I couldn't connect with the story or the characters. The atmosphere felt a little lackluster to me, and I didn't feel compelled to pick it back up once I set it down.

This Victorian historical fiction story follows Bella, a young woman forced into service on her mother's death. Her talent for bakery makes her current employer unwilling to let her move on. Someone else's misfortune presents the opportunity for a different life. Her time in the royal household is vividly portrayed with historical details and has intrinsic interest.

The relationship she forges with Queen Victoria helps her career, but she has enemies and finds herself accused of committing a capital crime. The suspense building is good, and the ending satisfactory.

I received a copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2021 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2021/02/2021-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

This was a wonderful book which I read really quickly. Bella is a girl who by a twist of fate has her life changed entirely to reach a delightful conclusion.

She becomes Helen Barton and has an adventure which she could not have imagined which takes her to the South of France with Queen Victoria.

I found the history fascinating and found this to be very well written. I will definitely be finding more books by this author.

Rhys Bowen does it again. Above the Bay of Angels takes place at the end of Queen Victoria’s reign. The book follows Bella who pretends to be another girl in order to gain employment in the queen’s kitchen as a cook. With a bit of mystery and romance towards the end, this book has everything. I honestly couldn’t put it down. Bowen writes in a way that’s easy to read and entertaining at all times. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I love all of the Rhys Bowen books. This one isn’t my favorite, but I enjoyed the light story of an aspiring cook fighting for her place in a male-dominated field. As with her other books, thisis a feel-good, cozy historical mystery. Grab a cup of tea and a fuzzy blanket and wrap yourself in Above the Bay of Angels.

A cosy and not very exciting story. I like historical fiction, but this didn't have enough action for me to feel gripped.

August 1, 2020 – Shelved as: 5-star-reads (Kindle Edition)
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Review In 2017 multi award winning author, Rhys Bowen began writing stand alone novels. At first she focused on historical periods of great interest to her, the early 20th Century through the 1950's. Moving back in time, Above the Bay of Angels is set in 1896 and 1897.

Isabella Waverley's life changes in one instant. The oldest daughter of second son from a good family, who has lost both her parents. One to pneumonia, one to alcoholism. Her father's illness was such that by age 15 Isabella was supporting the family. Working as a household servant, she learned to cook. By age 20 she has enough talent and determination to seek something besides working for a pushy nouveau riche family. Fortune favors the brave they say. In this case, comforting a dying young woman has given her an opportunity to assume a new identity, and to work as an undercook in Queen Victoria Buckingham palace kitchens.

Bowen's depth of research draws us into the world of Victorian haute cuisine. Isabella, now known as Helen Barton quickly absorbs the challenges of preparing a 'simple' luncheon comprising of six courses, of knowing when to julienne the vegetables and when to dice, and knowing at all times how to maintain her proper station. Helen is so successful she is included in the reduced staff that will travel to Nice to winter with the Queen.

The main body of the novel is set in Nice. The Queen has rented 80 rooms of the hotel Excelsior Regina. Her staff will be combined with the hotel's staff, at least in the kitchen. On her first day, Helen meets two people. One is Chef Lepin, the head of the hotel kitchens. The other is Mary Crozier, an expatriate, who married a Marquis. Both offer our Helen opportunities, Mary can provide a path back to her life of privilege, Chef Lepin can give her a life of which might fulfill a vocation. Which will she choose?

Bowen is best known for her mysteries. In Above the Bay of Angels, there is a puzzle to be solved. However, the main story is the telling of Helen/Bella who took a chance and met the Queen.

A very satisfying read, suitable for Young Adult readers and above.

Full disclosure: I received an ARC copy from Lake Publishing and netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The overall story is a very light and cushy historical fiction that slowly builds up to Queen Victoria's stay at the Hotel Regina Excelsior on the Riviera in France. Another riveting read from one of my favourite authors.

I can honestly say that although I really enjoyed this book. were all over the place through this book, I also love the journey that the main character goes through. This was very well written and I highly recommend it.

