Arabella (Regency Romances)

I enjoy all of Georgette Heyer's books, especially Sprig Muslin and Arabella These are fun with some laughs and well written with interesting descriptions of the times. A must read if one likes Jane Austen!

Once again Miss Heyer astounds and delights! I read well into the night and only closed the book because my eyes were blurry with the day and night. The convoluted comedy of manners kept me captivated. Wonderful characterizations and authentic language and mores are essential to this type of story and Miss Heyer is the Grand Mistress.

This is probably the fifth Heyer that I have read, but I loved it so much that after I first read it, I read it again! I won't go into all the storyline as many readers did, but I loved the sweetness and laugh out loud humor, and both the hero and heroine are among my favorites of any romance novels I have ever read.

Things that I loved best:
The dialogue is sparking and witty.
The part of the book where Beaumaris realizes that he has fallen in love with her is so warm and sweet.
The antics of the dog--and not only Beaumaris' reaction to him but also that of the servants--are hysterical. I LOVE that he confided everything to Ulysses even when the servants were nearby.

I could go on and on. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. The only very slight caveat that I would mention is that I would have liked to have read more about the two at the end, after they ensconced themselves at his grandmother's house and where he declared his adoration for her (so cute!). I felt that it ended too abruptly.

Finally, I'm getting to read Georgette Heyer's books because so many are available on Kindle Unlimited.

"Arabella" is a lovely story about Arabella Tallant - young lady from a large family whose father is a vicar in the Yorkshire area of England. When Arabella's godmother agrees to guide Arabella through the social season in London, her mother's fondest hope is that the beautiful Arabella will be successful enough to marry a good man with enough wealth that will enable Arabella to sponsor her remaining sisters in their quest to find husbands.

The Tallant family is led by the Reverend Henry Tallant, a man of strong principles who has great expectations of his children that center on qualities in life such as honesty, generosity of spirit and the understanding of what is truly important in life. He doesn't care for frivolity and is earnest about making sure his children have the benefit of his counsel in order to steer them away from anything dishonorable.

When Arabella sets out on her journey to London, she is properly chaperoned, her uncle has lent her his traveling carriage and plans have been made for refreshing the horses to ensure Arabella arrives safely at her godmother's house a few days hence. But, of all things, the carriage breaks down and Arabella in her innocence insists she and her chaperone make their way to an estate nearby to see if they will be allowed sustenance and a place to refresh themselves while the carriage is being repaired. Little does Arabella know the estate is actually the hunting lodge of the "Nonpareil" of London - Mr. Beaumaris, who happens to be in residence along with one of his bosom buddies - Lord Fleetwood. When the ladies are announced by the butler, Beaumaris, accustomed to having women throw themselves in his path in all sorts of ways believes Arabella to be just another schemer and offers the two ladies the bare minimum of hospitality. Lord Fleetwood, however, is captivated by the beautiful Arabella and insists that Beaumaris invite the two women for dinner.

After Arabella has refreshed herself, she overhears Beaumaris complaining to Lord Fleetwood about women pursuing him to the point of knocking on his door with the tale of their carriage being broken down, Arabella is angry and allows herself to give into behavior her father wouldn't approve of - she decides to lie to Beaumaris and Fleetwood and declares herself an heiress who is concerned about about gentlemen pursuing her for her wealth. However, she requests that Beaumaris and Fleetwood do not share the fact that she's an heiress with any other people. Fleetwood is taken in by this Banbury tale but Beaumaris is not. Still Arabella has garnered Beaumaris' interest so he decides to go along with her little game.

Arabella, in her innocence doesn't realize exactly who Beaumaris is nor does she stop and consider the fact that she will soon have to face both men at social events in London. This mistruth about her being an heiress is spread abroad by Lord Fleetwood and soon Arabella finds herself with an abundance of suitors with her godmother wondering why all these men are chasing after Arabella since she has nothing to offer in the way of wealth or connections. Arabella takes Beaumaris to task for telling everyone she is an heiress, but he puts all the blame on Fleetwood and decides to give Arabella his countenance to the point, all of London is taken with her. Arabella has been warned that Beaumaris has the reputation of being a heartbreaker, so she doesn't give him the condescension due someone of his exalted stature. This of course piques his interest and before long, he is genuinely taken up with Arabella and her lovely soul. As time goes on, Arabella begins to have feelings for Beaumaris but suffers agony that she has lied to him about being an heiress, never realizing that he didn't believe her in the first place.

