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Alastair-Audley Tetralogy #3
Regency Buck
"From the moment when I first set eyes on you I have disliked you ..."
Rich and lovely, ardent and wilful, any restraint maddened Judith Taverner. But in her handsome guardian she met her match - and more.
Julian St John Audley, Fifth Earl of Worth, was one of the Bow-window set, a gamester, an excellent whip and a friend of Beau Brummell. Merely thinking of him was enough to put Judith into a rage. Before long she discovered there were other people who also hated her legal guardian ...
Rich and lovely, ardent and wilful, any restraint maddened Judith Taverner. But in her handsome guardian she met her match - and more.
Julian St John Audley, Fifth Earl of Worth, was one of the Bow-window set, a gamester, an excellent whip and a friend of Beau Brummell. Merely thinking of him was enough to put Judith into a rage. Before long she discovered there were other people who also hated her legal guardian ...
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1935
About the author
Georgette Heyer
257 books5,175 followersGeorgette Heyer was a prolific historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 982 reviews
July 19, 2017
So I feel the great Georgette Heyer Splurge winding down here ― a woman can only take so much of the constraints of Polite Society before she hares off and immerses herself in gory urban fantasies with kickass heroines ― but at least I'm ending on a high note here.
Judith Tavener, age 20, and her brother Peregrine, aka Perry, age 19, decide to leave the Yorkshire countryside after their father dies, to enjoy the London season with their newly inherited wealth. The only thing standing between Judith and Perry and a good time (other than their country manners, but lots of money does tend to overcome the snootiness of the ton) are the limitations imposed by the unknown guardian their father appointed in his will, since they're both underage. But they assure themselves that they can undoubtedly handle what will certainly a retired gentleman in his dotage. So, armed only with their guardian's name, Lord Worth, and their undoubtedly very handy funds, off they go to London.
On the way they stop in a town to see a "mill" (boxing match) and have a few unfortunate encounters with a condescending gentleman, who mocks them, jokingly calls Judith "Clorinda" when she won't tell him her name, steals a kiss from her, and deftly avoids being challenged by Perry. Much to their dismay, once in London they find that this insolent gentleman is their guardian, Lord Worth.
The rest of the book deals with the battles between Judith and Lord Worth for the upper hand in their love/hate relationship ― she tends to react to every request or instruction from him by doing exactly the opposite ― and the series of near-deadly "mishaps" that begin to befall Perry. Judith is wooed by several fortune hunters as well as her cousin Bernard Taverner, but it's not clear for a long time whether Lord Worth, her cousin Bernard, or someone else is trying to get Perry out of the way so that Judith will conveniently inherit the family wealth.
Judith is an independent sort, driving herself around in a high-perch phaeton (which most women of the time couldn't or wouldn't handle):
Lord Worth has a sardonic wit and a tendency to make provocative statements:
Minus one star for Lord Worth's highhandedness and Judith's stubbornness, which leads her to make some pretty idiotic decisions. Judith gets quite impulsive and obstinate in her determination to not knuckle under to Lord Worth's instructions, but even when she clearly would have been better off doing what Worth requested, you have to admire her determination, in that day and age, to order her own life.
*"Understated" is pretty much my go-to definition for Heyer romances. You get a smidgen sexier with Venetia or Devil's Cub, but most of the joy in reading Heyer is found in her witty dialogue.
Judith Tavener, age 20, and her brother Peregrine, aka Perry, age 19, decide to leave the Yorkshire countryside after their father dies, to enjoy the London season with their newly inherited wealth. The only thing standing between Judith and Perry and a good time (other than their country manners, but lots of money does tend to overcome the snootiness of the ton) are the limitations imposed by the unknown guardian their father appointed in his will, since they're both underage. But they assure themselves that they can undoubtedly handle what will certainly a retired gentleman in his dotage. So, armed only with their guardian's name, Lord Worth, and their undoubtedly very handy funds, off they go to London.
On the way they stop in a town to see a "mill" (boxing match) and have a few unfortunate encounters with a condescending gentleman, who mocks them, jokingly calls Judith "Clorinda" when she won't tell him her name, steals a kiss from her, and deftly avoids being challenged by Perry. Much to their dismay, once in London they find that this insolent gentleman is their guardian, Lord Worth.
The rest of the book deals with the battles between Judith and Lord Worth for the upper hand in their love/hate relationship ― she tends to react to every request or instruction from him by doing exactly the opposite ― and the series of near-deadly "mishaps" that begin to befall Perry. Judith is wooed by several fortune hunters as well as her cousin Bernard Taverner, but it's not clear for a long time whether Lord Worth, her cousin Bernard, or someone else is trying to get Perry out of the way so that Judith will conveniently inherit the family wealth.
Judith is an independent sort, driving herself around in a high-perch phaeton (which most women of the time couldn't or wouldn't handle):
Lord Worth has a sardonic wit and a tendency to make provocative statements:
'My name is not Clorinda!' snapped Miss Taverner. 'I wonder that you should care to call up the recollections it must evoke! If they are not odious to you ―'Beau Brummel also makes a few cameo appearances to good effect:
'How could they be?' said Worth. 'You must have forgotten one at least of them if you think that.'
She was obliged to turn away to hide her confusion. 'How can you?' she demanded, in a suffocating voice.
'Don't be alarmed,' said Worth. 'I am not going to do it again yet, Clorinda. I told you, you remember, that you were not the only sufferer under your father's Will.'
'Excellent, Miss Taverner!' murmured Mr Brummel. 'You are so apt a pupil that if I were only ten years younger I believe I should propose for your hand.'Regency Buck is one of the more enjoyable Georgette Heyer books I've read. It's a comedy of manners, with an understated* romance and lots of dry humor. Maybe it was this understated, witty humor that reminded me so much of Pride and Prejudice, but I figure that any book that makes me feel like I am reading something Jane Austen might have written, clearly goes into the "win" column.
She laughed. 'I cannot suppose it possible. Did you ever propose to any lady, sir?'
'Yes, once,' replied Mr Brummel in a voice of gentle melancholy. 'But it came to nothing. I discovered that she actually ate cabbage, so what could I do but cut the connection?'
Minus one star for Lord Worth's highhandedness and Judith's stubbornness, which leads her to make some pretty idiotic decisions. Judith gets quite impulsive and obstinate in her determination to not knuckle under to Lord Worth's instructions, but even when she clearly would have been better off doing what Worth requested, you have to admire her determination, in that day and age, to order her own life.
*"Understated" is pretty much my go-to definition for Heyer romances. You get a smidgen sexier with Venetia or Devil's Cub, but most of the joy in reading Heyer is found in her witty dialogue.
May 13, 2024
In defence of Regency Buck
I have, recently, in a Georgette Heyer forum here on GR briefly addressed the perplexing nature of the hatred Lord Worth gets in comparison with other Heyer heroes (and Judith too in comparison with other Heyer heroines), but would like to take the time here to speak more extensively about it, because reasons.
Regency Buck was actually the first full Heyer I ever read (the actual first was an abridged audiobook version of Sylvester, but let’s face it, Richard Armitage’s voice is impossible to resist). At the time, when I first read Regency Buck, it never once occurred to me to hate either the hero or the heroine, I thought the story was fun, and my subsequent reading of every other Heyer I could get my hands on should attest to that. And I mention this here because many Heyer fans will have developed the skill of squinting away some uncomfortable parts of Heyer’s novels, like her anti-semitism for example, and try to enjoy them as the product of their time. I didn’t have that skill at the time of reading Regency Buck, I never knew I would need it until the universally beloved Grand Sophy came my way, in fact.
So it came as something of a surprise to me, when it transpired that most people felt that Lord Worth is “a raging arsehole”, and an “odious […] toad”, “cold fish” and “detestable” according to some of the top rated GR reviews here. I understand if someone disliked him or the novel (tastes differ, after all) but some of this vitriol seemed like a major, major overreaction, and I didn’t know what it was the hero was to have done, apparently, to justify that hatred.
So here’s my take on the character, point by point:
1. He is rude, stand-offish and arrogant. That’s true. It’s also true of almost every other Heyer hero, except for her “Type II”, and certainly true of many much beloved ones, like the Duke of Avon and his son, Mr Beaumaris in Arabella, the Marquis of Alverstoke in Frederica etc. I see no difference in how arrogant and stand-offish he is and they are.
2. He forces an intimacy on Judith. True again. No worse, however, than what Damarel does to Venetia or what Vidal, in the Devil’s Cub, almost does to Mary. In all of those cases the hero takes the heroine for a simple village girl. This makes it no more ok than if they didn’t think them that, but apparently that made a difference in Heyer’s Regency World. If you find that detestable in his case, you must therefore find it detestable in all these other cases too. I should add that Heyer also seemed to imply that the heroes assumed that to some extent their overtures were invited and their actions changed drastically when they learn that they were not (Worth teaches Judith how to defend herself once she slaps him in self-defence; Damarel reads more than he should into Venetia’s not running away when given the chance; and to keep this spoiler free I will only say that Mary knows how to take care of herself).
3. He dictates to Judith and Perry but refuses to tell them what he plans and suspects. So Lord Worth's charges, Perry and Judith, come to London, all good-looking and loaded with money, all full of youthful confidence, and without apparent ability to discern the bad from the good. Worth, after having insulted both of them unwittingly, finds himself in the position of having to defend their fortune, their lives and virtues, knowing the danger they were in and having the experience of town they lack, while at the same time knowing very well that whatever he says the pair of siblings will take against because they don’t like him (with reason). Judith in particular starts her relationship with Worth (once she learns who he really is) by negating near everything he says. So I think that on balance he actually acts very cleverly. He managed Judith’s more extreme reactions to him and Perry’s excesses by intervening personally, but discreetly, when he must () or ordering them in the right direction when he could. If you ask me that’s what a guardian is supposed to do. He was not just some random guy, after all. He had this pair of siblings foisted onto him by mistake, he didn’t ask for it, and then he managed them effectively. What I like about him is that he makes mistakes. Unlike some Heyer heroes who are infallible, he does err as he goes along , but all the time he tries to do his very best.
4. He threatens to beat Judith. True, but then he doesn’t actually beat anybody but the villain. Several Heyer heroes have, jokingly or no, threatened violence towards the heroine, usually in reaction to her wilful behaviour. Vidal, who is a much beloved Heyer hero, is the only one I can think of that actually does do it . I think Worth was provoked enough to have said what he said in some just anger. I think he meant to impress upon Judith the difference between opposing him verbally in some nonsense about where she would live and opposing his strict order about something he knows more about, and something that concerns her life and reputation. She did act badly and he, out of worry and fury, reacted. It made sense to me and seemed proportional to the offence. And again, it’s definitely no worse than what Vidal does, or what, say, Charles says to Sophy in the “The Grand Sophy ”.
5. He is cold to Judith. Erh… is he? When I read the book he seemed actually quite the opposite. Other than kissing her and telling her he thought her beautiful several times, once he finds out that he is her guardian and that she is therefore off-limits, he hints to her about his feelings on several occasions. What is funny and I think very endearing, is that he knows she doesn’t like him, he knows that instead of being allowed to charm her as he probably ordinarily would, he is stuck with playing her father figure. I think it was amusing to see this super-confident guy struggle with his infatuation with a young woman he had managed to offend before they even officially met, and have to hide his feelings while at the same time waiting impatiently until he could tell her and try to win her. Their conversations I found funny. He provokes her and then appeases her in turn, and Judith, who is rather imperious with everyone else, finds herself unable to get the better of him.
The Earl’s gaze returned to Miss Taverner. He said softly:
“You should ask me to sit down, you know.”
Her lips quivered: she could not but appreciate his lordship’s methods.
“Pray, be seated, sir!”
“Thank you, Miss Taverner, but I do not stay.”
It is because of being unable to get the better of him that she tries to do the stupid thing of going to Brighton in a manner he expressly forbade, only she didn’t quite calculate how much she would provoke him with that – again his reaction there is hardly that of an uncaring, cold person.
6. He blames her for her almost-rape. Does he? Again, the scene reads very differently to me than to some other people, apparently. I don’t see anything reprehensible about what he did. I didn’t read at any point any blaming of her for the molestation she suffers. He asks her what she was doing going away with the Regent – a perfectly reasonable question, after all, she might have done it willingly and consciously, how was Worth to know otherwise? And then she assures him that she didn’t, which he believes. Exactly how is this bad?
7. He doesn’t fill her in on his plans of subverting her cousin’s schemes. . Again, that seems to make perfect sense to me, I see nothing reprehensible in his actions. In fact, he was very clever in doing what he did.
8. He is an arrogant Darcy-like guy who never gets fed a Darcy-like humble pie. Actually, he does. It is a mistake, I think, to compare this to Pride and Prejudice, but if the comparison is made then let us be fair - Lord Worth does one *actually* bad thing. He kisses a girl he fancies on sight, because he thinks himself so great and he proceeds to pay the price for this for the 350 pages that follow, because he falls in love with the girl and the girl won't easily forgive him. Everything that follows and how unmanageable the siblings are is a result of his having been insufferably arrogant to people he thought beneath himself to begin with.
In summary, this was Georgette Heyer’s first shot at the Regency period, and she would go on to make it her own in many enjoyable ways. I recommend all her regencies, all are great in their own way and to my mind Regency Buck is right up there among the greats. As to the hero and the heroine, I think Lord Worth is actually one of her more attractive, interesting heroes. I liked him from the start, and the scene in the end is very sweet and very romantic. I don’t want to write at length about Judith’s character, she is feisty and such heroines usually do tend to annoy some people. I think that it is good that Georgette Heyer didn’t just give her feistiness as a characteristic that attracts the hero, but also as a flaw that has consequences. That’s called good, believable characterisation.
It’s a great novel, barrels of fun, highly recommend.
***2023 Re-read***
I stand by my defence of the novel, and reading it again I found it just as much fun as before. I also think that it would make a good adaptation. Worth's dandyism and how much it affects Judith reading of him would be particularly fun when you could actually see it. She also takes much more time in this one than in any of her other novels to tour Regency England, showing her research much more obviously, which I think would lend colour to an adaptation.
I have, recently, in a Georgette Heyer forum here on GR briefly addressed the perplexing nature of the hatred Lord Worth gets in comparison with other Heyer heroes (and Judith too in comparison with other Heyer heroines), but would like to take the time here to speak more extensively about it, because reasons.
Regency Buck was actually the first full Heyer I ever read (the actual first was an abridged audiobook version of Sylvester, but let’s face it, Richard Armitage’s voice is impossible to resist). At the time, when I first read Regency Buck, it never once occurred to me to hate either the hero or the heroine, I thought the story was fun, and my subsequent reading of every other Heyer I could get my hands on should attest to that. And I mention this here because many Heyer fans will have developed the skill of squinting away some uncomfortable parts of Heyer’s novels, like her anti-semitism for example, and try to enjoy them as the product of their time. I didn’t have that skill at the time of reading Regency Buck, I never knew I would need it until the universally beloved Grand Sophy came my way, in fact.
So it came as something of a surprise to me, when it transpired that most people felt that Lord Worth is “a raging arsehole”, and an “odious […] toad”, “cold fish” and “detestable” according to some of the top rated GR reviews here. I understand if someone disliked him or the novel (tastes differ, after all) but some of this vitriol seemed like a major, major overreaction, and I didn’t know what it was the hero was to have done, apparently, to justify that hatred.
So here’s my take on the character, point by point:
1. He is rude, stand-offish and arrogant. That’s true. It’s also true of almost every other Heyer hero, except for her “Type II”, and certainly true of many much beloved ones, like the Duke of Avon and his son, Mr Beaumaris in Arabella, the Marquis of Alverstoke in Frederica etc. I see no difference in how arrogant and stand-offish he is and they are.
