anthea was a levelheaded heroine like most GH heroines are. I love that she told Hugo that he can choose anyone he wants, that he should consider other women because he didn't experience the world of courting so much. That is a legitimate belief because one would really think Hugo wasn't exposed so much that he would "settle" for his cousin, and people could legit think their marriage was a convenient one. But who cares? Not Hugo!
I love the way their proposal was built up. The reader knows why Hugo made up his fake fiance so that Anthea would stay unguarded and warm to him and that made them bond. It was hilarious how she found out, and romantic when Hugo finally confessed and eventually proposed to her. All this in the middle of the book!
It's one of those Heyers where the dialogue between the couple is "there", not simply narrated. There are so much interaction between them. Unlike in, say, Venetia, where the majority of the couple's interactions and the way they fell in love were implied, not shown through dialogue.
I feel sorry for the customs officer who had to be duped to save the family. I reckon he wasn't a bad guy as Richmond says he was. He seemed to me just a police officer doing his job - containing and possibly eradicating smuggling in the area. Alas, he has no power over a rich family, which was tragic really. But the rich family are the main characters so they get to win.
I'm sure GH wanted to comment on smuggling historically, but ended up brushing it off under the rug because of how her books were made to be structured. The publisher wanted a fun frolic romance. Yet Heyer wanted to be a serious historical novelist. I can understand her struggle there.
Not the kind of book I'd look for, if it weren't for the GH Group Reads. And I'm not sure if I would have liked it even if I did like historical novels. There wasn't much structure to it, no semblance of the witty dialogue and lush descriptions of Heyer's later works.
It read more like an epic, as it spans 20 years of King Charles reign from 1668-1689, and moves us through the years, plot point after plot point, yet funnily enough even though Roxythe is the protagonist, we don't really get much of his POV and the intricate details of his intrigue, which would have made the novel more entertaining to read.
The gay subtext may be entertaining to some. I'm not sure GH was advocating for gay men but it read like a BBC Sherlock fanfic: Roxythe is the maverick Sherlock, and Christopher the loyal Watson. And like BBC Sherlock, this was all queer baiting
It read more like an epic, as it spans 20 years of King Charles reign from 1668-1689, and moves us through the years, plot point after plot point, yet funnily enough even though Roxythe is the protagonist, we don't really get much of his POV and the intricate details of his intrigue, which would have made the novel more entertaining to read.
Spoiler
So that was a disappointment. The whole of Roxhythe's character trait is that he is a spy, a double agent who works only for King Charles, yet we are only told of his achievements after the fact. He is Batman who does things flawlessly, yet we don't see the action. We are only told time and time again what he is, despite no real evidence in the text to back it up.The gay subtext may be entertaining to some. I'm not sure GH was advocating for gay men but it read like a BBC Sherlock fanfic: Roxythe is the maverick Sherlock, and Christopher the loyal Watson. And like BBC Sherlock, this was all queer baiting
Everyone has a Harlequin phase, right? Right?
So here I am reviewing another book for the heck of it, because I happen to love this book, a most unforgettable romance from Harlequin, among the hundreds of formulaic romances I read which I promptly forgot the moment I picked up another book.
It's a classic case of a "book calling out to me", considering I don't buy bodice-rippers, I borrow them from friends.
Jonathan Chadwick is a piano genius, also a recluse. He maintains an eccentric facade to keep people at bay. Enter headstrong Kathryn Wainwright, journalist, out to uncover Jonathan's secrets. They meet, there's an attraction, and through circumstances, they arrange to marry in order to save their lives (or something like that).
What I really love about this book is Jonathan and Kathryn's relationship. They became friends, looking out for each other, and also, I loved picturing Jonathan playing the piano. God, I want to learn to play the piano so much! Kathryn is no damsel in distress, and Jonathan is no Heathcliffe. J & K are supportive of each other, and they were funny (I think) and I never felt like the romance was trying too hard. These were two people made for each other, who made a great team, and isn't that what marriage is supposed to be like?