My favorite parts of this books are when Arabella rescues the chimney sweep from his cruel owner, also the little scapegrace of a puppy that some boys are trying to kill and lastly, when her brother Bertram takes a holiday from his scholarly duties and shows up in town with the 100 pounds he has won, all the while keeping his presence in London a secret from his father. I love Bertram - he adds so much to the storyline. Of course, Beaumaris winds up being responsible for the chimney sweep and the puppy and eventually he has to take Bertram in hand after he has gotten head over heels in a few areas.

Great read and sweet build up in the Romance between Beaumaris and Arabella.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
I had two problems with Phyllida Nash.

1. Her breaths were annoying and distracting. When talking to someone in person one does not hear breaths. Throughout the book I'm thinking when is the next breath going to come? They interrupted the story. Narrators: PLEASE listen to the recording of yourself and if you hear your breaths, use a different microphone - or stand farther away from it.

2. Her voice is deep. Many male narrators have deep voices but they are able to do young women well by softening their voice and using emotions. Ms. Nash's voice for the heroine Arabella was weird, uncomfortable, and did not fit. It was like an older lady. Although, she did other characters well.

Eve Matheson narrated an earlier version of this book. Audible: Why won't you sell me the Eve Matheson version?????? She's fabulous! The Eve Matheson version is available in some libraries.

Audible has pdf file with this book. It was neat. It was a list of chapters with things happening within each chapter. It also talked about the narrator Phyllida Nash. I wish Audible did that with more of their books.

THE STORY:
Georgette Heyer is one of my favorite authors. She usually does not have much emotional relationship development, but she makes up for it with characters and dialogue. In this book instead of enjoying the characters, I kept thinking "why does Robert like Arabella?" I didn't see any reason for him to like her. She's quiet, polite, and kind of shrinking-violet. And, I did not see why she liked him. There were no conversations between them that showed enjoyment of each other. It was all "how do you do" type conversation. Also, I was angry at Arabella's dishonesty at the end. I would have liked her better if she had been truthful to Robert earlier.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 10 hrs and 43 mins. Swearing language: none. Sexual content: none. Setting: 1817 England. Book copyright: 1949. Genre: regency romance.

OTHER BOOKS by Georgette Heyer:
My favorite books are: These Old Shades, Cotillion, and Friday's Child. My second favorites: Devil's Cub, Lady of Quality, The Convenient Marriage, The Foundling, and A Civil Contract.

I really enjoyed this story about the beautiful, eldest daughter of a vicar, who gets the opportunity of a come out in London because of her society godmother. She needs to make a good marriage in order for her many sisters to also have an opportunity to be launched. On her way to London she meets the H accidentally and is so incensed by what she overhears him say that she lies and says she is an heiress. This story soon spreads through London and the h is pursued by fortune hunters and she knows that she has ruined her opportunity to make a good marriage. Along the way the H is won over by the h but he struggles to get her to take him seriously because of their awkward, initial meeting. I loved this book and can recommend it.