2. He forces an intimacy on Judith. True again. No worse, however, than what Damarel does to Venetia or what Vidal, in the Devil’s Cub, almost does to Mary. In all of those cases the hero takes the heroine for a simple village girl. This makes it no more ok than if they didn’t think them that, but apparently that made a difference in Heyer’s Regency World. If you find that detestable in his case, you must therefore find it detestable in all these other cases too. I should add that Heyer also seemed to imply that the heroes assumed that to some extent their overtures were invited and their actions changed drastically when they learn that they were not (Worth teaches Judith how to defend herself once she slaps him in self-defence; Damarel reads more than he should into Venetia’s not running away when given the chance; and to keep this spoiler free I will only say that Mary knows how to take care of herself).
3. He dictates to Judith and Perry but refuses to tell them what he plans and suspects. So Lord Worth's charges, Perry and Judith, come to London, all good-looking and loaded with money, all full of youthful confidence, and without apparent ability to discern the bad from the good. Worth, after having insulted both of them unwittingly, finds himself in the position of having to defend their fortune, their lives and virtues, knowing the danger they were in and having the experience of town they lack, while at the same time knowing very well that whatever he says the pair of siblings will take against because they don’t like him (with reason). Judith in particular starts her relationship with Worth (once she learns who he really is) by negating near everything he says. So I think that on balance he actually acts very cleverly. He managed Judith’s more extreme reactions to him and Perry’s excesses by intervening personally, but discreetly, when he must () or ordering them in the right direction when he could. If you ask me that’s what a guardian is supposed to do. He was not just some random guy, after all. He had this pair of siblings foisted onto him by mistake, he didn’t ask for it, and then he managed them effectively. What I like about him is that he makes mistakes. Unlike some Heyer heroes who are infallible, he does err as he goes along , but all the time he tries to do his very best.
4. He threatens to beat Judith. True, but then he doesn’t actually beat anybody but the villain. Several Heyer heroes have, jokingly or no, threatened violence towards the heroine, usually in reaction to her wilful behaviour. Vidal, who is a much beloved Heyer hero, is the only one I can think of that actually does do it . I think Worth was provoked enough to have said what he said in some just anger. I think he meant to impress upon Judith the difference between opposing him verbally in some nonsense about where she would live and opposing his strict order about something he knows more about, and something that concerns her life and reputation. She did act badly and he, out of worry and fury, reacted. It made sense to me and seemed proportional to the offence. And again, it’s definitely no worse than what Vidal does, or what, say, Charles says to Sophy in the “The Grand Sophy ”.
5. He is cold to Judith. Erh… is he? When I read the book he seemed actually quite the opposite. Other than kissing her and telling her he thought her beautiful several times, once he finds out that he is her guardian and that she is therefore off-limits, he hints to her about his feelings on several occasions. What is funny and I think very endearing, is that he knows she doesn’t like him, he knows that instead of being allowed to charm her as he probably ordinarily would, he is stuck with playing her father figure. I think it was amusing to see this super-confident guy struggle with his infatuation with a young woman he had managed to offend before they even officially met, and have to hide his feelings while at the same time waiting impatiently until he could tell her and try to win her. Their conversations I found funny. He provokes her and then appeases her in turn, and Judith, who is rather imperious with everyone else, finds herself unable to get the better of him.
The Earl’s gaze returned to Miss Taverner. He said softly:
“You should ask me to sit down, you know.”
Her lips quivered: she could not but appreciate his lordship’s methods.
“Pray, be seated, sir!”
“Thank you, Miss Taverner, but I do not stay.”
It is because of being unable to get the better of him that she tries to do the stupid thing of going to Brighton in a manner he expressly forbade, only she didn’t quite calculate how much she would provoke him with that – again his reaction there is hardly that of an uncaring, cold person.
6. He blames her for her almost-rape. Does he? Again, the scene reads very differently to me than to some other people, apparently. I don’t see anything reprehensible about what he did. I didn’t read at any point any blaming of her for the molestation she suffers. He asks her what she was doing going away with the Regent – a perfectly reasonable question, after all, she might have done it willingly and consciously, how was Worth to know otherwise? And then she assures him that she didn’t, which he believes. Exactly how is this bad?
7. He doesn’t fill her in on his plans of subverting her cousin’s schemes. . Again, that seems to make perfect sense to me, I see nothing reprehensible in his actions. In fact, he was very clever in doing what he did.
8. He is an arrogant Darcy-like guy who never gets fed a Darcy-like humble pie. Actually, he does. It is a mistake, I think, to compare this to Pride and Prejudice, but if the comparison is made then let us be fair - Lord Worth does one *actually* bad thing. He kisses a girl he fancies on sight, because he thinks himself so great and he proceeds to pay the price for this for the 350 pages that follow, because he falls in love with the girl and the girl won't easily forgive him. Everything that follows and how unmanageable the siblings are is a result of his having been insufferably arrogant to people he thought beneath himself to begin with.
In summary, this was Georgette Heyer’s first shot at the Regency period, and she would go on to make it her own in many enjoyable ways. I recommend all her regencies, all are great in their own way and to my mind Regency Buck is right up there among the greats. As to the hero and the heroine, I think Lord Worth is actually one of her more attractive, interesting heroes. I liked him from the start, and the scene in the end is very sweet and very romantic. I don’t want to write at length about Judith’s character, she is feisty and such heroines usually do tend to annoy some people. I think that it is good that Georgette Heyer didn’t just give her feistiness as a characteristic that attracts the hero, but also as a flaw that has consequences. That’s called good, believable characterisation.
It’s a great novel, barrels of fun, highly recommend.
***2023 Re-read***
I stand by my defence of the novel, and reading it again I found it just as much fun as before. I also think that it would make a good adaptation. Worth's dandyism and how much it affects Judith reading of him would be particularly fun when you could actually see it. She also takes much more time in this one than in any of her other novels to tour Regency England, showing her research much more obviously, which I think would lend colour to an adaptation.
July 8, 2009
With any other hero, I might consider this the best of Heyer. As it was, I was torn between hating Lord Worth and being swept up in the story.
Judith Taverner and her younger, sillier brother Peregrine have been recently orphaned, and with spirited curiosity they decide to seek out their new guardian, the high-handed Lord Worth. They are quite surprised to learn he is a young, handsome man who is friends with the Crown Prince and the cream of society. With his help, the Taverners are rapidly enfolded into the bosom of high society. But even as they enjoy great social success, worryingly lethal "accidents" keep happening around Perigrine...and Lord Worth seems to be involved.
Judith and Beau Brummel are great characters, and their friendship was the highlight of this novel. I was enthralled by their attempts to both curry favor with, and rebel against, the society to which they are born. Judith has an especially refreshing take on high society manners: she understands which rules she has to follow to me a social success, but refuses to take them seriously. Unfortunately, this is not the focus of Regency Buck; Judith's contentious relationship with her infuriating guardian is.
Speaking of which...SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Taverners meet Lord Worth when he, speeding along the narrow road at a tremendous pace, almost smashes into their little curricle. He refuses to apologize or get down to see if they're ok. When he runs into Peregrine later, he insults him again. Then Lord Worth sees Judith by the side of the road (she was taking a stone from her shoe) and picks her up, puts her into his carriage, and forcibly kisses her. The whole time she protests loudly and without ambiguity. And of course, he just laughs at her. Not realizing his identity, she warns him that her guardian, Lord Worth, will protect her, and he laughs at her again. From then on, whenever they meet, he needles her about the kiss. When they meet again, he reveals his true identity, installs the Taverners into a house of HIS choosing, and refuses to let them have their own aunt stay as chaperone--his relative will be chaperone, instead. Incidents like this continue throughout the book. Judith is a smart, fashionable woman with good instincts, and Lord Worth spends the entire novel manipulating events and people to make her do what he wants.
Two terrible instances spring to mind. The Crown Prince is quite taken with Judith, and at one point in the novel, forces her to be in an isolated and closed room with him. Her chaperone (who Worth chose for her, against her objections) is off playing cards. When the prince tries to take advantage of her (in a scene novel to Heyer in its disturbing realism), Judith is so overcome that she faints for the first time in her life. She is awakened by Worth, who BERATES HER for embarrassing the prince. Then he lambasts her for being so foolish as to be in a room alone with him. When she tries to explain that she couldn't get away, he brushes off her objections.
The second instance is less of a rape-apologia and more of pure insensitivity. As part of his plan to expose Peregrine's would-be-assassin, Worth drugs Peregrine and stuffs him on a yacht to keep him out of the way. After he's been missing for a few days, Judith begins to fear for his life. She goes to Worth repeatedly, literally begging him to look for Peregrine, and he dismisses her fears as overreactions. (Despite the fact that someone really is trying to kill Peregrine, and Judith herself has prevented at least one of the attempts.) Then, the real villain of the story shows up, and convinces Judith that he knows where Peregrine is being kept. Judith goes along for awhile, but quickly realizes that it's a trap, designed to make it look like she has eloped with the villain. Just as the scene reaches a fever pitch of ugly rape-y connotations, Lord Worth steps out of the shadows and punches the villain. Then he and the villain take turns explaining the villain's dastardly plans. There is no conceivable reason that Worth couldn't have clued Judith in to his suspicions, or told her that Peregrine was safe. Due to his high-handed douchebaggery, the "love of his life" spent days thinking that her beloved younger brother was dead, then thought she was going to be raped. WOW how ROMANTIC. Given how intelligent and level-headed Judith is throughout the book, I assumed Worth would eventually have a change of heart or realization that he has misjudged her and treated her badly. But no, he never suffers even a moment of doubt.
To me, this book works very well as a close look at upper-class Regency life, and very badly as a romance.
Judith Taverner and her younger, sillier brother Peregrine have been recently orphaned, and with spirited curiosity they decide to seek out their new guardian, the high-handed Lord Worth. They are quite surprised to learn he is a young, handsome man who is friends with the Crown Prince and the cream of society. With his help, the Taverners are rapidly enfolded into the bosom of high society. But even as they enjoy great social success, worryingly lethal "accidents" keep happening around Perigrine...and Lord Worth seems to be involved.
Judith and Beau Brummel are great characters, and their friendship was the highlight of this novel. I was enthralled by their attempts to both curry favor with, and rebel against, the society to which they are born. Judith has an especially refreshing take on high society manners: she understands which rules she has to follow to me a social success, but refuses to take them seriously. Unfortunately, this is not the focus of Regency Buck; Judith's contentious relationship with her infuriating guardian is.
Speaking of which...SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Taverners meet Lord Worth when he, speeding along the narrow road at a tremendous pace, almost smashes into their little curricle. He refuses to apologize or get down to see if they're ok. When he runs into Peregrine later, he insults him again. Then Lord Worth sees Judith by the side of the road (she was taking a stone from her shoe) and picks her up, puts her into his carriage, and forcibly kisses her. The whole time she protests loudly and without ambiguity. And of course, he just laughs at her. Not realizing his identity, she warns him that her guardian, Lord Worth, will protect her, and he laughs at her again. From then on, whenever they meet, he needles her about the kiss. When they meet again, he reveals his true identity, installs the Taverners into a house of HIS choosing, and refuses to let them have their own aunt stay as chaperone--his relative will be chaperone, instead. Incidents like this continue throughout the book. Judith is a smart, fashionable woman with good instincts, and Lord Worth spends the entire novel manipulating events and people to make her do what he wants.
Two terrible instances spring to mind. The Crown Prince is quite taken with Judith, and at one point in the novel, forces her to be in an isolated and closed room with him. Her chaperone (who Worth chose for her, against her objections) is off playing cards. When the prince tries to take advantage of her (in a scene novel to Heyer in its disturbing realism), Judith is so overcome that she faints for the first time in her life. She is awakened by Worth, who BERATES HER for embarrassing the prince. Then he lambasts her for being so foolish as to be in a room alone with him. When she tries to explain that she couldn't get away, he brushes off her objections.
The second instance is less of a rape-apologia and more of pure insensitivity. As part of his plan to expose Peregrine's would-be-assassin, Worth drugs Peregrine and stuffs him on a yacht to keep him out of the way. After he's been missing for a few days, Judith begins to fear for his life. She goes to Worth repeatedly, literally begging him to look for Peregrine, and he dismisses her fears as overreactions. (Despite the fact that someone really is trying to kill Peregrine, and Judith herself has prevented at least one of the attempts.) Then, the real villain of the story shows up, and convinces Judith that he knows where Peregrine is being kept. Judith goes along for awhile, but quickly realizes that it's a trap, designed to make it look like she has eloped with the villain. Just as the scene reaches a fever pitch of ugly rape-y connotations, Lord Worth steps out of the shadows and punches the villain. Then he and the villain take turns explaining the villain's dastardly plans. There is no conceivable reason that Worth couldn't have clued Judith in to his suspicions, or told her that Peregrine was safe. Due to his high-handed douchebaggery, the "love of his life" spent days thinking that her beloved younger brother was dead, then thought she was going to be raped. WOW how ROMANTIC. Given how intelligent and level-headed Judith is throughout the book, I assumed Worth would eventually have a change of heart or realization that he has misjudged her and treated her badly. But no, he never suffers even a moment of doubt.
To me, this book works very well as a close look at upper-class Regency life, and very badly as a romance.
May 18, 2019
4.5 twinkling, sparkling stars!
In my early days on the internet I was excited to find a Georgette Heyer message board. I didn't last long there as most of the posters hated Regency Buck & loved Lady of Quality! While Regency Bucks has it's flaws, my memory of Lady of Quality is
The message board didn't last long either.
I might as well get the issues I had with the book out of the way first. I first read this book when I was very young (probably only 12/13) so I wasn't too familiar with some of romance writing's conventions. So at the start of the book I was quite confused as I preferred Bernard to Worth at first & then later, on I preferred Charles Audley!
From memory, GH also has the Brighton Pavillion in its present form earlier than was actually the case. In Regency Buck, Beau Brummell talking about his age makes it clear that events in this book are happening 1812. (& there are also some dated letters) Brummell's debts drove him into exile 1816. However, the Brighton Pavillion alterations were done 1815-1823. Doesn't bother me but it did bother a perfectionist such as GH.
No matter,GH's other research uses events of the time & the writing is very good. The detail of Regency customs, dress & historic events means this should be the first Regency anyone reads. & GH shows, not tells, very cleverly.
The romance is very well done. A wonderful flirtation (& the feelings are obviously stronger on Worth's side in the beginning), until it is derailed both by Judith being his ward & The Big Misunderstanding, so important to all romances.
& there is a wonderful, vivid cast of supporting character, Lady Albinia being my favourite.
& I loved this book so much, that when I first visited England in the 70's of course I visited Brighton Pavillion. Here are a pack of playing cards I bought there.
Edit; Nearly forgot but as usual the Arrow edition is full of typos! & is that meant to be Worth holding that fan? Seriously?
Edit; Notes from reread 6 Jan 2018
First thing that struck me was the long time frame - unusual in GH's Regencies & mysteries. This book took place over a year.
Some of the language Austenesque. GH still finding her voice.
Lot of background detail. Maybe GH wasn't expecting to become the Regency romance writer. A plus is that we have all that info now. GH never went that far overboard again. The clothing description was quite definitely overkill.
I skimmed the prizefight, (I hate boxing) but gritted my teeth & read the cock fight. I wanted to understand how
Loved GH's affectionate portrayal of Brummell.
Loved the humour, especially Worth
What I didn't like other than the boxing & the cockfight - same as last time -
In my early days on the internet I was excited to find a Georgette Heyer message board. I didn't last long there as most of the posters hated Regency Buck & loved Lady of Quality! While Regency Bucks has it's flaws, my memory of Lady of Quality is
The message board didn't last long either.
