Review: A Midnight Masquerade by Elizabeth Johns, Jen Geigle Johnson, Annette Lyon

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

At the Midnight Masquerade, hearts and affections may be revealed . . .

A Double Masquerade by Elizabeth Johns
Arthur, Lord Claremont finds himself unexpectedly in need of an heir, but loathes the idea of putting himself publicly on the Marriage Mart. When a masquerade provides the opportunity to survey the crop of eligible ladies whilst in disguise, he cannot resist. Phoebe Cartwright was forced to live with her aunt during her mourning for her father. Unfortunately, it was during the Season when her cousin was to make her debut. Fearing competition, her aunt tries to keep her hidden away. However, when her cousin becomes ill, Phoebe finds herself pretending to be her cousin at a masquerade. Arthur finds his ideal bride at the masquerade, but appearances can be deceiving.

Their Masked Secret by Jen Geigle Johnson
A duke’s ultimatum carries power. James Holbrook and his fellow lords in London have one more ball before they must tow the line and find wives, wealthy wives—One more chance to be frivolous, to flirt, to outrageously flaunt themselves about without a care until the dawn when they can never do so again. With masks on, everything will be done in complete anonymity. And even though James has reservations about such a jaunt, he agrees to at least keep the others’ secrets.

Meredith attends the ball with great trepidation. How will she see through the duplicity of the marriage mart and find a man sincere enough to marry her for who she is? She doesn't expect to. And she doesn't expect to fall for one at her first ball, without even knowing his name. How will the two navigate the ensuing weeks of secrets, misunderstandings and prejudice to eventually fall in love without their masks on?

Masquerade A-la-Mode by Annette Lyon
When Charles Ballam returns from war, his former commander, Doughty, is determined to see him happily wed—the least he can do after Charles maimed his hand saving his life. The first attempt leads to a humiliating spectacle involving Charles’s injury. He’s loath to ever attend a ball again. Doughty convinces him to try a relatively new, scandalous method: lonely hearts advertisements.

Mr. Amesbury doesn’t approve of such things, but that doesn’t stop his daughter Clarissa or her companion, Mary, from reading them secretly and then strolling past meeting places in hopes of finding the individuals mentioned in them. When an advertisement with striking details appears, Clarissa is certain that the man behind it is one she could have a love match with. She answers, suggesting they meet at an upcoming masquerade. But identities aren’t what they seem, and her future happiness—or spinsterhood—may rest on the man who placed the advertisement . . . or on his mate, who assumes his identity. Instead of being the man of her dreams, he may be nothing more than a deception.

My Review

A Double Masquerade (5 stars) was my favorite of the collection, with Phoebe in the background of her cousin's Season while she finishes her mourning, a bit like Cinderella in how she's treated. The swap for the masquerade is fun for Phoebe since she gets to wear the beautiful costume she helped design, and participate in the dancing incognito. The banter between her and Arthur is sweet and sincere, and I loved that they are a perfect match for each other. I also appreciated that they were able to get to know one another in a natural way in the days that followed, strengthening the foundation of their love.

 

Their Masked Secret (3 stars) features the famed Vauxhall Gardens as the location of its masquerade, with Jamie being pushed into finding a wealthy bride, and Merry wary of fortune hunters. The premise was set up well, but I had a difficult time connecting with Merry and Jamie's insta-love during their little adventure. The ensuing hunt for identities afterwards was anticlimactic, but it was humorous to find them at odds with each other and then later so sappy.

 

Masquerade A-la-Mode (4 stars) had an entertaining twist- the couple finds each other through a newspaper advertisement! Charles is a wounded former soldier, and these heroes always melt my heart. His friend makes it his duty to see him happily wed, and they get a bit creative in their methods. Clarissa and Mary are both likeable ladies, and I enjoyed their friendship. They push societal boundaries a bit by reading the ads and looking for real love stories to unfold before them. When both sets of friends meet up to discover if there is potential for romance, their own stories unfold, but not in the way they anticipated! 

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss the other books in the Timeless Georgian Collection series . . .