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The Early Georgette Heyer Collection: The Transformation of Philip Jettan; The Black Moth; The Great Roxhythe; Instead of the Thorn; A Proposal To Cicely
Georgette Heyer single-handedly created and popularized the historic and regency romance genres. Heyer’s writing is lively, witty, and charming, and full of vividly realized characters and well researched historic locales. Simply put, she had no equal among her contemporaries.
We have gathered Heyer’s first four novels and a short story together in this omnibus edition. There are 350,000 and over 950 pages of fantastically written romance fiction. Included are 'The Transformation of Philip Jettan', 'The Black Moth', 'The Great Roxhythe', 'Instead of the Thorn', and 'A Proposal To Cicely.'
We have gathered Heyer’s first four novels and a short story together in this omnibus edition. There are 350,000 and over 950 pages of fantastically written romance fiction. Included are 'The Transformation of Philip Jettan', 'The Black Moth', 'The Great Roxhythe', 'Instead of the Thorn', and 'A Proposal To Cicely.'
702 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2020
400 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Georgette Heyer
251 books5,504 followersGeorgette Heyer was a prolific historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 6, 2023
The first novella (The Transformation of Philip Jettan) is good.
March 10, 2022
I wouldn’t recommend this for people who’ve never read Georgette Heyer before - there are definitely other novels of hers that I love more. However, having read everything else by her, I enjoyed finding these less-published stories, and immersing myself in her well-loved writing style and talent for such real characters. A couple of these stories I really enjoyed, and some fell into my middle range of liking for her books. But regardless, she is such a skilled author, that I appreciated the journey despite whether or not they were my favorite stories by her. Such a talented author! Georgette Heyer is one of my go-to authors that I can read again and again!
November 11, 2020
This book is mainly for Georgette Heyer fans who want to read everything she wrote. Not all of these is worth finishing, I think.
The Transformation of Philip Jettan is a tale of Town vs. Country. A young man from the country moves to and becomes thoroughly transformed by city society at the behest of his sweetheart. But whether he is improved by his transformation is a question left to the reader to decide.
The Black Moth is Heyer's first novel and stands well enough on its own as a tale of adventure, romance, and intrigue in Georgian England.
The Great Roxhythe is a tale of a 17th-Century society man who is a master manipulator. He is a spy for King Charles II. I couldn't finish it, not being enamored of this type of person and not admiring in the least how he accomplished his ends.
"A Proposal to Cecily" was a sweet tale, but I can't remember the details of "Instead of the Thorn."
The Transformation of Philip Jettan is a tale of Town vs. Country. A young man from the country moves to and becomes thoroughly transformed by city society at the behest of his sweetheart. But whether he is improved by his transformation is a question left to the reader to decide.
The Black Moth is Heyer's first novel and stands well enough on its own as a tale of adventure, romance, and intrigue in Georgian England.
The Great Roxhythe is a tale of a 17th-Century society man who is a master manipulator. He is a spy for King Charles II. I couldn't finish it, not being enamored of this type of person and not admiring in the least how he accomplished his ends.
"A Proposal to Cecily" was a sweet tale, but I can't remember the details of "Instead of the Thorn."
May 24, 2023
This book contains five early works of Georgette Heyer, an author I’ve only recently started reading. Her Regency romances are great fun, with handsome heroes, feisty heroines, a cad or two, and satisfying happy endings.
I only read the first two novels in this collection - ‘The Transformation of Philip Jettan’ (AKA ‘Powder and Patch’) and ‘The Black Moth’. I enjoyed both, but perhaps not as much as some of her later books. Although I started ‘The Great Roxhythe’, it didn’t ‘grab’ me, so I’ve abandoned it for now! I believe the author herself withdrew it from sale, so perhaps she was right (although I didn’t really give it a fair shot…).
Reviews to come…(hopefully - I’ve been a bit slack with my reviewing lately!). But anyway, if you like a Regency romance, with some duels and highwaymen and dastardly villains thrown in, I’m sure you’ll enjoy both these books!
