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Henrietta
'Henrietta is an absolute balm for the soul' Sarra Manning
'It has brought me so much happiness' Cressida McLaughlin
Henrietta has secretly loved Arthur, Lord Allerton, since childhood. He is the only man who is interested in her rather than her fortune – just not in the way that she wants.
After three years away at war, Arthur has returned to London to find everything changed. His finances are ruined, his family in chaos. And sweet, shy Hetty is … different.
For Hetty has set herself a challenge: she has one summer to become the charming, dashing Diamond she’s always wished to be. And either Arthur will notice her, or she’ll give up her dreams entirely.
But in a glittering Season plagued by scandal and intrigue, is there still room for love …?
'I absolutely devoured this … All the magic of an original Georgette Heyer with added Sophie Irwin wit and charm' Jessica Bull
Praise for Sophie Irwin:
'A must-buy author for me' Taylor Jenkins Reid
'A formidable Austentacious talent' Janice Hallett
'Charming, witty and infectiously exuberant' Santa Montefiore
'It has brought me so much happiness' Cressida McLaughlin
Henrietta has secretly loved Arthur, Lord Allerton, since childhood. He is the only man who is interested in her rather than her fortune – just not in the way that she wants.
After three years away at war, Arthur has returned to London to find everything changed. His finances are ruined, his family in chaos. And sweet, shy Hetty is … different.
For Hetty has set herself a challenge: she has one summer to become the charming, dashing Diamond she’s always wished to be. And either Arthur will notice her, or she’ll give up her dreams entirely.
But in a glittering Season plagued by scandal and intrigue, is there still room for love …?
'I absolutely devoured this … All the magic of an original Georgette Heyer with added Sophie Irwin wit and charm' Jessica Bull
Praise for Sophie Irwin:
'A must-buy author for me' Taylor Jenkins Reid
'A formidable Austentacious talent' Janice Hallett
'Charming, witty and infectiously exuberant' Santa Montefiore
368 pages, Hardcover
Published August 13, 2026
About the author
Sophie Irwin
7 books1,612 followersSophie Irwin grew up in Dorset before moving to south London after university. She has spent years immersed in the study of historical fiction, from a dissertation on how Georgette Heyer helped win World War Two, to time spent in dusty stacks and old tomes losing herself in Regency London while researching this book. Her love and passion for historical fiction bring a breath of fresh air and a contemporary energy to the genre, and Sophie hopes to transport readers to a time when ballrooms were more like battlegrounds.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
August 24, 2026
2,5
I struggled with the rating until the end, because 2 seemed too harsh, I didn’t dislike the reading, the plot was enjoyable enough, it entertained me even, Hetty, the fmc, was nice, some moments were really funny, but in truth I mostly have complaints: the small one is that most of the secondary characters were stupid and annoying 80% of the time, but the big problem was with the mmc and the romance; I actually rooted against them ending up together.
Thing is, Arthur was not a bad person, but he was so unlikable in the way he acted toward Hetty; in the first half ok, he only looked at her as a best friend to look out for while she was completely in love with him, but he was nice at least, in the second half he got worse and worse, being downright an asshole with her, talking to her in a way… He made her feel less, and more than once reminded her of “her place” when she helped his family, because it was not “noble” to accept her help, and he expected HER to apologize to HIM!
I could feel he cared for her yes, but he never had to work for her even a little bit, never did anything that showed romantic love, to the point that when she realized she had always been the one trying to win him and loving him more and so distanced herself, I wanted her to fall for someone else!
And him realizing he loved her in the last 30 pages and giving a hurried line of declaration of love and hinting at a half assed apology in the second to last line of the book wasn’t enough. She was beside herself with joy? After the way he acted for half the book and didn’t even properly apologize? Really?
I’m glad I guess she got the guy she always wanted but it was not satisfying. The ending was just bad for me and doomed the book.
The weird thing is that I actually think they will be happy together, and the potential to make their story cute was there, but Hetty deserved more.
I struggled with the rating until the end, because 2 seemed too harsh, I didn’t dislike the reading, the plot was enjoyable enough, it entertained me even, Hetty, the fmc, was nice, some moments were really funny, but in truth I mostly have complaints: the small one is that most of the secondary characters were stupid and annoying 80% of the time, but the big problem was with the mmc and the romance; I actually rooted against them ending up together.
Thing is, Arthur was not a bad person, but he was so unlikable in the way he acted toward Hetty; in the first half ok, he only looked at her as a best friend to look out for while she was completely in love with him, but he was nice at least, in the second half he got worse and worse, being downright an asshole with her, talking to her in a way… He made her feel less, and more than once reminded her of “her place” when she helped his family, because it was not “noble” to accept her help, and he expected HER to apologize to HIM!
I could feel he cared for her yes, but he never had to work for her even a little bit, never did anything that showed romantic love, to the point that when she realized she had always been the one trying to win him and loving him more and so distanced herself, I wanted her to fall for someone else!
And him realizing he loved her in the last 30 pages and giving a hurried line of declaration of love and hinting at a half assed apology in the second to last line of the book wasn’t enough. She was beside herself with joy? After the way he acted for half the book and didn’t even properly apologize? Really?
I’m glad I guess she got the guy she always wanted but it was not satisfying. The ending was just bad for me and doomed the book.
The weird thing is that I actually think they will be happy together, and the potential to make their story cute was there, but Hetty deserved more.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is quite cute as a Regency romance but, for me, it doesn't have the sparkle of an actual Georgette Heyer. I admit, I prefer Heyer's rakish heroes and cheeky heroines so the sensible Arthur and supposedly shy and retiring Hetty ('if she could match her own dress always to the exact shade of whatever wallpaper adorned the evening's ballroom, she would have done so' - a literal wallflower!) were never going to be a rapturously romantic pairing for me.
Add in some jarring modern touches: Trixie as a Regency name? Timothy mixing up Cicero (a Roman advocate and Senate member) with Zeus, the prime Olympic god, despite his classical education? People using modern idioms: 'don't you dare,', Arthur teaching Hetty deep breathing techniques to calm her nerves, even the narrative voice doesn't use period terminology: 'a crash from inside had them both jumping half out of their skins'.
I'd heard good things about Irwin but this imitation served to highlight how unique Heyer is. Nice for a holiday read, all the same.
Many thanks to Random House/Cornerstone for an ARC via NetGalley
Add in some jarring modern touches: Trixie as a Regency name? Timothy mixing up Cicero (a Roman advocate and Senate member) with Zeus, the prime Olympic god, despite his classical education? People using modern idioms: 'don't you dare,', Arthur teaching Hetty deep breathing techniques to calm her nerves, even the narrative voice doesn't use period terminology: 'a crash from inside had them both jumping half out of their skins'.
I'd heard good things about Irwin but this imitation served to highlight how unique Heyer is. Nice for a holiday read, all the same.
Many thanks to Random House/Cornerstone for an ARC via NetGalley
April 24, 2026
Fun fact: if you combine my reading time of the first 3 Irwin novels and multiply it by 2, you'll get 14 days, which is how long it took me to read this.
Henrietta is not a bad novel by any means, and in some ways it was a step up over the previous books by her (yes, even her first).
I have not read a single Georgette Heyer (it's been on my TBR forever), and my familiarity with regency / regency romances comes from courtship novels of Jane Austen, Belinda, mini research about 'courtship novels' genre, and JAFF variations which I've read too many of. I am interested in Regency Romance genre (especially if it's time appropriate).
I was lukewarm about Irwin's previous two novels, and was skeptical when approaching this one. The disappointment didn't wait long as the first problem appeared when the romantic hero was introduced. The thing is, if you write a regency romance in the year of 2026, I expect a romantic hero you can root for. Instead we get Arthur, who we are told is bedazzled by very different kind of women than our main heroine. I kept expecting for some male alternative to show up, and there were 2 potential suitors, but there was never a hint that Hetty was considering them in any way. When someone (?Mrs Ridley?) told Henrietta she doesn't have to marry, I thought maybe the novel would go that way... which would have been disappointing considering Regency ROMANCE genre, but would've been a better alternative to ARTHUR.
Arthur is not only bland in character, his morals are also questionable. He is enamoured with actresses, opera singers, and the type of widows who take on lovers and go to masquerades.
Henrietta is plain in looks, and incredibly shy and anxious in personality. In fact, that's where the novel reminded me of How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days, because of the intentional cringe of Hetty being so socially inept that she can only speak to strangers in memorized phrases, which then ends up looking like:
(thankfully, Hetty barely has to speak to strangers, so "You'll cringe" wasn't a main theme of the novel, unlike Irwin's previous novel)
In Mansfield Park lot of readers are disappointed by Edmund being the endgame, because throughout the novel he pays attention to Mary. However, Jane Austen was a realist of her time and Fanny had very little options, AND Edmund was so enamoured with Mary, he was blind to her faults. He saw virtues in her she didn't posses.
Arthur, on the other hand, knows perfectly well who the opera singers and actresses are, and that's why he likes them. And then I'm supposed to root for him to end up with our main character? It's just too much of a madonna/whore for me. I'll never root for a man chasing worldly women to end up with a virtuous heroine.
I might as well read older Regency novels (or later Regency Romances, like Heyer's) if I want main heroines to end up with men I can't root for. There's no appeal to writing these men in 2026.
It wasn't all the novel had to offer, but it might as well had been.
We barely got any romance, we barely got any emotions from the 'romantic' hero, and the secondary characters the book spent a lot of time on ended up nowhere.
There was some promise of Arthur&Hetty romance when Arthur started helping her to become more socially aware and Hetty was helping him with estate management (and the whole situation reminded me of Irwin's first novel), however there were very few scenes of it, because other characters (who, I reiterate, ended up nowhere) were more important for the plot.
In short: two main characters weren't appealing by themselves, the romance between them was non existent (and I remind you, this is a Regency Romance book), and the secondary characters arcs weren't finished, despite the book spending a lot of time on them since there wasn't any romance.
The last third of the book was just a drag. Plot / pacing wise it's not different from the rest of it, but at that point I had enough time to get bored and tired of it.
The ending is the only thing that wasn't a drag, but only cuz it was very abrupt. When there were first 15, then 10, then 5 pages left, I kept thinking 'no way there's no finale', and indeed the finale happened 2 pages before the book ended. I guess there's some Austen-esque (and probably Heyer-esque) manner in it, but the is just a cheesy way to end the novel, and Arthur's final confession was forced.
______________
Books reflect the time it was published in, and the personal feelings of the person in the time period they finished it in, and I think that in some ways it's better than all of Irwin's previous novels (but particularly 2nd and 3rd), and yet it is getting the lowest rating for me at 2 stars. It was just OK. I could embrace the intentional cringe (which was over the top and present throughout almost the entire novel) in book 3, I was still high off the 1 book when I was reading the 2nd, which caused me to overlook its many problems. 2026 me is rating this novel 2 stars.
I think that book 2&3 elicited some strong feelings from me (not always positive), while this novel is just definition of flat.
I think I might read more of Irwin's novels in the future, especially if she continues with the 'trying to be period appropriate' Georgette Heyer angle, but I'm not sure. Will depend on my mood then.
____________________________
pre-release thoughts:
giving Sophie Irwin one last chance before admitting Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting was a fluke
Other novels by Sophie Irwin:
Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting 4.5 stars
Lady's Guide to Scandal 2.5 stars
How to Lose a Lord in 10 Days 3.5 stars
Henrietta is not a bad novel by any means, and in some ways it was a step up over the previous books by her (yes, even her first).
I have not read a single Georgette Heyer (it's been on my TBR forever), and my familiarity with regency / regency romances comes from courtship novels of Jane Austen, Belinda, mini research about 'courtship novels' genre, and JAFF variations which I've read too many of. I am interested in Regency Romance genre (especially if it's time appropriate).
I was lukewarm about Irwin's previous two novels, and was skeptical when approaching this one. The disappointment didn't wait long as the first problem appeared when the romantic hero was introduced. The thing is, if you write a regency romance in the year of 2026, I expect a romantic hero you can root for. Instead we get Arthur, who we are told is bedazzled by very different kind of women than our main heroine. I kept expecting for some male alternative to show up, and there were 2 potential suitors, but there was never a hint that Hetty was considering them in any way. When someone (?Mrs Ridley?) told Henrietta she doesn't have to marry, I thought maybe the novel would go that way... which would have been disappointing considering Regency ROMANCE genre, but would've been a better alternative to ARTHUR.
Arthur is not only bland in character, his morals are also questionable. He is enamoured with actresses, opera singers, and the type of widows who take on lovers and go to masquerades.
Henrietta is plain in looks, and incredibly shy and anxious in personality. In fact, that's where the novel reminded me of How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days, because of the intentional cringe of Hetty being so socially inept that she can only speak to strangers in memorized phrases, which then ends up looking like:
"My grandmother is on her death bed"I wish I was joking. It's unfortunate that "I'm anxious" #SoRelatable moronic characters are still a thing. It wasn't cute in Anna and the French Kiss 16 years ago, it's even less cute now.
"How marvellous!"
(thankfully, Hetty barely has to speak to strangers, so "You'll cringe" wasn't a main theme of the novel, unlike Irwin's previous novel)
In Mansfield Park lot of readers are disappointed by Edmund being the endgame, because throughout the novel he pays attention to Mary. However, Jane Austen was a realist of her time and Fanny had very little options, AND Edmund was so enamoured with Mary, he was blind to her faults. He saw virtues in her she didn't posses.
