The incomparable Georgette Heyer introduced me to the world of regency romance stories more than fifty years ago and she remains peerless. For me, Frederica is a re-read but still remains fresh and entertaining. Regency romance stories rely on equal parts gentility and snark, and no one imbues her characters with these components more than Heyer. Frederica is single handedly navigating the season for her lovely sibling and seeks to gain the patronage of her distance relative the Marquis of Alverstoke in this endeavor. To annoy his pretentious sister and alleviate his ever-present boredom, Alverstoke agrees to help his relatives. Alverstoke soon finds himself embroiled in the hopes and dreams of this engaging family AND falling in love with Frederica. Will he be able to convince her that his feelings are sincere?

This book made me laugh out loud several times in the first half, and then I completely fell in love with all of the characters and it just made me so happy. I really need to do more Georgette Heyer - this is only my second book by her but I know she is so beloved and I know why, too.

Frederica's love for her family and obliviousness to her own future hopes made her an instantly likeable character and I loved watching Alverstoke's disposition change as he got better acquainted with the family.

Overall, this was such an absolute delight and I definitely recommend for fans of regency romance!!! There's also an adorable dog if that sways anyone's decisions about reading it :)

Frederica Merriville is a capable young woman who has taken on the responsibility of raising her younger siblings, Charis, Jessamy, and Felix. Charis is a stunning young woman and Frederica feels sure that Charis can make an advantageous match, so she brings the whole family to London and searches out a distant connection, the Marquis of Alverstoke, in order to help launch them into society. Alverstoke is very bored and jaded and decides to indulge the Merriville family. Much of the story focuses on how Alverstoke comes to life based on his interactions with Frederica, Charis, and especially the young boys Jessamy and Felix. The two boys (and a dog) get into all kinds of trouble and it is so fun to read about the chaos they introduce into Alverstoke's dull life. I love that Alverstroke is inspired to improve himself by this interesting family and that he finally becomes a fitting partner for Frederica. I am a long-time lover of Georgette Heyer's books so I was excited for this chance to review Frederica. This is a classic that any Regency lover will enjoy. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the ARC; all opinions are my own.

I've heard glorious comments about Georgette Heyer's writing, so I'm a little disappointed with this novel (as it is my first one of hers). I definitely liked this, but I didn't love it. I found it a tad too long, and I would personnally not qualify this as a historical romance. Although the historical side is very well researched and thorough, the romance part is pretty non-existent and so insignificant it looked more like an afterthought. It's very fun, but not exactly funny either. I didn't really click with the story as much as I expected to, and I'm sorry about that.

"Frederica" was my first Georgette Heyer and I am simultaneously kicking myself for sleeping on Heyer for so long and thrilled that there is such a catalog of her work for me to enjoy! The foreword by Eloisa James is delightfully reflective of Heyer's time and how her writing works within the context of today, especially in regards to Alverstoke.

Speaking of.....Alverstoke may have become the ultimate Regency rake for me! Heyer crafts a hero who embodies all the characteristics of a rake without any of the all-too-typical bad aftertaste. He is perfectly flawed and human and realistic without being off-putting.

There are plenty of reviews mentioning Frederica and her family - it is a central focus of the story, after all. And while I found her interactions with her siblings, the open acknowledgement that none of them are perfect, and the contrast between her relationships with her siblings and Alverstoke with his to all be entertaining, the magic for me remains in the character arc of Alverstoke.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, and I can not recommend this delight enough!

When I requested this novel I didn’t realize the author is famous for being an early British romance novelist. This story was first published in 1965 and the author passed away in 1974. Her books are seemingly being published again and I received an ARC via NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca.

Frederica Merriville is the oldest of five siblings and has been responsible for them since their parents died when she was 19. Her sister Charis is beautiful and caring but not overly bright. She is now of age to be introduced to the ton. Frederica seeks out a cousin, Vernon, The Marquis of Alverstroke asking him to sponsor her sister for the season. He agrees to do it mostly to annoy his sister who has been asking him to do the same thing for her plainer daughter, his niece. He decides to throw a ball and sponsor them together allowing he and Frederica to properly chaperone.

I really struggled with liking the bachelor rake Vernon. A lot of the book reads more like historical fiction than romance as the pairs coming together isn’t the focus. There is some humor but there are also paragraphs that go on and on for over a page. Frederica saves the book for me. I’ve giving this three stars and am hoping since I already have a couple of other Heyer ARCs on my TBR pile I hope I will enjoy the stories and writing more.

Frederica is another of Georgette Heyer’s stellar works! From Charis and the balls of the Ton, Felix and his steam engines, Harry and his slightly dim duty to his family, Jessamy and his bicycle, to the Alverstokes (and Alverstoke) this is a novel and a family to fall in love with over and over.

