Georgette Heyer - give me your top five

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Heyer is my go-to when I’m down in the dumps and is like lying in a massive warm bath of comfort. Just finished re-reading Sylvester, Venetia and Frederica. What are your absolute top fives for my next read? Strong, dashing hero is compulsory of course.

Cotillion
A Civil Contract
The Unknown Ajax
Friday's Child
Frederica

I think...

I may change my mind in half an hour.

I’ve only read Friday’s Child, and that was at school. It sounds like I should read a few more.
I did like Hero Wantage. She was a great character.

In the twinkling of a bedpost?

It seems incredible that they haven’t been televised or made into films.

, my all time favourite author for comfort reading .
I think ( it can vary ) my five are
The Reluctant Widow
The Toll Gate
Frederica
The Grand Sophy
False Colours
I first one I actually read many years ago was when I loved Elizabethan history , so started off with Beauvallet , and soon moved onto the Regency novels .
But I love them all , more or less , depending on my mood . Sometimes I just read a favourite bit out of one that makes me laugh ( which book has the heroine pretend kidnapped by a staid admirer and the hero and his friend talk about Nemesis , and the friend says - he sounds rum ? my memory is bad these days ! )

I think my top five have all been mentioned. She is my ultimate comfort read.

The Grand Sophy is far and away my favourite - I’ve read it so many times.

Then, I don’t really have an order, but I love The Talisman Ring (DH has promised to ride ‘ventre a terre’ to my bedside if needed), These Old Shades, Frederica, Venetia, The Nonesuch, Regency Buck, The Unknown Ajax…sigh. Might be time to start a re-read.

Oh - has anyone mentioned Faro’s Daughter? I do enjoy that one.

The Black Moth?

This isa good way of developing the thread - what are people’s favourite moments? The Restorative Pork Jelly comes to mind 😂

Cotillion, The Nonesuch, Frederica, The Grand Sophy, and… maybe the Unknown Ajax? Not sure for my fifth! I’m about to re-read Venetia which was my very first Heyer and I haven’t read it again since.

So many that I love have already been named. I am trying to remember the one where the hero has slanted eyebrows, a very nice invalid mother and the heroine is an author…

Frederica (because she's relentlessly practical)
Venetia (because she she rescues herself)
Cotillion (because it's funny and Freddy's dad is a god)
The Grand Sophy (because she is awesome)
The Black Sheep (I'm in love with Miles and think Abby is ace)
Unknown Ajax (because it's absolutely hilarious)

So many of the others are good. A couple are less than amazing but still OK.

Cousin Kate is the only truly horrible one.

That's Friday's child I think. Is it Ferdy talking about nemesis?

The Grand Sophy, Venetia, and Frederica are my never fail go to books in time of sadness or trouble. I can’t tell you how many times I have read them.

FREDERICA
SYLVESTER
THE QUIET GENTLEMAN
LADY OF QUALITY
THE GRAND SOPHY

I am Spanish and I have been reading the Heyer books for years! My favourites are the Regency books. Such pleasure and fun, we don't have anything like them here.

Sylvester! It’s one of my favourites

Ooh, yes!

There is a great l, slightly drunken conversation after a brooch goes missing - I think from A Convenient Marriage?

Thank you! I love how his nephew humanises him.

Sylvester!

What a lovely thread. I also find myself reaching for a Georgette Heyer when I am feeling stressed or ill.
I started reading them in my early teens and still enjoy them now despite the multiple readings and being much older, probably older than any of the matronly characters (sobs!)
My favourites are:
The Black Moth
An Infamous Army
Frederica
The Grand Sophy
Devil's Cub
But to be fair I don't think i have ever read a Georgette Heyer I didn't like, so reserve the right to chose differently another time!

I think you are right - must dig it out and read it !

Has Sprigged Muslim been mentioned? That was one of the (possibly the) first I ever read. That and Arabella.

i also enjoy re-reading Powder and Patch. Love the fashion details as it is set slightly earlier. Philip’s clocked stockings!

I haven't had the opportunity for a re-read yet, but I remember thinking that Devil's Cub, An Infamous Army, Bath Tangle, A Civil Contract and The Nonsuch would all be good to go back to. They would do well if one was in the throes of a bad cold and needed something amusing but not so light as to turn one totally hen-witted.

A Civil Contract is my absolute favourite. After that hard to choose, but today:

Venetia
Frederica
Cotillion
TheToll-Gate

It is a lowering reflection, though, that I’m now older than most of the young lovers’ parents. I agree that she’s great at secondary characters- in Cotillion Freddy’s father only makes a few short appearances but I so want to see more of him.

I think the drunken discussion of the brooch is in The Convenient Marriage.

I read my way through book after book during my third year at university (I was quite stressed,) and loved them. Unfortunately I read them in such quick succession and so many of them I can't remember the plots! However The Grand Sophy is the one I remember best 😁

Finally someone mentions These Old Shades…favourite of all!!!

Ooh must read more!! The Black Moth will always be my total favourite though