Introduction and Welcome Thread

[Critterbee❇]

Welcome! Please say hello and tell us the name(s) of your favourite and first ever Georgette Heyer book(s). Visit our off-topic thread, Royal Escape From the Topic, to chat more with members.

To start everything off, I am Critterbee, my first GH read was The Grand Sophy and my favourite is (currently) Cotillion.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

Hi - I am Hilary, my first GH was Regency Buck and my favourite (so far!) is The Reluctant Widow.

[Margaret]

Hi, I'm Margaret. I've been a member of this group for several years, but Critterbee has asked a question I can actually answer -- i.e., what was the first GH I ever read? That was The Reluctant Widow, and it's been a sentimental favorite ever since. That was 40+ years ago, of course....

Notice that I said a favorite. It's utterly impossible for me to pick the favorite among GH's works, because there isn't one, and if there were it would be subject to change moment by moment.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Hi I'm Carol & I am one of the moderators.

Technically my first GH was Black Sheep I was staying at an aunt's & this novel was serialised in a British women's magazine. Unfortunately I had to go home before the final part arrived! :D

The first one I read in it's entirety was GH's first book, The Black Moth

My all time favourite GH (& my favourite book in the world!) is Devil's Cub

[Louise Sparrow]

Hi, I'm Louise and I've been around a while too.

My first GH was The Reluctant Widow. I was a teenager, home from college with a cold and my mum picked it out at the library for me, I've been hooked ever since.

My favourites are probably Sylvester and Cotillion.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Louise,

Have you listened to the audio book of “The Reluctant Widow?”

I wasn’t that crazy about tRW when I read it years ago, but I bought the audiobook for $1.99 and Cornelius Garrett deserves an award of some kind for his performance. What he does with the voices for all of the characters, especially Mrs. Beccles is just amazing!

[Louise Sparrow]

I have! I find them invaluable for the group chats, I just don't read quick enough but I can listen to them on x3!

I do like that one, there are others that jar a little with some of the pronunciations or delivery.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Hi There!

I'm Andrea.

The first book that I read by GH is Sylvester.

I think my (in no particular order!) favorites are The Grand Sophy, Sylvester, and Devil's Cub.

[QNPoohBear]

I'm Pooh Bear and the first Heyer book I read (about 10 years ago now) was The Reluctant Widow. Then I read The Talisman Ring and enjoyed it enough to keep reading! My top 2 favorites are Venetia and Frederica.

[Lesley]

I'm Lesley.
I was introduced to Heyer when I was 11 years old, being discharged from hospital but couldn't go home because my Mum was being admitted with pneumonia & pleurisy. My Grandmother had to take charge of me, so I went home with her. I was whining because I had nothing to read having finished and Agatha Christie in hospital, and couldn't go to the library. Because I was known for my love of mysteries, she dug out Why Shoot a Butler? from her bookcase, and I was hooked. I read her entire bookcase over time - Heyer, Mary Stewart, Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt, Philippa Carr, Daphne du Maurier ...

I'm not sure I've got a specific favourite, but for some reason I remember Devil's Cub and Royal Escape more clearly than others from my early days of reading her.

[Kim]

I am Kim. I got Black Sheep and Faro’s Daughter at the same time from the spinning book rack at Kenny’s, a cavernous store stuffed full of things kids find interesting, I think they each cost 75 cents. I am not sure which I read first, probably the former, but it was the beginning of a lifelong love affair. I was probably around 12, I loved Saturdays then. I walked to town, checked out the book rack, got a bag of assorted candy, checked out the bakery, and went to the movies. I felt richer than anyone on those days. Then I walked home and curled up with my new books, and rationed out my treats which I kept away from the ravening hordes that were my older brothers. My favorite Heyers are These Old Shades, Devil’s Cub, Friday’s Child, & Sylvester<\b> (which made my mom laugh and laugh, I miss that so). A recent favorite is A Civil Contract which I came to appreciate in my mature years while memorably re-reading it with this group. (Lesley, what a lucky duck you were to have a grandmother with such great books, even under rotten circumstances).

[Karlyne]

Karlyne here, who can't remember her first Heyer! I'm not even sure how I actually found her, although it was probably a library or perhaps a used book store. I just know I've been collecting her ever since I had book shelves of my own! My favorite is A Civil Contract because of Jenny, a heroine worth her salt.

