Heyer Guide
Shem's Guide to Heyer...
Will give you my Guide to Heyer. I’ll try not to spoil the plot, instead give you the type of Genre of Romance it falls into, what kind of heroines and heros so you can make up your mind. Also I think it’s best to remember that she wrote in the 1930’s and it you are a blazing feminist probably half the females will annoy you, even though I don’t think any of them are really, really ‘submissive’ in an annoyingly totally anti-feminist way. Oh and if you happen to like my original characters (male) many of them are totally inspired by GH Men ;)
Why I like GH - They are fun, they sparkle with wit, almost never fail at making me smile and laugh, they are easy to read.
Also it is obvious Georgette Heyer did a lot of research and used that research very well. Seamlessly adding in information about the time period, seamlessly adding in actual real-life people. Even though many of them are farcial and in some ways hyer-real, you never get drawn out of being in 'Regency England', even if it's her take on Regency England. They all act in character to the time period they are in.
Gracious I haven’t read some of these in a while I’m having blanks on some names and spellings! Bad Shem.
Ones to stay away from. Run away from… (generally agreed upon btw.)
Cousin Kate.
Any of her 'modern' i.e 1930's mysteries/or romances. I have one and didn't finish it.
Cousin Kate.
Did I mention Cousin Kate?
One’s I don’t recommend starting with ….
An Infamous Army - The third of the These Old Shades, Devil’s Cub Series, but is very much more ‘military’ than ‘romance.’
Spanish Bride - More of her ‘military’ than her ‘romance. Ie tells the true ‘fictionalized’ story of a Napoleonic War Couple… If you want to write a novel/fanfic during the period then thumbs up ;)
Beauvallet - I have this book and now I’m reading about the Spanish Armada I might read it…have not read it before due to the time period.
Charity Girl - Really not one of her better novels, very derivative of others.
My Lord John - Not Regency…it’s about someone…called Lord John …John of Gaunt? Some historical figure…Some John who probably ends up King…
Royal Escape - Future Charles II escape to France…I read about Two chapters and gave up…
Simon the Coldheart - Again not Regency…someone called Simon who is a Coldheart…no doubt about historical figure who will be king… Medieval…
The Great Roxhythe - Really hard to track down Heyer, I was offered to be able to read it…when I was on holiday in New Zealand so didn’t get a chance because she wasn’t going to let me take it out of the country!! I think it’s Early Georgian?
Powder and Patch - Early? Georgian One of her earlier novels and I think it shows. It’s still an enjoyable read, but not one to see if you like her style I think! All about a woman who convinces a man to change and then doesn’t like the results.
The Conqueror - Heh, It’s about William the Conqueror…I haven’t read it. She really likes those dead old Kings…
The Masqueraders - This is a Georgian, early novel. Lot of cross-dressing going on…It’s interesting. I like it, but not a big re-reader of it. I wouldn’t recommend starting off with it, but it’s probably one to go back ot.
The Rest of Them with Notations
A Civil Contract - I hated this one when I read it the first time. I quite liked it when I re-read it…possibly because I was a teenager when I read it the first time. It’s a more realistic approach on the ‘convenient’ marriage plot line, (ie it’s actually a convenient marriage…not one that well they are really in love with each other from the start….)
April Lady - I like this one. It’s a convenient marriage, (young miss to an older earl) opening a year into that marriage, I love the hero (My mother freely admitted to skipping ahead to all his bits and missing out the other bits). However it’s quite derivative of “A convenient marriage” so if you like that one, you’ll probably like this one but on a lesser scale.
Arabella - I like this one. Arabella a young country miss goes to town….managing to make everyone think she is an heiress. I know some who adore this hero to death as well. London Season Based.
Bath Tangle - Not one of my faves. An older heroine. The Hero is so very Snape like really now I think about it…but less lovable…I fully admit I was shipping a pairing that fell apart in this novel…and still am tempted to write the fanfic for it (even though the pairing I liked was horribly clichéd, I thought it would make a more interesting story) Bath Season Based.
Black Sheep - A Lady of Quality and this One are very similar. I like both of them but I think I like Black Sheep better.. A much older heroine than usual, and a very salty ‘black sheep’ who has returned from India. The Heroine is a chaperone of her niece. Bath season Based.
Cotillion - I ADORE THIS ONE. V. Atypical Hero. Young Miss pretends to be engaged to get to go to London (she has a very penny pinching guardian) to punish the man she loves …(or does she?) and get one season before she is back at the penny pinching mansion). This is a laugh out loud one for me. I went to see the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum just because of this book. I quote parts of this book regularly. London season Based.