Arthur, on the other hand, knows perfectly well who the opera singers and actresses are, and that's why he likes them. And then I'm supposed to root for him to end up with our main character? It's just too much of a madonna/whore for me. I'll never root for a man chasing worldly women to end up with a virtuous heroine.
I might as well read older Regency novels (or later Regency Romances, like Heyer's) if I want main heroines to end up with men I can't root for. There's no appeal to writing these men in 2026.
It wasn't all the novel had to offer, but it might as well had been.
We barely got any romance, we barely got any emotions from the 'romantic' hero, and the secondary characters the book spent a lot of time on ended up nowhere.
There was some promise of Arthur&Hetty romance when Arthur started helping her to become more socially aware and Hetty was helping him with estate management (and the whole situation reminded me of Irwin's first novel), however there were very few scenes of it, because other characters (who, I reiterate, ended up nowhere) were more important for the plot.
In short: two main characters weren't appealing by themselves, the romance between them was non existent (and I remind you, this is a Regency Romance book), and the secondary characters arcs weren't finished, despite the book spending a lot of time on them since there wasn't any romance.
The last third of the book was just a drag. Plot / pacing wise it's not different from the rest of it, but at that point I had enough time to get bored and tired of it.
The ending is the only thing that wasn't a drag, but only cuz it was very abrupt. When there were first 15, then 10, then 5 pages left, I kept thinking 'no way there's no finale', and indeed the finale happened 2 pages before the book ended. I guess there's some Austen-esque (and probably Heyer-esque) manner in it, but the is just a cheesy way to end the novel, and Arthur's final confession was forced.
______________
Books reflect the time it was published in, and the personal feelings of the person in the time period they finished it in, and I think that in some ways it's better than all of Irwin's previous novels (but particularly 2nd and 3rd), and yet it is getting the lowest rating for me at 2 stars. It was just OK. I could embrace the intentional cringe (which was over the top and present throughout almost the entire novel) in book 3, I was still high off the 1 book when I was reading the 2nd, which caused me to overlook its many problems. 2026 me is rating this novel 2 stars.
I think that book 2&3 elicited some strong feelings from me (not always positive), while this novel is just definition of flat.
I think I might read more of Irwin's novels in the future, especially if she continues with the 'trying to be period appropriate' Georgette Heyer angle, but I'm not sure. Will depend on my mood then.
____________________________
pre-release thoughts:
giving Sophie Irwin one last chance before admitting Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting was a fluke
Other novels by Sophie Irwin:
Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting 4.5 stars
Lady's Guide to Scandal 2.5 stars
How to Lose a Lord in 10 Days 3.5 stars
Want to Read
June 7, 2026Sorry not read this. But felt compelled to comment - I have read nearly all of Georgette Heyer's books since childhood and barely managed to get through Julia Quinn - she is absolutely not in the same league! Heyer is the only real Queen of Regency Romance.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m not a Heyer expert but I have read and enjoyed some of her books. I would say this is definitely inspired by Heyer but I don’t really understand it getting this “Official Georgette Heyer” stamp. Having not read from Sophie Irwin before I can’t say how much this differs from her usual writing.
I’m quite conflicted on how to rate this really. The writing style really worked for me and I barely put it down once I started it. I also really enjoyed the cast of characters Irwin created. If I were just rating based on these factors it would be 4 stars and I will definitely be trying Irwin’s other work.
However I had many issues with this book. Mainly that I hated the Hero Arthur. He spends most of the book taking Hetty for granted, then starts being mean to her because she’s trying to help his family and he is too noble to let her. Then in the last third he says some truly awful things to her, and at one point thinks it is she who needs to apologise not him. Then the final straw occurred and he off page realises the error of his ways and has two sentences of grovelling before the end of the book. What! I’m not sure if this is actually the end or if the arc copy is missing some pages maybe (I can hope). He barely said sorry to Hetty before the end. Other side characters get no closure so their entire inclusion feels pointless. I do recall disliking a Hero of Heyer’s in the past so maybe that is another similarity.
I really enjoyed Hetty and by the end felt very protective of her, she deserved and was worth more! She really comes out of her shell through the story and finally everyone takes notice. She even has a moment of realising Arthur will never love her the way she wants and decides to move on. However this is never really shown, she just seems to be getting on with her life and trying to repair her heart. I was rooting for her when she was finally speaking her mind to Arthur and letting him have it. I wanted her to be done with him. I can’t recall another romance I’ve read recently where I actively was hoping they wouldn’t end up together, at least not without a lot of work from Arthur and a huge apology from him. Even if there are a few more pages that is not enough time for Arthur to be worthy of Hetty.
I kind of do want more in this world though which is why I’m so conflicted. Irwin got me to care about all the side characters introduced only for the book to end abruptly out of nowhere. I have so many questions about what happens to everyone that I would be tempted to read another book in this series but only if I knew there would be a more satisfying ending for everyone!
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I’m quite conflicted on how to rate this really. The writing style really worked for me and I barely put it down once I started it. I also really enjoyed the cast of characters Irwin created. If I were just rating based on these factors it would be 4 stars and I will definitely be trying Irwin’s other work.
However I had many issues with this book. Mainly that I hated the Hero Arthur. He spends most of the book taking Hetty for granted, then starts being mean to her because she’s trying to help his family and he is too noble to let her. Then in the last third he says some truly awful things to her, and at one point thinks it is she who needs to apologise not him. Then the final straw occurred and he off page realises the error of his ways and has two sentences of grovelling before the end of the book. What! I’m not sure if this is actually the end or if the arc copy is missing some pages maybe (I can hope). He barely said sorry to Hetty before the end. Other side characters get no closure so their entire inclusion feels pointless. I do recall disliking a Hero of Heyer’s in the past so maybe that is another similarity.
I really enjoyed Hetty and by the end felt very protective of her, she deserved and was worth more! She really comes out of her shell through the story and finally everyone takes notice. She even has a moment of realising Arthur will never love her the way she wants and decides to move on. However this is never really shown, she just seems to be getting on with her life and trying to repair her heart. I was rooting for her when she was finally speaking her mind to Arthur and letting him have it. I wanted her to be done with him. I can’t recall another romance I’ve read recently where I actively was hoping they wouldn’t end up together, at least not without a lot of work from Arthur and a huge apology from him. Even if there are a few more pages that is not enough time for Arthur to be worthy of Hetty.
I kind of do want more in this world though which is why I’m so conflicted. Irwin got me to care about all the side characters introduced only for the book to end abruptly out of nowhere. I have so many questions about what happens to everyone that I would be tempted to read another book in this series but only if I knew there would be a more satisfying ending for everyone!
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 22, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for providing me with the ARC for this book in exchange for a honest review.
Oh my god what a beautiful book! I haven’t had so much fun in quite a while! The prose is so captivating, it bewitched me from the start, and each and every character are so unique and have their own quirkiness it made me fall in love with it so hard!
