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Bath Tangle Georgette Heyer 9780099468097 Books

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Bath Tangle Georgette Heyer 9780099468097 Books

I have just recently reread this novel. I think I have read it only once before. I liked the hero Ivo, who is a Marquis and very intelligent. However, I found both heroines tedious which is fatal to the enjoyment of a romance novel. Serena was tedious for her frequent temperamental displays (adult tantrums) and the widow Fanny was tedious for her tearfulness, fretfulness, fearfulness and vapours. Her poor advice to the major, mistaking her own preferences for what would be Serena's, caused the whole tangle. There were some amusing satirical observations from the narrator and some characters but overall the tangle in this novel was prolonged too long by so many tedious scenes, that it was only the ending chapters that finally provided the amusement I expect from a Georgette Heyer novel and saved this from a poor rating from me.

Tantrums in children can be handled, if not with pleasure, at least with by an adult equipped with common sense. Tantrums by adults are unbearable and much more difficult, if not impossible to handle. While children's tantrums are short lived (they live in the present), adult tantrums can go on for days, or weeks, or even months. Unbearable!

I shall reread again in 2 years from now and see if my tastes change enough that I don't find it 85% boring. I fear they may not.


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Bath Tangle Georgette Heyer 9780099468097 Books Reviews

I haven't ready every single Heyer book (yet) but I'm a huge fan and have read at least a dozen. This book is definitely one of my top 5. I would say, if you like Heyer as an author, this book won't let you down. It's like eating potato chips you just can't put it down once you've started it. The story has colorful characters that transport you back in time with some fun twists and turns along the way. I love how silly and romantic her stories can be, and even though Heyer's characters, in general, can be a little too idealistic, I almost always enjoy them because they are strong and vivid. Her stories can be a little formulaic, but it's a formula that I can't get enough of (like potato chips, right?).

I'm fairly young in age, but I'm a little old fashioned in my taste. I prefer these classic, idealistic, innocent stories over the more intense and darker modern stories like 50 Shades of Grey. If you like innocent, fun, historical and easy to read romantic stories, this is a great one to get. I would say that Frederica, Sylvester, A Civil Contract, and Bath Tangle are my favorites of Heyer's stories so far.
This is the tale of Serena Carlow, who is as feisty a heroine as I have seen in any of Heyer's novels. Serena is born to enormous privilege and was greatly indulged by her father after her mother died. It is a credit to Heyer that, as I read these books, I am able to make gradual psychological assessments about the characters and why they have developed as they did. Serena's father, lacking a wife, made her his consort, which led to her expansiveness, pronounced opinions, and hauteur. I was not as fond of her as I was of other Heyer heroines, but at the same time she was a breath of fresh air (a hurricane?) after many virtuous and quietly genteel females.

The measured way in which we are led to see Serena's change of heart about Rotherham (so gradual that she herself doesn't know it) was very well executed. The poignant relief provided by the subplot of Hector falling in love with Fanny is a perfect complement to the ongoing thunder-and-lightning of Serena and Ivo. I give it four stars instead of the usual five I give to Heyer's books for two reasons -- one, there were numerous passages that were really nothing more than desultory conversation (b.s. about nothing relevant to the story line) and two, I found Serena a bit grating in her lack of self-knowledge and her frequent, self-satisfied and superior rants. But still, a good book.
Serena Spenborough is a lovely young lady, a bruising rider, a noted whip and protective of her step-mama, Fanny, who is several years younger than her. When Serena's father passes away, he leaves Serena with a respectable fortune but, to her surprise, he puts stipulations upon her fortune which she finds maddening. He leaves her funds in trust until she marries and has the gall to name the argumentative, rough mannered, Marquis of Rotherham the Trustee of her funds. Further, any man Serena considers marrying will have to have the approval of Rotherham. This might not be considered out of the ordinary, except Serena was once betrothed to Rotherham and she jilted him.

Although she and Rotherham have remained friends, they cannot long be in a room together without arguing their heads off. Of course the reader immediately sees where all this heat will eventually take us and we eagerly await the fireworks and the romance. But, as usual, Ms. Heyer makes us wait and wait and then wait some more.

In the meantime, Serena and Fanny have decided to set up housekeeping in Bath while they are in their mourning period. In this way, they can be out in society a bit without becoming scandalous. Serena never imagines that she would run into the man she fell in love with when she was a young girl - Hector Kirkby - a man her father wouldn't allow her to marry due to his lack of fortune. For Hector's part, he has never forgotten the beautiful Serena and has kept his heart faithful to her through his years in the military - indeed, he is a sweet, handsome, honorable gentleman.

When Hector's and Serena's hearts re-engage, the reader wonders exactly where all this romance will lead. Rotherham comes in and out of Serena's and Fanny's life and eventually is introduced to Hector and gives his blessing to the marriage, having recently become betrothed himself to a young, fainthearted bubblehead named Emily. But, Serena hears strange things about the happenings between Rotherham and Emily and it's soon apparent that Emily is not happy being engaged to the scary Rotherham.

When Rotherham's young ward, Derek, decides he wants Emily and Fanny finds her heart becoming engaged where she never intended, Serena is determined that Rotherham shall have Emily if he loves her and does everything in her power to make it so - obviously feeling guilty because she jilted him years before. Hector finds himself constantly bewildered by the lovely Serena who will not allow him to guide her and protect her in the manner he feels is right, Rotherham and Serena can hardly be in the same room without going hard at it and shortly it is obvious to the reader how the cards will play out. It's just a matter of the main characters in this farce figuring it out so everyone will be happy.
I have just recently reread this novel. I think I have read it only once before. I liked the hero Ivo, who is a Marquis and very intelligent. However, I found both heroines tedious which is fatal to the enjoyment of a romance novel. Serena was tedious for her frequent temperamental displays (adult tantrums) and the widow Fanny was tedious for her tearfulness, fretfulness, fearfulness and vapours. Her poor advice to the major, mistaking her own preferences for what would be Serena's, caused the whole tangle. There were some amusing satirical observations from the narrator and some characters but overall the tangle in this novel was prolonged too long by so many tedious scenes, that it was only the ending chapters that finally provided the amusement I expect from a Georgette Heyer novel and saved this from a poor rating from me.

Tantrums in children can be handled, if not with pleasure, at least with by an adult equipped with common sense. Tantrums by adults are unbearable and much more difficult, if not impossible to handle. While children's tantrums are short lived (they live in the present), adult tantrums can go on for days, or weeks, or even months. Unbearable!

I shall reread again in 2 years from now and see if my tastes change enough that I don't find it 85% boring. I fear they may not.