Devil’s Cub - My mother has claimed Justin (the Hero of These Old Shades) so I have to claim Dominic (his son). One of my fave heros. Such a Bad Boy. A sulky Bad Boy ;) A great opening, it really sets up his character perfectly. A great premise… The Heroine is called Mary and is so kick arse ;) I re-read this recently and forgot how much I ADORE this book. It’s a bit of a ‘road trip’ book.
False Colours - Not one of my faves, but it involves Twins. And the main Hero is pretty cool…house party based.
Faro’s Daughter - This is a late Georgian Book. The Hero is pretty Snappy. (You know the rough diamond type) The Heroine is older and pretty kick arse…I do like this one quite a bit, but I’m not sure what to say about it, She runs a gaming table and he want’s to save his young naïve cousin from her clutches? But he has met his match?
Frederica - Older Heroine Novel, London Season Based. She has a family she wants to launch in society, see the Marquis who is a selfish SOB suddenly become their ‘guardian’…I like this one a lot, There are balloon flights! Balls! Pedestrian Cycles! Fake Dogs! Foundaries!
Friday’s Child - Very young heroine and quite Young Hero. This book is LAUGH OUT LOUD funny to me. It’s hysterical. Duels happen! The poor Hero spends the whole book flustered out of his mind and the trio of back up male characters are some of the funniest: A Byronic brooding penniless Viscount, Gil who always thinks of the plans and Ferdie who is sure Nemesis is out to get him. London/Bath Season based.
Lady Of Quality - Bath Season Based. Older Heroine and Hero. She ends up taking care of his Ward…stuff ensues. Its good. I like it. I haven’t read it in a while So I’m trying to think of anything really pertinent…without like recounting the whole plot…but I can’t.
Pistols for Two - Collection of Short Stories. Very Good. Just pretend “The Inn” is not one of the stories. I place that on the Cousin Kate level of wrongness…
Regency Buck - My first Heyer (and her first truly Regency Book that she wrote) so I have a soft spot for it. It’s also a mystery which I was so pleased to have figured out very early on in the book, but it doesn’t matter if you solve the mystery. She’s a older heroine though still young (I mean she isn’t sort of a little naïve and ‘young’ like the other young heroines, even though she is young and naïve…I can’t even explain it, it’s like a ‘type’ in romance novels, and she is more the ‘older’ heroine type), who doesn’t like her Guardian the ever delish Earl of Worth (Characters in this book Turn up in an Infamous Army). I think I used Worth in one of my stories. He is an inflexible Man and Ash owes much to him (in fact all my original male characters owe much to many GH heros) Also as it’s her first Regency she does go a tiny bit top heavy on the ‘let me show all my research for this time period’, it’s a little less seamless here than in other novels.
Sprig Muslin - I really like this one. An Older Heroine, an older Hero. It’s a Road Trip book, but it’s the Hero who gets saddled with a runaway school girl….This is another one I’m having a bit of trouble describing, except there are funny moments a really hysterical scene towards the end…a couple of them really. The Heroine sort of is considered a wet blanket by all her relatives but of course she is no such thing.
Sylvester - I like this one. I have a friend who adores this one. (esp for the adorable child) Slyvester is a bit of a hard-arse. He is a duke. He wants a bride and picks one at random. (well not totally but ;) She doesn’t want him and she is a bit atypical in really being a ‘non’ beauty, but she writes romance novels…and had put him in hers as a villain…Road Trip/London Season.
The Black Moth - Her First novel and was in some senses re-written later as These Old Shades, except the villain ‘Andover’ in this one becomes “Avon” the hero of TOS. I think it’s worth reading it, even after TOS to see the way the two books sort of mirror each other. Also I wish I could have written this well at 15 ( think it was). Full Text is online .... Here
The Convenient Marriage - Another one I adore. Lord Rule simply RULES. I adore him. The Heroine is a ‘young heroine’ who is naïve and stammers but gets her own way and I like her…I even love the Villain. I adore the characterization between the Villain and Rule. And The Heroine’s brother is a crack up. This book makes me laugh with all the very witty lines.
The Corinthian - Another one I adore. Younger Heroine running away from Home, Older Hero running away from Home. She’s dressed as a man….Also there is a bit of a mystery going on. It’s very sweet and great and funny. And my mother wanted more of this book. She thinks there was totally another 10 chapters that could have been written ;)
The Foundling - This is my JOINT FAVE HEYER. Not a typical one. There is pretty much no Heroine, it’s a coming of Age story for the once very sickly young Duke, who was born a duke and his mother died in Child-birth. This is an incredible Heyer and I adore every moment of it. It’s hysterical, there is a hot male cousin who is hot and funny, and it’s a road trip of epic fun proportions and I want to write the screen play.
The Grand Sophy - Sophy is a younger ‘older’ heroine, she is used to her own way and righting everyone else’s household and families, but she is up against Charles who runs his own family (even though his father is not dead) with his sanctimonious fiancée. I have to say I adore the secondary Hero Lord Charlsbury in this. I mean really Adore him. His interactions with Sophy are great…In fact her interactions with anyone male are great… ;) Kissing Cousins.
The Nonesuch - This is a house party/sleepy village type one. Waldo is a great Hero…despite the name.. it features an older heroine, and Waldo shepherding his younger cousin around and a complete cow by the name of Tiffany. I like it, but can’t remember any truly hysterical moments, though all GH novels have witty lines/situations in it.
The Quiet Gentleman - JOINT FAVE NOVEL. House party/Mystery. Gervase Frant, Earl of St Erth comes home to be Earl…to an incredibly hostile family headed by his late father (who didn’t like him much either) second wife.. Features an adorable younger ‘older’ heroine. And I don’t know why I love this one so much but I do. I adore St Erth and would take him home with me.
The Reluctant Widow - Not one of my faves. Truly possibly wrecked by being I think the only GH novel put on screen in a truly bad it was good film… House Party/Mystery The Hero hires a woman to be the wife of his soon to be dead very bad cousin, so that he can’t be accused of trying to profit from his death. It’s quite a bit darker than the others (not as much as Cousin Kate).
The Talisman Ring - Georgian/Mystery/House Party. Heh This has some HYSTERICAL moments…Older Hero/Older Heroine. Ludovic has been on the run for murdering somebody, and now his grandfather is dead he is now Lord….But the Hero of this is his second cousin Sir Tristan Shield. Who is fab. Oh everyone in this novel is fab as far as I can remember. And One is a younger woman and they both kick arse…in very different ways. Kissing Relations
The Toll-Gate - Another Mystery. Olderish Hero/Heroine. This story starts odd because Heyer had another plotline planned so the first chapter seems really random because you never see them (his family) again pretty much! But he is off to a house party and suddenly takes up the position of a Toll-Gate Keeper instead as he tries to find out why the Toll-Gate Keeper has disappeared. Not one I re-read often. Neither the Hero or the Heroine Spoke to me.
The Unknown Ajax - House Party. Similar set up to the Talisman Ring in the sense that the Grandfather keeps losing heirs which means that the Unknown Ajax (the son of his son who ran away with a Weavers Daughter) must be brought to the family and made into a gentleman. There is a bit of mystery. The secondary characters are a little more abrasive and less comic relief than usual, but I find some of the interaction similar as to Rule (TCM) and the villains interaction so I enjoy it. Ajax otherwise known as Hugo is fabulous. Kissing Cousins.
These Old Shades - Justin Rules. As he was based originally on a Villain, he is a quite a bit more villainous than normal. He is truly the most hard-arse of GH’s ‘heros’ This is a Georgian Novel and one of her earlier ones so it’s a bit more melodramatic than her later novels (Most of her novels border on farce anyway). And it’s an extreme May/December pairing between the Hero and the Heroine. But Justin just rules. There is no way around it. I’ve used him in a story too…with such a hard-arsed omnipotent character it’s so tempting ;) As for the plot….Justin wants revenge….
Venetia - I didn’t like this one the first time I read it, but I enjoyed it more the second time. It has the most rakish of the heros, in the sense of being called a rake and disapproved of, most of GH’s heros are rakes (Rule for instance has a mistress at the beginning of the novel, In Frederica there are mentions of previous mistresses of the hero) but are treated lightly or really it IS part of their charm, in this one he is considered the big bad Rake. (not counting Dominic or Justin here, because they are like totally in their own category of bad boy) She’s an older heroine who has led quite a sheltered life. It’s probably also not the most romantic of her novels, but also on the other hand it *is* quite romantic in it’s presentation of the characters. It’s more the Romeo/Juliet type of romantic - love is desperate and it’s own world and being together above all things rather than the Romantic = flowers and poetry etc…
Will give you my Guide to Heyer. I’ll try not to spoil the plot, instead give you the type of Genre of Romance it falls into, what kind of heroines and heros so you can make up your mind. Also I think it’s best to remember that she wrote in the 1930’s and it you are a blazing feminist probably half the females will annoy you, even though I don’t think any of them are really, really ‘submissive’ in an annoyingly totally anti-feminist way. Oh and if you happen to like my original characters (male) many of them are totally inspired by GH Men ;)
Why I like GH - They are fun, they sparkle with wit, almost never fail at making me smile and laugh, they are easy to read.