This is easily one of the most entertaining of Heyer's Regency romances, with well-conceived characters, lively dialogue, and practically a Hollywood plot. Miss Arabella Tallant is the eighteen-year-old daughter of a vicar in Yorkshire -- which is to say, a gentleman, but without much money. And money is a consideration since Arabella has three sisters and four brothers whose futures must be attended to. Her mother has an old friend in London, Lady Bridlington, who having no daughters of her own (only one rather stuffy son), would be delighted to play hostess and matchmaker to Arabella during the Season. If the girl can make advantageous match, she will be in a position to assist her younger siblings to get started in life. So off she goes in a antiquated and lumbering traveling coach borrowed from her uncle, and when they suffer a breakdown only a few hours from the Metropolis, she seeks temporary shelter at a nearby house. And there she meets Mr. Robert Beaumaris, whose hunting box it is. She happens to overhear her host telling his friend, Lord Fleetwood, how tired he is of being pursued by single young women who are interested solely in his very considerable fortune -- and tells him, in a spirit of revenge and pique that, of course, she's "the rich Miss Tallant" and that she'd hoping to remain incognito in London so as to avoid the fortune-hunters. Beaumaris isn't taken in for an instant -- the young lady finds it impossible to counterfeit the attitudes and social savvy of an heiress -- but his friend is and spreads the story all around the town, which rapidly makes Arabella the focus of attention in Society. The comic possibilities are endless, naturally, and the author rings all the changes. Beaumaris, who is not at all the usual arrogant and haughty love interest who so often turns up in these stories, thinks the whole thing is a grand joke. And, since he has basically taken the place of Beau Brummel as THE arbiter of fashion in the City -- the Nonpareil -- he determines to assist her to as high a social place as he can manage. And then, as he spends time in her company, it becomes very serious. And then Arabella's younger brother, a good kid but terribly naïve, comes for a sneak visit and bites off much more than he can chew in the way of gambling, and she has to make a terrible decision. It all comes out for the best in the end, of course. And this time the reader doesn't wonder what in the world the heroine sees in the hero. One of Heyer's best efforts.

I read Heyer's "regency" romances from time to time but usually consider them a pleasant diversion if I cannot locate something more compelling.. However, I had a difficult time putting "Arabella" down - even though the happy ending was foreordained, I enjoyed the cat-and-mouse, misunderstandings and both hero and heroine as written. Although a pale sister to "Pride and Prejudice" (in fact, one speech of the hero's is obviously a close copy of Darcy), it was enjoyable for the same reasons that P&P is a classic - compelling characters, believable plot, semi-believable escapades, etc. Really enjoyed this book.

I set about researching Heyer novels because Dorothy Sayers mentioned her in an interview which I read. One of Heyer's 'whodunnits' (which she regarded as pot-boilers) caught my attention because of the 'good writing' and the way she handled dialogue. I never expected to purchase a Harlequin romance, but decided to try one of the Regency romances for which she is famous--especially after being assured that her books were "safe" for teen-age granddaughters. The Grand Sophy, Sylvester, and Frederica were fortunate first choices, aided by the store reviewers.

I agree with all of the reviewers who gave ARABELLA 5 stars. Even in Heyer's best novels, there are passages which could have benefited from more careful editing. This one has few of those. The 'pure comedy' episodes rival those of P. G. Wodehouse, and Anthony Buckeridge (his Jennings books), and will leave you with "tears-rolling-down-your-cheeks-laughter." But also, far more than in any other Heyer novel that I have read to date, as the story draws to a close, Beaumaris's protective, tender-hearted lovingkindness toward his young betrothed reveals a kind of love not of human origin, leaving the perceptive reader with the sense that 'all IS ultimately right in The Universe,' if not always in the world as we know it.

Men read Jane Austen's novels; Heyer's biographer indicates that she has her male readers/admirers, also. Many men would benefit a great deal from meeting a character like 'the hero' of this book. Memory is notoriously frail, but I think I will not forget this Heyer novel. It is a book filled with sunshine.

Arabella, sweet and everything that is prim and proper. Growing up in a Vicar's household gave Arabella a sense of duty to uphold all that is right in the world. Having numerous brothers and sisters meant that she had to outside of her small intimate world in the north. Since Arabella was the beauty of the bunch her mother felt she should go to her godmother in London to attract a respectable potently suitor. Her family was not poor but they did not live lavishly. Her endearing mother had saved for years on the hope that her godmother would call for Arabella.

Her time had finally come to depart for a long road trip to London. However a mishap accrued with the carriage her uncle had graciously allowed her to travel in. Being stubborn and naive to other people's privacy outside of her small world, Arabella insisted on knocking on the closest homestead while the carriage was repaired.

