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Corinthian

Georgette Heyer presents her sparkling wit with a Shakespearean twist.

Walking home at dawn, quite drunk, Sir Richard Wyndham encounters heiress Penelope Creed climbing out her window. She is running away from a dreaded marriage to her fish-lipped cousin, while Sir Richard himself is contemplating a loveless marriage with a woman his friends have compared to a cold poultice. Sir Richard can't allow her to careen about the countryside unchaperoned, even in the guise of a boy, so he pretends to be her tutor and takes her on a fine adventure. When their stagecoach overturns, they find themselves embroiled with thieves, at the center of a murder investigation, and finally, in love.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Reviews

Reviews

Lesa’s Book Critiques Lesa Holstine
Sourcebooks Casablanca is bringing back Georgette Heyer’s novels in affordable trade paperback editions. Heyer wrote over fifty novels, including her beloved Regency romances, mysteries, and historical fiction. It’s a pleasure to read old favorites, such as The Corinthian.

Sir Richard Wyndham’s mother and sister are determined to see him married. He’s a Corinthian, a man devoted only to the pursuit of pleasure. As a member of British high society’s ton, Wyndham is probably only second to Beau Brummell. But, at 29, he’s intelligent, disillusioned with life, and bored to death. However, he’s seen as the "biggest catch on the Marriage Mart", with his good looks and wealth, and, according to family, he needs to settle down and marry, even if he doesn’t love the woman who thought there was a family understanding for five years. As his sister claims, "If one thing is certain, it is that Richard has not one grain of romance in his disposition, while as for adventure -! I dare say he would shudder at the mere thought of it. Richard...is first, last, and always a man of fashion, and he will never do anything unbefitting a Corinthian. You may take my word for that!"

So, why did Richard disappear, leaving no word, leaving his valet, with only a crumpled cravat, a shawl, and a golden curl behind? After a night of drinking, and about to make the worst mistake of his life, Wyndham came about a youth climbing out of a window. When he caught the young one, he discovered seventeen-year-old Penelope Creed, fleeing from a marriage with her odious cousin. Pen begged Wyndham to help her escape, saying she was an heiress running away, and, since he himself felt like running away, he fell in with her plan. However, their journey to her family home and her childhood love, wasn’t at all what either expected. A stage accident, a thief, and Pen’s exaggerated tales sent them on quite an adventure, quite a change for a bored man. It could only lead to trouble, and romance.

The Corinthian remains one of my favorite Georgette Heyer books. Richard Wyndham is a wonderful character, with that dry humor of so many of Heyer’s heroes. He’s patient, understanding, and takes Pen under his protection. Penelope Creed is bright, witty, and a charmer. It’s a match made only in a Georgette Heyer book. But, for this fan, The Corinthian is a treat, and a keeper.

Maymay’s Memos Shawn Remfry
Forget love triangles! This love web has so many points that I found myself wondering where it would end. Sir Richard is being forced to marry a cold-hearted iceberg, and takes the night to walk around and think about his situation. In the meantime, Pen Creed is sneaking out her window to avoid marrying her fishy cousin. The two of them take off on the run together in search of Pen’s old sweetheart. Along the way the encounter robbery, murder, and scandal of nearly every sort imaginable. Pen’s wonderful imagination keeps things rolling even when you think you just can’t handle anymore.

I’d really love to tell you just how intricate the plot of this book is, but I don’t want to ruin it. This was definitely another favorite of mine. It’s hilarious, imaginative, witty, and compelling. My only problem with this book is that the age standards have changed over time. Pen is only 17 whereas Sir Richard is in his late 20’s. It definitely makes for quite a lovematch though!

Want to win this book? Leave me a comment with a way to get ahold of you! This one is another guaranteed fun read. Winner will be announced Saturday!

