Completed Review - Book 2: The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars on Goodreads

What follows is an altered version of my Goodreads review.

I have to admit the first quarter of the book tricked me. It was hard to read, hard to get into, and not all that inspiring. It didn't feel like the delightful Georgette Heyer I knew and loved. But once I got to around page 80 or so, things began to pick. Glimmers of the real Heyer came through. And then we were off on a merry adventure I am sad to see close--though, with that ending, I suspect it did not end for the Tremaines.



There was so much good about this novel, and so many good characters. A man masquerading as a woman, a woman masquerading as a man, and both having love interests--and then the father, the old gentleman, the bon papa. All these characters felt so real. I have to admit I have a hard time believing in women fighting men in sword fights or other other physical battles, but I believe in Prue doing so. And I can believe in her brother (Robin) throwing himself into the role of a pretty, flirty miss, especially when he targeted Prue's love interest for his jokes. And I believe in Prue's love interest, Tony, seeing through the disguises and taking matters into his own hands to make sure he "claims" his love at last. As for Letty (Robin's love interest)--for all that I do not really enjoy her character, she is funny and well done too. She stays true to character because of her childish love of romance, whether it involves an elopement or the desire to shoot her abductor, or loving someone who tricked her even though she doesn't know his true name, just what he's done for her. Finally, of note, there is Tremaine, the old gentleman, bon papa--he reminds me so much of a bored Sherlock Holmes (from the new BBC version), a genius and irrepressibly interesting and indeed a great man.

Overall, this novel is full of a great set of characters and adventures and surprises. My only quibble is with the first fourth of the novel. If that were more engaging, this would be a favorite of mine and worth five stars. As it is, as the beginning stands, I can only rate it four and adore--but not love--it.

Genre/Time Period: Georgian
Search Categories: disguised identities, gender switch, brother and sister duo,
Heat Level: sweet
Rating: four stars