The Convenient Marriage

I heard wonderful things about Georgette Heyer and decided to give one of her novels a whirl. I heard Heyer wrote mostly Regency romances, so I was surprised to see that this one is actually a Georgian romance. I am not a big fan of the Georgian period because I don't like the elaborate clothing and I have a difficult time picturing men wearing powdered wigs, tights and corsets, but The Convenient Marriage is one of the most endearing and most hilarious period pieces I have ever read! Heyer had me in stitches during some scenes. The Earl of Rule feels it is time to get married and asks for society darling Lizzie Winwood's hand in marriage. Lizzie isn't interested in Lord Rule. She does want to marry a wealthy man, but she also wants to be in love with whoever she decides to marry. So her sister Horatia (Horry) takes her place. Horry isn't your typical heroine. She has a very bad stutter, is plain in appearance and has a rather particular sense of humor. Will those qualities endear her to Lord Rule or will he run a mile? There are many hilarious twists throughout the novel. I have never laughed so much reading a period novel. Since most authors have to keep with the times, attempts at humor in historicals aren't as funny as contemporary efforts. This isn't the case here. There are so many funny moments that I still smile when I think of them. Horry is such a wonderful heroine. Her sense of humor is compelling and she is remarkable in spite of her plainness. It is always refreshing to read about a plain heroine instead of a drop-dead gorgeous one. Her stuttering was difficult to follow at times and became annoying after a while though. Lord Rule is also great. I fell in love with him. He's my idea of the perfect man. Crosby Drelincourt is an awesome character as well. He made me laugh during various scenes. The language of the novel is quite interesting. Even though it is set during the 1770s, the novel reads more like a Regency romance instead of a Georgian one, something I found odd. I wouldn't say the historical references aren't accurate, more like she made the period sound a little too festive, not unlike Regency England. All in all, this is a wonderful historical romp and I am glad I gave this wonderful author a whirl. I heard Georgette Heyer was an author during the 1930s and was born around the turn of the twentieth century. I had no idea about this until I read her bio. So, I suppose her novels are probably considered classics then. I shall give all of her books a whirl.

If you have skipped Georgette Heyer because you find her hard reading, I beg you to read "Convenient Marriage". This is a fun book in every sense of the word; a romp in Regency era (I'm sorry, I stand corrected, it's Georgian). There is not alot of major plot twists or deep character analysis, but plenty of just plain fun that is really very, very funny. There is the signature Heyer's extreme meticulousness of detail, down to the exact fashion of the year, and there is also her signature dialogue, and humor. But what I loved most of all was the love story between Hory and Lord Rule. It is hard to do seventeen and thirty-two - there is such a disparacy of age, seventeen is really SO young - and most authors who do have this age gap in their protaganists usually simply gloss over it. In the "Convenient Marriage", the age gap is one of the underlying problems which keep husband and wife apart - in a "Convenient Marriage", and it is with great skill, tact and humor that Ms. Heyer brings them together, at last. Everything is done exactly right - Hory (Horatia) acts within character, Lord Rule acts within character - at least the way I think it is realistic, I have never actually seen that kind of marriage up close. Some reviewers didn't like Horry - give it a break! She's only seventeen! And very spirited for seventeen, too. But the highlight of the book for me was definitely Lord Rule. He did and said everything just so perfectly, he treats Horry - who is leading him for a merry dance, but is also young enough to be his daughter - exactly the way a hero should! He deals with her gently, but deal with her he does. Although it may seem at times that Horry is coming across the winner in their battle of wits, Lord Rule is always a few steps ahead of her, but, oh, so gently, so cleverly, does he outsmart her! I could not have imagined their interactions any better, at all. Simply, simply perfect. For all those who complain about all those alpha males in other novels - here is your hero! He is about as un-alpha-male as you can get, yet he does not sacrifice his masculinity in the least! Just for the character of Lord Rule alone it is worth rating this book ten stars! If you are a romance reader, and have not yet read Georgette Heyer, read this book, you will NOT regret it!

I have read and re-read all of my Georgette Heyers every few years since 1973,and shall probably continue to do so for the next 30 or more years.Her dry,acerbic heroes,spirited heroines, and the not-too-bright characters who confuse everything and hence contribute to the plots,all add up to a great read.I have a long list of Heyer favourites,but the Convenient Marriage tops the list.The Earl of Rule is a perfect hero,Horry isn't such a perfect heroine but very likeable all the same,but the stars of the book would have to be Horry's brother Pelham, and his singularly inept friend Sir Roland Pommeroy,who gamely try,and fail,to rescue Horry from her various scrapes.Highlights for me are the drunken scene in Half-Moon Street and subsequent confusion at Lord Lethbridge's house;also when Pelham,Sir Roland,and Captain Heron take to the high toby,particularly when Sir Roland attempts to buy a horse from a very irate victim;and when Sir Roland invites Rule to a card party.This last is worth a quote:-(Sir Roland has gone to Rule's house in a desperate bid to keep him away from a party in Vauxhall Gardens,using a card party,for which he needs a fourth player,as his excuse)'Now don't say you cannot come!Can't play whisk with only three people,my lord.Most awkward situation!''I am sure it must be,'agreed his lordship sympathetically.'And I expect you have tried everyone else.''Oh everyone!'said Sir Roland."Can't find a fourth at all.Do beg of your lordship not to fail me!'.....The Earl appeared to meditate.'I am of course very fond of whisk.'Sir Roland breathed a sigh of relief.'Knew I could count on you!Beg you will dine first-five o'clock.''Who are your other guests?'inquired his lordship.'Well,to tell you the truth-not quite sure yet,'said Sir Roland confidentially.'Bound to find someone glad of a game.Have it all fixed by five o'clock.'

Before Georgette Heyer found the Regency period she wrote Georgians - and this is one of them. The Conveninent Marriage is set in the last couple of decades of the eighteenth century - when coach roads were still muddy morasses, highwaymen lurked on the outskirts of London, and men and women were corseted, laced, fringed, feathered, bewigged, powdered and patched to within in inch of their lives. The book starts right into the thick of things - The Earl of Rule is looking for a wife and it looks as though he will offer for society beauty, Lizzie Winwood. Lizzie is not enamoured of this idea - she wants to marry some worthy suitor whom she actually loves. Luckily it is her practical, straight talking younger sister, Horatia (better known as Horry) who steps into the fray instead. The interview in which Horry presents the revised plan to the Earl of Rule is hysterical. Horry is still rather young, and the Earl (who I instantly fell in love with) finds that he needs to rouse himself out of his usual langour to save her from herself. In the midst of all this there is a fiendish plot afoot to break up the marriage, Horry's well-meaning brother Pelham attempting to help Horry, a spare highwayman or two and some good old fashioned romping. The characters are generally so likeable and fun. The only problem I had is that Horry has a stutter - and they just don't make good reading (I think). A fun, quick read.

and a stammering heroine! As always, Heyer's dialogue is spot on, her characterisation warm and powerful, and her characters very strongly drawn. The Convenient Marriage is considered in some circles to be one of the finest ever examples of a romance that portrays a flawed and unorthodox heroine, with its portrayal of the stammering, plain Horatia, and her marriage of convenience to the extremely handsome Earl of Rule, thus releasing her sister from any obligation to marry Rule. How Rule discovers the truth of his heart, and that he loves his funny, extravagant little wife, makes for moving reading, whilst Heyer gives us abundant humour in her portrayal of the mincing, petulant dandiprat Crosby Drelincourt; and in the escapades of Horatia. It is all the greatest of great good fun, and one of Heyer's most easily accessible books - its readability, exuberance and humour make it an excellent book for a potential introduction to the world of Georgette Heyer. However, this book is NOT a Regency Romance, but a Georgian Romance, and if you don't think it's as historically accurate as she usually is, consider that it is set in 1770 - about 50 years earlier than usual! It's still a lot of fun.