Love in A Cold Climate

Love in A Cold Climate cover
Good Books rating 2.83
Technical
  • ID: 10541
  • Added: 2026-01-25
  • Updated: 2026-02-02
  • ISBN: 9780307741356
  • Publisher: Vintage
  • Published: 2010-08-10
  • Formats: 2
  • Reviews: 3

Love in a Cold Climate is a sparkling romantic comedy that vividly evokes the lost glamour of aristocratic life in England between the wars. The novel follows Polly Hampton, a stunning young woman groomed for the perfect marriage by her ambitious mother, Lady Montdore. Bored by the monotony of her debut season in London, Polly harbors a secret that leads to her disinheritance and the shattering of her mother's dreams. /n/n As Polly navigates the complexities of her new life, an elderly duke pursues her, and a callow potential heir curries favor with her parents. Despite the unconventional paths taken, all characters find happiness in their own unique ways. The book features an introduction by Flora Fraser, adding depth to the historical context and social dynamics of the era.

Reviews
BookerTalk · 2019-06-26
disappointing 2.00

The novel fails to live up to its promise of a witty take on 1940s aristocratic complacency and was underwhelming. Revisiting the book confirms this sentiment, as it is considered a modern classic but does not meet expectations.

The reviewer found 'Love in a Cold Climate' disappointing, as it did not deliver on the expected wit and humor. They felt the novel's portrayal of aristocratic life in the 1940s was lackluster and failed to engage them. Even upon revisiting the book, their opinion remained unchanged, as they found it underwhelming despite its reputation as a modern classic. They concluded that the novel does not live up to the high expectations set by its promise of a sparkling romantic comedy.


Quick quotes

    Nancy Mitford's Love in A Cold Climate fails to live up to its promise of a witty take on the complacency of 1940s aristocratics.

    Revisiting Love in A Cold Climate, a novel by Nancy Mitford that's considered a modern classic but was underwhelming.

    The novel was funny and witty, moving along at a good pace, and compelling.

The Guardian · 2013-12-18
delightful 4.00

The novel offers a funny and subversive take on the self-assurance of a 1940s aristocratic family, with each reread uncovering new details. The book is a sparkling romantic comedy that vividly evokes the lost glamour of aristocratic life in England between the wars.

The reviewer found 'Love in a Cold Climate' to be a delightful and humorous exploration of aristocratic life in the 1940s. They appreciated the novel's subversive take on the self-assurance of the aristocratic family and enjoyed discovering new details with each reread. The reviewer also praised the book's ability to vividly evoke the lost glamour of aristocratic life in England between the wars, making it a sparkling romantic comedy that stands the test of time.


Quick quotes

    Nancy Mitford's novel offers a funny and subversive take on the self-assurance of a 1940s aristocratic family.

    Each reread uncovers new details.

    Love in a Cold Climate is a sparkling romantic comedy that vividly evokes the lost glamour of aristocratic life in England between the wars.

Savage Reads · 2011-03-11
challenging 2.50

This was the reviewer's first Mitford novel, and they found it hard going. The gaiety and attitudes felt forced, making the reading experience challenging. They were not expecting anything great from it, and so in a way it met their expectations.

The reviewer, who was new to Nancy Mitford's work, found 'Love in a Cold Climate' to be a challenging read. They felt that the gaiety and attitudes portrayed in the novel were forced, which made the overall experience difficult for them. Despite not expecting a masterpiece, they found the book to be rather funny but not exactly breathtaking. In a way, the novel met their low expectations, but they did not find it to be a particularly memorable or engaging read.


Quick quotes

    This was my first Mitford and I found it hard going.

    I felt that some of it felt 'forced' for me – the gaiety, the attitudes towards other ...

    that being said, this book was rather funny, but not exactly breathtaking.