This is the third Rhys Bowen title I've tried, having heard much lauding about the Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness series. And, every time, I try to get past the first chapter, I can't. The premise is always compelling and the characters have some appeal. I think, however, no matter how grateful for the ARC, I can't get past her declarative-sentence writing style. As a reader, I have a lot of "information" coming at me, but not much of a sense of the character, setting, or atmosphere. For example, the father in Above the Bay of Angels, gives up India for the mother and then, whiplash about-face in characterization, goes from Jekyll to Hyde in a page, or so. Bowen is getting through this set-up to get to the story? I'm not sure. What I do know is that I want to be immersed in the story from the start, not play a wait-and-see game, it'll get good?

“Above the Bay of Angels” by Rhys Bowen was a delightful book to read as most of Ms. Bowen’s books are. The setting begins in London and then on to the Riviera of France.

Isabella Waverly witnesses the death of a young woman in an accident. She goes to comfort the dying woman and she gives Bella an envelope. The dead woman’s name is Helen Barton from Yorkshire. The letter is an offer of employment in the kitchen of Buckingham Palace. Since Bella has been let go without references from her previous employment, her chances of finding another opportunity to work in service are slim. Deciding to do the unthinkable, Bella becomes Helen Barton and is accepted for employment in the service of Queen Victoria.

She becomes very adept at creating wonderful pastries and other wonderful foods that charm the Queen and also the kitchen staff. All of this could come tumbling down when Helen’s real brother appears and to keep the secret of her identity, blackmails her into finding employment for him with the Prince of Wales.

The Queen decides to take up residence in Nice for a time. Helen is in her glory. She becomes more proficient in her cooking and presents wonderful tea time and dinner presentations. One of the Queen’s guests becomes ill and is suspected of being poisoned. Of course, since Helen (Bella) prepared his last meal she becomes suspect. In doing a little investigating on her own, the truth comes out. Bella’s life takes a fortuitous turn and she is elated by her good fortune.

It's London in September 1896. Her family left India to live in England. There was a rift in the family. She and her younger sister went to private school.her father became a drunk. Bella is worried about her mother and a few days later she dies of an illness. Bella is to work as a servant to earn money for the family. Bella's father can't afford to feed the family.I was bored with the details of Bella's work.

First line: If Helen Barton hadn’t stepped out in front of an omnibus, I might still be sweeping floors and lighting fires at an ostentatious house in St. John’s Wood.

Summary: Bella Waverly was raised by a disinherited member of the aristocracy. She was taught to speak well and have good manners. However, when they fall on hard times she is forced to work as a servant in the home of a wealthy Londoner. Then one day she witnesses the death of a young woman with a letter of introduction to work in the Buckingham Palace kitchens. Taking on a new name she enters a new world and finds that life as a cook is maybe what she has been looking for her whole life.

My Thoughts: I first heard about this book when I went to an author event at Watermark Books in Wichita. My mother is a huge fan of Rhys Bowen’s Royal Spyness series. When Ms. Bowen started telling us about her new stand-alone book I was immediately interested. I love the PBS show Victoria so this sounded like my cup of tea.

I found the book to be a light and quick read. It was a mixture between historical fiction and mystery. The first 80% were surrounding Bella and her work in the kitchens but then disaster strikes in the royal family and a mystery appears. I loved how the food took center stage though. I was constantly Googling the items to see what they were. I ate a lot while reading this because everything sounded so good.

Then there is the location. I have never been the south of France but it sounds like a magical place. The Hotel Excelsior Regina is still standing but has been converted to apartments. I would love to visit and see the hotel that was built for Queen Victoria.

And the author brings in one of the most intriguing characters from the time period and Queen Victoria’s reign, “the Munshi”, Abdul Karim. He was the Indian servant and advisor to the queen. But he was disliked by many of her family and staff. Very little was known of him until the last 10 years when his journals came to light. If you want to get a more sympathetic and dramatic view into his story then try the movie Victoria and Abdul. I just rewatched it after finishing the book and it was a lovely story.