I might as well get the issues I had with the book out of the way first. I first read this book when I was very young (probably only 12/13) so I wasn't too familiar with some of romance writing's conventions. So at the start of the book I was quite confused as I preferred Bernard to Worth at first & then later, on I preferred Charles Audley!
From memory, GH also has the Brighton Pavillion in its present form earlier than was actually the case. In Regency Buck, Beau Brummell talking about his age makes it clear that events in this book are happening 1812. (& there are also some dated letters) Brummell's debts drove him into exile 1816. However, the Brighton Pavillion alterations were done 1815-1823. Doesn't bother me but it did bother a perfectionist such as GH.
No matter,GH's other research uses events of the time & the writing is very good. The detail of Regency customs, dress & historic events means this should be the first Regency anyone reads. & GH shows, not tells, very cleverly.
The romance is very well done. A wonderful flirtation (& the feelings are obviously stronger on Worth's side in the beginning), until it is derailed both by Judith being his ward & The Big Misunderstanding, so important to all romances.
& there is a wonderful, vivid cast of supporting character, Lady Albinia being my favourite.
& I loved this book so much, that when I first visited England in the 70's of course I visited Brighton Pavillion. Here are a pack of playing cards I bought there.
Edit; Nearly forgot but as usual the Arrow edition is full of typos! & is that meant to be Worth holding that fan? Seriously?
Edit; Notes from reread 6 Jan 2018
First thing that struck me was the long time frame - unusual in GH's Regencies & mysteries. This book took place over a year.
Some of the language Austenesque. GH still finding her voice.
Lot of background detail. Maybe GH wasn't expecting to become the Regency romance writer. A plus is that we have all that info now. GH never went that far overboard again. The clothing description was quite definitely overkill.
I skimmed the prizefight, (I hate boxing) but gritted my teeth & read the cock fight. I wanted to understand how
Loved GH's affectionate portrayal of Brummell.
Loved the humour, especially Worth
What I didn't like other than the boxing & the cockfight - same as last time -
May 8, 2010
The one where our heroine and her silly brother discover, upon their father’s death, that their new guardian is the sardonic Lord Worth. And then everyone gets into social scrapes.
Almost, but decidedly no. The heroine here is almost my favorite kind of Heyer girl – witty, perceptive, cleverer than the men who are supposed to be her betters – except for how she’s ultimately an idiot so that the hero can explain the entire plot to her. And the hero. Almost my favorite sort of Heyer man – dry, sarcastic, smart – except for the part where he’s also a raging asshole. And their dynamic is almost my favorite sort of Heyer romance, where the couple spends the entire book being hilariously cutting at each other, except for how he sexually assaults her on first meeting, threatens to beat her later, and she seems to like that sort of thing.
Actually, you know, one of my favorite things about Heyer in general is that she really played around with romance structures and – I almost said conventions, but of course it wasn’t that, since she invented so many of them. This book is no different. It’s a vague sort of mystery where you’re supposed to be unsure who the hero actually is, but the whole thing almost, but ultimately just doesn’t work.
Sometimes, so close is also so very, very far.
Almost, but decidedly no. The heroine here is almost my favorite kind of Heyer girl – witty, perceptive, cleverer than the men who are supposed to be her betters – except for how she’s ultimately an idiot so that the hero can explain the entire plot to her. And the hero. Almost my favorite sort of Heyer man – dry, sarcastic, smart – except for the part where he’s also a raging asshole. And their dynamic is almost my favorite sort of Heyer romance, where the couple spends the entire book being hilariously cutting at each other, except for how he sexually assaults her on first meeting, threatens to beat her later, and she seems to like that sort of thing.
Actually, you know, one of my favorite things about Heyer in general is that she really played around with romance structures and – I almost said conventions, but of course it wasn’t that, since she invented so many of them. This book is no different. It’s a vague sort of mystery where you’re supposed to be unsure who the hero actually is, but the whole thing almost, but ultimately just doesn’t work.
Sometimes, so close is also so very, very far.
July 28, 2021
look at that hilariously uninterested, put-upon expression on the heroine's face. the cover illustration really gets her.
the Regency Buck in question is Peregrine Taverner, heir to a fortune, feckless and prone to gambling and sport and falling quickly in love, and prey to a number of circumstances that look suspiciously like murder attempts. but this young buck is far from being the protagonist, or even a particularly interesting character. that interesting protagonist would be his older sister, the pugnacious and strapping Judith: an ambitious lass, but frequently irritated when having to deal with pretentious decor or people. perhaps this book should have been titled Regency Eyeroll.
forgive the laziness, but the following is just a copy & paste of my comment in the fantastic group Georgette Heyer Fans. also, watch out - this is full of spoilers, so probably best not to read unless you have already read the book.
Really enjoyed this one! despite still being a relative newbie to Heyer (only a dozen books in, and none reread yet), I think a big part of my enjoyment was due to having read other books before this one and so instantly recognizing that Worth was worth putting up with. He's Heyer's kind of guy: super snobby and cutting while having a secret heart of gold. I think knowing that made me amused rather than annoyed at all of his very high-handed comments towards the siblings. He's definitely a dick, but since I understand & really appreciate Heyer's templates, I never doubted that he would come through, even though we're never provided access to his thought process. His character was pure pleasure to me.
I wonder if contemporary readers of the novel were fooled and even thought that he had some slight chance of being the villain in the book. Or did they also already get Heyer? I think understanding the author's perspective on her characters could mean the difference between seeing the book as a mystery or as a slow-burning romance. For me, there was no mystery because Worth is like other Heyer heroes, and so of course the cousin is the actual villain. It was very enjoyable for me to see how Worth played his various secretly-altruistic schemes without letting the siblings in on who was actually behind all the murder attempts.
I also really enjoyed Judith. Maybe I'll see more of her type the more I read this wonderful author, but this is the first time I've seen a Heyer heroine who was this particular combination of canny & reactionary. I loved both her understanding of how to make her mark in society by having certain eccentricities and her complete lack of understanding of Worth's true nature. Also really appreciated her loathing of small talk bullshit and her disinterest in ever kowtowing to society or society's current heroes. My kind of person!
Brummell was a delight, what a great person to actually read about as a character, rather than read about as a historical personage. Scattergood had a fantastic name and a few good moments (although I wish there were more). Peregrine was a lot of fun!
Unlike a number of reviewers, I thought this was a very humorous book. The dialogue was so effortlessly witty, I was smiling constantly. "Sparkling dialogue" is the phrase that came to mind a lot - I was reminded of particular movies from the 30s & 40s directed by Howard Hawks and/or starring Carole Lombard.
Carol said in her review that this would be a good starting point for someone new to Heyer, and despite what I said about my enjoyment of Worth coming from having read other Heyer books, I really agree. I enjoyed all of the in-depth details of the milieu, it felt like an introduction to Regency London. And it was genuinely edifying - it led me to many Wikipedia searches, what with all of the name dropping and rich descriptions of both settings and couture. That said, I loved that she streamlined those sorts of details in subsequent books because overall that's my preference when it comes to info drops. Also, can't say I loved the cockfighting scene because I'm a soft-hearted animal lover and the idea of cockfighting is sickening to me.
This is probably heresy to say, but I did slightly prefer this to These Old Shades & especially to Devil's Cub (really enjoyed both books though, and the heroines in both are fantastic). This one was just more of a pleasant experience - Shades & Cub alienated me at times with their gender dynamics. I think I read somewhere that it will be clear in the 4th book how this one connects to the prior books.
the Regency Buck in question is Peregrine Taverner, heir to a fortune, feckless and prone to gambling and sport and falling quickly in love, and prey to a number of circumstances that look suspiciously like murder attempts. but this young buck is far from being the protagonist, or even a particularly interesting character. that interesting protagonist would be his older sister, the pugnacious and strapping Judith: an ambitious lass, but frequently irritated when having to deal with pretentious decor or people. perhaps this book should have been titled Regency Eyeroll.
forgive the laziness, but the following is just a copy & paste of my comment in the fantastic group Georgette Heyer Fans. also, watch out - this is full of spoilers, so probably best not to read unless you have already read the book.
Really enjoyed this one! despite still being a relative newbie to Heyer (only a dozen books in, and none reread yet), I think a big part of my enjoyment was due to having read other books before this one and so instantly recognizing that Worth was worth putting up with. He's Heyer's kind of guy: super snobby and cutting while having a secret heart of gold. I think knowing that made me amused rather than annoyed at all of his very high-handed comments towards the siblings. He's definitely a dick, but since I understand & really appreciate Heyer's templates, I never doubted that he would come through, even though we're never provided access to his thought process. His character was pure pleasure to me.
I wonder if contemporary readers of the novel were fooled and even thought that he had some slight chance of being the villain in the book. Or did they also already get Heyer? I think understanding the author's perspective on her characters could mean the difference between seeing the book as a mystery or as a slow-burning romance. For me, there was no mystery because Worth is like other Heyer heroes, and so of course the cousin is the actual villain. It was very enjoyable for me to see how Worth played his various secretly-altruistic schemes without letting the siblings in on who was actually behind all the murder attempts.
I also really enjoyed Judith. Maybe I'll see more of her type the more I read this wonderful author, but this is the first time I've seen a Heyer heroine who was this particular combination of canny & reactionary. I loved both her understanding of how to make her mark in society by having certain eccentricities and her complete lack of understanding of Worth's true nature. Also really appreciated her loathing of small talk bullshit and her disinterest in ever kowtowing to society or society's current heroes. My kind of person!
Brummell was a delight, what a great person to actually read about as a character, rather than read about as a historical personage. Scattergood had a fantastic name and a few good moments (although I wish there were more). Peregrine was a lot of fun!
Unlike a number of reviewers, I thought this was a very humorous book. The dialogue was so effortlessly witty, I was smiling constantly. "Sparkling dialogue" is the phrase that came to mind a lot - I was reminded of particular movies from the 30s & 40s directed by Howard Hawks and/or starring Carole Lombard.
Carol said in her review that this would be a good starting point for someone new to Heyer, and despite what I said about my enjoyment of Worth coming from having read other Heyer books, I really agree. I enjoyed all of the in-depth details of the milieu, it felt like an introduction to Regency London. And it was genuinely edifying - it led me to many Wikipedia searches, what with all of the name dropping and rich descriptions of both settings and couture. That said, I loved that she streamlined those sorts of details in subsequent books because overall that's my preference when it comes to info drops. Also, can't say I loved the cockfighting scene because I'm a soft-hearted animal lover and the idea of cockfighting is sickening to me.
This is probably heresy to say, but I did slightly prefer this to These Old Shades & especially to Devil's Cub (really enjoyed both books though, and the heroines in both are fantastic). This one was just more of a pleasant experience - Shades & Cub alienated me at times with their gender dynamics. I think I read somewhere that it will be clear in the 4th book how this one connects to the prior books.
April 8, 2021
3.5***
Different to what I usually read and I did enjoy it (I found it a bit slow for the first 100 pages however).
Due to the time period (I’m assuming that’s why), I found the (very few) threats of violence off-putting in domestic situations between man and woman, which was more ‘normal’ at this time period.
This had a twist and a plot to which I wasn’t expecting- a bit of mystery/crime occurring, not just a regency fiction, which made me keep turning the pages to find out more.
I enjoyed the main character in this: Judith was very different to other ladies in high society in London. She had just moved from the country and has been introduced to high society due of her large inheritance, but she loves doing her own thing, including reading and driving the carts and horses (rare for city women). This also kept you guessing as to who the true villain was and had a cast of rather unique characters.
I’ll definitely try further books by this author!
Different to what I usually read and I did enjoy it (I found it a bit slow for the first 100 pages however).
Due to the time period (I’m assuming that’s why), I found the (very few) threats of violence off-putting in domestic situations between man and woman, which was more ‘normal’ at this time period.
This had a twist and a plot to which I wasn’t expecting- a bit of mystery/crime occurring, not just a regency fiction, which made me keep turning the pages to find out more.
I enjoyed the main character in this: Judith was very different to other ladies in high society in London. She had just moved from the country and has been introduced to high society due of her large inheritance, but she loves doing her own thing, including reading and driving the carts and horses (rare for city women). This also kept you guessing as to who the true villain was and had a cast of rather unique characters.
I’ll definitely try further books by this author!
January 29, 2018
3.5 stars. Reread for the January group read for the Georgette Heyer Fans group on GR. We are attempting to read all of Ms Heyer's Regencies in the order in which they were written. This is #1 - first published in 1935 - eep! And yes, it is a little dated.
This was never one of my top favourite Heyers, and this reread confirmed that. I first devoured all of her books as an uncritical teen, but these days I read them with a more critical and analytical eye. And now I see that the probable reason I never liked this one as much is because there's actually very little romance in it. Yes the rocky relationship between Worth and Judith runs right through the book, with a bold (but brief) kiss very near the beginning. But basically, it's a mystery story front and centre. Of course, this being a reread, I know whodunnit and how, but the fact remains that I'm not a big mystery fan, and I've never even read Ms Heyer's mystery genre books.
So. I give 3.5 stars because the quality of the writing is always there. But for me there was too much detailed historical description in this one, and not enough of a focus on the relationship. I can now see this is an early book, and I think Ms Heyer restrained herself a bit in later books in terms of the overly detailed descriptions. I didn't really want to know all of the ins and out of a cock fight. Or a boxing match. Or the trip to London, and how many toll-gates were passed. Etc. I have the greatest admiration for Ms Heyer's historical knowledge and the amount of research she must have done. But in this one it doesn't really translate into a terrifically readable book.
I also didn't really love the MCs that much in this one, either. Worth truly was pretty arrogant, even though he really did fall in love with Judith. But he didn't have much time for people he didn't seem to feel were his intellectual equals, for example, Peregrine, Judith's younger brother. He tolerated Perry, but barely.
And Judith wasn't really a very warm or likeable h. As readers, we saw very little of her inner life. The writing style did not allow for that - we received subtle hints of her changing feelings towards Worth, but it wasn't till near the end that it was clear she was in love too. There was no emotional hook for the reader. Yes she obviously loved her brother, but for most of the book she seemed to hate and mistrust Worth. And she liked her cousin Bernard too much, when the readers were clearly meant to dislike him. Confusing and not rewarding for readers.
So, overall it still sits as 'not my fav Heyer'. I admire the clever plot and the fluent writing, but Worth and Judith leave me a little cold compared with some of her other MCs.
This was never one of my top favourite Heyers, and this reread confirmed that. I first devoured all of her books as an uncritical teen, but these days I read them with a more critical and analytical eye. And now I see that the probable reason I never liked this one as much is because there's actually very little romance in it. Yes the rocky relationship between Worth and Judith runs right through the book, with a bold (but brief) kiss very near the beginning. But basically, it's a mystery story front and centre. Of course, this being a reread, I know whodunnit and how, but the fact remains that I'm not a big mystery fan, and I've never even read Ms Heyer's mystery genre books.
So. I give 3.5 stars because the quality of the writing is always there. But for me there was too much detailed historical description in this one, and not enough of a focus on the relationship. I can now see this is an early book, and I think Ms Heyer restrained herself a bit in later books in terms of the overly detailed descriptions. I didn't really want to know all of the ins and out of a cock fight. Or a boxing match. Or the trip to London, and how many toll-gates were passed. Etc. I have the greatest admiration for Ms Heyer's historical knowledge and the amount of research she must have done. But in this one it doesn't really translate into a terrifically readable book.
I also didn't really love the MCs that much in this one, either. Worth truly was pretty arrogant, even though he really did fall in love with Judith. But he didn't have much time for people he didn't seem to feel were his intellectual equals, for example, Peregrine, Judith's younger brother. He tolerated Perry, but barely.