Jane Austen’s World Ms. Place
As you may have guessed from our reviews, this spring SourceBooks has been reissuing a series of Georgette Heyer novels for summer reading, The Corinthian among them. I ‘ve spent many pleasant hours journeying through Regency England from London to Bath to Sussex with Georgette’s scintillating characters, wishing I were as bright and witty in my repartee as her heroines, and that the men in my life were as dashingly romantic. If you’ve never tried a Georgette Heyer regency novel before, now is a good time to read one.

Pen Creed, the 17-year-old heroine of The Corinthian might be a tad young and naďve, but she is fearless in her dealings with the world and a most decidedly determined young lady. Rather than be forced into an engagement with a fish-faced young man, she has cropped her hair, put on boy’s clothes, and embarked on a journey to find Piers, her child hood friend. Having vowed to marry each other five year before, Pen is convinced that Piers will greet her with a great deal of pleasure and live up to his boyish promise.

Enter the Corinthian. At 29, Sir Richard Wyndham is a little drunk, bored beyond calculation, and feeling that he is the unluckiest dog alive. He is about to become betrothed to a woman so cold-blooded in nature that she could freeze the Arctic Ocean solid for two miles down. The night before he is to formally ask for her hand, Sir Richard encounters Pen dangling from knotted bed sheets several feet short of the pavement. Hearing her cries for help, he comes to her rescue and listens to her with aristocratic aplomb as she explains her convoluted reasons for running away in the middle of the night. Wanting to leave London to buy himself some time, he escorts Pen on a public coach to her destination.

Georgette’s heroine is much, much younger than the hero, which initially gave me a few misgivings, but both characters are so likeable that one can’t help cheering them on as they embark on their splendid adventure. While Pen resembles a fresh-faced urchin, Sir Richard is a resplendent example of the Regency dandy and sporting man. Georgette’s description of him could fit Beau Brummell to a tee:

He was a very notable Corinthian. From his Wind-swept hair (most difficult of all styles to achieve), to the toes of his gleaming Hessians, he might have posed as an advertisement for the Man of Fashion. His fine shoulders set off a coat of of superfine cloth to perfection; his cravat, which had excited George’s admiration, had been arranged by the hands of a master; his waistcoat was chosen with a nice eye; his biscuit-coloured pantaloons showed not one crease; and his Hessians with their jaunty gold tassels, had not only been made for him by Hoby, but were polished, George suspected with a blacking mixed with champagne. A quizzing-glass on a black ribbon hung round his neck; a fob at his waist; and in one hand he carried a Sevres snuff-box. His air proclaimed his unutterable boredom, but no tailoring, no amount of studied nonchalance, could conceal the muscle in his thighs, or the strength of his shoulders. Above the starched points of shirt-collar, a weary, handsome face showed its owner’s disillusionment.

Sir Richard is thrown into situations in which all of his ingenuity and influence are required. He must deal with a mystery regarding a stolen diamond necklace, a murder, things that go bump in the night, and Pen’s discovery that Piers has all but forgotten their childhood pledge. The young man has fallen madly in love with Lydia, a prettily plumb and silly female who, as she ages, will be prone to fits and vapors, and to whom he is secretly engaged. Unlike Pen, Sir Richard realizes at this point that he has compromised her and that they must marry. Not that he quails at the thought. Pen, who has fallen for her dashing and dependable escort, does not want to be his “obligation.” Instead, she concentrates her efforts on uniting Piers and Lydia, whose union is forbidden by their families. By the final pages, the plot and plottings have become so twisted that Sir Richard can only exclaim:

I am recalling my comfortable home, my ordered life, my hitherto stainless reputation, and wondering what I can ever have done to deserve being pitchforked into this shameless imbroglio!

Rest assured that Sir Richard has never had so much fun in his life. At the end of the novel, his adventures with Pen lead to a romantic conclusion. To say that I enjoyed myself while reading this fast-paced romp is to state the obvious, and I give this delightful book 3 out of 3 regency fans.

