Sprig Muslin (by Georgette Heyer)

(Amazon UK link)

Sir Gareth Ludlow, a delightful (if possibly a little dull) hero, is about to propose marriage to his old friend Hester. Then he meets the beautiful Amanda who is seventeen, and running away from home. As a gentleman, he cannot abandon her to her fate so he takes her to Hester's house...

'Sprig Muslin' is set in Regency England, as are all my favourite books by Georgette Heyer, this plot is rather similar to that of 'Charity Girl'. But I still found it a very enjoyable and refreshing afternoon's read. The romance is low-key, the characters brilliantly written so that we sympathise with the least glamorous, and root for those who seem to have little to recommend them other than a deep integrity.

Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a cleverly written novel with realistic people, and just enough plot to give it added interest. While some of the ending was inevitably predictable, it wasn't entirely so. There are some clever twists that I wasn't expecting despite having read this at least a couple of times before, many years ago.

Definitely recommended.

You can also read my slightly longer review of Sprig Muslin, written after re-reading in 2011.