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Buckingham #3
A Christmas to Remember
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
You are cordially invited to the wedding of the year!
London, 1938.
As the festive season approaches at the luxurious Buckingham Hotel, romance is in the air. The hotel staff are preparing for a once-in-a-lifetime event—the marriage of chambermaid Nancy Nettleton to debonair demonstration dancer Raymond de Guise.
As wreaths are hung and carols are sung, life at the hotel is busier than ever. Guests arrive from around the world, seeking comfort, relaxation and refuge as tensions build across Europe and whispered rumours of war grow louder.
Behind the scenes, the staff work tirelessly, ensuring the smooth operation of the hotel, not only keeping the confidences of their guests, but also protecting their own secrets...
As Raymond takes Nancy in his arms for their first dance, one thing is certain—this will be a Christmas to remember.
Be swept away by the new breath-taking romantic novel from Sunday Times bestselling author and Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke.
You are cordially invited to the wedding of the year!
London, 1938.
As the festive season approaches at the luxurious Buckingham Hotel, romance is in the air. The hotel staff are preparing for a once-in-a-lifetime event—the marriage of chambermaid Nancy Nettleton to debonair demonstration dancer Raymond de Guise.
As wreaths are hung and carols are sung, life at the hotel is busier than ever. Guests arrive from around the world, seeking comfort, relaxation and refuge as tensions build across Europe and whispered rumours of war grow louder.
Behind the scenes, the staff work tirelessly, ensuring the smooth operation of the hotel, not only keeping the confidences of their guests, but also protecting their own secrets...
As Raymond takes Nancy in his arms for their first dance, one thing is certain—this will be a Christmas to remember.
Be swept away by the new breath-taking romantic novel from Sunday Times bestselling author and Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke.
435 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2021
193 people are currently reading
567 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
October 29, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I’d heard so many great things about this series and Anton as an author, I was so excited to get stuck in!
The third installment of the series follows those at the Buckingham Hotel through 1938, as the deal with both personal joy and the fear of the war that seems to be looming. This felt particularly poignant given the current circumstances, highlighting that despite fear and uncertainty, we should try to find joy where we can.
This is the first book of this series that I have read, and I will now be putting the other two on my list to santa. I have completely fallen in love with the characters and want to learn everything I can about this magnificent hotel. Anton has managed to create beautifully vivid and diverse characters, placed in an excellent setting. It has a wonderful feeling of being both grand and ‘common’, with so many different classes mixing throughout.
I felt so many emotions throughout: joy, heartache, fear, anger. I loved the way some loose ends were tied up by the end of the novel, leaving just enough for me to long desperately for the next installment. We need more of this series please!!
Is there anything Mr Du Beke cannot do?! I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a light, heartwarming historical novel!
The third installment of the series follows those at the Buckingham Hotel through 1938, as the deal with both personal joy and the fear of the war that seems to be looming. This felt particularly poignant given the current circumstances, highlighting that despite fear and uncertainty, we should try to find joy where we can.
This is the first book of this series that I have read, and I will now be putting the other two on my list to santa. I have completely fallen in love with the characters and want to learn everything I can about this magnificent hotel. Anton has managed to create beautifully vivid and diverse characters, placed in an excellent setting. It has a wonderful feeling of being both grand and ‘common’, with so many different classes mixing throughout.
I felt so many emotions throughout: joy, heartache, fear, anger. I loved the way some loose ends were tied up by the end of the novel, leaving just enough for me to long desperately for the next installment. We need more of this series please!!
Is there anything Mr Du Beke cannot do?! I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a light, heartwarming historical novel!
March 12, 2023
Book 3 and continues to be comfort reading at its best
As said in review of Book 2 you really need to read all books in order although as in Book 1 and 2 there is a handy Gilly Cooper esque character guide
It’s Christmas and didn’t feel as ‘weird’ as I expected reading this book in March, a good book gets over Seasons and Holidays and is whenever you read it a good book
Really love the characters he has made and grown in the series and also the serious subjects he manages to cover yet without ruining the relaxed style of the book, enjoy his ‘old time’ phrases and languages and really do love his writing way more than I expected too
One book left and then I see he has Book 1 of a new series recently published…
As said in review of Book 2 you really need to read all books in order although as in Book 1 and 2 there is a handy Gilly Cooper esque character guide
It’s Christmas and didn’t feel as ‘weird’ as I expected reading this book in March, a good book gets over Seasons and Holidays and is whenever you read it a good book
Really love the characters he has made and grown in the series and also the serious subjects he manages to cover yet without ruining the relaxed style of the book, enjoy his ‘old time’ phrases and languages and really do love his writing way more than I expected too
One book left and then I see he has Book 1 of a new series recently published…
January 1, 2022
My first festive read completed to see in the new year.
