Historical Romance published by Zebra Books 21 Feb 23
This flight is definitely not the case of a frying pan into the fire – it’s quite the reverse. Pretty Christa lands in the arms of a handsome young nobleman when she flees from her workplace, after being abused by the master, mistress, and footman. A servant’s lot in regency England is definitely not pretty. For a woman raised in privilege and forced to be a servant, it’s definitely quite a few degrees of hell.
Christa is forced to flee from France during the French Revolution. While she makes it safely to her brother’s country estate in England, her brother and mother are both killed during the escape attempt. After her year of mourning ends, she finds she has been left penniless and her brother’s uncle, who inherited the title, wants to force her into marriage. What is a young woman to do but run away to London and take a job as household help. Rapidly she then moves from a horrible situation into one where she might be forced to live below stairs, but she is treated quite well.
As it turns out, Alex doesn’t know too much about running a noble household or bringing his sister out for the season, and Christa’s expertise and experience stands them in good stead. As is inevitable, despite the difference in their stations, romance is definitely in the air between this master and maid. Can Alex bridge the gap and make a maid his wife?
There are many obstacles in the path of true love, such as a fiancée who games Alex into offering for her, a fortune hunter who preys on the debutante, and a younger brother who wants to join the military and serve his country. The story takes some interesting twists and turns before the path to true love can run smooth and a few interesting shenanigans to get rid of the persistent fiancée and fortune hunter.
I know this is a reprint of an old story, but I read it for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Grade: B
Summary:
A countess turned servant . . .
Forced to escape the French Revolution, resilient young Comtesse Marie-Christine D’Estelle flees to London. But when she finds herself unexpectedly penniless, Christa hides her aristocratic background to become a lady’s maid. . . . Until rebuffing advances from both her tyrannical mistress’s husband and her lover gets Christa cast into the street—directly into a hero’s arms . . .
A Royal Navy commander . . .
After a long absence, Captain Lord Alexander Kingsley has returned to England on medical leave. Now head of his family, he must take charge of his younger siblings. He feels a special duty to his sister Annabelle, a shy debutante in need of a maid. So Alex is delighted to discover that the intriguing, outspoken, and lovely young woman who serendipitously landed in his arms is in need of just such a position . . .
The heart of a household . . .
With her warmth, charm, and surprisingly refined intellect, Christa soon wins the hearts of all the Kingsleys—especially Alex. And while their mutual attraction deepens to something more, the gap in their social stations seems an impossible obstacle. Only when Alex and Annabelle become the targets of fortune hunters, will the truth about Christa have a chance to be revealed. But will it mean a chance for true love to triumph?
