The accolades for Heyer's historical detail are justified. Daily life, settings, clothing and manners are richly painted, giving a clear picture of the genteel, decorous yet rigid Regency society. She also presents the limited expectations for women in an unapologetic yet realistic way. Everything is laced with wit and humor. 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. Enter Damerel: an older man who's a confirmed rake and pretty much doesn't care about anything any longer. Or at least he thinks he doesn't, but underneath there's an intelligent, kind man that his growing friendship with Venetia brings out of hiding. He starts out intending to seduce her--hey, she's a lovely girl and he's bored--but his growing friendship with and respect for her and her brother soon make him realize that he can't do that. Which leads to a moral conundrum for Damerel: his life has been so reprehensible that he's no longer accepted in society, and marrying a sweet younger lady like Venetia would make people despise him even more, and shun them both. "[I'm] something worse than a fool. Would that she could make of me a saint, or I of her a sinner-- For the first part it's too late, old friend, too late! And for the second--it was precisely my intention, and a rare moment this is to discover that if I could I would not!"What to do? The resolution isn't as simple as you might expect.

An illustration of Venetia and Lord Damerel from the Folio Society’s new edition of Venetia Photograph: Sally Dunne/The Folio Society You call me your friend, but I never called you mine, and never shall! You remained, and always will, a beautiful, desirable creature!’” 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.Good! What a fortunate escape you had, to be sure! I daresay it may not have occurred to you, but I have little doubt that by this time Lady Sophia has grown sadly fat. They do, you know, little plump women! The book looks at the role of women in society and in relationships. Venetia is frowned upon because she proposes to keep house by herself, or at least with her brother Aubrey. It was unheard of and looked upon with disdain that such expressions of independence were uttered. She is expected to either marry or to remain in her family home once her elder brother marries. Venetia wishes to marry for love, or at least not marry the only two men who pay her attention; the staid Edward and the impetuous Oswald. Divorce is tantamount to a deadly sin. Damerel gained his reputation by running away with a married woman but it was she that was forever tainted. Refused a divorce by her husband she had to wait until his death to marry again. Infidelity in women was never forgiven, whereas it was expected in men. Lady Denny, Venetia’s friend, is more than aware that her husband has had affairs and sees it as her lot as a wife to accept that. Were it the other way around that she would have been shunned from society.

I absolutely love his sense of humor! I wish I had someone to trade Shakespearean insults with in everyday conversation... Mr Aubrey Lanyon - Venetia's scholarly brother, has a diseased hip, studying for a fellowship to Cambridge, 16 If I was writing the epilogue it would be thus: a pregnant with her 4th child Venetia going on one of her Lizzy’s walks in the fields and encountering the angry father of the ravished and now pregnant milkmaid, third this year. In other words, she’s destined to be another Dolly Oblonskaya. Maybe the above is the writing style for the period, but I had a tough time getting what the author meant… I had to make a grammar exercise: which is the main sentence? Which is the secondary? Edward, on the other hand, I just want to strangle. He’s the sort of man that is not necessarily stupid or mean or selfish... but with every word that comes out of his mouth you become more and more desperate for a convenient wall to bang your head against to alleviate the boredom and frustration. Or a convenient swing on which to swing around and around in circles... either one will do. He is unbelievably stuffy and patronising, and his arrogance is the more irritating because he isn’t really aware of how arrogant he is. His impertinence extends so far as to try and joke with Venetia and pretend he’s “gone a trifle deaf” when she tells him in no uncertain terms that she will not marry him. (Cue glaring, clenching of fists and stifled screams of frustration - Edward Yardley is honestly so annoying!!)I ADORE Venetia. She is one of the most sensible, level-headed, determined and yet completely loveable heroines I have ever had the pleasure to read about. Whatever life throws at her (and boy does it throw things at her: a terrible, egotistical father who pretty much buries her alive on his secluded country estate, the egotistical brothers who never think about her happiness, the self-centered aunt who doesn't do anything to help alleviate her situation, to name only a few), she somehow remains cheerful and optimistic, never gives up, and always finds a way to be happy with what she has. I truly envy her in that respect. I love how she never tries to change Damerel, how she sees him for exactly what he is, and loves him for all his bad parts together.