This was an enjoyable if not entirely wonderful festive historical romance book that was just light reading of an evening.
This was an enjoyable if not entirely wonderful festive historical romance book that was just light reading of an evening.
October 28, 2020
Having thoroughly enjoyed Anton du Beke’s two previous novels, set behind the doors of the Buckingham Hotel in Mayfair and home to the Grand Ballroom, I gladly returned for a third and festive encounter. The first two novels were a mix of historical drama and romance and much of my enjoyment was due to the atmospheric portrayal of the 1930s and du Beke’s willingness to weave the precarious political situation and the looming threat of war around the ongoing lives of the dancers and staff at the Buckingham. This third encounter sees du Beke maintain his authentic grasp of the period era and follows goings-on at the hotel from April 1938 to the eve of WWII, taking in the marriage of independent Lancastrian chambermaid, Nancy Nettleton, and debonair demonstration dancer, Raymond de Guise (aka Ray Cohen from Whitechapel).
Opening in April 1938 with invitations to Nancy and Raymond’s wedding in December with dinner and dancing at the Grand Ballroom already circulated, hotel director and reluctant spy, Maynard Charles, is overseeing the long-awaited restoration of the Buckingham’s showpiece ballroom following a fire. Problems await Maynard however and his first comes in the shape of the dignified and silver-haired Austrian, Herr Tobias Bauer, who due to Nazi Germany’s intention to annex Austria finds himself exiled and one of the many refugees pouring into England to very mixed reactions. Having seen action himself in the Great War and still bearing the emotional scars a second war feels imminent to Maynard, with the odious Lord Edgerton, a key member of the hotel board, a notable member of the British Union of Fascists. Even kindly housekeeper and mother to all the girls in her charge, Mrs Emmeline Moffatt, has troubles of her own with the arrival of a letter that upends her world and reawakens a decades old hurt and inadvertently arouses the concern of bandleader Archie Adams.
Meanwhile Lord Edgerton’s stepdaughter, reformed addict Vivienne, is unbeknownst to him still continuing her good works and putting her allowance towards the Daughters of Salvation charitable enterprise, ably assisted by Raymond’s wide boy younger brother, Artie. The arrival of elegant principal dancer, Hélène Marchmont’s estranged family bringing news of their own to the hotel exposes her most precious secret, thereby placing her future in the Grand Ballroom on the line. All eyes below stairs are however on Nancy as she frets on what the future holds once she is a married woman and the possibility that she might have to give up the job she loves. But without a dress to get wed in and her younger brother, hotel page Frank, having a job and a half teaching Lambeth born concierge Billy Brogan how to dance there is plenty of drama. With a touring dance company in the ballroom and Billy once again acting as the eyes and ears of the hotel for Mr Charles and his spymasters the novel moves between storylines and individual characters predicaments with aplomb, maintaining a brisk pace and keeping the entire story intriguing.
The novel itself is just over 450 pages and my only gripe was that I felt it got off to a slow start with a hefty chunk of back story covered in the initial stages, meaning it is not necessary to have read the first two novels in order to follow the story. Nevertheless the story soon got into its stride and its length is also partly explained by an abundance of developments in the lives of a number of the characters and on the world stage which more than made amends for the slow start. Full of secrets, divided loyalties and the enduring magic of the ballroom, A Christmas to Remember is an immensely entertaining third novel in the series and once again portrays the ugly face of fascism against the glamorous hotel backdrop with a vivid cast and a marriage to celebrate! Recommended light reading with strong characterisation regardless of whether a fan of dancing or Anton du Beke.
Opening in April 1938 with invitations to Nancy and Raymond’s wedding in December with dinner and dancing at the Grand Ballroom already circulated, hotel director and reluctant spy, Maynard Charles, is overseeing the long-awaited restoration of the Buckingham’s showpiece ballroom following a fire. Problems await Maynard however and his first comes in the shape of the dignified and silver-haired Austrian, Herr Tobias Bauer, who due to Nazi Germany’s intention to annex Austria finds himself exiled and one of the many refugees pouring into England to very mixed reactions. Having seen action himself in the Great War and still bearing the emotional scars a second war feels imminent to Maynard, with the odious Lord Edgerton, a key member of the hotel board, a notable member of the British Union of Fascists. Even kindly housekeeper and mother to all the girls in her charge, Mrs Emmeline Moffatt, has troubles of her own with the arrival of a letter that upends her world and reawakens a decades old hurt and inadvertently arouses the concern of bandleader Archie Adams.