And Judith wasn't really a very warm or likeable h. As readers, we saw very little of her inner life. The writing style did not allow for that - we received subtle hints of her changing feelings towards Worth, but it wasn't till near the end that it was clear she was in love too. There was no emotional hook for the reader. Yes she obviously loved her brother, but for most of the book she seemed to hate and mistrust Worth. And she liked her cousin Bernard too much, when the readers were clearly meant to dislike him. Confusing and not rewarding for readers.
So, overall it still sits as 'not my fav Heyer'. I admire the clever plot and the fluent writing, but Worth and Judith leave me a little cold compared with some of her other MCs.
Read
July 31, 2022Ok! This book was part two in a 20+ part "better know a genre"/Romance History Project with some lovely friends, where we take a (lightly adapted) version of this list and read through it together.
Regency Buck was my first Heyer and my feelings about it were all over the place. My knowledge of Heyer going into this was that she's apparently the model on which a lot of current regency romance is based - sometimes moreso than on the actual regency - and that as a genre, romance is still struggling with her legacy of antisemitism and racism, which is laid out very well in these articles. I was also told, when I posted on Twitter about reading Regency Buck, that not only is Heyer a model for a certain amount of regency romance, Regency Buck is itself a kind of proto-Heyer, where she's still figuring out her own approach to what she would eventually write.
In terms of the problematic stuff Heyer is known for, it seemed somewhat less on display in this book (though not entirely absent). Also somewhat less on display was the...actual romance? There was a surprising lack of there, there when it came to Judith and Lord Worth as a pairing. The basic plot here is that Judith, a prototypical strong-willed heroine, and her brother Peregrine (whom I ADORED and stole the entire novel) end up as the wards of Lord Worth. They go to London to live with him until Judith's majority, until which time he controls their money, their marriage prospects, and their entire lives.
Almost every scene we see of Lord Worth and Judith together, of which there are not many, he is being actively terrible towards her. Highlights include him abducting Judith into a carriage and kissing her against her will, arguing with her about whether she should be "allowed" to engage in some (very fun) carriage racing with her brother, and blaming her for her own assault by the Prince Regent. The one or two scenes where they get along and where he is kind to her are weirdly glossed over: the way this book would devote pages and pages to them bickering, and then give us "One afternoon, they went out for a ride and Lord Worth was actually nice and pleasant to be around. NEXT TOPIC" was... sincerely baffling! In some ways, this felt both like the seeds of romance's obsession with enemies-to-lovers (to be fair, Judith and Worth bantered very well, but clearly the book thought animosity was more interesting than getting along) and the seeds of... romance's decades-long struggle to show emotional competency as a sufficiently masculine and desirable trait for its heroes. Truly, an entire paper could be written about how one of our genre's proto-heroes could only be kind off-page.
I also saw glimpses here of romance's early struggles with letting heroines be headstrong and willful, despite the nomativizing mandate for their stories to end in marriage. Lord Worth controls *every* aspect of Judith's life, and that's not just her money and her ability to marry. He spends most of the novel off-page trying to avert a plot against her brother's life, which involves him constantly manipulating her and everyone else like puppets on a string "for their own good" without explaining why. And in the end, almost in place of a declaration of love, we get a truly gut-wrenching (to me as a modern reader) scene where Judith has to thank Lord Worth for always knowing what is best, for managing her affairs so much better than she ever could, and for keeping her wild tendencies to ... have a personality... firmly in check. She's just so happy to have been tamed.
Before I throw my hands up completely in frustration at this, I do think the novel is somewhat productively engaged in the complexities of trying to carve out agency as a woman in a society that is very much *set up* to make you feel better when someone is running your life. At one point Judith muses:
And... that did make me think a lot about how a genre that prioritizes the individual has to grapple with the immobility of social norms. Which is something I'm always interested in, even when (like here) it's resolved in a way that disappoints me immensely.
There was one true bright spot in this novel for me, and that was Judith's brother, Peregrine. I not only loved him more than any other character in the book, I might have loved him more than any character I've read in a while. Perhaps it's the contrast to his staid surroundings, but he is just SO CHAOTIC and so well-meaning and bumbling and charming. Every thought he had, he said out loud. Every emotion he experienced, he applied directly to his sleeve. He is constantly getting himself into scrapes, and then finding the silver lining of being pulled out of them (at one point he is drugged and put on a yacht by someone trying to keep him out of his own way, and upon waking up to what should be a rather distressing situation, he decides he just REALLY LOVES SAILING and exhausts everyone with his newfound love of the ocean). I laughed out loud multiple times at him and his admiration for other men's cravats.
Anyway, I think in some ways this book is telling about romance's antecedents because, when presented with your Peregrines and your Lord Worths (Lords Worth? is this an Attorneys General situation?), the genre has often turned reflexively towards Lord Worth. Whereas I would love just a little more Peregrine.
Regency Buck was my first Heyer and my feelings about it were all over the place. My knowledge of Heyer going into this was that she's apparently the model on which a lot of current regency romance is based - sometimes moreso than on the actual regency - and that as a genre, romance is still struggling with her legacy of antisemitism and racism, which is laid out very well in these articles. I was also told, when I posted on Twitter about reading Regency Buck, that not only is Heyer a model for a certain amount of regency romance, Regency Buck is itself a kind of proto-Heyer, where she's still figuring out her own approach to what she would eventually write.
In terms of the problematic stuff Heyer is known for, it seemed somewhat less on display in this book (though not entirely absent). Also somewhat less on display was the...actual romance? There was a surprising lack of there, there when it came to Judith and Lord Worth as a pairing. The basic plot here is that Judith, a prototypical strong-willed heroine, and her brother Peregrine (whom I ADORED and stole the entire novel) end up as the wards of Lord Worth. They go to London to live with him until Judith's majority, until which time he controls their money, their marriage prospects, and their entire lives.
Almost every scene we see of Lord Worth and Judith together, of which there are not many, he is being actively terrible towards her. Highlights include him abducting Judith into a carriage and kissing her against her will, arguing with her about whether she should be "allowed" to engage in some (very fun) carriage racing with her brother, and blaming her for her own assault by the Prince Regent. The one or two scenes where they get along and where he is kind to her are weirdly glossed over: the way this book would devote pages and pages to them bickering, and then give us "One afternoon, they went out for a ride and Lord Worth was actually nice and pleasant to be around. NEXT TOPIC" was... sincerely baffling! In some ways, this felt both like the seeds of romance's obsession with enemies-to-lovers (to be fair, Judith and Worth bantered very well, but clearly the book thought animosity was more interesting than getting along) and the seeds of... romance's decades-long struggle to show emotional competency as a sufficiently masculine and desirable trait for its heroes. Truly, an entire paper could be written about how one of our genre's proto-heroes could only be kind off-page.
I also saw glimpses here of romance's early struggles with letting heroines be headstrong and willful, despite the nomativizing mandate for their stories to end in marriage. Lord Worth controls *every* aspect of Judith's life, and that's not just her money and her ability to marry. He spends most of the novel off-page trying to avert a plot against her brother's life, which involves him constantly manipulating her and everyone else like puppets on a string "for their own good" without explaining why. And in the end, almost in place of a declaration of love, we get a truly gut-wrenching (to me as a modern reader) scene where Judith has to thank Lord Worth for always knowing what is best, for managing her affairs so much better than she ever could, and for keeping her wild tendencies to ... have a personality... firmly in check. She's just so happy to have been tamed.
Before I throw my hands up completely in frustration at this, I do think the novel is somewhat productively engaged in the complexities of trying to carve out agency as a woman in a society that is very much *set up* to make you feel better when someone is running your life. At one point Judith muses:
She might quarrel with [Worth], and resent his interference in her schemes, but while he stood behind her she had a feeling of security which she had scarcely been aware of until now when she was so near to having his protection withdrawn.
And... that did make me think a lot about how a genre that prioritizes the individual has to grapple with the immobility of social norms. Which is something I'm always interested in, even when (like here) it's resolved in a way that disappoints me immensely.
There was one true bright spot in this novel for me, and that was Judith's brother, Peregrine. I not only loved him more than any other character in the book, I might have loved him more than any character I've read in a while. Perhaps it's the contrast to his staid surroundings, but he is just SO CHAOTIC and so well-meaning and bumbling and charming. Every thought he had, he said out loud. Every emotion he experienced, he applied directly to his sleeve. He is constantly getting himself into scrapes, and then finding the silver lining of being pulled out of them (at one point he is drugged and put on a yacht by someone trying to keep him out of his own way, and upon waking up to what should be a rather distressing situation, he decides he just REALLY LOVES SAILING and exhausts everyone with his newfound love of the ocean). I laughed out loud multiple times at him and his admiration for other men's cravats.
Anyway, I think in some ways this book is telling about romance's antecedents because, when presented with your Peregrines and your Lord Worths (Lords Worth? is this an Attorneys General situation?), the genre has often turned reflexively towards Lord Worth. Whereas I would love just a little more Peregrine.
May 3, 2024
I enjoyed this book very much. The mystery was interesting and held the attention all the way through. I guessed fairly early who the culprit was but this didn't take from the enjoyment of it.
I'm surprised I liked it so much because I certainly didn't like the principle characters of Worth and Judith. They would be my least favorite of any Heyer characters. Towards the end I warmed a little towards Worth but Judith just acted like a spoiled child and was very silly throughout I thought.
Peregrine was a likeable chap. He was very young and acted that way but there was no malice in him. He saw the world through rose colored glasses. If he was thwarted in anything he wanted to do, he'd fly off the handle and sulk but not for long as it wasn't in his nature to be that way and young as he was he usually saw the rightness of what was being denied him.
Overall enjoyable but wouldn't be up there with my favorite Heyers.
On my reread I would be inclined to drop it to three stars. I really didn't like Judith. I didn't buy the romance either. Still not a favourite.
Another enjoyable reread but STILL don't like the main characters.
I'm surprised I liked it so much because I certainly didn't like the principle characters of Worth and Judith. They would be my least favorite of any Heyer characters. Towards the end I warmed a little towards Worth but Judith just acted like a spoiled child and was very silly throughout I thought.
Peregrine was a likeable chap. He was very young and acted that way but there was no malice in him. He saw the world through rose colored glasses. If he was thwarted in anything he wanted to do, he'd fly off the handle and sulk but not for long as it wasn't in his nature to be that way and young as he was he usually saw the rightness of what was being denied him.
Overall enjoyable but wouldn't be up there with my favorite Heyers.
On my reread I would be inclined to drop it to three stars. I really didn't like Judith. I didn't buy the romance either. Still not a favourite.
Another enjoyable reread but STILL don't like the main characters.
November 7, 2014
Judith and Perry ride to London to rock out, and on the way they have a misadventure that ends with Judith getting her face kissed off by a grabby stranger. Once in London, they realize that the grabby stranger is actually their guardian! SCANDALOUS HORRORS. And what follows is an over-detailed collection of cock fights, a gaudy Brighton palace, and lots and lots of tense standoffs between ward and ward-ee! COMPELLING STUFF.
1. I was pretty disappointed by this. Worth is a class A Asshole. His inability to unbend and share even the smallest iota of his thought-processes or suspicions results in a lot of unnecessary drama, and it really doesn't let me trust him as the "hero" of the piece. If he can't trust Judith now, she's going to have a shitty future with him, that's for sure.
2. WHAT HUGE DESCRIPTIONS YOU HAVE!! THE BETTER TO LULL YOU TO SLEEP, MY PRETTY!!
3. I never got a good read on Judith and the ~reveal of her ~feelings for Worth was so poorly handled that I was half-afraid she'd been poisoned as well.
4. I just really, really don't do well with heroes (or heroines, although Heyer prefers her menfolk) who are SO CONTAINED, SO INTELLIGENT that they just puppet-master everyone else in the story. They don't communicate. They don't allow themselves to interact with anyone freely or honestly; it's all manipulations and secrets. That type of hero always looks down on those around him, and any happy ever after ending projected onto that hero screams "DOOMED TO FAILURE GET OUT OF THE WAY."
1. I was pretty disappointed by this. Worth is a class A Asshole. His inability to unbend and share even the smallest iota of his thought-processes or suspicions results in a lot of unnecessary drama, and it really doesn't let me trust him as the "hero" of the piece. If he can't trust Judith now, she's going to have a shitty future with him, that's for sure.
2. WHAT HUGE DESCRIPTIONS YOU HAVE!! THE BETTER TO LULL YOU TO SLEEP, MY PRETTY!!
3. I never got a good read on Judith and the ~reveal of her ~feelings for Worth was so poorly handled that I was half-afraid she'd been poisoned as well.
4. I just really, really don't do well with heroes (or heroines, although Heyer prefers her menfolk) who are SO CONTAINED, SO INTELLIGENT that they just puppet-master everyone else in the story. They don't communicate. They don't allow themselves to interact with anyone freely or honestly; it's all manipulations and secrets. That type of hero always looks down on those around him, and any happy ever after ending projected onto that hero screams "DOOMED TO FAILURE GET OUT OF THE WAY."
March 3, 2011
This is Georgette Heyer's first Regency romance, and has seen its fair share of criticism - particularly of its hero, the fifth Earl of Worth, Julian Audley.
The beautiful heiress, Judith Taverner, and her brother Sir Peregrine, are on their way to London in search of their guardian, when they chance upon a aristocrat who gets entirely too familiar with the feisty Judith. They soon discover that this man is none other than the guardian they had come to meet.
In spite of all the criticism I have read about this novel, this is my favorite Heyer read so far for several reasons. The descriptions of the life and times in Regency England are very detailed and are a pleasure to read. The story features so many characters who were actually a part of history, such as Beau Brummell, the Duke of Clarence, Lord Alvanley and so many more! Beau Brummell, the arbiter of men's fashion in Regency times, has a significant part to play, and I found myself wanting more of him.
In addition, there is a mystery aspect to this book. Someone appears to be trying to kill Sir Peregrine, and there is more than one suspect. Also, the romantic tension between the hero and heroine is the best I have seen in a Heyer work.
All said, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and while I can understand all the criticism directed against Lord Worth, he will remain my favorite Heyer hero!
The beautiful heiress, Judith Taverner, and her brother Sir Peregrine, are on their way to London in search of their guardian, when they chance upon a aristocrat who gets entirely too familiar with the feisty Judith. They soon discover that this man is none other than the guardian they had come to meet.
In spite of all the criticism I have read about this novel, this is my favorite Heyer read so far for several reasons. The descriptions of the life and times in Regency England are very detailed and are a pleasure to read. The story features so many characters who were actually a part of history, such as Beau Brummell, the Duke of Clarence, Lord Alvanley and so many more! Beau Brummell, the arbiter of men's fashion in Regency times, has a significant part to play, and I found myself wanting more of him.
In addition, there is a mystery aspect to this book. Someone appears to be trying to kill Sir Peregrine, and there is more than one suspect. Also, the romantic tension between the hero and heroine is the best I have seen in a Heyer work.
All said, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and while I can understand all the criticism directed against Lord Worth, he will remain my favorite Heyer hero!
Read
April 29, 2015One of Heyer's earliest novels, and it appears that she attempted to write in Austen's style, with an awkward result that is almost painful at times. After this, she began developing her own distinctive style, mixing Regency-era slang with twenties Bright Young Thing cadences.
The hero in this one is one of her Brutal Guys. I loathed him in this book, though I like him much better in An Infamous Army. But this one had a lot of details about Regency life that were enjoyable, at least when I first read it as a teen. I have to admit I haven't reread it for decades as I don't like the hero, and I don't like the heroine being humiliated by the hero as he asserts his dominance.
The hero in this one is one of her Brutal Guys. I loathed him in this book, though I like him much better in An Infamous Army. But this one had a lot of details about Regency life that were enjoyable, at least when I first read it as a teen. I have to admit I haven't reread it for decades as I don't like the hero, and I don't like the heroine being humiliated by the hero as he asserts his dominance.