FYI: This is a perfect summer read. It is light and fun but with a little intrigue.

I was given a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the premise of Bella being a Victorian cook and I really loved the scenery and the food descriptions. I also liked the character, she was spunky and fun. However, the mystery didn’t even start until the last 1/4 of the book. I needed much more than that! The romance was pretty blah too. I wouldn’t tell someone not to read it, but I definitely wouldn’t qualify it as a mystery.

What I Loved:
What an absolutely lovely surprise this book turned out to be! I loved everything about this book. The characters, the setting, the plot, the mystery…everything.

My Synopsis:
Isabella Waverly was born into an aristocratic family that fell from grace early in life. After her mother’s death and her father’s drunken escapades, Isabella finds herself as a servant. After growing up as the one being served, this change of events is frustrating and “beneath her”. Isabella perseveres though. She is earning money that supports her father who can’t get a job and her younger sister who would go hungry without Isabella’s wages.

Isabella is a hard worker and finds she has an interest in the kitchen, soon managing to get placed there as an assistant. After her father’s death, she mentions her dreams of possibly going to America to start a restaurant, and her employer tells her she would not provide a reference. Isabella feels stuck.

Then, she witnesses a young woman get hit by an omnibus in the street. The girl hands Isabella a letter before she dies. Inside she finds an invitation for an interview as a cook…at Buckingham Palace. Isabella decides to impersonate the girl, Helen.

Above the Bay of Angels follows Isabella/Helen on her incredible journey through the kitchens of the palace. There is court intrigue, murder, love, and above all else, a fierce determination to succeed.

How I Felt:
This is my first book by the author, Rhys Bowen, but it will NOT be my last. I am so happy that I stumbled across this book on Netgalley, and after the last page, I jumped on Netgalley hoping for more!

The characters were so enjoyable. Isabella had such depth and resolve to her, she was a delight to read about. She is a determined, smart, hardworking girl that you want to keep reading about. I loved the predicaments she ended up in and how her personality shone through with every resolution to a problem. She struggled with her secret identity and the deception that went along with it. I liked that she didn’t make this choice lightly, but continued to be remorseful for the deceit, yet happy for the opportunity.

The other characters were just as wonderful. The cooks in the kitchen had these attitudes that were severe and judgmental. I enjoyed seeing each of their actions toward Isabella change as they got to know her, and she proved herself. There are a few slimy characters as well, and they were perfect. I had anger and irritation at them and couldn’t wait for Isabella to find a way to best them.

The plot was fantastic! I really enjoyed where this story took me. We went from a servant in a nice home, to Buckingham Palace, and then to Nice, France. Each of those locations provided some wrench in Isabella’s plans. I just loved reading about how she solved every problem. When the murder happens, the plot twists a bit, and I enjoyed what surprises that part of the story held as well!

The setting was really interesting. When the staff is taken to Nice, France with the queen, they stay at the newly built Hotel Excelsior, Regina Palace. There is an author’s note at the end of the book that discusses that the Hotel Excelsior, Regina Palace really was built specifically for Queen Victoria and her staff for her winter visits. So, because I’m a dork and I geek-out over historical stuff, I went and looked it up. Here’s a photo of the hotel in 1890! It’s beautiful!

Overall, I was absolutely blown away by this story. It’s a light, easy read, but was beautifully written with a captivating story that drew me in right from the beginning.

Content Warning:
None, aside from a few scenes with light kissing.

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend Above the Bay of Angels to readers that enjoy historical fiction, the Victorian era, a little mystery, and some light romance. If you enjoy food, you’ll also enjoy all the foodie discussion as Isabella works her way through the kitchen!

I was provided an advanced reader's copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

My full review of this book will post to my blog on 6/8/20.

