⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’ll be honest—His Delightful Lady Delia (American Royalty #3) by Grace Hitchcock isn’t typically the kind of book I grab off the stack. Gilded Age romance with plenty of emotion? Not my usual lane. And yet… I ended up enjoying it more than I expected.
After years as her temperamental mother’s understudy, Delia Vittoria finally steps into the spotlight when her diva mother loses her voice for good. Delia now stands center stage at the Academy of Music, which is locked in a fierce opera war with the flashy new Metropolitan Opera House. To save the Academy—and prove herself—she agrees to a risky scheme. Enter Kit Quincy, who is trying to atone for a past mistake and finds himself cast as her secret patron… and an enigmatic “phantom” pulling strings behind the curtain. But when a second phantom appears, the twists begin to stack up, and more than Delia’s career hangs in the balance.
There’s melodrama, yes—but there’s also genuine intrigue. The mystery element adds momentum, and the opera rivalry gives the story real stakes beyond the romance. Through it all, Delia’s growing relationship with Kit provides warmth and stability amid the theatrics.
Is it over-the-top at times? Sure. But it’s fun, romantic, and layered with suspense. Not my usual genre—but sometimes it’s fun to visit a ballroom instead of a battlefield.
** Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House for a comp. Opinions are my own.