Full Description

Reluctant Widow

"Lively, amusing ... done to a turn!"
- Kirkus Reviews

A fateful mistake...

When Elinor Rochdale boards the wrong coach, she ends up not at her prospective employer's home but at the estate of Eustace Cheviot, a dissipated and ruined young man on the verge of death.

A momentous decision...

His cousin, Mr Ned Carlyon, persuades Elinor to marry Eustace as a simple business arrangement. By morning, Elinor is a rich widow, but finds herself embroiled with an international spy ring, housebreakers, uninvited guests, and murder. And Mr Carlyon won't let her leave ...

WHAT READERS SAY ABOUT THE RELUCTANT WIDOW:

"Delightful and purely entertaining. The plot involves comedy, intrigue, espionage, cloaks and daggers, and things going bump in the night - served with a sauce of witty repartee that is the Heyer hallmark. Unforgettable."

"One of my favorites!"

"A delightfully funny and mysterious romp."

"Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen."
- Publisher's Weekly

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

It was dusk when the London to Little Hampton stage-coach lurched into the village of Billingshurst, and a cold mist was beginning to creep knee-high over the dimly seen countryside. The coach drew up at an inn, and the steps were let down to enable a passenger to alight. A lady, soberly dressed in a drab-coloured pelisse and a round bonnet without a feather, descended on to the road. While she waited for a corded trunk and a valise to be extricated from the boot, the coachman, finding himself to be some minutes ahead of his time-sheet, hitched up his reins, clambered down from the box, and in defiance of the regulations governing the conduct of stage-coachmen, rolled into the tap-room in search of such stimulant as would enable him to accomplish the remainder of the journey without endangering an apparently enfeebled constitution.

The passenger, meanwhile, stood in the roadway with her trunk at her feet, and looked about her in a little uncertainty. She was expecting to be met, but as her experience had taught her that the gig was more commonly employed for the purpose of picking up the new governess than the carriage used by her employers, she hesitated to approach the only conveyance she could perceive, which was a light travelling coach, drawn up on the opposite side of the road. While she stood looking about her, however, a servant jumped down from the box, and came up to her, touching his hat, and enquiring whether she would be the young lady who had come down from London in answer to the advertisement. Upon her assenting, he made her a little bow, picked up the valise, and led the way across the road to the travelling coach. She stepped up into it, her spirits insensibly rising at this unlooked-for-attention to her comfort; and was further gratified by the servant’s spreading a rug over her knees and expressing the hope that she would not feel chilled by the evening air. The steps were put up, the door shut, the trunk bestowed on the roof, and in a very few moments the coach moved forward, bowling along in a well-sprung manner that formed a pleasing contrast to the jolting the stage-coach passenger had been enduring for several hours.

She leaned back against the squabs with a sigh of relief. The stage had been crowded, and her journey an uncomfortable one. She wondered whether she would ever become accustomed to the disagreeable economies of poverty. Since she had had every opportunity of inuring herself to these over a period of six years, it seemed unlikely. Dispirited, but determined not to give way to melancholy reflections, she turned her thoughts away from the evils of her situation, and tried instead to speculate upon the probable character of her new post.

It had been with no high hopes that she had set out from London earlier in the day. Her employer, seen once only in a quelling interview at Fenton’s Hotel, had disclosed no hint of the kindly impulse that must have caused her to send her own carriage to meet the governess. Miss Elinor Rochdale had been misled into thinking her massive bosom as hard as her rather prominent eyes, and, had any other choice offered, would have had no hesitation in declining a post in her household. But no other choice had offered. There were too often young gentlemen at a susceptible age in families requiring a governess, and Miss Rochdale was too young and too well-favoured to be eligible, in the eyes of most provident Mamas, for the position.

Happily, however – for Miss Rochdale’s savings were negligible, and her pride still too great to allow of her remaining longer as the guest of her own old governess – Mrs Macclesfield’s only male offspring was a sturdy lad of seven. He was, by his mother’s account, high-spirited, and of so sensitive a temperament that the exercise of the greatest tact and persuasion was necessary to control his activities. Six years earlier, Miss Rochdale would have shrunk from the horrors so clearly in store for her, but those years had taught her that the ideal situation was rarely to be found, and that where there was no spoiled child to make the governess’s life a burden, she would in all likelihood be expected to save her employer’s purse by performing the menial tasks generally allotted to the second housemaid.