I was extremely excited when I heard Rhys Bowen had a new book coming out. I loved The Tuscan Child and joked that I felt I had gained 10 pounds just reading that delicious book. Well, if we are going to keep up the analogies with food and writing, this book, Above the Bay Of Angels is about as bland as English food!! I say that somewhat sarcasticly, as having traveled a lot to England, I didn't necessarily find the food boring and bland. That's just the general opinion of their food. But I did find this writing to be somewhat boring and bland. 

The synopsis of the book seemed interesting and one I would rather enjoy. I think for me this is another example of poor execution. It's a great idea for a story. There were incredible elements to build on, they just never got built. The characters were weak. Almost 80% of the story is spent on one topic - people not finding out that Isabella Waverly is now Helen Barton. This drags on for far too long. The story finally picks up when the murder happens and that's when the story gets interesting. I feel had those proportions been flipped with 20% of the story focused on Bella hiding her identity and 80% around the murder this could have been a fascinating book. 

The back 20% from the murder to the end I thoroughly enjoyed. And I did like how the author ended the story, that gains points for me in rating. It's a cozy little book with a tiny mystery. Rhys Bowen does an excellent job of replicating how English subjects spoke in that day and age. At times it was, well, bland, but she did nail it. I also will admit the title and book cover did nothing for me, and after reading the book they don't make a whole lot of sense to me.

I do like Rhys Bowen's writing and other books, this just isn't one of the good ones. I will still read other books by her, just probably won't recommend this one. 

My thanks to Rhys Bowen, Lake Union Publishing and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

★★★★ 4.5 stars

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres into which I can completely lose myself to the story and the era. The added bonus was the featured presence of Queen Victoria who wasn't just monarch at the time but played a role within the story itself. It lent such a unique perspective, featuring many historical aspects that were both true in fact and well researched.

Isabella Waverly had been raised to be a lady. Her father was of aristocratic blood with an uncle who was an Earl but was left somewhat bitter at having been passed over as heir. He had spent much time in India but his wife did not care for the climate and so he resigned his position with the Bengal Lancers and moved back to England where he gained employment at the newly opened Savoy hotel. Moving in circles of nobility, Bella's father still saw himself as an aristocrat and kept up the appearance of such thus falling victim to the demon drink and losing is job. When Bella's mother died and her father squandering just about everything they had, he then found her employment with a somewhat vulgar couple of "new money".

So at 15, Bella was forced into servitude with the Tilleys when she would have much rathered continued her education. But her father insisted she needed to support her younger sister Louisa until he was able to find employment. But of course, he never did. And five years after Bella began a life of servitude, their father died leaving the girls with nothing. However, Louisa who was now 17, had been courting a young man whose parents owned a chain of butcher shops and they were engaged to be married. Bella thought her sister was marrying beneath herself as both girls had been raised to be ladies.

Although she no longer had to support her sister, she still needed to support herself which left her in the the employ of the ghastly Tilleys. She had begun as a lowly housemaid but over time had shown an interest in the preparation of food, asking the cook how each dish was made. Cook then insisted that she needed an assistant and insisted that it be Bella. It was a step up from a housemaid and she found she had a keen interest and a deft touch with cooking. However, the lady of the house, Mrs Tilley, lived off Bella's story, priding herself in the fact that although she had been of aristocratic birth Bella had was left an orphan and she thought it her duty to take her in. Completely untrue and embellished with every telling but it left her bound to the household forever as Mrs Tilley refused to let her leave for if she ever chose to she would refuse to give her a reference.

By pure chance one day, Bella is enjoying her afternoon off in London when she witnesses an horrific accident in which a young woman is tragically killed. Bella rushes forward thinking only to help, when the young woman thrusts a letter into Bella's hands before dying. The letter, it appears, was an offer of employment as an under cook at Buckingham Palace. Reflecting on her father's words to her a child to "seize the day" and take your chance where you find it, Bella decides to take the opportunity to replace the woman. Her new name - Helen Barton.

