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Snowdrift and Other Stories
Previously titled Pistols for Two, this edition includes three recently discovered short stories. A treat for all fans of Georgette Heyer, and for those who love stories full of romance and intrigue.
Affairs of honour between bucks and blades, rakes and rascals; affairs of the heart between heirs and orphans, beauties and bachelors; romance, intrigue, escapades and duels at dawn. All the gallantry, villainy and elegance of the age that Georgette Heyer has so triumphantly made her own are exquisitely revived in these wonderfully romantic stories of the Regency period.
Contents:
Snowdrift
Full Moon
Pistols for Two
A Clandestine Affair
Bath Miss
A Husband for Fanny
To Have the Honour
Night at the Inn
The Duel
Hazard
Pursuit
Runaway Match
Incident on the Bath Road
Affairs of honour between bucks and blades, rakes and rascals; affairs of the heart between heirs and orphans, beauties and bachelors; romance, intrigue, escapades and duels at dawn. All the gallantry, villainy and elegance of the age that Georgette Heyer has so triumphantly made her own are exquisitely revived in these wonderfully romantic stories of the Regency period.
Contents:
Snowdrift
Full Moon
Pistols for Two
A Clandestine Affair
Bath Miss
A Husband for Fanny
To Have the Honour
Night at the Inn
The Duel
Hazard
Pursuit
Runaway Match
Incident on the Bath Road
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1960
About the author
Georgette Heyer
261 books5,090 followersGeorgette Heyer was a prolific 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 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
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July 5, 2019
This is one for the old-fashioned romance fans, where handsome dukes, love at first sight, and ladies subsiding meekly into strong, manly embraces are a plus. :) Snowdrift and Other Stories is a lighthearted and sweet anthology of fourteen Georgette Heyer short stories for fans of traditional Regency romances, including three newer stories that haven't been published in many years.
There are grey-eyed heroes and heroines galore ... seriously, what was GH's thing with grey eyes? I started highlighting them in my Kindle and wound up with like eight different grey-eyed characters, and also one gray-eyed one, just for a change of pace. Also there's a little cross-dressing, some amateur boxing, a trip or three to Gretna Green, Scotland (the Las Vegas of the Regency era) for hasty marriages, second chance love (yay!), some misunderstandings (boo!), rampant instalove and even insta-engagements (if you abhor instalove, this collection will NOT be your cuppa tea), and all of the other Regency tropes.
The fourteen stories:
"Snowdrift" - The passengers in a post coach heading to Bath include a young woman and a "thickset young man with small eyes" (so, obviously the villain of this tale) who are spatting with each other. They're stranded when the coach crashes into a deep drift of snow. The pair are in a race to reach Bath first, but why? The young man takes off on one of the horses, leaving the woman in tears. Luckily a gentleman in a curricle happens by and is willing to take Miss Trent and her maid along with him, but what awaits everyone in Bath? ... besides instalove, I mean. It's actually quite funny. One of the better stories in this collection.
"Full Moon" - Lord Stavely meets a rather drunk young gentleman at an inn, who confides in Stavely that he's rather reluctantly planning to elope with his childhood friend Annabella, so she won't have to marry some "old fogy" that her father has picked out, sight unseen. You can kind of tell where it's going from there, but Lord Stavely's plan runs into an unexpected hiccup or two.
"Pistols for Two" - Tom and Jack, lifelong friends, become rivals when Miss Marianne Treen comes back into town, unexpectedly grown up into a dazzling beauty. Tempers flare over a slight, and a challenge to a duel results. Can their friends and a suave gentleman from London dissuade them? A tale that's more funny and poignant than romantic.
"A Clandestine Affair" - Elinor Tersilian, who's about thirty years of age and thus "on the shelf," is the guardian for her lovely young niece Lucy. Lucy wants to marry one Mr. Rosely, but it develops that there's a problem: Mr. Rosely's trustee won't give his permission for the marriage ... primarily because he and Elinor have some kind of mysterious but bitter History between them. Lucy is not planning to give up so easily, though, and a mad chase to Gretna Green results.
"Bath Miss" - Sir Charles Wainfleet, newly and rather reluctantly engaged, is prevailed upon to escort a young schoolgirl from Bath to her grandfather's house. But the schoolgirl turns out to be not quite a young as he was given to understand, and somehow gets herself (and Sir Charles) into one problem after another.
"Pink Domino" - Miss Wrexham has a lovely new rose-pink domino (hooded cloak for a masquerade) and plans to wear it at the rather scandalous Vauxhall, if only she can evade her domineering older brother Giles. Giles Wrexham has been in a particularly uncertain temper ever since he met a lovely sweet-faced girl on Bond Street, but he has no idea what her name is or how to find her again.
"A Husband for Fanny" - Honoria Wingham, a young widow, is busily engaged in trying to find the best and wealthiest husband possible for her daughter Fanny, during Fanny's first London season. Mrs. Wingham has her eye on the Marquis of Harleston for Fanny, even though her friend Lady Pednor assures her that it's a hopeless cause. I saw the twist coming here, but it was still a very sweet story. And no instalove, which is cause for rejoicing in this collection of stories. :)
"To Have the Honour" - Young Lord Allerton has returned home from the war upon inheriting his father's estate, but it's in very sad financial estate. Everyone in his family expects him to solve the problem by marrying his cousin Hetty, who is an heiress. But Lord Allerton doesn't want Hetty to marry him out of some feeling of obligation, so he lets her off the hook. This story features some amusing scheming behind the scenes by interfering relatives.
"Night at the Inn" - For a change of pace, we have a mystery/suspense story here, with just a slight tinge of romance. There's something suspicious going on in the gloomy inn, and an ominous-looking man who has been watching young Mr. Cranbrook all evening.
"The Duel" - In this second duel-based story, a young woman sneaks into a gentleman's house. It's not the house she was looking for, but she ends up telling the gentleman her sad tale of a drunken brother who unwisely insulted one Lord Rotherfield and ended up getting challenged to a duel, which her brother will surely lose. Perhaps the gentleman might be able to do something about this? Another twist that was easy to spot, but it was still a charming story.
"Hazard" - Miss Helen Moreland has the misfortune of being under the guardianship of her half-brother Sir Ralph, an unworthy gentleman whose latest misdeed is to gamble Helen away in a high stakes card game. Carlington, a Marquis, is the lucky/unlucky winner of Helen ... but what will he do with her?
"Pursuit" - The Earl of Shane is out of sorts: his rich young ward Lucilla, who he intended to marry because it it was the wish of both their fathers ('How elevating it is to encounter such filial piety in these days!' observes Miss Fairfax soulfully), has taken off for Gretna Green with a soldier. So the Earl grabs Lucilla's governess, one Miss Mary Fairfax (age 29), and commands her to accompany him in his curricle as they take off to hunt down the runaway couple. Some interesting discussions between the Earl and Miss Fairfax ensue. The plot thickens when the Earl and Miss Fairfax are in turn chased down by his aunt and her son, the Earl's cousin and heir, bent on preventing what they think is the Earl's hasty marriage to Miss Fairfax. Another of my favorites.
"Runaway Match" - Yet another runaway pair heads to Gretna Green, young Mr. Rupert Morley and Miss Paradise, a young lady with a taste for drama. At an inn along the way they meet up with Sir Roland, the man Miss Paradise's father wants her to marry. Misunderstandings, adventure, and a rather one-sided swordfight. Miss Paradise made me roll my eyes a little, but otherwise I really enjoyed this one.
"Incident on the Bath Road" - The handsome, wealthy and bored Earl of Reveley is on his way to Bath when he picks up a young (and suspiciously womanish-looking) gentleman whose chaise carriage had broken down, who tells the Earl a long and fanciful tale about planning to rescue a lovely young woman who is being forced into marriage by her heartless relatives. But the relative is hot on the trail...
These stories are delightful and humorous confections. Perhaps they're not great literature for the ages, but the light historic romance fans will enjoy these. Heyer has some great witty dialogue and it was all good, fluffy fun.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher and NetGalley for review.
There are grey-eyed heroes and heroines galore ... seriously, what was GH's thing with grey eyes? I started highlighting them in my Kindle and wound up with like eight different grey-eyed characters, and also one gray-eyed one, just for a change of pace. Also there's a little cross-dressing, some amateur boxing, a trip or three to Gretna Green, Scotland (the Las Vegas of the Regency era) for hasty marriages, second chance love (yay!), some misunderstandings (boo!), rampant instalove and even insta-engagements (if you abhor instalove, this collection will NOT be your cuppa tea), and all of the other Regency tropes.
The fourteen stories:
"Snowdrift" - The passengers in a post coach heading to Bath include a young woman and a "thickset young man with small eyes" (so, obviously the villain of this tale) who are spatting with each other. They're stranded when the coach crashes into a deep drift of snow. The pair are in a race to reach Bath first, but why? The young man takes off on one of the horses, leaving the woman in tears. Luckily a gentleman in a curricle happens by and is willing to take Miss Trent and her maid along with him, but what awaits everyone in Bath? ... besides instalove, I mean. It's actually quite funny. One of the better stories in this collection.
"Full Moon" - Lord Stavely meets a rather drunk young gentleman at an inn, who confides in Stavely that he's rather reluctantly planning to elope with his childhood friend Annabella, so she won't have to marry some "old fogy" that her father has picked out, sight unseen. You can kind of tell where it's going from there, but Lord Stavely's plan runs into an unexpected hiccup or two.
"Pistols for Two" - Tom and Jack, lifelong friends, become rivals when Miss Marianne Treen comes back into town, unexpectedly grown up into a dazzling beauty. Tempers flare over a slight, and a challenge to a duel results. Can their friends and a suave gentleman from London dissuade them? A tale that's more funny and poignant than romantic.
"A Clandestine Affair" - Elinor Tersilian, who's about thirty years of age and thus "on the shelf," is the guardian for her lovely young niece Lucy. Lucy wants to marry one Mr. Rosely, but it develops that there's a problem: Mr. Rosely's trustee won't give his permission for the marriage ... primarily because he and Elinor have some kind of mysterious but bitter History between them. Lucy is not planning to give up so easily, though, and a mad chase to Gretna Green results.
"Bath Miss" - Sir Charles Wainfleet, newly and rather reluctantly engaged, is prevailed upon to escort a young schoolgirl from Bath to her grandfather's house. But the schoolgirl turns out to be not quite a young as he was given to understand, and somehow gets herself (and Sir Charles) into one problem after another.
"Pink Domino" - Miss Wrexham has a lovely new rose-pink domino (hooded cloak for a masquerade) and plans to wear it at the rather scandalous Vauxhall, if only she can evade her domineering older brother Giles. Giles Wrexham has been in a particularly uncertain temper ever since he met a lovely sweet-faced girl on Bond Street, but he has no idea what her name is or how to find her again.
"A Husband for Fanny" - Honoria Wingham, a young widow, is busily engaged in trying to find the best and wealthiest husband possible for her daughter Fanny, during Fanny's first London season. Mrs. Wingham has her eye on the Marquis of Harleston for Fanny, even though her friend Lady Pednor assures her that it's a hopeless cause. I saw the twist coming here, but it was still a very sweet story. And no instalove, which is cause for rejoicing in this collection of stories. :)
"To Have the Honour" - Young Lord Allerton has returned home from the war upon inheriting his father's estate, but it's in very sad financial estate. Everyone in his family expects him to solve the problem by marrying his cousin Hetty, who is an heiress. But Lord Allerton doesn't want Hetty to marry him out of some feeling of obligation, so he lets her off the hook. This story features some amusing scheming behind the scenes by interfering relatives.
"Night at the Inn" - For a change of pace, we have a mystery/suspense story here, with just a slight tinge of romance. There's something suspicious going on in the gloomy inn, and an ominous-looking man who has been watching young Mr. Cranbrook all evening.
"The Duel" - In this second duel-based story, a young woman sneaks into a gentleman's house. It's not the house she was looking for, but she ends up telling the gentleman her sad tale of a drunken brother who unwisely insulted one Lord Rotherfield and ended up getting challenged to a duel, which her brother will surely lose. Perhaps the gentleman might be able to do something about this? Another twist that was easy to spot, but it was still a charming story.
"Hazard" - Miss Helen Moreland has the misfortune of being under the guardianship of her half-brother Sir Ralph, an unworthy gentleman whose latest misdeed is to gamble Helen away in a high stakes card game. Carlington, a Marquis, is the lucky/unlucky winner of Helen ... but what will he do with her?
"Pursuit" - The Earl of Shane is out of sorts: his rich young ward Lucilla, who he intended to marry because it it was the wish of both their fathers ('How elevating it is to encounter such filial piety in these days!' observes Miss Fairfax soulfully), has taken off for Gretna Green with a soldier. So the Earl grabs Lucilla's governess, one Miss Mary Fairfax (age 29), and commands her to accompany him in his curricle as they take off to hunt down the runaway couple. Some interesting discussions between the Earl and Miss Fairfax ensue. The plot thickens when the Earl and Miss Fairfax are in turn chased down by his aunt and her son, the Earl's cousin and heir, bent on preventing what they think is the Earl's hasty marriage to Miss Fairfax. Another of my favorites.
"Runaway Match" - Yet another runaway pair heads to Gretna Green, young Mr. Rupert Morley and Miss Paradise, a young lady with a taste for drama. At an inn along the way they meet up with Sir Roland, the man Miss Paradise's father wants her to marry. Misunderstandings, adventure, and a rather one-sided swordfight. Miss Paradise made me roll my eyes a little, but otherwise I really enjoyed this one.
"Incident on the Bath Road" - The handsome, wealthy and bored Earl of Reveley is on his way to Bath when he picks up a young (and suspiciously womanish-looking) gentleman whose chaise carriage had broken down, who tells the Earl a long and fanciful tale about planning to rescue a lovely young woman who is being forced into marriage by her heartless relatives. But the relative is hot on the trail...
These stories are delightful and humorous confections. Perhaps they're not great literature for the ages, but the light historic romance fans will enjoy these. Heyer has some great witty dialogue and it was all good, fluffy fun.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher and NetGalley for review.
Read
October 3, 2017My copy of Pistols for Two was bought used back in the mid-seventies, and disintegrated after I read and reread it while suffering the throes of morning sickness back in 1981. I reread it so many times that when the yellowed paperback fell entirely to pieces, I didn't replace it, thus I hadn't reread the stories in over thirty years.
So when this new edition, with three added stories, turned up on NetGalley, I grabbed it. And I could immediately see why I reread it so much while so sick: the stories go down easily, pleasantly, and lightly. None of them are memorable in either plot or prose, but Heyer's delightful wit sparkles in the dialogue as her well-born heroes and heroines go about the business of falling instantly in love. There is one that is not very romantic, but more of a mystery, and there are several that functioned as templates for later novels.
Pretty much all the stories involve travel, most have to do with runaways. In these stories set in Heyer's Regency, the earls and dukes and marquises are always handsome and athletic, expert shots, whips, and fencers, and the heroines sweet, innocent, and teenaged, with big, trusting, sparkling, or fulminating eyes.
You know what you are getting with these stories, and Heyer always delivers. Just the ticket for the bedside table when one needs a pleasant and untaxing read.
Copy provided by NetGalley
So when this new edition, with three added stories, turned up on NetGalley, I grabbed it. And I could immediately see why I reread it so much while so sick: the stories go down easily, pleasantly, and lightly. None of them are memorable in either plot or prose, but Heyer's delightful wit sparkles in the dialogue as her well-born heroes and heroines go about the business of falling instantly in love. There is one that is not very romantic, but more of a mystery, and there are several that functioned as templates for later novels.
Pretty much all the stories involve travel, most have to do with runaways. In these stories set in Heyer's Regency, the earls and dukes and marquises are always handsome and athletic, expert shots, whips, and fencers, and the heroines sweet, innocent, and teenaged, with big, trusting, sparkling, or fulminating eyes.
You know what you are getting with these stories, and Heyer always delivers. Just the ticket for the bedside table when one needs a pleasant and untaxing read.
Copy provided by NetGalley
March 21, 2019
Loved these cute romance stories> Each one of them had a surprise in it. It's just a lighthearted, fun read to uplift your mood :)
Heyer's regency romances and her writing is a delight to read.
Heyer's regency romances and her writing is a delight to read.
September 2, 2023
2023 Review
While some of these play heavily on the usual Heyer tropes, there are maybe three or four that I wish had gotten their own novel.
2021 Review
This is effectively Pistols For Two plus 3 new short stories from Georgette Heyer.
Many of these would make lovely full-length novels. I'm intrigued by A Husband for Fanny, which provides older (and slightly more interesting!) characters unusual for a Heyer novel. Bath Miss also re-won my heart in a way I did not expect; I want a sequel! A Clandestine Affair wins my heart (though to a lesser extent) with possibility. The Duel is charming.
But then there is Snowdrift which feels a lot like other full-length Heyer novels (The Corinthian, Charity Girl, Sprig Muslin). Others contain loads of insta-love. Lot of young heroines. Hazard wasn't quite as romantic as I remembered.
And then the three new ones which fall somewhere in the middle.
This isn't Heyer at her best. But it isn't her at her worst. I'll return to them, but certainly not with the regularity I return to her full-length novels. But several do inspire my creativity and fill me with a deep desire for more!
So, perhaps, that's my final assessment. These are tastes of greater stories. They aren't necessarily satisfying on their own. But they hint at the genius who is Heyer.
While some of these play heavily on the usual Heyer tropes, there are maybe three or four that I wish had gotten their own novel.
2021 Review
This is effectively Pistols For Two plus 3 new short stories from Georgette Heyer.
Many of these would make lovely full-length novels. I'm intrigued by A Husband for Fanny, which provides older (and slightly more interesting!) characters unusual for a Heyer novel. Bath Miss also re-won my heart in a way I did not expect; I want a sequel! A Clandestine Affair wins my heart (though to a lesser extent) with possibility. The Duel is charming.
But then there is Snowdrift which feels a lot like other full-length Heyer novels (The Corinthian, Charity Girl, Sprig Muslin). Others contain loads of insta-love. Lot of young heroines. Hazard wasn't quite as romantic as I remembered.
And then the three new ones which fall somewhere in the middle.
This isn't Heyer at her best. But it isn't her at her worst. I'll return to them, but certainly not with the regularity I return to her full-length novels. But several do inspire my creativity and fill me with a deep desire for more!
So, perhaps, that's my final assessment. These are tastes of greater stories. They aren't necessarily satisfying on their own. But they hint at the genius who is Heyer.
October 1, 2017
This was a wonderful collection of short stories from one of my all-time favorite authors! Previously published as Pistols For Two, this anthology contains three "new" stories that were recently re-discovered.
There is a little bit for everyone in there: second chances, friends meeting at dawn over a woman both love, insta-love (even a very spontaneous engagement after all of half a day), a little gothic horror, and overall plenty of good fun and romance. Some of these stories I personally found much too short to enjoy, but the collection showcases Heyer's immense talent as a writer, and it was fun to read.
My favorite stories: A Clandestine Affair (two young people run off, his cousin and her aunt (who used to be engaged) race after them to stop them from going all the way to Gretna), Full Moon (man overhears that he is apparently going to a friend's house to marry the daughter of the house), and To Have the Honor (oldest son comes back from the war to learn that his father left him massive debts and expected his son to marry his rich cousin).
*I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
There is a little bit for everyone in there: second chances, friends meeting at dawn over a woman both love, insta-love (even a very spontaneous engagement after all of half a day), a little gothic horror, and overall plenty of good fun and romance. Some of these stories I personally found much too short to enjoy, but the collection showcases Heyer's immense talent as a writer, and it was fun to read.
My favorite stories: A Clandestine Affair (two young people run off, his cousin and her aunt (who used to be engaged) race after them to stop them from going all the way to Gretna), Full Moon (man overhears that he is apparently going to a friend's house to marry the daughter of the house), and To Have the Honor (oldest son comes back from the war to learn that his father left him massive debts and expected his son to marry his rich cousin).
*I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
November 17, 2017
If you’re already a fan of the great Georgette Heyer – the author who pretty much invented the Regency Romance single-handedly – then it won’t take much persuasion from me to send you in the direction of this newly re-issued collection of the author’s short stories, most of them written for and published in prestigious women’s magazines of the 1930s. There are fourteen in this collection, of which eleven were previously published in the anthology Pistols for Two; Snowdrift features those plus three that have been newly discovered by the author’s biographer, Jennifer Kloester. Is it worth obtaining this new collection to read those new stories? On balance, I’d say that yes, it is, especially as one of the new stories (Pursuit) turned out to be one of my favourites of the set.
I don’t plan on reviewing each individual story here, as that would take more space than I have, so instead I’ll cherry pick as, like most anthologies, there are some excellent stories and some not quite so good ones. Each one features character types and plot elements that will be familiar to regular readers of historical romance; cross-dressing heroines, elopements, mistaken identity, dashing military men, second-chance romance, duels, high-stakes card games, regency-slang and, best of all, those handsome, authoritative heroes and their intelligent, witty heroines. Fans of the author’s will no doubt recognise the seeds of some of the plots and characters who later appear in some of her full-length novels here, too. I���ll also add a couple of words of caution. While very enjoyable, this is an anthology best dipped in and out of rather than read all at once; and these are short stories, so some of the romances are fairly perfunctory and in many cases, rely on insta-love. I’m not a fan, but in this case, it’s mostly forgivable due to the short length and the fact that the stories are beautifully written and enjoyable for so many other things besides the romances, so full are they of Heyer’s trademark laser-sharp social observation, sparkling dialogue and clever characterisations.
And so to the cherry picking. Pistols for Two is a rather unusual story in that it turns a frequently used trope on its head. Two lifelong friends discover that they are in love with the same young woman – another childhood friend who has grown into a beauty – and through misunderstanding and mischance, end up facing each other on the field of honour. Told through both their points of view, the young lady in question is a peripheral character and the author does a terrific job of describing the prickly, adolescent pride of the two young gents.
In A Clandestine Affair, we have an older hero and heroine who clearly share some sort of romantic history. Elinor Tresilian’s niece, Lucy, wants badly to marry the man she loves, Mr. Arthur Roseby, who happens to be the cousin of Lord Iver – who is vehemently opposed to the match. As it happens, Miss Tresilian is not overly in favour either, but headstrong Lucy is determined to have her way. When the couple elopes, Elinor and Lord Iver set off in pursuit, bickering and sniping along the Great North Road until… they aren’t.
A Husband for Fanny sees the young widow, Honoria Wingham, shepherding her lovely daughter, Fanny through the Season and hoping to secure the best and wealthiest husband for her. The Marquis of Harleston is certainly most attentive and would be an excellent match… so why does Honoria feel just the tiniest pang of jealousy when she sees how well the marquis and her daughter get along? You can see the twist in this one coming a mile off, but it’s an engaging story nonetheless.
To Have the Honour. Newly returned from war, young Lord Allerton discovers he has inherited a mountain of debt along with his title. His mother, however, is still spending money at the old rate, because Allerton has all but been betrothed to his cousin Hetty since the cradle; as she is a great heiress, once they are married their money woes will be over. But Allerton dislikes the idea of marrying for money and tells Hetty that he will not hold her to the arrangement between their families and she is free to choose for herself. Some timely scheming behind the scenes means that all ends well.
Hazard is one of my favourites; in it a young woman is staked in a game of chance by her weaselly half-brother, and is ‘won’ by the very drunk Marquis of Carlington. Foxed though he is, Carlington admires Helen’s spirit and insists they leave for Gretna Green right away. Helen is remarkably matter-of-fact about the whole thing, and I loved the way she issued a little payback to her not-swain the next day. Their dash to Scotland is fortuitously interrupted – by Carlington’s fiancée, no less…
Of the three new stories, Pursuit, Runaway Match and Incident on the Bath Road, the first is my favourite, being another elopement story in which an older couple once again takes centre stage. Mary Fairfax and the Earl of Shane are pursuing his ward (and her charge) Lucilla, who has eloped with the man she loves, Mr. Monksley, who will shortly be shipping out to the Peninsula with his regiment. In Runaway Match, the lovely Miss Paradise convinces her friend, Rupert, to elope with her so she can foil her father’s plans to marry her to the old, odious Sir Roland. She has never met her intended, but is horrified to realise he has followed them all the way to Stamford. Or has he? And in Incident on the Bath Road, the handsome, wealthy but ennui-laden Lord Reveley (always courted, never caught) is on his way to Bath when he encounters a chaise accident and takes up the young Mr. Brown who explains that he has urgent business in the city. This urgent business turns out to be going to the aid of the lovely Miss X, who is going to be forced into a distasteful marriage… and Reveley’s life turns out not to be quite so boring after all.
While Georgette Heyer’s full-length novel allow her strengths – tightly-written plots, characterisation and witty banter – to shine fully, there are enough glimpses of all those things in these short stories to make them well worth reading, whether you’re a long-time fan (as I am) or a newcomer to her work. Snowdrift and Other Stories is just the book to have on hand when you don’t have time to settle into a full-length novel and want a quick romance fix.
I don’t plan on reviewing each individual story here, as that would take more space than I have, so instead I’ll cherry pick as, like most anthologies, there are some excellent stories and some not quite so good ones. Each one features character types and plot elements that will be familiar to regular readers of historical romance; cross-dressing heroines, elopements, mistaken identity, dashing military men, second-chance romance, duels, high-stakes card games, regency-slang and, best of all, those handsome, authoritative heroes and their intelligent, witty heroines. Fans of the author’s will no doubt recognise the seeds of some of the plots and characters who later appear in some of her full-length novels here, too. I���ll also add a couple of words of caution. While very enjoyable, this is an anthology best dipped in and out of rather than read all at once; and these are short stories, so some of the romances are fairly perfunctory and in many cases, rely on insta-love. I’m not a fan, but in this case, it’s mostly forgivable due to the short length and the fact that the stories are beautifully written and enjoyable for so many other things besides the romances, so full are they of Heyer’s trademark laser-sharp social observation, sparkling dialogue and clever characterisations.
And so to the cherry picking. Pistols for Two is a rather unusual story in that it turns a frequently used trope on its head. Two lifelong friends discover that they are in love with the same young woman – another childhood friend who has grown into a beauty – and through misunderstanding and mischance, end up facing each other on the field of honour. Told through both their points of view, the young lady in question is a peripheral character and the author does a terrific job of describing the prickly, adolescent pride of the two young gents.
In A Clandestine Affair, we have an older hero and heroine who clearly share some sort of romantic history. Elinor Tresilian’s niece, Lucy, wants badly to marry the man she loves, Mr. Arthur Roseby, who happens to be the cousin of Lord Iver – who is vehemently opposed to the match. As it happens, Miss Tresilian is not overly in favour either, but headstrong Lucy is determined to have her way. When the couple elopes, Elinor and Lord Iver set off in pursuit, bickering and sniping along the Great North Road until… they aren’t.
A Husband for Fanny sees the young widow, Honoria Wingham, shepherding her lovely daughter, Fanny through the Season and hoping to secure the best and wealthiest husband for her. The Marquis of Harleston is certainly most attentive and would be an excellent match… so why does Honoria feel just the tiniest pang of jealousy when she sees how well the marquis and her daughter get along? You can see the twist in this one coming a mile off, but it’s an engaging story nonetheless.
To Have the Honour. Newly returned from war, young Lord Allerton discovers he has inherited a mountain of debt along with his title. His mother, however, is still spending money at the old rate, because Allerton has all but been betrothed to his cousin Hetty since the cradle; as she is a great heiress, once they are married their money woes will be over. But Allerton dislikes the idea of marrying for money and tells Hetty that he will not hold her to the arrangement between their families and she is free to choose for herself. Some timely scheming behind the scenes means that all ends well.
Hazard is one of my favourites; in it a young woman is staked in a game of chance by her weaselly half-brother, and is ‘won’ by the very drunk Marquis of Carlington. Foxed though he is, Carlington admires Helen’s spirit and insists they leave for Gretna Green right away. Helen is remarkably matter-of-fact about the whole thing, and I loved the way she issued a little payback to her not-swain the next day. Their dash to Scotland is fortuitously interrupted – by Carlington’s fiancée, no less…
Of the three new stories, Pursuit, Runaway Match and Incident on the Bath Road, the first is my favourite, being another elopement story in which an older couple once again takes centre stage. Mary Fairfax and the Earl of Shane are pursuing his ward (and her charge) Lucilla, who has eloped with the man she loves, Mr. Monksley, who will shortly be shipping out to the Peninsula with his regiment. In Runaway Match, the lovely Miss Paradise convinces her friend, Rupert, to elope with her so she can foil her father’s plans to marry her to the old, odious Sir Roland. She has never met her intended, but is horrified to realise he has followed them all the way to Stamford. Or has he? And in Incident on the Bath Road, the handsome, wealthy but ennui-laden Lord Reveley (always courted, never caught) is on his way to Bath when he encounters a chaise accident and takes up the young Mr. Brown who explains that he has urgent business in the city. This urgent business turns out to be going to the aid of the lovely Miss X, who is going to be forced into a distasteful marriage… and Reveley’s life turns out not to be quite so boring after all.
While Georgette Heyer’s full-length novel allow her strengths – tightly-written plots, characterisation and witty banter – to shine fully, there are enough glimpses of all those things in these short stories to make them well worth reading, whether you’re a long-time fan (as I am) or a newcomer to her work. Snowdrift and Other Stories is just the book to have on hand when you don’t have time to settle into a full-length novel and want a quick romance fix.
November 5, 2023
Very very enjoyable read. There were one or two stories that I wasn't keen on but not many. A must read for any Heyer fan.
This time I'm giving it four stars. Still a great read.
It's been a while since I read this collection and I enjoyed the reread. Some of the stories are a little on the weak side and some were very sweet! I love anything by Georgette Heyer and would read the back of a matchbox if she had written something on it :)
This time I'm giving it four stars. Still a great read.
It's been a while since I read this collection and I enjoyed the reread. Some of the stories are a little on the weak side and some were very sweet! I love anything by Georgette Heyer and would read the back of a matchbox if she had written something on it :)
November 13, 2017
I know I've read most of these before because I've read Pistols For Two. Not that I recalled, though. They're very short stories, likely because they had to fit in the magazines that originally published them. I've put in an update for each story, so you can read those individual ratings if you're interested. As a collection, this is a very solid group. A couple in the middle were disappointing, but otherwise these stand up very well. Additionally, I'm glad to find that the three "new" ones are very strong and the forward by Jennifer Kloester was informative but to the point and I appreciated her clarity.
ETA: Just to be helpful, I've decided to lift the individual story thoughts and post them here at the end of my review with minor format changes to pull the star rating out.
Snowdrift - 4 stars: Delightful and funny, but way too short to take seriously. A day and some to marriage? Still, really loved them both and the byplay was fun. 4 stars, though I know that's generous.
Full Moon - 3 stars: Wow, even shorter acquaintance. An hour? Maybe? He has enough based on what he knows of her but he'd be a complete unknown to her. Delightful byplay and fun dialogue. Still, barely a 3-star story for being, and remaining, complete strangers.
Pistols For Two - 3 stars: A side-ways romance as the two involved are foolish boys who don't get the girl. It's entertainment is in the shifted perspective on one of Heyer's standard heroes. It works, but only if you want it to. Three stars, but only barely.
A Clandestine Affair - 1 star: What a waste of words. They've wasted fourteen years being idiots and spend their entire day together sniping at each other with zero warmth and no small amount of hostility and I'm supposed to buy a last-minute reconciliation? I can't even justify two stars on this pile of humbug.
Bath Miss - 3 stars: Meh. This really needed more fleshing out. Too much action and not enough interaction. Enjoyable enough, but flat in the end. 3 stars.
Pink Domino - 4 stars: Delightful story, though I've never been a fan of love at first sight. She was just so sweet and her effect on Giles was profound (and in a great way). The sister sub-plot turned out well enough to add rather than detract, so it's all good. The absurd foundation keeps it from going higher than four stars, but very entertaining.
A Husband for Fanny - 2½ stars: If your heroine's driving trait is that she's oblivious and mildly stupid, it's probably a good idea to find a different story. 2½ stars I'd round to three if I had to.
To Have the Honour - 3 stars: I get the feeling I'd have liked these characters. In another story. In this one, you don't ever see them together and any relationship they may have had is (poorly) implied. Add one of my very least favorite pet peeves (doing something for your own good) and this is just a miss. 3 stars on a pity vote and acknowledgement I liked Henry more than a little.
Night at the Inn - 3 stars: The romance is barely there, but there's a bit of action/horror that was a good deal of fun. 3 stars because that's not really my thing, but it'd probably rate higher for someone more attuned to that type of story.
The Duel - 5 stars: Very tight characterization, interesting plot, laugh-out-loud moments. This is definitely one of the best. 5 stars.
Hazard - 5 stars: Another excellent story with tightly depicted protagonists and a depth that made me actually believe the relationship could work. Possibly my favorite. 5 stars.
Pursuit - 4 stars: Not bad. Not the best. Some laugh-out-loud moments push it to four stars, though the situation and supporting characters were all a bit weak. I also wish they'd had more interaction, but most of their time together is spent in silent disapprobation.
Runaway Match - 3½ stars: Set pre-Regency, probably because there's a sword fight. A fun story with a great twist. Still really short for the "I'm going to marry you" at the end. I'm willing to go with it because it sort of worked and at least laid a groundwork they can probably build on. 3½ stars that I'm rounding to 4 because I laughed out loud at least once.
Incident on the Bath Road - 3½ stars: Amusing story, with lots of interaction so I'm not as wary of the attachment as some of these. A bit predictable, but it almost had to be to keep the reader along for the ride. I wish we'd got more personality for Reveley so this is still only a 3½ stars. Though again, laughing out loud prompts me to round up to four.
ETA: Just to be helpful, I've decided to lift the individual story thoughts and post them here at the end of my review with minor format changes to pull the star rating out.
Snowdrift - 4 stars: Delightful and funny, but way too short to take seriously. A day and some to marriage? Still, really loved them both and the byplay was fun. 4 stars, though I know that's generous.
Full Moon - 3 stars: Wow, even shorter acquaintance. An hour? Maybe? He has enough based on what he knows of her but he'd be a complete unknown to her. Delightful byplay and fun dialogue. Still, barely a 3-star story for being, and remaining, complete strangers.
Pistols For Two - 3 stars: A side-ways romance as the two involved are foolish boys who don't get the girl. It's entertainment is in the shifted perspective on one of Heyer's standard heroes. It works, but only if you want it to. Three stars, but only barely.
A Clandestine Affair - 1 star: What a waste of words. They've wasted fourteen years being idiots and spend their entire day together sniping at each other with zero warmth and no small amount of hostility and I'm supposed to buy a last-minute reconciliation? I can't even justify two stars on this pile of humbug.
Bath Miss - 3 stars: Meh. This really needed more fleshing out. Too much action and not enough interaction. Enjoyable enough, but flat in the end. 3 stars.
Pink Domino - 4 stars: Delightful story, though I've never been a fan of love at first sight. She was just so sweet and her effect on Giles was profound (and in a great way). The sister sub-plot turned out well enough to add rather than detract, so it's all good. The absurd foundation keeps it from going higher than four stars, but very entertaining.
A Husband for Fanny - 2½ stars: If your heroine's driving trait is that she's oblivious and mildly stupid, it's probably a good idea to find a different story. 2½ stars I'd round to three if I had to.
To Have the Honour - 3 stars: I get the feeling I'd have liked these characters. In another story. In this one, you don't ever see them together and any relationship they may have had is (poorly) implied. Add one of my very least favorite pet peeves (doing something for your own good) and this is just a miss. 3 stars on a pity vote and acknowledgement I liked Henry more than a little.
Night at the Inn - 3 stars: The romance is barely there, but there's a bit of action/horror that was a good deal of fun. 3 stars because that's not really my thing, but it'd probably rate higher for someone more attuned to that type of story.
The Duel - 5 stars: Very tight characterization, interesting plot, laugh-out-loud moments. This is definitely one of the best. 5 stars.
Hazard - 5 stars: Another excellent story with tightly depicted protagonists and a depth that made me actually believe the relationship could work. Possibly my favorite. 5 stars.
Pursuit - 4 stars: Not bad. Not the best. Some laugh-out-loud moments push it to four stars, though the situation and supporting characters were all a bit weak. I also wish they'd had more interaction, but most of their time together is spent in silent disapprobation.
Runaway Match - 3½ stars: Set pre-Regency, probably because there's a sword fight. A fun story with a great twist. Still really short for the "I'm going to marry you" at the end. I'm willing to go with it because it sort of worked and at least laid a groundwork they can probably build on. 3½ stars that I'm rounding to 4 because I laughed out loud at least once.
Incident on the Bath Road - 3½ stars: Amusing story, with lots of interaction so I'm not as wary of the attachment as some of these. A bit predictable, but it almost had to be to keep the reader along for the ride. I wish we'd got more personality for Reveley so this is still only a 3½ stars. Though again, laughing out loud prompts me to round up to four.
October 13, 2017
My 34th Georgette Heyer
I liked the introduction, but most of these short stories have been published before in the Pistols For Two collection, which I read and enjoyed, so I skipped straight to the newly discovered and published stories.
"Pursuit" - the Earl of Shane and Miss Fairfax, governess to his ward, are on a mission to stop an elopement. (2 stars)
"Runaway" - two childhood best friends decide to elope in order to avoid Barbara's forced engagement to an older man. (3 stars)
"Incident on the Bath Road" - a very bored Earl of Reveley decides to give a stranded schoolboy a lift to Bath . (3 stars)
I liked the introduction, but most of these short stories have been published before in the Pistols For Two collection, which I read and enjoyed, so I skipped straight to the newly discovered and published stories.
"Pursuit" - the Earl of Shane and Miss Fairfax, governess to his ward, are on a mission to stop an elopement. (2 stars)
"Runaway" - two childhood best friends decide to elope in order to avoid Barbara's forced engagement to an older man. (3 stars)
"Incident on the Bath Road" - a very bored Earl of Reveley decides to give a stranded schoolboy a lift to Bath . (3 stars)
March 21, 2017
Lovely short stories. GH could write as well in the short form as she did in novel length.
This book is best when savored in small doses--a story a day is about the right pace. I remember when I first read these as 'Pistols For Two': I gulped down the book in one sitting, all the stories blurring together. Second time around I read them one a day--much better experience!
GH makes use of a number of classic tropes in these stories, rarely limiting herself to just one per story. We have multiple elopements (real and otherwise), engagements because the families expect it (often disastrous), young military men and the rich young ladies they love, mistaken identity, as well as insta-love (my least favorite trope, but almost acceptable given the short page count allotted to the romance).
Stories in 'Pistols For Two'
1) 'Snowdrift': humorous tale of two cousins, Sophy and Joseph, who are racing to Bath to see their miserly, but rich grandfather. The post coach breaks down in the snow, Sophy's maid is injured. Rescue is at hand; Sir Julian Arden takes up Sophy and the maid. Off they go. The maid is rather callously left to recover in the next town, while Sir Julian and Sophy head to Bath, where surprising developments await. Trope score: insta-love, coach mishap, she doesn't recognize his name.
