Above the Bay of Angels: A Novel

Intriguing, suspenseful,uplifting,easygoing reading. Love when a novel is able to incorporate historical descriptions allowing one to broaden one’s knowledge and perspectives. The vivid imagery makes you feel like you are actually experiencing the setting(s) presented. It is always encouraging when goodness overcomes ridged social norms. A story of hope and courage. An enjoyable read.

Above the Bay of Angels is a stand alone novel by author Rhys Bowen. Bowen's Royal Spyness series has long been one of my absolute favorite series and I tend to read those as soon as they are released. I have really enjoyed the recent stand alone novels that she has released through Lake Union (Amazon) publishing as well. I'm happy to say that Above the Bay of Angels was no different. I thought this book was fantastic and I loved that it was set during the reign of Queen Victoria. I have not read many historical fiction books that feature Queen Victoria so it was nice to learn a little more about someone that had such a big impact on the world.

This story centers around Isabella Waverly, who is the oldest daughter of a second son that grew up in an aristocratic family but since he was the second son he received no title or inheritance. Her father at first takes a commission in the British Army in India but he has to give up his commission because his wife can't handle the Indian climate. He brings his family back home to London and has to take a job working at a hotel. He eventually succumbs to the lure of alcohol and loses the hotel job. Isabella's mother also dies shortly after this occurs. He has difficulty finding a new position and decides that Isabella should leave school and begin service as a maid in another grand house.

Isabella is devastated by this and hates the backbreaking work she has to do as a maid. Fortunately she finds that she has a passion for cooking and is able to get training from the cook in the house that she works at. Bella's employer finds out about her aristocratic background (because of how well she speaks) and uses this to gain praise from her friends for helping to save a girl who has no other family to turn to. Once Bella decides she wants to move on to another position where she can learn more about cooking, her employer informs her that if she leaves she will not provide a reference.

This puts Bella in a difficult position and it is only when she witnesses another girl about her age be struck down by a speeding omnibus does she decide to seize the opportunity presented to her. The girl is Helen Barton and she was on her way to Buckingham Palace to interview for a chance to become an under-cook for Queen Victoria and her royal household. Bella decides to assume her identity and goes to the interview in her place. She gets the position but soon finds herself the victim of a blackmail scheme. In spite of this she quickly fits into the royal household and begins to love her work as an under-cook. She is given the chance to go to Nice with Queen Victoria and several other members of the royal household and really enjoys the area. However, once they are settled in Nice, a member of the royal household dies from suspected poisoning that occurred from something Isabella cooked. She begins to look for clues to clear her name and keep anyone from finding out about her assumed identity.

We also see a lot of character growth throughout the book. Bella grows from someone angry and upset that she has missed out on living a life of comfort and into someone who finds their place in the world and what she really wants to do with her life. We see her grow and mature, take chances and use her good judgment to determine who to trust to help her, and finally follow her heart to determine what she wants to do with her life. I really enjoyed this book and loved the historical information about Queen Victoria, her family, the events occurring during the later part of Queen Victoria's reign, and the information about how royal meals were carried out. I thought everything about this book was fantastic and can't wait to read future books by Rhys Bowen.

Isabella Waverly’s life is changed when a chance encounter provides her with a dying woman’s application to be a cook for Queen Victoria. Assuming the identity of the young woman, Helen Barton, Bella applies and is hired to work at the palace. When the queen decides to vacation in Nice, France, at a hotel built for her, luck is with Bella again as she is able to travel as part of the kitchen crew. Bella had been brought up in an educated household, but forced into service after her father’s death. Living under a false identity causes problems for Bella, especially when she is accused of poisoning one of the royal party. Bella is an intelligent, attractive woman trying to find where she belongs. As often the case with Bowen, this is a fiction book underpinned by history—here, facts about Queen Victoria’s life and times.

Although being a page-turner to pique one's interest, the plot chosen to be told by Rhys Bown is rather childish and puerile. Also, the frequency in which events take place does not make sense at all. Neither does it appeal to any good taste. Bella, under the assumed name of Helen, is courted by no less than three men - Jimmy , Nelson , and the French chef Lepin- and harrassed by two others - The Prince of Wales and Ronnie . That is TOO MUCH for one story to sound real. To further embellish the plot, and against all reasonable statistics I'm afraid, Bella meets her second-rate cousin who does not know her, let alone because of her assumed name, and he too, like all other suitors mentioned above, tries to curry favour with her by takeing her to dine out with him. Again, the plot is replete with too many superfluous details. I suspect the author's target audience is young adolescents who are intrigued by gossipy tales and shallow anecdotes - for instance, the queen is being shot at, and 5 minutes later some thugs want to rape Bella. 5 minutes later, her saviour, the French chef wants to take her to a hotel and put her into bed for the sake of a mere dalliance. Nonetheless, and despite the embroidery and exaggeration in her writing, the author is talented enough to keep you engrossed in reading. I have not finished the book yet , and I feel that Bella is going to be implicated because of her lies regarding her identity. Still, I was slightly dissapointed by Rhys Bown. She could have done a better job. But you won't be bored, though. My ambivalency towards this book, I hope, is well understood .