Debbie's Reviews > Faro's Daughter

I have to say, Miss Deborah Grantham is my favorite Heyer heroine (so far), and not just because she and I share the same first name. Our hero, Max Ravenscar, is a formidable gentleman, and I just love how she goes toe-to-toe with him. He's a confirmed bachelor, one of the ton's wealthiest, as well as a fine whip, a feared pugilist, and a clear-headed gamester who wins more than he loses.

Miss Grantham's aunt, Lady Bellingham, runs a gaming house from her home on fashionable St. James Square, and the charming Miss Graham herself is one of the primary attractions. In fact, Mr. Ravenscar's young cousin, Lord Adrian Mablethorpe, who hasn't even reached his majority yet, is in love with the lady. He's determined to marry her, totally disregarding the fact that she's far from an acceptable match in Society's eyes.

Ravenscar approaches Miss Graham on behalf of Adrian's mother, offering her a large sum of money to discourage Adrian's suit. He throws in a number of insults based on his personal assumptions about her. The lady - who never had any intention of marrying Adrian - is incensed at Ravenscar's presumption and decides she must revenge herself. This is despite the fact that her aunt is in a staggering amount of debt; accepting the bribe Ravenscar offered or going ahead and marrying his nephew would solve all their money woes.

What results is an escalating grudge match between two strong-willed individuals, with neither of these gamesters willing to back down to the other. They remind me of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy more than any other Heyer characters I've encountered. My favorite scene has Deb wearing the most garish outfit she can find and behaving like Lydia Bennet at her most vulgar during an outing at Vauxhall Gardens where she makes sure she'll be observed by Ravenscar. The plot, of course, is far more outrageous than Miss Austen's comparatively tame classic, Pride and Prejudice.

Love this!