Clean Romances discussion

I just finished reading Jane Austen’s novels and want to start on Georgette Heyer. But there’s so many books I’m not sure where to begin. Any recommendations on where to start?

Do you like screwball comedy? Absurd comedy?
Mystery?
Romance?
swashbuckling?
older heroine meets wicked rake?
Older heroine meets cynical rake?
quiet, mature marriage of convenience?
Marriage of convenience?
Silly teenage runaway girls?
Cross-dressing teens?

Or just join the Georgette Heyer Fans club and dive in and read along with the rest of us. We're currently reading The Talisman Ring, one of her early Georgians.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Since you're reading Austen, I would recommend Black Sheep. It's set in Bath, uses some of Austen's phrasing- sometimes turned around a bit and is quite funny.

Madison wrote: "I just finished reading Jane Austen’s novels and want to start on Georgette Heyer. But there’s so many books I’m not sure where to begin. Any recommendations on where to start?"

I agree with QNPoohBear that Black Sheep is delightful. So are Frederica and Venetia. Toll Gate is excellent. These Old Shades is a favorite of mine. The Black Moth was Heyer's first but the reason it's my guilty pleasure is that I prefer the villain to the hero.

An Infamous Army is a romance set against the Battle of Waterloo, and is a little different than the rest of her novels. I like it not only for the romance but for the way it makes that iconic battle come alive.

I've read all of her historical romances and the only ones I'm not particularly fond of are the ones with silly teenage girls. I think those were her later books.

I, too, dislike the silly teen girls. I love older heroine meets rake/Corinthian. Frederica cracks me up. Young Felix is a hoot but I have no patience for Charis and that "blockhead" Endymion.

Neither do I. I suppose I should have mentioned A Civil Contract, which again is a little different from most of Heyer's romances. There are so many good ones, however, that it's hard to remember them all.

I do like Phoebe in Sylvester. She's young but not so silly. That might be a good one to read after Austen too. Sylvester is rather Darcyish. Like Darcy he can't laugh at himself. He has a better reason though. I think Darcy would treat his mother the same as Sylvester does his if Lady Anne were still living. Mr. Malcolm's List tries the same trope but it fell flat for me. No one can compare to the masters.

Wow, so many great picks! Sounds like I have a good place to start. Thanks!

What I love about Heyer is how she has different books that suit different people. We don't all agree on favorites but we do agree she was a superb writer, even at her worst.

My tops are

Venetia (most traditional romance)
Black Sheep (Austenesque-ish with a Bath setting and charming roguish hero)
Frederica (a bit Austenesque with a sensible heroine and silly younger sister)
The Nonesuch (sensible heroine, swoony mature hero, obnoxious secondary characters)
The Grand Sophy (zany, and I still enjoy it even though there are some anti-Semitic comments)
Hmm maybe Arabella or Lady of Quality? The Toll-Gate is really funny.

Ashtyn Newbold has some very lovely books all set in Austen-like settings. She has a few different series, but so far all the ones I have read I liked.
Very clean.