Meanwhile Lord Edgerton’s stepdaughter, reformed addict Vivienne, is unbeknownst to him still continuing her good works and putting her allowance towards the Daughters of Salvation charitable enterprise, ably assisted by Raymond’s wide boy younger brother, Artie. The arrival of elegant principal dancer, Hélène Marchmont’s estranged family bringing news of their own to the hotel exposes her most precious secret, thereby placing her future in the Grand Ballroom on the line. All eyes below stairs are however on Nancy as she frets on what the future holds once she is a married woman and the possibility that she might have to give up the job she loves. But without a dress to get wed in and her younger brother, hotel page Frank, having a job and a half teaching Lambeth born concierge Billy Brogan how to dance there is plenty of drama. With a touring dance company in the ballroom and Billy once again acting as the eyes and ears of the hotel for Mr Charles and his spymasters the novel moves between storylines and individual characters predicaments with aplomb, maintaining a brisk pace and keeping the entire story intriguing.
The novel itself is just over 450 pages and my only gripe was that I felt it got off to a slow start with a hefty chunk of back story covered in the initial stages, meaning it is not necessary to have read the first two novels in order to follow the story. Nevertheless the story soon got into its stride and its length is also partly explained by an abundance of developments in the lives of a number of the characters and on the world stage which more than made amends for the slow start. Full of secrets, divided loyalties and the enduring magic of the ballroom, A Christmas to Remember is an immensely entertaining third novel in the series and once again portrays the ugly face of fascism against the glamorous hotel backdrop with a vivid cast and a marriage to celebrate! Recommended light reading with strong characterisation regardless of whether a fan of dancing or Anton du Beke.
October 28, 2020
Anton Du Beke, King of the Strictly ballroom, television personality and now best selling author, continues his elegant Mayfair based, Buckingham Hotel series with “A Christmas to Remember.”
London 1938. As the threat of war looms ever closer, the Buckingham Hotel's difficulties grow. Still reeling from the events of last year, the staff of the Buckingham will have to struggle to keep up the hotel's glamorous reputation. However, beneath the glitz of the ballroom lies a thousand secrets and some are about to be revealed.
I’ve loved this series since the first one back in 2018 and fell in love with the wonderfully endearing characters. Anton’s passion for the 1930’s and his love of dance, glitz and glamour shine positively throughout the series and really does transport you to a completely different era. If this is your first visit to the Buckingham Hotel, I’m sure that you could quite easily read this as a stand-alone. However, due to the many diverse characters private lives and their past histories, I do believe more enjoyment would come from reading the books in order. In particular this book “A Christmas to Remember” follows Raymond Du Guise and his wife to be,Nancy Nettleton and also Vivienne Edgerton (step daughter to Lord Edgerton) and her activities at the ‘Daughters of Salvation’ homeless shelter. Both of these threads featured throughout the first two books and in my opinion the reader would benefit from starting them in order to understand the situations they are in now or how the relationships have developed.
If I was to be critical however, this was for me the weakest story of the three books and a little disappointing. Although the character development was still strong, the ambience I felt previously didn’t exist this time and I felt slightly let down by it.
Saying this, I’m sure Anton’s legion of hard core fans will love it and older readers who enjoy a gentle, heartwarming tale set in the 1930’s but on this occasion it didn’t hit the mark for me. I can only hope, if there’s a next instalment, we return to the Buckingham with its flamboyancy once again next year and the Grand Ballroom ignites with the passion and the exuberance it deserves.
3 stars
London 1938. As the threat of war looms ever closer, the Buckingham Hotel's difficulties grow. Still reeling from the events of last year, the staff of the Buckingham will have to struggle to keep up the hotel's glamorous reputation. However, beneath the glitz of the ballroom lies a thousand secrets and some are about to be revealed.
I’ve loved this series since the first one back in 2018 and fell in love with the wonderfully endearing characters. Anton’s passion for the 1930’s and his love of dance, glitz and glamour shine positively throughout the series and really does transport you to a completely different era. If this is your first visit to the Buckingham Hotel, I’m sure that you could quite easily read this as a stand-alone. However, due to the many diverse characters private lives and their past histories, I do believe more enjoyment would come from reading the books in order. In particular this book “A Christmas to Remember” follows Raymond Du Guise and his wife to be,Nancy Nettleton and also Vivienne Edgerton (step daughter to Lord Edgerton) and her activities at the ‘Daughters of Salvation’ homeless shelter. Both of these threads featured throughout the first two books and in my opinion the reader would benefit from starting them in order to understand the situations they are in now or how the relationships have developed.
If I was to be critical however, this was for me the weakest story of the three books and a little disappointing. Although the character development was still strong, the ambience I felt previously didn’t exist this time and I felt slightly let down by it.
