A Little Folly follows siblings Valentine and Louisa. The novel begins with their extremely overbearing father dying, leaving them free to live their lives the way they want for the first time ever. This means inviting their cousins (on their mother’s side, therefore frowned upon by their father) to stay. They bring a friend, Lady Harriet Eversholt, who is currently separated from her husband. Scandalous! And fascinating…especially to Valentine, who hasn’t much experience with worldly women.
Louisa is thrilled that her father’s death means she can finally turn down Pearce Lynley, the man her father picked out for her to marry. After that bold stroke, where were her newly found freedom take her next?
A Little Folly was certainly a enjoyable read. The plot had just enough twists to keep you guessing. The characters, for the most part, where easy to imagine being friends with. Honestly, though, I did have a bit of difficulty in getting a handle on James Tresilian. His characteristics kept changing enough that I couldn’t quite get a hold on who he was. There are definitely some plot points and themes strongly reminiscent of Jane Austen. As someone who wishes Jane Austen would have written three times as many novels as she did, I am happy to see her influence in A Little Folly.
For fans of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, A Little Folly is a great addition to your bookshelf.