120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Kia kaha te reo Māori! πŸ’œ Celebrate Māori Language Week with us!

The Enchanted April

By Elizabeth von Arnim
0.0 (0 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Four very different women escape the dreariness of London for a medieval castle on the Italian Mediterranean coast. Set in the Italian spring, The Enchanted April follows their journeys of unexpected friendship, personal growth, and heartwarming romance. This slyly comic novel explores new beginnings and the transformative power of nature.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$5100

International Supplier

This title is in-stock with overseas suppliers. While it is not available locally, we fly books in weekly from the US and UK to our Auckland warehouse for immediate dispatch.

AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 2-3 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Perfect for readers who enjoy witty, character-driven literary fiction and timeless stories of transformation and romance set in evocative locations.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The charming, slyly comic novel of romantic longing and transformation set on the Italian seaside, and the inspiration for the beloved 1992 film of the same name, for publication alongside Enchanted August, a contemporary reimagining from Pamela Dorman Books / Viking.

A Penguin Classic

The charming, slyly comic novel of romantic longing and transformation that inspired the Oscar-nominated film.

Four very different women escape the monotony of dreary London for the sunshine of Italy in a medieval castle on the Mediterranean. As each blossoms in the warmth of the Italian spring, they encounter unexpected friendship, personal growth, and heartwarming romance.

An immediate bestseller upon its first publication in 1922, The Enchanted April set off a craze for tourism to the Italian Riviera that continues today. This witty ensemble piece explores new beginnings, happiness, and the power of nature.

Penguin Classics is the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, representing a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

β€œThis delicious confection will work its magic on all.” β€” Daily Telegraph

β€œExtraordinarily well-written ... witty, human, often very beautiful.” β€” Punch

β€œBrims with magic and laughter.” β€” The Guardian

β€œOne of the wittiest novels in the English language ... a confection, a dream, a fleeting April romance ... hard to get this story out of your head.” β€” Brenda Bowen, author of Enchanted August

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780143107736

Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 June 2015

Country: United States

Imprint: Penguin USA

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Brenda Bowen

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 215g

Pages: 240

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Contemporary Romance Elizabeth von Arnim Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Black Classics

About the Author

Elizabeth von Arnim (1866-1941), a cousin of the writer Katharine Mansfield and a lover of H. G. Wells, wrote more than twenty books. Born in Australia, she spent most of her childhood in England and lived also in Germany, Switzerland, and France. She moved to the United States at the start of World War II and died in Charleston, South Carolina. Brenda Bowen(introducer) is the author of the novel Enchanted August,a contemporary reimagining of The Enchanted Aprilset in Maine. A former children's book publisher, and now a literary agent, she has written more than forty books under the name Margaret McNamara. She lives in New York.

