Frederica

Jun 04, 2009 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: brit-lit, fiction, romantical, regency, owned, its-the-quiet-ones

One of the better realized Heyers. A mature romance, Frederica follows the trials and tribulations of the slightly older (mid twenties, oh no, over the hill!) long suffering title character as she tries to give her beautiful (and silly, of course) sister a London season and keep the rest of her siblings under control- with the help of her "cousin", the Marquis of Alverstoke. Let the hijinx appropriate to a tale full of young, enterprising boys, an emotional, silly sister, and a Marquis quite una...more One of the better realized Heyers. A mature romance, Frederica follows the trials and tribulations of the slightly older (mid twenties, oh no, over the hill!) long suffering title character as she tries to give her beautiful (and silly, of course) sister a London season and keep the rest of her siblings under control- with the help of her "cousin", the Marquis of Alverstoke. Let the hijinx appropriate to a tale full of young, enterprising boys, an emotional, silly sister, and a Marquis quite unaccustomed to putting himself out for anyone ensue!

This book feels more modern than some others. It is similiar in tone and presentation to Venetia, another of her mature romances in which the eventual happy lovers become very believable friends first. In fact, in Frederica, were I not already aware that I was reading a romance novel, I would have very much doubted, up until about 200 pages in, that Frederica and the Marquis were going to get together at all. It was a refreshing surprise to experience that. Much appreciated. Heyer also indulged herself in a way unusual for her- as the novel progressed, we got long trips inside the characters' heads to see their feelings developing. Heyer almost never does this- her novels are social comedies, and they are accordingly very outward. We must deduce everything we know about the characters from what they say and do alone. And I really have to say, I think I prefer her writing that way- her experiment in writing thoughts tended to make her writing a bit melodramatic, and remind me of the run of the mill romance novels I generally consider Heyer to be far and away better than.

The Marquis was irritatingly perfect, and it did feel like Heyer indulged her fantasies of perfection just a little bit much with him. He always knew just the thing to say, and he was always just so, just enough this, and not /that/, and if he had flaws, well! so understandable, even admirable! The same thing goes with the mischevious younger brothers. Well, if they get up to possibly life endangering escapades... of course one wishes they wouldn't.. but not really, how could one wish boys without spirit?! And they always seem to have such a talent for getting out of things just right, as of course everyone likes them and wants to help them!, and in a socially acceptable and excellently resourceful way! At least it would seem so to those of the company who are "right ones," and know the proper way of viewing the world! Heyer's ceaseless, tireless categorization of everything that is said and done as right or wrong, not /quite/ one one would wish, etc,... did get a little tiresome. It felt like she was more pushy with it in this one than others. Maybe its also just that I've just read too much Heyer, though!

But! That all said- I adored Frederica, and her siblings were really quite amusing, and I appreciated the different view of the London Season, where all the balls and parties were secondary, not the focus of things, and we saw another, more domestic side of life. I appreciated the adventures that all the minor characters got, and the great big slice of London that we got- Heyer showing off her historical research in a wonderful way. Well written, witty and warm, I certainly do recommend it to all Heyer fans.(less)

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Aug 18, 2008 Abigail rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Georgette Heyer Fans / Regency Romance Readers

Shelves: georgette-heyer, romance

Review Temporarily Removed.

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Sep 04, 2011 Estara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of romance with sparkling dialogue and great characters

Recommended to Estara by: one of my favourite Heyers in German, let's see what it sounds like in English

Shelves: re-read, read-in-2011, ebook, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Yes, it's excellent to read an old, very often re-read book in the original language for the first time and find it just as good as the German translation was - these books have been in print in one form or another in Germany since the 60s and there is a reason for that!

This is romance, set in a rarified world - true - but all the characters live and breathe and have a life outside of the romance itself. The children are children with their own interests, they are themselves and not plot moppets...more Yes, it's excellent to read an old, very often re-read book in the original language for the first time and find it just as good as the German translation was - these books have been in print in one form or another in Germany since the 60s and there is a reason for that!

This is romance, set in a rarified world - true - but all the characters live and breathe and have a life outside of the romance itself. The children are children with their own interests, they are themselves and not plot moppets (I love that term, by the way). It's totally believable to me that Alverstoke starts liking them for themselves and for what they see him as and for how he enjoys them when he's together with them, and that he makes mistakes when he misjudges how to deal with them and occasionally has triumphs and everything!

I love how Frederica may be managing and totally self-assured in her aims, with blinders as to what others of her family want - but it is shown that she had to become this after her mother's death or the whole family would basically have dissolved. I love that Harry is as selfish as their father, but has a core of real appreciation for the work that Frederica takes off him and is occasionally willing to put himself out for the family and is not the reckless gambler the father was.

