Frederica by Georgette Heyer

Frederica by Georgette Heyer Trade Paperback: 438 pages Publisher: SourceBooks CasaBlanca First Released: 1965 (now released in 2008)

Source: Review copy from publisher

Back Cover Description:
One of readers favorites, Frederica is full of surprises

When Frederica brings her younger siblings to London determined to secure a brilliant marriage for her beautiful sister, she seeks out their distant cousin the Marquis of Alverstoke. Lovely, competent, and refreshingly straightforward, Frederica makes such a strong impression that to his own amazement, the Marquis agrees to help launch them all into society.

Lord Alverstoke cant resist wanting to help her

Normally wary of his family, which includes two overbearing sisters and innumerable favor-seekers, Lord Alverstoke does his best to keep his distance. But with his enterprising - and altogether entertaining - country cousins getting into one scrape after another right on his doorstep, before he knows it the Marquis finds himself dangerously embroiled...


Review:
This novel is a Regency romance. There was a playful, light-hearted feel to this book that, along with the engaging characters, totally charmed me.

At the beginning, the hero was a cynic, and the heroine was a bit too controlling of her family (though always with the best of intentions). When together, though, they brought out the best in each other. As they spent time together, they fell in love almost without realizing it.

A large number of characters were introduced at the beginning, but their relationships to each other were clear and I was able to quickly sort them all out. The pacing was very good, and the world-building was excellent. The author skillfully wove a lot of details about the time period into the story (helped along in part by a young boy interested in the newest technologies of the day).

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is my favorite historical romance, but Frederica is now my second favorite. If you like Pride and Prejudice, I'd highly recommend that you give this book a try.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of swearing of the "Good God, no!" variety. Overall, I'd rate this "very good clean fun."


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Chapter One
Not more than five days after she had dispatched an urgent missive to her brother, the Most Honorable the Marquis of Alverstoke, requesting him to visit her at his earliest convenience, the widowed Lady Buxted was relieved to learn from her youngest daughter that Uncle Vernon had just driven up to the house, wearing a coat with dozens of capes, and looking as fine as fivepence. 'In a smart new curricle, too, Mama, and everything prime about him!' declared Miss Kitty, flattening her nose against the window-pane in her effort to squint down into the street. 'He is the most tremendous swell, isn't he, Mama?'

Lady Buxted responded in repressive accents, desiring her not to use expressions unbefitting a lady of quality, and dismissing her to her schoolroom.

Lady Buxted was not one of her brother's admirers; and the intelligence that he had driven himself to Grosvenor Place in his curricle did nothing to advance him in her good graces. It was a fine spring morning, but a sharp wind was blowing, and no one who knew him could suppose that the Marquis would keep his high-bred horses waiting for more than a few minutes. This did not augur well for the scheme she had in mind.