Arabella

Gossip, scandal and an unforgettable Regency romance

By: Georgette Heyer

Narrated by: Gemma Whelan

Brought to you by Penguin.

A Beloved Classic from the Queen of the Regency Romance

A fiery debutante. An ill-tempered bachelor. A romance for the ages.

Arabella, the daughter of an impoverished country parson, dreams of a new life in London. But her beauty and charm will only get her so far - and when Arabella embarks on her first London season armed with nothing but a benevolent godmother and her own notoriously short temper, she quickly runs afoul of Robert Beaumaris.

He's the most eligible bachelor of the day, with a personality as strong and combative as hers - and Arabella cannot abide him thinking of her as just another pretty girl after his wealth. So she allows herself to be provoked into a game of deception - one that could have unexpected consequences....

Arabella is a rich, dashing romance from Georgette Heyer, the legendary creator of the beloved Regency romance genre.

©1949 Georgette Heyer (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A wonderful wit.... I've read her over and over and over again." (Stephen Fry)

"Triumphantly good.... Georgette Heyer is unbeatable." (India Knight)

Georgette Heyer at her finest

Heyer's amazing humor and romantic tale spinning is always a delight. Yet again we are left chuckling and delighted by her amazing talent.

pleasant, good story line

just my cup of tea. not monumental book, but like. the perfect beach trip book to read.

Charming story!

I loved the character development and the journey of the characters to come together. The author did a fantastic job of delving into their minds and showing us how and why they made the important decisions that brought them to understand each other’s characters.

Wry we’ll done!

I have always loved Georgette Heyer books, but listening to this narrator to all the different voices, makes it even more enjoyable

Warm-Hearted Georgette

Arabella’s sense of justice leads her to hoax a proud prince of fashion, adopt a boy who’s suffered Dickensian abuse and finally own up to her own fibs. Delightful. The performance is very fine apart from a strange lapse. Heyer clearly intends Arabella’s godmother to be a comic foil, but the narrator plays her straight, just as the great Dame Judi Dench failed to find any fun in Oscar’s Aunt Augusta or Jane’s Lady Catherine. Still, recommended.

Good Narrator

Didn’t like the way she pronounced Beaumaris but other than that it was a pretty good narration.

Reading was very well done

it was a very fun read, the lady did a very nice job with voices and this story was Jane Austen like. and it was a clean book. really loved it and will recommend

Strong patient masculine lead with fun sense of the ridiculous.

I think this is my favorite of Ms Heyer’s novels. Delightful escapades indulged while the hero sits back and watches over his beloved.

very enjoyable!

Obviously, it's Heyer. it's also one of her best!

I thought the narration to be well above average. Yes, you have to understand she's giving the French pronunciation of Beaumaris, and phaeton was a little jarring, but if you look past those things, Gemma Whelan really does a spectacular job.

She grasps and conveys the humor, which, in a Heyer, is important. I'll definitely listen again. :)

An absolute delight from start to finish--Cinderella meets Pride and Prejudice

This was my first Heyer back in 2020 (before that I mistakenly thought her books were smutty bodice rippers instead of the delightful romantic comedies they actually are). Until recently it was very difficult to get most of her books in audio form in the US and I'm so pleased to see that changing. The narrator was excellent. Highly recommended!