A Work in Progress Danielle Torres
Now this is more like it. My faith in Georgette Heyer has been restored (truthfully I never really lost it). As much as Cousin Kate just wasn’t a good fit for me, I loved The Corinthian. It is quite literally the perfect summer read, a page turning romp through Regency England with all the right elements pulled off perfectly. This will easily rival my favorite, A Civil Contract, though the two novels are very different. While A Civil Contract is more serious with a more subdued and mature love story, The Corinthian is a light-hearted comedy of manners. It’s quite similar to The Talisman Ring (though better in my opinion) in that it is very much an adventure story with all sorts of twists and turns and misunderstandings—not surprising since the heroine spends the entire novel dressed as a boy!

I wasn’t sure at first just what a Corinthian was, though it’s easy to infer the meaning over the course of the novel. The dictionary defines it as:

a man about town, esp. one who lives luxuriously or, sometimes, dissolutely.

In this case, Sir Richard Wyndham is the Corinthian. And a wealthy one at that. Very much a dandy he is known as the "Man of Fashion". He cares for nothing but "the set of his cravat, polish on his boots, and the blending of his snuff". Always elegantly attired from his perfectly windswept hair to the toes of his gleaming Hessian boots, he’s generally unutterably bored. He’s not lacking in encouragement to do his duty to find a wife and beget an heir, but he really couldn’t be bothered. Nearing thirty his mother and sister are urging him to marry a woman he grew up knowing, who it’s been assumed he would marry all along. Only it would be a marriage of convenience as the lady is rather cold and disinterested. She will prevail upon him to accept his suit only because her family’s financial situation is dire, not because she loves him. Despite being the most eligible catch in the Marriage Mart, he has no other prospects (at least the sort who want him for himself rather than his bank account) and has resigned himself to his fate.

But fate has a way of tricking you up sometimes. After a particularly long and indulgent evening at Almacks he leaves in a state of serious inebriation. Being "devilish drunk" he decides to walk and happens upon a most unusual sight. Out of an upper storey of a prim house a mysterious fugitive comes scampering down a rope made up of knotted sheets only to discover it isn’t long enough. The fugitive is a slight youth who begs Sir Richard’s assistance.

"Sir Richard was not precisely sober, but although the brandy fumes had produced in his brain a not unpleasant sense of irresponsibility, they had by no means fuddled his intellect. Sir Richard, his chin tickled by curls, his arms full of fugitive, made a surprising discovery. He set the fugitive down, saying in a matter-of-fact voice: ’Yes, but I don’t think you are a youth, after all’."

"’No, I am a girl,’ replied the fugitive apparently undismayed by his discovery. ’But, please, will you come away before they wake up?’"

Penelope Creed is no simpering miss. She’s an impish character, ready for adventure, but not the sort that includes becoming betrothed to her fish-faced cousin. An orphaned heiress she lives with her aunt who has distinct ideas of just what’s proper—a stifling atmosphere for one just out of the schoolroom. Richard is ready to send her packing back to her aunt, though she begs him to allow her to set off for Somerset, to her family’s estates and a friend she’s not seen for five years.

"There was a pause. Sir Richard unfobbed his snuff-box with a flick of one practised finger, and took a pinch. Miss Creed swallowed and said: ’If you had ever seen my cousin, you would understand’."

"He glanced down at her, but said nothing."

"’He has a wet mouth,’ said Miss Creed despairingly."

"’That settles it,’ said Sir Richard, shutting his snuff-box.’I will escort you to your childhood friend’."

Sir Richard agrees to accompany Pen from London to Somerset—a journey filled with comedy and misadventure. Their stagecoach over turns in a ditch, they cross paths with a thief, they find themselves in possession of stolen goods, discover a body and a murderer, and assist in an elopement. It’s truly a rollicking good read and I might happily have went back to the beginning and started reading the story all over again (and still might). Heyer creates a wonderful atmosphere with just the right tension and perfect chemistry between Richard and Pen. Unlike many of Heyer’s heroes, Richard is not dour or condescending. He has a wry sense of humor that clicks with Pen’s youthful enthusiasm. They are both so likeable you can’t but help root for them. This is one Heyer I’ll be revisiting soon.

Wendi’s Book Corner Wendi Barker
Perfect for : Personal reading, book club read

In a nutshell: This is a delightfully fun and adventurous romance full of laugh-out-loud moments. HE is being persuaded by his family to honor his father’s wishes and marry a certain lady and carry on the family name. SHE is being gently persuaded by her family to marry a distant cousin. HE goes out to celebrate his forthcoming betrothal, and gets drunk. While on his way home, he sees a "youngster" climbing out of an upper window and stops to help when it appears that said youngster can’t quite reach the ground. Not much later, he determines that the youngster is really seventeen year old Penelope, who unknowingly provides him with the perfect adventure - the chance to disappear! Throughout their adventure, they stumble upon a murder, a diamond necklace, and aid in planning an elopement, just to mention a few events! This adventure kept my attention from start to finish.

Extended Review:
Characters: This book is filled with well-written characters with witty/snappy dialogue.

Story-Line: Two people are trying to escape betrothals from people they would rather not marry. They happen to meet one night and embark on quite an adventure that includes a disguise, a murder, a diamond necklace, and planning a possible elopement!

Readability: A very fun book filled with with wit and culture from the Regency era.

Overall: A really fun book that kept a smile on my face! I wish we could have seen a sequel to this one.

Bookfoolery and Babble Nancy Horner
Sir Richard Wyndham has known for many years that eventually he would be expected to offer his hand in marriage to Melissa Brandon if he found no other woman who suited his fancy. The Brandons, including father Lord Saar, are friends but the entire family is spiraling into ruin. Wyndham is expected to rescue them and provide a decent husband for Melissa. Sir Richard dutifully traipses to her home and finds her attitude appalling. Her brother even tells him to run while he can. So, Sir Richard goes to his club and gets drunk. He feels as if he has no choice in the matter; and, though he’d prefer to find someone he loves and who has a sense of humor, he’s already in his thirties. Women all seem oddly alike and stupendously dull. He might as well do the proper thing. At this point, the reader wants to shout at him to run, run while he can. Emotionally involving? Oh, yes.

Whilst walking home, Sir Richard comes across an interesting scene. Someone is climbing down a rope made from sheets. It appears to be a young boy, but when Richard comes to "his" aid and catches the boy, as his rope is too short, the truth becomes obvious. He has rescued a young lady in disguise. Penelope, nicknamed "Pen", is determined to escape the certain proposal of her cousin, who looks like a fish. Pen, a wealthy orphan, has decided that her best hope is to run to Somerset, where she will locate her childhood friend and marry him. They haven’t spoken for five years, but they made a blood commitment to marry, someday.

Sir Richard sees an opportunity to escape marriage to a practical but humorless woman. He’s drunk but cognisant enough to realize that the young girl needs a companion to see her to her destination. Thus begins a journey, with Pen in disguise as a young boy and Sir Richard posing as either uncle or tutor, depending on the moment. A disastrous ride by post, the robbery of a diamond necklace, a murder, and a charming friendship make for a fast-paced, delightful read.

Of course, with Georgette Heyer, you know from the outset who will fall in love and you’re rooting for them, but she takes you on quite a wild ride in order to arrive at the expected happy ending. The characters are a well-rounded batch — charming, effervescent young Pen, reliable and kind-hearted Sir Richard, a thief with an aversion to violence, a young couple having a clandestine meeting, the dissipated would-be brothers-in-law and a violent rogue.

4.5/5 - Sometimes-predictable, yet surprising; rolicking fun in the form of a Regency-style road trip with romance and intrigue, terrific characters and witty dialogue.

A Hidden Place Heather Fargis
Have you ever sat down with THAT friend, the one who tells mile-long yarns embellished with lots of “and this happened and then this happened and then oh my goodness this, this and this, and then this and this happened” and the story takes on a life of it’s own and doesn’t end for like 273 pages and you find you’ve been snuggled down on the couch ALL DAY LONG and you’re all warm and toasty and melty inside from the long visit with your friend and the laughs you two have shared?

That’s sort of like what reading a Georgette Heyer book is like for me.