Saying this, I’m sure Anton’s legion of hard core fans will love it and older readers who enjoy a gentle, heartwarming tale set in the 1930’s but on this occasion it didn’t hit the mark for me. I can only hope, if there’s a next instalment, we return to the Buckingham with its flamboyancy once again next year and the Grand Ballroom ignites with the passion and the exuberance it deserves.
3 stars
December 8, 2021
going to pretend i finished this book because i don’t think i can read one more page of it
May 2, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and the overall setting. This is set throughout 1938 as the Second World War approaches.
This is the third instalment in the series, I have not read the first two but I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything. I think it’s okay to be read as a standalone.
Liked all the characters and how diverse they are, with the mix of the classes they belong to.
In the end everything tied up so nicely that just makes me want to read more.
Totally recommend this book.
This is the third instalment in the series, I have not read the first two but I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything. I think it’s okay to be read as a standalone.
Liked all the characters and how diverse they are, with the mix of the classes they belong to.
In the end everything tied up so nicely that just makes me want to read more.
Totally recommend this book.
January 4, 2024
A re-read after reading the first two in the series, I enjoyed this even more this time around as I now knew the backgrounds and stories of the various characters. The book ends at New Year 1939 so hints made of the war to come, looking forward to reading more of the series.
Want to read
October 29, 2020I've loved each of Anton du Beke's novels set in the enchanting Buckingham Hotel in the 1930s, and this one didn't disappoint. It was lovely to revisit all of the characters that we've come to know and love, and even lovelier that there was a touch of festive magic in the air. It's a wonderful series of books, cosy escapism which is exactly what I need at the moment. The world the books are set in is a bygone era, a time of glamour and elegance, of ballrooms and romance. It's a world that I loved spending time in. As always Anton's knowledge of dance shines through, but he has also clearly done his research into the historical details as the Second World War looms ever closer. Although this is the third book in the series it could easily be read as a standalone - there is enough backstory of the characters for the plot to make sense. Whether or not you're a Strictly fan I'd recommend this book to anyone after a bit of festive escapism.
November 9, 2020
This is book three of the series and introduces us to more of the characters' secrets.
The Buckingham Hotel really comes to life, especially in its Christmas setting and I would love to be there to see the decorated tree and the amazing ballroom with its dancers.
I have become so fond of all the characters that although this book has many happy moments, I know that the war which they all dread is coming and in all likelihood all their lives will be affected. Nonetheless, I can't wait for the next instalment.
The Buckingham Hotel really comes to life, especially in its Christmas setting and I would love to be there to see the decorated tree and the amazing ballroom with its dancers.
I have become so fond of all the characters that although this book has many happy moments, I know that the war which they all dread is coming and in all likelihood all their lives will be affected. Nonetheless, I can't wait for the next instalment.
May 11, 2022
I love this series of books sent in a luxury hotel in London in the interwar period. The descriptions are lovely and enable the reader to picture the scene instantly.
I know it's a Christmas title but I read this in May and it didn't spoil my enjoyment at all!
I know it's a Christmas title but I read this in May and it didn't spoil my enjoyment at all!
December 28, 2020
Perfect read for the Christmas break. Love how the characters are developing.
January 22, 2021
Cosy historical fiction, with characters that I love and a setting that I can picture instantly.
Read
December 8, 2021I chose this book as it was about Christmas and written by one of the Strictly professionals. He did quite a good job. I think this should be made into a historical drama on TV.
October 22, 2022
4.5 stars
I think had I read this closer to the second in the series it may have been 5 stars. Loved seeing the characters and watching them grow.
I think had I read this closer to the second in the series it may have been 5 stars. Loved seeing the characters and watching them grow.
January 4, 2023
I am a fan of Anton so really wanted to love this book. It was pleasant but it won’t stay in my mind as a great read.
December 12, 2025
Enjoying the plot and character development through 1 to 3. Already bought the next in the series... If you like this type of easy-to-read series, give it a go!
March 9, 2021
Enjoyable, undemanding read set in London in the thirties. A little like upstairs downstairs as it skims over all classes of society.
July 29, 2023
Another brilliant instalment to this series.
Lots of drama within the Buckingham Hotel and a big wedding.
Love all the characters within the book and so well written.
Can’t wait to read book 4.
Lots of drama within the Buckingham Hotel and a big wedding.
Love all the characters within the book and so well written.
Can’t wait to read book 4.
January 16, 2023
Pure escapism, enjoyed every minute and will be looking to get the next book in the series.
