The Murmur of Masks: Love and Heartbreak in Regency England

Anything Can Happen at a Masquerade – Just Ask OliviaEighteen-year-old Olivia's naval captain father is 'somewhere at sea' fighting the French when her mother dies suddenly, leaving her daughter homeless. Desperately in need of security and safety, a distraught Olivia accepts Jack Rembleton's offer of a marriage of convenience, hoping that love will grow between them. She does not know that Jack's affections are elsewhere engaged.Ten years later, Olivia has made the best of her situation. She loves her children and has found her place in the ton. An unexpected encounter at a masquerade with the intriguing Luke Fitzmaurice leads to a second chance at love. Dare she grasp it? Before she can decide, Napoleon escapes from Elba and Luke joins Wellington's army in Brussels. Will war once again dash Olivia's hopes of happiness?A thrilling and touching story about love and war-an eternal triangle with a difference. Shortlisted for Best Novel, Carousel Aware Prize (CAP Awards) 2017.

Historical Novels Review Issue 79 The theme of CatherineKullmann's debut Regency novel is 'Marry in haste, repent at leisure'.Olivia Frobisher's comfortable life is thrown into sudden disarray, andin response she opts for the safety of an arranged marriage. She soonlearns that her sacrifice is more than she had guessed. But how can shehave a second chance at love while retaining her morality and herself-respect?
This tale is told from Olivia's viewpoint, but alsoseveral others, including that of her husband, Jack, and her lover,Luke. There is no suspense, therefore, in the story of the marriage: the reader knows it is doomed long before the protagonist does. Nor isthere any mystery in the romance: we know early on that true love hasblossomed. Structurally I think this is a mistake, as it slows the paceand distances us from Olivia. However, it also allows for some verytouching scenes that a more formulaic romance would struggle to achieve. The letters between the couple were a high point for me, as were theset-piece descriptions at Waterloo and its aftermath. I also liked thatwhere Jack, initially, is the principal barrier to the plot'sdenouement, in the end it is his and Olivia's children who prove a muchtruer and more nuanced problem. (Richard Lee)