Georgette Heyer lived in the 20th century but set her most
famous novels in the Regency period of early 19th-century Britain. She
is sometimes recommended to fans of Jane Austen. Her Regency romances
share not only Austen's time frame but also their ending with a
marriage or engagement.
Arabella, the eldest daughter of a country vicar, is invited to London
by her godmother, a wealthy old friend of her mother’s, to find a
husband. She’s beautiful and mistakenly thought an heiress, attracting
many suitors. The hero isn’t deceived, but rather than thinking her a
fraud, he’s amused by watching her progress in society. Arabella impresses
him with being different from the typical debutante: She cares about an
abused young chimney-sweep and a mistreated dog, and she does not
appear intent on capturing him.
Arabella is a takeoff on Pride and Prejudice. The spirited,
charming heroine needs a husband to secure her future. She isn’t
attracted to the wealthy hero at first because he seems proud and
stiff. By the time she changes her mind, she fears that her own folly
and that of a family member make their union impossible. The hero
proves his love by rescuing her sibling from scandal.
Heyer doesn’t have Austen’s seriousness of purpose, but she is a smooth
writer who creates charming characters and witty dialogue. She is more
interested than Austen in details of Regency fashions in dress and
houses, customs and speech. She was a
prolific writer, turning out 24 Regency romances and 30 other novels
that ranged from historical to mystery.
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