Review: The Grand Sophy

Title: The Grand Sophy
Author: Georgette Heyer
Publishing Date: 1950
Genre: Historical
Rating: B
Sensuality: Kisses
Book Disclosure: Received a free copy at the 2016 RT convention.

Some of Georgette Heyer's regency historical romance novels are being republished by Sourcebooks.  The Grand Sophy is about a young women who comes to stay with her Aunt due to her Father's journey to Brazil.  When she arrives at her Aunt's home she discovers she couldn't have come at a moment too soon.  The household seems to be in great disarray and no task is too small for Sophy to straighten out.  Her oldest cousin Charles, has inherited the estate and seems to manage it with an iron fist.  His management style has everyone in an uproar, especially his sweet sister Cecilia.  To everyone's consternation Cecelia is refusing to marry her fiancé and instead thinks she has fallen for an angelic poet who has no means of providing for her.

I have only read one other Heyer novel, Frederica.  Heyer's writing reminds me of the old fashioned style of writing, similar to Jane Austin's work.  The way the characters speak and act seems very genuine to the time period.  If historical novels with modern heroines annoy you, you won't have to worry about that in Heyer's work!

The Grand Sophy is a fun read.  Sophy is a hoot.  She has a great enthusiasm and zest for life.  She loves involving herself in everyone else's business, but she does it in a way that is fun, instead of meddlesome.  It's especially evidenced when ever she would interact with Charles's prickly fiancé, Eugenia.  Eugenia was also meddlesome, but always in an annoying, mean way. I love how Sophy outsmarts her in the end... so wickedly clever, but without any meanness at all.

There are a ton of characters in this book and sometimes it is hard to keep track of them all.  Sophy is such a clever person that she has her cousin spinning in circles and he almost doesn't know in which direction to turn next.  If you can get past the old-timey writing style, I would recommend this one.  It really is a cute story and very cleverly written.