Book Review: Georgette Heyer’s Friday’s Child

Posted January 29, 2025 by kddidit in Book Reviews

I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Source: my own shelves
Book Review: Georgette Heyer’s Friday’s Child

Friday's Child


by

Georgette Heyer


historical romance in a Kindle edition that was published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on April 1, 2008 and has 435 pages.

Explore it on Goodreads

Other books by this author which I have reviewed include These Old Shades, Bath Tangle, Lady of Quality, The Black Moth, Venetia, The Spanish Bride, Simon the Coldheart, Beauvallet, A Civil Contract, Regency Buck, An Infamous Army, Frederica, The Unknown Ajax, Black Sheep, Sprig Muslin, Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle, The Grand Sophy, These Old Shades, Arabella, Powder and Patch, The Reluctant Widow, The Nonesuch, False Colours, The Corinthian, April Lady

A standalone historical Regency romance revolving around Hero Wantage and Sherry, Lord Sheringham. It was originally published in 1944.

My Take

Heyer uses a third person global subjective point-of-view, as she incorporates the perspectives of a number of characters. Naturally, Hero and Sherry’s are most predominant but a number of others have their thoughts. And such thoughts they are, lol.

Uncle Horace. Yuck. He’s such a suck-up and takes Sherry’s insults with that “invincible smile”. He’s the trustee of Sherry’s inheritance and you just know he’s embezzling!

Ya gotta laugh, *snicker* when Lady Sheringham moans that Sherry is just like his father and Sherry asks her who else he should be like, lol. More laughter comes when Sherry goes to the family man of business to wrap up that trust. Yet more laughter in Mr Bagshot’s response to his wife’s laments, ROFL, and Lady Sheringham’s reactions to it all. What a clueless twit she is, a character trait she proves over and over again.

Hero is another childhood friend of Sherry’s. A much younger one whom he bullied. It’s a habit he takes into his future and part of the fun of Friday’s Child, as neither Sherry nor Hero have the slightest idea of how their new circumstances will affect them.

It’s while Sherry and Hero are on their honeymoon where he teaches her all manner of things that Sherry’s particular friends fall into treating Hero as one of their younger sisters. Unfortunately, there is much that Sherry doesn’t realize Hero doesn’t know, which leads to all sorts of incidents.

It is so funny how clueless Sherry is in “educating” Kitten about life in society. She takes everything he says as gospel truth, and she has such a sweet nature that she wants to help everyone. It’s that sweetness that impels Sherry’s friends to help her, and I suspect it has an influence on Isabella’s, eventual, behavior.

Heyer presents such a range of characters from high to low and the variety of incidents, you can’t help but get involved in laughter and crying. Wait’ll you read of Jasper Tarleton’s infatuation. You’ll sink in sympathy, laughter, and regrets.

I swear, Kitten will be the making of Sherry and his friends. Luckily for George.

The Story

It’s that encounter with Uncle Horace that sends Sherry after the Incomparable Isabella, to make her a proposal. An action that leads to yet another threat — to marry the first woman he sees.

It’s a dream come true for Hero, one that begins to fall apart as the Season goes on, for Hero only knows what Sherry tells her. A knowledge that sends the innocent Hero deeper and deeper into trouble.

Such trouble that Hero is determined to run away.

The Characters

Hero “Kitten” Wantage, an orphan brought up by the uncharitable Cousin Jane who has three daughters, Cassandra, Eudora, and Sophronia, and a son, Edward, is threatened with a despairing future. Jane is married to Humphrey Bagshot, and they have a modest estate near Sheringham Place. Miss Mundesley is the Bagshot governess with a sister who has a school. Geoffrey Wantage had been Hero’s father. Maria will become Hero’s abigail.

Anthony Verelst, a.k.a. “Sherry”, Viscount Sheringham, is heir to an entangled estate. Jason is the only Tiger who can tolerate Sherry’s wild fits. Unfortunately Jason has a tendency to pick anyone’s pockets. Fortunately *grin*. Bootle is Sherry’s man. John is the coachman.

Sherry’s particular friends include the Honorable Ferdinand “Ferdy” Fakenham, who is a cousin and very knowledgeable in decorating the home of a lady of fashion; Gilbert “Gil” Ringwood (Chilham is his knowledgeable valet); and, the volatile George, Lord Wrotham, who is madly in love with Isabella.

