We'll Meet Again: The romantic new novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Anton Du Beke (The Buckingham Hotel)

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All of that sort of stuff that I’ve learned over the years has all gone into the series of novels, and this one here is set during the Blitz. A year was a long time to wait to read the follow up to A Christmas to Remember but it was worth it.

The lovable Mrs Moffatt tackles her own affairs of the heart and hints of scandal sweep into the ballroom. The final stave, based around the Dunkirk evacuation and the preparation of what lay ahead was very emotional to read. I met John, and I was with John for a number of years, having lessons every week, and I went in a completely different path.

Billy manages to get her a job at the hotel, in housekeeping, but it doesn't all go according to plan. It’s September 1940 and with bombs raining down every night, the staff do a magnificent job of keeping the guests happy, even if it’s down in the bunkers.

Despite the shadow of war hanging over them, the Buckingham dance floor is still a place of glitz and glamour, along with the gossip and secrets which thread their way through the hotel’s corridors and beyond into the streets of London Town. There was love and heartache, profiteers, double crossing, treachery, danger, rivalry and spirit aplenty. I don’t think I’m giving too much away by saying this book barrels towards a festive, celebratory climax to lift all our spirits – a Christmas to remember indeed (the title does give it away! That said, I’m sure she won’t mind me saying (given last week’s 13 points) that I think we may be in need of your votes this weekend!

The mentality of soldiering on and making the best of things no matter how dire they become is evident in the way all these characters conduct themselves. Anton is perhaps best known for being a professional dancer, and more recently, a judge on Strictly Come Dancing. From its beautiful cover on the hardcover edition I had this story pulled me into the glamour of the Buckingham, the ballroom and dancing, along with the horror of the war. I'm not sure that the stave format of Pigeonhole suited this book, with it's huge cast of characters.

But, at the same time, knew that the end of the book also marked me having to say goodbye to the characters again for a while. Their best result on the competition circuit was in November 2003 when they won the IDTA Classic in Brighton. It was daunting to see the first two pages were a list of the characters in the book, and it did take a good chunk of the first stave (book was split into 8 sections or staves) to get my head around them all. As the skies split apart and bombs rain down on London, it's all the staff at the famed Buckingham Hotel can do to keep their guests in the luxury they're accustomed to, and evoke the magic of the Grand ballroom for them each night. Send a text message to my hotline 07548 138503 including your name, venue, seat number and question.I hope you’re finding my comments fair, firm and fabulous – but most of all, encouraging – to all our celebrity couples. It does follow on and I think the characters will come across much better if you do meet them from the start and grow along with them from what has happened in the previous books.

In June 2023, Du Beke and Erin Boag announced they were to appear at "Dancing With The Stars Weekends" 2024. Like most families, and they were a family, when it came down to it, they would be there for each other always. This book and the stories contained herein - I say stories as there are several smaller plots centered around different characters - really do bring the characters more to life than ever. And then there's Nancy, holding the fort at the Buckingham, promoted now and trying to juggle work and what is going on with Raymond.There are several stories of staff being related and so events move from one perspective to another. Engagingly written and emotional story featuring characters all linked in some way to the Buckingham Hotel. I found myself walking through the Buckingham Hotel and taking a turn on the beautiful ballroom dance floor in the arms of Mr De Guise. He did a fab job of bringing me up to speed with anything that may have happened in the previous books and my enjoyment wasn’t hampered.