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Oct 12, 2010

Abigail rated it:

Does every young lady secretly long to marry an English gentleman? Does it really matter? Such is the skill of Georgette Heyer, that be a girl's sentiments on the topic ever-so republican, these charming tales of Georgian hi-jinks and Regency romps will win her round, at least for the duration of the book...

Heyer, who is credited with inventing the "Regency Romance" genre, here spins a tale of the impulsive Arabella Tallant, a poor vicar's daughter, whose one "white" More...

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Apr 26, 2008

katie rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Jul 13, 2011

Kelli rated it:

An amazing book! This definitely has become one of my favorites (of Heyer's and over all). And just happens to be the first Heyer book I ever read!
I am in love with the wit. Heyer's characters, particularly in Arabella, are so hilarious and witty that I wish I could meet them. I especially love Mr. Beaumaris and his discussions with Ulysses. A genius idea that gave him much more depth, especially because Mr. Beaumaris' speeches to Ulysses are forth-telling and amusing.

I More...

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Apr 11, 2011

Rea rated it:

I really enjoy Heyer's style. It's so classy and you immediately get a feel for the period in which the story is set, which is something that a lot of writers don't bother with nowadays. Heyer did a huge amount of research for her books, wanting them to be as accurate as possible, and for me as a reader that really paid off: I get transported to Heyer's regency world each and every time.

This is a really enjoyable, amusing tale with a wonderful, engaging heroine and a swoon-worthy hero More...

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Feb 02, 2010

Adrienne rated it:

The daughter of a country clergyman, Arabella gets the chance to go to London stay with her rich godmother in hopes of finding a good husband. After being snubbed by the arbiter of fashion known as the Nonpareil, she pretends to be an heiress in a fit of pique. Soon all the fortune hunters in London are after her, and so is one very rich man - the Nonpareil himself. He's convinced himself he's just helping launch her onto the town to enjoy the spectacle, she's convinced that the accomplished rak More...

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Jan 11, 2010

Kathy rated it:

I LOVED this book! It was such a fun read with a very likable heroine, not to mention a very agreeable leading man, Mr. Beaumaris. Arabella is full of spunk and is not afraid of speaking her mind when she feels an injustice has been made, and somehow Mr. Beaumaris is the lucky one she turns to for assistance. I’m getting a little ahead of myself though, when first meeting they don’t care for one another. When Arabella overhears a *shocking* conversation between Mr. Beaumaris and Mr. Fleetwood, A More...

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Nov 30, 2009

Bookworm rated it:

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 i More...

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Sep 04, 2009

Nicole rated it:

Arabella Tallant is the eldest daughter of eight children and considered a Beauty. The Tallant family lives in a cozy parsonage, the father being Reverend Henry Tallant, in genteel poverty. With little aspiration for Arabella contriving a great match in Yorkshire (a must to help marry off the rest of the girls and provide a living for the son's) Mrs. Tallant's long-held dream has been to have Arabella's godmother, Lady Bridlington, sponsor a London season for Arabella. When the invitation comes More...

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Mar 18, 2010

Bitsy rated it:

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 More...

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Oct 31, 2010

Margaret rated it:

Arabella is a Cinderella story of sorts; on her way to stay in London with her rich godmother, the fortuneless heroine, Arabella, is forced to stop at the house of Robert Beaumaris, and out of pique, tells him that she's heiress to an immense forture. Though I'm generally made uncomfortable by plots which are founded on deceptions like this, Arabella's charm rescued it for me, and I quite enjoyed her romance with Beaumaris, which develops out of a growing friendship.

5 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 27, 2011

Kathryn rated it:

Arabella is one of my favorite Heyers. Its main strength is the characters; the titular heroine, despite her youth, isn't the least bit cowed by the demands of fashion or overset by the dissipations of the one Season her less-than-wealthy family is able to give her, as her clergyman father taught her excellent principles.

Arabella's besetting sin is impetuosity; on her way to London, when she overhears the handsome, wealthy Mr. Beaumaris arrogantly remarking on the schemes women have p More...