Arabella later would come to find out that the homestead she demanded kindness from was the Nonpareil. The "Tulip of Fashion" for all of England, the devilishly handsome Mr Beaumaris was a confirmed bachelor. Mr Beaumaris was entertaining his closest friend Lord Fleetwood that night. The two were pleasantly passing the time waiting for dinner to be served when Arabella and her nurse mysteriously appeared at the door. After getting the down low on the women at the door, Mr. Beaumaris specifically asked if "one was pretty'? With a "yes" Arabella was welcomed into to room. Mr Beaumaris decided it allow the pretty Arabella to have dinner and warm up by the fire. Picking up on the haughtiness and snobbery from the men in her company she happened to over hear them upon her return from sprucing up a bit. With all pomp and superiority the men were discussing how they (especially Mr Beamaris) was constantly being hounded by fortune seeking damsels and he was sick of it. A confirmed bachelor Arabelle knew what she was about to do to stick it to them was wrong but she did it anyways. She Lied!

The shame if only her father had seen her then. She swept herself into the room with the announcement the she; herself was a really rich heiress of a vast fortune. She had moved on from the north to escape pursuing money hungry suitors. She wanted it to be a secret. Leaving it at that she moved on from her new acquaintances to London. Thinking that would be the end of the little white lie she told. She could not have been more wrong.

The lie followed her to London and unknown to those closest around her, all of her new found supporters were there for one reason and one reason only, money. Arabella put on the whole charade with class and dignity that was quite becoming to a young lady. All the while captivating Mr Beaumaris full attention on her. The proposals started rolling in for Arabella's hand but there was a problem a big problem at that. There was no money like everyone thought there was. Arabella put herself in a pickle of a situation but she had decided she would not marry any man unless he knew the truth. Poor sweet Arabella could she find a man she trusted enough to take into her confidence?
I received this book from the publisher for review.

Though the engrossing and talented works of Ms. Georgette Heyer have graced us for many many years, I have personally, up until now, been bereft of enjoying her tales. With Arabella, that has all changed and I feel as though I have uncovered a much coveted treasure! Just the sweet innocence and romantically nostalgic cover makes one's fingers itch to pick up the book. Once the cover is lifted and eyes are fixed upon the beginning words, the reader is transported back in time and lost in a different world, almost immediately.

When I began to read Arabella, I was strongly reminded of Jane Austin and her voice and talent for words. The strong and sassy heroine and dashingly handsome hero, dealing with propriety of the times and just the overall feel of the story, was reminiscent of Jane Austin, to me. I simply adored the lead character of Arabella! There was not one single aspect of her that I disliked and the way in which she was written made her so easy to connect with. As a young lady, she has been given the enviable opportunity to travel to London to debut and stay with her Godmother. Along the way, a mishap occurs, landing Arabella and her traveling companion upon the doorstep of Robert Beaumaris a highly respected and well-known Nonpareil. When Arabella overhears Robert telling his friend that he is sure that Arabella is nothing more than yet another wealthy husband hunter, she takes matters into her own hands and tells a little white lie. That little white lie, however, changes Arabella's life and presence in London causing her heart to ache and her conscience to whirl.

When Robert takes note of the spunk and fire within Arabella, he is instantly intrigued and decides to "help" her become known in London, just by his simple appearance and friendliness, and their story is one that is unforgettable. Georgette Heyer does such an outstanding job bringing this story to life and enveloping the reader with these lives. I have to say that I even adored the mogul that Arabella thrusts upon Robert. His adoration simply melts the heart and the connection between Ulysses, the dog, and Robert is sure to bring a smile to the reader's face. Arabella has a magnificently strong and warm heart, wanting to help out anyone or anything in need and Robert takes this in stride with a delightful humor.

Arabella is simply a not-to-be-missed story that I can't say enough about. I loved it and cannot wait to read more by this author. The writing, characterization and overall feel of this story is just excellent and engrossing. If you haven't read anything by Georgette Heyer, I strongly recommend snatching Arabella up and settle in for a wonderful afternoon of reading pleasure!

