Books › An Infamous Army (Alastair-Audley #4)
An Infamous Army (Alastair-Audley #4)
595 pages
A glittering social whirl on the edge of a precipice, where sparkling ballroom banter gives way to the thunderous reality of war.
What it feels like
Reading this novel feels like dancing at a brilliant, feverish ball while the distant sound of cannons slowly grows louder. It begins with the sparkling, witty social maneuvering that defines classic Regency romance, immersing the reader in a glamorous world of scandalous widows, dashing officers, and high-stakes flirtation. But as the narrative marches toward the Battle of Waterloo, the atmosphere shifts dramatically. The prose transforms from lighthearted banter into a meticulously researched, sweeping, and surprisingly gritty depiction of historical warfare. It is a deeply satisfying experience for readers who want both the emotional thrill of a tempestuous love story and the sobering, majestic weight of history, perfectly balancing the fragility of life with the enduring power of love.
- Mood
- feverish
- glamorous
- tense
- sweeping
- Tone
- witty
- dramatic
- meticulous
- romantic
- unsentimental
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the shadow of war · social artifice vs. genuine emotion · duty and sacrifice · fragility of life
- The writing
- Elegant and sparkling with period-accurate wit, yet capable of shifting into remarkably gritty, authoritative historical detail.
- The arc
- Moves from the glittering, superficial thrill of scandalous flirtation to a sobering, desperate realization of true love amidst the horrors of war.
- Who it's for
- Devotees of classic historical romance who appreciate meticulous military research just as much as they love a scandalous ballroom flirtation.
Content notes
- battlefield violence
- war trauma
- death of soldiers
- period-typical attitudes
About the book
A novel of Wellington, Waterloo, love and war. In the summer of 1815, beneath the aegis of the Army of Occupation, Brussels is the gayest town in Europe. And the red-haired widow Lady Barbara Childe, renowned for being as outrageous as she is beautiful, is at the centre of the social whirl and of all that is fashionable and light-hearted. However, the city was a nest of intrigue --Napoleon threatened Europe--but the talk was only of this dazzling and tempestuous young. Every brilliant ball, supper, and concert in the feverish spring seemed to bring her a new conquest by storm. She is the talk of the ton. She flirts shamelessly, dresses outrageously, and scandalizes polite society. That doesn't stop one of her adorers--the dashing Colonel Charles Audley, an aide-de-camp to the Duke of Wellington-- from falling madly in love with the beautiful young widow--and proposing marriage. Threatened by the growing tide of scandal, she allowed Colonel Charles Audley to claim her for his bride.
The eve of the fateful Battle of Waterloo, their betrothal falls apart. It isn't until Charles marches off to fight Napoleon that Barbara discovers where her heart lies. Now, she can do nothing but wait as the battle rages, praying for the safety of the one man who can set her free from her wild impulses. But as the clouds of war gathered, he turned from her in a sudden, mysterious indifference. Stunned, bewildered, Barbara wondered what secret she must fathom, what new seduction must she devise, to regain the one man who--she ruefully realized--had truly claimed her heart?
Description from Open Library.
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