Coup de Grace cover, Coupe de Grace

Coup de Grace

Emma Jensen

As the female character in this regency is named Grace, or sometimes Disgrace by the relatives who disapprove of her hoydenish ways, I thought the title really clever. The book started out rather promisingly too, as Grace, sent down to the country, amuses herself by pinning a number of ever increasingly horrid nicknames upon a dreadful acquaintence at a country ball. I couldn't help sniggering.

Grace has been in love with handsome, charming Rafe since childhood, but never managed to attract the attention of her brother's friend; now that he's lost his family in a fire, he's buried his sorrows in bottles and bitterness. He thinks she's pesty, and occasionally mildly entertaining, but mostly infuriating for the stupid pranks---running away in men's clothing seems to be a favorite---in which she is forever embroiling him.

I don't intrinsically have a problem with a much younger heroine and the older man. Georgette Heyer was superb with this plot device. (I recently laid my hands upon The Convenient Marriage, a prime example. Yum.) However, however naive her heroines might have started out, and however hoydenish they might have been, they usually combined spunk and common sense with their antics, and learned from their mistakes as well. And, of course, Heyer was a dab hand subtly revealing the quickening of interest and developing affection between her characters. 120 pages later, Grace is still getting into equally stupid messes, and Rafe still thinks she pesty. I gave up. Not one jot or tittle of progress. I cheated, and went to the last 20--30 pages, and sure enough, right up to the point Rafe decides he's in love, he still thinks she's pesty. Well, you can hardly blame the man---the real question is why does this 30+ year old want to marry a 12 year old in a woman's body? Bleh. (Well, it's more polite than accusing the poor fellow of pedophilia).

I like this sort of tale, when it's done well. (For a wonderful example of the type, see Heyer's The Corinthian) Alas, I found only the first 50 pages or so at all enjoyable. One star.

And the husband rating: Rob managed to finish the book, and repeatedly remarked that he didn't see what was so bad about it. It seemed like a typical lightweight regency romance; it was basically a hurt comfort story. Rafe was determined to drink himself to death because he felt guilty for surviving when all his family died, and Grace was madly in love with him and willing to do anything to pull him out of his slump. Two stars.

Sylvus Tarn

Last modified: Sat Sep 12 23:48:07 EDT 1998

Sylvus Tarn