Thursday, September 14, 2017

ARC REVIEW Lady Be Good by Heather Hiestand

Lady Be Good is book three in Heather Hiestand's The Grand Russe Hotel series. We finally get Olga's story, we knew from the first book that she was a princess, several generations removed from the Royal family but still a decedent nonetheless. We learn in this book how she got to be where she is now, after her fiance was murdered she separated from her sister and was picked up and brought to England with the Grand Duchess, but it soon became evident that she wouldn't be welcome for long and never one for charity looked up an old friend, Peter Eyre, she then went to work with his sister in her hotel in Bath where she trained to be a chambermaid. Peter brought her to The Grand Russe to be the manager in charge of housecleaning but Olga isn't happy now unless she's doing something.
Douglas Childers was the youngest of four boys to a Duke unfortunately his older brothers all died in the war, Douglas' father is now after him to settle down and give him an heir. Douglas however in knees deep in the investigation of the Russian uprise and is currently trying to discover the location of the Russian bomber Konstantin who previously set off a bomb in the Grand Russe Hotel  and spy on the Russian delegation that has been staying at the hotel too.

Peter put Olga in charge of an art exhibit in the hotel spotlighting some of the art they have at the hotel. One of the painting she wants is in Childers' room hiding the spy equipment that is what first brings Olga and Douglas together. Douglas is immediately taken with the statuesque beauty of Olga and then he finds out her last name is the same as Konstantin. Douglas decides it's beneficial to find out as much as he can about Olga, really he just needed an excuse. He enjoys his time with her and he wants her to trust him even though he's not being truthful to her until it is absolutely necessary. Olga and Konstantin are cousins but it's not a healthy relationship. Olga is loyal to a fault and foolishly believes he can change but when he gets mean and violent with her she finally tells Douglas everything and after Konstantin blows up another location Douglas finally reveals why he's really at the hotel.

Olga agrees to go under Douglas' protection, she is falling in love with him and him with her, she's met his father and his father approves of the match. But when more of Douglas' secrets come out Olga starts to doubt him and his motives and when it all goes down Olga is left feeling betrayed and she doesn't know if she can marry Douglas after all. Even before it all went down Douglas knows unequivocally that he loves her, and the thought of losing her cuts him deep.

Overall, it was a good read. Olga broke my heart a little bit there at the end. I really hope Peter's story is next, it is revealed (I don't remember if it said previously) is part of the Redcake family, a tie in to her other series. I can just picture Olga's newly returned sister going head to head with Emmaline. (makes me giddy)

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