Elizabeth Camden- you know the way to my heart! Once again, I was transported to America at the turn of the century. I absolutely loved this installment of the series! I loved the romance, the history, and the mystery in the story! During the Gilded Age in Washington, DC, we follow Caroline Delacroix and Nathaniel Trask as they work closely with the McKinley administration. Caroline is personal secretary to temperamental First Lady, Ida. Nathaniel is put in charge of President McKinley’s personal security- a fact that was very interesting knowing beforehand that President McKinley was assassinated. Although both Caroline and Nathaniel are fictional characters, many of the characters, like the McKinleys and other staff, were real. It was so intriguing to see how Camden brought them to life through Caroline and Nathaniel.
Caroline’s twin brother, Luke, is imprisoned in Cuba for treason. Caroline feels this can not be true, and tries to use her close bond with the McKinleys to free her brother. Nathaniel has been tasked with keeping the president safe- a job he is apprehensive to take. He is more than qualified, but unsatisfied with policies (or lack thereof) put in place to protect the president. When Nathaniel learns of Caroline’s brother, he is immediately on high alert- why would someone who works so closely with the president have a brother committing treason? As the two battle while trying to do their jobs, their bond becomes undeniably close. Working together to solve Luke’s case may bring them the strength they need to forge a new relationship.
I knew the date of McKinley’s death and knew that we would read about it as part of the story. It was incredibly satisfying to see how Nathaniel struggles and eventually learns to accept himself, and how these events spurred the creation of the Secret Service. I loved learning more about this time in US history- a time that I admit I don’t know well. The more I learn about this era, the more I love it. I loved Nathaniel and Caroline’s relationship. I love when a relationship is established early on so we can see how close the characters can become. Their relationship is a testament that in order to have a successful relationship, each partner must learn to compromise while not losing themselves in the other. Each partner has something specific and special to offer. Highly recommend! Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.