Hatty is the very perfect heroine. At first I was a little taken aback for her having a long time crush with her friend, for in most books the character would only focus on this for the whole book and never “move on” from the topic in every little interaction. However for her, the plot and her aspirations do not revolve around only getting the guy. Arthur is a great guy, very sweet and caring, and I did root for them to be together along the whole book, but what made me so in love with her is the development throughout the pages. Starting as a shy young girl, with an enormous dowry, so much cleverness and so much fear to mess things up, you can follow her in the journey of finding herself, her confidence and maturing during the book so beautifully, it’s like watching a flower bloom.
I think that’s what Arthur saw too through the book. Starting it as a simple exchange of help between the two of them, I almost feel like I myself was falling in love with Hatty as the pages went by. From not being able to form much phrases and using pre-made ones, to make everyone around her enchanted with every word she said makes it hard not to fall. Getting to know Timothy and Trixie along the book, listening to their stories, I almost felt like I had a found family of my own.
That was my first interaction with Sophie work and Georgette’s legacy and it enchanted me so much I’m sure to check out their other books!
Overall, this is a perfect book for anyone looking for a beautiful regency romance, that is all at the same time funny, lighthearted, sweet and dazzling. Five stars no bad points, got me wanting for more.
Oh my god what a beautiful book! I haven’t had so much fun in quite a while! The prose is so captivating, it bewitched me from the start, and each and every character are so unique and have their own quirkiness it made me fall in love with it so hard!
Hatty is the very perfect heroine. At first I was a little taken aback for her having a long time crush with her friend, for in most books the character would only focus on this for the whole book and never “move on” from the topic in every little interaction. However for her, the plot and her aspirations do not revolve around only getting the guy. Arthur is a great guy, very sweet and caring, and I did root for them to be together along the whole book, but what made me so in love with her is the development throughout the pages. Starting as a shy young girl, with an enormous dowry, so much cleverness and so much fear to mess things up, you can follow her in the journey of finding herself, her confidence and maturing during the book so beautifully, it’s like watching a flower bloom.
I think that’s what Arthur saw too through the book. Starting it as a simple exchange of help between the two of them, I almost feel like I myself was falling in love with Hatty as the pages went by. From not being able to form much phrases and using pre-made ones, to make everyone around her enchanted with every word she said makes it hard not to fall. Getting to know Timothy and Trixie along the book, listening to their stories, I almost felt like I had a found family of my own.
That was my first interaction with Sophie work and Georgette’s legacy and it enchanted me so much I’m sure to check out their other books!
Overall, this is a perfect book for anyone looking for a beautiful regency romance, that is all at the same time funny, lighthearted, sweet and dazzling. Five stars no bad points, got me wanting for more.
August 20, 2026
Not all bad, pretty much in the style of all of Sophie Irwin’s novels. A funny, quirky book with a colorful cast of characters. But the ending was so rushed and left so many things unresolved that I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. In its current form this isn’t really much of a Regency romance, but rather a comedy of manners.
August 16, 2026
Here's the thing: I really like Georgette Heyer - I have read all of her Regency romances and re-read my favourites time and time again. I have also read Sophie Irwin's other books, so I was excited and interested to see what a new "official Georgette Heyer" novel meant. Unfortunately this didn't work for me on a couple of levels.
There is too much plot going on here - which is something that I have found with other Sophie Irwin books but which has sometimes been fine, but in this means there is just too much going on and that the ending(s) feel very rushed. It also felt like it was trying to include plot ideas from as many different Heyers as possible but it didn't really hang together very well - or feel particularly consistent. In terms of the writing style, it felt like it was trying to create a Heyer like feel by just dropping as many words and phrases from Heyer as possible rather than actually trying to emulate the writing style. So in short it felt like a Sophie Irwin with added Heyer-vocab. Not a success for me sadly.
****Copy from NetGalley, in return for review consideration*****
There is too much plot going on here - which is something that I have found with other Sophie Irwin books but which has sometimes been fine, but in this means there is just too much going on and that the ending(s) feel very rushed. It also felt like it was trying to include plot ideas from as many different Heyers as possible but it didn't really hang together very well - or feel particularly consistent. In terms of the writing style, it felt like it was trying to create a Heyer like feel by just dropping as many words and phrases from Heyer as possible rather than actually trying to emulate the writing style. So in short it felt like a Sophie Irwin with added Heyer-vocab. Not a success for me sadly.
****Copy from NetGalley, in return for review consideration*****
May 18, 2026
I had to specially order the book from the UK because nobody sold it around here (or in the US).
You know how Georgette Heyer had some so-so's? This would be one of them. Sure it had some fun moments, but there was absolutely no romance between the two of them. And that's what sunk this for me. Sure the story was brilliant in terms of writing, pulling off Heyer's family squabbles, witty one-liners or humor, it just lacked a real romance. The male was absolutely a jealous nit and the whole thing was basically him trying to figure out who her mystery love interest from her past was. (Kind of like Jan telling Marsha that she had a boyfriend named George Glass, and he was from Tropicana.)
I am willing to read more both under the Georgette Heyer line and her own, but I hope there is a story where I feel a good romance between the two and not just it happens at the last minute (and you can't look back at the breadcrumbs from the path to it).
You know how Georgette Heyer had some so-so's? This would be one of them. Sure it had some fun moments, but there was absolutely no romance between the two of them. And that's what sunk this for me. Sure the story was brilliant in terms of writing, pulling off Heyer's family squabbles, witty one-liners or humor, it just lacked a real romance. The male was absolutely a jealous nit and the whole thing was basically him trying to figure out who her mystery love interest from her past was. (Kind of like Jan telling Marsha that she had a boyfriend named George Glass, and he was from Tropicana.)
I am willing to read more both under the Georgette Heyer line and her own, but I hope there is a story where I feel a good romance between the two and not just it happens at the last minute (and you can't look back at the breadcrumbs from the path to it).
August 13, 2026
As Henrietta’s childhood friend, Arthur, sallies forth for the Peninsular War, Henrietta is left behind, burdened by the pain of unrequited love. Two years later and her feelings remain as strong as ever. Arthur has returned and stepped back into his role as head of the family, but will he ever see Henrietta as anything more than a very dear friend?
Irwin is gifted at writing wonderful character arcs and we certainly see a transformation in Henrietta over the course of the narrative. Arthur was a rather frustrating character, but typical of the Regency romantic hero. He has a strong sense of responsibility towards those he cares about, but his heavy-handed attempts to help them often backfire.
This was a joyous read which captured the beating heart of upper-class Regency society. There was an absolute preoccupation with social engagements, matchmaking and dressing appropriately for every occasion!
Thank you to Century and NetGalley for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
Irwin is gifted at writing wonderful character arcs and we certainly see a transformation in Henrietta over the course of the narrative. Arthur was a rather frustrating character, but typical of the Regency romantic hero. He has a strong sense of responsibility towards those he cares about, but his heavy-handed attempts to help them often backfire.
This was a joyous read which captured the beating heart of upper-class Regency society. There was an absolute preoccupation with social engagements, matchmaking and dressing appropriately for every occasion!
Thank you to Century and NetGalley for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2026
So much fun & such brilliant characters! Made me giggle out loud with glee multiple times.
August 13, 2026
Big Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
'Henrietta' is a regency romance by Sophie Irwin.
The book is cute, with a nice flow, though halfway through, things got stale and boring while we attended yet another ball. The main character is also endearing and interesting. The side characters were enjoyable as well. However, I've found the love interest dull and with no chemistry with Henrietta. Their banter was boring, and his intentions were mostly within the spectrum of friendship for the biggest part of the book, while his behaviour towards Hetty was awful.
Meanwhile, the ending was so rushed and was cut short, without a proper conclusion, though that might have been the arc's fault and the published version may have a smoother ending. And yet, there was no closure for any of the side characters that we followed throughout the book.
Still, I enjoyed the final twist. Also, the author did a great job of changing perspectives smoothly throughout the chapters, which felt like watching a movie. Still, not my favourite Sophie Irwin book.
'Henrietta' is a regency romance by Sophie Irwin.
The book is cute, with a nice flow, though halfway through, things got stale and boring while we attended yet another ball. The main character is also endearing and interesting. The side characters were enjoyable as well. However, I've found the love interest dull and with no chemistry with Henrietta. Their banter was boring, and his intentions were mostly within the spectrum of friendship for the biggest part of the book, while his behaviour towards Hetty was awful.
Meanwhile, the ending was so rushed and was cut short, without a proper conclusion, though that might have been the arc's fault and the published version may have a smoother ending. And yet, there was no closure for any of the side characters that we followed throughout the book.
Still, I enjoyed the final twist. Also, the author did a great job of changing perspectives smoothly throughout the chapters, which felt like watching a movie. Still, not my favourite Sophie Irwin book.
August 23, 2026
An enjoyable read but it lacked the sparkle and wit of a Heyer novel.
August 26, 2026
OH MY GOSH. THIS BOOK DESERVES EVERY STAR. wow wow wow. From the start until the end I devoured this book. This book has every trope you could ever want: friends to lovers, pining, slowwwww burn, fake dating to make one jealous, and she falls first he falls harder. It is literally everything you could ever want in a regency novel. The romance is swoon worthy. Hetty is my favorite character ever written. I feel so completely tethered to her. Arthur and hetty were unimaginably great together. Their humor, banter, and longing glances were just perfect. I found myself reading this book slow because I couldn’t bear for it to end. I have absolutely loved everything Irwin has released. She truly is an incredible writer. This by far blew all others out of the water. This book was completely tailored to everything I enjoy in a book. When i first discovered that Irwin was to write a heyer novel I was elated. My grandma had also introduced me to heyers work and I’ve been enthralled with it since. Let me tell you not only did Irwin take up the mantle but she flourished. She completely understands the romance, humor, charm, and wit Heyer knew was required for a regency novel. I will love this book forever. My one warning to anyone is that Irwin, in perfect Heyer fashion, has managed to perfect an abrupt ending. (Which may annoy some but any real Heyer fan will be absolutely satisfied)!!
September 1, 2026
I appreciate the research that obviously went into this, like with Heyer's original novels. If you know your Regency history there are plenty of wonderful easter eggs. Also, the overall plot did feel pleasingly Heyeresque with plenty of farcical moments that I think she would recognise. Unfortunately the heroine was a bit too modern for me, in both her actions and backstory. I was somewhat confused that she was simultaneously a very rich heiress but also completely clueless and overlooked in social situations. Just doesn't track with how I understand Regency society to have operated, which was a little bizarre given the aforementioned attention to detail. I also felt like it tried to force in a lot of BookTok tropes between the hero and heroine without giving really any of them to breathe, which was a shame because there was a lot of potential for their dynamic Again a shame because I think building the relationship between the hero and heroine was one of Heyer's biggest strengths, and I'm not quite sure I FELT the love between them as much as was told about it.
October 6, 2026
Bummer. I really love Sophie Irwin’s writing, but this was a let down. It was going fine until the extremely rushed ending. I’m so confused why it ended that way. Hardly anything was resolved!
But before that incredibly disappointing ending, this book was good, silly fun. It felt like a mix of Mansfield Park and Bridgerton.
I’m not sure if it’s because this book is also considered a Georgette Heyer book that it wasn’t at the level of Sophie Irwin’s other books. Maybe that type of ending is common for Georgette Heyer?? But I didn’t care for the male lead at all. Everything felt rushed. I feel incomplete.
But before that incredibly disappointing ending, this book was good, silly fun. It felt like a mix of Mansfield Park and Bridgerton.
I’m not sure if it’s because this book is also considered a Georgette Heyer book that it wasn’t at the level of Sophie Irwin’s other books. Maybe that type of ending is common for Georgette Heyer?? But I didn’t care for the male lead at all. Everything felt rushed. I feel incomplete.
August 31, 2026
Did this read like it was genuinely written by Georgette Heyer? No. But the similarities spoke to an admirable attempt, I greatly enjoyed my time with these characters, and Irwin got the one-liner ending right!!
September 19, 2026
I'm not sure why the heirs of the late, great Georgette Heyer authorized this book. In my not so humble opinion as a huge fan of GH, there is no possibility that anyone could successfully write a book that sounds like her inimitable voice. It was a travesty to allow any other author to try. But even worse for me personally is the fact that, while attempting to accept this book entirely on its own merits, forgetting about any comparison to GH, I could not enjoy it.
August 21, 2026
i love sophie irwin so this was good. but like all the build up for that ending made me MAD i needed like a little bit more like come
on
on
October 7, 2026
A nice read, but it's not Georgette Heyer.
October 1, 2026
Cute !!! But dare I say … a tad boring ??? Really promising start but it lost me along the way. If I was Hetty I’d be PISSED with Arthur … I’m actually saving you and ur family all the time and you don’t even realise u love me 😒😒😒 smh. Presuming this will be the start to a series tho?? And loved the history behind Sophie Irwin continuing the Georgette Heyer novel.
Read
July 21, 2026UPDATED!
My ARC (thanks to Cornerstone UK) ends with “3 pages to come”. And I’m kind of losing my mind at where the book just stopped, so I’m not writing a full review until I know if that was really the END.
** So yeah, the book just ends. And I'm absolutely irate about it. Never at any point does Arthur redeem himself. I'm just so mad. Henrietta, girl, you don't even get a chance to accept his proposal on page, so I hope you RAN.
My ARC (thanks to Cornerstone UK) ends with “3 pages to come”. And I’m kind of losing my mind at where the book just stopped, so I’m not writing a full review until I know if that was really the END.