2) 'Full Moon': a failed elopement story. Our young heroine, Annabella, persuades her childhood friend, Tom, to elope with her so she can avoid being forced to marry the old fogey suitor her father has lined up. Tom has second thoughts, spills the beans to our hero, Lord Stavely, who then heads off to intercept Annabella. Nice flirtation ensues, during which she discovers he is the dreaded 'old' suitor. Trope score: elopement, family matchmaking, almost insta-love.
3) 'Pistols for Two': One of my favorites. GH does justice to the prickly pride of two young men who find themselves at disastrous odds with each other as they vie for the hand of the local beauty. Trope score: duel.
4) 'A Clandestine Affair': Here we have the older hero and heroine, once romantically involved, now barely speaking and a younger couple; her niece and his ward. Older man dislikes the match, older woman was in favor until she discovered the Identity of the guardian. Younger couple elopes. older couple gives chase. Very entertaining. Trope score: elopement, former lovers.
5) 'Bath Miss': Lively story featuring a young woman in an outrageous bonnet. Sir Charles, newly and reluctantly engaged, is dodging his fiancee by agreeing to do a favor for an old family friend. All he has to do is go to Bath, retrieve young Anne from her select seminary, escort her back to town and deposit her in the arms of her loving family. Piece of cake! I was not real happy with the way Sir Charles, age 30-ish, kept calling Anne, age 19, 'child', but other than that I was charmed. Maybe it was the puppy. Trope score: engagement because it was 'expected'.
6) 'Pink Domino': Sugary sweet story. Younger sister Letty is in love with a military man, older brother Giles disapproves of the match, believing her suitor to be a fortune hunter. Giles, meanwhile, had fallen instantly in love with a young woman whom he had helped after a traffic accident. Alas! he forgot to get her name and address (You know, the information you need to find someone again.) Letty was to wear the pink domino to a masquerade ball, but Giles said absolutely not. Oh, really? Trope score: insta-love, mistaken identity, military suitor.
7) 'A Husband for Fanny': One of my favorites. Fanny is the 18 year old daughter of a doting, pretty, widowed mama, who wants her daughter to make a good marriage. To an older, stable gentleman, not some young military man. So Clarissa should be thrilled that Lord Harleston seems to have taken an interest in her daughter, shouldn't she? Trope score: military suitor.
8) 'To Have the Honour': Young Lord Allerton returns from the war to find that he has inherited a mountain of debt. It has been long understood that he would marry his cousin Hetty. Hetty, an heiress, who has long been in love with Allerton, is anxiously awaiting his proposal. Allerton is overcome by feelings of guilt about marrying Hetty for her money, so the idiot says that she is free to marry whomever she pleases. Hetty is devastated, of course, though she puts on a brave face. It is up to Trix, Allerton's 17 year old sister, to straighten out this mess. Absolutely great! Trope score: elopement chase.
9) 'A Night at the Inn': GH exercises her mystery writing skills in this very spooky tale. Not a titled character in sight. The hero is a businessman, the heroine is a governess. No romance either.
Trope score: zero. But the tale is entertaining...
10) 'The Duel': A young lady sneaks out to beg a notorious duelist to not fight her brother. Rather 'meh' for me. Trope score: Insta-love, mistaken identity, duel.
11) 'Hazard': My absolute favorite. Dastardly brother Sir Ralph uses his sister Helen as stakes in a dice game with Lord Carlington. Carlington is wild and very drunk and accepts the wager--and wins. The fun is in the what happens next. Helen is very level-headed, coping well with her abrupt change in status. The trip north to Gretna Green is fortuitously interrupted. But who are these people? Trope score: reluctant engagement because it was expected, elopement (for real!), military suitor, using your sister as a gambling stake.
'New' stories specific to this edition:
1) 'Pursuit' : This one has practically everything but the kitchen sink. The older couple, the Earl of Shane and Mary Fairfax, governess, are pursuing his ward (and intended fiancee) and her charge, Lucilla, and Lucilla's military suitor, who have eloped. Farce erupts as the earl's heir (a distant cousin) and the heir's mother appear, as well as Lucilla and her swain. Trope score: elopement, elopement chase, chaise accidents, military suitor.
2) 'Runaway Match': A variation on a theme--young Miss Paradise convinces her childhood friend Rupert to elope with her as she has no interest in even meeting, much less marrying, the 'odious' Sir Roland. Off they go and adventures ensue. They are pursued, of course. The odious Sir Roland seems to catch up with them. Rupert and Sir Roland duel (with swords, not pistols). The only obviously Georgian, rather than Regency, story in the collection. Trope score: elopement, duel, mistaken identity, insta-love.
3) 'Incident on the Bath Road': Totally bored Lord Reveley is going to Bath because he has nothing better to do. He encounters a chaise accident and takes up a young Mr Brown, who desperately needs to get to Bath in order to rescue a young Miss X, who is being forced to marry an odious man in order to save the family's financial future. Phew! Lord Reveley is no longer quite so bored as events unfold. Trope score: chaise accident, hero's name is not recognized, girl disguised as boy, not quite insta-love.
I felt the three added stories were rather weak in comparison to the stories originally collected as 'Pistols for Two'. However, they were interesting in that they showed us the author developing her skills.
All in all, I quite enjoyed this sampling of GH's short fiction. Worthy of its place on the keeper shelf.
This book is best when savored in small doses--a story a day is about the right pace. I remember when I first read these as 'Pistols For Two': I gulped down the book in one sitting, all the stories blurring together. Second time around I read them one a day--much better experience!
GH makes use of a number of classic tropes in these stories, rarely limiting herself to just one per story. We have multiple elopements (real and otherwise), engagements because the families expect it (often disastrous), young military men and the rich young ladies they love, mistaken identity, as well as insta-love (my least favorite trope, but almost acceptable given the short page count allotted to the romance).
Stories in 'Pistols For Two'
1) 'Snowdrift': humorous tale of two cousins, Sophy and Joseph, who are racing to Bath to see their miserly, but rich grandfather. The post coach breaks down in the snow, Sophy's maid is injured. Rescue is at hand; Sir Julian Arden takes up Sophy and the maid. Off they go. The maid is rather callously left to recover in the next town, while Sir Julian and Sophy head to Bath, where surprising developments await. Trope score: insta-love, coach mishap, she doesn't recognize his name.
2) 'Full Moon': a failed elopement story. Our young heroine, Annabella, persuades her childhood friend, Tom, to elope with her so she can avoid being forced to marry the old fogey suitor her father has lined up. Tom has second thoughts, spills the beans to our hero, Lord Stavely, who then heads off to intercept Annabella. Nice flirtation ensues, during which she discovers he is the dreaded 'old' suitor. Trope score: elopement, family matchmaking, almost insta-love.
3) 'Pistols for Two': One of my favorites. GH does justice to the prickly pride of two young men who find themselves at disastrous odds with each other as they vie for the hand of the local beauty. Trope score: duel.
4) 'A Clandestine Affair': Here we have the older hero and heroine, once romantically involved, now barely speaking and a younger couple; her niece and his ward. Older man dislikes the match, older woman was in favor until she discovered the Identity of the guardian. Younger couple elopes. older couple gives chase. Very entertaining. Trope score: elopement, former lovers.
5) 'Bath Miss': Lively story featuring a young woman in an outrageous bonnet. Sir Charles, newly and reluctantly engaged, is dodging his fiancee by agreeing to do a favor for an old family friend. All he has to do is go to Bath, retrieve young Anne from her select seminary, escort her back to town and deposit her in the arms of her loving family. Piece of cake! I was not real happy with the way Sir Charles, age 30-ish, kept calling Anne, age 19, 'child', but other than that I was charmed. Maybe it was the puppy. Trope score: engagement because it was 'expected'.
6) 'Pink Domino': Sugary sweet story. Younger sister Letty is in love with a military man, older brother Giles disapproves of the match, believing her suitor to be a fortune hunter. Giles, meanwhile, had fallen instantly in love with a young woman whom he had helped after a traffic accident. Alas! he forgot to get her name and address (You know, the information you need to find someone again.) Letty was to wear the pink domino to a masquerade ball, but Giles said absolutely not. Oh, really? Trope score: insta-love, mistaken identity, military suitor.
7) 'A Husband for Fanny': One of my favorites. Fanny is the 18 year old daughter of a doting, pretty, widowed mama, who wants her daughter to make a good marriage. To an older, stable gentleman, not some young military man. So Clarissa should be thrilled that Lord Harleston seems to have taken an interest in her daughter, shouldn't she? Trope score: military suitor.
8) 'To Have the Honour': Young Lord Allerton returns from the war to find that he has inherited a mountain of debt. It has been long understood that he would marry his cousin Hetty. Hetty, an heiress, who has long been in love with Allerton, is anxiously awaiting his proposal. Allerton is overcome by feelings of guilt about marrying Hetty for her money, so the idiot says that she is free to marry whomever she pleases. Hetty is devastated, of course, though she puts on a brave face. It is up to Trix, Allerton's 17 year old sister, to straighten out this mess. Absolutely great! Trope score: elopement chase.
9) 'A Night at the Inn': GH exercises her mystery writing skills in this very spooky tale. Not a titled character in sight. The hero is a businessman, the heroine is a governess. No romance either.
Trope score: zero. But the tale is entertaining...
10) 'The Duel': A young lady sneaks out to beg a notorious duelist to not fight her brother. Rather 'meh' for me. Trope score: Insta-love, mistaken identity, duel.
11) 'Hazard': My absolute favorite. Dastardly brother Sir Ralph uses his sister Helen as stakes in a dice game with Lord Carlington. Carlington is wild and very drunk and accepts the wager--and wins. The fun is in the what happens next. Helen is very level-headed, coping well with her abrupt change in status. The trip north to Gretna Green is fortuitously interrupted. But who are these people? Trope score: reluctant engagement because it was expected, elopement (for real!), military suitor, using your sister as a gambling stake.
'New' stories specific to this edition:
1) 'Pursuit' : This one has practically everything but the kitchen sink. The older couple, the Earl of Shane and Mary Fairfax, governess, are pursuing his ward (and intended fiancee) and her charge, Lucilla, and Lucilla's military suitor, who have eloped. Farce erupts as the earl's heir (a distant cousin) and the heir's mother appear, as well as Lucilla and her swain. Trope score: elopement, elopement chase, chaise accidents, military suitor.
2) 'Runaway Match': A variation on a theme--young Miss Paradise convinces her childhood friend Rupert to elope with her as she has no interest in even meeting, much less marrying, the 'odious' Sir Roland. Off they go and adventures ensue. They are pursued, of course. The odious Sir Roland seems to catch up with them. Rupert and Sir Roland duel (with swords, not pistols). The only obviously Georgian, rather than Regency, story in the collection. Trope score: elopement, duel, mistaken identity, insta-love.
3) 'Incident on the Bath Road': Totally bored Lord Reveley is going to Bath because he has nothing better to do. He encounters a chaise accident and takes up a young Mr Brown, who desperately needs to get to Bath in order to rescue a young Miss X, who is being forced to marry an odious man in order to save the family's financial future. Phew! Lord Reveley is no longer quite so bored as events unfold. Trope score: chaise accident, hero's name is not recognized, girl disguised as boy, not quite insta-love.
I felt the three added stories were rather weak in comparison to the stories originally collected as 'Pistols for Two'. However, they were interesting in that they showed us the author developing her skills.
All in all, I quite enjoyed this sampling of GH's short fiction. Worthy of its place on the keeper shelf.
December 7, 2017
Received to review via Netgalley; publication date 3rd October 2017
I’ve been a fan of Heyer’s Regency romances and adventures for a while now, so when I saw this was ‘Read Now’ on Netgalley, I confess I pounced. It’s actually the collection Pistols for Two (which I hadn’t read yet) but with three extra stories from early in Heyer’s career.
While Heyer’s short stories aren’t precisely what I like in a short story — something with a twist, something maybe a little unpredictable, something packed into as small a space as possible — they’re fun little stories, very much like her longer works but compressed. The same types of hero and heroine, the same sorts of love scene and the same sort of happy ending abound, along with Heyer’s usual wit. If you enjoy the banter between her characters and the sparkle of her writing, all of that is in evidence here. If I had to call the collection anything, I might call it Miniatures!
If you don’t love Heyer’s work, well, this won’t be for you. It’s very much typical of her, and she doesn’t have the space to make her heroes and heroines distinctive. And if you’ve never tried Heyer, well, I’d start with The Talisman Ring instead, if I were you.
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
I’ve been a fan of Heyer’s Regency romances and adventures for a while now, so when I saw this was ‘Read Now’ on Netgalley, I confess I pounced. It’s actually the collection Pistols for Two (which I hadn’t read yet) but with three extra stories from early in Heyer’s career.
While Heyer’s short stories aren’t precisely what I like in a short story — something with a twist, something maybe a little unpredictable, something packed into as small a space as possible — they’re fun little stories, very much like her longer works but compressed. The same types of hero and heroine, the same sorts of love scene and the same sort of happy ending abound, along with Heyer’s usual wit. If you enjoy the banter between her characters and the sparkle of her writing, all of that is in evidence here. If I had to call the collection anything, I might call it Miniatures!