Miss Rochdale tucked the rug more closely round her legs. A thick sheepskin mat upon the floor of the coach protected her feet from the draught, and she snuggled them into it gratefully, almost able to fancy herself once more Miss Rochdale of Feldenhall, travelling in her father’s carriage to an evening party. The style of servant who had been sent to fetch her, and the elegance of the equipage, had a little surprised her: she had not supposed Mrs Macclesfield to have been in such comfortable circumstances. Upon first perceiving the coach, she had thought she had seen a crest upon the door-panel, but in the failing light it was easy to be mistaken. She fell to pondering the probable degree of gentility of the establishment ahead of her, and the various characters of its inmates, and since she was of a humorous turn of mind, soon lost herself in the weaving of several very improbable histories.

Reviews

Reviews

My Friend Amy Amy Bruno
About the Book: A sparkling Regency romance with intrigue and excitement, from the queen of the genre. Eleanor Rochdale finds herself married and widowed within 24 hours, and embroiled in an international spy ring, housebreakers, and murder.
My Review: This past spring, the blogs, in particular the romance blogs, were abuzz with some recent reissues of Georgette Heyer books. It seemed as if everyone thought she was fantastic and I had never heard of her. What can I say? I respond well to buzz and made a note of her name to look her up in the future. A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Sourcebooks and offered the chance to review one of her books. I jumped at it!

When the book (well actually books) arrived, the press materials had a quote in big letters that said "Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen" At this point, I started to get nervous. Unlike many of you, I am not a huge Jane Austen fan. In all fairness, I’ve only tried to read one her books once, but simply couldn’t get past the first few pages. I like the movies! (which is another part of the problem...I usually can’t read books after I’ve seen the movies...I like plots I know nothing about)

But I plunged in anyway, and I am SO glad that I did! This book was nothing short of pure delight.

Heyer was a talented writer, indeed. Her characters are so sharply drawn that you know exactly who they are. It is not hard to imagine the scenes unfolding and the reactions of each of the characters. On top of that the dialogue is so funny that I found myself grinning and laughing out loud several times.

The plot is not exactly complex, but I find it doesn’t matter in a book like this, in which character and dialogue are king. I think this may well be the first regency romance novel I’ve read, and I can see why they are so popular.

A couple of hours of reading really doesn’t get much better than this.

And lastly, because I know this matters to a lot of my readers, this book is very clean, no explicit sex at all and barely even any kissing.

I so enjoyed this book, that I signed up for Becky’s perpetual Georgette Heyer challenge. I have another book in the stack to read already and look forward to reading many more!

S. Krishna’s Books Swampna Krishna
Though I am a huge fan of historical fiction, I’ve never read anything by Georgette Heyer. I’ve heard a lot of good things about her so I was glad when I heard hear books were being re-released. When Danielle from Sourcebooks, Inc. (the publishing company that is re-releasing Heyer’s works) contacted me and asked me if I’d like to review some novels, I jumped at the chance.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I opened up The Reluctant Widow. I was apprehensive that the book would be difficult to read and wouldn’t be able to hold my attention - imagine my surprise, then, when the first time I looked up from the novel, I was a quarter of the way through it! The Reluctant Widow is very captivating and funny; I was hooked from the very first page. The story took its time to unfold, but dropped enough tantalizing hints to keep me extremely interested in the plot.

The characters are also wonderfully written and charming. I absolutely loved Elinor - she was witty, funny, and smart, everything we’ve come to expect from an Austen heroine. Indeed, many aspects of the book reminded me of the Jane Austen novels I have come to know and love. Ned Carlyon was also a great personage; his affability and charm really were as apparent to me as if I had been standing with him in the pages of the book.

One word of caution to readers - this is not a historical romance. Though Heyer is known for her romances, she also wrote straight historical fiction; The Reluctant Widow is an example of this. The main storyline of the book is the intrigue that surrounds the house of Eustace Cheviot; there is little to no romance in the book.

