Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin's Reviews > The Grand Sophy

Buddy Read w/ the wonderful, Candi & Phrynne.



Once again, my goodreads friends and in groups have gotten me to read a book that I thought I would never like - and guess what? I loved it!

Lady Ombersley's brother, Sir Horace decides to leave his daughter, Sophy with them while he is away. Sophy usually goes with him when he travels the world, but on this occasion he needs her to stay with her aunt and uncle and all of the cousins.

What a joy Sophy was to a most droll household. The eldest brother, Charles was so tiresome in the beginning. He didn't seem to want to let any of the women have any kind of fun or do anything for that matter. Charles is also engaged to the horrible, Miss Wraxton, I wanted to drop kick her off the roof. They both seemed made for each other, at least in the beginning =)

And then . . . SOPHY arrives. I thought she was going to give her aunt a heart attack. You see Sophy has been brought up very differently then most girls. She arrives with her beautiful horse Salamanca, Tina her little Italian Greyhound and Jacko the monkey she brought for the children that she rescued. I think she had a bird too. I just loved her. =)

Sophy is a force to be reckoned with, she sets out to turn everything right for as many people as she can. She works on her cousin, Cecy, who is being stupid in her choice of men. She helps her cousin Hubert who is in a bit of a gambling situation himself. There are several things she does and she doesn't take no lip from Charles. She puts him in his place so many times I loved it so much. Sophy is such fun.

She asked her aunt where bank was so she could go get her finances in order. Well this just about made the woman in the family fall over, not to mention Charles. No one ever heard of a woman going into a bank. And then Charles is taking Sophy to the back because that's how she rolls =) They got into a little arguement when Sophy was asking Charles where she could buy her own phaeton and horses and he was livid, saying women don't drive their own phaetons. Blah blah and blah. Well she showed him. After her business in the bank, where she had Charles wait in the phaeton, they stopped off on an errand for Charles. She waits in the phaeton with the groom. I knew exactly what she was going to do when she takes off one glove and lets it fly over to the ground. She talks the groom into going over to get it and this is what happens next:

'Tell your master that it is too chilly to keep the horses standing!' Sophy called after him. 'I will tool the curricle round the streets for a few minutes, and come back to take him up when he is ready!'

The groom, who was stooping to pick up the glove, nearly fell over, so swiftly did the spin round. He had an excellent view of Miss Stanton-Lacy (Sophy) driving at a smart pace up the street. He made a gallant but belated attempt to catch the curricle, but it swept round a corner just as the wind blew his hat off, and sent it blowing down the street.

Needless to say that Charles was furious when she got back. I laughed and laughed.

Since Charles wouldn't tell here where to buy a good phaeton and horses she asked another gentleman she met when she was out at the park with some of the family riding horses. Of course they had a fit because Sophy was racing Salamanca around and women just don't do that in the park. lol

Sophy ended up getting some horses a man was selling that supposedly everyone wanted, but she got there first. And she ended up getting her own phaeton that was considered a sporting one and not one for a lady. This is how I picture it since it's supposed to be 5 feet high, which is my height. It's like those monster trucks, the monster phaeton. lol



Once again I loved how many family members Sophy helps in this book and I loved the many times she put Charles and Miss Wraxton in their places about things.

He said through shut teeth: 'I think I told you once before, cousin, that we did very well here before you came to upset all of our comfort!'

'Yes, you did, and what you meant, Charles, was that until I came no one dared to flout you. You should be grateful to me - or at any rate, Miss Wraxton should, for I am sure you would have made an odious husband before I came to stay with your Mama.'



She even goes to see an moneylender to help out the other cousin I mentioned. And oh my goodness! She is not afraid of him or cares less for what he says. When he dares to try to threaten her she just pulls and gun and demands what she came for, says she will give him the money owed, or she can go to the cops or just shoot him. Either way . . . and she gets what she comes for =)

Sophy had me laughing or smiling through most of the book. She is someone I would love to know in my real life. I loved her and I loved this book. Another little gem found in the wonderful world of books and book friends. ♥ And yes, Sophy finds love herself at the very end! ♥

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