March 20, 2015
Well... This was a bit of a dud.
I don't know how to put this, but frankly this was irritating. I hate to say that when so many of my Goodreads buddies liked it, but boy I have a problem with the characters!
I'm not saying it wasn't funny, I have yet to read a Heyer that wasn't. However, Judith will never know how many times I wanted to smack her. She was so inconsiderate, ungrateful and childish. Do I like ingrates? Is it funny when a character is childish enough to do the exact opposite of what they are told for their own benifit? Is it kind to just do what you want and not think about how what you do effects others? No, no and No! That said, in the beginning and end I liked Judith, but in the middle I just wanted her to grow up and not irritate me in the process.
Worth, has anyone mentioned that for the whole book he appears to be the villein? It's hard for me to wrap my mind around Judith loving Worth because he was rather odious, likable, but still a toad. (In his place I'd probably have been the same) I understood him loving her, but not her, him.
Maybe I was expecting too much. My book had a blurb on the inside which got my hopes up,
I couldn't decide what to rate this, four felt too high and two felt too low. So three it is. I'm not planning a reread of this anytime soon, and I don't recommend it as a first Heyer but, it was a fully fleshed novel with a complete ending. Just not for me.
G rating one or two swears, snuff taking and a stolen kiss. :)
Did I mention I liked it?
I do...
Sort of.
I don't know how to put this, but frankly this was irritating. I hate to say that when so many of my Goodreads buddies liked it, but boy I have a problem with the characters!
I'm not saying it wasn't funny, I have yet to read a Heyer that wasn't. However, Judith will never know how many times I wanted to smack her. She was so inconsiderate, ungrateful and childish. Do I like ingrates? Is it funny when a character is childish enough to do the exact opposite of what they are told for their own benifit? Is it kind to just do what you want and not think about how what you do effects others? No, no and No! That said, in the beginning and end I liked Judith, but in the middle I just wanted her to grow up and not irritate me in the process.
Worth, has anyone mentioned that for the whole book he appears to be the villein? It's hard for me to wrap my mind around Judith loving Worth because he was rather odious, likable, but still a toad. (In his place I'd probably have been the same) I understood him loving her, but not her, him.
Maybe I was expecting too much. My book had a blurb on the inside which got my hopes up,
I couldn't decide what to rate this, four felt too high and two felt too low. So three it is. I'm not planning a reread of this anytime soon, and I don't recommend it as a first Heyer but, it was a fully fleshed novel with a complete ending. Just not for me.
G rating one or two swears, snuff taking and a stolen kiss. :)
Did I mention I liked it?
I do...
Sort of.
June 18, 2016
4.5
I didn't expect a book with this title (you have to admit it doesn't sound very promising) to be this lovely and wonderful. If I were hard-pressed to describe Regency Buck in only a couple of words, then Heyer's livelier, more colourful and more humorous version of Pride and Prejudice would have to do.
There are so many things I loved here. A bond between siblings (both Judith and Peregrine and Lord Worth and his brother) was always something a reader could rely on.
Peregrine's immaturity was depicted in a lightest way. Judith's numerous prejudices were a bit annoying at times because even if you had no idea what was going on in Lord Worth's head, you knew enough to trust him.
An uncomfortable theme was used in the book, but it wasn't there just to spice the story up. Certain actions caused despicable behaviour. .
I didn't expect a book with this title (you have to admit it doesn't sound very promising) to be this lovely and wonderful. If I were hard-pressed to describe Regency Buck in only a couple of words, then Heyer's livelier, more colourful and more humorous version of Pride and Prejudice would have to do.
There are so many things I loved here. A bond between siblings (both Judith and Peregrine and Lord Worth and his brother) was always something a reader could rely on.
Peregrine's immaturity was depicted in a lightest way. Judith's numerous prejudices were a bit annoying at times because even if you had no idea what was going on in Lord Worth's head, you knew enough to trust him.
An uncomfortable theme was used in the book, but it wasn't there just to spice the story up. Certain actions caused despicable behaviour. .
August 27, 2013
Although it lacked all the excitement, drama, glamour and awesomeness of These Old Shades and Devil's Cub, Regency Buck was still highly enjoyable and well worth reading. I instantly fell for the hero, Lord Worth, who was as handsome as he was irritating, and as dashing as he was manipulative. Yes, I wanted to shake him up a great many times and command him to stop driving poor Judith up the wall, but he was such an interesting and fun character to read about, that I could not but like him a lot. His way of calling Judith Clorinda was a-do-ra-ble!
Judith was also pretty awesome; I loved her kickass side and her rebelliousness against certain rules and fashions of her time, as well as her stormy relationship with her guardian. I also liked the fact that she wasn't portrayed as being perfect (pretty, rich girls that are faultless become annoying within no more than 50 pages or so). She had a very naïve side and was extremely easily provoked (especially by Lord Worth). Her loving tenderness towards her younger brother Peregrine was very touching; you could tell how much she loved him and how he meant to her. Being her only immediate relative, it was understandable that she was thus devoted to him, even though he wasn't a particularly engaging character.
What I enjoyed the most about this novel - beside the love story - was all the description of clothing, events, and fashions/manners of time. I loved how Heyer had references to Lord Byron and his poems, and to Jane Austen and Sense and Sensibility. And the fact that Beau Brummel was a character, and a close friend of Judith's was pretty cool too. Heyer even had the Prince Regent and some of the royal Dukes appear as characters in the novel. I personally love the Regency period, so I was happy with all the descriptions and historical figures. Wasn't too crazy about the numerous descriptions of the Pavilion and some such places however, as my vocabulary isn't enlarged enough to permit me to understand all the architectural terms, but I had been able to picture it better, I think I would have enjoyed these parts more, rather than finding them boring.
The book is a little long for what it is, certain parts were dragging on and became a bit boring. I'm not an athletic person, nor am I in the least interested in sports, so there was a little too much boxing/racing for me.
Regency Buck is a bit unusual compared to the other Heyers I've read, mainly because she decided to focus more on the manners and rules of the upper class nobility, instead of having her main characters get involved in abduction, gambling, drinking, sword fighting, cross-dressing, etc... Yes, much of that stuff does happen, but not all within 2 chapters, like in some of her other novels (for example, The Corinthian), were about a million things happen within 20 pages. All the events in Regency Buck was a lot more spaced out, which gave the novel a more sober feel.
I also loved all the snuff box issues. I had always been intrigued with the whole taking snuff affair (I seriously had no clue what it meant to "take snuff" the first time I read about that...I eventually thought they were doing drugs!) and found it really cool that the Earl had a room where he made his own, and even offered to get some for Judith (I didn't know that women could take snuff too, I thought it was just a guy thing).
Honestly I love Georgette Heyer so much, she saved me many times from painful hours of agonizing thoughts and worries... Her books are my favourite comfort read.
Now, where is An Infamous Army?!?!?!!!!?!? My library doesn't have it!!! I'll have to order it on Amazon as soon as possible!
I still can't figure out why I didn't order it at the same time as I did the three books that preceded it??? When I knew that it was a serie?? Why am I doing this to myself!!
I can't wait to meet up again with my dear Alastair people <3!!!
Judith was also pretty awesome; I loved her kickass side and her rebelliousness against certain rules and fashions of her time, as well as her stormy relationship with her guardian. I also liked the fact that she wasn't portrayed as being perfect (pretty, rich girls that are faultless become annoying within no more than 50 pages or so). She had a very naïve side and was extremely easily provoked (especially by Lord Worth). Her loving tenderness towards her younger brother Peregrine was very touching; you could tell how much she loved him and how he meant to her. Being her only immediate relative, it was understandable that she was thus devoted to him, even though he wasn't a particularly engaging character.
What I enjoyed the most about this novel - beside the love story - was all the description of clothing, events, and fashions/manners of time. I loved how Heyer had references to Lord Byron and his poems, and to Jane Austen and Sense and Sensibility. And the fact that Beau Brummel was a character, and a close friend of Judith's was pretty cool too. Heyer even had the Prince Regent and some of the royal Dukes appear as characters in the novel. I personally love the Regency period, so I was happy with all the descriptions and historical figures. Wasn't too crazy about the numerous descriptions of the Pavilion and some such places however, as my vocabulary isn't enlarged enough to permit me to understand all the architectural terms, but I had been able to picture it better, I think I would have enjoyed these parts more, rather than finding them boring.
The book is a little long for what it is, certain parts were dragging on and became a bit boring. I'm not an athletic person, nor am I in the least interested in sports, so there was a little too much boxing/racing for me.
Regency Buck is a bit unusual compared to the other Heyers I've read, mainly because she decided to focus more on the manners and rules of the upper class nobility, instead of having her main characters get involved in abduction, gambling, drinking, sword fighting, cross-dressing, etc... Yes, much of that stuff does happen, but not all within 2 chapters, like in some of her other novels (for example, The Corinthian), were about a million things happen within 20 pages. All the events in Regency Buck was a lot more spaced out, which gave the novel a more sober feel.
I also loved all the snuff box issues. I had always been intrigued with the whole taking snuff affair (I seriously had no clue what it meant to "take snuff" the first time I read about that...I eventually thought they were doing drugs!) and found it really cool that the Earl had a room where he made his own, and even offered to get some for Judith (I didn't know that women could take snuff too, I thought it was just a guy thing).
Honestly I love Georgette Heyer so much, she saved me many times from painful hours of agonizing thoughts and worries... Her books are my favourite comfort read.
Now, where is An Infamous Army?!?!?!!!!?!? My library doesn't have it!!! I'll have to order it on Amazon as soon as possible!
I still can't figure out why I didn't order it at the same time as I did the three books that preceded it??? When I knew that it was a serie?? Why am I doing this to myself!!
I can't wait to meet up again with my dear Alastair people <3!!!
December 28, 2017
I believe this is Heyer’s earliest Regency novel, and it shows. Lists of all the gentlemen’s clubs in London; lists of varieties of snuff; virtually every bon mot Beau Brummell ever uttered; name-dropping Sense and Sensibility to establish the time frame. (Though considering how Mr. Taverner is clearly ripped from Mr. Elliott, perhaps it should have been Persuasion!)
But it also shows that Heyer had finally found her proper milieu. The novel sparkles with wit and lighthearted dialogue; all the elements that Heyer lovers love are here. We have the clothes and the matchmaking mamas and the sporting gentlemen and all the settings of London society. Personally, I don’t love the heroine—the Heyer women who are perpetually angry tire me out, with the possible exception of Deb Grantham from Faro’s Daughter. The hero is also a bit too superior for my taste, and not enough of his attachment is shown IMHO. But it’s a fun, rollicking read, and I envy those who might read it for the first time because Heyer leads you wayyy down the primrose path of deception as to who’s the good guy and who’s the baddie.
P.S. Why is it called “Alastair #3”? For the life of me I can see no connection to These Old Shades or Devil’s Cub.
But it also shows that Heyer had finally found her proper milieu. The novel sparkles with wit and lighthearted dialogue; all the elements that Heyer lovers love are here. We have the clothes and the matchmaking mamas and the sporting gentlemen and all the settings of London society. Personally, I don’t love the heroine—the Heyer women who are perpetually angry tire me out, with the possible exception of Deb Grantham from Faro’s Daughter. The hero is also a bit too superior for my taste, and not enough of his attachment is shown IMHO. But it’s a fun, rollicking read, and I envy those who might read it for the first time because Heyer leads you wayyy down the primrose path of deception as to who’s the good guy and who’s the baddie.
P.S. Why is it called “Alastair #3”? For the life of me I can see no connection to These Old Shades or Devil’s Cub.
October 10, 2015
***The review below is that of a very involved reader, please make allowance for any difference of opinions!***
4.75* for this Georgette Heyer book.
Regency Buck was a book I had been wanting to read for a long time and after having read it, well the least I can say is it was what a Georgette Heyer book is, prolific writing and a good story, considerable amount of intrigue and mystery with touches of romance. (Romance in RB was much higher than in The Reluctant Widow I must say!)
The story is about orphaned and filthy rich siblings Judith and Peregrine Taverner who are foisted upon a friend of their deceased father, who was careless enough in taking the effort to enquire whether that friend was even alive, and who in error allots the guardianship to this friend's son! And so begins a story of a forced and irksome guardianship and a reluctant and annoyed forbearance of the wards. The flow of the story is swift and there are many nuances which a skimming reader may miss, so when you are reading this book, read it closely. There is a good deal of mystery involved and at some places the reader is unable to decide what may actually happen and who may be the culprit. As the story is about the Regency era there is much weightage to high fashions and appearances.
Coming to the characters. First, foremost and very happily I would like to describe the Buck on whom whole of the story is based, Lord Julian St John Audley, Fifth Earl of Worth. He is handsome, elegant and very clever. But those are not his only endowments! He is a dandy and yet not a dandy! He is very resourceful, steady, good natured, kind and patient but at the same time unimaginably rude and authoritative with an uncompromising finality of disposition. His wish is or rather has to be command! Especially when it comes to Judith and Peregrine. However much his behaviour may seem odious, but his forethought and promptness positively prove him correct, hands down. At some places he has been so portrayed as to be culpable of crime, but perusing his words, one comes to understand that there is more than one meaning to what he says, and GH has very cleverly sculpted these lines to force much suspicion in the reader's mind. His integrity and patience are things which display the strength of his character, though the way he initially behaves with Judith may very readily be assumed to be that of a rake, but the knowledge of his being Judith's guardian possesses him of much appreciable propriety and manners. The best thing I liked about him was he did not prohibit Judith from taking snuff, on the contrary he made it for her! Now that was something! Plus he let her drive his greys! He is very similar to Alverstoke (Frederica) but has a good memory, and I could also find traces on Wyndham (The Corinthian) and Lord Damerel (Venetia) in him, but he was still distinct and in many ways endearing. He was The Regency Buck I set out to look for!
Initially I found Judith Taverner's anger and indignation justified, but after sometime I felt that she was at some places unnecessarily very angry. Too angry heroines aren't what I much like. Her character is very similar to Sophy (The Grand Sophy) and Venetia (Venetia) in being frank and bold in many aspects but she also has a sensibility which the other two did not much display. She also admits her mistake when she actually feels she has done wrong but that is very reluctantly. Initially she is very naïve, but she really grooms herself into one eye catching and smart trend setter (what with the snuff and the phaeton!) For my part I was glad that a heroine was depicted so bold as to presume a chiefly male habit and do it with elegance too! Her errors of judgement do wring on her conscience, and I would have loved to see her planting a facer on Bernard Taverner (she thinks of it, but sadly doesn't pursue it). One fault she possessed was readily believing people where she ought to be cautious and also forming prejudices against people she clearly disliked. There is something ironical in her nature, she despises showy people especially men, and yet judges people based only on their apparent characters!
Peregrine, though much as he loved his sister was but very careless and I was annoyed at his reluctance to appreciate Lord Worth and his determined defiance of him was many times ingratiating. Even after he understands the part Lord Worth has played in safeguarding him, he is seen to be much negligent in his appreciation, though Judith tries in vain to make him acknowledge the facts and apologize for both their behaviours. He is not bad, but he cannot bring constancy of temperament in himself. And I believe GH did a splendid job in bringing out such a true to life character in words.
Mr Bernard Taverner is one villain who stands in the same part to Lord Worth and Judith as Wickham did to Darcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice, perhaps he is the more evil of the two because of the extent to which he goes to gain his ends. He left no opportunity to malign Lord Worth's image in the eyes of Judith with a dubious subtlety. For me, I began suspecting him right from the time he made his appearance with his father at Brook Street, and I was right! I wish GH described his hampering at the hands of Lord Worth, Such satisfaction it would have brought me!!
