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A review by justcatherine
A Gilded Lady by Elizabeth Camden
4.0
3.5 stars
I thought the 1st book in this series was fantastic, but this one had a very different feel to the pacing and plot. I LOVED the look at the McKinley era presidency as it's one I'm not especially familiar with and there was a lot of humanity and empathy to how the historical characters were written. Nathaniel's work within counterfeit investigation & leading the newly formed Presidential Secret Service team was fascinating. Caroline's intricate path amid being the First Lady's personal secretary & the duties involved in that role, as well as her concern for her brother's well-being in a Cuban prison was fraught with tension and I was intrigued through the end to know how that plotline would work out. The slow-burn romance between Caroline and Nathaniel was handled well, I think. Overall, it felt a bit like a filler story that covered the time between Gray's and Luke's stories that maintained their focus on the integrity of prepared food during this time period. For anyone who enjoys historical fiction, this is an interesting read and well worth the time. Compared to the other two books in the series (EXCELLENT) this one just wasn't quite as good and was disappointing in comparison.
I thought the 1st book in this series was fantastic, but this one had a very different feel to the pacing and plot. I LOVED the look at the McKinley era presidency as it's one I'm not especially familiar with and there was a lot of humanity and empathy to how the historical characters were written. Nathaniel's work within counterfeit investigation & leading the newly formed Presidential Secret Service team was fascinating. Caroline's intricate path amid being the First Lady's personal secretary & the duties involved in that role, as well as her concern for her brother's well-being in a Cuban prison was fraught with tension and I was intrigued through the end to know how that plotline would work out. The slow-burn romance between Caroline and Nathaniel was handled well, I think. Overall, it felt a bit like a filler story that covered the time between Gray's and Luke's stories that maintained their focus on the integrity of prepared food during this time period. For anyone who enjoys historical fiction, this is an interesting read and well worth the time. Compared to the other two books in the series (EXCELLENT) this one just wasn't quite as good and was disappointing in comparison.