Venetia: Gossip, scandal and an unforgettable Regency romance

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I love Venetia as a main character since she is extremely resourceful, determined in pursuit of her goals and bewilderingly patient with the ignorant, meddling and condescending men in her life while still never missing an opportunity to give them a good "set-down", as they say. I loved both the humor and the literary allusions and references in this book. I think it's the most intelligently written of the Heyer books I've read. I can feel my brain cells multiplying while I read it. Or expanding. Whatever it is they do.

Aubrey: *interrupting for the 5000th time* Heeeyyyy just wanted to ask, but...can we go to Greece for you guys' honeymoon?? All is set in the country, save for a brief time in London (which didn't include the "ton," gods be praised!), but not quiet-paced as I'd believed it would as soon as I discovered its setting, it's rather eventful for the narrow scope, thanks to the neighbouring families and Damerel himself, plus Venetia's brother is a strong secondary character. Even the unavoidable pest that populates Heyer's novels brings in some necessary conflict to the narrative, although I wish it hadn't been dropped because the Scorrier/Lady Lanyon plot was, I feel, left without resolution, for good or for bad. You just cannot include an antagonist and then leave them forgotten somewhere. And that, together with the way the Lanyons react to their mother's secret past being discovered, is the weakest part of the story. It was simply unconvincing that they'd react with so much equanimity given what the lady did and how it affected their lives, and more of that cool anger shown by Venetia should've been in. He is not, however, the only one causing trouble for Venetia and Damarel. Damarel's morally chequered past certainly doesn't help matters, and to replace the upsets and excitements of the city, this novel is so full of meddlers! So many people are utterly convinced they know what is best for Venetia, and have little intention of consulting her before deciding what to do with her life. It is these people that cause the most trouble for the couple. The one glorious exception is Venetia’s younger brother. Having been pushed to her limits by Mrs. S., Venetia declares her intention of setting up house in London, which unwittingly prompts Damerel into a most moving love declaration, although interrupted by Aubrey (Aubrey interruption # 1 of about 5000!!), but that leaves you swooning nonetheless.Oh, oh—! My reputation, Iago, my reputation!” he exclaimed, laughing again. “Fair Fatality, you are the most unusual female I have encountered in all my thirty-eight years!” I found a handy online guide to the literary references in Venetia, which might help other readers too: http://www.heyerlist.org/notes/veneti.... This was invaluable in keeping my brain cells from exploding from trying to expand too fast. Chapter 9, in which Venetia jumps from a loft, Oswald loses hold of his senses and showers her with kisses, Damerel adroitly dampens these boyish enthusiasms, and I smile from ear to ear. Unfortunately there was no possibility of following it up in the accepted mode, and although several susceptible gentlemen inveighed bitterly against the barbarity of a parent who would permit no visitor to enter his house none of them was so deeply heart-smitten after standing up with the lovely Miss Lanyon for one country-dance as to cast aside every canon of propriety (as well as to the horrid dread of making a great cake of himself) and ride out of York to Undershaw, either to hang about the gates of the Manor in the hope of achieving a clandestine meeting with Venetia, or to force his way into the house. Venetia is a Regency romance novel by Georgette Heyer set in England in 1818. [2] Plot summary [ edit ]

This after one conversation with him. After their first meeting where he started kissing her against her will. Oh no, you’re quite out, and have gone to the wrong poet besides! They look like rosebuds filled with snow!’” Their conversation continues in a like manner, and even at this early stage of the book, it’s clear that theirs has been a true meeting of minds and spirits. Both are more than a little smitten, and when they are thrown into each other’s company following an accident, they are able to spend time together which leads to the blossoming of a tender and deeply affectionate friendship.She meddles, she disturbs everything at Undershaw, she insults Venetia, and she drives everybody batty. I will be honest, the bits about her and her interference in the house were pretty boring, and maybe a bit too long, but mostly, they were infuriating. She was intolerable. Aurelia, Lady Steeple - Sir Francis Lanyon's 'deceased' wife, mother of Venetia, daughter of General Chiltoe Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset. Lord Damerel has built his life on his dangerous reputation, and when he meets Venetia, he has nothing to offer and everything to regret. Though his scandalous past and deepest secrets give Venetia reason to mistrust him, a rogue always gets what he wants. Sadly, this is an abridged version which cut some of my favorite moments, but this in no way dims my love for this production!

my case is clearly past remedy, and I've nothing to do but decide whether to be an aunt to Conway's children, or a mother to Edward's - and I have a lowering presentiment that Edward's children will be dreadfully dull, poor little things!" Edward is obv Of course you don’t, love – and I must own I wish Oswald had found himself unable to do so. I wonder what excuse Edward will offer us for this visit? Surely there cannot have been another Royal marriage, or General Election?’ Despite the slight flair for the dramatic, the plot never felt overly contrived to me and there were even some interesting twists at the end that brought some fresh wind to the story.What I truly liked about Heyer in this novel is the lightness of the story, without any ambitious plot twists and forced suspensions that sometimes ruin the smooth flow of these novels. I've seen this too often in many contemporarily written historical romances. So many authors try to be too clever with the plot, forgetting that it is the simplicity of the plot, the historical setting, the chemistry, and the budding romance of the hero and heroine that attracts most readers to this genre. Light entertainment is certainly what I seek in them. And I'm truly glad to have found an author who has understood this. Venetia Lanyon has never made it further than York and Harrogate. Her father refused to let her come out at Court, she has, since his death and her elder brother’s enrolment in the army, been keeping house with her younger brother and managing the affairs of Undershaw, the family home. And then into her life gallops Jasper Damerel, lord of the nearby Priory. With a reputation as a ne’er do well and cad, he is rumoured to have squandered his fortune and left a trail of broken hearts, and broken women behind him. In him Venetia sees the future has possibilities. But will that future be hers? While reading Venetia I spent half of my time being thrilled (Lord Damerel and Venetia are both wonderful characters) and the other half being frustrated, annoyed and plain angry. There was no middle, people. Fair Fatality, you are the most unusual female I have encountered in all my thirty-eight years!" (finally Anne is quoting the right book!)