** So yeah, the book just ends. And I'm absolutely irate about it. Never at any point does Arthur redeem himself. I'm just so mad. Henrietta, girl, you don't even get a chance to accept his proposal on page, so I hope you RAN.
August 15, 2026
4.7⭐️
I can say, with strong conviction, this is my favourite of Sophie Iwrin’s books.
Hetty is a delightful main character, she’s sharp and astute, and a joy to read about. And I couldn’t help but fall in love with Arthur, charming and overprotective at the best of times. Even the side characters felt fleshed out, and incredibly amusing.
I wish the ending was a bit less rushed, but, in my opinion the overall conclusion was perfect. What a wonderful book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I can say, with strong conviction, this is my favourite of Sophie Iwrin’s books.
Hetty is a delightful main character, she’s sharp and astute, and a joy to read about. And I couldn’t help but fall in love with Arthur, charming and overprotective at the best of times. Even the side characters felt fleshed out, and incredibly amusing.
I wish the ending was a bit less rushed, but, in my opinion the overall conclusion was perfect. What a wonderful book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2026
I'll start by saying I am not really keen on the idea of writers doing official books in the name of other writers, who are generally quite revered. I kind of understand the desire to do this, in the same way I understand the desire to write fan fiction. But to me it feels just like that: fan fiction. And that is essentially what this book is. So, knowing this, why did I choose to read this particular book? Well, I really loved reading Sophie Irwin's three previous books. I also have read a bit of Georgette Heyer and enjoyed them to various extents. I guess it was curiosity that won out and I was keen to see what came of it. Well, it was an interesting exercise, indeed. Even though my mindset usually sees such a book as fan fiction, I mostly read this with a Georgette Heyer style in mind, and it worked for me in this instance. Perhaps it helps I have not read all of Heyer's books. I have read enough to understand certain aspects of her style though, and I do think Irwin succeeded in following this pretty well.
The plot is definitely like a Heyer plot: Hetty has been a ward of the Allerton family, and the book opens with a prologue where oldest son, Arthur, goes off to fight in the war. While he's away, Hetty writes regularly, and when he returns, she is hopeful that he might see her in a different light, as she is older and wiser. Unfortunately, she is quite shy and awkward, and so she seeks to improve herself with Arthur assisting her along the way. Things take unexpected turns when an invented love interest seems to materialise in her midst and it takes a bit of a madcap turn as this stranger agrees to carry on the charade, much to both her relief and horror.
I did enjoy this book, much like some of the Heyer books I've read. I didn't love it though, and I think most of that is down to the character of Arthur, who is mostly unlikeable here. I can see he's not exactly a bad person or a villain, but his problematic flaws are there even at the end of the text available. I mostly liked the character of Hetty, and she did go through considerable growth and development over the course of the story. Arthur's character really didn't change much and he wasn't exactly charismatic. I think this is where the difference to Heyer's stories is, because usually both main characters have changed a bit and make for a good couple. There is tension between these two, but it seems to be more about being at odds with each other than anything. The relationship tension that is usual is much more subdued.
I never thought of this as a Sophie Irwin book, and it's got a very different feel to her previous book, with many more modern sensibilities built in. I did enjoy this but will say that I much prefer Irwin's own stories to one in the style of another writer. But it was fun in it's own ways and kind of reflected a real Heyer book. I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK/Cornerstone for the free copy of the book. I have provided my feedback under not obligations. I rate this 3.5 stars.
The plot is definitely like a Heyer plot: Hetty has been a ward of the Allerton family, and the book opens with a prologue where oldest son, Arthur, goes off to fight in the war. While he's away, Hetty writes regularly, and when he returns, she is hopeful that he might see her in a different light, as she is older and wiser. Unfortunately, she is quite shy and awkward, and so she seeks to improve herself with Arthur assisting her along the way. Things take unexpected turns when an invented love interest seems to materialise in her midst and it takes a bit of a madcap turn as this stranger agrees to carry on the charade, much to both her relief and horror.
I did enjoy this book, much like some of the Heyer books I've read. I didn't love it though, and I think most of that is down to the character of Arthur, who is mostly unlikeable here. I can see he's not exactly a bad person or a villain, but his problematic flaws are there even at the end of the text available. I mostly liked the character of Hetty, and she did go through considerable growth and development over the course of the story. Arthur's character really didn't change much and he wasn't exactly charismatic. I think this is where the difference to Heyer's stories is, because usually both main characters have changed a bit and make for a good couple. There is tension between these two, but it seems to be more about being at odds with each other than anything. The relationship tension that is usual is much more subdued.
I never thought of this as a Sophie Irwin book, and it's got a very different feel to her previous book, with many more modern sensibilities built in. I did enjoy this but will say that I much prefer Irwin's own stories to one in the style of another writer. But it was fun in it's own ways and kind of reflected a real Heyer book. I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK/Cornerstone for the free copy of the book. I have provided my feedback under not obligations. I rate this 3.5 stars.
October 8, 2026
A toughie to rate for me because I've loved Georgette Heyer since before I was a teen and have read her complete collection multiple times over the years since, so I know her "voice" if you get what I mean?. I've also read all of Sophie Irwin's previous books. To me this didn't make me think I was reading a Heyer book, though not exactly like Irwin's other books either - it feels more like a cross between the two. It's based on (and is an expanded version of) an original short story by Georgette Heyer from the short story collection "Pistols for Two" ( the actual story that Henrietta is an expanded version of is called "To have the Honour". Great idea doing this BTW! ) and so it does have some of comic moments and includes the basic storyline, types of character, as well as actual names and some situations portrayed in that story and Heyer's Regency romances generally, but also includes some new characters/plotlines and sometimes uses some of the modern phrasing and storytelling of Irwin.
I really like the FMC Hetty (Henrietta) and she has good character growth throughout. The main two characters togther, while having a lot of potential, don't seem to get very much romance or enough time together to build it though, which is a shame as there were some parts of the story where there could have been a build up to the romance more fully on page, particularly for the MMC Arthur, and in fact when it does finally happen I feel like Arthur needs to a LOT more grovelling and making it up to Hetty before she even thinks about accepting him in this novel. I also feel like there were quite a few loose ends and unfinished arcs. The other thing is there are some French/ French speaking characters including Arthur's mom and the Nicolet siblings, so to me if this was a full-length Heyer novel I feel like there would be a lot of French words included in their parts, but there were very few (there were some which added to comic moments). Admittedly this would be really hard to pull off if you don't know the language or you're not used to including other languages in your writing. That said it really wasn't a bad first attempt to write a Heyer- type style, and I'm glad we got this full length novel so I probably sound waaay over-critical (sorry!) and knowing how much Sophie Irwin loves Heyer too it must have been quite a pressure as well as a privilege to write for her officially. I reckon give it time and she'll get there. Henrietta is still a fun book to read, there were some genuinely great parts, so I did still enjoy it and I'll read Sophie's next book.
