A Noble Masquerade

Title: A Noble Masquerade Audio book

Series: Hawthorne House #1

Author: Kristi Ann Hunter

Narrator: Anne Marie Gideon

Publisher: Bethany House/Recorded Books

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Regency,

Source: Hoopla

My Review:

A Noble Masquerade is the first book I have read by Kristi Ann Hunter, but it will not be my last. Her books remind me of Karen Whitemeyer and Jen Turano's books, which I also love.  

Lady Miranda is a hoot! She tries to act like the lady her mother has raised her to be. However, at her very core, she is a firecracker. She writes secret letters to a duke with no intention of him ever reading them. She is concerned about her spinster status as she is in her fourth season, and her younger, vibrant sister is coming out this season.

Enter Marlow, Lady Miranda's brother's valet. He upsets Miranda's world with his very existence. Their interactions are humorous and memorable. Marlow is eye-catching, with a strong and stable personality. I absolutely adored their relationship.

A Noble Masquerade is a funny Regency romance. I loved the witty dialogue, strong characters, enjoyable side characters, and the mystery of it all. 

★★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

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.