The Corinthian marks my third trip into the world of Heyer and while not as *quite* as funny as The Convenient Marriage, it’s still pretty high up there for me. This time, the main eligible bachelor is Sir Richard Wyndham, 29, member of the elite society of Corinthians, which, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary means:

Main Entry: Co·rin·thi·an
Function: noun
Date: 1520

1 : a native or resident of Corinth, Greece
2 : a merry profligate man

For our purposes here, we’ll go with definition number two. To be blunt, Sir Richard is a dandy, a metrosexual, a man who cares overmuch for how he looks and isn’t afraid to spend quite a bit of money to look the best that he can. He’s still a nice many however, and so when our damsel in distress, one seventeen-year-old, barely out of the school room, wild child Penelope Creed. Or Pen Creed when she’s feeling masculine. For you see, after Sir Richard literally catches Pen sneaking out of her aunt’s house by the window, she disguises herself as a young man to escape a dreaded marriage to “her fish-lipped cousin.” Since Sir Richard is drunk and very well can’t let her go gallivanting off around the countryside by herself, he becomes her “tutor” and escorts her on a fine adventure. After their stagecoach overturns they find themselves falling into dilemma after dilemma, all the while bringing them closer together than they ever dreamed.

If you can’t tell from the tone of my review, I adored this book. I adore Heyer. I want to go out and gobble up everything she ever wrote and I will. Slowly and deliciously. If you are in need of a lighthearted farce of a tale that leaves you feeling happy and content; Heyer is your girl.

Thank you Danielle at Sourcebooks for supplying this delightful read!

Ex Libris Sharon Goforth
Rating: 5/5

Sir Richard Wyndham is young, handsome, and extremely wealthy. He is the envy of every male known to him and is better than all of them at handling horses, weapons and drink. Then there is his fashion sense. Apart from Beau Brummell (a friend of his), Sir Richard’s is the most respected (and copied) man in town. He is known as The Corinthian. He is also single.

There are any number of women who would love nothing better than to see Sir Richard marry. At the top of this list are his mother and sister. They expect him to marry Melissa Brandon, the daughter of Lord Saar, whose family’s debt is continually mounting. Although Sir Richard would honorably take on the Saar family debt if he were married to Melissa, the thought of being tied to her is unpleasant. So after a night of serious drinking on the eve of his proposal, Sir Richard takes Melissa’s brother’s advice and decides to run.

Sir Richard is walking unsteadily down an unfamiliar street (running away, remember...) when he happens upon a boy climbing out of a window and down a sheet. The "boy" turns out to be one Penelope Creed, who is also running away from the prospect of marriage to "the Fish". The two set off together(Penelope acting as Sir Richard’s nephew) on what becomes the adventure of a lifetime with stolen jewels, murder, and multiple romances.

Georgette Heyer was at the top of her game with The Corinthian. In my opinion, it is one of her best adventure/romances. The plot is packed with loads of action and there is never a dull moment. Sir Richard is the perfect hero, showing both tough and tender sides, and Pen is a delightful spitfire both as a "boy" and a young woman.

Now available from Sourcebooks, Inc., The Corinthian is the perfect summer read. This is a real page-turner - when you pick the book up, you won’t want to put it down until you are finished!

The Curious Reader Jessica West
Another very enjoyable read from Georgette Heyer. I found this one just as amusing and sweet as Frederica. And as with the other Heyer books I have read, it was fascinating to read all of the details of fashion that she goes into.

