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One Enchanted Evening


Title One Enchanted Evening
Writer Anton du Beke
Date 2025-04-19 16:33:28
Type pdf epub mobi doc fb2 audiobook kindle djvu ibooks
Link Listen Read

Desciption

The Sunday Times bestseller!' Downton with dance, perfect!' Santa MontefiorePrepare to be swept off your feet by the romantic and irresistible debut novel from Anton Du BekeLondon, 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 . . .


Review

Anton Du Beke is better known for his fantastic dancing prowess in "Strictly Come Dancing" and for being a well respected television personality. "One Enchanted Evening" is his first debut novel featuring glitz, glamour, scandal and secrets set in 1936 in a fabulous London hotel focusing on its magnificent and opulent ballroom.The descriptions of the Buckingham Hotel and it's ballroom were just exquisite and I truly felt I was a guest there myself enjoying the ostentatious surroundings. Anton really cares about his characters, introducing them in such a way that you will instantly love them or understand and appreciate why they are the way they are. I loved young Billy Brogan and I couldn't help but equate the debonair Raymond de Guise with Anton himself, charming and handsome!Who would have thought there would be so much fierce competition and rivalry between London's top hotels and the amount of secrets and scandals that they tried to keep hidden was quite eye opening. The fight scene in The Midnight Rooms was exceedingly authentic and I felt as if I was there in the alcoves watching it all develop into a brawl with the beat of the band in the background. I also sensed elements of the movie "Dirty Dancing" at times with the risqué Latin dances hidden away in clubs for the more adventurous dancers to enjoy and partake.As the secrets start to unravel, each character is worried how it will impact on them, once they are exposed and it was interesting to see just how varied everyone's hidden secret was, each totally different to the other.Elegantly written in a beautiful era of the 1930's - which is obviously a favourite period of Anton's - his passion for dancing, the people he's met along the way and the places he has visited has inspired him to write an incredibly entertaining book where page after page the story unfolds into an intriguing and uplifting story.A lighthearted but fully heartwarming tale completely different to what I would normally read (Anton couldn't be further from my gruesome serial killing authors you could get) but I'm so pleased to have read it and enjoyed every second of it. Whether you're a fan of historical fiction or a fan of Anton himself for his beautiful dancing etc then you'll love this book - give it a twirl and take a waltz down memory lane - you shouldn't be disappointed! I do hope Anton writes more like this - I even think this book would make a wonderful television series along the lines of "Downtown Abbey" but filled with beautiful dancing and glitzy characters - he now has an additional talent of writing and as a debut novel this one really does deserve a "10 from Len"! 5 stars

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