I found myself finishing an audiobook with no plan on what to read next. I thought the random number generator would be fun so I went on Goodreads, checked the length of my to-be-read shelf and generated a random number based on this. We hit number 205. This book happened to be Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer, number three in the Alastair-Audley series. I do not think these books needs to be read in order but my audiobook service did not have Regency Buck. It did have the first book in the series, These Old Shades, and I think that counts!

These Old Shades – Georgette Heyer
Original title: These Old Shades (1926)
Series: Alastair-Audley #1
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Sarah Nichols
Length:12 hours, 1 minute

Synopsis from Storytel:
Society believes the worst of Justin Alastair, the notorious Duke of Avon. When he encounters a young boy, Léon, who is running from his abusive brother, Avon employs the boy as his page, parading him around parties and other society events in full view of his bitter rival, the Comte de Saint-Vire.

But the truth is soon uncovered: Léon is in fact a girl named Léonie and is actually the legitimate child of the Comte and his wife. While Avon is intent on his plan to reveal the Comte’s duplicity and ruin him publicly, he is charmed by Léonie’s kindness, falls in love, and becomes a changed man.

First impression (5% in): When I looked into this book before starting it I saw that it was published in 1926 and that surprised me a bit. Most books I have read from this time period have been cosy murder mysteries so I was expecting that kind of slow-going writing style. Cosy in a way that is pleasant but not exciting in a way that makes you want to read at every change you get. This book has so far surprised me. We have not come long in the story yet but I do feel the excitement to pick it up again.

I saw on Goodreads that Tamora Pierce rated this book highly, and other than me just having finished one of her books, I find it a little amusing that we in These Old Shades so far have a girl pretending to be a boy and is going to be someone’s page, sharing some plot points with Alanna: The First Adventure.

I find the main male character to be a bit of an ass, like how he speaks to “the boy” but I guess we will see if it can be justified.

8% in: Wait, is this going to be a 20 year old gap sort of book?

25% in: We are getting somewhere. This is different to any romance I have previously read. I am still a little concerned for the age gap thing even though I am aware that the age gaps were larger historically. The point of view, how we are perceiving the story is quite different and that I really enjoy. The pace of the story is quite slow but I do not mind.

29% in: Does she want to continue to be a boy for real or just because she does not want to change things between them?

52% in: Half way in and I think we just got to follow the story from Léonie’s perspective for a while?

69% in: It feels like even though she praises the duke so much, she has a very strong will and does not do something she does not want to.

76% in: There are so many people! I can not keep track of who is who in the social gatherings. Except the pig person, his wife and the prince?

86% in: I do not want to stop listening but I have to work. Things are happening and it squeezes my heart.

Final thoughts: I really liked this book! I am a little surprised that it has aged to well. In the afterword, written by someone who I think wrote a biography about Heyer, it said that Heyer started writing this when she was only 19. I would have guessed that someone older wrote this.

I think some words might have changed meaning since this was written, and today’s society does not typically have these age gaps (but was probably much more common when the book takes place?). I can see why this book has been recommended many times and why it is still being read.

I did find the utter devotion a bit repetative and annoying at times but it was also a bit endearing and since Léonie also has a very strong will and is stubborn, it makes the relashionship dynamic (rather than if there had only been a blind following) between them work better.

How this story was written is very different to many other romances I have read. The perspectives we get to follow are rarely from Léonie and I think that this makes a big part as to why I liked it.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars — I really liked it!