One more thing - I know this seems inane, but I loved the feel of this book. The pages were thicker and heavier than usual, which gave the book some gravitas, some weight. It’s obvious that Sourcebooks took great care with publishing these books.

I’d highly recommend The Reluctant Widow to any Austen fans, or anyone who enjoys historical fiction. If you are looking for romance, I’d definitely look at some of Heyer’s other titles. To learn more about the Georgette Heyer books that Sourcebooks, Inc. has re-released, visit Austen Fans. I have to give a huge thank you to Danielle for sending me this book to review - I can’t wait to read the next one!

Traci’s Book Blog Traci Sharpton
I really loved this book. OK, so generally, I would build up to that. I’d tell you how I thought the characters were written really well - they were - and that the dialogue was immensely clever - it was - but I just had to say it. The Reluctant Widow is one of those books that I found myself smiling through. I can totally see why Georgette Heyer was known as the ’Queen of Regency Romance.’ She wrote in such a way that allows the reader to just sink down comfortably into the story. I was charmed by her characters and entertained by her wit and engaging plot. If you’re at all interested in historical romance (which by the way is refreshingly lacking in explicit content), The Reluctant Widow is a must-read.

Book Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Book Zombie Joanne Mosher
I’ve never before read a Georgette Heyer novel, perhaps because they are usually found within the historical romance section, where I don’t often go. But reading the description of The Reluctant Widow left me desperate to give this author a try. And am I ever glad I did.

As the story begins we are introduced to Elinor Rochdale, a woman whose family has fallen into shame, which has forced her to find employment. Setting out on a journey to her employer’s estate, a mix-up occurs and she finds herself at the home of Eustace Cheviot. But he is at death’s door and it is his cousin who speaks with her of the arrangements. An arrangement that would require her to marry the dying Eustace. Caught off guard Elinor finds herself swept into a mysterious plot to save the family estate and the secrets it holds.

The Reluctant Widow reminds me much of a classic mystery tale, with the plot moving at an increasingly frantic pace, filled with quirky characters and comic mishaps. I found the characters to be the shining spot in this story, especially Elinor. With witty comments and an intelligent yet sarcastic demeanour she displays an independent spirit, not what I expected from a historical heroine. The two main male characters are also extremely likable, Carlyon is charmingly aloof and his younger brother Nicky is a mischievous but lovable pain in the butt.

Georgette Heyer has written a marvellous mystery, that may at times seem obvious, but pulls the reader along with well-placed plot points, humorous dialogue and secondary characters that appear only briefly but leave a lasting impression. I am entirely pleased with my reading of The Reluctant Widow and intend to venture into more of the writings of Georgette Heyer.

Becky’s Book Reviews Rebecca Laney
The Reluctant Widow surprised me. Completely surprised me. You’d think by now that I’d be used to how good Georgette Heyer novels are. But no, I can be a bit dense sometimes. What threw me on this one, is that it added some mystery and suspense—and some gothic elements borrowed from classics as well—to the wit and romance I’ve come to expect. I am not a big mystery-suspense fan, but this one worked for me. Really really worked for me.

After her father committed suicide, Elinor Rochdale decides the best thing for her to do is to find herself a situation (employment) as a governness. She doesn’t want to be a poor, helpless female relation to be traded around her few remaining relatives. Her mind is made up. Her bags are pack. She’s ready to board the coach. Only problem is...she boards the wrong coach. Instead of arriving at Mrs. Macclesfield’s estate to care for a six year old boy, she arrives at a strange estate owned by Lord Carlyon. He thinks she’s there in reply to his advertisement. He is looking for a woman to marry his cousin Eustace Cheviot.

This mix up is not immediately evident to either party. And it makes for a rather comical dialogue. But once he realizes the mistake—he becomes convinced that this mistake was pure fate. His cousin, Eustace, they soon learn is on his death bed. A suitable woman must be found—so he claims—to marry him before he takes his last breath. And in Carlyon’s (also "Ned") opinion, Miss Rochdale is quite the woman for the job. He does manipulate her in a way to say yes. To marry a complete stranger is an odd request. But his argument that he won’t last through the night carries some weight. She won’t be burdened by an actual husband. She’ll be a widow soon enough. And there might just be enough money from her husband’s estate to give her enough to live on—if she’s economical—the rest of her life. It’s a tempting offer. But one that she is almost always hesitant of.

But say yes she does. And soon Eustace is with us no more. His death—ruled accidental—came at his cousin’s hand. Lord Carlyon has two brothers—John and Nicky. Nicky, quite in self defense, is responsible for Eustace’s death. In the coming week—between his death and his funeral—it is revealed that Eustace had more than a few secrets he’d been keeping. The family soon suspects that he was involved in espionage. Mrs. Cheviot (Miss Rochdale, Elinor) has to live on her husband’s estate—a place called Highnoons. There are a few servants remaining. And Carlyon is off to fetch Elinor’s former governess, Miss Beccles (Becky). Nicky who took an instant liking to his new cousin wants to hang around the place as well with his dog, Bouncer, to protect them all.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Soon after Mrs. Cheviot moves in, she’s greeted by a strange man—a man with a French accent—who appeared out of nowhere, with no introduction. He did not enter through the front door. No, she learns he entered through a secret passageway. And that scares her—as well it shoud. Telling Nicky of her unexpected visitor, he decides to leave Bouncer with her to protect her. (A job he is more than happy to take on.) And he soon comes (within a day) to the decision to remain there with her himself. He has a mind that the mystery man will be back to search the house. And he wants to be ready for him.

I’ll stop there. Let me just say that I loved this one. Loved, loved, loved it. Loved all three of the brothers—Ned, John, Nicky. Loved Bouncer, the dog. Loved Becky, the former governess. Loved the main character Elinor. Loved the story.

Mystery. Suspense. Great wit. Great characters. Fast-paced. Everything to love, nothing to hate.

Definitely recommended.

The Book Worm Naida Milenkovic
A sparkling Regency romance with intrigue and excitement, from the queen of the genre. Elinor Rochdale finds herself married and widowed within 24 hours, and embroiled in an international spy ring, housebreakers, and murder.

Elinor Rochdale accidentally finds herself at the home of Eustace Cheviot. She was hired to be governess for woman’s children, instead her coach dropped her off at the wrong house. There Elinor meets Ned Carlyon, Eustace’s cousin and heir. Carlyon was actually waiting for a woman to answer his ad in the paper, for a woman willing to marry his sick cousin.

She found herself in a library. It was quite as untidy as the hall, but a variety of candles in tarnished wall-brackets threw a warm light over it, and a log fire burned in the grate at the far end of it. Before this fire, one hand resting on the mantlepiece, one booted foot on the fender, stood a gentleman in buckskin breeches and a mulberry coat, staring down at the leaping flames. As the door closed behind Miss Rochdale, he looked up, and across at her, in a measuring way that might have disconcerted one less accustomed to being weighed up like so much merchandize offered for sale.



By the time Elinor realizes she is at the wrong house, she is mortified and inisists on being taken to the right house. Carlyon explains to her that his cousin is very sick, he has a drinking problem and is near death. He doesn’t want to inherit his estate when he dies, he has his own estate and wants nothing more to do with Eustace, so he makes Elinor an offer. That she marry Eustace. She is tempted to, since she is twenty six and unwed and has a scandal in her family, this is a good opportunity for her. Carlyon promises her that Eustace will not touch her once they are married. Eustace is actually an evil man, and hates Carlyon and does not want to leave him his estate when he dies.

Soon enough, Eustace is accidentally stabbed. Elinor marries him on his deathbed and she becomes his widow shortly after.

She goes to live in her new home, and before she knows it, in the middle of the night there is an intruder in her house. With the help of Nicky, Carlyon’s younger brother, Elinor tries to figure out the indentity of the intruder and the reason for the break-ins. There’s twists and turns to the plot. This book takes off and keeps on going.

He was gone, and she was left in some lowness of spirits, wondering how she should contrive, and what would be the end of this strange adventure. A period of quite reflection helped to calm the natural agitation of her mind; since she had consented to take up residence in this mouldering house she must do as best she might.



This was a fun read. I didn’t expect a mystery in the plot. It’s my first time reading Georgette Heyer, and I did enjoy it. The characters are likeable, the plot well written and interesting. The main characters were good as were the supporting characters. I liked Elinor and Nicky the most. You can’t help liking Nicky, he’s kind of this goofy guy who just wants to help out. He made me laugh at times. Elinor was smart and a sweet character, who is kind of thrust into this mess and you hope everything works out for her in the end.

’I’m in the hall’, his voice answered her, a trifle faintly, but reassuringly cheerful. ’The devil’s in it that I missed the fellow!’
She hurried down the stairs, holding the lamp up, and saw him rather unsteadily picking himself up. ’Nicky! Good God, do not tell me indeed he did come back?’
’Come back? Of course he did!’ Nicky said, cautiously feeling his shoulder. ’Whats more, I should have had him if you would not keep a damned suit of armour in the stupidest place anyone ever thought of! Oh I beg pardon! But indeed it is enough to try the patience of a saint!’

If you are looking for good historical fiction with mystery and a dash of romance, pick up a copy of The Reluctant Widow .

Jennifer’s Random Musings Jennifer Yates
In this book, Elinor Rochdale boards the wrong coach and finds herself at the estate of Eustace Cheviot rather than her employer’s home. Eustace’s cousin, Mr. Ned Carlyon persuades Elinor to wed the dying Eustace. Elinor soon finds herself a wealthy widow, but things grow complicated as Elinor finds herself in the middle of an international espionage ring and mystery surrounds the family estate.

Another wonderful Heyer book, The Reluctant Widow is filled with colorful characters, humor, and intrigue. Elinor is a witty and charming character that I adored. I truly enjoy the heroines of Ms. Heyer’s novels and Elinor is among my favorites.

I enjoyed reading as the story unfolded and we discovered something new with each page. With The Reluctant Widow, Ms. Heyer once again demonstrates her wit and attention to detail with this delightful book.

Unlike yesterday’s book, this one is more of a mystery. However, it is just as enjoyable and easy to lose oneself in as you enter this fascinating world.

Book-a-Rama Christina MacLean
Georgette Heyer sure knew how to tell an entertaining story and The Reluctant Widow is no exception.

Level headed Elinor Rockdale is just on her way to another placement as governess to a rambunctious little boy when she mistakenly steps into the wrong carriage. The man waiting when she alights makes an unbelievable proposal: marry his drunken cousin and he’ll free her from her uncomfortable lifestyle. Of course, she refuses. This is madness! But when news arrives that the husband-to-be has only moments to live, Ned Carlyon persuades Elinor against her better judgement to tie the knot.

Now a widow, there’s only the matter of selling the house and dotting some i’s with the help of Carlyon and she’s a free and independent woman. Until a few nights in the old house reveal that her husband might have been up to more than just drinking late at night.

I was hooked from the get-go with The Reluctant Widow. It’s an interesting story with a strange turn of events. Elinor is just my kind of heroine. She’s practical, takes everything that comes at her in stride, and always has a smart remark. Her interactions with Carlyon are priceless. I loved their banter. He’s one cool cucumber. And although she protests too much, you just know she’s loving this adventure.

There’s a set of supporting characters who keep the story moving and add a lot of entertainment value. Carlyon’s brother Nicky is a teenager who inadvertently finds trouble everywhere, even ’cousin’ Elinor’s house. His dog Bouncer has behavioural problems which include ’guarding’ people by boxing them into rooms. And Elinor’s old governess, Miss Beccles, thinks Carlyon can do no wrong.

The Reluctant Widow is a little bit of mystery, a little bit of farce but a fully, fun, fast read. This is probably my favorite Heyer so far.

The Literate Housewife Jennifer Conner
Elinor Rochdale, the daughter of a disgraced member of the aristocracy, is headed by coach to a rural village where she has been offered a position as a governess for a wealthy family. She is bored to tears by working as a governess, but since her father’s suicide, she has no other choice. Her extended family has been less than gracious to her. As she steps off the coach, a driver asks her if she is the one who answered the advertisement in the paper. After she says yes, she is shuttled into a wonderfully luxurious carriage and taken quite a distance. Although it is very cold outside, she is snug in the carriage and quite surprised that the family hiring her would go to such lengths to see that she arrives in comfort. What is not yet known is that the driver was talking about an entirely different advertisement. Mr. Carlyon posted for a woman to marry his disreputable cousin, Eustace Cheviot. This misunderstanding takes Elinor’s life into quite an unexpected and mysterious direction.

