Dangerous Masquerade by Peta Lee Rose Series: ,
on November 8th, 2019
Genres: Fiction, Historical, Paranormal, Regency, Romance
Source: Netgalley
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Orphaned at 16. Married at 17. Widowed at 18. Destitute—or dead—at 19?
To avoid either fate Ria St. James has to thwart her deceased husband’s nephew who intends to marry or murder her—either will do! She must also contend with well-meaning matchmakers and evade the determined pursuit of the Earl of Arden. Though she yearns to succumb to his advances she can’t risk his discovering what she has had to do to foil the nephew. If she fails, she could lose her heart, her life, or both.
The Earl of Arden enjoys the life of a rake and has a particular liking for widows as they understand the rules of engagement. But his seduction of Ria St. James does not go to plan when he becomes captivated by the innocent widow. Then he realizes she has a secret and is in danger. She needs to reveal it so he can protect her. If he fails, he could lose her forever.
Dangerous Masquerade, the first book in the Regency Masquerade series, is a historical romance flavored with suspense, humor and a pinch of paranormal.
I received Dangerous Masquerade for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Honoria Ruby Birdwell, also known as Honey or Ria, has not had it easy as of late. Her parents died so for her protection she married her father’s best friend, Monty St. James. Within a year, Monty was also gone. To secure her inheritance from Monty for herself and Monty’s four female relatives, Ria makes a life changing decision. That is where her childhood friend, Luc, comes into the picture.
When Luc and Ria meet in front of her husband’s grave, he doesn’t recognize her as sweet little Honey who won his affection as a child. Luc is drawn to her all the same. Ria is terrified when Luc keeps popping up in her little town for reasons that might spoil the secrets of the story. One thing I can tell you is that Ria’s life is in danger. Monty’s nephew wants the St. James estate and will murder to get it.
While Honoria might have many names throughout the book, she always kept the same personality. She loves her new family so much she will do anything to protect them. It took me a little while to warm up to Luc. His past broke pieces of his heart and he assumed wrong about several things over the years. He was the typical rake at the beginning, but as he interacted with Ria, I began to see the man he was meant to be.
This is my first read from Peta Lee Rose and I adored her storytelling. She gave each of her characters rich backstories and unique quirks. While this one is heavy on romance, we also get a dash of suspense and a spoonful of the paranormal. I love this combination. I hope this series continues soon so I can dive back into the world Luc and Ria live in.
About Peta Lee Rose
Peta Lee Rose has been enchanted with romance and history since she was eight and read a book called ‘Mara’ by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. In Mara, an Egyptian slave and noble fall in love, and along the way, save Egypt. By eleven, she was secretly reading her mother’s and sister’s romances. By fourteen, she had my own substantial collection in which Georgette Heyer figured strongly.
She then began to write her own. The recipe for a Peta Lee Rose story is: take the regency period, add one cup of fun characters, half a cup of suspense, add spice (romance and sensuality), season well with humor and historical detail and add a dash of paranormal.
She live in New Zealand. She’s lived in London and backpacked through Europe, traveled through Asia, and have been to Australia and North America. She’s had many jobs, including motel cleaner, secretary, proofreader, office manager, research assistant, university lecturer, and career consultant.
All her travel, study and work experiences have provided her with a rich tapestry to draw from when it comes to her writing.
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