A Countess Below Stairs --- Eva Ibbotson

Rating: 4 Stars
Genre: Historical fiction
Pages: 383

Official Summary:
After the Russian revolution turns her world topsy-turvy, Anna, a young Russian countess, has no choice but to flee to England. Penniless, Anna hides her aristocratic background and takes a job as servant in the household of the esteemed Westerholme family, armed only with an outdated housekeeping manual and sheer determination. Desperate to keep her past a secret, Anna is nearly overwhelmed by her new duties—not to mention her instant attraction to Rupert, the handsome Earl of Westerholme. To make matters worse, Rupert appears to be falling for her as well. As their attraction grows stronger, Anna finds it more and more difficult to keep her most dearly held secrets from unraveling. And then there’s the small matter of Rupert’s beautiful and nasty fiancée...

Review:
A Countess Below Stairs is a charming story taking place in the early 1900's following the Russian Revolution. Eva Ibbotson beautifully describes the social interactions of the English high society and the lives of those serving below stairs. This is a great, entertaining read. The only problem I had with the book was there were a lot of characters being introduced at times, making it difficult to keep them all straight! But other than that, I loved being wrapped in this story! I highly recommend it.