Coronation year A novel

Robson (Our Darkest Night, 2021) returns to another momentous royal event as Edie Howard, owner of her family's historic Blue Lion Hotel, anticipates the queen's coronation. The hotel, which has seen better days, is situated along the coronation-procession route, and Edie would appreciate any business it may generate so she can make needed repairs and fend off the advances of someone eager to buy the only home she's known. She welcomes two long-term guests, photographer Stella Donati, from Italy, and artist Jamie Geddes, from Scotland, both honing their skills to capture the big event while also trying to process trauma from their pasts with a fresh start. When threats to the monarchy appear to be coming from someone at the Blue Lion and business starts to tank, Edie needs their help to avoid disaster. Centered by Edie's compassion and determination, this engaging and heartwarming story explores how the way we define ourselves is shaped not only by the legacy we've received but also by surrounding ourselves with a supportive community.

Three strivers come together during the pomp of Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation in Robson's pleasant latest (after Our Darkest Night). Edie Howard, 32, owns the Blue Lion hotel, which she inherited after her parents died. With business slow, Edie worries the 400-year-old hotel will fail. That is, until she learns the queen's procession will pass in front of the building, giving her a chance to boost room rates and serve afternoon tea to tourists. Her first guest after hearing the good news is family friend Stella Donati, who has been living in Rome and looking for photography work. The coronation provides her with her first assignment in a while, with a gig for a London magazine. Then there's Jamie Geddes, a man who worked in bomb disposal during the war. An Oxford-educated (if struggling) artist, he receives a commission to paint the queen's procession and finds a room at the Blue Lion with a perfect view for the day. After a slow setup, Robson ramps up the action, first with a romance between Edie and Jamie, followed by a bomb threat at the Blue Lion on the day of the procession. As Edie, Jamie, and Stella work to save the hotel, Robson adds intriguing supporting characters to the mix, including eccentric, peevish boarders and a fussy, unhinged assistant manager. Readers are in for a treat. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Apr.)

Robson's latest novel (after Our Darkest Night) follows several Londoners as they navigate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1953, World War II still looms over London, with rationing, ruined or missing buildings, and the mental anguish of the war's atrocities carried inside many. Edie runs the Blue Lion Hotel, which has been in her family for 400 years. She cannot bring herself to evict money-losing long-term residents, so despite her working continuously, the hotel is facing bankruptcy. But it's directly on the coronation parade route, and Edie hopes that will save the hotel. With escalating anonymous threats to the hotel, its residents, and to the queen herself, they are only saved by the bravery and quick thinking of Edie and her residents, particularly a Holocaust survivor from Italy and a painter of Indian descent. In the aftermath of the life-threatening drama, Edie discovers true friendship and true love, and receives rewards that readers will cheer for. Robson's characters are sympathetic and warmly drawn; like many recent novels set in hotels, this book tells of people who are adrift but form their own found family. VERDICT Well-timed for the current interest in the British royal family, this is an uplifting story of a people and place battered by war but coming together to celebrate and work toward a better future.--Jan Marry