This book was absolutely not what I expected; The pace was slow, the chemistry between the two main characters was barely lukewarm.All this makes this reading boring, heavy and minimally engaging for the reader.

At the grand old age of 24, Frederica Merriville knows her chance for marriage is long past, but she hopes to launch her lovely younger sister Charis into society and find her a husband. For that, she will need help and knows just who to ask, their “distant cousin” Vernon, the Marquis of Alverstoke!

Vernon, the Marquis of Alverstoke is a jaded rake, a confirmed bachelor, and bored – with everything. Alverstoke doesn’t really want to help Frederica and plans to tell her, but once he meets her siblings, he reconsiders, not because he is a nice man, but because he knows it will annoy his sisters who want him to launch their daughters. Let the games begin! The Merrivilles are anything but boring, and soon Alverstoke finds himself embroiled in their escapades and *gasp!!* not bored. He also finds himself doing something he never thought he would; falling in love and considering marriage.

Georgette Heyer is one of my mother’s favorite authors and she has been telling me to read her work for years, so when this book came up for review on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance. This book was written before I was born but I can see Ms. Heyer’s influence in the works of many other authors that I have read – Barbara Cartland comes to mind and even some current-day authors. This book is filled with humor, family, more than one mishap (thanks to Frederica’s younger brother), restorative pork jelly, a “Baluchistan” hound, a very slow-burn romance (with zero steam), and finally a very sweet declaration scene leading to their HEA. I think my 13-year-old self would have enjoyed this book much more than my 50-something self did and I can see the allure for Austen lovers – but while I enjoyed this story, I don’t think I will be rushing to read her other books. I thought it was too long and tended to meander, I didn’t mind that omission of love scenes, but did struggle to feel a true connection between Frederica and Alverstoke beyond friendship. Overall, it was a fun read and if you are a Jane Austen fan or even a Barbara Cartland fan – I think you would really enjoy this book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Georgette Heyer is known as the Queen of Regency romance, and FREDERICA is one of her best novels. The heroine is much more interesting than a naive debutante: Frederica is a confident, practical young woman with an irreverent sense of humor -- characteristics that have helped her as she has been forced to assume responsibility for her younger siblings. The hero of the novel is the Marquis of Alverstoke, a distant relative, whom Frederica approaches for assistance in her scheme to find a Brilliant Match for her younger sister. Alverstoke is a fascinating, complex hero: he’s bored and self-centered, disliking the way in which everyone defers to him in an attempt to gain access to his money and favor. But beneath the boredom is an intelligent man with a wicked sense of humor, and when Frederica challenges his arrogance, sparks fly and readers are treated to wonderfully witty banter. Frederica's younger brothers are also nuanced characters who steal the show in several scenes, and other well-drawn players in this comedy of manners charmingly expose the foibles of society and human nature. Unforgettable scenes involve a wild improvised story about the family's Baluchistan hound and a dramatic hot-air balloon launch.

Reviewed on LIBRARY THING: https://www.librarything.com/work/16495/reviews/236145384

I heard a lot of good things about the book. However, the writing style is not for me. The sentences and paragraphs are too long and rambling. After catching myself rereading some chunks of text again and again to understand what is actually happening, I give up, I didn't finish this book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this book for a review.

Well, even though I am not new to the regency/period romance genre, this book was actually the first book I read from Georgette Heyer.

I had heard of her books and many of my friends who also loved regency romance highly recommended her books.

I had a great time reading Frederica. Frederica is intelligent, witty, loyal, and definitely a wonderful sister to her younger sister and two younger brothers. Also, she is very pretty. She has come to London to introduce her younger sister to the society in hope of making a splendid match for her.

Of course, nothing goes as planned.

This book has all the things that we usually look out for in a regency romance. There's this Darcy like Marquis of Alverstoke, marriage market, family dramas.

I love this book because the heroines are not damsels in distress!

'Frederica' by Georgette Heyer, first published in 1965, combines her irrepressible humor and style of writing with bold character arcs to give a light-hearted and fun romance. Though titled after the female lead, the story is more about the transformation seen in the male lead Alverstoke due to Frederica and her siblings as he helps launch them into the fashionable London society. He soon finds that taking even nominal care of them might be more than he bargained for, but surprisingly isn't bored by it.

Heyer's writing is funny and engaging as always and her books are recommended for Jane Austen fans. Her grasp of human nature and variety of characters go well together with her description of Regency society and those times.

The story drags a little in the middle of the book, but the strong multi-dimensional characters and the various antics they get up to make up for this and the book as a whole stands well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[One star for the premise and whole book; One star for the characters; Half a star for the story arc; One star for the writing; One star for the world-building and description - 4 1/2 stars rounded up to Five stars].

Delightful Regency romance!

This was my first Georgette Heyer read, and I honestly don't know what took me so long. This is a wonderfully complex story that takes an insightful look into the inner workings of London's Society in 1818.

