Could this be the Season she wins his heart?
Henrietta has secretly loved Arthur, Lord Allerton, since childhood. He is the only man who is interested in her rather than her fortune – just not in the way that she wants.
After three years away at war, Arthur has returned to London to find everything changed. His finances are ruined, his family in chaos. And sweet, shy Hetty is … different.
For Hetty has set herself a challenge: she has one summer to become the charming, dashing Diamond she’s always wished to be. And either Arthur will notice her, or she’ll give up her dreams entirely.
But in a glittering Season plagued by scandal and intrigue, is there still room for love…?
Reader, when I saw that there was a new official Georgette Heyer novel you best believe I picked it up with the speed of a thousand very fast things. And I devoured it in a day. As one does with anything related to Heyer.
I have read all of Georgette Heyer’s novels (or at least as many as I can get my hands on) and have spent years longing to find a similar author with such quick wit and excellent characters. So naturally, a new official Georgette Heyer? Ma’am. I am there.
One did not like to overstate one’s own importance, of course, but it seemed to her very clear that the happiness of her entire family now rested solely in her hands.
is this heyer?
Alas, alack. It feels a little too Bridgerton, you know? Just a touch too modern. Just one or two turns of phrase that made my eye narrow and a mental (and judgemental) ‘hmmmm’ uttered in my mind. Heyer would never.
There was just a touch too much casualness in the text and slightly in the characters too. As I said – too modern. Too Bridgerton. (Not, I should add, in the bedroom sense. Ah-hem.) So I suppose if you like the Bridgerton novels and Heyer, it is the perfect book for you. However if you find the Bridgerton novels to be a poor imitation of Heyer then alas, this might not be your cup of tea.
‘You have not a title, which is unfortunate. I do not blame you, of course!’ he hastened to assure her. ‘Naturally, had you had some forewarning, you would have sought one.’
but *is* this heyer?
There are touches of Heyer. Timothy reminds me of Freddy from Cotillion, Arthur seems very much like Adam from A Civil Contract, and the Marquis seemed more along the lines of These Old Shades hero archetypes (but not quite).
Would I have liked Arthur to be a different Heyer archetype? Yes. Very much. I feel – strongly – that Irwin missed a trick by not using a different archetype. The Adam-type is possibly the most tedious of Heyer’s heroes. (Sorry Adam but that’s the truth.)
As for Henrietta, she is the most sensible kind of Heyer’s heroines, which is never a bad thing. I enjoy her sensible ‘straight’ characters which contrast well to the hi-jinks that ensue around them. Trixie, the sister, is also in the type of a usual Heyer side-character, as is the mother.
‘But’, he continued, ‘I am far too young and handsome for marriage. It is almost unethical.’
There were moments of genuine humour, one attempt at a joke which didn’t *quite* come off, and I will say that some of the humour did feel a bit Heyer-ish. (I am a generous, kind soul.)
Other readers thought that the conclusion was too abrupt and it is possible that that might be the case, however, I always want more from a Heyer novel so I wasn’t too bothered by this.
conclusion
I don’t believe I’ve read other Irwin novels so I can’t comment on her usual writing style but I will say that there were definite Heyer-isms throughout. It has been a few days since I finished it and I can report that, unlike other books where I get less enamoured with it as time passes, I think of the novel a bit more fondly. (Curious.)
However, I am unsure as to whether it should be an official Heyer novel. But then again, what could?
Henrietta can be purchased here.
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