One Enchanted Evening: The uplifting and charming Sunday Times Bestselling Debut by Anton Du Beke

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Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own. The fate of the hotel as a whole rests as it has always done in the hands of another person with a secret, Maynard Charles, who is determined to use any means to keep the hotel in prime position. As society in London and internationally struggles to come to terms with potential disaster, the other side of London life is revealed. This is a splendid book of people and place, of crisis and challenge. It follows on from the successful “One Enchanted Evening”, but it stands alone in terms of a very readable novel. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this book. Anton Du Beke– the King of Ballroom, Strictly Come Dancing royalty, and household name – is truly making his mark as one of this generation’s all-round entertainers. Hot on the heels of his debut album From The Top, Anton now realises his boyhood ambition and will be publishing his first novel, One Enchanted Evening, later this year.

Keen to rehearse, the company heads to the Seagate Theatre under the tutelage of the company's owner, Ed Forsyth. This is Ed's last hoorah before retiring and he's keen to leave on a high. But his son, Cal, has absconded, leaving his twin sister, Evie, to help manage the company after their mother's death. Hoping to display her best trapeze performance ever, she's also desperate that the entire troupe should succeed. If only her father hadn't brought in another old-timer... Billy Rich has come all the way from Hollywood, invited to be their main star. Billy is full of bluster and ego and his much younger wife, the mysterious Magdalene, doesn't help.Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey, Mr Selfridge, The Halcyon and Belgravia. The master entertainer brings us his fabulous debut novel. Prepare to be swept off your feet....

Everything was about moving forwards, I felt sorry for my mum, this was her husband, she’s working two jobs and he chose to drink and be violent, it’s just life and you carry on,” he said. Garraway said Du Beke’s father was cleared in court of wounding his son and when he died, Du Beke did not attend his funeral. It took me several attempts to “get into” this book as the start is so slow and the list of characters at the beginning was actually slightly overwhelming as there were so many that I was worried whether I would be able to keep up with them all! I have not read the first book in the series, and perhaps if I had this would have been more enjoyable, as often with a series there is a lot of enjoyment in seeing the characters develop. Anthony Paul Beke (born 20 July 1966), known professionally as Anton Du Beke ( / d uː ˈ b ɛ k/), is a British ballroom and Latin dancer, author and television presenter, best known for being a professional dancer and a judge on the BBC One celebrity dancing show Strictly Come Dancing. His professional dance partner since 1997 has been Erin Boag.

I loved the added touch of the characters list at the start as there is alot of characters to get to grips with especially if like me this is your first encounter with them.

Linked to aspect of the novel is a thread that focuses on the rise of Hitler and the Nazi war machine, which is making its presence known on British soil.Jones, Catherine (8 August 2014). "Strictly star Anton Du Beke ready and waiting for Southport Flower Show – win a champagne tea with him!". Liverpool Echo. The plot moved along well for the most part, there were a few times where it dragged slightly, especially at the beginning, but then there is an event (no spoilers) and the entire story just shoots forward at a fantastic pace that is maintained throughout. I loved that the romance element was not obvious from the get go and slowly developed into what it became. I also appreciated the fact that the book ended where it did with their relationship. The revelation about Helene was also interesting, and the fact that it was hinted at early in the book meant that I had an “of course” moment. What I also found enlightening was the mention of the new risqué dance styles that were beginning to make their entrance on the ballrooms of London.