Also it is obvious Georgette Heyer did a lot of research and used that research very well. Seamlessly adding in information about the time period, seamlessly adding in actual real-life people. Even though many of them are farcial and in some ways hyer-real, you never get drawn out of being in 'Regency England', even if it's her take on Regency England. They all act in character to the time period they are in.
Gracious I haven’t read some of these in a while I’m having blanks on some names and spellings! Bad Shem.
Ones to stay away from. Run away from… (generally agreed upon btw.)
Cousin Kate.
Any of her 'modern' i.e 1930's mysteries/or romances. I have one and didn't finish it.
Cousin Kate.
Did I mention Cousin Kate?
One’s I don’t recommend starting with ….
An Infamous Army - The third of the These Old Shades, Devil’s Cub Series, but is very much more ‘military’ than ‘romance.’
Spanish Bride - More of her ‘military’ than her ‘romance. Ie tells the true ‘fictionalized’ story of a Napoleonic War Couple… If you want to write a novel/fanfic during the period then thumbs up ;)
Beauvallet - I have this book and now I’m reading about the Spanish Armada I might read it…have not read it before due to the time period.
Charity Girl - Really not one of her better novels, very derivative of others.
My Lord John - Not Regency…it’s about someone…called Lord John …John of Gaunt? Some historical figure…Some John who probably ends up King…
Royal Escape - Future Charles II escape to France…I read about Two chapters and gave up…
Simon the Coldheart - Again not Regency…someone called Simon who is a Coldheart…no doubt about historical figure who will be king… Medieval…
The Great Roxhythe - Really hard to track down Heyer, I was offered to be able to read it…when I was on holiday in New Zealand so didn’t get a chance because she wasn’t going to let me take it out of the country!! I think it’s Early Georgian?
Powder and Patch - Early? Georgian One of her earlier novels and I think it shows. It’s still an enjoyable read, but not one to see if you like her style I think! All about a woman who convinces a man to change and then doesn’t like the results.
The Conqueror - Heh, It’s about William the Conqueror…I haven’t read it. She really likes those dead old Kings…
The Masqueraders - This is a Georgian, early novel. Lot of cross-dressing going on…It’s interesting. I like it, but not a big re-reader of it. I wouldn’t recommend starting off with it, but it’s probably one to go back ot.
The Rest of Them with Notations
A Civil Contract - I hated this one when I read it the first time. I quite liked it when I re-read it…possibly because I was a teenager when I read it the first time. It’s a more realistic approach on the ‘convenient’ marriage plot line, (ie it’s actually a convenient marriage…not one that well they are really in love with each other from the start….)
April Lady - I like this one. It’s a convenient marriage, (young miss to an older earl) opening a year into that marriage, I love the hero (My mother freely admitted to skipping ahead to all his bits and missing out the other bits). However it’s quite derivative of “A convenient marriage” so if you like that one, you’ll probably like this one but on a lesser scale.
Arabella - I like this one. Arabella a young country miss goes to town….managing to make everyone think she is an heiress. I know some who adore this hero to death as well. London Season Based.
Bath Tangle - Not one of my faves. An older heroine. The Hero is so very Snape like really now I think about it…but less lovable…I fully admit I was shipping a pairing that fell apart in this novel…and still am tempted to write the fanfic for it (even though the pairing I liked was horribly clichéd, I thought it would make a more interesting story) Bath Season Based.
Black Sheep - A Lady of Quality and this One are very similar. I like both of them but I think I like Black Sheep better.. A much older heroine than usual, and a very salty ‘black sheep’ who has returned from India. The Heroine is a chaperone of her niece. Bath season Based.
Cotillion - I ADORE THIS ONE. V. Atypical Hero. Young Miss pretends to be engaged to get to go to London (she has a very penny pinching guardian) to punish the man she loves …(or does she?) and get one season before she is back at the penny pinching mansion). This is a laugh out loud one for me. I went to see the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum just because of this book. I quote parts of this book regularly. London season Based.