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Jan 26, 2011

Kermit's BFF rated it:

Before going into detail about Arabella , I really should mention the book's author, because it was seeing her picture that first intrigued me into picking up the book. The black and white picture provided by goodreads represents a pretty woman of undeterminable age, unremarkable. Fashionable, maybe of the thirties, wearing a funky WW hat with a feather and fur coat, almost post-flapper. I pictured a character more dramatic and romantic, probably single. Her name seemed to be popping up everywh More...

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Sep 24, 2010

Natalie rated it:

So, I'm trying to avoid reading a book. Yes, Deb, I'm trying to avoid reading the second book in the Hunger Games series. I'm pretty sure it will have some serious stuff going on in it. At the moment I'm in a fluffy book mood. My books at the moment need to be either, a). separated from my reality to a significant degree (ie fantasy with battles etc) or b). really funny and fluffy. So, when the weekend hit and I my library didn't dish out a hold that I wanted that fit the two requirements I had More...

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Nov 06, 2009

Debbie rated it:

I received this book as a review copy from the publisher. "Arabella" is an enjoyable Regency romance. The book had similarities to "Frederica": a charming heroine whose open innocence induces a jaded rich and popular fellow to think of others beyond himself. I liked "Frederica" a little better, but I certainly enjoyed "Arabella," too.

The characters were engaging. Their antics were amusing, and the romance was delightful and built slowly. The hi More...

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Aug 24, 2011

Sharanya rated it:

Adorable, adorable, adorable! I think Arabella is my favorite heroine of all the Georgette Heyer books I've read thus far. She is spunky and impetuous, and the way she comports herself throughout the book is refreshing! The story, too, between her and Robert Beaumaris (Again, I giggled at the name. Beaumaris? I think I preferred Ravenscar...) was unique and charming, and kept me engaged until the very end. It definitely threw me for a loop once or twice (the hero proposing marriage a little more More...

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Nov 30, 2009

April rated it:

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 differ More...

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Aug 04, 2009

Christy rated it:

This is by far the most cleverest plot that Georgette Heyer has created. Granted, I wouldn't call myself someone who has read a great part of her novels yet, but I'm getting there.

Arabella is headed to London to stay with her godmother who is going to introduce her into society. On the way there, her carriage breaks down and while waiting for help to arrive (where's a gas station when you need one?) she takes shelter in a nearby home that belongs to none other than the infamous Nonpa More...

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May 27, 2010

Sbuchler rated it:

Genre: Regency Romance

This is an amusing tale of a young impetuous and highly compassionate beauty (Arabella Tallant) and handsome, wealthy, but world-weary Robert Beaumaris, the Nonpareil of the Ton. Unusually for Heyer’s romances I think we spend more time seeing the hero’s thoughts then we do the heroine’s, which is a nice change-of-pace. My only complaints are with the charactors of the hero and heroine. Beaumaris is well-neigh omniscient as well as exceedingly competent at ever More...

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Jun 16, 2009

Fbeatriz rated it:

Mais um livro que adorei desta autora. É que não falha um, são todos adoráveis. Parece a Jane Austen mas mais animada e divertida! Sem dúvida que é uma das minhas autoras preferidas!
Neste livro, surge-nos Arabella,jovem de uma familia modesta, que vai para Londres, por intermédio de uma amiga da mãe que tem posses para que esta a apresente à sociedade, tendo em vista fazer um bom casamento.
Claro que as peripécias começam logo no início do livro, quando no caminho para Londres se part More...

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Feb 11, 2012

Chanae rated it:

I thought this book was much better then The Convenient Marriage. It was slow at the beginning, but I liked the two main characters and after it got going the story was pretty interesting. Especially once we find out that Mr. Beaumaris is not fooled by Arabella's charade of being an heiress. Thankfully the side story of Arabella's brother did not go on to long or become too boring, and the details on fashion and dress were not as painful in this book either.

The biggest thing that le More...

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Feb 01, 2011

ElaineY rated it:

It's so many, many, many years ago since I first read Arabella yet the scenes were so fresh in my mind when I read this a second time this week. If it hadn't been for the lunar new year preparations, I would have gobbled it up in one sitting. Nevertheless, having to wait for each Beaumaris fix has been one of my best anticipatory experiences:P

Despite some ponderous passages, Arabella was an even more charming tale than when I first read it and Robert Beaumaris even more drool-worthy. More...