Arabella Tallant is the eldest daughter of a humble vicar and his wife, and she is expected to marry well. She is sent to London to stay with her godmother in hopes of finding a suitable husband.
On her way to London, Arabella's carriage breaks down and she and her companion end up staying at the nearest home. It is the home of rich, eligible bachelor, Robert Beaumaris. Beaumaris is used to females trying to catch his attention, so he thinks that Arabella faked her carriage trouble in order to stay at his home and catch his eye. Arabella dislikes Beaumaris from the start, thinking he is conceited and arrogant. At dinner, while drinking wine and feeling a bit 'toasty', she decides to lie to him. She tells Beaumaris that she herself is rich and heir to the Tallant fortune and is going to London to escape all her would be suitors. Beaumaris believes her story and soon enough the whole town is buzzing with rumors about the new heiress.

When her godmother throws a ball, and Beaumaris shows up, the party is considered an instant success. Beaumaris is known for being a confirmed bachelor and a flirt, and he does gives Arabella his attention at the ball. Soon enough, she has many would be suitors after her as well as a few marriage proposals. These men think that if Beaumaris is after Arabella, she must be quite the catch. Beaumaris figures he'll just flirt with her, but Arabella is already onto him, she knows what he is up to and she decides to use his attentions to her advantage. She wants to stay one step ahead of him, and refuses to take him seriously or fall in love with him. When Beaumaris realizes that Arabella is smarter than he first took her for, he decides to really charm her and make her fall for him. Before they know it, what started out as just a game, turns into something more serious for these two.

I'm a fan of Georgette Heyer and found Arabella to be sweet, funny and entertaining. The characters were great and the storyline was fun. I liked Arabella and Beaumaris's characters. It was cute how they flirted with each other, yet each played hard to get.

Pretty good. I've heard this writer recommended by those who also enjoy Jane Austen. While the book was pretty good, some of it was difficult to understand, mostly the language used by a certain character, but that would be improved if my knowledge of the dialect of the time was more versed. I did feel a slight inconsistency with the characters, but I think that is something that is very difficult to maintain. There was some sexual suggestion towards the end which I was really disappointed in.
The flow of the book was pretty good, it moved well.
All in all, I didn't love it, but it was pretty good.

Impetuosity is Arabella's only fault. That and being young and naive. At the same time she has very strong convictions about right and wrong and follows through on them, again to a fault. She is not a push over, nor is she vapid or overly frivolous. Being young and naive ends up being only endearing, and her convictions are admirable considering the time and place she is in. Her impetuosity though is what got her into trouble in the first place.

Arabella is one of eight children in a large family living in a country parish. Her father, the Vicar, is a strict man who raises his children to love, respect and care for all of their fellow creatures. She is from a respectable family, but her fortune is very, very small. Through a happy circumstance her godmother writes and says that she is willing to bring Arabella under her wing in London and sponsor her for a London Season!

On her way to London, traveling with a family friend, her carriage breaks down and she goes to a near by house seeking shelter. The man inside, Robert Beaumaris, is at first unwilling to entertain her and finally admits to his friend, inadvertently in her hearing, that he assumes that she was a fortune hunter and, hearing that he was home, made up this story to throw herself in his way. Arabella's impetuosity comes to life and she immediately puts on airs that in fact she is a "great heiress" of "large fortune" and attempts to put Mr. Beaumaris in his place. Soon this news is all over London, and Arabella finds herself the target of every fortune hunter of the Season. Now she somehow has to contrive finding a man that will love her for herself and not her money, and manage to avoid the biggest scandal of the Season on top of it!