Also by Elizabeth von Arnim

View all
  • The Enchanted April
    VINTAGE DECO - Nine blazing, daring novels to celebrate the 1920s - 100 years on. Now she had taken off her goodness and left it behind her like a heap of rain-sodden clothes, and she only felt joy. Mrs Wilkins and Mrs Arbuthnot, cowed and neglected by their husbands, make a daring planβ€”they will have a holiday. Leaving a drab...
    By Elizabeth Von Arnim
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Enchanted April
    Introducing Little Clothbound Classics β€” irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas, and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith. The Enchanted April, Elizabeth von Arnim's brilliant, irrepressible novella, tells the tale of four very different women who, upon answering an advertisement in The Times, find themselves far away from the drizzle of London and...
    By Elizabeth von Arnim
    Hardback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Elizabeth and her German Garden
    Twenty new titles in the much-loved and hugely successful Penguin English Library series "Oh, my dear, relations are like drugs, - useful sometimes, and even pleasant, if taken in small quantities and seldom, but dreadfully pernicious on the whole, and the truly wise avoid them" Taking respite from the Man of Wrath, her children, and her stifling household, Elizabeth discovers...
    By Elizabeth von Arnim
    Paperback
    $1799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Enchanted April
    Funny, irreverent and full of joy, this is the perfect book to accompany you on holiday β€” a celebration of escaping the everyday. With an introduction by Brenda Bowen Mrs Wilkins and Mrs Arbuthnot, cowed and neglected by their husbands, make a daring plan: they will have a holiday. Leaving a drab and rainy London one April and arriving on...
    By Elizabeth Von Arnim
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Enchanted April
    A funny and charming novel about four women in Italy, introduced by Salley Vickers. A notice in The Times addressed to 'Those who Appreciate Wistaria and Sunshine' advertises a 'small mediaeval Italian Castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let furnished for the month of April'. Four very different women take up the offer, escaping dreary London for...
    By Elizabeth von Arnim
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • All the Dogs of My Life
    Pre-order
    All the Dogs of My Life
    First published in 1936, All the Dogs of My Life is a brilliantly written account of all fourteen pet dogs owned by Elizabeth von Arnim throughout her life. With an introduction by Nina Stibbe, bestselling writer and author of Went to London, Took the Dog. From a beloved dachshund to a trouble-seeking Great Dane, via all manner of dogs large...
    By Elizabeth von Arnim
    Hardback
    $2500
    Pre-order
    Out 15 Sep 2026
  • The Enchanted April
    HarperCollins is proud to present a range of best-loved, essential classics. Seeking escape from their unfulfilling marriages and monotonous lives in 1920s England, two women become transfixed by an advertisement to rent a medieval Italian castle for the month of April. Lotty Wilkins, who feels stifled by her solicitor husband, and pious Rose Arbuthnot, discontented in her relationship, are joined...
    By Elizabeth von Arnim
    Paperback
    $1099
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Enchanted April
    Four women, with very different backgrounds and characters – the artless Lottie Wilkins, the pious Rose Arbuthnot, the cantankerous Mrs Fisher, and the haughty Lady Caroline Dester – respond to an advertisement in The Times offering a medieval castle to rent in Italy that April. As their joint holiday begins, tensions flare up between them, but they soon bond over...
    By Elizabeth von Arnim and Elizabeth von Armin
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Father
    'There came a moment, she imagined, in the lives of most unmarried daughters, and perhaps in other people's too, when they must either bolt or go permanently under.' Since her mother's death, Jennifer has devoted years of her life to her father, managing the family home and acting as his secretary. After the sudden announcement that he has taken a...
    By Elizabeth von Arnim
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Introduction to Sally
    A Pygmalion-style story told with von Arnim's characteristic wit and charm, this novel introduces us to Salvatia (known as Sally), a much longed-for child to humble shopkeepers. Sally grows up to be an extremely beautiful girl, attracting the attentions of every man who sees her. When her mother dies, her father decides it is just too difficult to defend her...
    By Elizabeth von Arnim
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • The Enchanted April
    A discreet advertisement in The Times, addressed to 'Those who Appreciate Wisteria and Sunshine...' is the impetus for a revelatory month for four very different women. High above the bay on the Italian Riviera stands San Salvatore, a mediaeval castle. Beckoned to this haven are Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs Arbuthnot, Mrs Fisher and Lady Caroline Dester, each quietly craving a respite....
    Hardback
    Sold Out

More from General Fiction

View all
  • The Wedding People
    'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people β€” but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...
    By Alison Espach
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Yesteryear
    A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE β€” Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE β€” Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE β€” Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS β€” Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale β€” Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...
    By Caro Claire Burke
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Fourth Wing
    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NUMBER ONE GLOBAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON! DON'T MISS OUT ON THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'This book contains an addictive, drug-like essence that will make you relinquish all responsibility until the very last word. Do not say I didn't warn you' Glamour 'I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and when I finished, I...
    By Rebecca Yarros
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Iron Flame
    The instant number one Sunday Times bestseller and thrilling sequel to the global phenomenon, Fourth Wing! DON'T BE THE LAST TO DISCOVER THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'Yarros is the true inheritor of Harry Potter and inspires Hunger Games levels of devotion' Guardian 'Fear not, levels of fighting, rebelliousness and all-round sexiness are still sky-high' Daily Mail...
    By Rebecca Yarros
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Hardback
    $4699
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Theo of Golden
    THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came from…His name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance –...
    By Allen Levi
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses
    The first instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON and TikTok sensation, from multi-million selling and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan – Time Harry Potter magic, Taylor Swift sass, Fifty Shades-level athleticism – The Sunday Times With bits of Buffy, Game of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dungeon Crawler Carl
    The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    New Release
    Carl's Doomsday Scenario
    Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl seriesβ€”now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition. Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever feline...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Gate of the Feral Gods
    The fourth book in the explosive LitRPG Dungeon Crawler Carl series New Achievement! Total, Utter Failure.You failed a quest less than five minutes after you received it. Now that's talent. Surviving in a multilevel dungeon that also happens to be the set of the galaxy's most watched game show has taught Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Hardback
    $6000
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Court of Silver Flames
    The latest instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James – Telegraph Spiced with slick plotting and atmospheric world-building...
    By Sarah J. Maas
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook
    Carl and Princess Donut have to team up with other contestants to not just survive, but to solve a deadly puzzle in this third, mind-twisting novel in the addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition! Carl and Donut have survived so far, but this fourth level is unlike anything they could imagine. The...
    By Matt Dinniman
    Hardback
    $4700
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

General Fiction lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all