Edit: 9/30/2022
After I moved to the US, one of the first things I did was look for this book (because it only ships within the US) lol.
Now that I'm older with "fresh eyes", I can see how there are technical errors here And i can say that it is such a 1990s storyline: A relationship that started with deception lol. And a loooot happens in this book I forgot about them, but there were so many plot points.
What I still love about this book is the male lead's maturity, the female lead's spunk, and their ✨partnership.✨
So here I am reviewing another book for the heck of it, because I happen to love this book, a most unforgettable romance from Harlequin, among the hundreds of formulaic romances I read which I promptly forgot the moment I picked up another book.
It's a classic case of a "book calling out to me", considering I don't buy bodice-rippers, I borrow them from friends.
Jonathan Chadwick is a piano genius, also a recluse. He maintains an eccentric facade to keep people at bay. Enter headstrong Kathryn Wainwright, journalist, out to uncover Jonathan's secrets. They meet, there's an attraction, and through circumstances, they arrange to marry in order to save their lives (or something like that).
What I really love about this book is Jonathan and Kathryn's relationship. They became friends, looking out for each other, and also, I loved picturing Jonathan playing the piano. God, I want to learn to play the piano so much! Kathryn is no damsel in distress, and Jonathan is no Heathcliffe. J & K are supportive of each other, and they were funny (I think) and I never felt like the romance was trying too hard. These were two people made for each other, who made a great team, and isn't that what marriage is supposed to be like?
Edit: 9/30/2022
After I moved to the US, one of the first things I did was look for this book (because it only ships within the US) lol.
Now that I'm older with "fresh eyes", I can see how there are technical errors here
Spoiler
like when Katherine initially thought Pip was younger than Jonathan but then in the next chapter she believed Pip was Jonathan's older bastard brother.What I still love about this book is the male lead's maturity, the female lead's spunk, and their ✨partnership.✨
Even though I recommend this for Jane Austen fans, I must say Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen shouldn't be compared.
Georgette Heyer's novels are simply entertaining, with none of the serious social commentaries that Jane Austen supplied, though her writing style I think is as much sophisticated (and oh-so-English) as Austen's.
The Grand Sophy is my favorite Heyer so far, because it's the one that entertained me the most, particularly Sophy and Charles's chemistry. These two were made for each other. At first I didn't suspect that Charles was the hero in the story, because how could I think that Sophy's cousin would be her future husband? But after I got over that little bump, I thoroughly enjoyed Sophy's and Charles's antics. After all, they did practice marrying first cousins back then, and one of the most romantic real-life marriages for me was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's.
It's a first-rate Heyer (at least for me, since I've only read 9 of her romances so far, and I intend to read all). I recommend all romance readers to read at least this Georgette Heyer.
edit: 10/7/2022
It was a breeze to read, everything just goes well together and I didn't feel bored at all. If I didn't have work I would have finished this earlier.
The Grand Sophy, with all its flaws, is in essence a sophisticated romantic escapist novel, not to be taken too seriously. It's just such fun!
Georgette Heyer's novels are simply entertaining, with none of the serious social commentaries that Jane Austen supplied, though her writing style I think is as much sophisticated (and oh-so-English) as Austen's.
The Grand Sophy is my favorite Heyer so far, because it's the one that entertained me the most, particularly Sophy and Charles's chemistry. These two were made for each other. At first I didn't suspect that Charles was the hero in the story, because how could I think that Sophy's cousin would be her future husband? But after I got over that little bump, I thoroughly enjoyed Sophy's and Charles's antics. After all, they did practice marrying first cousins back then, and one of the most romantic real-life marriages for me was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's.
It's a first-rate Heyer (at least for me, since I've only read 9 of her romances so far, and I intend to read all). I recommend all romance readers to read at least this Georgette Heyer.
edit: 10/7/2022
It was a breeze to read, everything just goes well together and I didn't feel bored at all. If I didn't have work I would have finished this earlier.
The Grand Sophy, with all its flaws, is in essence a sophisticated romantic escapist novel, not to be taken too seriously. It's just such fun!