The story of The Corinthian is perhaps more absurd than in the other books I have read by Heyer, but she manages to pull it off. It begins with Sir Richard Wyndham being accosted by his sister and mother, as they attempt to bully him into marrying. He feels he has no choice, but the woman to whom he is supposed to propose is connected to a family whose sons are nothing but trouble, and would drain Richard’s fortunes if he let them. The woman herself understands the situation, and has no ideals about falling in love with him. Sir Richard goes out that night and gets completely drunk, and we get the impression that he had hopes of one day falling in love himself.
His life changes that night however, when he is walking home drunk in the early hours of the morning. He comes across a young woman escaping from her home by means of a rope ladder out the second story window. Due to his drunkeness, he makes some interesting choices, and ends up helping her continue her escape by escorting her - she disguised as a boy, and he as her tutor. The girl is seventeen-year-old Penelope Creed, and she is escaping her own unwanted marriage. She is completely naive, and totally unaware of the compromising position she has put both herself and Sir Richard in. Their situation only gets more absurd, with the addition of thieves, murderers, and young lovers too silly or scared to elope. But the romance that develops between the two main characters is lovely, and I never got tired about reading about Penelope.

Besides the delightful two main characters, there are several supporting characters that are also amusing and fun to read about. One surprising character is that of Cedric Brandon. When we first meet him, at the home of Sir Richard’s intended bride, who is his older sister, he seems annoying and foppish. And maybe he is, but he is also thoroughly entertaining, and he in no way expects Richard to saddle himself with the Brandon family’s difficulties. Besides the characters, the way that Heyer describes the fashions of the time is also fascinating. She seems to mock much of it, especially the men’s fashion, adding another layer of humor. All in all this was a very enjoyable read.

Books-are-Life Reviews Shana Haynes
Penelope Creed, or Pen as she prefers to be called has made up her mind to her her own adventure.

Embarking on this adventure to avoid marrying into her repulsive aunt’s family, Pen sets off from London to her childhood home in Bristol, but the real adventure begins when she meets Sir Richard Wyndham. He readily agreed to help Miss Creed by giving a disguise, and acompanying her as her chaparone and protecting her. Or so she thinks.


Little does she know that Sir Richard has his own reason for going with her that he would rather no disclose. Both embarking on many adventures together to find: a childhood love, a murder, a burgler, a secret maraige, and a new found love. The Corinthian shows Georgette Heyer at her best. If you like any of Mrs Heyer’s books you will love this one, and if you have yet to read any of her books this is a wonderful book to start out with. The Corinthian is a wonderful book for all ages. With no extincive love scenes, this is a must read on a rainy day.

Becky’s Book Reviews Rebecca Laney
The Corinthian is one of the funner Georgette Heyer novels I’ve read in recent months. Heyer is great at writing romantic comedies. True, Heyer isn’t always the most original author, her books often follow a handful of different patterns. But they’re patterns that work time and again. And there’s the difference, in my opinion. There is something satisfying and delightful about her books, her characters. So some plot devices are familiar, that doesn’t mean the stories and characters themselves are stale and uninteresting. Far from it actually. Her characters are ones that you want to spend time with.

In The Corinthian, we’ve got a bachelor, Sir Richard Wyndham, who happens to rescue a damsel in distress, Penelope Creed. Penelope set on running away from her aunt—who is encouraging her into a loveless marriage with her cousin Fred—is disguised as a boy. Richard, while on his way home and a bit drunk at that, sees Pen climbing out her window—by way of her bed sheets of course. He "catches" her just in time. Granted, this "she" is dressed as a he. But there’s no fooling Richard. A bit amused at the situation, and wanting to run away himself to avoid an unpleasant appointment the next day, he decides to help out. She wants to escape London—and her aunt—and travel to Bristol (or near Bristol anyway). She’s got a childhood friend, Piers, who she fancies herself madly in love with. Five (or so) years ago, these two promised themselves to each other. Hearing this tale, Richard decides to join in the journey and ensure her safety. The two will go together. He will act as her tutor-uncle-cousin and ’protect’ her along the way. (Each identity is used on their journey at various stages.) Their journey is rarely boring—they get in and out of trouble along the way.

This one is playful and fun. There’s some adventure thrown in as well—and a murder!—but at it’s heart this is a romantic comedy.

