The Convenient Marriage [Paperback]

Georgette Heyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2009

"A writer of great wit and style... I've read her books to ragged shreds."
Kate Fenton, Daily Telegraph

Horatia Winwood is simply helping her family
When the Earl of Rule proposes marriage to her sister Lizzie, Horatia offers herself instead. Her sister is already in love with someone else, and Horatia is willing to sacrifice herself for her family's happiness. Everyone knows she's no beauty, but she'll do her best to keep out of the Earl's way and make him a good wife. And then the Earl's archenemy, Sir Robert, sets out to ruin her reputation...

The Earl of Rule has found just the wife he wants
Unbeknownst to Horatia, the Earl is enchanted by her. There's simply no way he's going to let her get into trouble. Overcoming some misguided help from Horatia's harebrained brother and a hired highwayman, the Earl routs his old enemy, and wins over his young wife, gifting her with a love that she never thought she could expect.

"Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

WHAT READERS SAY:
"I couldn't put it down, and I couldn't stop laughing!"

"The story is brilliant, and the characters are easy to fall in love with."

"I've read every novel by Georgette Heyer... this is definitely one of her best... very original and funny."

"One of Georgette Heyer's more intriguing tales."

"Horry is an adorable imp while Rule in the best 'Heyerian' tradition is a rogue turned lovely and you don't know whether to hit him or kiss him! This is a wonderful book and is one that will be read over and over again."

(20090501)

Editorial Reviews

Review

[T]horoughly enjoyable... I would read this book over 90% of the romances being published today. (Vic Sandborn Jane Austen's World 20090522)

A Convenient Marriage is an amusing romp through Regency England and sure to win your heart. (Keira Gillet Love Romance Passion 20090526)

A CONVENIENT MARRIAGE was just a wonderful book. I thought the storyline in this novel was extremely creative. (Julie Peterson Booking Mama 20090526)

I also just love the way Heyer writes. She takes us straight back to Regency England and I can feel it in the prose as well as in the historical details. (Meghan Kawka Medieval Bookworm 20090526)

The story is funny and the characters are easy to love. (Carrie Zimmerman The Book Girl 20090526)

The atmosphere of The Convenient Marriage--much like Heyer's other novels--is so rich, so detailed, so luxuriously drawn. (Rebecca Laney Becky's Book Reviews 20090529)

I was immediately taken with the premise of this story, and I liked the way that Heyer jumped right into the action. (Nicole Bonia LInus' Blanket 20090601)

[T]his book is the epitome of a comically charming period romance. (Marie Burton The Burton Review 20090601)

This is one of those books that you read and think to yourself 'Now why aren't men really like that?' Of course there is no shortage of Heyer's wit and charm. (Shawn Remfry Maymay's Memos 20090622)

If you are a fan of Jane Austen type romances - and haven't yet tried Georgette Heyer - pick this one up soon. (Kristi Herbrand Books and Needlepoint 20090629)

The Convenient Marriage is certainly a fun and entertaining read that allows fans of Regency books to get a glimpse of what life was like prior to the Regency era. (Wendi Barker Wendi's Book Corner 20090629)

What a fun, light, and sweet read this was. (Naida Milenkovic The Bookworm 07 )

a fantastic little historical fiction romp through England... (Heather Fargis A Hidden Place )

For those who are sorely disappointed that Jane Austen's novels stop at 6, Georgette Heyer's Regency stories will happily salve the hurt. (Sarah Dollacker Red Room Library )

About the Author

The late Georgette Heyer was a very private woman. Her historical novels have charmed and delighted millions of readers for decades, though she rarely reached out to the public to discuss her works or private life. It is known that she was born in Wimbledon in August 1902, and her first novel, The Black Moth, was published in 1921.

Heyer published 56 books over the next 53 years, until her death from lung cancer in 1974. Heyer's large volume of works included Regency romances, mysteries and historical fiction. Known also as the Queen of Regency romance, Heyer was legendary for her research, historical accuracy and her extraordinary plots and characterizations. Her last book, My Lord John, was published posthumously in 1975. She was married to George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer, and they had one son together, Richard.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402217722
• ISBN-13: 978-1402217722
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #117,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author of over fifty books, Georgette Heyer is the best-known and best-loved of all historical novelists, making the Regency period her own. Her first novel, "The Black Moth," published in 1921, was written at the age of fifteen to amuse her convalescent brother; her last was My Lord John. Although most famous for her historical novels, she also wrote eleven detective stories. Georgette Heyer died in 1974 at the age of seventy-one.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars H-h-humour, H-H-Heyer, and h-h-high spirits, April 4, 2000

By 

Daniel - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Convenient Marriage (Mass Market Paperback)

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.

67 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Georgian Romp with great secondary characters, January 28, 2001

By 

A. Woodley "Patroness, Janeites, the Austen list" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Convenient Marriage (Mass Market Paperback)

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.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Georgette Heyer: an amazing discovery!, November 13, 2005

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Convenient Marriage (Paperback)

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.