It is Coronation Year, 1953, the people of London are in a mood to celebrate, none more so than the residents of the Blue Lion hotel. Edie Howard, owner and operator of the floundering Blue Lion, has found the miracle she needs: on Coronation Day, Queen Elizabeth in her gold coach will pass by the hotel's front door, allowing Edie to charge a fortune for rooms and, barring disaster, save her beloved home from financial ruin. Stella Donati, a young Italian photographer and Holocaust survivor, has come to live at the Blue Lion while she takes up a coveted position at Picture Weekly magazine. As she learns the ins and outs of her new profession, Stella discovers a purpose and direction that honor her past and bring hope for her future. James Geddes, a war hero and gifted artist, has struggled to make his mark in a world that disdains his Indian ancestry. Yet even as his friendship with Edie deepens, he begins to suspect that something is badly amiss at his new home.
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