A Gilded Lady Book Review

Book Description

Caroline Delacroix is at the pinnacle of Washington high society in her role as secretary to the First Lady of the United States. But beneath the facade of her beauty, glamorous wardrobe, and dazzling personality, she’s hiding a terrible secret. If she cannot untangle a web of foreign espionage, her brother will face execution for treason.

Nathaniel Trask is the newly appointed head of the president’s Secret Service team. He is immediately attracted to Caroline’s quick wit and undeniable charm, but his job leaves no room for distractions. Anarchist plots have led to mounting threats against the president, forcing him to put duty before his growing love for Caroline.

Amid the glamorous pageantry of Gilded Age Washington, DC, Caroline and Nathaniel face danger and heartbreak that shakes them to their core and tests all they know about love and sacrifice.

My Thoughts

Book 2 in the Hope and Glory trilogy has taken me back to Washington DC for more from the Delacroix family, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! The Gilded Era has always been a favorite of mine, and reading about the events, the fashion, the jewelry – oh, it has been enough to make me giddy!

A Gilded Lady focused on Caroline’s story as secretary to first lady Ida McKinley as well as her budding relationship with the White House head of security, Nathaniel Trask. Caroline’s twin brother, Luke, was central to the story as well as she believes the only way for him to be released from a Cuban prison would be by way of a presidential pardon. Luke’s circumstances caused Nathaniel to be especially alert to Caroline’s role and access within the White House as he was on a mission to radically update security measures there.

To be honest, I didn’t love Nathaniel at first. He’s strict, unwavering, and expects everyone to abide by the new rules he’s putting in place to protect the President. But through his quiet, closed-mouth smiles, he quickly won Caroline (and me) over to his side and his heart. I found the entire process behind the Secret Service and establishing better security around the President to be fascinating with Nathaniel at the fictitious helm.

I was also quite intrigued with Ida McKinley, having known nothing about her prior to this series. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to occupy such a role as the First Lady while battling depression and mental illness. I suspect that the real individual that occupied the role of her secretary was no less valuable than Caroline was portrayed to be, and her responsibilities must have been enormous and overwhelming on the days when Ida was at her worst.

Lest I forget…Luke was very present in this story, even miles away in Cuba. So much of his past was revealed in A Gilded Lady, and the ultimate reasons behind his actions set the stage for his story in motion in book 3.

The Prince of Spies has much to live up to as the first two books have been incredible! While I’m eager to see Luke’s story unfold, I will have a hard time saying goodbye to this memorable family.

4.5 Stars

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**Click here to read my review of book 1, The Spice King.

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**Jewelry is coming for this book, too!! Lots of inspiration in these pages thanks to so many different events & parties held at the White House. While not mentioned in my review, I loved the mentions of Carolina and Ida borrowing each other’s clothes and jewelry. 🙂 If you’re not familiar with my process with jewelry and its connection to books, click here to learn more.