Acting on Impulse November 2019 Group Read

[Teresa]

I've just realised I thought it was a completely different book we were reading for December and I don't actually have the right one!!!! Why did I think it was Envious Casca we were reading?!!!!

[Teresa]

The Old Maid.

I loved this! Helen is a great character. You could see from the start of her 'transformation' it was never going to work. She's too strong minded and she would have exploded if she had to keep up the pretense.

Love.

Very 'gothicky' and super sentimental and 'icky'!!!!

[Jackie]

Whose Fault Was It?

I enjoyed this one, maybe more than all the others so far. While young and immature, I felt like both the main characters - newlyweds - were believable and likable. (view spoiler)[ and, of course, they learn their lesson and live Happily Ever After (hide spoiler)].

[Barb in Maryland]

The Chinese Shawl

Cute story. I enjoyed this, (view spoiler)[even as I tried to picture exactly how she draped the shawl to turn it into a dress. (hide spoiler)]

Love
Just ick. I found this one really unpleasant.

[Barb in Maryland]

The Old Maid

My favorite of them all. I loved Helen and I loved the twist re: the success of her 'make-over'. Just wonderful.

[Critterbee❇]

Whose Fault Was It?

Now this was my least favorite of the collection! Both main characters were annoying, spoiled and somewhat selfish. And bored - so bored that it seems like they invented drama for something to do.


Am I being too harsh?

[Teresa]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "The Chinese Shawl

Cute story. I enjoyed this, [spoilers removed]

Love
Just ick. I found this one really unpleasant."

Same here on Love Barb.

[Jackie]

Critterbee❇ wrote: "Whose Fault Was It?

Now this was my least favorite of the collection! Both main characters were annoying, spoiled and somewhat selfish. And bored - so bored that it seems like they invented drama ..."

maybe I am being too kind! I get that they were rich/bored/spoiled but then they realized it and did better.

I hope others give their opinion!

[Critterbee❇]

Whose Fault Was It?
might be the most controversial of the stories, or at least might have the most difference of opinion across group members.

[Barb in Maryland]

Whose Fault Was It

Oh, I fall in with the 'they needed to grow up and they did' group. I especially liked her mother for handling those two just right.

It wasn't one of my favorites but I didn't actively dislike the story or the characters. ("Love", I'm looking at you!)

[Jackie]

I wasn't quite done with the book when my library loan expired and my ebook didn't work anymore. whoops.
now I have it on hold and I'm #4 for one copy. duh.

intermission!

[Gretchen]

I just wanted to say that I loved this whole collection! I usually get a collection of stories and then like maybe half of them but this time I enjoyed them all I think it showcased Ms. Heyer's skill as a writer.
Thumbs up! for me!

[Jackie]

The Chinese Shawl

I got the ebook from the library again, finally.

I enjoyed The Chinese Shawl even though I knew exactly what was going to happen. I guess suspense wasn't what I needed in this story!

I don't find the hero too over-bearing because he makes up for the extreme reserve of the heroine so they kind of balance each other out, somehow.
the descriptions of the shawl are wonderful.

[Jackie]

The Old Maid

Barb in Maryland wrote: "The Old Maid

My favorite of them all. I loved Helen and I loved the twist re: the success of her 'make-over'. Just wonderful."

this one was pretty good - I was going to say it's my favorite from the book but it's been too long since I read the others I forget!

but I'm glad he loves her for her real self.

[Jackie]

Love

well, it wasn't very good. but interesting because of how much Lord Farq...(um, sorry, I already returned the ebook) seemed like Avon from These Old Shades.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

This book was my holiday treat!

I loved Jen's introduction & as an avid GH fan myself, I was deeply envious of her experience pouring through old records in the hope of finding some GH gold! One of my favourite parts of the book & it had me excited to read the short stories. 5★

I read some reviews & many of the reviewers didn't like the forwards & afterwards for each story, so I only read them that way for A Proposal to Cicely. (only story I had read before) Since even allowing for GH's extreme youth, during past reads I haven't liked this story - mainly because of my dislike of Cicely. Much to my surprise, I have always given this story 2.5★, but in spite of Rachel's explanations of Our Heroines motives I just can't go higher than that.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Oops, sorry I forgot Critterbee wanted separate posts for each short story! Bad moderator! Bad, bad moderator!

I'll fix now.

The Little Lady Oh boy, I really hated this one. Confused & mawkish. I hate to do this to a Heyer short story & yes, I know GH was very young when she wrote this but 1★

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

The Bulldog and the Beast Improbable but charming. This story was just intended to be a diversion, so in spite of all the improbabilities (view spoiler)[ How did Bill manage to get out so many times? (hide spoiler)] I really enjoyed this. If I was a reader of the time, I would definitely be looking for more of GH's works. 3.5★

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Acting on Impulse Like Rosina I wasn't a fan of the kidnapping part of the plot, but was still charmed by this tale, because of the delightful hero & heroine. I can't understand some people's dislike of the name Kenneth - I think it is a great name. 3.5★

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

The Chinese Shawl

Charmed by this one, even though it wasn't clear how Janet fit into Mary's life. 4.5★

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

The Old Maid

fresh,bright & funny.

Not deep, but who wants deep if you are in the dentist's waiting room or putting your feet up with a magazine & a quick cuppa? Helen seemed like a real person.5★

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Love

Well, I'm the lone voice here, but I loved this one, in spite of finding the beginning a bit confusing. & a GH tragedy - something to treasure. 5★ & my favourite.

Rachel's essay about On Such a Night. Good, determined detective work & Rachel's solution is plausible. 4★

I liked the forwards to the stories & loved finding out their publishing history. From memory, a couple of spoilers though. I found the afterwards became quite negative as the book went on.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Lincke’s Great Case

Tried Lynx as a pronunciation, ended up with Link-kezz. Lineker may be more plausible.

Read through again & liked better on the second reading, but still found it a bit weak. & a very weak romance. GH just can't help herself!

What does everyone think of Jen's suggestion? (view spoiler)[ Although Jen only puts it as a suggestion. I'm inclined to think George Heyer did at least have some input. (hide spoiler)]

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "The Chinese Shawl

Cute story. I enjoyed this, [spoilers removed]
"

My idea (view spoiler)[ I imagined the shawl being draped over a simple, black dress was the only way it worked for me. (hide spoiler)]

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Whose Fault Was It?

I'm glad I decided to read this short story a second time before giving an opinion, as I liked it much better the second time around, although (view spoiler)[ the cruelty of destroying something both valuable & valuable to George didn't give me much of a opinion of Diana! (hide spoiler)] But the rest of the story was light & fun, with a good moral.

What did everyone think of Rachel's speculation in the story afterward?