December 29, 2021
I don't mind admitting that I was genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed this book. I grabbed it from the library as it was on the returns trolley one of the assistants was wheeling around. I'd been struggling to find something that grabbed my attention, but caught sight of the name and wondered to myself whether it was the dancer I have seen on strictly over the years. Turns out the author is the one-and-same.
Liking a bit of strictly, and listening to the gentleman when he talks, I was expecting it to be a cheesy read based around Mr Du Bekes dancing career, turned into a story to make it more readable than just an autobiography of sorts. I could not have been more wrong.
The blurb on the front says something along the lines of "Downton meets strictly" and that is very much a good description of it, but it is also so much more. Yes, there is dancing, yes there is a ballroom but the main story is based around the staff who live and work in the Buckingham Hotel. Characters who are believable; people you will doff your hat to, or smile at before bidding them a "good morning" as you pass them by in the street or the hallways of the hotel itself.
It's not just about them working, and dancing in the evening though, as this story is set in 1938, a year before WW2 began, and the author bids some very big nods to the coming of the war, in a way which is sympathetic. The addition of some Austrian and German characters brings alive the fear felt by a lot of people during those times.
Throw in a couple of love stories, some espionage, a spy (or 2) and this story has a little something for everyone. Easy to read, easy to follow and a most enjoyable tale to read.
My only gripe - and this is a gripe I have with a lot of authors who are not authors by trade - is the excessive use of names when they are not needed as it's obvious who is talking to whom (this does fade out as you go through the book) and the overuse of the word "But". I find both of these things really off-putting. Aside from those, this is a great little read. Curl up with a hot chocolate (or glass of wine if you prefer) on a wet Sunday afternoon, allow him to and enjoy as the author transports you back in time.
I'm off to the library to see if they have the other 2 he's written.
Liking a bit of strictly, and listening to the gentleman when he talks, I was expecting it to be a cheesy read based around Mr Du Bekes dancing career, turned into a story to make it more readable than just an autobiography of sorts. I could not have been more wrong.
The blurb on the front says something along the lines of "Downton meets strictly" and that is very much a good description of it, but it is also so much more. Yes, there is dancing, yes there is a ballroom but the main story is based around the staff who live and work in the Buckingham Hotel. Characters who are believable; people you will doff your hat to, or smile at before bidding them a "good morning" as you pass them by in the street or the hallways of the hotel itself.
It's not just about them working, and dancing in the evening though, as this story is set in 1938, a year before WW2 began, and the author bids some very big nods to the coming of the war, in a way which is sympathetic. The addition of some Austrian and German characters brings alive the fear felt by a lot of people during those times.
Throw in a couple of love stories, some espionage, a spy (or 2) and this story has a little something for everyone. Easy to read, easy to follow and a most enjoyable tale to read.
My only gripe - and this is a gripe I have with a lot of authors who are not authors by trade - is the excessive use of names when they are not needed as it's obvious who is talking to whom (this does fade out as you go through the book) and the overuse of the word "But". I find both of these things really off-putting. Aside from those, this is a great little read. Curl up with a hot chocolate (or glass of wine if you prefer) on a wet Sunday afternoon, allow him to and enjoy as the author transports you back in time.
I'm off to the library to see if they have the other 2 he's written.
December 30, 2021
My first visit to the Buckingham Hotel series and definitely not my last. What a wonderful warm-hearted story about love, trust, family and above all dancing.
There are some great characters especially Emmeline and Nancy, and a beautiful setting at Christmas time in London. I’m intrigued to see how the next in the series works out with war on the horizon.
There are some great characters especially Emmeline and Nancy, and a beautiful setting at Christmas time in London. I’m intrigued to see how the next in the series works out with war on the horizon.
September 3, 2022
I haven't read any of the other 2 books in this series, and I very much doubt I will.
I found that I was looking forward to finishing the book so I could move onto something more gripping.
Not one I would recommend.
I found that I was looking forward to finishing the book so I could move onto something more gripping.
Not one I would recommend.
October 26, 2020
I have been waiting for this book since I turned the final page of the last one. With that in mind, I do recommend that you start from the beginning with this series and read in order rather than diving straight in with this one. It is full of the richest characters who all have backstories which in some way help define them and so, to get the very best from them, you would be better playing catch up first.
So... we are now in 1938 and war is once again looming. But before all that, we have the grand re-opening of the Buckingham Hotel Grand Ballroom. Everyone is excited for this event but, each also has their own trials and tribulations to deal with. I'd love to go into more detail here but there are so many rich and colourful characters whose stories are front and centre herein that to start would mean I'd go on and on and, well, you might as well just read the book yourself! Needless to say that the author does put certain ones through the wringer once again although he also includes enough of the good cheer to keep the book on an even keel throughout. There's love as well as loss, happiness as well as sadness and there are quite a few secrets from pasts both divulged and resolved. It's actually quite an emotional book all told - and quite meaty too. We play catch up with several old friends and are introduced to some new ones. We lose some, we gain others.
But in amongst all that is happening in and around The Buckingham Hotel, the author also weaves the history and feeling of the time seamlessly into the mix. As already mentioned, war is looming, but we also have the values and prejudices front and centre and these present quite a few challenges for many of the characters.
To say I blooming loved my time spent reading this book - to say that I consider some of the characters to be friends - to say that I felt bereft leaving them at the end - would all be an understatement. In fact, the only bad thing I can say about the whole experience is that I am now hanging for book four. A year is a long time to wait. I will however be pouncing on the Audiobook as soon as it is released so I can revisit with that extra dimension that the narrator brings.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
So... we are now in 1938 and war is once again looming. But before all that, we have the grand re-opening of the Buckingham Hotel Grand Ballroom. Everyone is excited for this event but, each also has their own trials and tribulations to deal with. I'd love to go into more detail here but there are so many rich and colourful characters whose stories are front and centre herein that to start would mean I'd go on and on and, well, you might as well just read the book yourself! Needless to say that the author does put certain ones through the wringer once again although he also includes enough of the good cheer to keep the book on an even keel throughout. There's love as well as loss, happiness as well as sadness and there are quite a few secrets from pasts both divulged and resolved. It's actually quite an emotional book all told - and quite meaty too. We play catch up with several old friends and are introduced to some new ones. We lose some, we gain others.
But in amongst all that is happening in and around The Buckingham Hotel, the author also weaves the history and feeling of the time seamlessly into the mix. As already mentioned, war is looming, but we also have the values and prejudices front and centre and these present quite a few challenges for many of the characters.
To say I blooming loved my time spent reading this book - to say that I consider some of the characters to be friends - to say that I felt bereft leaving them at the end - would all be an understatement. In fact, the only bad thing I can say about the whole experience is that I am now hanging for book four. A year is a long time to wait. I will however be pouncing on the Audiobook as soon as it is released so I can revisit with that extra dimension that the narrator brings.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
November 19, 2020
Beguiled by the cover and wanting escapism with a pinch of salt I succunbed
I loved the cover of A Christmas to Remember and I was curious about whether or not Anton du Beke could write, so I took a punt, not knowing what to expect but needing escapism in these horrid Coronavirus times and also unaware this book was the third book in a series set in the 1930s based around a hotel, it's guests, it's staff and resident dancers.
... Did I enjoy it? Well, I kept reading until the end. I felt it had more breadth than depth to be honest, and a few too many story lines and characters. But what I would say, is that something of Mr. Du Beke's warmth and personality bubbled through and you can feel his love of dance and also something of the joy and openness of the man himself in the characters and personalities he writes about. I
... I can see how how his books might become a bit of a secret pleasure for me, and that they can bring joy and pleasure to those who read them.
Would I read another? Well, maybe, I don't know. It doesn't pretend to be great literature, but it's very sweet and I hadn't expected the setting or the time frame which did add another dimension to what might have just been a story about life and lives and loves - a sort of Upstairs Downstairs story centred around a grand hotel - a bit like a recent TV series about what goes on in The Savoy Hotel behind the scenes. So, a lot to congratulate Mr. Du Beke on - a man of many hats to be sure, and he can easily inhabit the mind of a dancer and make a reader feel the sway and rhythm of dance. So, a bit of light entertainment, really. And nothing wrong with that. I just think it needs pruning a bit and less characters to follow. My grandaughter, not a reader by any description but a lover of dance may very well enjoy this book and if it brings more lovers of dance to books, that's pretty wonderful, too.
I loved the cover of A Christmas to Remember and I was curious about whether or not Anton du Beke could write, so I took a punt, not knowing what to expect but needing escapism in these horrid Coronavirus times and also unaware this book was the third book in a series set in the 1930s based around a hotel, it's guests, it's staff and resident dancers.
... Did I enjoy it? Well, I kept reading until the end. I felt it had more breadth than depth to be honest, and a few too many story lines and characters. But what I would say, is that something of Mr. Du Beke's warmth and personality bubbled through and you can feel his love of dance and also something of the joy and openness of the man himself in the characters and personalities he writes about. I
... I can see how how his books might become a bit of a secret pleasure for me, and that they can bring joy and pleasure to those who read them.
Would I read another? Well, maybe, I don't know. It doesn't pretend to be great literature, but it's very sweet and I hadn't expected the setting or the time frame which did add another dimension to what might have just been a story about life and lives and loves - a sort of Upstairs Downstairs story centred around a grand hotel - a bit like a recent TV series about what goes on in The Savoy Hotel behind the scenes. So, a lot to congratulate Mr. Du Beke on - a man of many hats to be sure, and he can easily inhabit the mind of a dancer and make a reader feel the sway and rhythm of dance. So, a bit of light entertainment, really. And nothing wrong with that. I just think it needs pruning a bit and less characters to follow. My grandaughter, not a reader by any description but a lover of dance may very well enjoy this book and if it brings more lovers of dance to books, that's pretty wonderful, too.
December 31, 2023
Книга яку взяла на різдвяні читання, а по суті Різдво тут в самому кінці 😅
Букінгемській готель, багато танців ( що недивно бо автор сам танцівник) і немало драми💔
Ненсі переживає що після заміжжя вона втратить себе, роботу і все зміниться. Гелен приховує таємницю яка могла б зруйнувати її кар'єру танцівниці, бо за зовнішністю незворушної крижаної королеви ховається ранима та самотня жінка, мати яка не має змоги розповісти про дитину. Директор готелю ризикує кар'єрою погоджуючись на завдання агенту Мі5, та паралельно намагається відновити славу готелю.
Френк мріє стати танцівником, а його друг Біллі страждає від нероздільного кохання до Рут..
Пані Мофетт допомогає всім, на ній тримається порядок готелю, але і їй самій треба допомога, бо вчинок юності гложе її досі.
Героїв в книзі багато, кожен зі своїми проблемам�� але об'єднує їх готель і те що вони для один одного сім'я.
Дочитуючи хотіла поставити книзі тверду ⭐4. Так, атмосфери Різдва тут немає і по суті можна читати в будь яку пору року) але книга з важливими цінностями, своєю атмосферою та цікавими героями.
Але останні розділи дочитувала через силу, шпигунська лінія якось пройшла повз і на мою думку краще було б без неї 🙈
Тому ⭐3/5 непогано, але з нюансами
✨ "We don't choose who we fall in love with. Love choose us"
✨What I'm saying is that just because you lost your courage once, doesn't mean you'll lose it again. We pick ourselves up, we dust ourselves off, we march back to the music and the fray. Life isn't finished , yet. So we're past our prime! We still have hearts, don't we? We get to choose the course of our lives, take our happiness where we can."
Букінгемській готель, багато танців ( що недивно бо автор сам танцівник) і немало драми💔
Ненсі переживає що після заміжжя вона втратить себе, роботу і все зміниться. Гелен приховує таємницю яка могла б зруйнувати її кар'єру танцівниці, бо за зовнішністю незворушної крижаної королеви ховається ранима та самотня жінка, мати яка не має змоги розповісти про дитину. Директор готелю ризикує кар'єрою погоджуючись на завдання агенту Мі5, та паралельно намагається відновити славу готелю.
Френк мріє стати танцівником, а його друг Біллі страждає від нероздільного кохання до Рут..
Пані Мофетт допомогає всім, на ній тримається порядок готелю, але і їй самій треба допомога, бо вчинок юності гложе її досі.
Героїв в книзі багато, кожен зі своїми проблемам�� але об'єднує їх готель і те що вони для один одного сім'я.
Дочитуючи хотіла поставити книзі тверду ⭐4. Так, атмосфери Різдва тут немає і по суті можна читати в будь яку пору року) але книга з важливими цінностями, своєю атмосферою та цікавими героями.
Але останні розділи дочитувала через силу, шпигунська лінія якось пройшла повз і на мою думку краще було б без неї 🙈
Тому ⭐3/5 непогано, але з нюансами
✨ "We don't choose who we fall in love with. Love choose us"
✨What I'm saying is that just because you lost your courage once, doesn't mean you'll lose it again. We pick ourselves up, we dust ourselves off, we march back to the music and the fray. Life isn't finished , yet. So we're past our prime! We still have hearts, don't we? We get to choose the course of our lives, take our happiness where we can."
October 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! As a Strictly Come Dancing fan, I was surprised to discover Anton du Beke also had a career as an author, and I was intrigued to find out how skilled he was at writing. I have to say I was very impressed as the book was very well written and very easy to read - I flew through the book as it was very enjoyable and I didn’t want to put it down. Although I haven’t read the previous books in the series and some of the references to past events therefore didn’t mean much to me, I was easily able to follow the storyline and dive straight into the world of the Buckingham hotel.
I quickly came to love the hotel and all its residents. The book is full of different, interesting characters with their own storylines, personalities and problems. The third person POV allowed me to connect with all these different characters and they were so distinctive I was quickly able to set them apart. I enjoyed reading about each one. I don’t want to give too much away so I won’t delve into the different storylines, but there was plenty of drama and intrigue that kept me entertained throughout! The book was full of lovely heartfelt moments and also some bittersweet ones, as well as a few moments of shock. It felt like the perfect book to curl up with and enjoy especially with the Christmas theme.
I’m definitely invested in the characters now and look forward to the continuation of the series - I may even have to go back and buy the previous books to add to my collection! I would definitely recommend this book to others.
I quickly came to love the hotel and all its residents. The book is full of different, interesting characters with their own storylines, personalities and problems. The third person POV allowed me to connect with all these different characters and they were so distinctive I was quickly able to set them apart. I enjoyed reading about each one. I don’t want to give too much away so I won’t delve into the different storylines, but there was plenty of drama and intrigue that kept me entertained throughout! The book was full of lovely heartfelt moments and also some bittersweet ones, as well as a few moments of shock. It felt like the perfect book to curl up with and enjoy especially with the Christmas theme.
I’m definitely invested in the characters now and look forward to the continuation of the series - I may even have to go back and buy the previous books to add to my collection! I would definitely recommend this book to others.
November 13, 2020
A truly magical read that made me smile and almost shed a tear (in a good way). The setting is 1938 at the very smart Buckingham hotel in Berkeley square London. There are over 1200 staff at the hotel and hence much goes on behind the scenes led by the director Maynard Charles. The Ballroom has just been refurbished following a fire last year - Raymond De Guise is the lead professional dancer and is very much in love with chambermaid Nancy. Ray is really Ray Cohen from the East end, a non practising jewish family and there are rumours of war. A guest now finds himself unable to return home as it has been taken over and so moves into a less expensive suite and lifestyle. Helene the female lead dancer has her own secrets- a child with a black husband now dead and her family disowned her as it “would bring shame on their good name”. There are a multitude of things happening- from a potentially suspicious death to espionage, love, drama and the thrills and spills of life in a glamorous hotel.
Wow! This is my first book by Anton. There is such an atmosphere of what it must have been like in that period, from the tension of pre-war, to racism. misogyny and general life being so very different from today.
This put me in a spin, waltzed me through the era, a little paso of romance and I quick-stepped through the whole book as I enjoyed it so much!
A totally charming entrancing book beautifully written and evocative of the era. I look forward to the next one :)
Wow! This is my first book by Anton. There is such an atmosphere of what it must have been like in that period, from the tension of pre-war, to racism. misogyny and general life being so very different from today.
This put me in a spin, waltzed me through the era, a little paso of romance and I quick-stepped through the whole book as I enjoyed it so much!
A totally charming entrancing book beautifully written and evocative of the era. I look forward to the next one :)
December 18, 2020
Thank you for the chance to read this book
I had not read the previous books in the series but it was possible to read this as a standalone book and not feel that one was missing the back story of the characters.
It was also possible to forget that the book had been written by someone that I see on the TV whenever I see Strictly.
But I did find it a slog - it was hard going in places and took me much longer to read than a book often does. I read before going to sleep and often 'have' to read one extra page or chapter - but that didnt happen with this book for me.
I did enjoy the story, there were cliches and parts that I was able to predict the outcome but that didnt detract from the storyline.
I didnt dislike the book, or that characters I just didnt feel that I gelled with any of them or was particularly bothered about the outcomes.
I rarely write a synopsis of a book in these reviews - but there was love, secrets, murder, espionage and politics all set in 1938. There was actually little about Christmas if I am honest till right at the very end - but the picture painted of the tree in the grand reception of The Buckingham Hotel was good.
This book hasnt made me want to read the previous two - or particularly to look out for the fourth.
Thank you again to the author and publisher for the chance to read Anton's book
I had not read the previous books in the series but it was possible to read this as a standalone book and not feel that one was missing the back story of the characters.
It was also possible to forget that the book had been written by someone that I see on the TV whenever I see Strictly.
But I did find it a slog - it was hard going in places and took me much longer to read than a book often does. I read before going to sleep and often 'have' to read one extra page or chapter - but that didnt happen with this book for me.
I did enjoy the story, there were cliches and parts that I was able to predict the outcome but that didnt detract from the storyline.
I didnt dislike the book, or that characters I just didnt feel that I gelled with any of them or was particularly bothered about the outcomes.
I rarely write a synopsis of a book in these reviews - but there was love, secrets, murder, espionage and politics all set in 1938. There was actually little about Christmas if I am honest till right at the very end - but the picture painted of the tree in the grand reception of The Buckingham Hotel was good.
This book hasnt made me want to read the previous two - or particularly to look out for the fourth.
Thank you again to the author and publisher for the chance to read Anton's book
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