508 reviews for:

Arabella

Georgette Heyer

3.94 AVERAGE

everwilll3's review against another edition

5.0

lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

puggers13's review against another edition

3.0

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3.5

kizzybianca's review against another edition

4.5

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

buildingtaste's review against another edition

3.5

lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Short, but surprisingly slow-reading for what it is. This was my first Heyer but you can definitely see how she is pretty much the tropemaker and originator of the Regency Romance subgenre. The titular Arabella does what one might expect a spirited young heroine to do: impulsively pretends to be a wealthy heiress, foists animals and orphans on her seemingly aloof love interest, and reader, of course, she marries him. Not a spoiler.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse

Brief but prominent interlude of an abused child and dog entering the narrative. Both are rescued.

poachedeggs's review against another edition

3.0

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Entertaining enough, but not gripping.

princess71608's review against another edition

4.25

emotional funny lighthearted sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

lexicallauren's review against another edition

4.5

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

smartie1685's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

mrspenningalovesbooks's review against another edition

2.0

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This was our FHC book club choice, and while I found the Regency slang and banter between characters entertaining, I didn’t love the plot or setting. Arabella develops well beyond her single story, but overall, I wasn’t super attached to any of the characters or plot development. Arabella was a feminist, an advocate, and an activist of her own time, which was inspiring, but I found the writing to be mundane.

gailbird's review against another edition

4.0

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated