Heyer’s flawed yet deeply engaging regency romances are my personal palette cleanser. They are my go-to novels as I take a break from intense books or when trying to change genres. Language and character development satisfies the literary snob in me, while the plot line is fluffy enough to entertain over-worked, hassled mom who doesn’t have the time for complex storylines.
About Frederica
Frederica does not differ from her other works – predictable yet fun. A rich and arrogant Marquis has to undertake the guardianship of a precocious set of distant cousins. The eldest of the four cousins is Frederica, who, though not as pretty as her younger sister, is charming,witty, clever and unpretentious. Extremely different from any sort of gold-diggers that Marquis is used to.
Dance at Almack’s is permanent feature of Heyer novels
“The Marquis believed himself to be hardened against flattery. He thought that he had experienced every variety, but he discovered that he was mistaken: the blatantly worshipful look in the eyes of a twelve-year-old, anxiously raised to his, was new to him, and it pierced his defences.”
― Frederica
Of course they are going to fall in love, but it’s how that happens is extremely entertaining with several laugh out loud plot lines. What also sets this apart is that the focus of the story is not the love story, but the relationships of all the characters. The Marquis relationships with his older interfering sisters, Frederica’s dynamic with her siblings, the parallel sub-plots of other couplings and most interestingly the Marquis’ transformation from a careless bachelor into a family man who becomes a father-like figure to Frederica’s underage brothers.
Heyer’s historical novels provide an insight into Georgian high society, fashion, lifestyle and culture of courtship. As a feminist, I have several issues with the way women are represented – the dumb-blonde-beauty stereotype, the not-pretty-but-clever stereotype, the end-goal-of-women’s-life-is-marriage stereotype, the arrogant-masculine-jerk hero stereotype.
But one doesn’t read Regency romances for the social commentary; they are to provide an escape into a silly, funny world where everyone looks good, has money and can find love. An excellent diversion at the most.
For more book reviews, go here