[Susan in NC]

Kim wrote: "I am Kim. I got Black Sheep and Faro’s Daughter at the same time from the spinning book rack at Kenny’s, a cavernous store stuffed full of things kids find interesting, I think they each cost 75 ce..."

Thanks for the reminder, Kim, I consider A Civil Contact a favorite, too. Karlyne, you read my mind - that’s our Jenny!

[Susan in Perthshire]

Susan here (the Scottish one.). My first Heyer was Devil’s Cub which I read when I was about 11 - courtesy of the local branch of the Public Library. In fact, the Library was the source of most of my reading from the age of 4 and even though I discovered the second-hand bookstall in the market, the Library was always my first resource. I went through all of Enid Blyton, Elinor M Brent-Dyer, Malcolm Saville, Georgette Heyer, Phyllis Whitney, Mary Stewart, Elizabeth Peters, Victoria Holt , Paula Allardyce, Evelyn Anthony, Alastair MacLean, Agatha Christine, Charles Dickens, Daphne du Maurier et al ad infinitum, courtesy of the Library.
New books were my most favourite treats for Christmas and Birthdays: (made present buying very easy in my family), but the vast bulk of my reading was through library books and second hand paperbacks. Perhaps because it was my first, Devil’s Cub is still an absolute favourite. I have around 10-15 Heyer’s that I have re-read regularly over the last 50 odd years but perhaps The Reluctant Widow and These Old Shades top that list. This group has been a great way of re-visiting those of her books I had only read once before and seeing them in a totally different light!

[Barb in Maryland]

Hi. I'm Barb. My first GH book was "These Old Shades". I was in my small college's very small store, desperate for something romantic to read! Snatched TOS off the rack, paid, and started reading immrdiately. And was hooked. TOS remains in my top 5 to this day, some 50+ years since I first read it.
I have, over the years, read almost all of GH's books. Multiple times for many of them. My favorite of her Regencies is 'Venetia' (also in my top 5)

[ShanDizzy]

I'm a GH newbie courtesy of my GR friend "Susan (the Scottish one) In Perthshire". My 1st was in 2015, one of her mysteries . And my 1st GH romance novel (and my current favorite) was The Grand Sophy which I read in September of this year. Now, I'm a confirmed GH fan for life and can't wait to devour all of her stories.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

S Dizzy wrote: "I'm a GH newbie courtesy of my GR friend "Susan (the Scottish one) In Perthshire". My 1st was in 2015, one of her mysteries . And my 1st GH romance novel (and ..."

You are lucky to have such a great journey ahead of you! :)

[Abigail]

I envy you, having the experience of reading the novels for the first time! Though it’s also a pleasure when they become like old friends, and you look for your favorite moments each time.

[Susan in Perthshire]

S Dizzy wrote: "I'm a GH newbie courtesy of my GR friend "Susan (the Scottish one) In Perthshire". My 1st was in 2015, one of her mysteries . And my 1st GH romance novel (and ..."

It’s wonderful that you have the prospect of exploring all of those books for the very first time!

[Marissa]

I'm Marissa, and my first GH was Friday's Child, which honestly didn't impress me very much... (hiding!) But then I read The Grand Sophy and understood the awesomeness of GH. It's still a favorite, with The Unknown Ajax and Cotillion and Sylvester--those four seem to take turns in my top slot. :)

[Carolm]

Hi I'm Carolm. My first Heyer was Friday's Child, which I still like, when I was in my mid-teens. However, my favourites are Cotillion, The Talisman Ring and Devil's Cub.

[Abigail]

It’s nice to see so many people listing Devil’s Cub among their favorites! Often overlooked.

[MaryC]

I'm Mary (the one in Baltimore, if there are more than one of us), and my first Heyer was The Grand Sophie, which remains near the top of my list, rivaled only by The Unknown Ajax.

[Abigail]

Yay, a fellow Unknown Ajax fan!! Welcome, Mary.

[Barb in Maryland]

Hi MaryC and welcome to a fellow resident of Maryland. (I'm in Ellicott City). Glad to have you here.

