Best Georgette Heyer to start with?

[InsaneDame]

Just that really! Haven't read any before and seen her name pop up a few times so fancy trying one. Which is the best to start with?

The Grand Sophy, that's where my obsession began! Or Cotillion..

::hyperventilates:

It's kind of hard to recommend a first book, because it would be easy to just name my favourites (Civil Contract, Convenient Marriage, Devil's Cub) but they have issues which I forgive as a GH addict.

The later books are more grown up and have less creepy age differences. You might enjoy The Grand Sophy or Unknown Ajax as a good starting point.

Friday's Child was my first. I still love it. I had my first ever crush on George

How did I forget Friday's Child?

Yes yes yes!

So The Grand Sophy or Friday's Child?

Ooh or "Venetia". She was a pretty cool heroine as I recall.

Civil Contract is my favourite but yes it's a bit problematic. The main girl is terribly wet and you want to give her a good kick up the arse.

The Grand Sophy! Friday's Child has issues for me anyway, but you can't go wrong with Sophy (or Cotillion). Is it for yourself? I'm very jealous in that case, would love to be able to start reading her from scratch again

These Old Shades then Devil's Cub were the first ones I read. Both a bit odd looking back but I went on to read all the rest

Yes it is for myself. I think the general consensus is The Grand Sophy so think I will go for that.

The Grand Sophy is fabulous.

Ooh, hope you enjoy it - please report back if you're so inclined :)
There was a Georgette Heyer book club on here some years ago, it's good fun to read the threads once you've read all the books four times

It is! It's so delightfully frivolous and the titular Sophy is a protagonist you wholeheartedly like. Which is not always the case.

Sophy, Frederica, or Venetia for me

God, I love Fridays child. So sweet and I live the male characters. The grand soppy also great. And cotillion. And I do live live live Devils cub. Sigh. I may ditch my current worthy book and curl up with a favourite.

This is my GH bookshelf!

I have a GH bookshelf too! .

I would start with Arabella though, the heroine is funny and the hero is totally lovely.

On further examination of the evidence I retract my preening. I have only 15 items on my GH bookshelf, the shame!

I've found my people...

So which is your favourite then? If I had to pick a hero, I think it would be Hugh Darracott (The Unknown Ajax) - much nicer to live with than the intense, brooding ones.

PlanBwastaken I can never decide between Lord Damerel and Mr Beaumaris! One is brassic but quotes poetry, is wickedly sarcastic and isn't above making advances in a bramble bush. The other is stinking rich and a total sweetie. I can see the advantages either way

It has to be Damerel for me. V intelligent, but you know you'd get ravished good and proper

Sherry, Rule or Vidal.

::looks at self::

::pops over to Relationships for a stern talking-to::

Which books are these favourites from?

Venetia is my favourite. Obviously.

But I'd probably recommend Arabella for the very first book. Mine was Friday's Child from the class library when I was 11.