Regular price: $27.99
The Duke of Riverton has chosen his future wife with the same logic he uses to make every decision. However, his perfect bride eludes his suit, while the beautiful Isabella Berkeley seems to be everywhere. When the time comes, will Griffith and Isabella be able to set aside their pride and initial notions to embrace their very own happily-ever-after?
When Colin Cavendish, the new earl of Drayson, informs Lucy Beresford that she and her mother need to vacate the house they've called home for the past two years, Lucy is fit to be tied. They have no money, no relations they can turn to for help, and nowhere to go. How dare the earl break the promise his father had made to the Beresfords without so much as a twinge of conscience?
He was intrigued...Nathaniel Hammond, Earl of Beverton, is working to restore his new estate and aid his tenants. But everything changes when he meets the beautiful and mysterious Moira Dennison, a bold young woman who offers to hire him, unaware of his title, to help her find her fiancé. Curious and unable to resist, Nathan accepts her offer, keeping his true identity a secret, never dreaming of what the future held for him.
When Evangeline is sent to live in a small mill town in Northern England as a schoolteacher in 1871, she finds herself struggling to fit in with an unfamiliar culture. Raised with the high-class Victorian values and ideals of a sophisticated upbringing, she is unprepared for the poverty she finds in the gritty factory town of Smeatley, where the locals speak with a hard-to-understand Yorkshire accent and struggle to thrive with few resources or opportunities. Though she has no training as a teacher, she must prove herself successful before her grandfather will release her inheritance.
In England's Regency era, manners and elegance reign in public life - but behind closed doors treason and deception thrive. Nicholas Langdon is no stranger to reserved civility or bloody barbarity. After suffering a battlefield injury, the wealthy, well-connected British officer returns home to heal - and to fulfill a dying soldier's last wish by delivering his coded diary.
Brook Eden has never known where she truly belongs. Though raised in the palace of Monaco, she's British by birth and was brought to the Grimaldis under suspicious circumstances as a babe. When Brook's friend, Justin, uncovers the fact that Brook is likely a missing heiress from Yorkshire, Brook leaves the sun of the Mediterranean to travel to the moors of the North Sea, to the estate of her supposed family.
The Duke of Riverton has chosen his future wife with the same logic he uses to make every decision. However, his perfect bride eludes his suit, while the beautiful Isabella Berkeley seems to be everywhere. When the time comes, will Griffith and Isabella be able to set aside their pride and initial notions to embrace their very own happily-ever-after?
When Colin Cavendish, the new earl of Drayson, informs Lucy Beresford that she and her mother need to vacate the house they've called home for the past two years, Lucy is fit to be tied. They have no money, no relations they can turn to for help, and nowhere to go. How dare the earl break the promise his father had made to the Beresfords without so much as a twinge of conscience?
He was intrigued...Nathaniel Hammond, Earl of Beverton, is working to restore his new estate and aid his tenants. But everything changes when he meets the beautiful and mysterious Moira Dennison, a bold young woman who offers to hire him, unaware of his title, to help her find her fiancé. Curious and unable to resist, Nathan accepts her offer, keeping his true identity a secret, never dreaming of what the future held for him.
When Evangeline is sent to live in a small mill town in Northern England as a schoolteacher in 1871, she finds herself struggling to fit in with an unfamiliar culture. Raised with the high-class Victorian values and ideals of a sophisticated upbringing, she is unprepared for the poverty she finds in the gritty factory town of Smeatley, where the locals speak with a hard-to-understand Yorkshire accent and struggle to thrive with few resources or opportunities. Though she has no training as a teacher, she must prove herself successful before her grandfather will release her inheritance.
In England's Regency era, manners and elegance reign in public life - but behind closed doors treason and deception thrive. Nicholas Langdon is no stranger to reserved civility or bloody barbarity. After suffering a battlefield injury, the wealthy, well-connected British officer returns home to heal - and to fulfill a dying soldier's last wish by delivering his coded diary.
Brook Eden has never known where she truly belongs. Though raised in the palace of Monaco, she's British by birth and was brought to the Grimaldis under suspicious circumstances as a babe. When Brook's friend, Justin, uncovers the fact that Brook is likely a missing heiress from Yorkshire, Brook leaves the sun of the Mediterranean to travel to the moors of the North Sea, to the estate of her supposed family.
Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I - to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales. Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won - until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.