I only read the first two novels in this collection - ‘The Transformation of Philip Jettan’ (AKA ‘Powder and Patch’) and ‘The Black Moth’. I enjoyed both, but perhaps not as much as some of her later books. Although I started ‘The Great Roxhythe’, it didn’t ‘grab’ me, so I’ve abandoned it for now! I believe the author herself withdrew it from sale, so perhaps she was right (although I didn’t really give it a fair shot…).
Reviews to come…(hopefully - I’ve been a bit slack with my reviewing lately!). But anyway, if you like a Regency romance, with some duels and highwaymen and dastardly villains thrown in, I’m sure you’ll enjoy both these books!
March 21, 2021
After Grand Sophy and Sylvester, and Frederica I was in for a shock- these are out and out romps, so I was not expecting Georgette Heyer’s The Great Roxhythe, more explicitly historical fiction. The Black Moth is fun, Phillip Jettan one-dimensional, but this review is for the story she weaves around Roxhythe and Charles II. What a tale! And though I was in search of diverting and dramatic fall-in-love romances, no one can convince me that this work, maybe written by a young person, maybe of a certain style, is not one of the most romantic stories, for the loves explored within. Of course, it works well with the back-drop of European Intrigue of the time. I have to give credit to a book that lead me to read into history, despite myself! And so completely unexpected; what a treat.
November 28, 2021
Simply wonderful
Loved these stories. Only negative would be the atrocious number of typos … it was so bad there were times I couldn’t understand what was being said, what was meant or who was saying what!! Apart from that, I loved the emotional depth of the stories and the development of the characters. It is a real pleasure to read Georgette Heyer. However, I definitely prefer the written version.
Loved these stories. Only negative would be the atrocious number of typos … it was so bad there were times I couldn’t understand what was being said, what was meant or who was saying what!! Apart from that, I loved the emotional depth of the stories and the development of the characters. It is a real pleasure to read Georgette Heyer. However, I definitely prefer the written version.
June 28, 2023
I read many Georgette Heyer novels many years ago but, with the exception of The Black Moth and possibly The Transformation of Philip Jettan which had previously read, I had never read the other novels and the short story. I especially liked The Great Roxhythe as it is a fascinating historical novel about a period of English history for which my knowledge is rather sketchy.
July 14, 2024
georgette heyer
The editing was appalling. Five stories in the collection were slow and not her best works. I have really enjoyed her works prior to this collection. Perhaps if the editing wasn’t so bad that the stories were difficult to read, it might have gotten another star.
The editing was appalling. Five stories in the collection were slow and not her best works. I have really enjoyed her works prior to this collection. Perhaps if the editing wasn’t so bad that the stories were difficult to read, it might have gotten another star.
October 4, 2020
The most boring book I ever persevered all the way through
The Black Moth is marginally acceptable. The other four stories range from unutterably tedious to merely dull. Definitely not recommended.
The Black Moth is marginally acceptable. The other four stories range from unutterably tedious to merely dull. Definitely not recommended.
April 11, 2022
Wow, can understand why Heyer did not want these early works published though it shows the making of a future storyteller. Gave it 2 stars because of The Black Moth one of my favorite books by this author but all the rest were too raw and melodramatic for my taste.
July 8, 2020
A study of human nature
A good selection of her work. Thoroughly detailed without being garrulous, the characters and the style of speech are captured beautifully. As is the era.
A good selection of her work. Thoroughly detailed without being garrulous, the characters and the style of speech are captured beautifully. As is the era.
August 5, 2020
I love any story written by Georgette Heyer. These were all very good.
April 24, 2022
A mixed bag
May 30, 2022
Can’t remember much except I seem to have started liking her books
October 14, 2022
3.5. Riddled with typos. First two stories are great but very well known. Third is ok. The last two? Ugghhh
July 21, 2023
Black moth is the favorite
Uneven stories; some romance, social commentary or historical
Georgian England to Victorian
I like the ending of Thorn and Cecily is short and sweet
Uneven stories; some romance, social commentary or historical
Georgian England to Victorian
I like the ending of Thorn and Cecily is short and sweet
June 6, 2020
Tedious reading.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews