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Thursday, August 25, 2011
title: Bath Tangle
author: Georgette Heyer
genre: Regency Romance/Classic
pages: 362
published: 1955
source: sent for review from Sourcebooks
rated: 4 out of 5 stars 
About:
The red-haired, fiery beauty Lady Serena Carlow has just lost her father to pneumonia. Her mother died when she was just twelve years old and she is an only child.
Serena's fifty-something year old father left behind a widow, the young Lady Fanny, who is twenty three years old, which makes her a few years younger than Serena. Milverly house, Serena's home, is left to her male cousin.
To Serena's horror, at the reading of her fathers will, Ivo Barrasford who is the marquis of Rotherham, is named trustee of Serena's wealth.
Rotherham, who is not even a blood relative, is also Serena's ex-beau, whom she broke it off with years ago because he was 'unendurable'. Serena's father however, trusted and liked Rotherham.
Added to all of this, Serena was once in love with a soldier named Hector Kirkby. This was six years ago and Serena's father made her break off the match since Hector was not wealthy.
Serena and the fair and dainty Fanny get along very well and they decide to temporarily move to Bath. Once at Bath, the two ladies make new acquaintances and find some entertainment with this new change of scenery. Serena even runs into her old flame, Major Hector Kirkby and sparks reignite.
My thoughts:
If I had to describe Bath Tangle with just one word, it would be charming.
Oh, what a tangled web Miss Georgette Heyer weaves in this novel.
This book had me laughing from the start with all the goings on within the storyline and sighing at the sweet romance throughout.
The reading of the will was a favorite scene and I laughed out loud at Serena's reaction to her fate. I thought she was going to claw Rotherham's eyes out since he had the nerve to laugh out loud after the Will was read.
"Fanny, don't touch me! I am not safe!"
-(Serena to Fanny)
I liked Rotherham and thought he made a good hero.
He and Serena had great chemistry, and although the two always found one reason or other to argue, I could always see that he still held feelings for her.
Some of the things he would say to Serena had me laughing. He is very much the 'no nonsense' type of guy.
Serena was likeable. She's got a mind of her own, is a self-confessed flirt and is always ready to argue with Rotherham when the opportunity arises.
She was raised as part of the upper class, used to meeting royalty, with mannerisms of someone who is used to having only the best. She also has a bit of a reputation due to her feisty temper and because she broke off her engagement with Rotherham.
Poor Fanny, she was made a widow in her early twenties, with a step-daughter near her same age to boot. She and Serena are more like sisters than anything. Fanny is happy with the simple life.
I liked when Hector Kirkby made his entrance into the story. He makes it known that he has never forgotten Serena and hates Rotherham. I did feel that Hector was too head over heels in love with Serena, and was blind to her faults. I would laugh out loud when Serena would put him in his place, as he had no control over her.
Another funny scene was when he took Serena to meet his mother. Hector is a bit of a flake.
I always enjoy visiting Regency England through Heyer's stories. She describes the time, place and customs so well that I feel as though I am really there.
This was a fun romance and I found myself being unable to put this one down. Heyer made me laugh until the very end.
The author has a knack for putting her characters into place, then letting the story take twists and turns until the final page.
This was also a story about class and social standings. Heyer weaves this aspect of class into the storyline very well.
With Georgette Heyer's signature witty dialogue, sweet romance, interesting characters and a fun storyline, I thoroughly enjoyed Bath Tangle.
This book has also been reviewed by:
Blodeuedd.
I'll close my review with a few favorite tidbits:
"Don't shoot daggerlooks at me! I'm impervious to 'em."
p.13
He had few graces, his manners being blunt to a fault, made as many enemies as friends, and, had he not been endowed with birth, rank, and fortune, would possibly
have been ostracized from polite circles. But these magical attributes were his, and they acted like a talisman upon his world. His Belcher neckties and his unconventional manners might be deplored but must be accepted: he was Rotherham.
p.13
"It is nearly seven years since I first saw her, and from that day those feelings have remained unchanged! She appeared to me then like some heavenly creature descended to earth to make every other woman seem commonplace! Her beauty, her grace, the very music of her voice, I could never forget! They have remained with me, haunted all of my dreams..."
p.127
About the author:
Georgette Heyer (16 August 1902 – 4 July 1974) was an English historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth. In 1925 Heyer married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. The couple spent several years living in Tanganyika and Macedonia before returning to England in 1929. After her novel These Old Shades became popular despite its release during the General Strike, Heyer determined that publicity was not necessary for good sales. For the rest of her life, she refused to grant interviews, telling a friend: "My private life concerns no one but myself and my family."
quoted from wiki
