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Catherine Kullmann
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A Comfortable Alliance: A Regency Novel Kindle Edition

by Catherine Kullmann (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 728 ratings

Can they open their hearts to something much deeper and passionate? Will their marriage only ever be a comfortable alliance?

Six years ago, Helena Swift’s fiancé was fatally wounded at Waterloo. Locking away all dreams of the heart, she retreated to a safe family haven. On the shelf and happy to be there, Helena has perfected the art of deterring would-be suitors.

Will, Earl of Rastleigh, is the only son of an only son: marriage is his duty. One of the great prizes of the marriage market, he shies away from a cold, society union. While he doesn’t expect love, he seeks something more comfortable. But how to find the woman who will welcome him into her life and her bed, and be a good mother to their children?

When Will meets Helena, he is intrigued by her composure, her kindness and her intelligence. As their friendship develops, he realises he has found his ideal wife, if only he can overcome her well-known aversion to matrimony.

Will succeeds in slipping past Helena’s guard. Tempted by the thought of children of her own, and encouraged by her mother to leave the shallows where she has lingered so long, she accepts his offer of a marriage based not on dangerous love but affectionate companionship and mutual respect.

But is this enough? As Will gets to know his wife better, and the secrets of her past unfold, he realises that they have settled for second-best. Can he change the basis of their marriage? Will Helena risk her heart and dare to love again?

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  1. Print length
    430 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    March 25, 2021
  4. File size
    1.6 MB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08XK4QQBZ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Willow Books (March 25, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 25, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 430 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 728 ratings

About the author

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Catherine Kullmann

Catherine Kullmann

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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. She is married and has three adult sons and two grandchildren.

Catherine 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, short-listed for the 2017 CAP Awards (Carousel Aware Prize for Independent Authors), Perception & Illusion and A Suggestion of Scandal, shortlisted for BooksGoSocial Best Indie Book 2018.

Catherine also blogs about historical facts and trivia related to this era. You can find out more about her books and read her blog (My Scrap Album) at www.catherinekullmann.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
728 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this Regency novel to be a rewarding read with a development of a real love story that holds their interest throughout. The characters are delightful, and the writing is great, with one customer noting the language is authentic to the time period. They appreciate the book's authenticity, with one review highlighting its impressive research, and another mentioning its thoughtful situations.

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13 customers mention "Enjoyment"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very rewarding and satisfying, with one mentioning it's a perfect choice for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

"...Wonderful diversion into a happy place...." Read more

"...My opinion and my review. This is a perfect book for Kindle unlimited subscribers." Read more

"...This was such a satisfying read. The character development is excellent. The writing is great...." Read more

"...rural Ireland under British domination, and of course the brittle, brilliant, cruel London high society." Read more

13 customers mention "Story quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, describing it as a graceful tale that held their interest throughout, with a development of a real love story. One customer notes how the characters learn and mature throughout the narrative.

"I loved the main characters. I loved their internal journeys and growth. I felt part of their family and wanted to cheer them on...." Read more

"...The main characters are likeable. I found the plot to be excellent...." Read more

"...Of course there are a few bumps along the way but they are realistic and handled with grace...." Read more

"Appreciate how this author developed the story, couple and secondary characters. We get to know them before and during marriage." Read more

10 customers mention "Character development"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters delightful.

"I loved the main characters. I loved their internal journeys and growth. I felt part of their family and wanted to cheer them on...." Read more

"...The main characters are likeable. I found the plot to be excellent...." Read more

"How pleasant it is to read about characters who have both emotional depth and good sense...." Read more

"...This was such a satisfying read. The character development is excellent. The writing is great...." Read more

8 customers mention "Writing quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting that the language is authentic to the time period and another mentioning that it is professionally edited.

"...The character development is excellent. The writing is great...." Read more

"A lovely story, beautifully written and professionally edited...." Read more

"As always, Ms Kullmann writes well and perceptively but this story dragged so badly I wanted to put it down and not finish; I kept reading because..." Read more

"...The language is that of the time and most satisfying was the weave of historical facts and tradition into the story...." Read more

6 customers mention "Insight"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, with one mentioning it's full of little moments, while another notes it provides a lovely anecdote for stressful times.

"How pleasant it is to read about characters who have both emotional depth and good sense...." Read more

"...But it was not without insight and it was fairly clean so kudos to that." Read more

"As always, Ms Kullmann writes well and perceptively but this story dragged so badly I wanted to put it down and not finish; I kept reading because..." Read more

"...It was a lovely anecdote for the stressful times we're living through right now." Read more

5 customers mention "Authenticity"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical authenticity of the book, with one customer noting the impressive research and how it weaves seamlessly into the narrative.

"...in a way that was suitable and made sense in the time period." Read more

"...Finally, an author who is true to the time period! This was such a satisfying read. The character development is excellent. The writing is great...." Read more

"...The author’s research is impressive but not a.burden to the story of second love...." Read more

"...and most satisfying was the weave of historical facts and tradition into the story. I look forward to reading another by this author." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • L. S. Rios
    5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book
    Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I loved the main characters. I loved their internal journeys and growth. I felt part of their family and wanted to cheer them on. Wonderful diversion into a happy place. Also, I felt like the writer did a good job of bringing up some modern concerns (autonomy and equality of women) in a way that was suitable and made sense in the time period.
    One person found this helpful
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  • cd
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great writing
    Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent yet serious book or at least, I thought so. This is a story of a marriage of convenience and their feelings develop over the course of this story.

    The main characters are likeable. I found the plot to be excellent. However, there are couple sex scenes, not overly explicit but enough for me to remove a star. My opinion and my review.

