3.5 stars. Perfect for a long plane trip. Nothing taxing, nothing to slow you down as you read through the night -- light hearted and often funny.

https://superfluousreading.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/the-talisman-ring-by-georgette-heyer/

This book was so much fun! It's a combination of rip-roaring adventure and mystery, a hilarious group of characters bantering, with two romances thrown in. We have the usual Heyer action, with a mysterious murder, gambling, a ring that was stolen, a midnight escape from an arranged marriage, smugglers, thieves, murder attempts, break-ins, all sorts of hijinks. It's high in "romance" (the older meaning of the word), whilst also gently poking fun at people who idolise it and seek it out without realising the consequences.

It started with the usual crazy derring do, then settled in with our crazy little group of funny, colourful characters at the inn. I could read about that lot's antics and deceptions and drama together for much longer! They are each excentric and silly in their own unique way, and the way they play off of each other is frequently hysterical. I liked that they got on well and formed a team, there's always something compelling about a team of characters working together and supporting each other.

The teasing and tricking is delightful in this one. Sarah Thane and Tristram bantering and taking turns taking the piss out of each other is hilarious and had me cackling madly often. They are a great couple with a lovely rapport, it's easy to picture them being tender and loving but also ribbing each other mercilessly in the best way.

Sarah Thane is a gem of a character. Very clever and with a wicked sense of humour, she is often gently poking fun at the silly people around her, but also not above participating in the fun and enjoying herself. She is kind and caring, and a calming, steadying presence for the others, she makes sure everyone is ok. Her wit had me in stitches, and she's also an excellent actress, easily convincing people she is much stupider than she is. She knows exactly how to handle difficult people subtly to get them to do what is needed without provoking them. It's a pleasure to read about her.

Tristram is her perfect foil. He starts off grumpy and overly serious, but he is a very decent man, hiding behind his gruffness his caring for his cousin and quickly for this crazy little crew as well. He is charismatic and competent and gets shit done, frequently pulling other characters out of their scrapes. And rapidly he realises Sarah is hilarious and can't help being amused. His struggle to remain serious around her is delicious.

The secondary characters were a hoot, I liked them all! Outrageous and shameless and such a laugh. I had guessed the villain pretty much from the start, but really he is only an excuse for the rest of the story, he's pretty bland, the real stars of this story are our silly band of adventurers.

The sexism was milder in this one, not enough to annoy me.

This book was great fun. I really don't know what more to say.

Last read in September 2010 - this time listened on audio for the first time, and found myself laughing out loud multiple times. I just love Sarah Thane’s character so much - her wit makes her one of Heyer’s best heroines.

I need to thank my former English teacher profusely for recommending Georgette Heyer to me - I would never have picked this up in a thousand years otherwise, but it was wonderfully amusing and generally delightful in every way! I'll definitely try to pick up some of her other books every now and again too.

A rollicking adventure with lots of humor and great characters. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lots of fun!