If you don’t love Heyer’s work, well, this won’t be for you. It’s very much typical of her, and she doesn’t have the space to make her heroes and heroines distinctive. And if you’ve never tried Heyer, well, I’d start with The Talisman Ring instead, if I were you.
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
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November 22, 2020
Of course, in any anthology the stories will be a little hit-and-miss. But this is Georgette Heyer. Heyer at her worst is better than most others at their best.
Insta-love, duels, and Gretna Green flights abound.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
Insta-love, duels, and Gretna Green flights abound.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
September 12, 2023
If you already own 'Pistols for Two' you need to be aware that the same stories in that volume appear again in this volume as well as three stories which haven't seen the light of day for nearly a century.
I first read most of these stories many years ago and I enjoyed them just as much on re-reading them. They all show a lightness of touch which isn't always present in the author's novels. In some of the stories the elements of later novels can be traced where Heyer was clearly starting to work out new plots.
My own particular favourites in this collection have always been 'A Husband for Fanny' - in which a widow schemes to find a husband for her beautiful daughter while her daughter has schemes of her own; and 'Hazard' which has a beautifully humorous ending. If you are new to Georgette Heyer then this charming collection would be an ideal introduction. For Heyer fans it will be a must buy.
I first read most of these stories many years ago and I enjoyed them just as much on re-reading them. They all show a lightness of touch which isn't always present in the author's novels. In some of the stories the elements of later novels can be traced where Heyer was clearly starting to work out new plots.
My own particular favourites in this collection have always been 'A Husband for Fanny' - in which a widow schemes to find a husband for her beautiful daughter while her daughter has schemes of her own; and 'Hazard' which has a beautifully humorous ending. If you are new to Georgette Heyer then this charming collection would be an ideal introduction. For Heyer fans it will be a must buy.
November 16, 2017
The Queen of Regency Romance wrote so many delightful tales and I was in high anticipation when I saw the release of this short story collection featuring all the stories released in the Pistols for Two anthology and three brand new short story releases. A young lady anticipating her first ball could not have been in a bigger fervor than me. I enjoyed my re-acquaintance with the Pistols for Two stories and these other sparkling new ones.
Twelve stories in all, Snowdrift and Other Stories delivered Heyer's signature wit and shine, engaging characters, and people who are not exactly as they seem. Poised and clever older heroines or coming of age and a little absurd younger ones. Hopeful heroes to cynics who lead London Society. The variety and stylings of the characters, the town and country settings and the elegant yet comedic plot make anything the author writes something I will snatch up.
This collection produced many stories of elopement and journeys it seemed and the age-old misunderstanding to further the twist that comes when all is made known. Some stories were moderately enjoyable, but there were a few fasts favorites that I know I will want to sample again and again. I loved seeing in these shorter pieces some of the bones for fully developed novels that came later. The intro by Jennifer Kloester who has written two wonderful books about the author was a great bit of extra.
My favorite stories were Snowdrift, the first entry about a shining young lady set out to visit a misery grandfather and ends up stuck in the snow until a debonair rescuer comes and finds himself captivated by his traveling companion, and A Husband For Fanny in which a middle-aged widower finds that love and romance are not only for the young. Hazard, when an aristocrat wins a lady at a card game and then Incident on the Bath Road when a bored earl gets an adventure.
So, the reunion with several familiar stories and a few new ones reminded me once again why I adore this author's work. Fans of Heyer must pick this latest collection up for themselves and its a good place for new readers to encounter the author's work.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mini Reviews for each story:
Snowdrift
Sparkling tale of young Sophia on a winter journey to see her grandfather about an inheritance when disaster strikes her stage and she is now in the company of the handsome nonpareil Sir Julian Arden. I saw plot echoes of later novels in this short piece. Witty and pleasant.
Full Moon
Now this was sheer romantic comedy under the moon. Lord Stavely is late to a country house invitation and encounters a drunken Tom who delivers the lowering news that he is to elope to protect his friend from an unwanted suitor- who, yes, happens to be Stavely. But a meeting under the full moon alters things for all concerned just nicely.
Pistols for Two
Young men inflamed by a first crush find themselves pitted in a duel against their best friend. But, a downy Londoner just might have the solution to their difficulties.
Amusing and fun coming of age piece.
A Clandestine Affair
Oh my, an acrimonious second chance affair for Miss Tresilian and Lord Iver brought on by their young relations plans to elope
It was a fun story, but I did want to bop the pair of them for their snarly. Hasty finish- needed a few more pages. And another I saw the bare bones for a couple later novels.
Bath Miss
Fashionable, rich Sir Charles decides retrieving a young school miss from school for the holidays is a much better prospect than encountering his affianced in Bath. Adventure awaits the pair on the London road.
I was so-so about this one. Nan is such a flighty immature type that I don't see her appeal for a sophisticated London man. But it was cute.
Pink Domino
A spoilt sister's conniving to go to a masquerade ball brings her older brother face to face with the lady of his dreams.
It was sweet, but more a snippet of what could be when it becomes a more developed novel later on.
A Husband for Fanny
Oh, that was to, to delightful. I think I was swooning more than the heroine. Loved this romance of autumn aged lovers at cross purposes when a mother wants so much for her daughter's happiness at the expense of her own.
To Have the Honour
What a hoot! Started out sad that a man must clear his father's debts and a young woman wouldn't be able to marry her true love, but a conniving young lady sets all to rights. Fun version of a later more serious novel version.
Night at the Inn
A lovely gothic tale at an old creaking and rambling inn for a young traveler.
Set up nicely and then that shocking twist.
The Duel
Ha! Distracted young girl goes to plead with the man her brother insulted to stop a duel and finds herself in another man's house and he agrees to help her. Fun twist there at the end.
Hazard
A wife won over a card came. Infamous plot. Loved it. What a tangle on the road to Gretna with his intended, too.
Pursuit
The earl's ward has eloped and the governess privately applauds her until Lord Shane drags Mary Fairfax up into his curricle in pursuit. Sweet story.
Runaway Match
Babs and Rupert runaway to get married in Gretna Green so she can avoid her father's choice for her and encounter a dashing gentleman at an inn. It was a fun story, but I admit to not seeing what the gentleman saw in an immature Babs.
Incident on the Bath Road
Bored Lord Reveley wonders what is the point to anything right before he chances upon a stranded lad on the run. A story and secrets bring about a nice little adventure for an earl and a waif.
Loved it! Such a delightful tale with yes, a twist.
Twelve stories in all, Snowdrift and Other Stories delivered Heyer's signature wit and shine, engaging characters, and people who are not exactly as they seem. Poised and clever older heroines or coming of age and a little absurd younger ones. Hopeful heroes to cynics who lead London Society. The variety and stylings of the characters, the town and country settings and the elegant yet comedic plot make anything the author writes something I will snatch up.
This collection produced many stories of elopement and journeys it seemed and the age-old misunderstanding to further the twist that comes when all is made known. Some stories were moderately enjoyable, but there were a few fasts favorites that I know I will want to sample again and again. I loved seeing in these shorter pieces some of the bones for fully developed novels that came later. The intro by Jennifer Kloester who has written two wonderful books about the author was a great bit of extra.
My favorite stories were Snowdrift, the first entry about a shining young lady set out to visit a misery grandfather and ends up stuck in the snow until a debonair rescuer comes and finds himself captivated by his traveling companion, and A Husband For Fanny in which a middle-aged widower finds that love and romance are not only for the young. Hazard, when an aristocrat wins a lady at a card game and then Incident on the Bath Road when a bored earl gets an adventure.
So, the reunion with several familiar stories and a few new ones reminded me once again why I adore this author's work. Fans of Heyer must pick this latest collection up for themselves and its a good place for new readers to encounter the author's work.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mini Reviews for each story:
Snowdrift
Sparkling tale of young Sophia on a winter journey to see her grandfather about an inheritance when disaster strikes her stage and she is now in the company of the handsome nonpareil Sir Julian Arden. I saw plot echoes of later novels in this short piece. Witty and pleasant.
Full Moon
Now this was sheer romantic comedy under the moon. Lord Stavely is late to a country house invitation and encounters a drunken Tom who delivers the lowering news that he is to elope to protect his friend from an unwanted suitor- who, yes, happens to be Stavely. But a meeting under the full moon alters things for all concerned just nicely.
Pistols for Two
Young men inflamed by a first crush find themselves pitted in a duel against their best friend. But, a downy Londoner just might have the solution to their difficulties.
Amusing and fun coming of age piece.
A Clandestine Affair
Oh my, an acrimonious second chance affair for Miss Tresilian and Lord Iver brought on by their young relations plans to elope
It was a fun story, but I did want to bop the pair of them for their snarly. Hasty finish- needed a few more pages. And another I saw the bare bones for a couple later novels.
Bath Miss
Fashionable, rich Sir Charles decides retrieving a young school miss from school for the holidays is a much better prospect than encountering his affianced in Bath. Adventure awaits the pair on the London road.
I was so-so about this one. Nan is such a flighty immature type that I don't see her appeal for a sophisticated London man. But it was cute.
Pink Domino
A spoilt sister's conniving to go to a masquerade ball brings her older brother face to face with the lady of his dreams.
It was sweet, but more a snippet of what could be when it becomes a more developed novel later on.
A Husband for Fanny
Oh, that was to, to delightful. I think I was swooning more than the heroine. Loved this romance of autumn aged lovers at cross purposes when a mother wants so much for her daughter's happiness at the expense of her own.
To Have the Honour
What a hoot! Started out sad that a man must clear his father's debts and a young woman wouldn't be able to marry her true love, but a conniving young lady sets all to rights. Fun version of a later more serious novel version.
Night at the Inn
A lovely gothic tale at an old creaking and rambling inn for a young traveler.
Set up nicely and then that shocking twist.
The Duel
Ha! Distracted young girl goes to plead with the man her brother insulted to stop a duel and finds herself in another man's house and he agrees to help her. Fun twist there at the end.
Hazard
A wife won over a card came. Infamous plot. Loved it. What a tangle on the road to Gretna with his intended, too.
Pursuit
The earl's ward has eloped and the governess privately applauds her until Lord Shane drags Mary Fairfax up into his curricle in pursuit. Sweet story.
Runaway Match
Babs and Rupert runaway to get married in Gretna Green so she can avoid her father's choice for her and encounter a dashing gentleman at an inn. It was a fun story, but I admit to not seeing what the gentleman saw in an immature Babs.
Incident on the Bath Road
Bored Lord Reveley wonders what is the point to anything right before he chances upon a stranded lad on the run. A story and secrets bring about a nice little adventure for an earl and a waif.
Loved it! Such a delightful tale with yes, a twist.
December 14, 2017
I’m so glad i saved this wonderful read until Christmas. Reading stories containing snowy scenes was made all the more fun by the snow outside my window.
This is the first short story collection that has held my interest all the way through. Although I loved certain stories more than others, i actually *liked* them all. Which I think is a first for me! Every story was different enough that it didn’t feel at all repetitive and each heroine and hero felt different from the last. I really enjoyed the various scenarios Heyer orchestrated in order to bring the two lovebirds together, from misunderstandings to old flames, you’ll find the lot in this collection. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of plots that followed men’s friendship too, like in Pistols For Two.
I adore the way Heyer writes with intelligence and wit which really helps her characters come to life. Her stories are so easy to read and they really do whisk you away while the plot unfolds. I found myself laughing out loud and exclaiming ‘aww’ regularly.
Above all, each story left a huge grin on my face. An excellent addition to my Heyer collection. The only reason I can’t give it 5 stars is because some of the stories were a tad short for me. But I can’t have everything! Heyer definitely delivered everything I’ve come to love about Regency-centred writing.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing my copy!
This is the first short story collection that has held my interest all the way through. Although I loved certain stories more than others, i actually *liked* them all. Which I think is a first for me! Every story was different enough that it didn’t feel at all repetitive and each heroine and hero felt different from the last. I really enjoyed the various scenarios Heyer orchestrated in order to bring the two lovebirds together, from misunderstandings to old flames, you’ll find the lot in this collection. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of plots that followed men’s friendship too, like in Pistols For Two.
I adore the way Heyer writes with intelligence and wit which really helps her characters come to life. Her stories are so easy to read and they really do whisk you away while the plot unfolds. I found myself laughing out loud and exclaiming ‘aww’ regularly.
Above all, each story left a huge grin on my face. An excellent addition to my Heyer collection. The only reason I can’t give it 5 stars is because some of the stories were a tad short for me. But I can’t have everything! Heyer definitely delivered everything I’ve come to love about Regency-centred writing.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing my copy!
March 31, 2017
If I could give you one piece of advice for reading this short story collection it would be:
Don't read them all at once.
Each of these is a sweet little tale by itself, but take too many at once and you are sure to have a terrible Heyer overdose! The book is crammed with Heyer tropes: jaded older marquis, carriages breaking their axles, elopements that are not at all the thing, twittering old maids, feisty cross-dressing ladies, love at first sight, annoying brothers!
Heyer's real skill as a writer lay in tight plots, light humour and witty banter. Unfortunately, short stories don't really give her a chance to shine. There's not enough space for convoluted plots, or setting up characters so they can spar all the way to the altar. Instead, this book is fun as a sort of archeological adventure. Here are some of Heyer's best loved characters before they evolved into the eponymous heroines and heroes of her later books.
