Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Book Review: POWDER AND PATCH by Georgette Heyer

I really have been missing out on the whole regency romance gig. I now can proudly say I have number two under my belt.

Powder and Patch was a darling read. Set in England and France during which the fashion of the time was wearing powdered wigs, make up, and high heels. Philip Jettan was a down to earth country gentleman who was lacking in “polish” as his father stated. He was painfully blunt and had not one single vanity about him. That is until his childhood love, his hope to be betrothed, the beautiful Cleone Charteris draws the attention of a newly arrived powdered and patched gentlemen by the name of Mr Bancroft. Cleone began to waver on her feelings for Philip because she concluded she would like a man with “polish”. Philip did not fit into that grouping.

Cleone and Philip cared profoundly for each other having grown up together. But she had other dreams of what her kind of man was; she did care about “frivolities” as Philip had put it. Somewhere inside of her were unanswered feelings for Philip and he knew it. To defend his status with her he baited Mr Bancroft into a duel. Proving Philip's lack of “polish” he was defeated by Bancroft. Even worse for Philip, Cleone had the impudence to chastise him for his lack of gentlemen skills. With that Philip left her for London with only with a promise from her she would wait. He would have to go to his uncle, like his father had told him so many times before.

Upon Philip’s arrival and full discussion with his uncle of his situation, the two men decided he should disappear to Paris for his transformation. Awh Paris, the late nigh parties, courtiers, and powdered faces were a sight to behold in themselves. I swear you could just smell the perfumed, gem-encrusted fashions. Philip lived up to his “short shirt” potiental and became everything Cleone wanted. Thing between them however had turned sour. He wanted real love, to be loved for who he truly was, not for what he dressed like. Oh a tangled web we weave ourselves into for love. A few mishaps and everything could be lost forever.

5/5 LOVED it! I hated how short it was though. A super short read at actual story meat at about 180+ pages. I loved the details of the fashion of the time. Brooches, hairpins, silk stockings, and dripping in lace, Heyer beautifully details everything. So Austen, it is charming.

Thank you to Source Books for sending me this beautiful novel. I loved it.
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8 comments:

  1. I'm reading a Georgette Heyer book this week. I haven't heard of this one but it sounds delightful! Glad you enjoyed it.

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  2. Wonderful :) I will have to add this to my Heyer list!

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  3. I loved this one! I agree it is much too short!

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  4. I just read my first Georgette Heyer Regency, Devil's Cub. I really liked it. Her writing is so smart and sharp and she manages to be sensual and chaste at the same time. I read one of her historicals, The Conqueror, last year and gave that high marks, too. Thanks for sharing your review!

    I have an award I'd like to pass on to you over at my blog!

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  5. I've been meaning to try her work.

    PS
    Your blog is positively lovely!

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  6. Alaine, I am now on a Heyer mission to have all the new reprints they are so so pretty. I am going to have to swing by Royal Reviews to see which one you are reading. The only ones I am not so sure about are the mystery ones. I am such I WUSS I can not do scary at all.

    Muse I saw your cute Heyer button and I wanted to add it to my gig but I think I might do myself in if I join one more dang challenge. I am doing the romance challenge though and picked all Heyer for it.

    Arleigh, I knew you loved it too we love the same books. I wish it would have been much longer but at the same time I am an ADD reader and love short ones too.

    Lady Q, I so want that one too. The cover is to die for beautiful and I have seen that many people love it. I have it on my Amazon list hopefully soon I can add it to the collection.

    Juju, I am glad you found me! I love it when people are so positive and thank you!

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  7. I've been hearing so much of Georgette Heyer in the past year! Perhaps I should start with this short one to get my feet wet! Thanks for your review!

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  8. Charley, I think you would really enjoy it but by far my favorite is still Arabella, it was a great one to start with.

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