This book reminded me a lot of the story Cinderella. The fairy godmother, the journey to the ball, erm, Season in a carriage, the poor girl elevated to rich circumstances and falling into the lap of a prince, well not literally a prince, more like a prince of fashion. There the similarities end. I enjoyed this book of Georgette Heyer's because, for the first time, it addressed the concerns of the lower classes. It depicted slums, orphans, abusive masters, and the very real and very harsh lives lead in the underside of London. Throughout the book Arabella tried to help these people even though it was considered scandalous, unbefitting, or beneath a young girl of her class to do so. She may have been considered a great heiress, but she was not a stranger to hard work, dedication to a cause, or to being truly concerned for people other than herself, regardless of their station in life.

I enjoyed reading the witty banter, the well constructed characters, and the engaging plot of this regency era take on the story of Cinderella. If you are all into stories of the regency than I think you will love it too.

Another Heyer favorite of mine (of which I have many!LOL), this story chronicles the escapades of Arabella. She is the eldest daughter of a vicar in the countryside, with 7 other siblings, and she has just received notice from her godmother in London that she will be sponsoring her coming out into polite society. She is one of Heyer's younger heroines, being only 17, but she is a very delightful heroine! She has beauty, intelligence, and a mind of her own.

While on her way to London, her carriage breaks down outside the estate of the hero, Mr. Robert Beaumaris. Mr. Beaumaris, called the "Nonpareil" by his peers, is THE gentlemen to emulate by those around him. Wealthy, handsome, fashionable, and above all, very cynical and bored. He has little trust for those of the more delicate gender, as so many chase after him for his money, so when Arabella and her chaperone seek shelter at his home he thinks Arabella is another scheming female only after his wealth.

When Arabella overhears Mr. Beaumaris saying this to his friend, she becomes incensed that he could think she's dangling after him and in a fit of temper she tells him she's a wealthy heiress. This little lie sets in motion a chain of events, many hilarious, that naturally culminates in a happy ending!

Of course, this being a Heyer book you will find wonderful secondary characters and very detailed descriptions of Regency England. And lots of humour and laugh-out-loud moments!

This is a delightful Regency era tale. Arabella is the eldest daughter in a large family of a poor clergyman and his former society wife. Arabella's mother manages to convince her husband to send Arabella off to London for the Season, in hopes that she can land a wealthy husband to improve her family's fortunes. On the way, a carriage accident leads her to meet wealthy bachelor, Robert Beaumaris, who she overhears saying that he felt the "accident" was engineered so they could meet him. Arabella decides to fire back and claims to be a wealthy heiress herself. Robert passes on the rumor of her wealth, which leads Arabella to be the toast of the town. She spends much time with Mr. Beaumaris and he begins to see the real girl as she rescues a stray dog, an abused boy chimney sweep and works to get her brother out of financial trouble from his gallivanting and gambling in London. All's well that ends well in this charming tale with a plucky and real heroine.

Georgette Heyer reigns supreme her ability to write fiction that is historically accurate and full of witty dialogue. I strongly dislike when authors impose 21st century language, morals and actions on preview generations, as it always comes across as false and awkward. Georgette Heyer recreated the Recency world and allows us to visit it for entertainment and relaxation.

Anyone who likes Regency romance who hasn't yet discovered Georgette Heyer is set for future hours of fantastic fun. She is the queen of Regency. All her Regency books are great, but this is one of my top 10 favorites. Maybe even my top 5.

The beautiful and penniless Arabella Tallant is about to make her London debut, thanks to the kind of generous invitation of her wealthy, widowed godmother. As the eldest daughter of a small country clergyman with seven other siblings, it is Arabella’s responsibility to marry a wealthy man that will help her support her brothers and sisters in obtaining prosperous futures. The families’ hopes rest on Arabella – after all she couldn’t possibly “be so beautiful for nothing.” ;)

However, in a moment of pique and impulsivity, Arabella makes a thoughtless decision that threatens to ruin her chances of ever finding an eligible match. Wanting to deliver a set down to the arrogant Mr. Beauramis (who had the gall to assume Arabella was chasing him for his fortune!), Arabella poses as a vastly wealthy heiress trying to escape unwanted attention from numerous fortune hunters. Little does she know that she is in the company of the Mr. Beauramis, the Nonpareil, the man whose fashions and habits are forever copied and approval and company so eagerly sought.