Devil’s Cub - My mother has claimed Justin (the Hero of These Old Shades) so I have to claim Dominic (his son). One of my fave heros. Such a Bad Boy. A sulky Bad Boy ;) A great opening, it really sets up his character perfectly. A great premise… The Heroine is called Mary and is so kick arse ;) I re-read this recently and forgot how much I ADORE this book. It’s a bit of a ‘road trip’ book.
False Colours - Not one of my faves, but it involves Twins. And the main Hero is pretty cool…house party based.
Faro’s Daughter - This is a late Georgian Book. The Hero is pretty Snappy. (You know the rough diamond type) The Heroine is older and pretty kick arse…I do like this one quite a bit, but I’m not sure what to say about it, She runs a gaming table and he want’s to save his young naïve cousin from her clutches? But he has met his match?
Frederica - Older Heroine Novel, London Season Based. She has a family she wants to launch in society, see the Marquis who is a selfish SOB suddenly become their ‘guardian’…I like this one a lot, There are balloon flights! Balls! Pedestrian Cycles! Fake Dogs! Foundaries!
Friday’s Child - Very young heroine and quite Young Hero. This book is LAUGH OUT LOUD funny to me. It’s hysterical. Duels happen! The poor Hero spends the whole book flustered out of his mind and the trio of back up male characters are some of the funniest: A Byronic brooding penniless Viscount, Gil who always thinks of the plans and Ferdie who is sure Nemesis is out to get him. London/Bath Season based.
Lady Of Quality - Bath Season Based. Older Heroine and Hero. She ends up taking care of his Ward…stuff ensues. Its good. I like it. I haven’t read it in a while So I’m trying to think of anything really pertinent…without like recounting the whole plot…but I can’t.
Pistols for Two - Collection of Short Stories. Very Good. Just pretend “The Inn” is not one of the stories. I place that on the Cousin Kate level of wrongness…
Regency Buck - My first Heyer (and her first truly Regency Book that she wrote) so I have a soft spot for it. It’s also a mystery which I was so pleased to have figured out very early on in the book, but it doesn’t matter if you solve the mystery. She’s a older heroine though still young (I mean she isn’t sort of a little naïve and ‘young’ like the other young heroines, even though she is young and naïve…I can’t even explain it, it’s like a ‘type’ in romance novels, and she is more the ‘older’ heroine type), who doesn’t like her Guardian the ever delish Earl of Worth (Characters in this book Turn up in an Infamous Army). I think I used Worth in one of my stories. He is an inflexible Man and Ash owes much to him (in fact all my original male characters owe much to many GH heros) Also as it’s her first Regency she does go a tiny bit top heavy on the ‘let me show all my research for this time period’, it’s a little less seamless here than in other novels.
Sprig Muslin - I really like this one. An Older Heroine, an older Hero. It’s a Road Trip book, but it’s the Hero who gets saddled with a runaway school girl….This is another one I’m having a bit of trouble describing, except there are funny moments a really hysterical scene towards the end…a couple of them really. The Heroine sort of is considered a wet blanket by all her relatives but of course she is no such thing.
Sylvester - I like this one. I have a friend who adores this one. (esp for the adorable child) Slyvester is a bit of a hard-arse. He is a duke. He wants a bride and picks one at random. (well not totally but ;) She doesn’t want him and she is a bit atypical in really being a ‘non’ beauty, but she writes romance novels…and had put him in hers as a villain…Road Trip/London Season.
The Black Moth - Her First novel and was in some senses re-written later as These Old Shades, except the villain ‘Andover’ in this one becomes “Avon” the hero of TOS. I think it’s worth reading it, even after TOS to see the way the two books sort of mirror each other. Also I wish I could have written this well at 15 ( think it was). Full Text is online .... Here
The Convenient Marriage - Another one I adore. Lord Rule simply RULES. I adore him. The Heroine is a ‘young heroine’ who is naïve and stammers but gets her own way and I like her…I even love the Villain. I adore the characterization between the Villain and Rule. And The Heroine’s brother is a crack up. This book makes me laugh with all the very witty lines.