Hampton Hall's new owner has the villagers of St. Hampton Heath all aflutter - all except Lavinia Ellison. The reverend's daughter cares for those who are poor and sick, and the seventh Earl of Hawkesbury definitely does not meet that criteria. His refusal to take his responsibilities seriously, or even darken the door of the church, leave her convinced he is as arrogant and reckless as his brother - his brother who stole the most important person in Lavinia's world.
Living with the two Miss Groves in Ivy Cottage, impoverished gentlewoman Rachel Ashford is determined to earn her own livelihood...somehow. When the village women encourage her to open a subscription library with the many books she has inherited or acquired through donations, Rachel discovers two mysteries hidden among them. A man who once broke her heart helps her search for clues, but will both find more than they bargained for?
Peter Holstein writes his popular series of adventure novels under a pen name. With European politics boiling and his own neighbors suspicious of him, Peter debates whether it might be best to change his name for good. When Rosemary shows up at his door pretending to be a historian and offering to help him trace his family history, his question might be answered. But as the two work together and Rosemary sees his gracious reaction to his neighbors' scornful attacks, she wonders if her assignment is going down the wrong path.
London barrister Jason Jonquil has spent his entire life working to establish his identity as a gentleman, a man of refinement like his father and brothers. But when fiery Spanish beauty Mariposa Thornton walks into his office, he finds himself losing his grasp on his dignified character. The woman is infuriating, pushing him to the limit of his legendary patience. However, her case seems simple enough - a small matter of inheritance. Or so he believes.
Amelia Beckett is delighted to be a widow. Married by proxy to a man she'd never met, Amelia recognizes that a fortuitous entry into widowhood frees her from meddlesome chaperones and matchmakers. Heiress to her mother's sugar plantation in Jamaica, she happily anticipates working in a man's world, with the additional credibility of her new title: Lady Lockwood. But with the arrival of Captain Sir William Drake, her plans quickly go awry...William has traversed the Atlantic with one purpose.
Born into two different classes, James and Camille shouldn't even know each other. But when the pursuit of a missing ruby brings them together, much more than a mere acquaintance is ignited. The daughter of a curiosity shop owner, Camille would never be considered a lady. James is an apothecary tending to the health needs of the town of Bentworth. His father is quite wealthy from the spoils of his adventures until one risky gamble and a stolen gem leave him on the edge of ruin. James picks up the hunt for the ruby, leading him to the door of Camille's curiosity shop.
When Persephone Lancaster receives a marriage proposal from the ill-tempered Duke of Kielder, she refuses - and then reconsiders. The obscene sum of money he's offering Persephone would save her family from ruin. With her characteristic optimism, she travels to the far reaches of Northumberland to wed a greatly feared stranger. Lodged deep in a thick forest infested with wild dogs, the Duke's castle is as cold and forbidding as the Duke himself, a man with terrible scars on his body and his soul.
Abigail Brantley grew up in affluence and knows exactly how to behave in high society. But when she is cast from the social registers due to her father's illegal dealings, she finds herself forced into a role she never imagined: tutoring rough Kansas ranchers in the subjects of manners and morals so they can "marry up" with their mail-order brides. Mack Cleveland, whose father was swindled by a mail-order bride, wants no part of the scheme to bring Eastern women to Spiveyville, Kansas, but as time goes by, his heart goes out to the teacher.
Trace Riley has been self-appointed guardian of the trail ever since his own wagon was attacked. When he finds the ruins of a wagon train, he offers shelter to survivor Deborah Harkness and the children she saved. Trace and Deborah grow close working to bring justice to the trail, but what will happen when the attackers return to silence the only witness?
When her father dies and leaves her completely destitute, Marion can think of only one thing to do - make a new life for herself. Commencing a life of duplicity, Marion transforms herself into Mary Wood - governess. In possession of a forged letter of recommendation and cloaked in the anonymity of her new identity, she enters a life of self-imposed servitude as teacher and caretaker of young Miss Caroline Jonquil of Farland Meadows.
In the sprawling gardens of their neighboring estates, childhood friends Miles and Elise spent countless pleasant days together in the spirited adventures of youth. They were inseparable - until Elise vanished without a trace. Miles searched, but Elise could not - or would not - be found. After years spent laboring on the family plantation in the West Indies, Miles Linwood is shocked by the unexpected news: He has inherited his distant cousin's estate and the title of Marquess of Grenton.
Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Entering her fourth season and 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, a duke - with no intention of ever sending these private thoughts to a man she's heard stories about but never met.
