Sprig Muslin

Rating:
Summary: Refreshing
Review: I discovered this late in my Heyer career, having read almost every Regency she had written. What a delightful discovery! I loved Amanda's incredible, outrageous inventiveness, which keeps the story moving and never lets you guess what's coming next.

Evidently some readers find her hard to take, but I love her ability to get herself out of almost any scrape. Very much the opposite of your demure young lady. I like Lady Hester as well, but I agree that chemistry between her and Gareth is somewhat lacking. I've always wished Heyer would have given her just a bit more "star quality." I feel like I've stabbed poor Hester in the back by saying that...but it's not her fault. She's written that way.

My major disappointment with the new edition of Sprig Muslin is the introduction. The new paperback issues (by Harlequin, I think) all have intros written by current bestselling romance writers. Some are fun to read, others a waste of time, especially if you don't know the author. To my dismay, this one was full of spoilers. The writer reveals almost every plot twist, all the way to the end. Luckily I've read the book before, but after reading the intro I felt like I didn't need to. No fun.

So if by some chance you've never read Sprig Muslin, do NOT read the intro unless you want to know the entire story beforehand. And in Sprig Muslin, it's the story that makes the fun.


Rating:
Summary: An OK book
Review: I just read this book 2 days ago, & I must say, it could have been a little better. This book features the impressive, but kind Sir Gareth Ludlow, the beautiful, spirited & wildly imaginative Amanda, & the quiet, docile Lady Hester Theale. The adventure begins, when Sir Gareth, on his way to Brancaster (Lady Hester's house), comes across Amanda, who accounts her tale of woe. Sir Gareth knows it is his duty to restore her to her grandfather, but she refuses to supply either her grandfather's name or her lover's name. So, he is forced to take her to Brancaster, where it is his desire to offer for Lady Hester. Lady Hester, if I may take leave to mention, is entirely lacking in looks. And moreover, she is 29 yrs of age. Almost an old maid. It is not on account of love, that Sir Gareth proposes to her, but in order to satisfy his sister, by producing a heir. What happens after he reaches Brancaster & the adventures which he encounters, are best left to be read. I won't spoil the story by relating all the adventures. Instead, I'll stop here, & allow you to read it by yourself. It's quite a nice book, if you can get over the wild-spirited Amanda, (I personally couldn't stand any more of they fairy tales which she created), & the some-what rushed ending.

Rating:
Summary: Not one of Heyer's best.
Review: I love Georgette Heyer's books. Hers were among the first "grown up" books I read as a junior high school kid 20 years ago, and I can't begin to count the number of times I've reread my favorites. This one disappointed. By the end of the book, I, like Sir Gareth Ludlow's relatives, wondered what he sees in Ms. Theale. The chemistry between the protagonists just isn't there.

Rating:
Summary: One of my Top 4 Heyer Favorites
Review: I love Heyer best in full farcical mode--as she is in this book! It is true Amanda can be a bit annoying, but since she is, after all, just the Means by which Heyer contrived to get her hero and heroine together (since, left to their own devices, they are driftingly gently but inexorably apart), I do not mind her. As a heroine, she would have been tiresome: as a catalyst, she's amusing!

Rating:
Summary: Gentle but charming
Review: I still love to read Georgette Heyers books in between other,more meaty books.I own every one written by her and have had this collection for many years. This story is a particularly light weight but still engaging story about a "spinster" of 29 years,thought to be well on the shelf and destined to be just an unpaid servant to her family. She befriend a beautiful,17 year old,just out of the schoolroom.The characters are beautifully drawn and a delicious love story evolves between the older woman and the handsome Sir Gareth Ludlow.Georgette Heyer conveys wonderful love stories without naked bedroom scenes and tasteless lust.

Rating:
Summary: Gentle but charming
Review: I still love to read Georgette Heyers books in between other,more meaty books.I own every one written by her and have had this collection for many years. This story is a particularly light weight but still engaging story about a "spinster" of 29 years,thought to be well on the shelf and destined to be just an unpaid servant to her family. She befriend a beautiful,17 year old,just out of the schoolroom.The characters are beautifully drawn and a delicious love story evolves between the older woman and the handsome Sir Gareth Ludlow.Georgette Heyer conveys wonderful love stories without naked bedroom scenes and tasteless lust.

Rating:
Summary: A charming, unconventional, mature love story
Review: In Sprig Muslin, Georgette Heyer stands romantic convention on its ear. The true heroine of the piece is NOT the beautiful, tempestuous young ingenue, but instead a shy, quiet "spinster" whose humor and courage gradually emerge as the ingenious plot unfolds. Sprig Muslin was not one of my favorite Heyer novels the first time I read it, but I have come to treasure it more with each reading.

Rating:
Summary: A charming, unconventional, mature love story
Review: In Sprig Muslin, Georgette Heyer stands romantic convention on its ear. The true heroine of the piece is NOT the beautiful, tempestuous young ingenue, but instead a shy, quiet "spinster" whose humor and courage gradually emerge as the ingenious plot unfolds. Sprig Muslin was not one of my favorite Heyer novels the first time I read it, but I have come to treasure it more with each reading.

Rating:
Summary: Heyer again entertains unconventionally
Review: One of the nicest things about Georgette Heyer's Regency and Historical Romances is that they are not in a rut. With some other writers, one story is much like the other. Sprig Muslin has the usual Heyer cast of entertaining characters, but the leads don't fit the usual romantc roles. Perhaps I can relate to Hester Theale, a rather shy female with unexpected depths. Usually, her type is a secondary character to the beautiful, lively heroine, and most of the adventure involves the hero and heroine. Sir Gareth is a handsome, strong, gallant gentleman, so it is not surprising that he becomes entangled with spirited Amanda. But you also come to understand why the thought of dealing daily with such liveliness in marriage is very tiresome and that maybe one's true love shouldn't need constant rescuing. Although, Lady Hester does allow herself to reveal some of her own spirit. Even though I really like this story, I give it four stars because I feel like a little something was left unsaid between the main characters and the ending was a little rushed. But it is certainly another enjoyable, well-written, entertaining work from the author I consider to be best in the genre.

Rating:
Summary: Pure Oldfashioned Delight
Review: Read into the wee hours to finish this book. I laughed my head off. How the others had to be quick to keep up with Amanda's inventive stories. Sir Gareth was a jewel. I think this was the first book by Heyer I've read, but I will look for more. I agree with the reviewer who advised not to read the forward by some other author.