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Jan 06, 2009

Taffy rated it:

When the librarian handed me a worn, red book with no dust jacket, I smirked. I judged the book by its lack of cover and decided I wouldn't like the story.
I am glad to say I was wrong!

Arabella is the oldest and most beautiful daughter of a Yorkshire clergyman. Her mama sends her to London to make a suitable match (hopefully wealthy). On the way, Arabella's borrowed coach breaks down and she is thrust into the acquaintance of Mr. Beaumaris.
Mr. Beaumaris is the mos More...

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Aug 08, 2011

Sho rated it:

Georgette Heyer - the chances of it being a Regency romance are high, and indeed that is exactly what Arabella is.

I love these novels, they are easy to read, well written and... well, that's about all I can say really. The heroes tend to be manly men (even though they can often dress in extremely foppish style) and the heroines tend not to be the vapid girly girls that the other young female characters are. The older female characters tend to be either grown up versions of vapid girly More...

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Nov 15, 2009

Farrah rated it:

Thanks to SourceBooks for sending me a copy to review Georgette Heyer’s novel “Arabella”. Who knew that a completely innocent historical romance would have me reading it all in one afternoon and evening? I am ashamed to say I nearly put the book away when I found myself bored with background information after reading the first 3 chapters but glad I kept reading because as you can see from the excerpt above in chapter 4, it just gets good! Ms. Heyer brings together a man who’s tired of being hunt More...

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Feb 20, 2011

Beth rated it:

Put simply, this book was lovely. A sort of Cinderella type Regency love story with all sorts of hilarious tidbits thrown in (including a mongrel dog, a prostitute named Leaky Peg, and a gin drinking baby).

Arabella comes to London to stay with her godmother who brings her out into society. As a result of an earlier meeting with Mr Beaumaris and Lord Fleetwood, the rumor that she is a wealthy heiress is spread around setting the stage for a novel filled with misunderstandings, intrigu More...

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Jan 07, 2010

Nancy rated it:

One of my favorite Heyer novels. It concerns the lovely (and socially conscious) Arabella, who becomes annoyed when the arrogant Mr. Beaumaris lets slip the fact that he thinks Arabella is angling to marry him for his fortune. Poor-as-a-church-mouse Arabella immediately claims to be the possessor of wealth untold, and shortly thereafter finds herself fighting off fortune-hunting suitors with a barge pole. Heyer's Arabella is more than just a pretty face - she is wildly inventive as well as wi More...

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Oct 20, 2009

Kate rated it:

I think the best part of Georgette Heyer's books is how loveable the characters are. This is my favorite book by her so far - Arabella is on her way to London when her borrowed carriage breaks down and she visits a nearby house to warm up. In a fit of pique after hearing herself referred to as a fortunehunter, she announces that she is an heiress. This will, of course, cause her no end of trouble when she gets to London and becomes the most popular poor girl around. Our hero is a little bit More...

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Sep 14, 2009

kaoyler rated it:

A delightful read. Heyer has a wonderful way with words and situations, and I found myself laughing out loud several times. Arabella Tallant is a penniless young woman whose godmother offers to bring her into society. On the way there she meets Robert Beaumaris, a very wealthy and influencial young man used to having women try all kinds of tricks to meet him. When Arabella overhears him make a comment about her trying to trap him, she counters by telling him and Lord Fleetwood that she is fr More...

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Jun 07, 2010

BookWorm rated it:

I'm not quite sure when I ran into Georgette Heyer's name and decided to pick up Arabella, but I am sure glad that I did. It's been a while since a book has entertained me as much as Arabella did. I was laughing out loud, and had to explain why a number of different times. The dialogue in the book was witty and realistic, and although I knew it was going to have a happy ending, it didn't feel like a forced happy ending.

If you don't like happy endings, don't read this book. If you wan More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 05, 2009

Cherylann rated it:

I finally finished! Arabella was a the October selection of The Ultimate Teen Book Guide Challenge, and now that I'm finished with it, I can say it was worth the read. Heyer writes in a style reminiscent of Jane Austen, and the subject of Arabella is something out of an Austen novel. I did find the book to be a VERY slow start. Arabella begins in a vicarage in Yorkshire, and the title character is hoping to be sent to London for the season. I think it took Heyer about 100 pages to actually More...

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