I really like the FMC Hetty (Henrietta) and she has good character growth throughout. The main two characters togther, while having a lot of potential, don't seem to get very much romance or enough time together to build it though, which is a shame as there were some parts of the story where there could have been a build up to the romance more fully on page, particularly for the MMC Arthur, and in fact when it does finally happen I feel like Arthur needs to a LOT more grovelling and making it up to Hetty before she even thinks about accepting him in this novel. I also feel like there were quite a few loose ends and unfinished arcs. The other thing is there are some French/ French speaking characters including Arthur's mom and the Nicolet siblings, so to me if this was a full-length Heyer novel I feel like there would be a lot of French words included in their parts, but there were very few (there were some which added to comic moments). Admittedly this would be really hard to pull off if you don't know the language or you're not used to including other languages in your writing. That said it really wasn't a bad first attempt to write a Heyer- type style, and I'm glad we got this full length novel so I probably sound waaay over-critical (sorry!) and knowing how much Sophie Irwin loves Heyer too it must have been quite a pressure as well as a privilege to write for her officially. I reckon give it time and she'll get there. Henrietta is still a fun book to read, there were some genuinely great parts, so I did still enjoy it and I'll read Sophie's next book.
August 16, 2026
I received an eARC copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
HENRIETTA is a funny Regency romance about childhood friends who have fallen in love with each other - but one hasn't realised it and the other gets caught up in a lie about a beau while trying to avoid questions about the fact she like him.
The situation is so ridiculous it's hilarious - and very much speaks to lies and evasion running out of control, just with a romance novel slant to it (so terrible things don't occur as a consequence!) I loved how he was teaching her how to be more confident thinking he was helping her catch another guy (all while feeling protective and wanting to check he's not a fortune hunter) when actually he was teaching her how to catch his attention. It gets even more complicated at the halfway point, which was a great way to send things into an entirely new dimension of "uh-oh".
The chemistry is brilliant - the combination of "painfully aware of crush" and "utterly oblivious" works so well. But you see why they get along; she's practical in ways that let her cut through the demands to society so that they can engage on an intellectual level and they listen to each other very well. I liked that he felt honour-bound not to take up with her when on paper they made sense - because though her fortune solves a lot of problems it would be seen as taking advantage and gave them the time to work things out.
There are also various family side plots going on. The younger brother and his ex-best friend feuding over the most ridiculous things adds some chaos to it all, as does the younger sister wanting more from life. I really enjoyed the colour they brought to the book and the sense that there was a world beyond the main characters.
This is apparently an official Georgette Heyer novel. I haven't read any Georgette Heyer books but I'm guessing this book must include at least some characters from her other books? I just wanted to read this as I've really enjoyed Sophie Irwin's other books - so you can certainly go into it knowing nothing of the body of work this is related to!
HENRIETTA is a funny Regency romance about childhood friends who have fallen in love with each other - but one hasn't realised it and the other gets caught up in a lie about a beau while trying to avoid questions about the fact she like him.
The situation is so ridiculous it's hilarious - and very much speaks to lies and evasion running out of control, just with a romance novel slant to it (so terrible things don't occur as a consequence!) I loved how he was teaching her how to be more confident thinking he was helping her catch another guy (all while feeling protective and wanting to check he's not a fortune hunter) when actually he was teaching her how to catch his attention. It gets even more complicated at the halfway point, which was a great way to send things into an entirely new dimension of "uh-oh".
The chemistry is brilliant - the combination of "painfully aware of crush" and "utterly oblivious" works so well. But you see why they get along; she's practical in ways that let her cut through the demands to society so that they can engage on an intellectual level and they listen to each other very well. I liked that he felt honour-bound not to take up with her when on paper they made sense - because though her fortune solves a lot of problems it would be seen as taking advantage and gave them the time to work things out.
There are also various family side plots going on. The younger brother and his ex-best friend feuding over the most ridiculous things adds some chaos to it all, as does the younger sister wanting more from life. I really enjoyed the colour they brought to the book and the sense that there was a world beyond the main characters.
This is apparently an official Georgette Heyer novel. I haven't read any Georgette Heyer books but I'm guessing this book must include at least some characters from her other books? I just wanted to read this as I've really enjoyed Sophie Irwin's other books - so you can certainly go into it knowing nothing of the body of work this is related to!
August 25, 2026
I've been reading Georgette Heyer books since I was 12. The female members of my family (grandmother, mother, two aunts, two cousins) are all huge Heyer fans, and one cousin and I regularly have conversations about who we would cast in dream adaptations.
I am also a Sophie Irwin fan, and have read all three of her books, so when I learned a) that she was a Heyer fan and had written her dissertation on Georgette Heyer, and b) that she was writing a continuation of a short story sanctioned by the author's family, I was optimistic. I'm pleased to say that, having read Henrietta thanks to Cornerstone and Netgalley, I had a rollicking good time!
Irwin's writing style is not identical to Heyer's - the best way I can think of describing it is that where Heyer kept some things back, or made the lightest of allusions to an event or conversation, Irwin deals in slightly broader strokes. This did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all! In no time at all, I was swept up in the tale of Hetty, who is living with the Allerton family as her academic father is in Europe, and has an inconvenient tendre for the eldest son Charles, who becomes Lord Allerton while serving in the military abroad, and comes home to a family in financial crisis.
I really enjoyed the main plot, with assistance from the laconic Marquis de Nicolet and his sister (I was particularly pleased with a scene where the Marquis pretends not to understand English well, his sister calls him out for a perceived failed attempt to be interesting, and the Marquis sulks that she's torpedoed his plan), younger Allerton son Freddy and his sartorial and floral dramas, and descriptions of masquerades, Almacks, ratafia and dominoes. And a Heyer book is usually incomplete without one annoying sibling, which Trix most certainly is!
A thoroughly enjoyable visit to the world of Georgette Heyer. I hope there are more books to come!
I am also a Sophie Irwin fan, and have read all three of her books, so when I learned a) that she was a Heyer fan and had written her dissertation on Georgette Heyer, and b) that she was writing a continuation of a short story sanctioned by the author's family, I was optimistic. I'm pleased to say that, having read Henrietta thanks to Cornerstone and Netgalley, I had a rollicking good time!
Irwin's writing style is not identical to Heyer's - the best way I can think of describing it is that where Heyer kept some things back, or made the lightest of allusions to an event or conversation, Irwin deals in slightly broader strokes. This did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all! In no time at all, I was swept up in the tale of Hetty, who is living with the Allerton family as her academic father is in Europe, and has an inconvenient tendre for the eldest son Charles, who becomes Lord Allerton while serving in the military abroad, and comes home to a family in financial crisis.
