Marriage of convenience

“Reading Jane Austen is as good as reading Georgette Heyer .” - Publishers Weekly

Georgette Heyer was a unique woman for her time. She became a bestselling author at a very young age—at 19, when her first book was published . She always shunned publicity and kept her private life private. She never gave an interview and only responded to fan mail that raised historical questions she considered relevant. She experimented with writing under a pseudonym—Stella Martin—in her third book, definitively entering the ranks of great writers. A pioneer in her literary genre, her works portray English customs with historical accuracy, offering genuine insights into fashion, habits, language, and social conventions, always with a touch of sarcasm and humor.

Set in 1776, A Marriage of Convenience was first published in 1934. When the Earl of Rule proposes to Elizabeth Winwood, he doesn't know the trouble he will cause the beautiful young woman. She is engaged to the admirable but impoverished Lieutenant Heron. The unhappy ending to this story can only be prevented by the impetuosity of Elizabeth's younger sister, Horatia, who offers to marry Lord Rule.

In a literary revolution for the time, marriage here is not seen as the story's happy ending, but as its starting point, the theme from which the plot unfolds. Sex and love occupy their own spaces in literature. And sex doesn't necessarily mean a truce between lovers.

“Impeccable historical accuracy” - Times Literary Supplement

“...A very rich and intelligible language.” - BBC

“It's impossible to read one of Georgette Heyer's books and not fall madly in love with her unconventional heroines, her unique sense of humor, or her delightful writing.” - Carina Rissi