No Angel by Penny Vincenzi chronicles the lives of the Lyttons, a wealthy family who owns a publishing house in London around the first world war. At the center of the story is Lady Celia Beckenham, a strong-willed, blue-blooded beauty who forces her parents to bless her marriage to the lower-ranking Oliver Lytton, by getting pregnant. Motherhood is not quite as fulfilling as she or others would have hoped and eventually works her way into Lyttons, becoming an accomplished editor and asset to the publishing house. As WWI breaks out, Oliver feels it to be his duty to enlist and leaves Celia in charge while he is away. Along the way she makes a discovery both professionally and personally that effects her outlook on life.

No Angel is a a page turner and what I felt to be an accurate account of that time of history; with references to the woman's suffrage movement, medicine, social affairs and the after effects of war. There are very few cliff-hanger at the end of No Angel as most have been tied up, but not in a cutesy "It's A Wonderful Life" kind of way. If this had been a stand alone novel, which it quite possibly could be; I would be extremely depressed that it was over, but fortunately, it is the first in the Spoils of Time trilogy and therefore have two more books to read in this amazing series.