Teenager Jessamy as Early Christian Martyr is so real, even if that version of ardent desire probably rarely shows up amongst teenagers these days (maybe in very religious families?). The fact that he actually gains an awareness of the burden Frederica shoulders and wants to help her, makes him settle down quite a bit eventually.

Felix is simply new science mad - and totally selfish about it. He's not even in his teens I believe, may be ten, this is how kids are. He's ruthless and charming, and people just can't be mad at him for long. The only thing he rues about the balloon adventure is the pain it eventually brings him.

This is a romance where both protagonists become sure of their feelings for one another (even if Frederica who has never known romantic love doesn't recognise it yet) while NURSING A CHILD in a critical condition! And then when the romantic declaration is on the mind of Alverstoke, Frederica is still thinking about "Restorative Pork Jelly" for Felix ^^ - Heyer at best form really has the perfect timing and she doesn't need deus-ex-machina for it either, that's just how people often are at cross purposes.

The totally selfish older sisters of Alverstoke, the dying-away airs of Mrs. Dauntry as the original root for Alverstoke accepting his role in the Merriville's launch into the ton are perfect, too. And Alverstoke does not reform his personality as such, not even in the end, he just realizes that he is willing to put himself out for a select few other people: Jessamy, Felix and Frederica, whom he has become so aware of that he wants to help her carry her burdens and who never bores him. It works for me, even at only two months acquaintance, even at the age gap (not so rare in those days: Alverstoke is 37, Frederica is 24).

And there are Charles Trevor who absolutely DAZZLES in the denouement of Charis and Endymion's affair, and in general is incredibly competent (but falls in mutual love with a girl too young for him and in no way useful for his future political career), as well as Elizabeth Kensmere - the only other common sense person in Alverstoke's family -, who have to embarrass Alverstoke and Frederica into talking to each other despite various family crises ^^ - lovely.

In the end I just have to leave you with the quote de resistànce - that's what falling in love is:

(view spoiler)(less)

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May 21, 2013 Kelli rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

The dialog is classic Heyer. So good and witty. I love her ideas for plots and her study of people in general. Its so entertaining. A lot of people have this one as there very favorite. I differ in that regard because, while I think its very witty and quality writing, the story did drag some. And this storyline isn't my favorite kind in Heyer's collection of stories. Still, read this just for the fun dialog and hilarious things Frederica's family says and does.

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Sep 05, 2011 The UHQ Nasanta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-historical-romance, romance, romance-clean-closed-doors, e-books, e-books-kindle, own, read-books-2011, favorites, heroes-that-impressed, reviewed

4 - 4.5 stars

No, we do not have the perfect hero, the rake who is good to his elders, loving to his siblings, gallant to the distressed, and saves puppies or kitties. Instead, we have the Marquis who does his best to dodge his responsibilities to his family, has little to no affection for his siblings, and is quite selfish. What a refreshing change this was from historical romances written by modern-day authors!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Marquis find himself in a situation that was more...more 4 - 4.5 stars

No, we do not have the perfect hero, the rake who is good to his elders, loving to his siblings, gallant to the distressed, and saves puppies or kitties. Instead, we have the Marquis who does his best to dodge his responsibilities to his family, has little to no affection for his siblings, and is quite selfish. What a refreshing change this was from historical romances written by modern-day authors!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Marquis find himself in a situation that was more than he bargained for when he decided to play his trick on his sister and cousin. I liked watching him change from an entirely selfish creature to one who was able to care about Frederica and her younger brothers. Yet, he doesn't make a 180 degree change. He still retains his derision for tiresome people such as his elder sisters, his cousins and even Frederica's beautiful younger sister. However, at least in regards to Frederica's sister, he manages to hide his true feelings in order to spare her tender feelings and not offend Frederica.

Frederica initially seemed like a young, chatty ingenue, instead of the de facto head of the family. Although she was described as being quite capable, I actually don't recall much evidence of her managing her family affairs very well without having to rely on "Cousin Alverstoke". However, her siblings do look upon her as the virtual head of the family. Aside from very tiny, subtle hints that Frederica might be feeling more than gratitude to Cousin Alverstoke, it wasn't until the end of the book when the reader gets a confirmation that Frederica does love him. When it came to romance, it was not very convincing. Nevertheless, if I put myself in her shoes, I can kind of understand why Frederica was not able to recognize her true feelings because I think that I would have been just like her.

As secondary characters, I found Frederica's two youngest brothers to be quite engaging. I enjoyed the scrapes that Felix got into in his attempts to learn more about mechanics, but I found Jessamy to be more interesting - a mix of a young man trying to become saint-like but showing flashes of the boy he still is. Frederica's sister, Charis, was a bit boring but towards the end, she got a bit tiresome and silly. I could not disagree with the Marquis's feelings toward her. I found Alverstoke's sisters to be as disagreeable as Alverstoke found them, but I thought that despite the eldest's dislike of her younger sister getting anything more than she herself got, she was still rational enough to consider the Merrivilles somewhat objectively and find the prospect of Frederica as her sister-in-law to be acceptable. However, this complacency is probably due to her elder daughter being quite eligibly engaged already unlike her poor sister.

In short, I really enjoyed this book. I give it 4-4.5 stars. (less)

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Jun 03, 2009 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, georgette-heyer, historical-fiction, read-in-2009

Lord Alverstoke is bored. Bored with mother's parading their daughters in front of him, hoping he'll bite and bored with the constant demands of his sisters to assist with his neice's coming out ball. Being a wealthy bachelor is not only a blessing, it can be a curse.

Enter Frederica. Frederica and her siblings travel to London with the hopes of applying to Lord Alverstoke, their father's cousin, for help to introduce her sister to the ton. Charis, is a natural beauty and Frederica is sure she co...more

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Mar 03, 2009 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Frederica has been my favourite novel of the four I have read now and I think Frederica Merriville is the strongest female character created by Heyer so far. Frederica is determined to give her beautiful younger sister Charis a season in London to make a comfortable marriage. She asks very distant relation Marquis of Alverstoke to hold a ball at his London home to present her sister to the Ton and the Marquis agrees, but only to gain revenge upon his sister and relieve his persistent boredom. So...more

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May 14, 2013 Jenelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-the-past

My second attempt at Heyer was no good. She can be quite entertaining, but good grief, sometimes sooo tedious!

It is unfortunate that her opening info-dumps are painfully long and so thick in Regency stylization because it requires quite a but of effort to wade into and get absorbed by the story.

Once the action and dialogue finally begin, it's much easier to get sucked into the lives of her characters, which as I said before, are clearly the strongest feature of her writing.

The story of Frederi...more

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May 11, 2013 K. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K. by: Amanda & Heather P.

Shelves: regency-and-victorian-british-era

Absolutely delightful.

What a friend, yes, you, E.S.N., categorized as possibly fitting in the "carefully controlled vacations for the mind" genre...completely clean, completely amusing; not stupid, vulgar, nor insipid.

I laughed out loud, more than a handful of times...which was such a blessing. In fact, I began laughing with the cover, which on this copy is hilarious. I thought the Marquis quite the amusing fellow.

This is only the 2nd Heyer I've read. I just bought a used set of 8 very cheapl...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Adrienne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lord Alverstoke has never had any trouble denying his overbearing family the favors that they seek from him, and when a very distant relation contacts him to request a favor, he is prepared to deny her as well. However, something about Frederica's manner convinces him to help with her scheme and launch her sister Charis into society. Frederica is determined to give her beautiful sister one season and hopes to be able to find her a comfortable match, despite their lack of money. Soon, Lord Alvers...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Lightreads rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical, romance

Oi. Heyer, I love her, but I swear sometimes explaining her books is like, “the dinner was fantastic, wonderful melon gazpacho to start, just a shame about the dead slug I found in my salad course.” The slug in this metaphor being, you know, sexism.

Like this one – really fun set up with the sister in charge of her colorful siblings and the selfish nobleman who becomes entangled in their mishaps and how she and they are the making of him into a better man. And it’s one of those good ones where th...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Jayne rated it 4 of 5 stars

(from my book blog)

This is a really good book that I did not appreciate fully. And it’s my fault. I sat on my Kindle for months before I picked it up, then I’d pick it up and read a little bit, put it down in favor of something new and shiny, pick it up again and then get sucked into an audiobook, leave it for a month, forget all the characters, and have to go back and review everything. That is not the start of a good reading experience. However, once I did get going, it was a fun and rewardin...more (from my book blog)

This is a really good book that I did not appreciate fully. And it’s my fault. I sat on my Kindle for months before I picked it up, then I’d pick it up and read a little bit, put it down in favor of something new and shiny, pick it up again and then get sucked into an audiobook, leave it for a month, forget all the characters, and have to go back and review everything. That is not the start of a good reading experience. However, once I did get going, it was a fun and rewarding read and I wish that I’d just powered through the first time because I would have loved it.

That’s a lot of words that don’t say very much.

Anyways, what I liked about Frederica is that it turns a romance trope on its head, and since Georgette Heyer was writing this in 1965, it’s actually innovative (I reread that sentence, and I can tell this is a pre-coffee review). Charis Merriville and Endymion Daughtry are two gorgeous and passionate star-crossed lovers, determined to be together at all costs. Also, they’re dumb. Dumb as rocks. They’re so dumb that the other characters frequently comment on their dumbness, and it’s hilarious. The real stars of this book are Charis’ older, less-beautiful sister, Frederica, and the cranky and capable Marquis of Alverstoke.

Frederica is one of the smartest and most appealing heroines that I’ve ever read. She’s very quick-witted and capable and she’s never flustered, not even in totally awkward situations, and she’s always thinking of other people and basically the whole time I was reading I was like, “Self, why can’t you be more like Frederica? Frederica would never have called her neighbor the wrong name, or gotten lost in a department store, or started a commenting war on the internet.” But she’s not BORING, not at all. The Marquis of Alverstoke is a hedonist who detests boring people, and he obviously does not detest Frederica because the whole point is for these two to hook up (off-page, of course. Published in 1965).

Once I got all the secondary characters straightened out, they were delightful, particularly the Marquis’ horrible sisters and the rest of Frederica’s family. One complaint, though. Frederica has two younger brothers who are supposed to be lovable scamps, and they are, but at the same time COMPLETELY FUCKING INFURIATING. Sometimes their hijinks are funny, and sometimes they just made me want to throw the book across the room. This leads me to believe they are actually behaving like real children, so take that however you will.

For romance readers: obviously, this is not going to be graphic. This is old school, and not in the heaving-bosoms-ripped-bodice kind of way. I’m okay with that. The reason I actually got into romance in the first place is because I love Jane Austen, and while we might have loved to see Mr. Darcy’s pantaloons drop or what was under Colonel Brandon’s cravat, such mysteries are, perhaps, confined to our imaginations.(less)

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Apr 09, 2012 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sally by: Peter Mack

Shelves: audiobooks

I don't read many romances, but a friend of mine turned my attention to Georgette Heyer's novels, and I am finding I do like them. This one, Frederica, has some very interesting characters. Frederica is a 24-year-old young woman who has responsibly taken charge of her orphaned siblings and moves them to London with hopes of introducing her stunningly beautiful, yet kind and modest teenaged sister to society in order to help her become settled with a satisfactory husband. Frederica's youngest bro...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: excellent-english, historical-fiction, regency-romance, 2012-reads

I normally reserve five stars for books that are objectively good, like Middlemarch, but I love Frederica so much that I can't give it a paltry four. This is one of my favorite Heyer books, because I love the heroine, and the dialogue really sparkles in this particular novel.

Georgette Heyer is the acknowledged queen of Regency romance; there isn’t anyone who can even touch her facility in this genre. For the uninitiated, the Regency in question was when George III was unfit to rule, and the Prin...more I normally reserve five stars for books that are objectively good, like Middlemarch, but I love Frederica so much that I can't give it a paltry four. This is one of my favorite Heyer books, because I love the heroine, and the dialogue really sparkles in this particular novel.

Georgette Heyer is the acknowledged queen of Regency romance; there isn’t anyone who can even touch her facility in this genre. For the uninitiated, the Regency in question was when George III was unfit to rule, and the Prince Regent ruled in his stead. Strictly, the Regency took place from 1811-1820, but the term “Regency era” often covers a broader time period, possibly even as broad as 1795-1837. Jane Austen’s books take place during this time, and the Elgin Marbles were on display.

The Regency era is noted for certain trends in fashion and behavior among the high society, or bon ton; Austen’s books are generally set in the country and don’t typically have characters who might be considered high ton. Heyer’s books, on the other hand, are generally immersed in the towns (typically London, but Bath and the various resorts often figure in the books as well) and star characters who are leaders of fashion in various ways. The books can be a bit difficult to get into because of the heavy use of period dialogue and frequent references to period dress (Heyer was a meticulous researcher, delving into hundreds of primary sources in order to get her language just right), but it’s usually obvious what’s going on from context.

The eponymous Frederica is one of Heyer’s older heroines; at that time, a woman who had reached her mid-twenties without having married was often considered to be “on the shelf” – that is, an old maid. Frederica brings her family to London with the intent of giving her beautiful younger sister, Charis, an opportunity to meet more than just the neighborhood swains. (In those days, marriage was the only career path open to well-born young women; occasionally, one might become a governess if she had no other options, but that step was generally considered to be lowering her in the world.) She applies to a distant cousin, Lord Alverstoke, for his sponsorship. Alverstoke initially agrees only because it will spite his sisters, who are trying to bring out their own, less attractive daughters. As he begins to know Frederica and her younger brothers, however...

Frederica has, in addition to sparkling dialogue, a great deal of humor and an excellent understanding of human nature. This novel is Heyer at her best. I recommend it to anyone who hears the phrase “Regency romance” and doesn’t immediately blench.(less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Frederica is my favorite Georgette Heyer book so far - and I love Georgette Heyer's novels! If you are a Jane Austen fan searching for unique regency romance novels to read in the vain of Austen, Georgette Heyer is your woman. While nothing truely compares to Austen, they are very entertaining and much better than run of the mill regency novels.

Frederica is the story of the Merriville family. The oldest of the clan, Frederica, considers herself at 24 as quite on the shelf. She is in charge of th...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Whoever told me I'd love Frederica? *waits an ominous pause*

WAS RIGHT. It was so my kind of book - competent heroines who don't need the heroes AT ALL, but the heroes JUST WANT TO HELP.

OH GOD. When Alverstoke is all, "Oh my god, I don't love her, but I want to do everything I can to make her life easier. I JUST DON'T WANT HER TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING EVER, BUT I DON'T LOVE HER, OKAY?"

I love it so much. I was explaining it all to my family and they were all, "...yeah." And didn't understand how aw...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Darla rated it 3 of 5 stars

(Genre:Historical fiction/romance) Another fun Heyer book. My only complaint was about 2/3 of the way into the story, it hit a really boring patch and it was hard for me to get through it. I kept wanting to skip to the end and wish that Heyer had shortened the book by cutting most of that section out. Here is the gist of the story: Lord Alverstroke is a selfish man who is used to people trying to use him and his wealth for their own purposes. When some distant relatives arrive in London and seek...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Kathy Davie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another one of my Heyer Regency romance favorites. The Marquis of Alverstoke never knew what hit him when he encountered the Merrivilles when they requested his sponsorship into the Ton. One of the sisters, Charis, is an incomparable Beauty causing quizzing glasses and jaws alike to drop while the other sister, Frederica, considers herself past a marriageable age. The two brothers with them are too young to be bothered about going into Society and just young enough to engage in all sorts of misc...more Another one of my Heyer Regency romance favorites. The Marquis of Alverstoke never knew what hit him when he encountered the Merrivilles when they requested his sponsorship into the Ton. One of the sisters, Charis, is an incomparable Beauty causing quizzing glasses and jaws alike to drop while the other sister, Frederica, considers herself past a marriageable age. The two brothers with them are too young to be bothered about going into Society and just young enough to engage in all sorts of mischief from which Alverstoke finds himself rescuing them.

You can’t help but love the boys. Felix, the youngest, is absolutely fascinated by machinery of any kind and, after having been abjured from plaguing Cousin Alverstoke into taking him to see pneumatic lifts at the foundry, promises that he is only asking. As for Jessamy, torn between his books and not wanting to be outdone in the fearless stakes by his little brother, Jessamy gets pulled into the disaster of the Pedestrian Curricle. Alverstoke assures him that getting into scrapes will make him a much more understanding cleric than if he were to be a saint by 16. Frederica has dragged them all to London as she can’t bear the idea of Charis not having a London season; she’s too beautiful to waste on a country lad and Frederica wants her to marry someone warm enough to ensure she doesn’t have to make and scrape. Unfortunately, Charis has no ambition and too much modesty to understand the draw of her beauty besides being a beautiful peagoose. Alverstoke is bored with life and has undertaken the sponsorship simply to annoy his sisters but soon finds himself caught up in their lives; he particularly wants to remove all cares from Frederica’s shoulders.

It’s a lively story with terrific characters and the opportunity to explore the state of the science and medicine in the early 1800s in England. Needless to say, Heyer is brilliant in imbuing her characters with personality with both dialog and content accurate for the time period while her descriptions of the mores, styles, and culture of Regency England are also true to form.
(less)

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Feb 12, 2011 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Susan by: Goodreads Heyer fans

Shelves: fiction

A Heyer glossary, taken from Frederica, which also more or less captures the essence of Heyer novels:

ambergris: A waxy grayish substance formed in the intestines of sperm whales and found floating at sea or washed ashore. It is added to perfumes to slow down the rate of evaporation.
cicisbeo: (Italian) the escort or lover of a married woman, esp in 18th-century Italy
dovecots: A compartmental structure, often raised on a pole, for housing domesticated pigeons.
éclat: Brilliancy of success or effor...more

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Jan 16, 2011 Jane Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: regency-romance

3 ½ stars. Not my favorite Heyer but enjoyable, a little above average.

STORY BRIEF:
Parents are dead, leaving five siblings in the care of an aunt who is frequently absent. The oldest Harry handles the finances and is elsewhere during most of the book. The second oldest is Frederica, 24 years old, who is raising and caring for the younger three. She wants Charis to have a proper London season to find a husband. Charis is a devastating beauty who is not smart, has very few skills, but is humble, g...more 3 ½ stars. Not my favorite Heyer but enjoyable, a little above average.

STORY BRIEF:
Parents are dead, leaving five siblings in the care of an aunt who is frequently absent. The oldest Harry handles the finances and is elsewhere during most of the book. The second oldest is Frederica, 24 years old, who is raising and caring for the younger three. She wants Charis to have a proper London season to find a husband. Charis is a devastating beauty who is not smart, has very few skills, but is humble, generous, and caring about others. Vernon is a Marquis. He is a distant cousin by marriage to Frederica. Frederica’s family lives in the country, but they rent a house in London for the coming season. Frederica visits Vernon, meeting him for the first time. She asks if he will lend his name as a sponsor for Charis so she will be invited to various parties. He is not interested, but when he sees Charis he changes his mind. He dislikes his sister Louisa who has been badgering him to host a party for the come out of her daughter Jane. Jane is not good looking. Vernon decides to hold the party for Jane and Charis together because he knows Louisa will be horrified that Charis’ beauty will outshine Jane’s. One of the stories in the book is Charis and her various suitors.

