Can I make a recommendation for Georgette Heyer fans?

[BarryStar]

Not sure if this has been mentioned before but anyway - stumbled upon a collection of books by an author called D A Ponsonby, and I think they're nearly in the same league as Heyer novels. They're not as long and are very easy reading, but are still better than other books I've read which compare themselves to Heyer. Am really enjoying reading them!

Thanks for that BarryStar. I do like Georgette Heyer. Will give this a go.

Ooh, I too love Georgette Heyer. Thanks for the tip - will investigate DA Ponsonby.

Will check it out

Bit dubious that anyone could be in the same league as Georgette Heyer but if they are, I'll be very grateful for the top tip xx

They're out of print!

And £15 each minimum on ebay!

Which of the GH books would you recommend to a newcomer. My sister lives abroad and we have a monthly Skype and bottle
of wine book club going on. We like books where we can talk about the issues and characters as much as the style and language and I wondered about some historical fiction.

Apologies for the hijack but you all sound very knowledgeable!

Read The Grand Sophy first. Everyone has a different opinion on the best GH, but The Grand Sophy is on everyone's top ten list, and is very easy to get into if you're just starting out on GH.

Jean - are they really? I bought eight for £1.50 each, and they're signed by the author! Am I going to be rich beyond my wildest dreams? :o

I think my favourite is The Talisman Ring, closely followed by The Reluctant Widow.

Oh no - it just has to be These Old Shades. And - to make it even more perfect - there is a sequel (Devil's Cub)

Frederica as a starting point for GH virgins I'd say

Frederica for me too.

Well Frederica is fantastic, it is true. But still These Old Shades wins.

In my view there are two groups, or tranches if you will, of GH aficionados [steeples fingers]. There are those who prefer the Heyer of the 18th century novels, typically those who seek excitement and intensity from their reading and who prefer novels that begin with a personality clash between male and female. Favourites in this field are These Old Shades and the associated novels. Those who prefer the 19th century novels are typically those who seek order and a sense of a discrete world being constructed as they read. Classics of this group include The Grand Sophy, Venetia and A Civil Contract.

For a newcomer, my recommendation would be to choose a novel that is typical of either group depending on her other preferences in literature or life. This allows the reader to discover the best of each group having already made an emotional commitment to these works. To read the very best of either group as the first one is likely to lead to a sense of disappointment with the others. Therefore if you feel your friend is likely to prefer the 18th century approach, I recommend Faro's Daughter. If she is a candidate for the 19th century works, I would agree with previous contributors in recommending Frederica.

[strokes chin]

I just read The Grand Sophy and loved it. I wasn't sure if I'd like GH as I don't normally like romance/chick-lit (which is how I imagined it) but actually it was fantastic.

Maybe I'm going to get on better with the 19th century group. I have The Convenient Marriage on order from the library, not sure which group that falls in?

18th Century, but could be considered a bit of a crossover

Devil's cub is my favourite!

I also like Frederica and Regency Buck. and Sylvester. I like most of them in fact!

Have read an awful lot of crap american authors who just don't match up to Georgette H at all.