Don't read them all at once.
Each of these is a sweet little tale by itself, but take too many at once and you are sure to have a terrible Heyer overdose! The book is crammed with Heyer tropes: jaded older marquis, carriages breaking their axles, elopements that are not at all the thing, twittering old maids, feisty cross-dressing ladies, love at first sight, annoying brothers!
Heyer's real skill as a writer lay in tight plots, light humour and witty banter. Unfortunately, short stories don't really give her a chance to shine. There's not enough space for convoluted plots, or setting up characters so they can spar all the way to the altar. Instead, this book is fun as a sort of archeological adventure. Here are some of Heyer's best loved characters before they evolved into the eponymous heroines and heroes of her later books.
Read
September 25, 2017Picked up a free copy of this from NetGalley.
It's been an age since I read Heyer's Pistols for Two collection, and so this reprint with free extra stories may as well have been a whole new book for me - I didn't remember any of it.
But perhaps that's the nature of short romance stories - individually they're pleasant but rarely memorable. This collection would probably be better titled "Coaches for Two" - there's barely a story where the characters aren't travelling from one place to another, or putting up at an inn along the way. Most of the stories involved teenagers marrying men in their thirties - an age disparity that really stands out when you encounter several of them in a row, and especially so when some of them act very much like children. But there's also a couple of variations outside this theme, and even one couple that doesn't involve wealth or nobility.
And, as ever, Heyer writes in a way that pulls you in. Good light reading.
It's been an age since I read Heyer's Pistols for Two collection, and so this reprint with free extra stories may as well have been a whole new book for me - I didn't remember any of it.
But perhaps that's the nature of short romance stories - individually they're pleasant but rarely memorable. This collection would probably be better titled "Coaches for Two" - there's barely a story where the characters aren't travelling from one place to another, or putting up at an inn along the way. Most of the stories involved teenagers marrying men in their thirties - an age disparity that really stands out when you encounter several of them in a row, and especially so when some of them act very much like children. But there's also a couple of variations outside this theme, and even one couple that doesn't involve wealth or nobility.
And, as ever, Heyer writes in a way that pulls you in. Good light reading.
February 7, 2017
Loved it! Charming short stories from one of the most favourite authors. There is an elegance in the writing, which makes it easy on the eyes. It's a book that I just fell into, almost like being there in the moment.
A book of stories, which three are newly found. I will read this again and again.
Elegance personified!
5*****
A book of stories, which three are newly found. I will read this again and again.
Elegance personified!
5*****
December 1, 2021
It’s been years since I last read this delightful Heyer montage. As always a feast of gems!
February 18, 2023
Previously titled Pistols for Two, this edition includes three recently discovered short stories. A treat for all fans of Georgette Heyer, and for those who love stories full of romance and intrigue.
Affairs of honour between bucks and blades, rakes and rascals; affairs of the heart between heirs and orphans, beauties and bachelors; romance, intrigue, escapades and duels at dawn. All the gallantry, villainy and elegance of the age that Georgette Heyer has so triumphantly made her own are exquisitely revived in these wonderfully romantic stories of the Regency period.
Contents:
Snowdrift
Full Moon
Pistols for Two
A Clandestine Affair
Bath Miss
A Husband for Fanny
To Have the Honour
Night at the Inn
The Duel
Hazard
Pursuit
Runaway Match
Incident on the Bath Road
Affairs of honour between bucks and blades, rakes and rascals; affairs of the heart between heirs and orphans, beauties and bachelors; romance, intrigue, escapades and duels at dawn. All the gallantry, villainy and elegance of the age that Georgette Heyer has so triumphantly made her own are exquisitely revived in these wonderfully romantic stories of the Regency period.
Contents:
Snowdrift
Full Moon
Pistols for Two
A Clandestine Affair
Bath Miss
A Husband for Fanny
To Have the Honour
Night at the Inn
The Duel
Hazard
Pursuit
Runaway Match
Incident on the Bath Road
May 9, 2018
Pistols For Two with three newly discovered short stories.
I liked the title story "Snowdrift" where a lady is stranded at an inn without her injured maid but is determined to move on and claim what she believes is hers. The hero is kind and takes the time to help the heroine. I like that they get to know each other before he asks to pay his addresses. Even though they have only known each other briefly, I think being snowbound together must accelerate the process of getting to know you!
"Full Moon" is my favorite story in the collection. The heroine is young and a bit silly, trying to escape an unwanted marriage by eloping with her best friend. Enter the hero who tries to rescue his new young friend from a scandal with the zaniest results. The hero is just as silly as the heroine but in a good way. This is a fun story that will make the most jaded Regency romance reader smile.
"Pistols for Two" is a long story about two idiotic young gentlemen determined to fight a duel for no good reason. The plot twist wasn't exactly surprising and made me really dislike the heroine. This was not my favorite but not my least favorite.
In "A Clandestine Affair" Georgette Heyer was sowing the seeds for what would become one of my favorite novels of hers Black Sheep. Like Abby Wendover in Black Sheep, the heroine has charge of a young, romantic-minded niece. The hero, however, is too much an alpha male for me and I didn't care for him at all or the way he handled his love affair. This story feels a little dated because of it.
"Bath Miss" stars a spoiled, headstrong young schoolgirl and an older, cynical hero. I loved the Bath setting and could easily picture it in my mind having been there. I did not love the young minx of a heroine. She leads the hero on a merry dance. Again Heyer was plotting out some of her later novels in this story.
"Pink Domino" is a love at first sight novel. It's sweet and heartwarming but not fun and witty. The hero can't make his young sister see reason and his mother is equally silly. He is just kind of blah. The heroine is too sweet and good for me.
"A Husband for Fanny" is another story that sparked an idea for a later novel though this is very different. A mother sacrifices everything to give her daughter a Season to find a wealthy husband. She is very sweet, devoted and a bit weak and not too perceptive. I guessed the plot twist pretty quickly. Still, I really liked this story because it was just a sweet, gentle romance.
In "To Have the Honour" the hero returns from the Peninsula to discover his mother has spent what little money the family had on his sister's comeout. Lady Allerton is silly, vain and selfish and her daughter is nearly as bad. Miss Allerton is a bit mischievous and a minx. She's been very spoiled by her silly mother. The heroine, Henrietta, is a Mary Sue type. She's a companion without much personality. I wasn't crazy about the quick ending that wasn't very romantic.
"Night at the Inn" makes me wonder what Georgette Heyer was thinking! This story is so gothic and so unlike anything else she ever wrote! It resembles a popular musical but I won't spoil it and say which one. Heyer had a ghoulish streak in her not often seen. This is my least favorite story in the collection.
"The Duel" is rather sappy. The heroine, who tries to save her brother's life, is too innocent and naive for my liking and the hero too jaded. The romance comes out of thin air and isn't all that nice. I feel sorry for the less than perceptive heroine to be so blindsided.
"Hazard" is one of my favorite stories in the collection. It's a little darker than most of the others but well-developed for a short story. It illuminates the difficulties of being a woman at that time. The hero is not my type at all and the ending just totally ruined the story. It's very dated showing the age of the story. I hate that sort of "romance."
One of the new stories, "Pursuit" is a fun, runaway marriage story.. Heyer managed a few surprises along the way. Overall the story is too short for character development. I like the sensible governess heroine but not the alpha hero.
The second new story, "Runaway Match is another runaway marriage story but this one is quite different. The characters are prototypes of characters she would use in later books but mixed together and paired together. The setting is Georgian, not Regency, and the story features a sword duel! How thrilling! The character development here is excellent in the short space of a story. The ending is a little silly but I enjoyed it.
"Incident on the Bath Road" features yet another jaded Earl and a runaway youth. The setting is Georgian and the plot somewhat similar to The Corinthian but different and unique to even Heyer. The story lacks plot and the surprise isn't difficult to guess. The ending is unbelievable and I feel sorry for the youth. The Georgian setting is not as descriptive as the Regency settings Heyer was known for.
I liked the title story "Snowdrift" where a lady is stranded at an inn without her injured maid but is determined to move on and claim what she believes is hers. The hero is kind and takes the time to help the heroine. I like that they get to know each other before he asks to pay his addresses. Even though they have only known each other briefly, I think being snowbound together must accelerate the process of getting to know you!
"Full Moon" is my favorite story in the collection. The heroine is young and a bit silly, trying to escape an unwanted marriage by eloping with her best friend. Enter the hero who tries to rescue his new young friend from a scandal with the zaniest results. The hero is just as silly as the heroine but in a good way. This is a fun story that will make the most jaded Regency romance reader smile.
"Pistols for Two" is a long story about two idiotic young gentlemen determined to fight a duel for no good reason. The plot twist wasn't exactly surprising and made me really dislike the heroine. This was not my favorite but not my least favorite.
In "A Clandestine Affair" Georgette Heyer was sowing the seeds for what would become one of my favorite novels of hers Black Sheep. Like Abby Wendover in Black Sheep, the heroine has charge of a young, romantic-minded niece. The hero, however, is too much an alpha male for me and I didn't care for him at all or the way he handled his love affair. This story feels a little dated because of it.
"Bath Miss" stars a spoiled, headstrong young schoolgirl and an older, cynical hero. I loved the Bath setting and could easily picture it in my mind having been there. I did not love the young minx of a heroine. She leads the hero on a merry dance. Again Heyer was plotting out some of her later novels in this story.
"Pink Domino" is a love at first sight novel. It's sweet and heartwarming but not fun and witty. The hero can't make his young sister see reason and his mother is equally silly. He is just kind of blah. The heroine is too sweet and good for me.
"A Husband for Fanny" is another story that sparked an idea for a later novel though this is very different. A mother sacrifices everything to give her daughter a Season to find a wealthy husband. She is very sweet, devoted and a bit weak and not too perceptive. I guessed the plot twist pretty quickly. Still, I really liked this story because it was just a sweet, gentle romance.
In "To Have the Honour" the hero returns from the Peninsula to discover his mother has spent what little money the family had on his sister's comeout. Lady Allerton is silly, vain and selfish and her daughter is nearly as bad. Miss Allerton is a bit mischievous and a minx. She's been very spoiled by her silly mother. The heroine, Henrietta, is a Mary Sue type. She's a companion without much personality. I wasn't crazy about the quick ending that wasn't very romantic.
"Night at the Inn" makes me wonder what Georgette Heyer was thinking! This story is so gothic and so unlike anything else she ever wrote! It resembles a popular musical but I won't spoil it and say which one. Heyer had a ghoulish streak in her not often seen. This is my least favorite story in the collection.
"The Duel" is rather sappy. The heroine, who tries to save her brother's life, is too innocent and naive for my liking and the hero too jaded. The romance comes out of thin air and isn't all that nice. I feel sorry for the less than perceptive heroine to be so blindsided.
"Hazard" is one of my favorite stories in the collection. It's a little darker than most of the others but well-developed for a short story. It illuminates the difficulties of being a woman at that time. The hero is not my type at all and the ending just totally ruined the story. It's very dated showing the age of the story. I hate that sort of "romance."
One of the new stories, "Pursuit" is a fun, runaway marriage story.. Heyer managed a few surprises along the way. Overall the story is too short for character development. I like the sensible governess heroine but not the alpha hero.
The second new story, "Runaway Match is another runaway marriage story but this one is quite different. The characters are prototypes of characters she would use in later books but mixed together and paired together. The setting is Georgian, not Regency, and the story features a sword duel! How thrilling! The character development here is excellent in the short space of a story. The ending is a little silly but I enjoyed it.
"Incident on the Bath Road" features yet another jaded Earl and a runaway youth. The setting is Georgian and the plot somewhat similar to The Corinthian but different and unique to even Heyer. The story lacks plot and the surprise isn't difficult to guess. The ending is unbelievable and I feel sorry for the youth. The Georgian setting is not as descriptive as the Regency settings Heyer was known for.
January 9, 2018
When you prolong the finishing of the last story because you don’t want it to end you know it’s an excellent book.
December 12, 2017
Classic Heyer in bite size pieces. I think this collection was like a bunch of tulips and baby's breaths. It was light, refreshing read. Many of the short stories were plots of novels Heyer would write in future. I think nobody writes traditional regency romance better than Heyer. Her language is close the convoluted, ornate, formal prose of the period which we don't see in regency romances now. Her characters are far more rigid and proper. The stories are not high literature like Austen, they entertain us and they only entertain. Do not expect anything complex but just be prepared to get dazzled by wit and charm.
Also, it is perfect for a cozy winter night, so basically now is a good time to read it. Have the book in kindle or paperback, curl up inside your favourite rug, serve yourself cocoa or a soup or something comforting and enjoy.
Also, it is perfect for a cozy winter night, so basically now is a good time to read it. Have the book in kindle or paperback, curl up inside your favourite rug, serve yourself cocoa or a soup or something comforting and enjoy.