The Corinthian - Another one I adore. Younger Heroine running away from Home, Older Hero running away from Home. She’s dressed as a man….Also there is a bit of a mystery going on. It’s very sweet and great and funny. And my mother wanted more of this book. She thinks there was totally another 10 chapters that could have been written ;)
The Foundling - This is my JOINT FAVE HEYER. Not a typical one. There is pretty much no Heroine, it’s a coming of Age story for the once very sickly young Duke, who was born a duke and his mother died in Child-birth. This is an incredible Heyer and I adore every moment of it. It’s hysterical, there is a hot male cousin who is hot and funny, and it’s a road trip of epic fun proportions and I want to write the screen play.
The Grand Sophy - Sophy is a younger ‘older’ heroine, she is used to her own way and righting everyone else’s household and families, but she is up against Charles who runs his own family (even though his father is not dead) with his sanctimonious fiancée. I have to say I adore the secondary Hero Lord Charlsbury in this. I mean really Adore him. His interactions with Sophy are great…In fact her interactions with anyone male are great… ;) Kissing Cousins.
The Nonesuch - This is a house party/sleepy village type one. Waldo is a great Hero…despite the name.. it features an older heroine, and Waldo shepherding his younger cousin around and a complete cow by the name of Tiffany. I like it, but can’t remember any truly hysterical moments, though all GH novels have witty lines/situations in it.
The Quiet Gentleman - JOINT FAVE NOVEL. House party/Mystery. Gervase Frant, Earl of St Erth comes home to be Earl…to an incredibly hostile family headed by his late father (who didn’t like him much either) second wife.. Features an adorable younger ‘older’ heroine. And I don’t know why I love this one so much but I do. I adore St Erth and would take him home with me.
The Reluctant Widow - Not one of my faves. Truly possibly wrecked by being I think the only GH novel put on screen in a truly bad it was good film… House Party/Mystery The Hero hires a woman to be the wife of his soon to be dead very bad cousin, so that he can’t be accused of trying to profit from his death. It’s quite a bit darker than the others (not as much as Cousin Kate).
The Talisman Ring - Georgian/Mystery/House Party. Heh This has some HYSTERICAL moments…Older Hero/Older Heroine. Ludovic has been on the run for murdering somebody, and now his grandfather is dead he is now Lord….But the Hero of this is his second cousin Sir Tristan Shield. Who is fab. Oh everyone in this novel is fab as far as I can remember. And One is a younger woman and they both kick arse…in very different ways. Kissing Relations
The Toll-Gate - Another Mystery. Olderish Hero/Heroine. This story starts odd because Heyer had another plotline planned so the first chapter seems really random because you never see them (his family) again pretty much! But he is off to a house party and suddenly takes up the position of a Toll-Gate Keeper instead as he tries to find out why the Toll-Gate Keeper has disappeared. Not one I re-read often. Neither the Hero or the Heroine Spoke to me.
The Unknown Ajax - House Party. Similar set up to the Talisman Ring in the sense that the Grandfather keeps losing heirs which means that the Unknown Ajax (the son of his son who ran away with a Weavers Daughter) must be brought to the family and made into a gentleman. There is a bit of mystery. The secondary characters are a little more abrasive and less comic relief than usual, but I find some of the interaction similar as to Rule (TCM) and the villains interaction so I enjoy it. Ajax otherwise known as Hugo is fabulous. Kissing Cousins.
These Old Shades - Justin Rules. As he was based originally on a Villain, he is a quite a bit more villainous than normal. He is truly the most hard-arse of GH’s ‘heros’ This is a Georgian Novel and one of her earlier ones so it’s a bit more melodramatic than her later novels (Most of her novels border on farce anyway). And it’s an extreme May/December pairing between the Hero and the Heroine. But Justin just rules. There is no way around it. I’ve used him in a story too…with such a hard-arsed omnipotent character it’s so tempting ;) As for the plot….Justin wants revenge….
Venetia - I didn’t like this one the first time I read it, but I enjoyed it more the second time. It has the most rakish of the heros, in the sense of being called a rake and disapproved of, most of GH’s heros are rakes (Rule for instance has a mistress at the beginning of the novel, In Frederica there are mentions of previous mistresses of the hero) but are treated lightly or really it IS part of their charm, in this one he is considered the big bad Rake. (not counting Dominic or Justin here, because they are like totally in their own category of bad boy) She’s an older heroine who has led quite a sheltered life. It’s probably also not the most romantic of her novels, but also on the other hand it *is* quite romantic in it’s presentation of the characters. It’s more the Romeo/Juliet type of romantic - love is desperate and it’s own world and being together above all things rather than the Romantic = flowers and poetry etc…