About this deal
The reason I wasn't turned off by him was that Heyer would show us glimpses of his warm, loyal and loving side from time to time, and we were given to understand that he was just a man who had a lot of difficulties to bear, and who needed the right woman beside him to help him through them. Eugenia is so upset following Sophy’s outrageous behaviour - driving her down St James’ in her new high perch Phaeton - that she retreats to her sister’s house to recover her equilibrium. You should be grateful to me - or at any rate, Miss Wraxton should, for I am sure you would have made an odious husband before I came to stay with your Mama.
This novel was entirely character driven with the charismatic, irrepressible, and fearless Sophia "Grand Sophy" Stanton-Lacy at the epicenter. Sophy is a devious, meddlesome schemer, who manages to win our hearts, and the hero's, without ever submersing her personality.
Historical details are accurately drawn, including details describing clothes, rooms and their furnishings, modes of transport, mannerisms and social etiquette.
And when Heyer pulls all the main characters together at the end for one of those absurd farcical scenes she does so well, it was comedy heaven.
Sophy is, admittedly, forward, bold, and out-spoken enough that she could have become as irritating to me as Leonie is; but I think Heyer handled Sophy with far more skill than she did Leonie - no great surprise, perhaps, since there's a gap of about three decades between the two books - and she's instead a very joyful character, and great fun to read about. My previous review still stands - I'll just add that I have a far better opinion of Charles this time.