Georgette Heyer’s The Grand Sophy is the best of her novels I have read so far. It is also her most popular, I think. The main reason for this is Heyer’s choice of heroine. Sophy is an adorable heroine. Her boldness, skill, kindness, and generosity make her one of the most loved heroines in a Heyer novel. It is hard to dislike her, even if you try. Her conduct may seem like meddling, but it is always for a good cause and not for selfish reasons.
Equally interesting is Sophy’s cousin, Charles Rivenhall. Overburdened with his father’s debts and engaged to a pedantic woman, Charles had become an autocrat. Although his main concern is to provide a good life for his siblings and pay off his father’s debts to preserve their honour, his cold bearing makes him misunderstood and disliked. Then comes Sophy, and everything turns topsy-turvy. With her shrewd intuition, Sophy understands Charles’s character and schemes to lighten his burden. She also plans to free him from his insufferable fiancée. Her mission is to rescue her aunt’s family from their various entanglements and to fix them so that everyone can live happily. Sophy succeeds in her schemes, of course, but not without consequences. Having deprived Charles of a fiancée, she must fill that position, which she gladly does.
The Grand Sophy is a lovely story with interesting characters. Not only the hero and heroine, but also the supporting characters kept me well entertained. It’s very rare to end up liking all the characters in a story, and such a novel is a precious gift. The story, though initially a bit slow, became fast-paced once Sophy entered. Overall, it was a fun light read, something you need now and then to uplift your mood.
Rating: 4/5
