Georgette Heyer: Cotillion

Kitty Charing can inherit a fortune from her irascible great-uncle Matthew when she marries one of her cousins. Kitty is not wholly averse, if the right nephew proposes. Unfortunately, Kitty has set her heart on Jack Westruther, a confirmed rake.

To make him jealous and to see a little more of the world, Kitty convinces cousin Freddy Standen to pose as her fiance. In London with his family, she hopes to render the elusive Jack madly jealous.

New friends embroil her in their romantic troubles, sprinkling witty banter with Parisian phrases. Her French cousin, Camille, a professional gambler, has won the heart of Olivia, in turn the object of Jack’s dishonorable intentions. Doltish cousin Lord Dolphinton has fallen for a merchant’s daughter in conflict with his mother. Kitty herself wonders who is really right for her.

This is not a tale of rake and the provincial cousin on the catch for him. On the contrary, Cotillion tells in rompish fashion the story of an unlikely H/h in an authentic, romantic and surprising way.

Our intrepid heroine has been left with a pinch penny Uncle cloistered in the country with little to entertain. Now that she is almost of an age, and he is in his infinite hypochondria feeling close to deaths door, great-uncle Matthew has decided to make sure his ward is provided for by riveting her to whichever of her “cousins” she choses. The book opens with a few of the would-be suitors gathered in the drawing room speculating widely and waiting to see if the prodigal nephew arrives.

Kitty, fed up with the whole thing, decides to run away. And like so many Heyer novels, its on the road where the adventure begins.

Meeting Cousin Freddy, a very modish young gentleman who speaks in a slang that is challenging at first to read and then addicting for its feel of authenticity, Kitty convinces him to rescue her by agreeing to a fake engagement.

I am such a sucker for a fake engagement.

The rest of the book is largely Kitty’s many scrapes and false steps in Town. Like other of Heyer’s Reg Roms, there are some laugh out loud moments and the dialogue is spanking enough to delight even the most skeptical genre readers.

There is a good reason why Cotillion often ranks high up on the list of Heyer fan favorites. I think, by in large, its due to Freddy who is the perfect combination of absurd and loveable. There is so much romping and hilarious action, the romance is subtle and made all the more poignant through slow unfurling. If you are a fan of friends to lovers and especially love wacky hijinks, this one is for you!

5 Stars 5 out of 6 Funny, witty dialogue and delightfully non-formulaic hero makes this delightfully traditional Regency just get better after every read.