When Arabella Malvin sees the figure of an officer silhouetted against the sun, for one interminable moment she thinks he is her brother, against all odds home from Waterloo. But it is Major Thomas Ferraunt, the rector’s son, newly returned from occupied Paris who stands in front of her.
For over six years, Thomas’s thoughts have been of war. Now he must ask himself what his place is in this new world and what he wants from it. More and more, his thoughts turn to Miss Malvin, but would Lord Malvin agree to such a mismatch for his daughter, especially when she is being courted by Lord Henry Danlow?
As Arabella embarks on her fourth Season, she finds herself more in demand than ever before. But she is tired of the life of a debutante, waiting in the wings for her real life to begin. She is ready to marry. But which of her suitors has the potential for love and who will agree to the type of marriage she wants?
As she struggles to make her choice, she is faced with danger from an unexpected quarter while Thomas is stunned by a new challenge. Will these events bring them together or drive them apart?
CW: death, grief, kidnapping, sexual assault threat, sex worker homicide, focus on motherhood/children
This was a new to me author, and I was persuaded by the pitch which leaned traditional. From that perspective, this book did not disappoint. However, I will say that it was slow to start and get into, and I started and stopped several times before committing, so be prepared for a slower pace that will take a bit of push to become immersed in the world the author has built.
The historical details are rich, engaging, and well researched. Kullman really manages to create an immersive experience with lots of variety in location (country and London) and nails many of the manners and etiquette elements to really feel like an authentic read. If some of the third quarter to end veers a little high on the melodrama/gothic scale (see content warnings for hints), it doesn’t change the overall experience of the book as a good traditional Regency experience for readers who love that tone/mood/pace of an Austen or contemporary. It is not a trope focused book, meandering a bit more into the bildungsroman of a young woman (sensible, plucky, and likeable) who learns what romance and love really means (especially to herself).
The hero is a solider, battle scars and all, who is on leave and debating his next steps after Napolean’s final defeat. He is not a rake or a lively character, but rather a steady and constant figure with heroic moments and a clear devotion to family and later, his intended.
I liked the romance a lot, as it really captures the doubts and mental process of a young woman (and man) discovering their own values and how that matches with another person.
There are elements of the epic in this book, so that when I was finished I felt like I had read a saga spread over time even though the reality was it was only a few months. Romance factors heavily, compared with other family dramas, and there are lots of characters, which gives it a real depth.
The humor and the sharp, focused writing of Heyer are not hallmarks of this novel, so when I emphasize traditional I mean to align it with other traditional Regency authors. However, there is a lot to love in the depth of immersive experience and great historical research, the complex characters and motivations, and the work that is sometimes involved in falling in love, especially when there are compromises that must be made.
It teeters on the edge of kisses only, but stays there, so if you don’t mind a bit of mature content and some violence but prefer intimacy off the page this may be a good fit.
4.75 out of 6 A historically detailed exploration of falling love and what that means
| Content Rating/Heat Index | |
|---|---|
| Mature Content |   |
| Some complex adult themes, including grief | |
| Intimacy | |
| Kisses with some hints of lust | |
| Violence | |
| Kidnap, threats, murder but not graphic or necessarily on page | |
| Overall |  |
|---|---|
| Kisses only but with some violent elements and complex mature content | |
*A review copy was provided by Netgalley. No other compensation was provided.