Mrs Scattergood was nice, a chatty yet dignified and propriety personified individual. Straight forward and yet loving and caring in her manners.
There were certain things which set this book apart. This is a book where from The Prince Regent to the merest tiger, everyone got involved in the story! Two characters which have been alluded to in many of Georgette Heyer's books (which I have read till now) - Lord Brummel and Jackson, for the gratification of the reader actually bore roles in RB; Jackson made a couple of appearances while Lord Brummel marked a further awe inspiring impression upon the ardent Georgette Heyer reader with his charming presence in his part as Lord Worth's good friend.
One thing I didn't like much was there were too many secondary (and some tertiary as well) characters which made me endeavour to remember all of them very tasking.
I really liked that Lord Worth and Judith have a justification of everything, of all events and feelings towards the end which undoubtedly gives a completeness to the book and doesn't leave the reader conjecturing.
A very well thought out book, good read and some extraordinary characters which will be carried in mind whenever any of Georgette Heyer's books are to be discussed.
A must read for any Georgette Heyer fan!
4.75* for this Georgette Heyer book.
Regency Buck was a book I had been wanting to read for a long time and after having read it, well the least I can say is it was what a Georgette Heyer book is, prolific writing and a good story, considerable amount of intrigue and mystery with touches of romance. (Romance in RB was much higher than in The Reluctant Widow I must say!)
The story is about orphaned and filthy rich siblings Judith and Peregrine Taverner who are foisted upon a friend of their deceased father, who was careless enough in taking the effort to enquire whether that friend was even alive, and who in error allots the guardianship to this friend's son! And so begins a story of a forced and irksome guardianship and a reluctant and annoyed forbearance of the wards. The flow of the story is swift and there are many nuances which a skimming reader may miss, so when you are reading this book, read it closely. There is a good deal of mystery involved and at some places the reader is unable to decide what may actually happen and who may be the culprit. As the story is about the Regency era there is much weightage to high fashions and appearances.
Coming to the characters. First, foremost and very happily I would like to describe the Buck on whom whole of the story is based, Lord Julian St John Audley, Fifth Earl of Worth. He is handsome, elegant and very clever. But those are not his only endowments! He is a dandy and yet not a dandy! He is very resourceful, steady, good natured, kind and patient but at the same time unimaginably rude and authoritative with an uncompromising finality of disposition. His wish is or rather has to be command! Especially when it comes to Judith and Peregrine. However much his behaviour may seem odious, but his forethought and promptness positively prove him correct, hands down. At some places he has been so portrayed as to be culpable of crime, but perusing his words, one comes to understand that there is more than one meaning to what he says, and GH has very cleverly sculpted these lines to force much suspicion in the reader's mind. His integrity and patience are things which display the strength of his character, though the way he initially behaves with Judith may very readily be assumed to be that of a rake, but the knowledge of his being Judith's guardian possesses him of much appreciable propriety and manners. The best thing I liked about him was he did not prohibit Judith from taking snuff, on the contrary he made it for her! Now that was something! Plus he let her drive his greys! He is very similar to Alverstoke (Frederica) but has a good memory, and I could also find traces on Wyndham (The Corinthian) and Lord Damerel (Venetia) in him, but he was still distinct and in many ways endearing. He was The Regency Buck I set out to look for!
Initially I found Judith Taverner's anger and indignation justified, but after sometime I felt that she was at some places unnecessarily very angry. Too angry heroines aren't what I much like. Her character is very similar to Sophy (The Grand Sophy) and Venetia (Venetia) in being frank and bold in many aspects but she also has a sensibility which the other two did not much display. She also admits her mistake when she actually feels she has done wrong but that is very reluctantly. Initially she is very naïve, but she really grooms herself into one eye catching and smart trend setter (what with the snuff and the phaeton!) For my part I was glad that a heroine was depicted so bold as to presume a chiefly male habit and do it with elegance too! Her errors of judgement do wring on her conscience, and I would have loved to see her planting a facer on Bernard Taverner (she thinks of it, but sadly doesn't pursue it). One fault she possessed was readily believing people where she ought to be cautious and also forming prejudices against people she clearly disliked. There is something ironical in her nature, she despises showy people especially men, and yet judges people based only on their apparent characters!
Peregrine, though much as he loved his sister was but very careless and I was annoyed at his reluctance to appreciate Lord Worth and his determined defiance of him was many times ingratiating. Even after he understands the part Lord Worth has played in safeguarding him, he is seen to be much negligent in his appreciation, though Judith tries in vain to make him acknowledge the facts and apologize for both their behaviours. He is not bad, but he cannot bring constancy of temperament in himself. And I believe GH did a splendid job in bringing out such a true to life character in words.
Mr Bernard Taverner is one villain who stands in the same part to Lord Worth and Judith as Wickham did to Darcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice, perhaps he is the more evil of the two because of the extent to which he goes to gain his ends. He left no opportunity to malign Lord Worth's image in the eyes of Judith with a dubious subtlety. For me, I began suspecting him right from the time he made his appearance with his father at Brook Street, and I was right! I wish GH described his hampering at the hands of Lord Worth, Such satisfaction it would have brought me!!
Mrs Scattergood was nice, a chatty yet dignified and propriety personified individual. Straight forward and yet loving and caring in her manners.
There were certain things which set this book apart. This is a book where from The Prince Regent to the merest tiger, everyone got involved in the story! Two characters which have been alluded to in many of Georgette Heyer's books (which I have read till now) - Lord Brummel and Jackson, for the gratification of the reader actually bore roles in RB; Jackson made a couple of appearances while Lord Brummel marked a further awe inspiring impression upon the ardent Georgette Heyer reader with his charming presence in his part as Lord Worth's good friend.
One thing I didn't like much was there were too many secondary (and some tertiary as well) characters which made me endeavour to remember all of them very tasking.
I really liked that Lord Worth and Judith have a justification of everything, of all events and feelings towards the end which undoubtedly gives a completeness to the book and doesn't leave the reader conjecturing.
A very well thought out book, good read and some extraordinary characters which will be carried in mind whenever any of Georgette Heyer's books are to be discussed.
A must read for any Georgette Heyer fan!
December 28, 2015
This is not my favorite Georgette Heyer romance, but as light historical fiction it is a delight.
Regency Buck tells the tale of two wealthy though provincial young people as they embark on their first London Season. The dialog is witty, the story peopled with a rich cast of well-drawn characters, details of Regency life are sprinkled everywhere; it is all meticulously researched yet the history is woven into the story in a way that never feels forced or overwhelming.
The story begins on September 27, 1811 on the Great North Road from Yorkshire to London. Judith Taverner and her younger brother, Sir Peregrine, are planning to spend the night at The Grantham Inn when a fateful and highly embarrassing carriage accident complicates their plans—and their lives.
The Taverners’ visit to Grantham proves livelier than expected in part because a prizefight—a “mill”—has drawn some 15,000 spectators to the area, all eager to bet on Cribb and Molineaux and the fight of the century.
Once in London, Judith and Peregrine are reluctantly but effectively sponsored by their insufferably arrogant guardian, the Earl of Worth, who finds them a house, a suitable companion for Judith, and invitations to all the right social venues. The must-have voucher for Almacks is, naturally, included:
Judith is outfitted in the style that befits an heiress with £80,000 by her companion, the delightfully odd Mrs. Scattergood. Miss Taverner is "a fine young woman, rather above the average height, and had been used for the past four years to hearing herself proclaimed a remarkably handsome girl….At first glance one might write her down as a mere Dresden china miss, but a second glance would inevitably discover the intelligence in her eyes, and the decided air of resolution in the curve of her mouth."
Judith is one of Heyer’s less lovable heroines: she's young and used to having her own way; she's impulsive; she has a bad temper and it gets herself into situations that are questionable. But what Miss Taverner does have is undeniable style, a certain effrontery and the ability to bounce back when society gossips turn against her.
Lord Worth’s word, Peregrine’s title and estates, and Judith’ fortune and beauty gain the siblings entry into the first ranks of London society. Neither Judith nor her brother Peregrine are quite ready for socially exacting world of the ton and their naiveté will catch them out more than once over the course of their first London Season.
Disparagingly dubbed “The Milkmaid” by a sneering dandy, Judith is befriended by George ‘Beau’ Brummel, who has more than a walk-on part and charmingly coaches Judith in cultivated oddities such as taking snuff or driving herself in Hyde Park with great élan in her handsome perch phaeton.
There she attracts rather too much attention from Prince William, the nautical Duke of Clarence, who provides some of the books most amusing moments.
Meanwhile, Peregrine can’t resist the chance to explore London’s seamier side—from boxing, to gambling hells, to cock fights where the upper crust mingles dangerously with rougher elements.
Then it’s off to Belvoir Castle for the hunting and Lord Worth’s own country estates for Christmas.
And on to Brighton for summer evening music sessions with the Prince Regent at his Pavillion, which glitters in impossible Gothic-Chinese-Moghul glory.
I enjoyed the romance (sort of) and I liked the final pairing, which seemed to me to be both believable and likely to endure and be the making of both. But history buffs like me mostly appreciate Regency Buck for the pleasures of the London Season and the chance to rub elbows with the rich, royal and (in)famous.
Read with fellow Georgette Heyer Fans, who always add so much to my enjoyment of these wonderful books: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Content rating G: A clean read, though animal lovers may cringe at the cock-fighting scene and boxing haters will detest the Cribb-Molineaux fight.
Regency Buck tells the tale of two wealthy though provincial young people as they embark on their first London Season. The dialog is witty, the story peopled with a rich cast of well-drawn characters, details of Regency life are sprinkled everywhere; it is all meticulously researched yet the history is woven into the story in a way that never feels forced or overwhelming.
The story begins on September 27, 1811 on the Great North Road from Yorkshire to London. Judith Taverner and her younger brother, Sir Peregrine, are planning to spend the night at The Grantham Inn when a fateful and highly embarrassing carriage accident complicates their plans—and their lives.
The Taverners’ visit to Grantham proves livelier than expected in part because a prizefight—a “mill”—has drawn some 15,000 spectators to the area, all eager to bet on Cribb and Molineaux and the fight of the century.
Once in London, Judith and Peregrine are reluctantly but effectively sponsored by their insufferably arrogant guardian, the Earl of Worth, who finds them a house, a suitable companion for Judith, and invitations to all the right social venues. The must-have voucher for Almacks is, naturally, included:
Judith is outfitted in the style that befits an heiress with £80,000 by her companion, the delightfully odd Mrs. Scattergood. Miss Taverner is "a fine young woman, rather above the average height, and had been used for the past four years to hearing herself proclaimed a remarkably handsome girl….At first glance one might write her down as a mere Dresden china miss, but a second glance would inevitably discover the intelligence in her eyes, and the decided air of resolution in the curve of her mouth."
Judith is one of Heyer’s less lovable heroines: she's young and used to having her own way; she's impulsive; she has a bad temper and it gets herself into situations that are questionable. But what Miss Taverner does have is undeniable style, a certain effrontery and the ability to bounce back when society gossips turn against her.
Lord Worth’s word, Peregrine’s title and estates, and Judith’ fortune and beauty gain the siblings entry into the first ranks of London society. Neither Judith nor her brother Peregrine are quite ready for socially exacting world of the ton and their naiveté will catch them out more than once over the course of their first London Season.
Disparagingly dubbed “The Milkmaid” by a sneering dandy, Judith is befriended by George ‘Beau’ Brummel, who has more than a walk-on part and charmingly coaches Judith in cultivated oddities such as taking snuff or driving herself in Hyde Park with great élan in her handsome perch phaeton.
There she attracts rather too much attention from Prince William, the nautical Duke of Clarence, who provides some of the books most amusing moments.
Meanwhile, Peregrine can’t resist the chance to explore London’s seamier side—from boxing, to gambling hells, to cock fights where the upper crust mingles dangerously with rougher elements.
Then it’s off to Belvoir Castle for the hunting and Lord Worth’s own country estates for Christmas.
And on to Brighton for summer evening music sessions with the Prince Regent at his Pavillion, which glitters in impossible Gothic-Chinese-Moghul glory.
I enjoyed the romance (sort of) and I liked the final pairing, which seemed to me to be both believable and likely to endure and be the making of both. But history buffs like me mostly appreciate Regency Buck for the pleasures of the London Season and the chance to rub elbows with the rich, royal and (in)famous.
Read with fellow Georgette Heyer Fans, who always add so much to my enjoyment of these wonderful books: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Content rating G: A clean read, though animal lovers may cringe at the cock-fighting scene and boxing haters will detest the Cribb-Molineaux fight.
August 8, 2008
My least favourite kind of Heyer novel—one with a fiery-yet-naive heroine and a hero so full of upper-class, alpha male testosterone that I'd be surprised if he boasts but the one pair of testicles. Judith irritated me, and Worth was the very image of an even more insufferable version of Darcy, who never got the set-down that he so thoroughly required. Heyer lost any interest I might have had in him the moment he started carrying around Judith, touching her against her will and physically intimidating her; by the time he told her she needed a good beating, I absolutely detested him. Thoroughly dislikable characters in this one, every single one of them.
October 1, 2019
Hmmm. This one had lots of fun elements, including the heroine becoming friends with Beau Brummel and the Regent Himself! As well as her going out of her way to set the fashion by driving to an inch and taking snuff, though otherwise being the most proper of young ladies. There was also intrigue, poison, and duels! But Lord Worth was such an ass at times, and the murder attempts kept getting swept aside so easily, that it just didn't rise to the heights of some of Heyer's best.
February 27, 2024
2021 read: keeping two star rating to make sure I never reread this again, really don’t like H/h, mystery is obvious, all around waste of reading time for me. This and the dark, crazy cousin book Cousin Kate are my two least favorites, never-to-reread Heyer romances (and one of her mysteries, Why Shoot a Butler?).
1/2017: Rereading with Georgette Heyer GR group; determined to finish this time, but somehow the Walter Isaacson bio of Leonardo, which I was like 8 or 9 in line for at my public library, became available, and I’ve put this annoying Heyer aside for now. But thanks to the insights of my fellow Heyer readers, I would bring my rating up to a 2-2.5 stars for the research alone; H and h are still humorless and the mystery is pretty obvious to anyone who reads a lot of mysteries, but in all fairness this was her first Regency! Just not holding my interest, same as my last attempt.
Finally finished! Still two stars as a Heyer for me, humorless and definitely not a favorite. As a mystery, same; mysteries are my favorite genre and this one was pretty obvious as to who the villain was - I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the oldest red herrings in the book! I would say Heyer definitely got better at Regency romances and mysteries, this one had very little of her sparkling wit and humor, but a lot of her usual careful research- in other words, still better than a lot of writers today, so I’d give it three stars! I didn’t mind the excessive exposition and found a lot of it interesting, but some parts dragged on as some of our members pointed out. If I got bored I just skimmed.
6/2008: First time ever I couldn't finish a Heyer - I'm glad I got it from the library! I just found it humorless; Judith was one of Heyer's beautiful, haughty, strong-willed heroines, which is fine when balanced with warmth and humor, but I just didn't see it.
In fact, I didn't see much of Heyer's trademark humor at all; the hero (his name escapes me, since I stopped reading it last week and started another!) was the typical handsome, dashing, "top-of-the-trees" Corinthian, leader of the ton, etc., but he was also a cold fish w/o a spark of humor or warmth. He was also very mysterious with his explanations to Judith and her brother, even though they were his wards; I understand from other Amazon reviews and the dustjacket that some sort of mystery develops later about someone trying to poison Judith's brother, and you are made to think it might be the guardian, but you know that can't be because he and Judith are destined to end up together (you know the signs!)
Anyway, I got about half-way through and realized summer vacation is coming to an end, which will curtail my reading time, so I didn't bother to finish.
