I am fairly sure I read Beauvallet to fill a hole in my A Century of Books project, but as has happened too many times already, once I had read it, I saw that I had already filled that hole. This book is one of Heyer’s earlier novels, and it is more of a swashbuckler than her other ones, showing a possible influence of writers like Dumas, Rafael Sabatini, or Baroness Orczy.
In 1586, Beauvallet is a privateer like his colleague Drake, a daring, laugh-in-the-face-of-death type guy. His ship is fired on by Don Juan de Narvaez, who wants to show off for his lovely passenger, Doña Dominica de Rada y Sylvan, who is traveling with her father, the ailing late governor of Santiago. They are returning to Spain because of his health.
Beauvallet takes their ship and puts the crew into a boat for shore. However, he promises to take Doña Dominica and her father to Spain, because of her father’s illness. Beauvallet immediately begins to court her. Dominica is at first hostile but eventually falls in love. When he drops them at a smuggling port in Spain, he vows to come get her within a year and make her his wife. Obviously, this poses difficulties because England and Spain are at war. Once Dominica’s father dies, things become worse because her relatives, into whose custody she falls, want her to marry her cousin for her fortune.
I don’t think this is one of Heyer’s best. Her main characters aren’t as appealing as usual, and I think her social comedies are more effective than her adventure novels. However, it’s always worth it to read Heyer. If you haven’t read her, I suggest you start with one of her Regency romances.
What? Me Read? 
I enjoyed this one, but that’s probably not surprising as I love Dumas, Sabatini and Orczy!
I like them, too, but I just think Heyer is better at the social comedies.
I’ve only really read her romances – not sure this appeals as much as they do, but I might try to read more of her other stuff one of these days. I quite fancy her detective novels, though they do tend to get mixed reviews. Have you read any of them?
It’s a romance, but more in the older sense of the word.
I love this but in a very different way from her regencies, and I know some readers are turned off by the 16th century language. Also, Dominica is very passive (not that she has much choice) but sometimes we prefer more self-assertive heroines. I do think this would make a great mini-series. However, I suspect some readers would fail to understand Beauvallet is trying to be honorable when he doesn’t carry her off to England in the first place
Here is a link to my review:
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2022/10/beauvallet-by-georgette-heyer-for.html
I think that within 16th century bounds she is quite assertive and fiery.
I haven’t read this Heyer novel.
Thank you for sharing this review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge!
Thanks for posting it, Marg!