• Emily Goes to Exeter

  • The Traveling Matchmaker, Book 1
  • By: M. C. Beaton
  • Narrated by: Helen Lisanti
  • Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (958 ratings)

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Emily Goes to Exeter  By  cover art

Emily Goes to Exeter

By: M. C. Beaton
Narrated by: Helen Lisanti
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Publisher's summary

The New York Times bestselling Traveling Matchmaker series begins with a Regency tale of seductive subterfuge—from the author of the Agatha Raisin novels

A dead employer’s legacy of five thousand pounds allows spinster Hannah Pym to resign from housekeeping and find adventure traveling the English countryside by coach. But the adventure soon finds Miss Pym traveling with Miss Emily Freemantle, a spoiled, violet-eyed beauty fleeing an arranged marriage to a rake she has never met. When Emily’s darkly handsome betrothed boards their stage, Miss Pym is certain the girl was rash to bolt from this aristocratic catch! So, as soon as the travelers repair to an inn, Miss Pym begins her matchmaking. Although Lord Ranger Harley complains he’ll not marry an ungrateful minx, Miss Pym suspects once she’s marshaled the couple into sharing intimate household chores, all romantic knots will be untangled.

©1990 Marion Chesney (P)2012 AudioGO

What listeners say about Emily Goes to Exeter

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

MC Beaton Gives Us a History Lesson...

Marion Chesney a/k/a M.C. Beaton is known for her quick read Hamish MacBeth series as well as Agatha Raisin. While I enjoy the HM series I was in the mood for regency and had no idea that this author was so well versed in the era. This is a history lesson in coach travel at the time. MCB often starts somewhat slow but then the pace picks up and off we go as fast as a flying machine (or traveling coach!). The main character (NOT Emily) is Hanna Pim, a spinster and former housekeeper. You will fall in love with sweet little Hanna and I found myself finishing the series NOT because I cared so much about Emily (it's a romance, we know there will be HEA "Happily Ever After") coming her way but Hanna I wasn't so sure about. This is a little gem hidden in a world of ridiculous harlequin romances. The narration is OUTSTANDING. I cannot say enough about Helen Lisanti and her skill at doing both male and female voices. She really is one in a million. Take the time to enjoy The Traveling Matchmaker books!

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Entertaining!

This was my first book by M.C. Beaton and although it was different than I expected, I thoroughly enjoyed it...and Helen Lisanti gave a wonderful performance.

In "Emily Goes to Exeter" we are introduced to Miss Hannah Pym, a former housekeeper who has come into a small inheritance when her employer dies. Miss Pym decides to use her money on her life-long ambition. All her life she has watched the "Flying Machine" (stagecoach) pass by her window, and finally she has the chance for her own adventure!

Miss Pym's first ride on a "Flying Machine" is indeed an adventure: Highway Men, Blizzard, Mystery and Match Making!

This is a "clean romance" - fun and funny, drama and hilarious escapades. Worth listening to at any age.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Sweet

Sweet and light. Nothing too overwhelmingly exciting, but cute and easy to read. I liked it. I love a good murder mystery, political intrigue, and interesting space opera, but I also like to read books that are just nice and easy. This is an enjoyable book and a fun start to a series. I have downloaded the next book as well.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fun!

I really enjoyed this one. Unlike many Regency novels, this has an actual plot. Plucky heroine, likeable characters, danger, intrigue, unknown villain, and the promise of more adventures to come.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

cute, if a bit predictable

What other book might you compare Emily Goes to Exeter to and why?

The book reminds me of Alexander McCall Smith's books, with a thoughly "good" main character, smooth rythm of the story, and attention to background.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

To me, the performance seemed consistently irritating - half of the characters sound like whispy toddlers.

Any additional comments?

Overall, a lovely book, especially if you find the narrator tolerable; I am definitely downloading the next book from the series.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting

What does Helen Lisanti bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

You can feel the people coming out of the book. She expresses them very well

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

love the matchmaker

Where does Emily Goes to Exeter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I loved this book. I was only expecting a story about a housekeeper, kind of like a Downton Abbey from the staff perspective. But I got more than I bargained. Hannah is smart and full of adventure. I could relate to the character and her desire to travel and seek out adventure. There is a bit of romance and mystery. I loved the book and can't wait to continue the series.

What did you like best about this story?

There's a lot more to people than just what you see. God made us each so uniquely. It offered more than just a love story.

What does Helen Lisanti bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She brings life to the different characters. You could imagine them in your mind.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Come on an adventure: Mystery, matchmaking and mayhem.

Any additional comments?

Can't wait to start the next book!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Good Narrator, Boring Story.

The narrator did such a good job. Unfortunately, however, I found the story to be quite predictable, dull, and without much depth. My favourite parts about clean period/historical romance novels are their ability to sweep me off of my feet, transport me to another time, and capture my heart with the story. This book did none of these things.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • KT
  • 01-17-23

Should be called 'Spinster Hannah's Adventures'

This one was not my cup of tea
The story is more about Hannah Prym and her adventures as a newly created gentle woman, shedding her lifelong station as a servant. I was disappointed by several aspects of the story. The plot was not very engaging.... a little boring actually. I had hoped that since the centeral.character was Hannah, not Emily, that Hannah would have been the one to find love and romance. Instead the story is really about how Hannah goes to great lengths to play matchmaker to others, not just Emily.

As we focus on Hannah, much emphasis is placed on her inadvertently teaching others about the hardships of the servant class... It felt like a political declaration disguised as a Regency romance. The romance portion is about Emily, yes, but all about how she had to learn to empathy and humility in order to be worthy of her aristocratic marriage. Again, it felt the author was lecturing.

Finall, the language used was apparently true to the time period of the Regency. Though I have read a few similar novels, I was confused by many of the references here. Though I seem to have no issue reading the Brontes or Austen, I struggled with this author.

The narration was fine but like the story not terribly enticing.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Cute.

Predictable and would be most suitable for young adults in the early 1900’s but cute.

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1 person found this helpful