Carlyon, a wealthy landowner and Eustace’s reluctant guardian. He is under suspicion of acting in his own best interests, not his cousin’s. Because of Eustace’s near constant drunkenness and gambling problems, there wasn’t much in his estate that wasn’t owed to debtors. Still, Eustace held title to Highnoons, an estate he inherited from his mother, that was near Carlyon’s own estate. Highnoons was no price, however. Eustace let it fall into disrepair just as he had his own young body. As such, Carlyon was desperate to marry Eustace off, so that he would inherit nothing from the young man upon his death and thus be free of suspicion. When Elinor walks into his home, he sees her as the answer to his situation and will not take no for an answer. Despite her protests, Carlyon knew that she would accept his offer after he learned that she grew up in privilege. He may have found an inheritor for Highnoons, but he did not gain the return to a more trouble-free life. Elinor proved to be a tough customer, not easily won over like most others. Time and time again, Carlyon had to prove himself by her.

The Reluctant Widow is full of interesting characters, humor and farce. Elinor is a strong woman who, despite everyone’s deference to Mr. Carlyon, tries to stand up to his requests. She cannot understand why others, even those who have just met him, are so eager to follow his commands. She enjoys the fight every bit as much as he does. Nicky, Carlyon’s younger brother, and his dog Bouncer provide a lot of laughs as this young man tries clumsily to live up to his brother’s reputation. I enjoyed watching Elinor’s relationship with Nicky grow throughout the novel. Despite having married into the family only a few hours before becoming a widow, it is clear that Elinor was the right fit for that family. Nicky needed her solid feminine influence just as much as she needed his company to keep from growing too morose and frightened over the situation at Highnoons.

This is the first novel I have read taking place in England’s Regency period and I absolutely loved it. It would be the perfect book to get lost in while curled up in bed or on the couch. I thought I was taking a chance on this book because I’m not one who normally reads books classified as historical romance. I’m afraid I may have underestimated the genre. Not all romances are equal and this is far from the a Harlequin title and more engaging to me than something by Danielle Steel. After just one novel, I can see her quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors. I am very excited that SourceBooks is reissuing many of Georgette Heyer’s 50+ novels. If you haven’t read Georgette Heyer or would not normally pick up a historical romance, I strongly encourage you to give The Reluctant Widow a try.

Linus’ Blanket Nicole Bonia
The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer is a lovely and thoroughly enjoyable read. Elinor Rochdale is at the wrong place, at the wrong time (or maybe, the right time) and ends up marrying the wealthy cousin of Ned Carlyon against her will and reason, all the while questioning Carlyon’s sanity along with her own. Carlyon’s cousin ends up dead, but several loose ends "force" Elinor to remain with the family as she and Carlyon, with the help of is older and younger brother, the mysterious circumstances that that arise after her husband’s death.
With the starting premise pushing the edge of reason, this novel has the potential to go so very wrong. However interesting characters and a well thought out plot made this into a fun read from start to finish. I loved the authentic period language, detailed setting information, and the character’s conversation and interactions with each other. Carlyon’s younger brother and Elinor’s new cousin, Nicky, and his bumbling dog Bouncer are great comic relief, equally charming and frustrating with their grand plans and schemes throughout the book. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good combination of mystery and period piece. Though this particular story is far from being a romance (it’s more of a mystery), Elinor and Ned are so entertaining with their intelligent bickering and playful chemistry that you wonder just if and when they will see the light and get it together.

Curled Up with a Good Book Helen Hancox
Georgette Heyer’s writing is almost always excellent. She wrote in several genres, and The Reluctant Widow, although apparently a Regency romance, containes many elements that remind the reader that Heyer also wrote mysteries. The story revolves around Elinor Rochdale, a young woman who boards the wrong coach and finds herself in the middle of a strange family drama. Eustace Cheviot, a dissipated and troubled young man, is dying; Elinor is persuaded to marry him so that she can inherit from him when he dies. The persuader is Eustace’s cousin Ned Carlyon, a rather enigmatic if friendly figure.

After Elinor agrees to the marriage, she finds herself a widow by the next morning - and then discovers that someone is trying to break into her new home. Aided (or possibly abetted) by Ned’s younger brother, Nicky, and his rather overeager dog, finding hidden staircases and dealing with various uninvited houseguests, Elinor becomes embroiled in an international spy ring.

There are no real surprises in this story - it’s more of a great romp with various semi-gothic events in the unusual house. The hero can be slightly frustrating as he keeps things close to his chest, and the romance is really secondary to the story, but it’s a very enjoyable tale with Heyer’s usual quality prose and historical research enhancing the feel of the story. Those who enjoyed The Talisman Ring will no doubt also love The Reluctant Widow.

Ex Libris Sharon Goforth
Elinor Rochdale, a young woman of Quality forced to seek employment because of her father’s scandal, gets into a coach she thinks is going to take her to her new position as a governess. But instead of being taken to the home of her employer, she arrives at a decrepit old estate where Ned Carlyon awaits and has an entirely different occupation in mind for her. He wants her to marry his dying cousin, and he’s not taking no for an answer.

Mistaken identities begins the story of "The Reluctant Widow". Elinor marries the cousin, becomes widowed the next morning, and is quickly embroiled in secrets, intrigue, foreign spies, secret passageways, intruders, and murder. Will Elinor be able to salvage anything from her dead husband’s estate? Will she be destitute after her husband’s debts are paid? Is she in danger from international spies who feel she knows the secrets of her dead husband? Will Ned be able to salvage what is left of her reputation?

This storyline has everything in it that any reader could ask for. Heyer did a fantastic job building up the suspense with lots of twists and turns in the plot and even threw in a little comedy for relief. The denouement was, unfortunately, a bit deflated and took the edge off of what was otherwise a terrific story, but don’t let that stop you from reading this book. It was a lot of fun!

Many thanks to Danielle Jackson at Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this book.

We Be Reading Kristen Metson
The most recent Georgette Heyer book that I finished is the most exciting one by far. The Reluctant Widow is the story of Elinor Rochdale, a formerly wealthy young woman who has been reduced in circumstances and has to seek work as a governess. Thinking she is getting into the carriage of her new employer, she instead is accidentally taken by Lord Carlyon’s carriage to the home of his cousin, Eustace Cheviot. Carlyon is looking for a woman to marry his repulsive cousin in order to prove that he has no designs on Cheviot’s property. When Carlyon’s youngest brother arrives at the house with the news that he has accidentally stabbed Cheviot and that their cousin is now on his deathbed, Carlyon convinces Elinor to be the token bride. Unfortunately, Cheviot was into more trouble than just the financial issues they knew of. He appears to have been consorting with French spies and now those spies have come to Elinor’s new home, bringing trouble with them.

This is a fast-paced narrative with plenty of exciting dialogue. Carlyon’s younger brother Nicky had me laughing out loud a few times. Carlyon’s cool sarcasm brought to mind the line delivery perfected by Cary Grant in many of his roles. It was apparently made into a movie in 1950 but in the credits there are character names that don’t exist in the book (including changing Elinor’s name to Helena for some reason) so it was obviously not a faithful re-creation.

A review of that movie also mentions "quite a number of passionate love scenes" which most definitely do not exist in the book. In fact, its classification as a "romance" perplexes me as the only romantic part of the book is in the last four pages and solely consists of a proposal and a kiss (which you will know is coming pretty much from the start of the book). I fear that many readers would choose not to read this book if, like me, they have a prejudice against the romance category due to some lesser quality works in that genre.

Each Heyer book that I have read so far (False Colours, Simon the Coldheart and this one) is quite different from the others. She has an amazing imagination and a very wide array of characters. I’m sure she has written a book for almost any type of reader.

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Specs / Support

Trade Paper Specfications

• Length: 8.00 in
• Width: 5.25 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 13.00 oz
• Page Count: 320 pages