Vernon is 37, never married, and is jaded regarding women. Most things in life bore him including women. Frederica believes she will never fall in love or marry. She is content with that. She is responsible, practical, and intelligent. She is pretty but nothing like Charis. Although Frederica is not in the market for a husband, she is surprised when there is some interest in her.

Most of the story is various interactions between Frederica’s family and Vernon. For example, 12-year old Felix is a budding engineer fascinated with steam engines, hydraulics, etc. He wants to visit a foundry and talks Vernon into taking him, since only someone with Vernon’s clout would be allowed inside for a private tour. Vernon and all who know him can’t believe he goes on a tour like this.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I enjoyed this book. As with most Heyer books, I loved the various personalities, their interactions, and the dialogue. There is more conversation in her books than in contemporary writing, and it’s nice for a change. This was good as an audiobook to listen to while I did other things. I don’t think I would want to read it, but it’s definitely good for listening to. Yes there is a happy romantic ending, but I wish there was more romance. There is a nice warm friendship that develops through the book, and then all of a sudden on the last page there is a revelation of love. I wish that happened earlier, so I could enjoy seeing more of the love. But this is typical Heyer.

It was fun to watch Frederica’s younger brothers worm their way into Vernon’s life and see his defenses melt.

There is one section with a hot air balloon, an injury, and healing that seemed too long and a bit boring.

The narrator Clifford Norgate was ok but not the best. His voice is a deep bass, which sometimes confused me when he was doing female characters. Eve Matheson is my favorite narrator. She does both men and women well. I’d love to hear her do every Heyer book there is.

DATA:
Unabridged audiobook length: 13 hours 29 minutes. Narrator: Clifford Norgate. Swearing language: mild. Sexual content: none. Setting: 1818 England. Book Published: 1965. Genre: regency romance.

CAUTION SEMI-SPOILER (as to who falls in love):
My favorite quote from the book. Frederica says she doesn’t think she has ever been in love and doesn’t know what love is. Then she asks “is it being not very comfortable and cross and not quite happy when you aren’t there?” He says yes.(less)

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Apr 14, 2010 Alana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010_04_april, reviewed, nook

First off, let me say that this four-star rating is for the story of Frederica itself as written by Georgette Heyer... not the ebook publication -- if I were just rating the ebook edition, I'd be forced to give it two stars for the simple fact that chapters nine and ten were not formatted correctly, requiring the long and rather laborious persistence on the part of the reader as one is forced to translate every ",Äò" or "Äô,"into quotation marks... not to mention every dash, umlaut, or accented...more First off, let me say that this four-star rating is for the story of Frederica itself as written by Georgette Heyer... not the ebook publication -- if I were just rating the ebook edition, I'd be forced to give it two stars for the simple fact that chapters nine and ten were not formatted correctly, requiring the long and rather laborious persistence on the part of the reader as one is forced to translate every ",Äò" or "Äô,"into quotation marks... not to mention every dash, umlaut, or accented letter. And Heyer novels are filled with dashes and dialogue. It was terribly frustrating, particularly as the book was just settling into its delightful rhythm. Really, the publishers ought to be ashamed for such a shoddy publication.

Now, on to the much more pleasing subject of Frederica, which is by far the most delightful Georgette Heyer novel that I've read to date. Quite honestly, I look to Heyer as a novelist whose Regency works all have much the same ring to them but I take some comfort in the predictability. A certain Regency time period (to which I am partial) will be depicted... similarly, there will be at least one couple who achieves a happy end by the time the book closes, usually with the requisite amount of worry that all will come to naught. Such is the case in this novel, but it's not the storyline that makes this such a singularly delightful book; it's the fantastic humor that glitters from most every page.

Indeed, Frederica is a terribly funny novel that follows the plight of one Marquis, Lord Alverstoke, a thirty-seven year old bachelor known for being one of the most elegantly dressed men in London... and quite a rake. He evidently cares for no one and takes pleasure in frustrating his others' plans to either have him matched or somehow make him pay for things that he knows they can quite well afford on their own. One of these sisters is quite determined that Alverstoke should hold a ball at his home to launch her daughter into the ton, but Alverstoke sees no reason on earth why he should saddle himself with such responsibility... not until a distant cousin turns up, asking a small favor that he can quite easily turn into some amusement. Since he's used to being asked for favors and money, it's a bit of a surprise when this cousin only wants a trifling thing and then she and her family spend the rest of the book decidedly trying to not inconvenience him... which only makes him want to offer them everything! Frederica Merriville wants Alverstoke's help in introducing her younger sister, Charis, to London society. A beautiful girl with grace and a sweet temper, Charis should not be allowed to languish in the country and be wasted... or so Frederica quite insists. Normally Alverstoke would not put himself out for anyone, but he finds himself liking Frederica's charming chatter and frank manner, so he agrees to not only own them as family, but stand in as a fake guardian so that they might easily pass in the first circles of society. Alverstoke agrees to host his niece's party... but only if his sister acts as the appropriate woman to sponsor the introduction of both Miss Merrivilles, gaining them access to parties and Almack's. It should be a simple duty discharged, but what Alverstoke doesn't count on is the fact that he becomes quite wrapped up with the Merriville family, including the young brothers Jessamy and Felix who are both unique and interesting boys that could really use a guiding male influence.

