False Colours

My mom has all of the G. Heyer books, and tried for over a decade or more, to get me to read them. I had zero interest, romances just aren't my thing. One day, I was there on a visit, and unable to sleep, was going over her book case. I had read most of the books there, so with great reluctance, I picked a Georgette Heyer book. I have been hooked ever since. I've read every single book, multiple times. My mom's books have been so well read, they are held together by rubber bands, and read, literally, one page at a time, because they no longer have a spine to bind them. I have been buying and shipping these to her, a couple every month. She is back in heaven with her books, and it makes my heart happy to make her so happy in such a simple way. The point of this whole ramble? Get your hands on all of Heyer's books, and read them. She is a master at dry humor, and is one of the few authors that can make me actually laugh out loud.

I have read and loved a few Georgette Heyer novels and each novel is better than the last one I'd read. The last Heyer novel I read was Sprig Muslin and it was one of the best Regency novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Well, False Colours is my new favorite novel by this wonderful author. False Colours tells the story of a young army officer who visits his home after he gets the unsettling feeling that his twin brother, the Earl of Denville, is in some kind of trouble. When he arrives to his family's London home, he discovers that his twin brother has been missing for over a week. Kit is forced to attend a soiree in which he will ask for a young woman's hand in marriage. Things get complicated when his brother's intended fancies herself in love with this much nicer, more charming fiance, but he cannot stop the charade because a marriage has to take place in order to pay for his mother's many gambling debts. But what will happen to Kit and Cressy? Will they fall in love? And what of Kit's twin brother? What transpires is a story of mistaken identity with plenty of laughs and unexpected surprises. There are various twists throughout the novel. This has got to be one of the funniest novels ever written! Heyer's humor is priceless. The characters are hilarious and quirky and their one-liners are wonderful. The novel is written in the form of a Regency comic farce with oddball situations and colorful characters that characterize this brand of comedy. I love Kit's mother! She sort of reminds me of Pride and Prejudice's Mrs. Bennett. And I love the humor centered on the valets, butlers, grooms and other servants. Theirs is the kind of quirkiness and nosiness that I imagine existed among the servants at their masters' homes. Brilliant! But what I love the most is Kit. It is so refreshing to read about a hero who is neither a misogynist, a rake or a tortured soul (though I do like the latter). He is just a sweet, intelligent, serious, honorable and handsome man who loves his family. Cressy, the heroine, is also wonderful, but less "spirited" than other Heyer heroines. As for the historical aspects and references, I have commented on the author's eye for historical detail and accuracy in the other reviews I've written of her work, but I am again impressed with her ability to create Regency England as I'm sure the aforementioned time period had been. She is by far the only Regency romance writer who is almost 100% faithful to the period in not only writing precise details and descriptions but also with the language. I get so tired of reading characters in historical novels that sound more like modern-day, twenty-something-year-old people smacking gum while uttering the latest slang words and phrases. Heyer was an early to mid twentieth century writer, which is probably why her novels sound classic (and they are in fact classics), but I feel that some of today's historical writers should get their clues from this wonder

In Regency England, a younger son/army officer, Kit, travels home upon the feeling that something has happened to his twin brother, the Earl of Denville. He finds his charming and scatterbrained mother worried to death, as Denville has been absent from home for 10 days; this very night, Denville is to go to a family party at the home of his soon-to-be intended wife in order to obtain the consent of her eccentric and sharp-tongued grandmother. The mother, while not wanting Denville to sacrifice himself on the altar of a marriage of convenience, nevertheless is anxious for the marriage, as Denville's trustees will release his fortune to him upon his marriage; this will allow her extravagant debts to be paid. Kit is persuaded to take Denville's place just for this one night in order that Cressy, the lovely and kind young lady in question, is not dealt the unforgiveable insult of Denville's absence from the "engagement" party. Complications and fiascos ensue, supported by a multitude of minor characters.......grooms, former nannys, butlers, valets, elderly suitors......that spring fully to life with witty dialog through Heyer's pen. It is to be expected that Kit (as Denville) and Cressy fall in love; she can't imagine why she likes him so much better now than before! It needs only Denville's return, with his arm in a sling, to further complicate this funny and heartwarming story.

I discovered Georgette Heyer in about 1970 and this is still one of my favorites. The mother of the twins is one of those charming shatterbrains that Heyer characterizes so well, complete with all the wonderfully tangled circumstances into which she has embroiled herself. Kit, the twin who forms the main part of the story, is the underplayed hero - younger son, serious, willing to step in for his missing twin to help save his brother's engagement. Then of course there's the fiance and her dragon of a grandmother. Heyer froth at its best! Winning characters, unexpected situations, and denouments that keep you guessing.

This is Georgette Heyer at her best ! We have a gentleman who is pulled into the most shocking masquerade because of his loving mama. And so he proceeds to woo his brothers finacee, only to find that she prefers him. And he can't 'fess up, because his mothers gambling debts have to be paid with the settlement. The entire mess unfolds, with perfect Heyer elan, witty dialogue, and and excellent cast of characters!It's a pleasure to read about heros who don't think it normal to fight duels, or abduct maidens, and heroines who have a sense of humour. A wonderfully pragmatic couple in the most unusual circumstances. A light hearted romance that leaves you smiling for the rest of the day.