Meanwhile, she also finds herself intrigued by Marlow, her brother's new valet, and although she may wish to break free of the strictures that bind her, falling in love with a servant is more of a rebellion than she planned. When Marlow accidentally discovers and mails one of the letters to her unwitting confidant, Miranda is beyond mortified. And even more shocked when the duke returns her note with one of his own that initiates a courtship by mail.
Insecurity about her lack of suitors shifts into confusion at her growing feelings for two men - one she's never met but whose words deeply resonate with her heart and one she has come to depend on but whose behavior is more and more suspicious. When it becomes apparent state secrets are at risk and Marlow is right in the thick of the conflict, one thing is certain: Miranda's heart is far from all that's at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.
I love stories with romance and suspense. This fit the bill! I will definitely be getting the next book! Thoroughly enjoyed this clean Christian novel.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
This book was beautifully written, entertaining, and I loved every moment of it. I would absolutely recommend this as a clean romance story with great characters and fabulous narrator.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
A lovely romantic story with just enough mystery to keep the listener in. Well narrated and easy to listen to. A sweet clean read.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
My 2 cents..... I don't listen to Christian books, or inspirational or anything like it. The Christian aspect in this was several times annoying (unnecessary to the story as if added to give the book another heading) and that made it frustrating as it took away from the book in my opinion. OTHER THAN THAT this was a really good book told by a most excellent narrator.
There was NO HEAT whatsoever but it didn't matter.
Basically this was a Regency Era spy/romance/mystery with some religion thrown in instead of sex, neither was needed. It worked, I mostly really enjoyed it and recommend it as creditworthy.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Would you recommend A Noble Masquerade to your friends? Why or why not?
No, because of the Christian factor.
Was A Noble Masquerade worth the listening time?
It needs tightening up, both editing-wise and speeding up the narration just a touch.
Any additional comments?
The story was fine, if predictable. There were quite a few secondary characters, and it felt to me that the writer was setting some of them up for future books in the series. It has a very appealing premise, but the story didn't live up to its promise, IMO.
What I didn't like AT ALL was the strong Christian bent to the story. That didn't start happening until about halfway through, so I was quite surprised when it did. At the end (SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER) you're left with the clear impression that the H & h's prayers were why they got together and were so happy.(END SPOILER) I would never have purchased or read this book if that had been evident in the blurbs. It could be there, but sure wasn't very prominent. I don't normally read reviews before I buy a book, so being mentioned there wouldn't have helped me.
If that sort of thing doesn't bother you, or you're looking for a sweet romance (I personally look for a strong sensual/sexual aspect) you might enjoy this one.
The narration isn't awful, but narrator mispronounced many words (markEE instead of marQUISS, that sort of thing. She gets valet correct, however, pronouncing the T at the end.) The writer has used some contemporary terms saying 'guys' instead of 'gentlemen', for example.
It's an okay listen, right down the middle of the road. And I really wanted to like this one, too.
13 of 17 people found this review helpful
Would you listen to A Noble Masquerade again? Why?
This is an enjoyable story. If you're annoyed by authors who aren't absolutely strict sticklers about historical details & characters who seem rather modern, then this may not be your cup of tea. However, I found the characters likeable and the story engaging.
The narrator's English accent sounded a bit off somehow but not distractingly so & overall did a very good job of helping immerse into the story. I definitely recommend this story as an entertaining - and clean (not sure why Audible labled it "sizzling") - regency romance
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
It was such a joy to read this book. Mature H/H and interesting plot. The Duke's pursuit was also very real and believable. I really enjoyed her selfish spoiled character as well. Can't wait to read the following books and find out how she becomes likable.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
Entertaining plot. Likable characters. Great comedic relief. Fabulous reader. Looking forward to her next book.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
This series is very good but the first available reader was acceptable at best. The recorded books narrator is very good and all gratitude is given the choice. This series has what could be called a chaste side to Regency Romances. It is still funny, compelling relationships, and well plotted as are the best of Regency Romances as a group. The difference is that the effort to reform choice and behavior is presented through faith rather than lust or eccentric compatibility. Eccentric pairings find their way to each other in self regulated compliance to shared convictions. The romances are still convincing, however, the whole of the books are more than entertainment. They become good company. It is hard to stop wanting the best for the characters and sorry to see the series completed.
Such a sweet story! And I loved the drama of it too! (I didn’t expect it!) Also, this narrator is wonderful!!!