I absolutely loved The Summer Wives, so when I heard Beatriz Williams had another novel coming out I knew I needed to get my hands on it!

The Golden Hour is set in Nassau, Bahamas, 1941. To keep him out of trouble and from plotting with the Nazi’s against Britain in WWII, the Duke of Windsor, post abdication, has been appointed as the Governor of the Bahamas. Cue Lulu Randolph, an investigative journalist sent to the islands not to cover politics, her true passion, but rather the tabloids for Americans dying to get a glimpse at the couple who gave up everything for love.

Lulu quickly discovers that the Bahamas – with the Duke and Duchess at its social and political epicenter – is a hotbed for scandal, espionage, drama and, potentially, treason. She sidles up to the Duchess through the Red Cross, securing her column as the Lady of Nassau, but at the cost of playing someone else’s game. While getting to know the island and its inhabitants, Lulu encounters Mr. Benedict Thorpe, a scientist who disappears without a trace. Lulu sets off for London to find him, and mistakenly stumbles upon his complicated family history.

Lulu is a strong, fierce, and independent woman – I immediately liked her. I loved her adventures and rendezvous – with the Duke and Duchess, Thorpe and the other characters floating around Nassau. However, I realize in writing this review how complicated this story was. I truly enjoyed it but think it would have been more breezy and enjoyable minus one or two story lines. It caused confusion as I was trying to piece together the puzzle, which Williams did pull together at the end.

Overall, a fun read about one of my favorite time periods – but definitely not light and easy, requires some attention!

Verdict: Read it!! (4.5/5 stars)
Length: 371 pages
When: You’re in the mood for drama and romance and love reading about the World War II era.
Also read: The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams; (B2C review) Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald (B2C review)

Buy The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams