I discovered historical fiction already as a small child – thank you Henry Treece. But I fell in love with the genre when I discovered Georgette Heyer. Since then, Regency Romance has a special place in my heart – men in buckskin breeches and polished Hessians are hard to resist – so when I was given the opportunity to read Catherine Kullman’s latest, Lord Frederick Returns, I jumped at the opportunity. You’ll find my review further down. But first, the blurb!
An older hero, an enigmatic heroine and a delightfully outspoken four-year-old. Throw scandal into the mix for a gripping and tender Regency love story
August 1816. Lord Frederick Danlow returns to England after spending 18 years in India. He plans to make a home for himself and his motherless, four-year-old daughter, Ruperta. Unsure where to start, he accepts an invitation to stay at Ponsonby Place, home of Colonel Jack Ponsonby who made his fortune in India, and his daughter Susannah, the mistress of the household.
Soon Frederick finds himself in need of a governess—and a wife? The more time he spends with Susannah, the more his admiration of her deepens. Is she the woman with whom he will share his life?
He is resolved to court her, but then his younger brother Henry engulfs his family in an appalling scandal that could prevent any lady from agreeing to a connection with it. Now Frederick must support his family during this ordeal.
But what of Susannah? What will she say when she hears of the scandal? Should he, dare he offer her his heart and his hand?
Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/Frederick
My review
After close to two decades in India, Lord Frederick Danlow has decided to return home, driven, in part, by a personal tragedy. With him goes his four-year-old daughter, Ruperta, and a handful of Indian servants.
Returning home is never easy—principally because home has changed, and the images conserved while abroad no longer correspond to the reality of home. Ms Kullman describes this very well, this sensation of not quite fitting in, while knowing one should fit in, because this is, in fact, home. Our Lord Frederick is fortunate in that he enlists the help of Colonel Posonby, a much older gentleman who returned from India two decades ago, to help Frederick navigate the homecoming. Colonel Posonby has a daughter, Susannah, and she can offer insight into a far more difficult subject, namely what it is like to be the daughter of an Anglo-Indian relationship that was never legalised by marriage.
Little Ruperta’s mother was, just like Susannah’s a bibi, an Indian mistress who was never given the status of a wife. Ms Kullman does an excellent job of depicting just how difficult life could be for such children—not only by-blows, but also half-caste.
Lord Frederick’s Return is a book about homecomings and prejudices, but it is also a book rich in detail about the period, offering insight into everything from travelling the Great North Road to the British Justice system. Obviously, this is not only a book about a homecoming—Ms Kullman offers the readers an interesting, character-driven story that also includes budding love – and dark scandal. A delightful read, very warmly recommended!
Catherine Kullmann was born and educated in Dublin. Following a three-year courtship conducted mostly by letter, she moved to Germany where she lived for twenty-five years before returning to Ireland. She has worked in the Irish and New Zealand public services and in the private sector. Widowed, she has three adult sons and two grandchildren.
She has always been interested in the extended Regency period, a time when the foundations of our modern world were laid. She loves writing and is particularly interested in what happens after the first happy end—how life goes on for the protagonists and sometimes catches up with them. Her books are set against a background of the offstage, Napoleonic wars and consider in particular the situation of women trapped in a patriarchal society.
She is the author of The Murmur of Masks, Perception & Illusion, A Suggestion of Scandal, The Duke’s Regret, The Potential for Love , A Comfortable Alliance , Lady Loring’s Dilemma and The Husband Criteria.
She also blogs about historical facts and trivia related to this era. You can find out more about Catherine’s books and read the blog (My Scrap Album) at her website where you can also subscribe to her newsletter.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.catherinekullmann.com/
Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/CKullmannAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherinekullmannauthor
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/catherine-kullmann
Amazon Author Page: viewauthor.at/ckullmannamazonpage
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15549457.Catherine_Kullmann
Thank you so much for hosting Catherine Kullmann today, and for your fabulous review of Lord Frederick’s Return. I’m delighted you enjoyed the novel.
Take care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club