Never expecting her “little deception” to become such a tangled web, Arabella is in the awkward situation of receiving many marriage proposals, but all by suitors with pockets-to-let. Her conscience and fear of ruin forbid her from accepting any of these suitors. And while Mr. Beauramis thought he would simply amuse himself with taking an “unknown provincial” and elevating her “to the heights of society,” he never expected that he – the most sought after bachelor of the ton – would get caught in her web…

Oh, brace your hearts, readers! Robert Beauramis is an adorable and admirable hero that will make you swoon! While the ton may know him to be illustrious, elite, and reserved, deep down he is generous, considerate, and noble. He is a capable hero – a man of action – who isn’t afraid to do more than his duty, His charity towards Arabella and her “rescues” won my heart. But best of all is his relationship and conversations with Ulysses – a devoted mongrel who he is forced to house by Arabella. Loved how in-depth and humorous their exchanges were (especially when discussing Arabella) – utterly brilliant!

As a devoted admirer of all things Austenesque, I was quite elated to find so many nods and allusions to Jane Austen novels in this particular Heyer read – there seemed a quite bit more than usual. :) There are some parallels between Arabella Tallant and Catherine Moreland, who both come from very large and poor families, and find themselves experiencing their first adventures in an exciting metropolis. Mr. Beauramis and Mr. Darcy share some traits as well, with their fortunes, eligibility, and habit of voicing offending remarks within earshot of the young woman being insulted. I also delighted in spotting some lovely allusions to Jane Austen quotes ingeniously peppered throughout the tale as well:

“It is customary, you know, to exchange polite conversation during the dance.” - Mr. Beauramis page 128

“If your sentiments should undergo a change, one word – one look! – would be sufficient to appraise me of it.” - Mr. Beauramis page 226

While I would love to give this delightful read 5 solid stars, I’m held back by some slight dissatisfaction with our title heroine. While I loved her impetuousness, indignant sense of righteousness, and compassionate heart, I sometimes felt she was a little inconsistent. Since the first 130 pages of the novel don’t include any of her charity or concern for others, it seemed as if her social consciousness developed overnight. And when her desperate situation led her to contemplate a scheme that is filled with even more duplicity and brazenness than her first deception, I found her actions shocking and a little disappointing. I couldn’t agree with or like such behavior. In addition, I found the subplot with Arabella’s brother (which felt very predictable) to receive a little too much page time.

Nonetheless, I delighted in the entertaining and mad-cap adventure Arabella and Mr. Beauramis took me on! I can clearly understand why Arabella is a favorite of many Georgette Heyer fans! (My favorites remain Devil’s Cub, Cotillion, and Sylvester)

Austenesque Reviews

Innocent and more full of story and witticisms -- not to mention romance. -- than any 21st century romance. Heyer is, as always, funny and sexy, with always a puzzle for us to figure out. A joy. A lesser writer than Austen, she is preferable to those who attempt to write like Austen, and fail. Heyer is herself, a good read when you have read Pride and Prejudice too many times, but want to stay in that period. All women should read Heyer.

Arabella is one of my favourite Heyer books and part of its charm are the amusing conversations that Beaumaris has with the little dog Ulysses. The central idea that because Arabella isn't interested in Beaumaris, that piques his interest and makes him pursue her, works quite well except it's never entirely clear what it is about her that DOES attract him. Yes, she's pretty - although younger than his usual lady, but she is also innocent and unworldly and therefore makes mistakes that he appears (rather surprisingly) to find charming; she foists young orphans, mongrel dogs and penniless brothers on him (not usually guaranteed to snare your man) and she withholds the truth of her fortune from him - not knowing that he already knows it.

Beaumaris starts the book seeming jaded, bored - the typical rich Heyer hero (although untitled this time), but he seems to become more and more amiable as the book goes on, going against his better judgement in order to humour her in many areas (such as Jemmy the Climbing Boy that he takes in). His conversations with the dog are fantastic though - Heyer occasionally includes dogs in her books and she always gives a wonderfully affectionate and amusing portrait, such as Lufra in the book Frederica and Bouncer in The Reluctant Widow.

