August Book Review

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My book selection this month is the result of what I'll call the two-bite rule. Growing up my mother didn't want to hear us say we didn't like a food dish unless we'd taken at least two bites of it first. You're probably wondering what that has to do with books but I'll explain.

I first heard of author Georgette Heyer a couple of years ago. She came up on a board discussion and everyone just loved her books. She was being compared to Jane Austen (who I love) and, for some reason, I got the impression she was from that time - and I love reading books that we would call historicals now, but were actually contemporary novels when they were written. So, I went and ordered one of her books to read. I was less than impressed.

Then a while later, her name came up again and I decided to apply the two-bite rule and pick up another of her books. That book is the book I'm reviewing this month - The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer.

I loved this book! The story background is that Sophy's uncle has gotten his family into a financial predicament and the son has to step up and take responsibility for the family. He's very strict and inflexible and considers his word law.

Enter cousin Sophy. She comes for a short stay with the family and stands it on its ear.

Sophy has the uncanny ability to assess a situation and know how to set it to rights. Her methods, however, are unconventional for a woman of the time and it causes upset to her family - her rigid cousin in particular.

The thing I liked about the characterization of Sophy is that she's strong without being off-putting or offensive. She communicates with those around her in a way that would make someone she told to go to hell to look forward to their upcoming travel there. She's the kind of person that could sell an Eskimo ice - and not in a slimy salesman kind of way. She's very fun and likeable. She has a way of getting people to do the things they need to do while making it seem like their idea. I liked everything about her and everything about this book.

Well, there was one issue I had with the book, and that was the ending. Spoiler alert! Throughout the book I got the idea that Sophy was going to end up with her stuffy cousin - that he was going to come around and they would fall in love. Now, technically that is what happened, HOWEVER, it happened in the last few lines of the book. I didn't really see them fall in love or feel the "lifelong" commitment happen. The way it was done almost felt like an afterthought or a "oh crap, my editor says I can only have one more page and I have to wrap up this part too" kind of thing. Last month I reviewed a book that pulled a book I had a major issue with and fixed it with one scene so I know this one "flaw" with The Grand Sophy could have been handled better. However, the result was the same - they ended together and the rest of the book was fabulous. Fabulous characters, fabulous story, fabulous writing. Just plain fabulous.

So, it goes to show that there's merit to the two-bite rule. My first "bite" of Georgette Heyer wasn't all that great but the second "bite" was good - very good. I'll definitely be checking out more of her books. :o)