Marmaduke is Ferdy’s brother while Lady Fairford is their sister. Charlotte is one of Ferdy’s aunts. Algernon Gumley is a very, very shy friend of Gilbert’s. Augusta is one of George’s married sisters. Mrs Theresa Hoby has claims to be a distant cousin of Hero’s.

Sheringham House is . . .
. . . Sherry’s London house but he lives in lodgings. Varley and his wife caretake the house. Of course, the house is rather big, so Sherry purchases another house with Mrs Groombridge the chef. The Bradgates replace the Groombridges.

Uncle Prosper Verelst is also a trustee. A lazy one. Ditchling is the Verelst lawyer. Philip Stoke is the family man of business.

Sheringham Place is . . .
. . . Sherry’s country estate in Kent where his widowed, “enfeebled” mother, Valeria, Lady Sheringham, lives with the smarmy Horace Paulette, Sherry’s leech of an uncle, who is also a trustee. Sherry Verelst had been Sherry’s grandfather and a loose screw. Romsey is the butler.

Sherry also has a hunting-box at Melton Mowbray kept up by Goring and his wife.

The ambitious Incomparable Isabella Milbourne, a childhood friend of Sherry’s, is on her high horse.

The Duke of Severn (his mother, the duchess, is despairing), Sir Barnabas Crawley, and the sleazy Sir Montagu Revesby all express an interest in Isabella. Ruth Wimborne bears Sir Montagu’s baby. Revesby has expectations of an uncle, Old Fortescue Revesby. Mrs Charlotte Gillingham is a friend of Revesby’s and takes Hero to a party where Jack Cranbourne holds the bank.

General Ware is a friend of the Dowager Viscountess Sheringham. The Bassenthwaites are neighbors of the Sheringhams. The Stowe girl is still unmarried. The all-important patronesses of Almack’s include Mrs Drummond Burrell; Lady Jersey; Maria, Lady Sefton; Lady Cowper; Countess Lieven; and, Princess Esterhazy. Lord Molyneux is the Seftons’ oldest. The Assheton Smiths are friends of the Seftons. The younger bloods consider Worcester, Alvanley, and “King” Allen fuddy duddies. That Mr Kilby. Lady Kilby was throwing a soirée. I’m assuming Nat Tallerton spoke of his brother, who had been going to all the wrong places. Brummell lost it all through gambling.

Mrs Chester is not considered acceptable. The disreputable Augusta “Gussie” Yarford, Lady Appley, has a brother, Wilfred Yarford. Sir Matthew “Brock” Brockenhurst is a friend of the Yarfords and supposedly of Sherry’s. Sally, Lady Royston, handles the reins well. Lady Maria Berwick has a bad reputation as well. Sir John Lade had renown as a rake, a driver, and breeder of horses.

Grillon’s and Fenton’s are very respectable hotels. Limmer’s and the Castle Tavern are less respectable hotels. Long’s Hotel. John Jackson is a retired champion boxer with an exclusive boxing school, Jackson’s Saloon. Willis presides over the Assemblies. Flyaway Nancy is a saucy piece with a heart of gold. Mr Tooting came to Kitten’s rescue. I think Jerry Cloves works at Tattersall’s. Mrs Capel runs a gambling place. Howard and Gibbs are moneylenders.

Bath
Lady Saltash is Ringwood’s maternal grandmother who lives in Bath with her dog, Pug. Sir Carlton Frome and Mr Jasper Tarleton are friends of Lady Saltash and interested in “Miss” Hero Wantage. General Crawley has some chestnuts. Dr Wilkinson owns the Abbey Baths. Mr Guynette is the Master of Ceremonies at the Lower Assembly Rooms. Mr Chalfont has a sister.

The Cover and Title

The cover has a leafy green woodsy background with a despairing Hero languishing on a green garden bench. A pink ribbon in her hair, Hero is wearing a cream (with a small print) empire dress with a pink ribbon encircling her. At the very top is an info blurb in white with the author’s name below this in an embossed white with a black outline. A pink banner runs across Hero’s thighs with an oversized white title. At the bottom right is a testimonial in black.

The title is all about Friday’s Child, for Hero is loving and giving.


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