The Long and Short of It Reviews Camellia
Walking home at dawn, quite drunk, Sir Richard Wyndham encounters heiress Penelope Creed climbing out her window. She is running away from a dreaded marriage to her fish-lipped cousin, while Sir Richard himself is contemplating a loveless marriage with a woman his friends have compared to a cold poultice. Sir Richard can’t allow her to careen about the countryside unchaperoned, even in the guise of a boy, so he pretends to be her tutor and takes her on a fine adventure. When their stagecoach overturns, they find themselves embroiled with thieves, at the center of a murder investigation, and finally, in love.

This rich, Regency romance sparkles with wit, “adventure”, and “misadventure”—truly a keeper.

Georgette Heyer creates a delightful tale of two people escaping unwanted marriages. A drunk and depressed Sir Richard Wynham, happening upon an escaping wealthy orphan girl, reasons he cannot let her travel protected. In his drunken state, he decides to see her safely to her destination—a decision that sets them on a road trip fraught with mishap, thievery, mystery, murder, disguise, deception, and delightful deeds. Wonderful plot!

Sir Richard Wynham, the consummate Corinthian, that heretofore devoted himself to the pursuit of pleasure, finds himself away from the amenities to which he is accustomed. Moreover, he must personally deal with country locals, thieves, murders, Bow Street runners, and any number of irate people as he scrambles to keep his and Penelope’s reputations intact as he untangles the web of deceit he and Penelope wove as they set out on what seemed such a simple journey.

Sprightly, irrepressible, seventeen-year-old Penelope Creed bubbles with excitement about all the adventures they are having. She stirs up trouble without even trying but has an imagination to wiggle out of most. However, when she slips away from Richard and a Bow Street runner takes her into custody saying she is a thief; her situation brings a surprising revelation to both her and to Richard.

Georgette Heyer’s remarkable plot hardly lets one catch a breath as one misadventure after another propels the characters along pell-mell with events threatening to wreck lives before mysteries can be solved and deceits cleared up.

Superbly written, with an undercurrent of humor throughout, THE CORINTHIAN is a sheer joy to read.

The Romance Readers Connection Deborah Hosey
Sir Richard Wyndham is a Corinthian, a man of fashion. He is rich, intelligent, well-liked hence quite a catch on the Marriage Mart. For all that, he is bored with life, especially his life. He is 29 and his family deems it is high time that he marry and set up his nursery. Everyone expects him to offer for Melissa, the woman with whom he supposedly has an "understanding". Melissa is all no-nonsense, desiring the marriage for social and economic reasons. She has no romantic notions, and thinks he has none either...yet Richard really does believe in love, but knows that not many in his world of the ton find it or expect it. Richard resigns himself to offering for Melissa, and after a night of getting totally foxed, he is walking on his way home in a direction he usually does not take...what does he spy but someone coming down the side of house on a knotted bed-sheet! Is it a burglar or some other perfidious person?

No, it is seventeen year old Penelope Creed disguised as a young man. She is a rich heiress running away from her aunt who insists that she marry her odious son. "Pen" wants to go to her childhood home and find her friend Piers with whom she made a childhood pledge to marry. But first she has to journey on a public coach, something no unescorted lady pretending to be a young man must be allowed to do. Still slightly drunk, and perhaps to delay his inevitable loveless future, Sir Richard offers to accompany Pen on her quest to find PIers. Suddenly Richard is no longer bored, and there is something about the refreshingly lovely Penelope who is the first young woman not impressed with his fortune...Sir Richard is about to surprise himself and his family...and embark on the journey that will awaken him to life and love...

THE CORINTHIAN is another sparkling and enchanting classic Regency set romance by the beloved Georgette Heyer that Sourcebooks is reprinting in the gorgeous new editions with the striking covers. Part road romance and all romp, this delicious comedy of manners is filled with adventure and fun, and Heyer’s superb wit and humor, Once you begin this page-turning delight, you will not be able to put it down! This Sourcebooks’ edition belongs on every Regency lover’s keeper shelf!

Reviewed by Debora Hosey

Rating - 4 1/2

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• Length: 8.00 in
• Width: 5.25 in
• Height: 0.00 in
• Weight: 11.00 oz
• Page Count: 272 pages