Having never really known the warm embrace of a loving family, Alverstoke falls in love with them all... but none so particularly as the smart and clear-headed Frederica, who might not hold a candle to Charis's looks, but he feels Frederica is worth a dozen of her sister. Smart, composed, and charming in her own right, Frederica seems to honestly believe that she's as good as an old maid. She's been running the household for so long that she's long given up any ideas on her own future so she can be mother hen to Charis, Jessamy and Felix... with some mild thought spared for Harry, the eldest boy who's up at Oxford and serves as the titular head of the family now that their parents have died. When problems turn up, though, Frederica finds herself relying more and more on the advice of their dear Cousin Alverstoke and Alverstoke is only too willing to put himself to great trouble for others for the first time in his life. And as another first, Alverstoke now faces a dilemma he's never before encountered: he might realize that he wants her, but what if Frederica does not want him?

It's hard to not fall for the Merriville family, they're such a large, loving and bumbling brood. They all have such good intentions and most of them are smart enough to be interesting conversationalists and characters. Felix is ridiculously intelligent and Jessamy is a bit of an old soul, struggling with moral issues without realizing he should be a boy while he still can. Charis is supposed to be the astonishing beauty, only made more attractive by her sweet disposition and genuine lack of pretension. Of course she's quite dim-witted, which means the reader will find her to be a rather negligible character; it's really Frederica and her brothers that delight. Then there's the wonderful Lufra, the family dog, who drags everyone into some scrape or another. (A particularly ridiculous and wonderful event involves Lufra chasing after cows in a London park and Frederica has to claim that the dog is a rare and expensive Barcelona collie that belongs to the Marquis. The Marquis then finds several disgruntled persons upon his doorstep and he has to snap into gear to catch up with Frederica's tale and insert his own humor -- "not Barcelona, Baluchistan! Baluchistan, Frederica!" -- to save Lufra from being seized by the authorities.)

Alverstoke is a wonderful character... thirty-seven and practically set against marriage, though not quite a confirmed bachelor. His rakish ways mostly occur in the past, so we have to take society's word for it, as he quite quickly begins to fall for Frederica. We at least see ample evidence of him being a selfish fellow without a wish to lift a finger for others in the beginning, but his change happens rather quickly, with occasional moments where you can see his old habits flashing up before his new self triumphs. Particularly charming was his interactions with the two schoolboys; he barks orders and calls them names, but it's all in good fun, so as a result, the boys adore him and obey his every command. Alverstoke himself experiencing for the first time the utter power held by an adoring young boy that might make one "[perjure one's:] soul without hesitation" for the sake of that boy's peace of mind and do any number of unpleasant things, like tour a foundry or watch the launching of a balloon. His dry wit makes everything endurable and the boundless energy and antics of the Merriville family are made charming as he comes to think of them as quite his own.

I frequently laughed aloud, quite smitten with the ridiculous prattling of Frederica and the dry barbs of Alverstoke. Indeed, his reactions to tense situations are wonderful and I could quite easily see the dialogue (once the story was sufficiently trimmed and streamlined) being turned into a film. A bit of a comedy of errors, perhaps, even though everything is rather predictable, which isn't always a bad thing. The length of the novel could certainly have been trimmed -- somewhere over halfway through, I found myself wishing that we could get on with things. The names are all ridiculous, to be sure... but still, one endures for the sake of light comedy.

I certainly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a light Regency read, and I challenge you to not find yourself laughing out loud at some point as rakish and selfish Alverstoke transforms into a family man quite by accident. You might want to hit each of the Merrivilles at some point, but in the end, it's all quite worth the read.(less)

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Jun 22, 2009 cecilia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: blue-covers

Frederica was a pretty charming read, though I sometimes got bogged down by all the historical details that Georgette Heyer throws in. Not only are there balls and gowns, but she includes tidbits on foundries, hot air balloon exhibitions, and rheumatic fever. All very interesting, don't get me wrong, but covered in great detail that I found myself impatiently waiting for things to keep going.

The characters were fun, especially Frederica's younger brothers who wormed their way into the Marquis's...more

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May 17, 2009 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance

This novel is a Regency romance. There is 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 r...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency, romance

The Heyer binge continues, but either my stamina is flagging, or this one just wasn't as much to my taste. I was bored by the plot before it had gotten off the ground.