March 29, 2021
"The bare expanse of Finchley Common being reached, a faint hope of being held up by highwaymen sustained Miss Fairfax's spirits for some way, but when the equipage arrived at the Whetstone gate without incident, she relapsed again into melancholy."This was a mildly amusing collection of stories by the great Georgette Heyer. A few of them have quite a bit to recommend them. I had previously read Pistols for Two, and had never been tempted to read it again, so it had been decades since I had previously perused these confections. With the addition of 3 previously uncollected stories, it was ample motivation to read the book again.
from Pursuit
Georgette Heyer devotees will want to dip into this collection, if only because many plot points, relationships, and characters are very reminiscent of some of her beloved novels. Unfortunately, because they are short stories, there is little to no multi-layered character-building and the romances rely on instant attraction with lifelong matches made with scant interaction or conversation between the two principles. I fear for the success of many of the matches made in these stories. Most pairs seem to be very incompatible. Too many of the young ladies are young, naive, and somewhat silly. It's as if Gervase in The Quiet Gentleman had ended up with Marianne or Gareth in Sprig Muslin had ended up with Amanda. There are certainly no Venetias, Fredericas, Sophys, or Arabellas in this collection! Nay, nor a Hester or a Drusilla either!
There is little of the social comedy that results from navigating the social whirl and glittering balls of the Ton in London or Bath. Nine of the fourteen stories take place largely or entirely on the road in coaches and Inns usually with a foolish elopement involved. One of the exceptions is A Husband for Fanny which was one of my favorites. Other favorites include Bath Miss, A Clandestine Affair, Pursuit, and Incident on the Bath Road.
My enjoyment of the kindle version was very marred by bad formatting. Where ever there was supposed to be an apostrophe, it was substituted by a series of weird symbols. It was distracting in the extreme and very irritating. Luckily this is a very quick read.
November 27, 2023
Well, short stories clearly weren't Heyer's best format. She needs more time to develop her characters and create a believable relationship between them. I adore her witty dialogue, but there was almost none in these stories. Also, most of these rely in the "young school girl meets older rake" trope, which I greatly dislike. One enamored "hero" ends his story by calling the girl he met two days ago - but clearly intends to marry - a brat. Yuck.
On the plus side, To Have the Honour was cute, if very short, and I did really like A Clandestine Affair, Pink Domino, A Husband for Fanny, and Night at the Inn (not the usual Heyer). By which you can tell I prefer my heroines grown-up and intelligent. Night at the Inn was the only story that managed to surprise me a bit, the rest played out her usual romance tropes with very little variation or charm. This was not a winner for me.
On the plus side, To Have the Honour was cute, if very short, and I did really like A Clandestine Affair, Pink Domino, A Husband for Fanny, and Night at the Inn (not the usual Heyer). By which you can tell I prefer my heroines grown-up and intelligent. Night at the Inn was the only story that managed to surprise me a bit, the rest played out her usual romance tropes with very little variation or charm. This was not a winner for me.
January 14, 2023
This was an easy, breezy fun read! My favorite short stories in this collection get more than three stars. Those were Full Moon, Pink Domino, To Have the Honour, Hazard, Runaway Match, and Incident on the Bath Road. The other stories were fun to read but rather forgettable. I am sure I will pick this up again in the future and enjoy reading the stories all over again.
January 16, 2018
Received this ARC from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an honest review
This is a collection of short stories - many of which, if I read the introduction correctly, were published in the 1920s and 1930s. I've previously read most of these short stories. Most, maybe all, through original sources (as in, the original magazines or newspapers the stories appeared in - no I'm not super old, I read copies).
Snowdrift
This is one of those stories I've not previously read.
The story starts off mostly flat, but it picks up to a satisfying conclusion. The story involves a young woman in a carriage hurrying to Bath during a snowstorm. In the carriage are several people, including her maid, and her detested cousin. Both the cousin and the young woman are rushing to Bath to meet their grandfather. The old coot is loaded with cash and has indicated that, despite noting he was going to cut off both of their mothers for marrying the wrong type of men, now believes he might in fact allow some of the money to go to the young woman or Joseph.
As the story proceeds, the snow worsens, lessons, worsens until the carriage runs off the road and flips onto it's side. The fat young cousin proceeds to push himself free and takes off on one of the horses for the nearest town. The young woman has the others in the carriage pull her maid out and both whimper on the side of the road, for different reasons. The maid has a broken leg, the young woman will be beaten to Bath by her fat cousin (and her maid has a broken leg - the young woman isn't heartless).
The sound of horses, the appearance of one of those open type of carriage like thingies. A man asks what's up, and is persuaded to give a lift to the maid and young woman. Along the way he offers up her name and is startled when she doesn't recognize his name ('Never before had Sir Julian Arden announced his identity with so little effect! Indeed, it was seldom that he was put to the trouble of announcing it at all. not only was he the acknowledged leader of Fashion, a crack shot, and a nonpareil amongst whips: he was quite the most eligible bachelor in Society as well.'). And, he finds, she's nothing like the normal type of woman he encounters.
Stuff happens, etc. etc. Interesting enough story. As noted, flat-ish in beginning, picks up in interest, then ends.
The introduction noted that Heyer sometimes expanded short stories into full length books - I do not recognize
this specific story or characters.
I liked the personalities displayed - the dandy who doesn't have to act like a dandy around the young woman, nor does he really get the chance -
When it's mentioned that they continue to Bath in Arden's open carriage - the curricle - he replied that it'd be too cold, but she responds that she'd like it quite well -
Rating: 4.03
January 10 2018
Full Moon
Previously read in 2012; roughly 54 pages in length. My favorite of the previously read short stories collected here.
I probably have a review for this short story somewhere, thought I'd put it here. pfft. No matter, that review was from 2012 . . . drat, going to have to look for it to see what I'd originally rated the story.
Right, so, this story: Interesting reread - a man in his 30s arrives at an Inn - he had been 'summoned' to visit a friend of his sisters but the winding roads have made him late, so he's stopping for dinner and possibly the night at the inn - instead of wandering on and arriving way too late.
While at the inn he encounters a man drinking heavily. And learns that the man, Tom, is about to elope with someone who he had known since childhood and had made some kind of marriage pact. Though currently he's drinking heavily because of that elopement - the young woman indicated that her papa was forcing her to marry some old man and Tom felt obligated to mention elopement. And now finds himself waiting for the carriage to arrive so he can go pick her up.
Naturally, after drinking so much, he slumps over asleep and the man who had stopped at the Inn, Lord Stayely, who is something around 34 or 35, goes in Tom's place. No - no - not to elope with the young woman, but to inform her about Tom's . . . illness.
Good story. Liked it. Believe I liked it more the first time I read it, but then the jokes were fresh that time. The interaction between the Lord and the young woman was interest, humorous, like the first read. Don't recall if I found the interaction between the papa and the Lord to be humorous, but did find it humorous this read.
Rating: 4.33
January 10 2018
Pistols for Two
While well written for what it is, it isn't what I was looking to read. Nor thought I'd be reading. This is by no means a romance. Heck, there weren't even any women in it (okay, there is but she has no lines, and is just the cause for the story, not a participant).
Two hot-headed young friends, somewhere below the age of 21 I believe, lust after the same woman. There is, in fact, 'stuff' about the woman in the story, but it is of the 'ugly duckling to swan' type of thing, not actual real participation by the woman in the story. The two young friends spent much time together, fishing, hunting, stuff. Then a woman popped up who they had not wanted anything to do with until she returned from growing up to appear . . . beddable - and the two young men compete to win her. For she is, you see, an object.
One thing leads to another, and the vast majority of the story consists of setting up a duel, having a duel, and the aftermath.
No idea how to rate this story. As noted, well written. But not what I wanted to read. So.....
Rating: 3.3
January 10 2018
A Clandestine Affair
A young woman begs her guardian - shockingly a woman (and her sister at that) - to allow her to marry her 'love'. The guardian was leaning to accepting the marriage, until she learned that the fella in question has a guardian himself and that man is against the marriage.
Later we learn that the two guardians had a past - and much of the conflict is based on that.
This is another of those high-speed chasing eloping people short stories. Though there's two twists here, neither of which I, of course, will mention.
One neat thing about this story? Okay, two neat things. There's a teenage girl involved in this romance, like normal, but her intended is roughly her own age - give or take . . . 5 or so years. Though, more importantly, the main character is the 'elderly' woman of 37 (something around 37) and she also has a romance in this story with a man roughly her own age (okay, I don't really know his age but he wasn't described as needing to use a cane or a 'Bath Chair' so he can't be too much older than the woman).
Quite refreshing - even today - to read a romance that involves someone 'as old as' 37.
Rating: 3.83
Read: January 10 2018; Reviewed: January 11 2018
Bath Miss
A man of about 30 something is tasked with the mission of bringing a 'Bath Miss' from the school-room, so to speak, in Bath to London. The first thing the young woman of 19 does is change from school room clothing to 'adult female' clothing. With a huge hat.
The woman is shown to be bubbly and quite naïve. The main is shown as . . . vaguely icky - since he decides, without consulting her, that he I strike out 'vaguely'. There's a disturbing vibe about the entire story.
Rating: 3.42
Read: January 10 2018; Reviewed: January 11 2018
Pink Domino
Another 'young woman courting a young man shockingly near her own age' story, like the Affair one above, though here the main character is a man and this adds in the 'lovely' trope of having the lusted after object being . . . well, an object instead of a human (um, he is lusting after a woman, I mean he's treating her as an object) that has no will of her own. He decided he wanted her so . . that's that.
Rating: 3.78
Read: January 10 2018; Reviewed: January 11 2018
A Husband for Fanny
Previously read in 2012; roughly 39 pages in length.
A mother, Clarissa Wingham, attempts to help her 17 year old daughter, Fanny, have a season and a chance to 'catch a husband'. Clarissa has her eyes on the 40 year old Lord Harleston for her 17 year old daughter.
To Have the Honour
A man comes back from the wars to find that he is head of the household and his father left the family in debt. Plus - 'for reasons', he wasn't told the true state of the family's finances for months because everyone assumed (mother, siblings, creditors), that 'of course' he was going to marry Hetty. Which he finds revolting. Until he doesn't find it revolting any longer.
Heyer seemed to really love matching up first cousins in romances. Not all the time, but enough times for me to make the comment. Accurate to the Regency era? Eh, maybe, who knows. Limited number of 'good families' about, I'm sure. Major problem surfaced in this particular story, though - Heyer went too far down this road.
Hetty and . . . . Viscount guy lived as brother and sister (not from babies, but at some point Hetty moved in while they were young, and then they lived as brother and sister) and both either see the other that way, and/or say they do. So this moves from first cousin romance to sibling romance. Heck, the Viscount's mother kept saying over and over again that she saw Hetty as her daughter, so it's not like it was just in the eyes of the two youngsters. It was a reoccurring theme in the story - they lived, loved, and saw each other as brother and sister.
Unlike with the Lannisters, everyone seems quite happy with the incestal relationship here (the Viscount was revolted by his mother hiding the finances, and um assuming Hetty and he would marry, and forcing her and stuff; not revolted by the idea of marrying Hetty).
Rating: 2
January 12 2018
Night at the Inn
Unexpectedly, and oddly enough, this story was more of a gothic horror/mystery than a romance. Though there is a man and a woman to 'make eyes' at each other in the story - still not a romance story.
The story consists of telling about three people who stayed at a particular Inn at the same time - an inn not the norm - isn't the first place someone would go to stay the night. And the ominous dangerous things that occur the night the three spend at that Inn.
Rating: 3.65
January 14 2018
The Duel
As I put in my notes - yet another duel story; though here there's a bit more romance than the other story, since the woman character actually has lines and is a much larger part in this story. Also, as kind of expected, this is yet another story involving a much older man and a much younger woman - this time the woman hasn't even been 'out' yet.
On the other hand - entertaining story. Not much humor, but there's at least one real laugh that occurs - near the end. Nothing to go out of your way to track down to read, but also not a story to go out of your way to skip.
Rating: 4.15
January 14 2018
Hazard
There's very little that can be said about this story that would not be spoilery. What can be stated is what sets up the story - the story opens with a half-brother offering up his sister when he runs out of money during a game of chance that involves dice. The person who he is playing against accepts this bet. Though, it probably should be noted, every other person in the room is horrified by the bet.
Let's see, other things I wrote down as I read: 'she was mad/he was drunk'; there's a little scene near the end that, I suppose, is intended to be humorous and possibly 'redeem' the people involved in this story, though it doesn't work for either issue.
Rating: 1.75
January 16 2018
Pursuit
Previously read in 2012; roughly 10 pages in length.
A tale of people fleeing/eloping, and others chasing. And the romance that could/can occur in such a setting. Specifically between a governess and an Earl.
Runaway Match
Previously read in 2012 (found in a 1937 magazine put-up online - Australian Women's Weekly); Roughly 4 pages in length.
Two 18 year-olds attempt to escape an arranged/forced marriage (specifically between the female of the pair to another man than the one she flees with) by fleeing and eloping.
Incident on the Bath Road
Previously read in 2012; roughly 4 pages in length.
Two men head to Bath - separately and unknown to each other. One, an Earl, spots the other broken down on the side of the road. The Earl stops and helps the person he finds stranded on the side of the road.