Her new position as under cook in Queen Victoria's kitchen begins as somewhat daunting with a long line of male cooks, each specialising in their own skills, as well as kitchenhands and under cooks and apprentices. Bella finds herself just one of three women as she is handed the task of food preparation with the kindly Mrs Simms but soon starts to specialise as a pastry cook. When an accident with the French pastry chef with a flair for the dramatics occurs, Bella finds herself having to prepare Her Majesty's afternoon tea. Remembering the scones the cook at her last job made, she replicated the recipe and sent them to Her Majesty with lashings of jam and cream. When word reached them that the Queen wanted a word with the cook who made the scones, Bella feared she had done something wrong. But she was shocked to learn that the Queen thoroughly enjoyed them and insisted that she make them for her every afternoon.

Bella was enjoying her new position at the Palace, although found herself in a difficult position when the Prince of Wales, known for his lecherous ways with pretty young women, propositioned her outside Her Majesty's sitting room. In an effort to escape his wandering hands, Bella found herself with the opportunity to rid herself of another pressing problem she had recently found herself with.

It seems Helen Barton had a brother and one afternoon he had come knocking with the demand to see his sister. Bella knew at once that Helen's brother would know immediately that she was not who she claimed to be, and it appeared that he already knew his sister was dead and was interested to see who this Helen Barton was. And he had a request of her...or he would reveal her deceit. He wanted a position within the royal household. So there she was, in the clutches of the Prince of Wales when she mentioned that her brother was looking for a position and would he take him on. Satisfied that the weasily Ronnie Barton was now out of her life, Bella resumed her duties in the royal kitchen.

In the new year as winter passed, Bella is lucky enough to accompany the royal household to Nice for the duration of autumn where the weather is far warmer than England. Bella falls in love with the town and its blue waters, the markets and soon finds herself learning the art of some French delicacies. Soon she meets Giles Waverly, discovering immediately that he is a distant cousin, and while she told him she was with the royal household he incorrectly assumed she was a lady in waiting. Bella finds herself enjoying his company and is aware that he is attracted to her but he does not know her true identity or her position.

Then after an evening out, all of the royal cooks but Bella find themselves ill with food poisoning and she is left with the task of running the entire royal kitchen, and cooking for the royal household, on her own. With the help of head chef of the hotel in which the Queen's party is staying, Bella's efforts are a complete success. That is, until one of the royal party dies suddenly after eating a meal prepared and cooked by Bella herself.

Soon Bella finds herself accused of murder and with the risk of her true identity being discovered, finds that it is up to her to clear her name...and that of Helen Barton.

A cleverly woven tale mixing fact with fiction, ABOVE THE BAY OF ANGELS is a delightful yet gentle easy read set in the late Victorian era. I enjoyed my time with Bella although I found myself at odds with her deception, wondering how she was going to make a name for herself as a chef...if it wasn't even her name!

With a touch of blackmail and death by poisoning, ABOVE THE BAY OF ANGELS is set late in Queen Victoria's reign as monarch as the Queen herself is depicted as a small rotund woman regaled in black garb and accompanied for the most part by her Indian companion, Adbul Karim.

I thoroughly enjoyed the character of Queen Victoria most notably in her interactions with Bella. Although these particular instances would not in actual fact be plausible (between the Queen of England and an under cook), the use of poetic licence in this engaging tale makes it wonderful read. It does not have to be plausible to be enjoyable. And enjoy it, I did....except for the ending. When she all but promises herself to one man then on the next page betrothes herself to another!

A wonderfully delightful tale that is a enjoyable easy read, ABOVE THE BAY OF ANGELS is a delight for any historical fiction fan.

I would like to thank #RhysBowen, #NetGalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for an ARC of #AboveTheBayOfAngels in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting story that takes you behind the scenes of Victorian life, with the characters and their lifestyles. Recommended to those who enjoy reading this type of book.

An interesting and compelling read. Rhys has really captured how difficult it would have been for women during this era. Lots of interesting historical data too. I enjoyed reading this.