So, in the list of Ibbotsons, this is in my favorite category–the crossover adult/young adult romances. However, even the sweetness of this story and the gorgeous descriptions of Northumberland did not manage to move A Countess Below Stairs from its place as my favorite. There are some wickedly funn...
Such is my faith in Eva Ibbotson that I powered through this one despite the god-awful cover and embarrassingly innuendo laden title. Even the jacket flap description makes the book sound dreadful. I suffered merciless teasing from my husband and even took this sucker on a plane and read it in PUB...
I had such hopes for this: Jewish heroine! Marriage of convenience! But no. It's anti-Semitic, sexist, and has deeply stupid plot twists at the end.