Merry Christmas, everyone! Here’s a romp for Christmas Day.
The vicarage children are excited to learn whether their mother’s best friend will invite their sister Arabella for a season in London, in the hopes she can make an eligible match. The invitation arrives from Lady Bridlington, and then the worry is that the upright Reverend Tallant will not allow her to go.
Soon Arabella is on her way to London from Yorkshire. But the perch of her uncle’s old carriage breaks, and she sees nothing wrong with going to the nearest house for shelter. Unfortunately, it is the hunting box of Robert Beaumarais, a leading figure in society and a very wealthy man, who assumes she is one of many girls trying to make his acquaintance. When she hears him saying this to his friend Lord Fleetwood, she says she is the rich Arabella Tallant, who hoped to be unrecognized in London.
Beaumarais sees through this lie but maliciously lets the indiscreet Lord Fleetwood think he knows about her. He also decides to make her debut a sensation. Soon, Arabella is a success but doesn’t dare accept anyone’s proposal because she realizes that they all think she is rich, whereas she has no money at all.
Although she is in an awkward position, she is enjoying herself. But then her brother Bertram, who is supposed to be at Oxford, arrives and begins to get himself into financial difficulties. To make things worse, Arabella has begun to realize she cares for Beaumarais and is afraid to admit her deceit.
Arabella is an adorable heroine, and Beaumarais a likable hero, as he fondly watches her dig herself deeper into trouble, hoping she will confide in him. Heyer is at her best and funniest with these absurd plots.
whatmeread 
I remember loving this one, and happily it’s currently the one I have on my TBR! (I always like to keep a Heyer on my TBR in case of emergencies requiring a comfort read! :D)
A great author for emergency comfort reads!
I’m a Georgette Heyer lover from WAY back. As I’ve grown older, and read far and wide, I find her still to be one of the great stylists. Every word is just right; every sentence is graceful; every paragraph is perfect. Nothing in her writing is superfluous: everything adds either to the plot, to characterization, or to atmosphere. I think it’s a great shame that she’s often relegated to the romance category, when, in reality, she writes wonderful comedies of manner.
You might be interested in this short video: Stephen Fry really admires her. . . stephen fry dedicates plaque to georgette heyer – Search Videos (bing.com) https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=stephen+fry+dedicates+plaque+to+georgette+heyer&qpvt=stephen+fry+dedicates+plaque+to+georgette+heyer&FORM=VDRE
Happy holidays!
Stephen Fry does the introduction to the Folio Society edition of this book and the other recent ones I’ve posted.
Remember loving reading Georgette Heyer. I think I have read this one, but many years ago. Sounds like a re-read could be a good choice.
I would always advise a re-read of Heyer.
It’s been a while since I read a new to me Heyer. I keep on re-listening to the ones I have on audio because they are so good!
Thanks for sharing your review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge!