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Here's the thing: This book is one of my all-time favorite books. I've read it so many times by now that I lost count. And yet I never wrote a review, because I could never really find the right words to do this book justice. When I finally convinced to of my good friends to give this book a try, yet another re-read was in order! And guess what, I still love it, and still can't come up with coherent reasons why.

Let's start with the heroine:
"I wish you will tell me some of the things you have done!" "I think not," he said dryly. "I said some of the things you have done!" she exclaimed indignantly. "You can't have spent your whole life getting into idiotish scrapes!" The ugly look vanished as he burst out laughing. "Most of it, I assure you!"

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.

Then there's our darling rake, Jasper, Lord Damerel:
"Fair Fatality, you are the most unusual female I have ever encountered in all my thirty-eight years!" "You can't think how deeply flattered I am!" she assured him. "I daresay my head would be quite turned if I didn't suspect that amongst so many a dozen or so may have slipped from your memory." "More like a hundred. Am I never to learn your name?"

I LOVE this man. He comes such a long way in this book, and not because someone forces him to change, but because meeting an innocent little whirlwind who turns his life of debauchery upside down actually makes him re-evaluate his life-choices and accept that he has screwed up and he is not good enough for her as he is. He's no angel, and I love him even more for that. He hasn't been a good landowner or anything, but he does try his best to become one.
I absolutely love his sense of humor! I wish I had someone to trade Shakespearean insults with in everyday conversation...

Which brings me to: the most delicious banter!
"I can't come down that ladder while you stand there watching me." "Can't you? Oh, that's easily remedied!" he retorted, and removed the ladder. It was this impish action which drew the protest from her which Oswald heard. "Fiend!" She said. "Do put it back, and go away!" "Not I!" he replied, grinning up at her. "But it is most unchivalrous of you!" "No, no. On the contrary. The ladder is clearly unsafe."

Oh, the banter. Be still my heart <3 These two are truly equals, if not in education or anything else, but when it comes to wit and humor. They love teasing one another, try to find the most obscure poetry reference to quote and see if the other one recognizes it... I love every moment of it!

This is their relationship in a nutshell:
"As soon as one promises not to do something it becomes the one thing above all others that one most wishes to do!" She turned her head towards her uncle again. "You mean to warn me that he may continue to have mistresses, and orgies, and- and so-on, don't you, sir?" "Particularly so-on!" interpolated Damerel. "Well, how should I know all the shocking things you do? The thing is, uncle, that I don't think I ever should know." "You'd know about my orgies!" objected Damerel. "Yes, but I shouldn't care about them, once in a while. After all, it would be quite unreasonable to wish you to change all your habits, and I can always retire to bed, can't I?" "Oh, you won't preside over them?" he said, much disappointed. "Yes, love, if you wish me to," she replied, smiling at him. "Should I enjoy them?" He stretched out his hand, and when she laid her own in it, held it very tightly. "You shall have a splendid orgy, my dear delight, and you will enjoy it very much indeed!"

There is a reason this is the book I turn to whenever I'm in a slump, or just need a pick-me-up. I love the characters, their determination, the heart and humor, and all of it together makes for one perfect reading experience. If you have never read a Georgette Heyer book, I cannot recommend this highly enough as a starting point!!!

Also, here are the reviews of the two friends I convinced to try this (they both loved it, so YAY):
Lacey's review
Becca's review