These Old Shades, Devil's Cub, The Nonesuch, Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle, by Georgette Heyer

There's hardly any point in talking about these works separately, as they all run together in my head. Not that that's a bad thing: Georgette Heyer writes the books of my early adolescence, the books to which I skipped gym and chewed gum and suffered through algebra. They are only a tiny stairstep down from Jane Austen in their social observation, humor, and light touches of romance, and, in the latter criterion, whole stories above the average bodice-ripper. They are smart, sassy, and, strange for something so old-fashioned, sophisticated. Of these four, The Nonesuch is probably my favorite, followed closely by Devil's Cub--the scene in which the romantic heroine shoots the romantic hero is not to be missed.

In any case, if you are, like me, a compulsive reader with a strong sense of the ridiculous and a soft spot for a romance, you'll love Heyer. Try 'er!