In Heaven With Heyer - Rated 
This was my first Heyer novel and now i can't get enough of her books. Heyer combines both historical fiction and romance in a perfect blend , her writing is so detailed and it just flows.
What i love the most Heyer novels and Venetia is that the heroines are not fainting , having the vapours ( what ever those may be) or don't have anything between thier ears. Venetia is a young ( well in the novel by 25 she is seen as on the shelf) intellgent women who has to run the family estate because her brother Conway is to selfish. Venetia says what she thinks and is very matter of fact about it for example when she tells Lady Denny that she did not love her father , that she knows that her father and brothers are self centred and will not do anything to put themselves out for her.
a great quality Venetia is that she sees what she wants and goes for it - our hero Lord Damerel.
For years Damerel's way of life has scandalised the North Riding , so you learn about before he makes his appereance ( which i hold to be one great scenes in G Heyer's books). Damerel is great for me because he is this dark , sardonic character with a murky past( and when the fisrt character i fell in love with was Mr Rochester no wounder i love him). Damerel is like Venetia they don't care
If you are going to read a Georgette Heyer novel make it this one - Rated
I have read a number of Georgette Heyer books over the years. This started with a compendium of 4 or so of hers that I found in my mum's bookcase many many years ago, including The Corinthian (which I think is probably my second favourite - its wonderful!).
However, I personally think that Venetia is head and shoulders above the rest that I have read. It is just fantastic. Venetia is one of the most intelligent, strong, humourous, sweet heroines Heyer created. Damerel is intriguing, compassionate, funny, unconventional - deeply attractive! The development of their relationship - cerebral as much as physical - is such a joy to read that I have to confess I sometimes read it out loud to myself - it is just so delightful. ...and I have read it many times!
I won't say anything about the plot - the plot is great, but not a huge part of the novel anyway in my view, it is their relationship that makes it - but what is there is immensely enjoyable.
If you're going to read a Georgette Heyer novel make it this one.
PS I read another review that recommends 'These Old Shades'. I haven't read that one so I am going to seek it out....
Wonderful - Rated
I started reading Georgette Heyer novels when I was off school with some lurgy or other. My mum suggested I try one of her Heyers as I was too miserable to bother with anything else. I was none too keen, being a thoroughly modern girl, and heartily despising `romances'. What a revelation! To call these novels romances is a slur on Heyer's unmatched skill as a writer of brilliantly sparkling dialogue, and effortless descriptions of particular times and places. And they are so funny! My mum said then that she was envious that I had only just started and had so many yet to read for the first time. And I know what she meant. I enjoy re-reading them very much, but do envy any of you who are just starting out. It's a close-run thing with so many great ones to choose from - and I've read nearly all of them several times - but this is my favourite at the moment, and it gets better each time you read it. I won't repeat what everyone else said in it's praise, except to agree, and say that I cry over it again every time. But I must put in a word for Mrs Scorrier, who outstrips all other Heyer nasty characters in nastiness. You will want to boo and hiss her at every entrance!
a novel that can be savoured over and over again - Rated
VENETIA has the distinction of being the last Georgette Heyer I read before I had to settle for rereads. And while it is a novel that has all the Heyer trademarks of quality -- a good story, memorable and well developed characters, and a truly sparkling and witty prose style -- it is also somewhat different from most of her other novels, in that, as another reviewer on Amazon.com (bookjunkiereviews) has put it, in that the novel's heroine, Venetia Lanyon, has a rather realistic yet sunny approach to life.
The storyline for VENETIA is simplicity itself: the very beautiful, intelligent and sunny natured Venetia Lanyon had long resigned to herself to spinsterhood -- afterall here she was, at the ripe age of twenty-five, living in the country, running her brother Conway's estate, while he was off playing at being a soldier, keeping house for her sickly but brilliant younger brother, Aubrey, and with two improbable country swains as suitors. Enter the roguish Lord Dameral: neighbour of the Lanyons, this rakish and jaded aristocrat is surely the very last person anyone would expect sheltered and virtuous Venetia to become good friends with. But this is exactly what happens much to the consternation of those who love Venetia...
This is a very "grown-up" kind of novel, about the relationship between two adults of very different upbringings and two very different temperaments, from friendship and a sincere admiration to something more (in fact as several other reviewers have already mentioned, the attraction between Venetia and Demeral fairly sizzles and yet there is not one sexually explicit scene! goodness!!). Georgette Heyer does a fantastic job of charting this blossoming relationship from its incipience to the painful parting to the satisfying and triumphant end. And while I'm ashamed to own that I didn't enjoy this charming novel as it so fully deserved all those years ago, I'm happy to relate that I have enjoyed VENETIA, more and more with each subsequent read, ever since. I've read a great many romance novels, but I don't think that I've ever read anything quite so romantically satisfying as VENETIA.
Subtle Heyer - Rated
One of the most disreputable of Heyer's heroes but also one of the most engaging. Not much plot but the usual wonderful dialogue and eye for detail. The developing relationship between Venetia and Damerel is totally believable. Although nothing explicit as usual with Heyer their relationship is one of the most sensual and emotionally moving of any of her protagonists.
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