Cotillion / Georgette Heyer.

There are a few of Georgette Heyer's Regency Romance books that are my absolute favorites, and this is one of them. I love the books partly for Heyer's strong and spirited female characters who manage to take charge of their own lives despite the barriers they face. These women are often penniless, without prestigious family connections and, as women, are forbidden from engaging in many activities open to men. In this novel, penniless Kitty Charing has been adopted by the wealthy, miserly Matthew Penicuik and his fortune will be given to whichever of his three nephews that Kitty choses to marry. Only two of the nephews appear at their uncle's home and Jack, the nephew that Kitty adores, chose not to come. But Kitty is unconventional and resourceful in guiding her own life by making the most of options open to her, and even some that aren't! There are unexpected developments in this lively novel and one of the most surprising is near the end, even catching Kitty off guard!

I love the humor in Cotillion. Heyer's characters are very funny -- there is miserly Uncle Matthew, the eccentric governess, the extremely vain gentleman, the not-so-dumb cousin, the ladies' man, the nosey innkeeper and the social climbers. A really fun read.

It has to be said that there is a very serious undertone to this book, despite the humor and lighthearted approach. Many women have no money of their own in comparison to men in Heyer's romances, and aren't able to work for pay. So the women and especially their mothers are anxious for them to marry a man who can comfortably support them financially. One option open to a "good" marriage is for the women to become the mistress of a man and hope to eventually become his bride. The novel highlights the amount of thought and effort by women to achieve money and status through marriage.