[MaryC]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Hi MaryC and welcome to a fellow resident of Maryland. (I'm in Ellicott City). Glad to have you here."

Barb, once upon a time I'd have suggested meeting for lunch or coffee at the Candlelight Inn, but now it's a funeral home!

[Karlyne]

MaryC wrote: "Barb in Maryland wrote: "Hi MaryC and welcome to a fellow resident of Maryland. (I'm in Ellicott City). Glad to have you here."

Barb, once upon a time I'd have suggested meeting for lunch or coffe..."

That made me chuckle!

[Barb in Maryland]

Karlyne
Yes, one day it was a nice, quiet restaurant, then boom. It went from being the Candlelight Inn to the Candlelight Funeral Home! Very bizarre..

[Abigail]

Maybe diners got food poisoning once too many, and they simply decided to go with the flow? (Sorry, the holidays bring out my black humor streak.)

[Susan in NC]

Abigail wrote: "Maybe diners got food poisoning once too many, and they simply decided to go with the flow? (Sorry, the holidays bring out my black humor streak.)"

Hey, fair assumption, I wondered as well - life brings out my dark Irish humor! I guess better then going from funeral home to restaurant...

[Barb in Maryland]

Susan
So true!

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

Just a reminder folks that any off topic conversation should be taken over the The Royal Escape thread please :D

[Karlyne]

The problem with Goodreads is that I have to scroll all the way to the top to see what thread we're actually on. Sigh. Such work.

[Diane]

Hello, I'm Diane from Virginia and I've been reading Georgette Heyer books for close to 50 years. I can't remember which I read first but my current favorites are Cotillion and Frederica. I've read most her books many many times.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Diane wrote: "Hello, I'm Diane from Virginia and I've been reading Georgette Heyer books for close to 50 years. I can't remember which I read first but my current favorites are Cotillion and Frederica. I've read..."

Welcome Diane. We are just about to start our first read of the year, which will be Regency Buck. We are going to be reading all GH's Regencies in the order they were written (with the occasional mystery thrown in. :)

[Critterbee❇]

Hello Diane, welcome!

[Louise Sparrow]

Welcome Diane and Happy New Year all!

[Karlyne]

Carol, I love your new Persona!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Karlyne wrote: "Carol, I love your new Persona!"

Thanks I was trying to think of a new name & until today we were having such beautiful weather!

Fearsome Despot seemed unwelcoming somehow. :D

[Karlyne]

"Fearsome Despot " indeed! Still laughing.

[Belinda]

Hi. I’m belinda. My Scottish grandmother, who had emigrated to Australia in the 1950’s, had all the georgette heyers in the spare back room of her house. I first read ‘arabella’ as a teenager and was hooked as was my two sisters. I used to procrastinate during uni by diving into the GH’s. They have always been a wonderful escape and I love the humour and historical details in them. My absolute favourite is black sheep due to the very dry wit and slightly older heroine.

[Critterbee❇]

Hello, Belinda!
It is nice to see that GH is a family tradition.

[Susan in NC]

Hi, Belinda!

[Abigail]

Welcome, Belinda! Arabella and Black Sheep are two of my favorites as well.

[Ann]

I'm Ann (aannbrr; actually my initials: A. Ann B. R. R.) and I just joined. I first read GH in college in the early/mid '70s on the recommendation of my then mother-in-law. I don't recall which title I read first, but I was hooked immediately! My current favorites are The Unknown Ajax, The Grand Sophy, The Talisman Ring, and Devil's Cub.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Belinda wrote: "Hi. I’m belinda. My Scottish grandmother, who had emigrated to Australia in the 1950’s, had all the georgette heyers in the spare back room of her house. I first read ‘arabella’ as a teenager and w..."

Black Sheep is my favourite of GH's post 1960s books. :)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Ann wrote: "I'm Ann (aannbrr; actually my initials: A. Ann B. R. R.) and I just joined. I first read GH in college in the early/mid '70s on the recommendation of my then mother-in-law. I don't recall which tit..."

Welcome Ann! :)

[Susan in NC]

Hi Ann, and welcome!

[Critterbee❇]

Hello Ann!

[Abigail]

Yay, yet another member of Team Hugo! Welcome, Ann!