1/2017: Rereading with Georgette Heyer GR group; determined to finish this time, but somehow the Walter Isaacson bio of Leonardo, which I was like 8 or 9 in line for at my public library, became available, and I’ve put this annoying Heyer aside for now. But thanks to the insights of my fellow Heyer readers, I would bring my rating up to a 2-2.5 stars for the research alone; H and h are still humorless and the mystery is pretty obvious to anyone who reads a lot of mysteries, but in all fairness this was her first Regency! Just not holding my interest, same as my last attempt.
Finally finished! Still two stars as a Heyer for me, humorless and definitely not a favorite. As a mystery, same; mysteries are my favorite genre and this one was pretty obvious as to who the villain was - I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the oldest red herrings in the book! I would say Heyer definitely got better at Regency romances and mysteries, this one had very little of her sparkling wit and humor, but a lot of her usual careful research- in other words, still better than a lot of writers today, so I’d give it three stars! I didn’t mind the excessive exposition and found a lot of it interesting, but some parts dragged on as some of our members pointed out. If I got bored I just skimmed.
6/2008: First time ever I couldn't finish a Heyer - I'm glad I got it from the library! I just found it humorless; Judith was one of Heyer's beautiful, haughty, strong-willed heroines, which is fine when balanced with warmth and humor, but I just didn't see it.
In fact, I didn't see much of Heyer's trademark humor at all; the hero (his name escapes me, since I stopped reading it last week and started another!) was the typical handsome, dashing, "top-of-the-trees" Corinthian, leader of the ton, etc., but he was also a cold fish w/o a spark of humor or warmth. He was also very mysterious with his explanations to Judith and her brother, even though they were his wards; I understand from other Amazon reviews and the dustjacket that some sort of mystery develops later about someone trying to poison Judith's brother, and you are made to think it might be the guardian, but you know that can't be because he and Judith are destined to end up together (you know the signs!)
Anyway, I got about half-way through and realized summer vacation is coming to an end, which will curtail my reading time, so I didn't bother to finish.
August 14, 2017
This was my second (at least) read of Regency Buck. There were parts of it that I liked better this time around, and parts that I actually liked less.
The hero, Lord Worth, is no more likeable in this read than he was the first time I read it. I just cannot conceive of his appeal for Judith, who is headstrong and occasionally obtuse, but who is generally of a friendly, informal disposition. Worth, on the other hand, is cold, withdrawn and often downright unpleasant. He also more or less physically assaults Judith on their first meeting by kissing her without her consent, an incident that is not made more appealing with threats of repetition.
She made light of the circumstance of the stranger’s kissing her: he would bestow just such a careless embrace on a pretty chambermaid, she dared say. It was certain that he mistook her station in life.
I don't find this even remotely appealing, not the least on behalf of the pretty chambermaids of the Regency, who deserved better than to suffer random groping by asshole peers taking unwanted liberties upon their persons. Ugh. There is one occasion where he actually threatens to beat her.
Do not look daggers at me: I am wholly impervious to displays of that kind. Your tantrums may do very well at home, but they arouse in me nothing more than a desire to beat you soundly. And that, Miss Taverner, if ever I do marry you, is precisely what I shall do.’
On top of that, there is no real sense that he has improved by the end of the book. He treats her indulgently, referring to her repeatedly as "adorable," in a way that is actually fairly insulting.
It seems to me that Heyer is trying hard to create a Darcy/Lizzie vibe, with the sparks that fly between them and the irreverent teasing that Lizzie uses to soften up the withdrawn, shy Darcy. Unfortunately, this doesn't work for me at all, because I just don't see Worth having Darcy's good points.
So, as far as the romance goes, this one didn't convince me. I wanted to push Worth overboard, and have Judith marry one of the other male characters. Mr. Brummel, for example, was quite charming, as was Lord Worth's younger brother, Charles.
Now, though, the really good aspect of this book - Heyer did a great job with the mystery in this romance. Someone is trying to get Judith's brother, Peregrine, out of the way, and the way that she plotted that particular part of the book was genius. There were several bits of redirection that were extremely effective, and even the second time around, she confounded me a couple of times.
TL/DR: Keep the mystery, jettison the romance. A hero who threatens to beat the heroine is not a hero worth having.
The hero, Lord Worth, is no more likeable in this read than he was the first time I read it. I just cannot conceive of his appeal for Judith, who is headstrong and occasionally obtuse, but who is generally of a friendly, informal disposition. Worth, on the other hand, is cold, withdrawn and often downright unpleasant. He also more or less physically assaults Judith on their first meeting by kissing her without her consent, an incident that is not made more appealing with threats of repetition.
She made light of the circumstance of the stranger’s kissing her: he would bestow just such a careless embrace on a pretty chambermaid, she dared say. It was certain that he mistook her station in life.
I don't find this even remotely appealing, not the least on behalf of the pretty chambermaids of the Regency, who deserved better than to suffer random groping by asshole peers taking unwanted liberties upon their persons. Ugh. There is one occasion where he actually threatens to beat her.
Do not look daggers at me: I am wholly impervious to displays of that kind. Your tantrums may do very well at home, but they arouse in me nothing more than a desire to beat you soundly. And that, Miss Taverner, if ever I do marry you, is precisely what I shall do.’
On top of that, there is no real sense that he has improved by the end of the book. He treats her indulgently, referring to her repeatedly as "adorable," in a way that is actually fairly insulting.
It seems to me that Heyer is trying hard to create a Darcy/Lizzie vibe, with the sparks that fly between them and the irreverent teasing that Lizzie uses to soften up the withdrawn, shy Darcy. Unfortunately, this doesn't work for me at all, because I just don't see Worth having Darcy's good points.
So, as far as the romance goes, this one didn't convince me. I wanted to push Worth overboard, and have Judith marry one of the other male characters. Mr. Brummel, for example, was quite charming, as was Lord Worth's younger brother, Charles.
Now, though, the really good aspect of this book - Heyer did a great job with the mystery in this romance. Someone is trying to get Judith's brother, Peregrine, out of the way, and the way that she plotted that particular part of the book was genius. There were several bits of redirection that were extremely effective, and even the second time around, she confounded me a couple of times.
TL/DR: Keep the mystery, jettison the romance. A hero who threatens to beat the heroine is not a hero worth having.
August 8, 2020
Rich and beautiful Judith Taverner is on her way to London with her brother Peregrine. They hope to set up house there and join fashionable Society, as is their due. They only hope that their guardian, Earl Worth, would be amiable and help them out. Instead, they discover that their father has made a huge mistake and left their fortune and fate in the hands of a man who appeared to be morally corrupt and a tyrant. But is he really?
Judith quickly gains a few suitors, which was entertaining. I enjoyed her escapades with the royal family members. This book shines in its depiction of Beau Brummel, who quickly befriends Judith and starts to advise her. Judith and Peregrine also befriend their uncle and cousin with whom their father had been estranged for many years. They also meet Mrs. Scattergood, whom Judith hires as a chaperone. Life starts for them but when things take a sinister turn, Judith is left not knowing whom to trust.
The Earl of Worth is far from being my favourite hero. I found him ridiculously overbearing and can't see what Judith sees in him. The romance is cold and left a lot to be desired. However, intrigue comes in another form. There are a series of attempts on Perry's life. Who is behind it? It all sorts out in the end happily. I still didn't see the Judith-Worth romance working but I enjoyed Perry's relationship with the absent Harriet.
Though Regency Buck fails in the romance department, there is a lot going for it. The humour is ever-present, and I enjoyed the real people like the Prince Regent and Mr. Brummel getting a voice in the story. Judith is a fun heroine with a penchant for seeking trouble. Perry's brush with danger brings further depth into the narrative. The final package is fun and interesting.
Judith quickly gains a few suitors, which was entertaining. I enjoyed her escapades with the royal family members. This book shines in its depiction of Beau Brummel, who quickly befriends Judith and starts to advise her. Judith and Peregrine also befriend their uncle and cousin with whom their father had been estranged for many years. They also meet Mrs. Scattergood, whom Judith hires as a chaperone. Life starts for them but when things take a sinister turn, Judith is left not knowing whom to trust.
The Earl of Worth is far from being my favourite hero. I found him ridiculously overbearing and can't see what Judith sees in him. The romance is cold and left a lot to be desired. However, intrigue comes in another form. There are a series of attempts on Perry's life. Who is behind it? It all sorts out in the end happily. I still didn't see the Judith-Worth romance working but I enjoyed Perry's relationship with the absent Harriet.
Though Regency Buck fails in the romance department, there is a lot going for it. The humour is ever-present, and I enjoyed the real people like the Prince Regent and Mr. Brummel getting a voice in the story. Judith is a fun heroine with a penchant for seeking trouble. Perry's brush with danger brings further depth into the narrative. The final package is fun and interesting.
June 11, 2017
I have read by now quite a few Georgette Heyer's book, but this was my least favourite.
There was too much about the plot and not enough about character development. I did not take to the heroin's object of affection either - hardly any redeeming features this time.
There was too much about the plot and not enough about character development. I did not take to the heroin's object of affection either - hardly any redeeming features this time.
September 2, 2022
2022 Review
I think Worth is an Enneagram 1.
2019 Review
I really, really love the scene with the affronted Regent, swooning Judith, and indignant Worth. One of my favorite moments, on par with the kidnapping scene from Faro's Daughter
2018 Review
I know I say this about every Heyer couple, but Judith and Worth might be the best. They've got that romantic tension thing going from the start. So swoon worthy.
2016 Review
As a general rule, I try not to edit reviews once I've written them. There are a lot of badly written reviews from me....mainly from when I was younger. That is what I thought about the book then. If I were to read it now, I would probably think very differently.
HOWEVER, for Regency Buck I'm breaking that rule. I re-read this book yesterday and fell in love. I love all the characters. I love the mystery. I love the humor. I love Judith's flair and how eccentric she is. I love that she is friends with Beau Brummell and rubs shoulders with royalty. In summary, I think my original review is ridiculous and I can't believe I didn't immediately recognize the merit of this book. Maybe I just wasn't in the right place for it. Judith bumps up the list of Favorite Heyer Heroines to take her spot besides Sophy, Frederica, Mary and Arabella. This book was so much fun. I'm so glad I took the time to give it another shot. (Though lets be honest...I'd re-read anything that had Heyer's name on it, even the books I originally rated 1 star)
Original review below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deserves somewhere around 3.5 stars, so I rounded it up to 4. Not quite up to a 4 star par though.
Unlike most Heyer books, which I tend to get on a whim, I picked up Regency Buck (what a stupid name) because, according to this quiz http://quizilla.teennick.com/quizzes/...
I was most like "Judith Taverner". I had no idea who she was or what book she came from, but when I re-took the quiz a few months later and go the same answer...well, I decided to google the name and give the book a try.
Honestly, I'm not sure whether I ought to be slightly offended or daringly amused at being compared with Judith. I definitely saw several similarities, especially with her actions (in fact, if you could combine Judith Taverner and Frederica from Frederica you might find yourself with a character slightly similar to my own!) The story, though, was a bit too melodramatic and thespian for any "striking" comparisons (I have never been kidnapped, defied society by driving my own carriage, or taken snuff O.o)
Plot:
After their Father's death leaves them with a strange, unknown guardian they have yet to meet, Judith and her brother Peregrine decide to defy their guardian's wish and travel to London to meet him. Along the way, they stop in a town where a boxing match is going on and Peregrine persuades Judith to extend their visit. While there, one of the spectators mistakes Judith for a country-girl and kisses her! Furious, Judith and Peregrine arrive in London to ask their guardian's help in revenge...only to discover that the rude man from the boxing match is their guardian, Julian St. John Audley, the Fifth Earl of Worth! "an arrogant, insufferable dandy!"
Thoughts
Though the beginning was interesting, the book was slow and kind of boring for the first half, but picked up quite nicely once Judith figures out that someone is trying to kill Peregrine. Peregrine was a nice enough character, exceedingly amusing at the end, who was just enough of a character to add to the story and not enough to be to memorable.
Most of the characters were kind of unlikely, the story was really quite dramatic, but I enjoyed it. Not the best Heyer, not her worst. It falls in the middle with a great many of her books. There is a bit of a mystery tied up in this one which made it fun.
Though honestly, upon reflection, I deny having much of anything in common with Judith except a tendency to something for the sake of doing it.
This book actually took me quite a while to get through it. So be prepared, there are several boring parts and I wouldn't recommend it for a "first time Heyer reader", but if you have read a couple of her novels and are looking for some more, it is fairly good.
I think Worth is an Enneagram 1.
2019 Review
I really, really love the scene with the affronted Regent, swooning Judith, and indignant Worth. One of my favorite moments, on par with the kidnapping scene from Faro's Daughter
2018 Review
I know I say this about every Heyer couple, but Judith and Worth might be the best. They've got that romantic tension thing going from the start. So swoon worthy.
2016 Review
As a general rule, I try not to edit reviews once I've written them. There are a lot of badly written reviews from me....mainly from when I was younger. That is what I thought about the book then. If I were to read it now, I would probably think very differently.
HOWEVER, for Regency Buck I'm breaking that rule. I re-read this book yesterday and fell in love. I love all the characters. I love the mystery. I love the humor. I love Judith's flair and how eccentric she is. I love that she is friends with Beau Brummell and rubs shoulders with royalty. In summary, I think my original review is ridiculous and I can't believe I didn't immediately recognize the merit of this book. Maybe I just wasn't in the right place for it. Judith bumps up the list of Favorite Heyer Heroines to take her spot besides Sophy, Frederica, Mary and Arabella. This book was so much fun. I'm so glad I took the time to give it another shot. (Though lets be honest...I'd re-read anything that had Heyer's name on it, even the books I originally rated 1 star)
Original review below.
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Deserves somewhere around 3.5 stars, so I rounded it up to 4. Not quite up to a 4 star par though.
Unlike most Heyer books, which I tend to get on a whim, I picked up Regency Buck (what a stupid name) because, according to this quiz http://quizilla.teennick.com/quizzes/...
I was most like "Judith Taverner". I had no idea who she was or what book she came from, but when I re-took the quiz a few months later and go the same answer...well, I decided to google the name and give the book a try.
Honestly, I'm not sure whether I ought to be slightly offended or daringly amused at being compared with Judith. I definitely saw several similarities, especially with her actions (in fact, if you could combine Judith Taverner and Frederica from Frederica you might find yourself with a character slightly similar to my own!) The story, though, was a bit too melodramatic and thespian for any "striking" comparisons (I have never been kidnapped, defied society by driving my own carriage, or taken snuff O.o)
Plot:
After their Father's death leaves them with a strange, unknown guardian they have yet to meet, Judith and her brother Peregrine decide to defy their guardian's wish and travel to London to meet him. Along the way, they stop in a town where a boxing match is going on and Peregrine persuades Judith to extend their visit. While there, one of the spectators mistakes Judith for a country-girl and kisses her! Furious, Judith and Peregrine arrive in London to ask their guardian's help in revenge...only to discover that the rude man from the boxing match is their guardian, Julian St. John Audley, the Fifth Earl of Worth! "an arrogant, insufferable dandy!"
Thoughts
Though the beginning was interesting, the book was slow and kind of boring for the first half, but picked up quite nicely once Judith figures out that someone is trying to kill Peregrine. Peregrine was a nice enough character, exceedingly amusing at the end, who was just enough of a character to add to the story and not enough to be to memorable.
Most of the characters were kind of unlikely, the story was really quite dramatic, but I enjoyed it. Not the best Heyer, not her worst. It falls in the middle with a great many of her books. There is a bit of a mystery tied up in this one which made it fun.
Though honestly, upon reflection, I deny having much of anything in common with Judith except a tendency to something for the sake of doing it.