    This is a perfect book for Kindle unlimited subscribers.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Tabby1249
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very pleasant read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    How pleasant it is to read about characters who have both emotional depth and good sense. I thoroughly enjoyed this book that brings two people together who enter into a comfortable marriage that becomes a true love match. Of course there are a few bumps along the way but they are realistic and handled with grace. There’s not a lot of “action” but there is a good deal of interesting character development.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Bama Babe
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Satisfing Read
    Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This was such a great find! I only read historical romance and there is a dearth of the badly written ones out there. All modern heroines, acting and speaking like modern day misses in dress up with too much sex. Finally, an author who is true to the time period! This was such a satisfying read. The character development is excellent. The writing is great. I am not a wordsmith and am very frustrated that I can't describe how much I enjoyed this " new to me" author. I can't wait to read the next one.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Laura
    4.0 out of 5 stars Loving relationship
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Appreciate how this author developed the story, couple and secondary characters. We get to know them before and during marriage.
    Helpful
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  • Traveler
    5.0 out of 5 stars Aftershocks of Waterloo
    Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Few readers of historical novels set in the years known as “The Regency” and the disruptive social changes of the pre-Victorian years that followed will need historical footnotes to interpret the background of this novel. The author’s research is impressive but not a.burden to the story of second love. The people of the novel learn and mature (or fail to do so) in an almost dance-like pattern. I thoroughly enjoyed this chance to accompany the Earl and his Countess, with glimpses of Brussels, rural Ireland under British domination, and of course the brittle, brilliant, cruel London high society.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • CLF
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite what I expected
    Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This isn’t exactly what I thought I was getting into. It’s a slow-moving story that follows a couple through their meeting and first year of marriage. It was actually pretty realistic and sweet but I craved a bit of a driving force to the plot, something more than “these are the two main characters and here’s what they’re doing today.” But it was not without insight and it was fairly clean so kudos to that.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Nycjsl
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written authenticity
    Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    A lovely story, beautifully written and professionally edited. It is refreshing to read a Regency that is so entirely without either the usual overdone attempts at period slang—or the even more common anachronistic modern language and references that so often jar the reader of historical fiction.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kastu puru
    5.0 out of 5 stars flowing story line - addressing important relevant issues
    Reviewed in Australia on March 19, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Liked her style of writing. Good conversations - realistic characters !
    Helena was a calm but determined heroine! I liked the fact she initially loved a younger man - looses him & gains a very different husband
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  • TA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging episodic regency
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 25, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Thoughtfully written story of two people maturing as they navigate the challenges of society expectations, their past pains, and their present hopes of happiness, supported and helped by family and friends. A very satisfying read with an engaging cast of characters.
    Report
  • Ana Paula S Oliveira - cliente kindle
    2.0 out of 5 stars 🤔 Chato... mto chato!
    Reviewed in Brazil on September 14, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    A autora escreve bem, porém ela cria diversas situaçãoes que não levam a lugar algum. Eu lia e esperava que algo acontecesse, mas eram fatos desinteressantes e que no final não impulsionaram a história. Parece que o propósito dela é não ter que escrever sobre o casal Will & Helena? Assim parece!
    Por exemplo, qual a finalidade de tantas partes do livro dedicadas à detalhes sobre a longa e triste doença da mãe do Duque, e posteriormente problemas com a criadagem desonesta de seu castelo. Durante todo esse tempo quase não há interação entre os recém-casados, continuam praticamente desconhecidos um do outro, sendo ambos apenas corteses e compreensivos, mas sem mostrarem um diálogo realmente interessante que os fizesse avançar no relacionamento.
    Eu não quero ler um romance que fala sobre inúmeros personagens, dezenas de parentes e conhecidos (ao ponto de me confundir - eles não me interessavam muito). Enquanto isso, o casal principal é simpático mas apático, corretos quase o tempo todo, adequadamente discretos, quase frios durante um livro inteiro. Não ha tensão sexual ou reais trocas de ideias, exceto para combinarem agendas de compromissos, mas se havia algo mais pessoal, não acontecia a continuidade... e tudo voltava ao nada.
    Rapidamente vou superar essa leitura, provavelmente não lembrarei de nada, exceto que era chato e havia um iate interessante. Terminei de ler apenas por não ter o hábito de abandonar leituras 🤷‍♀️
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  • Bookworm
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent period detail
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The author’s greatest strength is her mastery of period detail. If you’re the kind of person (like me) who can’t read books by Julia Quinn etc because characters speak and behave in a way that is completely anachronistic, then you will enjoy being in safe hands here. (Surely part of the pleasure of a novel set in the past is seeing how the characters navigate their actual situation and the constraints they’re under, rather than them being just modern people in fancy dress.) The heroine is extremely likeable (sometimes she’s a bit grumpy, which I enjoyed) and the hero changes in a very satisfying way.
    I didn’t give it five stars for two reasons. First of all there are imo too many minor characters, especially at the beginning; if you put the book down you may struggle to remember who they all are. And secondly, the plotting was a bit flat; there are two or three occasions when it seems Bad Things were going to happen, and Misunderstandings (would it even be a historical romance without misunderstandings?) but instead of drama ensuing, people sat down and had a sensible chat and it was all resolved in an adult fashion. Obviously I endorse this approach in real life but I felt a bit let down here as there had been build-up which didn’t quite pay off in the way I expected. But it was certainly an enjoyable read and made me tear up in a satisfactory way in the Sad Parts.
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  • Dr Dragonlady
    4.0 out of 5 stars Charming
    Reviewed in Australia on September 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    A character driven story grounded in relationships and how they have the potential to develop. Helena is charming and engaging, perhaps a little too perfect, and Will is delightful as a man learning to be a husband. There is a huge cast of characters, the principals being well delineated. The sense of period is beautifully wrought the Keep is almost a character in its own right.
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