The book is a great fun read, with lots of interesting characters well-drawn. For me the only real disappointment is that we never really know quite why Beaumaris falls in love with Arabella, apart from her innocence and freshness, and also why he is so sure that she does really like him when she has given him so little encouragement.

Despite these negative comments, read it and enjoy it. It's well worth it!

I'll be honest: I have difficulty telling one Georgette Heyer apart from the other. In my mind, they all tend to tell the same story, but I think Heyer always does an excellent and charming job of recreating that story. Like numerous other Heyer regency romances, this is about a poor young woman who goes to London in search for a husband, and ends up nabbing the wealthiest and most eligible bachelor, largely by being a little naive, with a theatrical temper and compassion. Despite the fact that I KNOW I've read this story by Heyer before under numerous different titles, I found this book entertaining, the romance sweet, the whole trip was pleasurable and typically Heyer.

What do you call a Regency Era-based romance novel about a woman's white lie going too far? Brilliant. At least when Georgette Heyer writes it. Her intelligent writing, tangible descriptions, and witty dialogue all contribute to the success of what most people say makes this "the best Cinderella story yet to date". Occasional flips through a dictionary are needed as this author likes to use difficult words in her sentences that most people don't ever use in their whole lifetime. But don't let a few references to a big red book scare you away from this must-read.
The whole message of this story is great. Loving someone not because of their status but because of their genuine character is truly beautiful. And the surprises towards the end make you smile!
My discovery of the gracefully articulate Georgette Heyer provided me with remarkable reading material and additional insight into the Era that I find so fascinating. To be comparable to Jane Austen is certainly an honor and Heyer has surely achieved that in my opinion. Now that I have taken the journey into the world of Heyer, I am looking forward to reading some of her other books over the summer.
If this book sounds appealing to you, you owe it to yourself to read it. You won't regret it!

This is the best Cinderella-type regency that I have EVER read. Heyer has a wonderful gift and a unique sense of humor that is unequalled.
Arabella is the eldest daughter of a poor vicar and his wife who has pinned all her hopes on her eldest, most beautiful offspring marrying a rich man in order to help the family. The mother engineers a season in London for Arabella and while she was on the way, Arabella meets the wealthy, handsome Mr. Robert Beaumaris. They clash, he is entranced, she is in love and Arabella's season is unlike any other you'll ever read.
Mongrel dogs, chimney sweeps and limping prostitutes, not to mention gin-drinking babies are but a taste of what you might encounter in this wonderful romantic tale of love winning against all the odds.
Prepare to laugh out loud and long many times throughout the book!

This is one of those Heyer novels which come much closer to being termed a "Romance" in the modern sense of the word. Most Heyer books are pure comedy of manners almost akin to a P.G.Wodehouse, some are more romances than comedy. This book belongs to the latter group. This does not however mean that there is no comedy - how can there not be when its a Heyer writing ? The humour is rich and most witty.
Arabella is amongst Heyer's delightful heroines - and the hero amngst her more endearing. We also have Ulysses the dog who is superbly drawn. What I do miss in this book are the wealth of support characters who form the heart of the comic parts of most Heyer novels.
But all in all, its a jolly good novel - a laugh every page.

I had never read Georgette Heyer, even though I love Regency Romances. I liked the character Arabella from the start. She had the right mixture of kindness, sympathy, temper and audacity. When Mr.Beaumaris was first introduced I did not like him. But slowly, he responds to Arabella and she brings out the best in him. I enjoyed it too because it is well written, no sexual details, a wholesome story. It is now among my favorites. All for .99!

I love this period in English history and the romantic tales Georgette Heyer writes. There is a lot of history as well as the gallantry of the period. She captures both very well in humorous and delightful stories

Heyer does not disappoint in her artful rendering of mores and morals of the era--she beautifully sketches the humanity of her characters as it shines through the formal conversation of that time. Delightful and delicious reading!