This book actually took me quite a while to get through it. So be prepared, there are several boring parts and I wouldn't recommend it for a "first time Heyer reader", but if you have read a couple of her novels and are looking for some more, it is fairly good.
December 20, 2022
My personal review of first reading begins: “Not one of her better efforts,” and that would be my TLDR review today.
This book irritates me in many little ways. Just for starts, I don’t like a hero who thinks nothing of forcibly kissing lower class ladies. I dislike the hero in Venetia for the same reason, and the only reason I don’t despise the hero of Devil’s Cub for it is that he’s perfectly right that the average virtuous young girl wouldn’t have run off with him like that, and because Mary so effectively mimics her sister I thought his theory that Mary was trying to cut her sister out, and maybe trick him into marriage in the bargain, was not completely unreasonable, even though it was wrong. I’m also more tolerant of someone doing something stupid and cruel in a rage than just because they think they have a right to it. I’m more forgiving of passion than pride, I suppose, and with Worth, it’s pure pride behind that kiss.
Then there’s the fact that the Taverner’s just happen to stumble over Lord Worth not once, not twice, but three times before they figure out who he is (and vice versa). I don’t mind that sort of thing in the Pickwick Papers, or in some of Heyer’s more light-hearted books, but it’s a bit much to take in a mostly serious book. And this is a surprisingly serious book, for a Heyer Regency; among other things, someone is trying to kill the heroine’s brother, and there’s an all-too-true-to-life sexual assault. Which latter fortunately doesn’t go much beyond kissing, but the heroine is understandably unnerved.
And I expect I’m alone in this, but while I enjoy Heyer’s Beau Brummel as a character, for some reason I am convinced he is not true to the historical personage, and I don’t like him being here anymore than I do the various Royal Dukes. Heyer’s historical ladies of Almacks have never bothered me, partly because I had never heard of them before, but mostly because she neither idolizes nor makes fun of them; the same cannot be true of the male historical characters in this book. I wish she’d renamed them – it’s not like we wouldn’t know who they were, but with a different name she wouldn’t be so thoroughly misrepresenting an actual human being who once lived and breathed.
But the big way it bugs me is the relationship between the hero and the heroine. I do not like the way the hero is constantly hitting on her, and then scolding her for daring to think he’s doing exactly that. That’s classic gas lighting, which in the real world is an abusive tactic, not the sign of a healthy relationship. Plus he shows no remorse for having kissed her against her will; on the contrary, he brings it up right regularly, either specifically mentioning it, or by calling her “Clorinda,” the name he’d assigned to her then.
At one point, he not only taunts her with the kiss, he outright threatens to beat her. He does then “apologize for the whole”, once he’s cooled down a bit, but the guy’s got a temper that makes him act childishly, which is dangerous in a grown male, and the narrative never recognizes this. Worse, through much of the book the reader knows that the hero is a good guy, and that he’s working behind the scenes to keep the heroine’s brother safe, because we see him in conversations the heroine is not privy to. So when the heroine starts to suspect the hero of being the one who is out to kill her brother, she looks right stupid. The narrative is very strongly on the hero’s side of things.
Not that the heroine is particularly admirable either. She makes no attempt to rein in her brother when he’s being an idiot, which gets them both into trouble more than once; she so predictably goes contrary to the hero’s excellent advice that he starts deliberately driving her to do what he wants her to by lying and saying he wants the opposite (even though every time she follows his advice, it goes well, and she recognizes this); she faints under pressure; and she’s the sort of idiot who thinks Brummel’s advice to be unique means flinging caution to the wind and engaging in a contest that most people considered foolish and stupid when it comes to young men doing it. Why she thinks this is a good plan I do not know, and her county bumpkin past does not excuse it to my mind.
Granted, she has her good points, as does the hero, but I find neither one of them particularly charming or memorable. And the same can be said of the book. It’s a Heyer, so still better than many another Regency. But I wouldn’t recommend it to someone new to Heyer.
This book irritates me in many little ways. Just for starts, I don’t like a hero who thinks nothing of forcibly kissing lower class ladies. I dislike the hero in Venetia for the same reason, and the only reason I don’t despise the hero of Devil’s Cub for it is that he’s perfectly right that the average virtuous young girl wouldn’t have run off with him like that, and because Mary so effectively mimics her sister I thought his theory that Mary was trying to cut her sister out, and maybe trick him into marriage in the bargain, was not completely unreasonable, even though it was wrong. I’m also more tolerant of someone doing something stupid and cruel in a rage than just because they think they have a right to it. I’m more forgiving of passion than pride, I suppose, and with Worth, it’s pure pride behind that kiss.
Then there’s the fact that the Taverner’s just happen to stumble over Lord Worth not once, not twice, but three times before they figure out who he is (and vice versa). I don’t mind that sort of thing in the Pickwick Papers, or in some of Heyer’s more light-hearted books, but it’s a bit much to take in a mostly serious book. And this is a surprisingly serious book, for a Heyer Regency; among other things, someone is trying to kill the heroine’s brother, and there’s an all-too-true-to-life sexual assault. Which latter fortunately doesn’t go much beyond kissing, but the heroine is understandably unnerved.
And I expect I’m alone in this, but while I enjoy Heyer’s Beau Brummel as a character, for some reason I am convinced he is not true to the historical personage, and I don’t like him being here anymore than I do the various Royal Dukes. Heyer’s historical ladies of Almacks have never bothered me, partly because I had never heard of them before, but mostly because she neither idolizes nor makes fun of them; the same cannot be true of the male historical characters in this book. I wish she’d renamed them – it’s not like we wouldn’t know who they were, but with a different name she wouldn’t be so thoroughly misrepresenting an actual human being who once lived and breathed.
But the big way it bugs me is the relationship between the hero and the heroine. I do not like the way the hero is constantly hitting on her, and then scolding her for daring to think he’s doing exactly that. That’s classic gas lighting, which in the real world is an abusive tactic, not the sign of a healthy relationship. Plus he shows no remorse for having kissed her against her will; on the contrary, he brings it up right regularly, either specifically mentioning it, or by calling her “Clorinda,” the name he’d assigned to her then.
At one point, he not only taunts her with the kiss, he outright threatens to beat her. He does then “apologize for the whole”, once he’s cooled down a bit, but the guy’s got a temper that makes him act childishly, which is dangerous in a grown male, and the narrative never recognizes this. Worse, through much of the book the reader knows that the hero is a good guy, and that he’s working behind the scenes to keep the heroine’s brother safe, because we see him in conversations the heroine is not privy to. So when the heroine starts to suspect the hero of being the one who is out to kill her brother, she looks right stupid. The narrative is very strongly on the hero’s side of things.
Not that the heroine is particularly admirable either. She makes no attempt to rein in her brother when he’s being an idiot, which gets them both into trouble more than once; she so predictably goes contrary to the hero’s excellent advice that he starts deliberately driving her to do what he wants her to by lying and saying he wants the opposite (even though every time she follows his advice, it goes well, and she recognizes this); she faints under pressure; and she’s the sort of idiot who thinks Brummel’s advice to be unique means flinging caution to the wind and engaging in a contest that most people considered foolish and stupid when it comes to young men doing it. Why she thinks this is a good plan I do not know, and her county bumpkin past does not excuse it to my mind.
Granted, she has her good points, as does the hero, but I find neither one of them particularly charming or memorable. And the same can be said of the book. It’s a Heyer, so still better than many another Regency. But I wouldn’t recommend it to someone new to Heyer.
September 8, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five stars -
Just finished reread 1,234 😂 Who knows how many times I’ve read this since I first discovered it back in the late 1970s? I sure can’t remember 💁♀️
I just adore this book! I probably read it about once a year, since it now permanently resides on my much loved Kindle. Each time I read it, I am re-amazed at the skill and care with which Heyer has crafted this well-written Regency Romance.
If you follow my reviews here on Goodreads, you know that I am a huge Heyer fan, and might recall that I keep a personal list that has rated all of my reads by this amazing twentieth century author. This particular book, “Regency Buck”, falls at number eight on my list. I would love to move it up to a spot with better pride of place, but I can’t! I would have to boot another beloved title down the list, and I just can’t do it! Either way, spot number eight still resides in the top ten and it’s not too shabby given the fact that I have nearly thirty titles on this list 💁♀️📚
This story…. What can I say? It’s high-quality Regency Romance. Heyer is a master at staying true to the time period. Given the fact that she wrote these stories in the early twentieth century (this book was originally published in 1938) it’s amazing to this reader the amount of research and knowledge that’s poured into her novels. Just truly outstanding and an absolute pleasure to read.
This story centers around our heroine, the very rich heiress, Miss Judith Taverner. Judith and her brother, Peregrine, have recently inherited their father’s estate and decide to move themselves to London. The goal is to break into the upper echelons of high society, as their money is sure to pave the way. The only trouble lies in the fact that their inheritance is under the control of their guardian, the high-flyer Lord Worth.
What happens next is a thoroughly well-plotted, well-researched, fun-to-read story about Judith and her introduction into London society. A snag is encountered when it’s discovered that their original guardian is now deceased, but the fortune has remained under the control of the new guardian, the present Lord Worth. The clash of wills between Judith and the Hero (who else but Lord Worth lol) provides a nice romantic buildup.
The story also includes a little suspense as someone is trying to murder Perry. Heyer’s utilizes her skill in romantic suspense, and it’s a nice addition to the plot, and it all just speeds along. (Fun fact: in later years, Heyer grew tired of Regencies and her last published books became murder mysteries).
Overall, a lovely romance with heartfelt emotion. My heart sings with the hea here each and every time. I am enjoyably entertained every time I read this, and look forward to my next re-read 📖.
Highly recommend. Five shining stars for the Great Dame Heyer.
Just finished reread 1,234 😂 Who knows how many times I’ve read this since I first discovered it back in the late 1970s? I sure can’t remember 💁♀️
I just adore this book! I probably read it about once a year, since it now permanently resides on my much loved Kindle. Each time I read it, I am re-amazed at the skill and care with which Heyer has crafted this well-written Regency Romance.
If you follow my reviews here on Goodreads, you know that I am a huge Heyer fan, and might recall that I keep a personal list that has rated all of my reads by this amazing twentieth century author. This particular book, “Regency Buck”, falls at number eight on my list. I would love to move it up to a spot with better pride of place, but I can’t! I would have to boot another beloved title down the list, and I just can’t do it! Either way, spot number eight still resides in the top ten and it’s not too shabby given the fact that I have nearly thirty titles on this list 💁♀️📚
This story…. What can I say? It’s high-quality Regency Romance. Heyer is a master at staying true to the time period. Given the fact that she wrote these stories in the early twentieth century (this book was originally published in 1938) it’s amazing to this reader the amount of research and knowledge that’s poured into her novels. Just truly outstanding and an absolute pleasure to read.
This story centers around our heroine, the very rich heiress, Miss Judith Taverner. Judith and her brother, Peregrine, have recently inherited their father’s estate and decide to move themselves to London. The goal is to break into the upper echelons of high society, as their money is sure to pave the way. The only trouble lies in the fact that their inheritance is under the control of their guardian, the high-flyer Lord Worth.
What happens next is a thoroughly well-plotted, well-researched, fun-to-read story about Judith and her introduction into London society. A snag is encountered when it’s discovered that their original guardian is now deceased, but the fortune has remained under the control of the new guardian, the present Lord Worth. The clash of wills between Judith and the Hero (who else but Lord Worth lol) provides a nice romantic buildup.
The story also includes a little suspense as someone is trying to murder Perry. Heyer’s utilizes her skill in romantic suspense, and it’s a nice addition to the plot, and it all just speeds along. (Fun fact: in later years, Heyer grew tired of Regencies and her last published books became murder mysteries).
Overall, a lovely romance with heartfelt emotion. My heart sings with the hea here each and every time. I am enjoyably entertained every time I read this, and look forward to my next re-read 📖.
Highly recommend. Five shining stars for the Great Dame Heyer.
August 1, 2022
I liked it more the second time. Yet, it still isn't on the same bookshelf with the best of the author. Before I start to name why, a disclaimer: it was still a charming reading and enjoyable story. And I liked very much Worth (and Perry) - I would have liked to see his courtship without guardianship in the background.
Secondary characters weren't as developed (as in the best of Heyer).
The wit / romance / adventure / speed action were there, but each one was not enough.
This time, I haven't enjoyed much a cock fight, a race of curricles, or descriptions of Brighton Pavilion. I was slightly bored by them. I am not sure why.
By the way, I agree with Emilia Barnes. I saw the story and Worth like she had.
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/below is a review after first reading/
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In this piece of Heyer's work you will find a few really funny and interesting things/descriptions. For example: a carriage race or cock's fight. You will also read about children of the King (in this period they were adult, of course) and you will see them in other light, I think.
For me it isn't the best of Heyer romances but still, it is funny with a little shadow of Alastair.
Secondary characters weren't as developed (as in the best of Heyer).
The wit / romance / adventure / speed action were there, but each one was not enough.
This time, I haven't enjoyed much a cock fight, a race of curricles, or descriptions of Brighton Pavilion. I was slightly bored by them. I am not sure why.
By the way, I agree with Emilia Barnes. I saw the story and Worth like she had.
**************
/below is a review after first reading/
**************
In this piece of Heyer's work you will find a few really funny and interesting things/descriptions. For example: a carriage race or cock's fight. You will also read about children of the King (in this period they were adult, of course) and you will see them in other light, I think.
For me it isn't the best of Heyer romances but still, it is funny with a little shadow of Alastair.
September 19, 2018
Clever, Witty Regency with a Mystery and a Twist
Set in the Regency (1811-1820) but no date given, this is the story of Miss Judith Taverner and her brother Peregrine who, at their father’s death, travel to London to meet their guardian, Lord Worth. They expect Worth to be an elderly man. Instead, they find him to be a man near Judith’s age and one both she and Perry have already encountered leaving them with a very negative impression. (He stole a most inappropriate kiss from her when he met her on the road.)
Though neither Miss Taverner nor Peregrine like their guardian, finding him arrogant and dictatorial, they cannot help but admire his competence to handle their affairs. When someone appears to be trying to kill Perry (Judith will inherit his wealth as well as have her own), they begin to wonder whom of their new acquaintances and Judith’s many suitors might be involved.
Much of the story is taken up with Regency entertainments and the pastimes of the rich, both in London and Brighton, but there is a mystery that grown in importance. Cameos by the Prince Regent, Beau Brummel and other Regency era stars are delightful. The dialog is witty. The story gets exciting toward the end when Perry disappears.
Though it may not be my favorite by Heyer, I enjoyed it and the rich tapestry of characters and the ending was not unexpected but the telling of it was very good.
Set in the Regency (1811-1820) but no date given, this is the story of Miss Judith Taverner and her brother Peregrine who, at their father’s death, travel to London to meet their guardian, Lord Worth. They expect Worth to be an elderly man. Instead, they find him to be a man near Judith’s age and one both she and Perry have already encountered leaving them with a very negative impression. (He stole a most inappropriate kiss from her when he met her on the road.)
Though neither Miss Taverner nor Peregrine like their guardian, finding him arrogant and dictatorial, they cannot help but admire his competence to handle their affairs. When someone appears to be trying to kill Perry (Judith will inherit his wealth as well as have her own), they begin to wonder whom of their new acquaintances and Judith’s many suitors might be involved.
Much of the story is taken up with Regency entertainments and the pastimes of the rich, both in London and Brighton, but there is a mystery that grown in importance. Cameos by the Prince Regent, Beau Brummel and other Regency era stars are delightful. The dialog is witty. The story gets exciting toward the end when Perry disappears.
Though it may not be my favorite by Heyer, I enjoyed it and the rich tapestry of characters and the ending was not unexpected but the telling of it was very good.
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