Frederica is a true heroine, sacrificing her own happiness to focus on securing stable futures for her younger siblings. That her own romance awaits just around the corner comes as quite a surprise to her, one that takes its time developing due to Alverstoke's own reluctance to even consider settling down. Soon though it is inevitable that Alverstoke finds himself charmed by the entire Merriville family.

I loved the back and forth between Alverstoke and his extended family, especially Lady Buxted. I also really enjoyed the way Frederica kept him on his toes, never letting him get too comfortable with the truth of their attraction until he's firmly and irrevocably committed.

As this book is nearly as old as I am, the writing style is far more complex and formal than that of recently written Regency stories, and that in itself was a refreshing treat. Heyer has a very engaging writing style and I easily devoured every compelling chapter. I highly recommend this story for anyone who loves Jane Austen-style romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Still a very delightful read after my first read 8 years ago. I love the part where the villainous hero changes for the better to become the dashing hero the heroine needs and wants. The scrapes and circumstances Frederica and her family drags Alverstoke into are humurous, tedious, and just fun.

If you get swept away by the Regency world and are a fan of Jane Austen, you will love Georgette Heyer and Frederica!

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

Probably one of the books that started the whole historical romance genre! This was first published in 1965 and Sourcebooks is publishing it with a dashing new cover. I have to say that this book reminds me of tropes that are in so many historical romance titles, however kinda cool to think that this is actually the book that inspires them all 🙂

First of, LOVE Frederica! The titular character here. She’s very sweet, responsible, and have a good head on her shoulders. Overall just a very good natured person that makes you feel good! On the opposite side there’s Alverstoke who has so much apathy and confused with himself why he then cares so much of this Merriville family. The rest of Merriville family is… charming, although won’t lie sometimes they can be quite much 😅

Of course the most satisfying thing is seeing Alverstoke thaws. It’s very sweet to see the gradual progression of him not caring at all to be so devoted to Frederica. The love confession scene was very cute, and what stark vs. Alverstoke at the start of the book! I’m also surprised at how sharp and witty the writing style is. I quite enjoyed the banter between Frederica and Alverstoke especially when he refused Frederica’s attempts to pay him back.

Overall, this book was very light with lots of shenanigans from the family. I also need to get used a bit to the writing style - so many exclamation marks. It does feel a bit dated in this part. And of course, this book is clean. There’s really no physical touch except a hug. If you like YA romances and or need something similar to Pride and Prejudice, this would be right up your alley 😊

"Frederica" by Georgette Heyer is a beautiful and charming story. The characters and setting are very well written. The author has done wonderful work creating three-dimensional characters— each with distinct thoughts, emotions, and personalities of their own. So many of the characters in this story are not only likeable but lovable! My favorites are Frederica, Vernon, Felix, Jessamy, Charis (most of the time) and of course Lufra! I love Lufra— the story behind his name is very interesting and really does suit his character. Even the supporting characters feel well written! The interactions between Frederica and Vernon are absolutely lovely— the wit, banter, and humor in this story are spectacular! I enjoyed seeing Frederica and Vernon's friendship and relationship progress. And I enjoyed seeing Vernon grow and change as a person. The author has done great work showing us how the family and environment that Vernon was born into— impacted his behavior towards his family and others and was a major reason as to why he was often so seemingly cold, selfish, and unfeeling. His sisters, nieces, nephews, and even his friends— only seemed to ever want material things and money from him! Although Frederica asked for his help with introducing Charis into society and to help her to make a good match— Frederica genuinely enjoyed his company and getting to know him as a person. She didn't simply see him as a path towards material wealth. The writing style is beautiful and the speed of the plot is perfect. I knew from the first chapter that this would be a 5 star read for me. I loved reading about Lufra's bovine mayhem in Green Park! So much fun. This book was originally published in 1965 and is now being republished by Sourcebooks Casablanca. I highly recommend reading "Frederica"! Thank you very much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy to read and review honestly.

I enjoyed the forward by Eloisa James giving her thoughts, which was informative. I really enjoy Georgette Heyer, she has a unique and enjoyable writing style. In Fredericka there’s humor, romance, Family situations. Lord Alverstoke is an interesting character. He was cynical and only cared for himself. But since he met Fredericka and her family he started to change shocking everyone. Loved the book and I highly recommend it.

I'm going to guess that this upcoming release of Geogette Heyer's classic, Frederica, is due to the renewed popularity of historical romance among the general public. I have no doubt that a new generation of romance lovers will fall in love with Heyer if they read Frederica.

Those devoured Heyer long ago and will enjoy the addition of a forward by Eloisa James, a famous historical romance writer in more recent times (and chair of Fordham's English department). The evolution of Alverstoke is as interesting (and, at times, funny) today as the first time around.