Anna is a countess fleeing from Russia during the revolution whose family looses all their greatest treasures. She is forced to work "below stairs" in order to support her dwindling family. Anna is a beguiling character who intrigues all those she comes in contact with, including Rupert, the Earl of Westerholme. The historical fiction novel is almost a fairy tale. The whirl wind romance is not allowed because of society and, not to mention, the Earl's fiance. Eva Ibbotson's book is romantic and poetic, leaving the reader hoping for a life half as perfect as Anna's. ( )

After the Russian Revolution, a young countess named Anna is forced to leave her home behind in order to seek safety in England. She hides her true identity and takes a job as a maid in the home of the Earl of Westerholme.

Rupert, the kind and handsome Earl, returns home after WWI and brings with him the beautiful nurse who helped heal his wounds. Rupert's fiancee, though lovely on the outside, is greedy, mean, and self-centered.

Anna and Rupert feel an immediate and strong connection, but Rupert's honor keeps him from dumping Muriel, even as her true nature is gradually revealed.

This sweet, well-researched, and often funny story will appeal to readers who like their historical fiction with a bit of romance. ( )

Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo.com

Anna Grazinsky is a member of the Russian aristocracy, or White Russians, during the Russian Revolution. Her family is forced to flee from their comfortable life in Russia to England, where they are safe from the revolutionaries. But in England, the Grazinskys are left with nothing. Anna has a very resilient spirit, and instead of moping around and wishing for her old life, she is grateful for the safety of her family and secretly takes a job as a maid so that her little brother can still attend school. With her take-charge attitude, Anna proves that not all rich girls are snobby brats, like modern heiresses lead us to believe.

While many of the servants at the Westerholme residence are skeptical of the new foreign girl, Anna quickly charms her way into their hearts. With her deep curtsies, bright smile, and cheerful demeanor, Anna is beloved by all. She does each task assigned to her as best she can, never slacking on the job.

When the young and handsome Earl of Westerholme returns home from World War I, Anna is immediately drawn to him. And it seems that he feels a similar attraction to her. But Anna's identity as a countess is still a secret, and she does not have the social standing that she once held in Russia. Plus, the Earl is already engaged to the beautiful but vicious Muriel Hardwicke. Muriel nursed Earl Rupert back to health when he was wounded in the war, and he proposed to her. But that was before he met Anna.

In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Muriel begins to take over the Westerholme household, arbitrarily firing servants that do not fit in with her vision for Westerholme. None of the servants or neighbors are fond of Muriel, and as the wedding date approaches, all of Rupert's friends and family are leery of the impending marriage.

At the costume ball thrown prior to the wedding, Anna's true identity as a countess is revealed, and Anna and Rupert dance the night away. Everyone can see that they are a perfect couple, but can Rupert and Anna come to terms with their feelings for each other before his marriage to Muriel?

Although A COUNTESS BELOW STAIRS has a very fairytale-like romantic plot, Anna is far from the typical princess. She has a feisty spirit and genuinely fun personality that immediately draws you in. Eva Ibbotson does a great job in breathing life into the generic fairytale plot. Anna's story is very similar to what much of the Russian aristocracy experienced during the communist revolution, and Ibbotson shows that even though life is unpredictable and rarely kind, if you embrace all opportunities and make the most of your situation, you will find happiness. ( )

I love Eba Ibbotson's children's books, but only recently discovered that she also wrote some romances for young adults. This is the second I've read, and I really enjoyed it.

Anna Grazinsky is a Russian countess, forced out of her home by the revolution. She and her mother and brother move to England. They have lost everything. Anna's mother is mourning the death of her husband, so Anna is the one who takes care of the family. She finds a patron willing to pay for her brother's education and starts looking for a job. Then she finds a temporary job as a servant.

Rupert didn't expect to become the earl, but after his brother's death in the war, he inherits the title and the estate. The estate is run down and in need of some improvements. So Rupert is delighted when he finds a beautiful heiress to marry.

It will be no surprise that the heiress is a stinker, that Rupert and Anna fall in love, and that eventually, everything ends happily ever after. But it was a fun book and just what I needed. If you enjoy historical romance, this is a nice light story.

Charming and sweet, just like the main character, Anna. The fairy tale qualities of the story keep Anna from seeming *too* perfect, and make it easier to accept some of the less believable elements of the story. ( )