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Arabella / Bath Tangle / The Nonesuch
574 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Georgette Heyer
290 books5,610 followersGeorgette Heyer was a prolific historical romance and detective fiction novelist. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel The Black Moth.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
In 1925 she married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. Rougier later became a barrister and he often provided basic plot outlines for her thrillers. Beginning in 1932, Heyer released one romance novel and one thriller each year.
Heyer was an intensely private person who remained a best selling author all her life without the aid of publicity. She made no appearances, never gave an interview and only answered fan letters herself if they made an interesting historical point. She wrote one novel using the pseudonym Stella Martin.
Her Georgian and Regencies romances were inspired by Jane Austen. While some critics thought her novels were too detailed, others considered the level of detail to be Heyer's greatest asset.
Heyer remains a popular and much-loved author, known for essentially establishing the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 2, 2021
Georgette Heyer's characters are varied, credible, and many grow and mature as the plot unfolds. What Georgette Heyer does have in common with Jane Austen is her wit, her lightness of touch, her gift for period detail, her ability to create credible, multi-dimensional characters whom feel you'd recognise if you saw them on the street, her ability to set the scene so that you feel you are there, her genius for witty but everyday dialogue. She is such a brilliant writer.
Georgette did intend her historical romances to be light reading and I prefer her Regency romances where she paid loving attention to period detail including historical events, facts, slang and real people such as Beau Brummell, the Regent, the Duke of Wellington.
Georgette did intend her historical romances to be light reading and I prefer her Regency romances where she paid loving attention to period detail including historical events, facts, slang and real people such as Beau Brummell, the Regent, the Duke of Wellington.
June 3, 2021
Didn't like Bath Tangle above half--too much waspishness between the protags.
Arabella, however, I loved. The perfect story of an innocent but strong country miss going into Society for the first time and the unattainable heart she claims. From a fateful lie to three (socially) shocking rescues, she believes she has ruined her chances at making a respectable match, but it turns out she's just what the season's matrimonial prize has been looking for. It's kind of a Cinderella story, but with a lot more spirit, some good insight into the troubling situations of the time, and a dose of wholesome moral values to save the day (and the rake).
And the Nonesuch--oh, so good. A social idol who is so normal and approachable and big-hearted that you fall in love with him almost at once, and a heroine who is stalwart and clever and graceful and genteel, yet unassuming enough to skate beneath the radar--at least until the Nonesuch sees through her facade and falls madly in love with her. Plenty of hijinks as the two responsible ones sort out the affairs of the younger, inexperienced or spoiled characters, and a really dreadful misunderstanding that nearly ruins it all. (But never fear, its a HEA)
Arabella, however, I loved. The perfect story of an innocent but strong country miss going into Society for the first time and the unattainable heart she claims. From a fateful lie to three (socially) shocking rescues, she believes she has ruined her chances at making a respectable match, but it turns out she's just what the season's matrimonial prize has been looking for. It's kind of a Cinderella story, but with a lot more spirit, some good insight into the troubling situations of the time, and a dose of wholesome moral values to save the day (and the rake).
And the Nonesuch--oh, so good. A social idol who is so normal and approachable and big-hearted that you fall in love with him almost at once, and a heroine who is stalwart and clever and graceful and genteel, yet unassuming enough to skate beneath the radar--at least until the Nonesuch sees through her facade and falls madly in love with her. Plenty of hijinks as the two responsible ones sort out the affairs of the younger, inexperienced or spoiled characters, and a really dreadful misunderstanding that nearly ruins it all. (But never fear, its a HEA)
November 21, 2016
I liked the overall story of Arabella but, it wasn't my favorite G. Heyer book. I get impatient as she describes the fashions, clothing, dress - etc. I wish she described more of the spunky nature of Arabella and Robert's clever wit.
November 11, 2017
Regency
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews