“There was no such thing as a typical day at the White House, but Caroline Delacroix’s morning took a particularly difficult turn the moment she walked into her crowded office.” - Opening line of “The Gilded Lady” by Elizabeth Camden

I haven’t read book one of the Hope and Glory series, but after book two, “The Gilded Lady“, I won’t be missing out on book 3 by Elizabeth Camden. This is a lovely standalone story but I’m sure I’ll enjoy learning more of the characters by reading the first book.

The leading lady in this one is Caroline Delacroix, the first lady’s secretary as the president’s term draws near it’s end and fears of assassination run high. Caroline’s focus, however, is on guiding the first lady and helping improve her public image. Whilst living the high society life of 1900, Caroline worries for her brother who stands trial in Cuba for treason.

The leading man, Nathaniel Trask, is secret service agent brought in to overhaul the president’s security. Realising how lax the protection is, he swiftly brings about radical change leading to frequent run-ins with Caroline.

The two start the adventure of protecting the first family whilst heading into an election. Those who know their American history will anticipate the unfolding of the political happenings but Elizabeth Camden does a fabulous job painting the picture of the life of those behind a president. Her characterisations of the president and the first lady are based on historical facts. Nathaniel and Caroline’s story is less predictable and is full of unexpected turns and interesting happenings. It is also full of humour and heart.

From the start, I loved this one! Historical fiction at its best! The characters are relatable, faith is elegantly included and the mystery intriguing. It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended.

I received an arc from Netgalley of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

This story centers of Caroline Delacroix, secretary for the First Lady McKinley. Her twin brother had been recently arrested and she deals with this while working night and day to keep up with the demands of the fastidious First Lady. Recently hired secret service agent Nathaniel Trask is immediately suspicious of he because of her connection to her twin brother’s situation. However these two must come together and work together to protect the president and the First Lady.

The relationship between Caroline and Nathaniel is both charming and infuriating. The relationship is sweet and you want to root for them but the obstacles that prevent them from fully being together drove me crazy. However that made the payoff all the sweeter. Th historical details in this story made this a particularly rich plot.

A Gilded Lady
by Elizabeth Camden.

This book is excellent! Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC for me.

Elizabeth Camden is one of my go-to authors for historical fiction, and her Hope and Glory series is my favorite of hers. The Spice King was on my Top 10 List of 2019, but I enjoyed A Gilded Lady even more! The intriguing characters and action-filled storyline will keep readers captivated until the very last page.

I will recommend this one to our historical fiction readers.

I found this to be a wonderful book. When I first started it I was captivated by the writing but also by the inside look into not only society but the White House as well. This is the first lady that I didn't know a whole lot about except for the fact that her husband was assassinated.

Who would have thought that a first lady would be so unique and full of trials? I loved all the characters but Caroline and her twin were my favorite. She was so steadfast to his innocence.

Caroline definitely had a gift for keeping the first lady under control and I loved how it talked about her stepping in and taking over certain duties when she was indisposed. I didn't realize that the personal secretary would do that or ever had done that.

This was a wonderful book that I was captivated by. I had to keep reading to find out what came next and now I can't wait for the next book so I can find out what comes after. There are more characters that I need to know what happens to them and where they go in life!

Highly recommend you read this book and do it soon!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Netgalley.. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

We are first introduced to Caroline in The Spice King where we see her as her older brother sees her. We see a young lady in the height of society that likes to party and have a good time. However, in her book, A Gilded Lady, we see Caroline as a hard working secretary to the first lady. We see her as someone respected by her co-workers, and as someone who can diffuse tense situations. But we also see her as someone determined and loyal to those she cares about. These are the qualities that really made this book for me.

This book was set during the early 1900's during President McKinley's time. I haven't read very many books during this era, so it was fascinating to me to see how things evolved. I learned loads about the president and his wife (something I'll admit I had no knowledge of), and of the Secret Service and how they came to be and function. That was interesting. All that being said though, I did feel that this story dragged a little more with all the history than Camden's previous book. Caroline's and Nathan's story had me hooked, but then it just seemed to take a little longer to get places because of all the background and history that happened. And maybe because of all the history I felt that Caroline's and Nathan's connection was a little thin. It just seemed to happen, but didn't seem to have the deep substance that I typically enjoy.

I'm anxiously awaiting Luke's book to come out, and can't wait to continue with the third installment of this series. These siblings are fun to read about and I'd recommend this author to anyone who loves historical fiction.

Caroline Delacroix has the unenviable job of being the personal secretary to First Lady Ida McKinley. Mrs. McKinley is deeply devoted to and reliant on her husband, but a public relations nightmare in that she has little guard on what she says and no clue about how to entertain visiting dignitaries. That’s where Caroline comes in. Her job is to run interference, set things up so Mrs. McKinley can succeed, be a companion to the woman, and smooth things over when the First Lady is too ill because of her epilepsy to attend social events. And Caroline likes her job. She’s good at it. Though it does have its headaches. A new headache arrives in the form of Social Security agent Nathaniel Trask who is revamping the President’s security. It seems that he is bound and determined to make things more challenging for Caroline and her job. And she is really worried what he’d do if he found out she had a brother who’s in a Cuban jail and confessed to treason. (Though Caroline is really hoping she can get Luke out of the horrible spot he’s landed in.) Nathaniel does not want to be there doing this job. He knows Wilkie only put him there because he is the best, but he’d much rather be chasing down counterfeiters than running a security detail. A past failure haunts his dreams and being in charge of someone else’s welfare makes things worse.

President McKinley is not a President who comes up much in books except in stories of assassinations. Camden does a great job of making the man and the times he presided over as President come to life. It is really interesting to learn more about him, his wife, life in the White House before there was even a West Wing, and things that were going on politically and in the government at the time, like Cuba after the Spanish American war. I’ve learned several things about US History from this series that I’ve never heard about in any detail before. Yes, the book is fiction, but Camden has obviously done her research. Caroline and Nathaniel’s love story has great resonance for the present. They are two people who live and breathe their jobs, and making a relationship work in the midst of that isn’t easy. They are also both dealing with past hurts and need to learn how to best help each other through those things. It’s a great role model for modern couples to make the effort to learn one another’s love languages, hang ups, annoyances, and a reminder that this takes time, effort, and sometimes really hard work. Their story is different for the time period they are set in, but I liked it quite a bit. I was not surprised by how Luke’s story developed. I had my suspicions ever since the first book and it was nice to have them affirmed. It isn’t often that I enjoy a second book in a series more than the first, but that was most definitely the case with this book. I devoured 90% of it in one sitting today. Caroline was much more fun to hang out with than Gray (though I suspect he’d be the first to admit that), and I loved learning more about the little obscure bits of the McKinley presidency. Highly recommended for Christian historical romance fans, and obscure history fans, and plucky main character fans.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a couple kisses. Two shootings are mentioned (wounds very minimally described if at all), mistreatment in prison is mentioned, someone suffers serious burns, a past drowning and fatal fall down stairs mentioned. One character struggles with quitting a smoking habit, but eventually succeeds. Consumption of alcohol is mentioned.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Gilded Lady by Elizabeth Camden

“Forever is now only a day.”

Elizabeth Camden is a new-to-me author and a gifted writer. I will definitely read her other books. This is the second book in the Hope and Glory series. I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. I love how she made a compelling story around the life of US President McKinley and First Lady Ida McKinley. Facts intertwined with fiction. I looked up Pres. McKinley’s life while reading this book. The author’s historical note at the end is good.

I like how passionate Caroline’s character is. She is very efficient in her job, loyal to her family and is willing to wait for her beloved. I like Nathaniel. He is very serious with his job but is cute when he gets distracted by Caroline. The scene with the Delacroix siblings in prison is very moving to me. Family love, loyalty, the grand parties, politics, mystery and crime make this book a must read. 5 stars

Thank you #netgalley and @Bethanyhouse for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Now this is the second book in this series that I have read, and this is Caroline's story, and what an amazing one, and yes, it helps to have read the first book, but you could read this one alone Itis historical in nature, so I knew part of the outcome, and unfortunately the past can't be changed!
Caroline is now working in the White House as a secretary to First Lady, Ida McKinley, and she is working constantly, she will make you breathless. They sure seemed to have a love hate relationship, but I could just picture some of the things that went on, like putting on make-up and getting ready for galas and meetings.
If you read the first book, you will remember her brother Luke, and maybe his book is coming, but he is in dire circumstances here.
There are some surprises that come to light, a bit of romance, and a theme of forgiveness!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

Book 2 in the author's "Hope and Glory" series, featuring Caroline Delacroix (Gray Delacroix's sister from Book 1). It opens in the early 1900's where Caroline is working very hard as First Lady Ida McKinley's personal secretary. Her twin brother Luke has been arrested for treason in Cuba. Caroline is convinced he is innocent but since Luke has pled guilty and refuses any assistance from her or Gray, she decides her only recourse is to pursue a presidential pardon.

When Secret Service Agent Nathaniel Trask is brought into the White House to create a security plan for President McKinley, immediate sparks fly. Although he specializes in counterfeit detection, his level of attention to detail combined with his deeply principled conscience makes him perfect for the job. Chased by old demons, Nathaniel is not sure if he can trust Caroline but is insanely attracted to her.

It is clear this book was incredibly well researched. The historical events are moving and commanding; the author manages to combine depth of character with humor, sorrow, truth telling, Godly wisdom, witty repartee....it's all here in one book - an excellent story that also entertains!

You will enjoy this much more if you read "The Spice King" before diving into this one (and they are both exceptional). I can't wait for Book 3!!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been awhile since I picked up an Elizabeth Camden book, and A Gilded Lady is a great reminder of what U like about her work. While I did not read book one, I feel for the most part it does function as a stand-alone, although I do think it would have made the appearances of the recurring characters feel a bit more relevant.

I love a story that writes about historical politics in an intimate way, and exploring the lives of President and Mrs. McKinley through the eyes of a Secret Service agent and the First Lady’s secretary was fascinating. And given that McKinley is one of the four presidents who was assassinated throughout US history (and the assassination is a plot point in the book), I like how this book explores the poltical tensions both at home and abroad, especially with mentions of other similar tragedies that were occurring at the time, as well as Camden’s note at the end about how the asdassination itself impacted Secret Service procedures going forward.

Caroline is a compelling character. While I got the impression, both from other reviewers who read book one and the depiction of tension later in the book between her and Annabelle (heroine of book one), I felt that, beneath the charming facade, she had a good heart, especially with her focus on saving her brother. And her relationship with the moody Ida McKinley is a sweet one, with Caroline calming her in times of trouble.

Her stubborn, yet charming nature makes for great interactions with Nathaniel, who is set in his ways and very by-the-book. Seeing them grow past their differences and learn from each other is incredibly rewarding.

I very much enjoyed this book, and look forward both to catching up with book one and continuing with book three. If you love sweet/inspirational historical romance, I recommend this one highly.

I could not put A Gilded Lady down. The second installment of the Hope and Glory series continues with the Delacroix family as they try to navigate the dangerous political climate of Washington DC. Caroline Delacroix is the secretary to the wildly unpopular and difficult First Lady of the United States, Ida McKinley. But beneath the facade of her beauty, glamorous wardrobe, and dazzling personality, Caroline is 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 suspicious of Caroline despite his overwhelming attraction to her quick wit and undeniable charm. Desperate to keep the president protected, Nathaniel must battle to keep his focus fully on his job as the threat to the president rises.

I absolutely loved all the true historical figures and events. I did not know much about President McKinley. If you would have just given me his name, I don’t know if I’d even be able to tell you if he was a president. Now, I am brimming with interesting and endearing information about the 25th president of the United States. Despite Ida’s difficult nature, McKinley and his wife were very much in love. He picked flowers for her every morning. When elected for the second term, McKinley went on a train tour of the United States from DC to California and attended fairs, visited farms and ranches, and more. And as you may have already known, he was assassinated during his second term. In love with his wife, he told those around him to gently tell his wife that he was shot. Heartbreaking!

When I started A Gilded Lady, I was a little conflicted with my feelings towards Caroline. In The Spice King, I honestly did not like Caroline’s character. She seemed frivolous and shallow. She also greatly detested Annabelle Larkin, the protagonist in the first book, and the animosity continues in the second book. However, I began to appreciate and love Caroline’s character as the story progressed. Although she can be frivolous, she is also caring and greatly generous. Where I misinterpreted shallowness, she actually has incredible wit and courage. If given a dating resume for her, I would have never of chosen Nathaniel. Caroline is charming and dynamic, and Nathaniel is quiet and pensive. However, his stability, sense of duty and honor, work ethic, and intellect was perfect for Caroline. Ironically, Caroline describes her brother Gray as being dull and boring, I actually think that Nathaniel reminds me a lot of Gray, neither of which can be characterized as such in my mind.

You will need to have read The Spice King in order to read A Gilded Lady. The first two books in the series could almost be written as Part 1 and Part 2. The first book completes the story of Gray and Annabelle and provides a lot of foundation and support for book 2 which continues the Delacroix family’s pursuit to exonerate Luke.

A Gilded Lady will be released on June 2nd.

The Red Review: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
***5 Stars: Compelling Characters, Well-Written, Interesting Storyline, Unable to Stop, Desire to Re-read

This story follows fast on the heels of the closing of book 1 (though readers won’t have too many issues without having read the first). Caroline Delacroix has assumed her position in the White House as the secretary to the First Lady.
I quite enjoyed this story, though it didn’t string me along quite as much as The Spice King. The Gilded Lady gives readers insight to the inner workings of the White House during President McKinley’s presidency and Cuban occupation. The Secret Service is in its infancy and heavily involved in the plot lines of this historical fiction.
Our heroine is passionate about saving her twin brother Luke, who was charged with treason at the end of book one. Luke is still in a Cuban prison and refuses any aid that Caroline tries to send. Readers learn how presidential pardons worked at the time and receive insight to the delicate relations between America and Cuba.
Nathaniel Trask is our hero who is in charge of revising the security at the White House and protecting the president. He has demons of his own to battle which interfere with his job.
Caroline and Nathaniel make quite the pair, and readers can’t but help to root for both of them.
Characters were likable and descriptions vivid, pulling the reader into an enjoyable experience.
Another great inspirational historical fiction by Elizabeth Camden.
I look forward to reading the third installment of the series.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I only review books that strike a cord with me and this one was a zinger. I was fascinated by the unknown history for me about the secret service. The author did a great job developing characters that I liked, and some she did a great job making them unlikable.. The elements of sibling issues, loyalty, faith, bit of mystery and romance made it fascinating. Good insight into what it might have been like dealing with a demanding first lady, opposites attraction and chaos of orchestrating all the elements of a White House staff. A good story. Thanks Net Galley.

A Gilded Lady
by Elizabeth Camden
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 suspicious of Caroline despite his overwhelming attraction to her quick wit and undeniable charm. Desperate to keep the president protected, Nathaniel must battle to keep his focus fully on his job as the threat to the president rises.
Amid the glamorous pageantry of Gilded Age Washington, DC, Caroline and Nathaniel will face adventure, danger, and heartbreak in a race against time that will span the continent and the depth of human emotion.
Impressions: Much of the book was not so much about romance but of the early life of presidential security and an inside perspective of caring for the McKinley’s. It was interesting and fun to imagine. Much of the drama was also focused on Caroline’s brother Luke. Luke was in a pickle and made a big impact on the events of this story.
Liked: I enjoyed the historical adventure of this book.
Didn't like: I did not enjoy the romance storyline as much. Caroline and Nathaniel were in nature private and reserved leaving much to be desired for a romance reader. I did not and still don’t think the original spark of Caroline and Nathaniel was enough. I thought their first kiss to be a letdown and surprise for both of their character's demeanors.
Learned: People are people at the heart of things. No matter how high up or down low someone may seem to be we are all human. Mr. McKinley seemed to be quite tuned in to his wife which was sweet considering all that he was managing at the time.
Quotes: “I know it will be hard, but it’s the hard things in life that make us most proud.”
“When times get tough, you get tougher.”
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

I really enjoyed book 1 of this series, and book 2 didn't disappoint. In A Gilded Lady, we get to enter the world of the McKinley White House. As I've come to expect from Elizabeth Camden, the characters are well developed, the story is interesting, and the history is well researched. I always learn new things. This book had politics, espionage, and romance. The theme of forgiveness was strong. It was a solid volume 2, and I'm looking forward to the third

As always, Camden has a way of creating a world and fully immersing you in it. I truly felt I was "there".
This book just came at the wrong time, culture-wise for me, because of all the general paranoia at present regarding...well...everything virus-related. So while I was reading A Gilded Lady and Nathaniel was freaking out, 24/7 over how this person can't have their hands in their pockets in the president's presence, and this person has to be frisked, and this person has to be screened, and "WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?" all the day long...it was just a bit much for me, considering that's what I get every time I go to the grocery store. I wasn't in the mood for more of it when I opened a book to enjoy myself.

That being said, and it's not as though that's Camden's fault, it's just a reason this book didn't quite hit 100% for me--Camden is a wonderful plot weaver. Nathaniel and Caroline's characters had some great development through the book--they really built quite well. Though I wanted to wring Nathaniel's rule-following neck at times, their relationship really was quite sweet.

*I received an ebook copy via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review*

This book features a few characters from The Spice King, and you may want to read that book before devouring this one. It refers to some situations that occurred which play a part in this story.

That said, I found the book to be interesting and learned a bit about the White House and the secret service formation. Found myself going online to read up about McKinley and his life, which I found to be interesting.

While I enjoyed the book, I liked the end of it much better. Typically I LOVE Elizabeth's books, but this one just seemed to have either too much or not enough, something that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Will I read her next book in this series, most definitely. I want to learn what happens with Luke.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Elizabeth Camden provides such interesting details in her historical fiction, and this book is no exception. From the beginning, I was totally drawn to the look at how things worked behind the scenes in President McKinley's White House. Both Caroline's job as the First Lady's secretary, and Nathaniel's, tasked with fixing presidential security issues, were really interesting. Add in Caroline's struggle to help her brother Luke, imprisoned in Cuba, accused of being a traitor, and the plot is just great before even adding in the romance! While I'm much more like Nathaniel (very serious and bound by rules) than free-spirited Caroline, I found both to be delightful characters and really enjoyed seeing their blossoming feelings for each other. I'm very much looking forward to the third book in the series.
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the author/publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I love Elizabeth Camden's historical fiction, and her new book is no exception. She presents historical figures with all their faults and foibles, as well as their perfections and predilections. Her newest book is in the second in the Hope and Glory series. I think one more book will come out of the series.

A Gilded Lady presents characters who are as close to American Royalty as any could be. Caroline Delacroix works as the secretary of First Lady Ida McKinley, who is known for her irascible behavior, poor health, and her unfiltered mouth. Caroline often has to run interference for Mrs. McKinley to keep what she says from being offensive.

During this time in history, a group of men have decided that the President needed a security detail, and Nathaniel Trask is given the task to set up the Secret Service, and put the protective detail in place. He is also trying to get a counterfeit group

Nathaniel and Caroline butt heads frequently. Nathaniel is a rule follower, down to the letter, and Caroline is such a rule breaker that Nathaniel feels compelled to keep a close eye on Caroline. But that close eye required a high price in the cost of their hearts.

Caroline has a secret that could cost her everything she holds dear. Her brother is in a Cuban prison accused of treason against the United States. Caroline even goes to the President to get him pardoned and released. He refused to do so because of the political cost it could accrue.

Elizabeth Camden does her research and writes her characters well. Her settings and plot movements are spot on, and her history is accurate and only adds to the charm of her writing. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a filter for a first lady's mouth.

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

An exhilarating story of love, intrigue, and faith from Elizabeth Camden! Camden flawlessly weaves together a story with incredible historical detail that never takes the reader out of the story, but rather greatly enhances the reading experience. Camden’s multidimensional characters and their adventures are equally thrilling. I am EAGERLY awaiting Luke Delacroix’s story, coming in 2021, and I encourage readers to pass the time until then by reading this incredible series. 4.5/5 stars!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.