I really enjoyed the main plot, with assistance from the laconic Marquis de Nicolet and his sister (I was particularly pleased with a scene where the Marquis pretends not to understand English well, his sister calls him out for a perceived failed attempt to be interesting, and the Marquis sulks that she's torpedoed his plan), younger Allerton son Freddy and his sartorial and floral dramas, and descriptions of masquerades, Almacks, ratafia and dominoes. And a Heyer book is usually incomplete without one annoying sibling, which Trix most certainly is!
A thoroughly enjoyable visit to the world of Georgette Heyer. I hope there are more books to come!
September 14, 2026
I’ve never read a Georgette Heyer novel, but I think I will now!
Henrietta (Hetty) grew up in the company of Lord Allerton’s family, old friends of her father, a classics professor on the continent. For years, she’s held her heart for the eldest son, Arthur—feelings left unrequited and painfully ignored. When he returns from war as the newly minted head of the household, Arthur is left to face mounting debt, out of control spending, and a very different opinion of his childhood acquaintance. Hetty decides to take her fate into her own hands ensure Arthur sees her, properly this time.
I adore Sophie Irwin’s historical romances. As a Heyer scholar, “Henrietta” was dropped into safe hands. This novel certainly follows Irwin’s ‘s usual style: fun, full of interesting characters, and a relatively fast read. I found myself wanting to get through each chapter ASAP.
Multiple POVs ensure a lot is going on in the plot, for better and for worse. We’re pulled all around London as the Allerton siblings and Hetty leave a trail of chaos and mischief in their wake. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of the varying storylines and characters when POVs change mid-paragraph. My main gripe lies in how abruptly the book seems to end, leaving many doors open and plot points unanswered. I wish we were at least left with something of an epilogue to at least tie up a few of those loose ends.
“Henrietta” is full to the brim with overlapping tropes: friends to lovers, miscommunication, fake dating, (not quite a) love triangle, (misunderstood) unrequited love . If you’re looking for a fun historical romance with relatively low stakes and old friends that fall in love, this is certainly worth checking out.
Henrietta (Hetty) grew up in the company of Lord Allerton’s family, old friends of her father, a classics professor on the continent. For years, she’s held her heart for the eldest son, Arthur—feelings left unrequited and painfully ignored. When he returns from war as the newly minted head of the household, Arthur is left to face mounting debt, out of control spending, and a very different opinion of his childhood acquaintance. Hetty decides to take her fate into her own hands ensure Arthur sees her, properly this time.
I adore Sophie Irwin’s historical romances. As a Heyer scholar, “Henrietta” was dropped into safe hands. This novel certainly follows Irwin’s ‘s usual style: fun, full of interesting characters, and a relatively fast read. I found myself wanting to get through each chapter ASAP.
Multiple POVs ensure a lot is going on in the plot, for better and for worse. We’re pulled all around London as the Allerton siblings and Hetty leave a trail of chaos and mischief in their wake. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of the varying storylines and characters when POVs change mid-paragraph. My main gripe lies in how abruptly the book seems to end, leaving many doors open and plot points unanswered. I wish we were at least left with something of an epilogue to at least tie up a few of those loose ends.
“Henrietta” is full to the brim with overlapping tropes: friends to lovers, miscommunication, fake dating, (not quite a) love triangle, (misunderstood) unrequited love . If you’re looking for a fun historical romance with relatively low stakes and old friends that fall in love, this is certainly worth checking out.
August 4, 2026
For the first half of this book the word that kept coming to mind was 'lacklustre'. The story didn't take off until half way through, the characters didn't seem to come to life until then either. Very little happened. I appreciate that writing about this era is impacted by the manners and traditions of the time, many of which are absurd, especially when writing about the nominally wealthy and all their strange obsessions. Sometimes this works extremely well, often with the subtle humour that can lift it to compelling and sometimes hilarious in the hands of a masterful writer. This was not such a book.
It did improve, but Arthurs complete failure to appreciate the situation until the last few pages was unconvincing and weakened the story and my desire to read it. Henrietta's change throughout did not come across as plausible either.
But to read the entire thing to be told at the end '3 pages to come' was bizarre and disrespectful. While being a reviewer is a privilege, not only being able to read upcoming books but to have your opinion on them valued, there must be mutually assured expectations. We read and comment, and in return we are able to read a book in it's entirety in order to give a considered review. It means I am unable to comment on the entire book, including it's conclusion. I have never encountered this before, and I hope never to again.
It did improve, but Arthurs complete failure to appreciate the situation until the last few pages was unconvincing and weakened the story and my desire to read it. Henrietta's change throughout did not come across as plausible either.
But to read the entire thing to be told at the end '3 pages to come' was bizarre and disrespectful. While being a reviewer is a privilege, not only being able to read upcoming books but to have your opinion on them valued, there must be mutually assured expectations. We read and comment, and in return we are able to read a book in it's entirety in order to give a considered review. It means I am unable to comment on the entire book, including it's conclusion. I have never encountered this before, and I hope never to again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm a devoted Georgette Heyer fan and was thrilled to hear that Sophie Irwin had been selected to write a new authorised Heyer novel. (If it had been up to me, she would've been my first choice too.)
Henrietta is a ward of the Allerton family and for as long as she can remember she has been in love with the oldest son, Arthur, but he only sees her in a sisterly light. But when Arthur returns from the war he finds that things have changed, most notably, the formerly awkward wallflower, Henrietta, has bloomed. But he's too late and she's apparently in love with a European royal - or so Henrietta would like it to seem.
Initially I was concerned the the plot was following the trajectory of my least favourite Jane Austen novel, Mansfield Park. (Although at least the main characters are not first cousins!) But while Fanny continues to be insipid and annoying, Henrietta finds her backbone and her confidence throughout the book.
In the style of the best Georgette Heyer novels, this is a witty comedy of manners and misunderstanding, with a fake dating scheme and a madcap secret elopement - a sparkling and captivating new additional to the Georgette Heyer legacy. (Also, perfect for fans of 'The Other Bennet Sister'.)
Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for the digital ARC.
Henrietta is a ward of the Allerton family and for as long as she can remember she has been in love with the oldest son, Arthur, but he only sees her in a sisterly light. But when Arthur returns from the war he finds that things have changed, most notably, the formerly awkward wallflower, Henrietta, has bloomed. But he's too late and she's apparently in love with a European royal - or so Henrietta would like it to seem.
Initially I was concerned the the plot was following the trajectory of my least favourite Jane Austen novel, Mansfield Park. (Although at least the main characters are not first cousins!) But while Fanny continues to be insipid and annoying, Henrietta finds her backbone and her confidence throughout the book.
In the style of the best Georgette Heyer novels, this is a witty comedy of manners and misunderstanding, with a fake dating scheme and a madcap secret elopement - a sparkling and captivating new additional to the Georgette Heyer legacy. (Also, perfect for fans of 'The Other Bennet Sister'.)
Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for the digital ARC.
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