One Enchanted Evening (Buckingham #1) by Anton du Beke

 

From Goodreads

The Sunday Times bestseller!

'Downton with dance, perfect!' Santa Montefiore

Prepare to be swept off your feet by the romantic and irresistible debut novel from Anton Du Beke

London, 1936.

Inside the spectacular Grand Ballroom of the exclusive Buckingham Hotel the rich and powerful, politicians, film stars, even royalty, rub shoulders with Raymond de Guise and his troupe of talented dancers from all around the world, who must enchant them, captivate them, and sweep away their cares. Accustomed to waltzing with the highest of society, Raymond knows a secret from his past could threaten all he holds dear.

Nancy Nettleton, new chambermaid at the Buckingham, finds hotel life a struggle after leaving her small hometown. She dreams of joining the dancers on the ballroom floor as she watches, unseen, from behind plush curtains and hidden doorways. She soon discovers everyone at the Buckingham - guests and staff alike - has something to hide . . .

The storm clouds of war are gathering, and beneath the glitz and glamour of the ballroom lurks an irresistible world of scandal and secrets.

Let's dance . . .

My thoughts

My thanks to the Publishers via NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.  I am rather slow at getting round to reading the books that I have been sent via NetGalley, but better late than never.  This had been sat on my kindle for some time.

I gave this a 3.5 stars or 7/10.  This is the debut novel by Anton du Beke of Strictly Come Dancing fame, a talented dancer who always danced well with his celebrity partner and had a great personality in my opinion.  Now he no longer dances, but has a position as one of the Judges on the show, which I feel he justly deserves.  

This is the first in the Buckingham series that is set around a Hotel that has a Grand Ballroom in it.  Dance features in the story, but there is so much more to the story than just the dancing.  Telling the story of the relationships between the dancers, the hotel staff and the hotel residents this was a read that I enjoyed and I already have the second in the series waiting patiently to be read.

Set in the years just before the start of the Second World War, the build up to the war features in the story a little but does not overpower the events that are happening in the Buckingham.  Everyone it appears has something to hide in some way, to find out the secrets that may be lurking you need to grab a copy and let the story waltz you off among the pages.