Stories:
Snowdrift: 4.03
Full Moon: 4.33 (reread rating, original rating 5 stars) 9.33/2=4.665
Pistols for Two: 3.3
A Clandestine Affair: 3.83
Bath Miss: 3.42
Pink Domino: 3.78
A Husband for Fanny: n/a (already read) - 4 stars
To Have the Honour: 2
Night at the Inn: 3.65
The Duel: 4.15
Hazard: 1.75
Pursuit: n/a - previously read - 4 stars
Runaway Match: n/a - previously read - 4 stars
Incident on the Bath Road: n/a - previously read - 3 stars
overall: 3.541071429 (3.4 without including previously read stories, 3.5 if including them)
Overall a good collection of stories, though I was surprised 'so many' of them were just snippets instead of full short stories (there's a difference between a snippet and a short story), and how many of the stories were not, in fact, romances. I kind of went into it expecting romances.
January 16 2018
This is a collection of short stories - many of which, if I read the introduction correctly, were published in the 1920s and 1930s. I've previously read most of these short stories. Most, maybe all, through original sources (as in, the original magazines or newspapers the stories appeared in - no I'm not super old, I read copies).
Snowdrift
This is one of those stories I've not previously read.
The story starts off mostly flat, but it picks up to a satisfying conclusion. The story involves a young woman in a carriage hurrying to Bath during a snowstorm. In the carriage are several people, including her maid, and her detested cousin. Both the cousin and the young woman are rushing to Bath to meet their grandfather. The old coot is loaded with cash and has indicated that, despite noting he was going to cut off both of their mothers for marrying the wrong type of men, now believes he might in fact allow some of the money to go to the young woman or Joseph.
As the story proceeds, the snow worsens, lessons, worsens until the carriage runs off the road and flips onto it's side. The fat young cousin proceeds to push himself free and takes off on one of the horses for the nearest town. The young woman has the others in the carriage pull her maid out and both whimper on the side of the road, for different reasons. The maid has a broken leg, the young woman will be beaten to Bath by her fat cousin (and her maid has a broken leg - the young woman isn't heartless).
The sound of horses, the appearance of one of those open type of carriage like thingies. A man asks what's up, and is persuaded to give a lift to the maid and young woman. Along the way he offers up her name and is startled when she doesn't recognize his name ('Never before had Sir Julian Arden announced his identity with so little effect! Indeed, it was seldom that he was put to the trouble of announcing it at all. not only was he the acknowledged leader of Fashion, a crack shot, and a nonpareil amongst whips: he was quite the most eligible bachelor in Society as well.'). And, he finds, she's nothing like the normal type of woman he encounters.
Stuff happens, etc. etc. Interesting enough story. As noted, flat-ish in beginning, picks up in interest, then ends.
The introduction noted that Heyer sometimes expanded short stories into full length books - I do not recognize
this specific story or characters.
I liked the personalities displayed - the dandy who doesn't have to act like a dandy around the young woman, nor does he really get the chance -
When it's mentioned that they continue to Bath in Arden's open carriage - the curricle - he replied that it'd be too cold, but she responds that she'd like it quite well -
'And only think what a deal of expense you may save!'
Sir Julian, who had never in his life considered such a sordid matter, agreed to it meekly . . ..'
Rating: 4.03
January 10 2018
Full Moon
Previously read in 2012; roughly 54 pages in length. My favorite of the previously read short stories collected here.
I probably have a review for this short story somewhere, thought I'd put it here. pfft. No matter, that review was from 2012 . . . drat, going to have to look for it to see what I'd originally rated the story.
Right, so, this story: Interesting reread - a man in his 30s arrives at an Inn - he had been 'summoned' to visit a friend of his sisters but the winding roads have made him late, so he's stopping for dinner and possibly the night at the inn - instead of wandering on and arriving way too late.
While at the inn he encounters a man drinking heavily. And learns that the man, Tom, is about to elope with someone who he had known since childhood and had made some kind of marriage pact. Though currently he's drinking heavily because of that elopement - the young woman indicated that her papa was forcing her to marry some old man and Tom felt obligated to mention elopement. And now finds himself waiting for the carriage to arrive so he can go pick her up.
Naturally, after drinking so much, he slumps over asleep and the man who had stopped at the Inn, Lord Stayely, who is something around 34 or 35, goes in Tom's place. No - no - not to elope with the young woman, but to inform her about Tom's . . . illness.
Good story. Liked it. Believe I liked it more the first time I read it, but then the jokes were fresh that time. The interaction between the Lord and the young woman was interest, humorous, like the first read. Don't recall if I found the interaction between the papa and the Lord to be humorous, but did find it humorous this read.
Rating: 4.33
January 10 2018
Pistols for Two
While well written for what it is, it isn't what I was looking to read. Nor thought I'd be reading. This is by no means a romance. Heck, there weren't even any women in it (okay, there is but she has no lines, and is just the cause for the story, not a participant).
Two hot-headed young friends, somewhere below the age of 21 I believe, lust after the same woman. There is, in fact, 'stuff' about the woman in the story, but it is of the 'ugly duckling to swan' type of thing, not actual real participation by the woman in the story. The two young friends spent much time together, fishing, hunting, stuff. Then a woman popped up who they had not wanted anything to do with until she returned from growing up to appear . . . beddable - and the two young men compete to win her. For she is, you see, an object.
One thing leads to another, and the vast majority of the story consists of setting up a duel, having a duel, and the aftermath.
No idea how to rate this story. As noted, well written. But not what I wanted to read. So.....
Rating: 3.3
January 10 2018
A Clandestine Affair
A young woman begs her guardian - shockingly a woman (and her sister at that) - to allow her to marry her 'love'. The guardian was leaning to accepting the marriage, until she learned that the fella in question has a guardian himself and that man is against the marriage.
Later we learn that the two guardians had a past - and much of the conflict is based on that.
This is another of those high-speed chasing eloping people short stories. Though there's two twists here, neither of which I, of course, will mention.
One neat thing about this story? Okay, two neat things. There's a teenage girl involved in this romance, like normal, but her intended is roughly her own age - give or take . . . 5 or so years. Though, more importantly, the main character is the 'elderly' woman of 37 (something around 37) and she also has a romance in this story with a man roughly her own age (okay, I don't really know his age but he wasn't described as needing to use a cane or a 'Bath Chair' so he can't be too much older than the woman).
Quite refreshing - even today - to read a romance that involves someone 'as old as' 37.
Rating: 3.83
Read: January 10 2018; Reviewed: January 11 2018
Bath Miss
A man of about 30 something is tasked with the mission of bringing a 'Bath Miss' from the school-room, so to speak, in Bath to London. The first thing the young woman of 19 does is change from school room clothing to 'adult female' clothing. With a huge hat.
The woman is shown to be bubbly and quite naïve. The main is shown as . . . vaguely icky - since he decides, without consulting her, that he I strike out 'vaguely'. There's a disturbing vibe about the entire story.
Rating: 3.42
Read: January 10 2018; Reviewed: January 11 2018
Pink Domino
Another 'young woman courting a young man shockingly near her own age' story, like the Affair one above, though here the main character is a man and this adds in the 'lovely' trope of having the lusted after object being . . . well, an object instead of a human (um, he is lusting after a woman, I mean he's treating her as an object) that has no will of her own. He decided he wanted her so . . that's that.
Rating: 3.78
Read: January 10 2018; Reviewed: January 11 2018
A Husband for Fanny
Previously read in 2012; roughly 39 pages in length.
A mother, Clarissa Wingham, attempts to help her 17 year old daughter, Fanny, have a season and a chance to 'catch a husband'. Clarissa has her eyes on the 40 year old Lord Harleston for her 17 year old daughter.
To Have the Honour
A man comes back from the wars to find that he is head of the household and his father left the family in debt. Plus - 'for reasons', he wasn't told the true state of the family's finances for months because everyone assumed (mother, siblings, creditors), that 'of course' he was going to marry Hetty. Which he finds revolting. Until he doesn't find it revolting any longer.
Heyer seemed to really love matching up first cousins in romances. Not all the time, but enough times for me to make the comment. Accurate to the Regency era? Eh, maybe, who knows. Limited number of 'good families' about, I'm sure. Major problem surfaced in this particular story, though - Heyer went too far down this road.
Hetty and . . . . Viscount guy lived as brother and sister (not from babies, but at some point Hetty moved in while they were young, and then they lived as brother and sister) and both either see the other that way, and/or say they do. So this moves from first cousin romance to sibling romance. Heck, the Viscount's mother kept saying over and over again that she saw Hetty as her daughter, so it's not like it was just in the eyes of the two youngsters. It was a reoccurring theme in the story - they lived, loved, and saw each other as brother and sister.
Unlike with the Lannisters, everyone seems quite happy with the incestal relationship here (the Viscount was revolted by his mother hiding the finances, and um assuming Hetty and he would marry, and forcing her and stuff; not revolted by the idea of marrying Hetty).
Rating: 2
January 12 2018
Night at the Inn
Unexpectedly, and oddly enough, this story was more of a gothic horror/mystery than a romance. Though there is a man and a woman to 'make eyes' at each other in the story - still not a romance story.
The story consists of telling about three people who stayed at a particular Inn at the same time - an inn not the norm - isn't the first place someone would go to stay the night. And the ominous dangerous things that occur the night the three spend at that Inn.
Rating: 3.65
January 14 2018
The Duel
As I put in my notes - yet another duel story; though here there's a bit more romance than the other story, since the woman character actually has lines and is a much larger part in this story. Also, as kind of expected, this is yet another story involving a much older man and a much younger woman - this time the woman hasn't even been 'out' yet.
On the other hand - entertaining story. Not much humor, but there's at least one real laugh that occurs - near the end. Nothing to go out of your way to track down to read, but also not a story to go out of your way to skip.
Rating: 4.15
January 14 2018
Hazard
There's very little that can be said about this story that would not be spoilery. What can be stated is what sets up the story - the story opens with a half-brother offering up his sister when he runs out of money during a game of chance that involves dice. The person who he is playing against accepts this bet. Though, it probably should be noted, every other person in the room is horrified by the bet.
Let's see, other things I wrote down as I read: 'she was mad/he was drunk'; there's a little scene near the end that, I suppose, is intended to be humorous and possibly 'redeem' the people involved in this story, though it doesn't work for either issue.
Rating: 1.75
January 16 2018
Pursuit
Previously read in 2012; roughly 10 pages in length.
A tale of people fleeing/eloping, and others chasing. And the romance that could/can occur in such a setting. Specifically between a governess and an Earl.
Runaway Match
Previously read in 2012 (found in a 1937 magazine put-up online - Australian Women's Weekly); Roughly 4 pages in length.
Two 18 year-olds attempt to escape an arranged/forced marriage (specifically between the female of the pair to another man than the one she flees with) by fleeing and eloping.
Incident on the Bath Road
Previously read in 2012; roughly 4 pages in length.
Two men head to Bath - separately and unknown to each other. One, an Earl, spots the other broken down on the side of the road. The Earl stops and helps the person he finds stranded on the side of the road.
Stories:
Snowdrift: 4.03
Full Moon: 4.33 (reread rating, original rating 5 stars) 9.33/2=4.665
Pistols for Two: 3.3
A Clandestine Affair: 3.83
Bath Miss: 3.42
Pink Domino: 3.78
A Husband for Fanny: n/a (already read) - 4 stars
To Have the Honour: 2
Night at the Inn: 3.65
The Duel: 4.15
Hazard: 1.75
Pursuit: n/a - previously read - 4 stars
Runaway Match: n/a - previously read - 4 stars
Incident on the Bath Road: n/a - previously read - 3 stars
overall: 3.541071429 (3.4 without including previously read stories, 3.5 if including them)
Overall a good collection of stories, though I was surprised 'so many' of them were just snippets instead of full short stories (there's a difference between a snippet and a short story), and how many of the stories were not, in fact, romances. I kind of went into it expecting romances.
January 16 2018
June 27, 2020
Situazioni e personaggi sono ripetitivi e ritornano nei romanzi, ma presi a un poco di distanza l’uno dall’altro questi racconti sono ideali pillole di relax.
December 30, 2016
Well, yes, I do already own Pistols For Two, but not in ebook format and I haven't read it for ages and there are three new short stories in this one... I can find it amazingly easy to justify book purchases sometimes.
Like any other short story collection, it's a bit of a mixed bag, with some stories better than others, and if you're familiar with Heyer's novels, I don't think any of the plots will surprise you. But I had fun re-reading the previously-published shorts and enjoyed the new ones - perfect Christmas time reading!
Like any other short story collection, it's a bit of a mixed bag, with some stories better than others, and if you're familiar with Heyer's novels, I don't think any of the plots will surprise you. But I had fun re-reading the previously-published shorts and enjoyed the new ones - perfect Christmas time reading!
May 19, 2017
Snowdrift and Other Stories is the previously published Pistols For Two with three new stories. I enjoyed the three new stories, but generally prefer Georgette Heyer's longer works (novels). The stories were sweet, some were funny, and one was terrifying.
My favorite short stories of the lot are 'The Duel' 'Hazard' and 'Pistols for Two,' which I found hilarious.
Overall, a wonderful collection, and worth reading.
My favorite short stories of the lot are 'The Duel' 'Hazard' and 'Pistols for Two,' which I found hilarious.
Overall, a wonderful collection, and worth reading.
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