Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts
every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Approaching
spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not
in a diary but in letters to her brother’s old school friend, the Duke of
Marshington. Since she’s never actually met the man, she has no intention of
ever sending the letters and is mortified when her brother’s mysterious new
valet, Marlow, mistakenly mails one of the letters to the unsuspecting duke.
Shockingly, this breach of
etiquette results in a reply from the duke that soon leads to a lively
correspondence. Insecurity about her previous lack of suitors soon becomes
confusion as Miranda finds herself equally intrigued by Marlow, a man she has
come to depend upon but whose behavior grows more suspicious by the day. As the
secret goings-on at her family’s estate come to light, one thing is certain:
Miranda’s heart is far from all that’s at risk for the Hawthornes and those
they love.
A Noble Masquerade is the first book in
Kristi Ann Hunter’s Hawthorne House
series, although there is an e-novella that comes before it called A Lady of Esteem. In fact, A Lady of Esteem was what got me hooked
on Kristi Ann’s writing. You see, A Noble
Masquerade is her first full length novel. A little over a month ago, she
published her novella as a free e-book, and I happened to stumble upon it. I’m
all for free books, and the description made it sound like something right up
my alley, so I downloaded it. Can I just say that was one of the best decisions
I ever made? When I think of first-time authors, I do think talent, but I also
know that they haven’t published anything, so they don’t have near as much
experience as older authors do. Although they may have a great story and a
wonderful writing style, they just haven’t been at it for long, so I don’t put
my expectations too high. It will be a good book, I tell myself, but their
later works will be better. That was not the case with Kristi Ann. Before I had
even made it halfway through A Lady of
Esteem, I knew she was a very talented author. By the time I started A Noble Masquerade, I was aware that her
writing is better than many ‘more experienced’ authors, if only because she knows how to weave together a story. Obviously
I need to let go of the stereotypes.
Miranda
Hawthorne is by far one of my favorite heroines. As a privileged woman of
society, you would think she would be difficult to relate to, but that is far
from the truth. Always pressured to be the perfect lady, Miranda feels that she
must hide all of her feelings deep inside herself; her only release being in
writing letters to her brother, Griffith’s, friend, the Duke of Marshington. Although
she would never even consider sending them, just the thought that he would
understand what she is going through serves to make her world a little better. With
her sister’s upcoming debut into society, Miranda is more and more reminded of
her own two failed seasons, in which she failed to procure a suitable husband.
Reeling from that and her shocking attraction to Griffith’s new valet, Marlow, Miranda
becomes careless with her letters, only to have one accidentally sent by
Marlow. Trying to stay calm, Miranda assures herself that he most likely won’t
even get it, as he’s been away from society for so long he probably isn’t even
in his own home, but is shaken to the core when he not only reads her letter,
but replies!
The
Duke of Marshington is another wonderful character. Although I cannot tell you
much about his story, he is a recluse and all, I can tell you that he is by far
one of the best heroes I have ever met. Daring and strong, he is not only a
wonderful protector, but also has one of the biggest hearts I have ever seen in
a man. Oh how I wish I could tell you all the reasons why I love him, but I will
settle for telling you he is a wonderful example of a Christian gentleman. And he
has a great sense of humor. I promise you, it won’t take you long to fall for
him as well.
Full of
mystery and intrigue, love and romance, A
Noble Masquerade is a captivating book that I couldn’t bear to put down. Set
in nineteenth century England, this novel is full of interesting historical
facts and perfect descriptions of all that 1812 held. Kristi Ann not only wrote
a perfect historical, she wrote a heart-melting romance with inspiring
Christian themes. I loved this book so much I have to give it all five
bookshelves, and I know that I will be keeping my eye out for everything else
Kristi Ann writes, especially the rest of the Hawthorne House series. I cannot wait to read about what happens to
her three siblings, Griffith, Trent, and Georgina! I highly recommend this
book, although I would advise you to read A
Lady of Esteem first. It is such a sweet story, and it gives you a little
insight into the Hawthornes. Keep an eye out for A Noble Masquerade, which releases in just three days!
Happy
reading!
You can preorder A
Noble Masquerade or download A Lady
of Esteem here.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in
exchange for my honest review.
All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Kristi Ann
Hunter and Bethany House Publishers.
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