What I Read This Weekend

What I Read This Weekend . . .

Henrietta by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance  

Twenty-six year old Henrietta Sandford is the unmarried sister of a country vicar. Her brother takes every opportunity to remind her how much she owes him and to bully Henrietta. Henrietta falls instantly in love with Lord Reckford, a handsome Corinthian when he visits a country assembly and pays Henrietta more attention than the local beauty. When a hitherto unknown great-aunt leaves Henrietta a fortune, Henrietta sets out for London accompanied by her eccentric elderly friend Miss Mattie Scattersworth and declares her intentions of marrying Lord Reckford. London society snubs Henrietta and she thinks about returning to the country when Lord Reckford discovers her prescence in London and takes her under his wing. Henrietta's happiness is marred by the fact that she seems to be going mad! Lord Reckford believes her sanity and is determined to figure out who is playing jokes on Henrietta. The joke turns deadly and Henrietta's life is in danger. She must rescue herself and her companion and figure out how to win Lord Reckford's hand in marriage before the story reaches the usual conclusion. Henrietta is an admirable character. She is charming and spirited and doesn't act like a debutnate, despite the fact that she is experiencing her first Season. Her companion provides the comic relief with wild romantic fantasies. However, I'm not a fan of gothic stories or mysteries and this one was both. It was not my favorite Chesney novel.

The Original Miss Honeyford by Marion Chesney -- Regency Romance  

Miss Honaria Honeyford, Honey to her friends, is the son her father always wanted. She can discuss politics, ride, hunt, shoot swear and smoke as well as any man. When a new beauty moved to their country village and all Honey's male pals pay court to Amy Wetherall, Honey's father realizes the disservice he has done his daughter raising her as a boy. SirEdmund sends Honey off to London to be brought out by her aunt and find a suitable husband to return home and help run the estate. Along the way, Honey rejects conventions and travels without a chaperon. She makes the acquaintance of Lord Alistair Stewart, an elegant lazy fop, who has a habit of helping Honey out of dangerous predicaments. Honey takes an instant dislike to Lord Alistair and he to her, but neither can ignore the strange dreams and feelings the other arouses in them. In London, Honey struggles to obey her aunt, who wishes to teach Honey how to behave like a real lady. The handsome, charming Lord Channington arrives on the scene and treats Honey with all the respect and admiration she desires. Unbeknowst to Honey, Lord Channington is a notorious seducer who ruins young ladies and he is intent on making Honey his next victim! Honey must decide whether to accept Lord Channington's attentions or Lord Alistair's help and once again Lord Alistair must come to Honey's rescue. Honey is one of the best literary heroines. She is an intelligent prop-feminist way ahead of her time. I felt sorry for her as she struggled with the unfair rules for women. She was able to stay true to herself and find happiness in the end. I really enjoyed this novel.

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer -- Regency Romance
Sir Richard Wyndham, a noted Corinthian, has reached his 29th year without ever seriously thinking about marriage. Now his mother and sister are pressuring him into offering for the woman his father promised him too in childhood. Not being too keen on the idea of marriage or helping the lady's family out of debt, Richard heads to White's and gets exceedingly drunk before planning his marriage proposal the next day. One the way home, a youth drops out of a window into his arms. The youth turns out to be a girl, 17 year old Pen Creed who is running away from her aunt's in order to escape an unwanted marriage. Drunk and bored, Richard offers to help Pen return to her old home to find her childhood sweetheart who Pen believes will rescue her by proposing marriage. Soon Richard is accompanying Pen, dressed as a boy, on a madcap adventure through the English countryside where they make the acquaintance of a thief, solve a mystery, witness a murder and assist in an elopement! By the time the adventure comes to an end, Richard realizes he's never had more fun in his life and he doesn't want the fun to end! Pen is young and innocent and doesn't really understand the position she's placed Richard in. Luckily for them both, their real feelings are revealed at the end and presumably the adventures will continue for a lifetime. I had mixed feelings about the ending. Like all Heyer novels, the ending happens very suddenly and ends abruptly leaving the reader wondering what happens next. In this case, I didn't think Pen and Richard should get together. I felt Pen was just too young and naive to think about marriage. However, I really enjoyed the crazy adventure while it lasted!