A Gilded LadyPublisher: Bethany House
Hope and Glory Series
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Summary: Secretary to the first lady of the United States, Caroline Delacroix is at the pinnacle of high society--but is hiding a terrible secret. Immediately suspicious of Caroline, but also attracted to her, secret service agent Nathaniel Trask must battle his growing love for her as the threat to the president rises and they face adventure, heartbreak, and danger.
My Review:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
| The Gilded Lady is the second book in the Hope and Glory series. I have not read the first book yet (insert gasp, as I hardly ever read books out of order) but I was super excited to receive a copy of this book. I actually did not feel like I was missing important information because I did not read the first one. So if you happen to pick this one up you should be okay. That being said I will be reading the first in the series before the third one comes out because that's just how I roll! The Hope and Glory series follows siblings Gray, Luke and Caroline Delacroix. The Gilded Lady is mainly about Caroline but it does have her siblings as well and it definitely ends perfectly to introduce Luke's story which will be the last in the series. This book is set in the time of President McKinley and the beginnings of the Secret Service revamping itself to provide more protection not only to the president but for his family. In this story Caroline Delacroix has matured into a no-nonsense, go-getter. She is the First Lady, Ida McKinley's secretary, right hand woman, confidant and friend. And this is very evident in all the responsibilities she holds in her job. You can tell that she is definitely more than just a secretary. We meet straight laced, rule follower Nathaniel Trask who is the new head of the Secret Service. He has a tragic past that he carries with him and it is the main reason why he's so determined not to fail at anything he does. Being in close quarters at the White House he can't help but notice Caroline and fights his attraction to her to no avail. I loved the "slow burning" relationship they have going. Camden definitely lets you go through the ups and downs of it and it was lovely. It definitely gets you to be invested in their relationship and you feel as if you know them personally. One of my favorite lines from their conversations (and there were a few) " ...I've learned a few things over the past month. Life is short. We can't know what it holds in store for us, but I won't ever take you for granted again." Gah!! Insert heart eyes!! This is so romantic and so true!! While the whole romantic plot is going we also encounter Luke, Caroline's beloved twin brother who is in jail in Cuba for treason! What an awesome twist in the story. Loved how this brought some intrigue, mystery and suspense to the story. The way it develops and unfolds is great and I will not delve into it because you need to enjoy it like I did! But it was great! It also gives the perfect continuation for Luke's own story which will be in the next book! I for one cannot wait to learn more about him and see what happens! I have found very few authors that write historical fiction that I absolutely love and Elizabeth Camden is always at the top of my list when it comes to this genre. You can tell that she does her research well and I appreciate that about her. If you enjoy historical fiction then this is definitely the book to pick up! I for one cannot wait until her next book! This Gilded Lady will be released on June 2nd and can be pre-ordered on Amazon. About the Author: Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books. |
Post a Comment