A Lady In Attendance by Rachel Fordham

 

I think this has easily become my new favourite from Fordham. Between her fascinating yet imperfect characters, her excellent pacing and world building, and her obvious passion for this story and its characters A Lady in Attendance is an engaging historical romance that draws you in from start to finish.

I really appreciate Fordham's ability to highlight characters that aren't the norm in her genre and A Lady in Attendance  is no exception. The main character, Hazel, has a familiar background (rich socialite) but Fordham brings a different twist by introducing her to readers after 5 years in a reformatory for a crime she didn't commit and attempting to rebuild her life by taking a job as a lady in attendance for Gilbert, our leading male.

This was fascinating for me. I'll admit I probably would have been more hesitant to pick up a book revolving around characters working in dentistry (anyone else got some dental anxiety) if I didn't trust Fordham's writing and she doesn't disappoint. Fordham did her research and it was interesting to see this glimpse into the early establishment of dentistry and dental assistants. The way she paints Gilbert as an artist really changed the tone of the story beautifully and challenges some long standing dental stereotypes.

Another thing I noticed with this book was the pacing. Fordham had a lot to cram into her story between Hazel's quest for redemption/revealing of her past, the romantic dreams of her best friend Ina, and the investigation into the Sally Belle. Through Fordham's skill the pace never felt rushed on any of the main storylines, the timing actually drew me further into the story which is a rare treat and definitely helped the romance.

Let's face it, if you've read my reviews before fast paced romances are one of my pet peeves in this genre but I loved watching Gilbert and Hazel's relationship unfold. The back and forth as their relationship deepened and secrets were revealed for good and bad felt so realistic. Even the secondary story of Ina's longing for love received the same careful treatment as she dealt with her own past of rejection vs. hope for the future. I really feel pacing is an area Fordham has grown in over the course of her last few books and I love it. 

For those looking for a sweet historical romance with believable characters, interesting historical tidbits, and an engaging plot give A Lady in Attendance  a try.

4 out of 5 stars

I received this as part of the RevellReads #ALadyInAttendance book tour. The opinions are my own.