Friday, September 7, 2012

Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer

book cover
Black Sheep
by Georgette Heyer


ISBN: 0-451-17259-0
Mass Market Paperback:
232 pages
Publisher: Signet
Released: 1966, 1992

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Abigail Wendover, on the shelf at 28, is kept busy when her niece falls head over heels in love with a handsome fortune hunter. Abby asks for the help of Miles Calvery, the uncle of her niece's suitor, who has recently returned from a long stay in India.

Miles refuses to get involved citing that he has no influence over his nephew due to his long absence and his status as the shamed black sheep of the family. Abby finds Miles to be disconcertingly blunt and notices that he only conforms to those social manners that don't get in his way.

Abby loves how Miles can make her laugh, but how can he possibly be considered eligible when she has worked so hard to rebuff his own nephew's suit for her niece? And how can she possibly detach from an ailing sister who needs her? This is a heroine who has to be, literally, swept off her feet...


My Review:
Black Sheep is a regency-era historical romance. It's also an extremely funny story once Miles turned up. I usually enjoy how Heyer's main romantic pair are better people for having known each other and how well they work together. This story was different. I could understand the mutual attraction between Miles and Abby, but they don't work together (Abby only needed help with her niece, and Miles refused to get directly involved) and one could make a case that they're actually a bad influence on each other in terms of society standards.

As always, though, the author used her excellent understanding of human nature to craft realistic characters and an enjoyable story. The setting and historical details were woven into the story. It's not a thick book and not much actually happened, but it's still worth reading if you're a Heyer fan.

There was some explicit cuss words and some explicit swearing (with much more swearing that cuss words). There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this fun novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

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