As soon as the usual suspects were introduced: a rich, cynical older man and a capable, straightforward young woman with a number of younger brothers, it became obvious what was going to happen. Rich Man is Intrigued by Refreshing Young Woman. Young Woman does not particularly care for Rich Man. Woman's Brothers get into trouble,...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Sharanya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, historical

Excellently crafted, as always! But what I particularly enjoyed with this book, which I always found slightly lacking in others by Ms. Heyer, was the way in which we as readers could enjoy the leisurely progress and growth of the relationship between the two main characters. In most other Heyer novels, there is some sort of sudden realization of love (as in Sylvester, or Faro's Daughter, for example), which is enjoyable in its own way, but in this novel it is carefully placed and fully developed...more Excellently crafted, as always! But what I particularly enjoyed with this book, which I always found slightly lacking in others by Ms. Heyer, was the way in which we as readers could enjoy the leisurely progress and growth of the relationship between the two main characters. In most other Heyer novels, there is some sort of sudden realization of love (as in Sylvester, or Faro's Daughter, for example), which is enjoyable in its own way, but in this novel it is carefully placed and fully developed. At first the two are very firm friends who like each others company, and then, carefully, about halfway through we see a slow turn towards romance, and the result is an extremely gratifying conclusion!

Because Heyer really took her time with this story, the characters of Frederica and Alverstoke are fully realized, and completely appreciable in their own right as well as in their relationship with each other. Frederica, I particularly loved - even more so than Arabella, or even Deborah. She is not afraid to stand up for herself, without getting unnecessarily angry or defensive. She is calm and collected, able to speak sensibly in the face of crisis, willing and cheerful to help anyone and everyone. There is a streak of meddlesomeness in her - but that just made her all the more endearing to me. The Marquis had me in stitches of laughter in about five seconds, flat. He is beautifully sardonic, and the dialogue between him and Frederica sparkles with wit and humor. Not only is their relationship with each other well-rounded and developed, but their relationships to others is equally well crafted and strong! These secondary characters, too, had me in STITCHES of laughter thanks to their various antics - especially the adorable Felix Merriville and his obsession with engineering! There were moments where I wanted to stick a fork in Charis, but I think we're meant to feel that way about her and her peabrained melodramatics.

All in all, a beautifully, carefully constructed story with memorable character, great pacing, and a near-perfect conclusion!(less)

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Dec 25, 2012 Zoe rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance, squeaky-clean

The heroine is quite a step down from the other Heyer books I've read. She's a bit of a broken record who continues on the same vein and while does succeed in shocking the hero, wasn't really entertaining at all.

Alverstoke, a sought-after bachelor, is rich and has a lot of relatives who expect him to do them favours. He's also bored and tired with society. But he discovers his soft spot for Frederica's younger siblings. He falls in love with her brothers long before he falls in love with her. H...more

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Jan 20, 2010 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-romance, doorway-character

This is the fifth (perhaps sixth?) Heyer book I've picked up, and I'm begining to see a pattern emerging. When small children are involved in some peripheral way to the main plot (or are somehow responsible for bringing together the hero and heroine), I am utterly absorbed in the book, highly entertained, and find myself singing its praises and foisting the book upon unsuspecting friends and relatives. If children don't have a place in the narrative, I have trouble even finishing it. Whether thi...more

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Nov 25, 2009 Wealhtheow rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, regency

I've seen this described as one of Heyer's better books, which confuses me. There is nothing new or wonderful about anything in this book. As usual, the heroine is a sensible pretty woman of good breeding with laudable loyalty and family feeling. The hero is sophisticated, physically powerful, fashionable, rich, and very respected in Society. They are brought together by the heroine's funny family (in this case, her rambunctious brothers and beautiful but silly sister--another Heyer trope). The...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels-of-intrigue

She would have agreed, however, that marriage was not for her; and had indeed told Buxted so, when she declined his offer. She told him that she was born to be an aunt, at which he smiled, and said: "You mean a sister, I think!"
"Why, yes! Just at present I do, but I look forward to the day when I shall take charge of all my nephews and nieces whenever their parents are at a stand, or wish to go jauntering off to the Continent!"
His smile broadened; he said: "You will be a much beloved aunt, I dar...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Mrsgaskell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: british, own, 8-star

The Marquis of Alverstoke doesn't put himself out for anyone, and suffers from frequent boredom. His sister wishes him to host a ball for the coming out of her daughter but he refuses.... Until, a distant relation, Frederica Merrivale, herself on the shelf at the advanced age of twenty-four, arrives with her stunningly beautiful sister, Charis, not to mention a few spirited younger brothers in tow. The Marquis tells his sister that he has reconsidered and will host the ball, looking forward to h...more

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