The Sugar Pavilion by Rosalind Laker is both a well written and thoroughly researched historical novel with the hard-working, independent, and beautiful Sophie Delcourt as it’s main character. Sophie trained under her father to be a highly accomplished confectioner and when she is forced to flee France during the Revolution, she guides and protects a young heir of an aristocratic family. Keeping his identity a secret so that his enemies cannot trace him, she raises the boy as a nephew.

Sophie settles in Brighton and experiences many adventures, dangers and career opportunities as well as love. Brighton in the late 1770’s was becoming a resort city, greatly favoured by the Prince of Wales and the woman he has secretly married, Maria Fitzherbert. Brighton was also a well known smuggling destination and this also plays a part in the story. But for me, the descriptions of how the complex bonbons, sweetmeats and elaborate spun-sugar centerpieces were made was the most fascinating part of the book.

The title, The Sugar Pavilion refers to the Royal Pavilion that the Prince of Wales had built as his seaside retreat. Set in this colourful epoch of Brighton’s history, the author wisely keeps this period-romance from becoming too sweet, and although at times her vivid descriptions of food and fashion did tend to slow the story down, I found this information very interesting. While this story isn’t up to the level of Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer, I enjoyed my time spent with it and would certainly read more from this author. ( )

Laker's tale of Sophie Delcourt starts in 1793 at the height of the French Revolution as Sophie is forced to flee to England with her employer's young son Antoine de Juneau and his aging grandfather, as the revolutionaries hunt down and kill any members of the aristocracy they can find. Sophie reaches England in safety by is set upon by villains who attack her party and rob them of everything and leave them for dead. Found by the gorgeous (of course) and mysterious (of course) Tom Foxhill she eventually recovers from the attack and she and Antoine settle in Brighton, England with young Antoine posing as Sophie's nephew. Sophie uses her skills as a confectionery to establish a business in her new life as she is torn by her strong attractions to Tom as opposed to the quiet but strong and loving revenue agent, Rory Morgan.

Laker mixes Sophie's tale in with one of George, then Prince of Wales, and his "wife" Maria Fitzherbert and their on again off again relationship. I have to admit sometimes it was a bit of a stretch the way commoner Sophie was able to step in and out of George's and Maria's lives without so much of a raising of an eyebrow, but otherwise this was a genuinely entertaining tale. As Sophie battles to maintain her independence while being courted by two men who love her, danger from France threatens as a relative of the de Juneau's plots to harm Julian and remove any possibility of his laying claim to his rightful inheritance in France.

The author does a nice job of setting her scenes and includes plenty of period detail, with the clothes, food, etc. To some readers it may be a bit much and it does slow the story down at times, so you're not going to have a sit on the edge of your seat page turning story, but one to sit back and savor at a leisurely pace. Not the greatest entry in the historical fiction genre, but still a pleasant way to spend an afternoon in another century. ( )