Join three bestselling Regency romance authors, Josi S. Kilpack, Donna Hatch, and Nancy Allen, for three new Regency romance novellas in AUTUMN MASQUERADE.A MERRY DANCE by Josi S. Kilpack. When Lila overhears her uncle talking about a man coming to look for property in the county, she doesn’t think twice, until her uncle says he hopes Lila will find enough interest to marry the man. How can she … can she marry someone named Mortimer Luthford, not to mention that his advanced age of thirty-three, and especially since she’s already in love with her absent cousin Neville? But when Mortimer arrives, Lila has to try every trick known to women to act not interested in the rather fascinating man, which proves a very difficult façade to maintain.
UNMASKING THE DUKE by Donna Hatch. The last thing Hannah Palmer wants to do is flirt with men in a crowded ballroom, but when her sister throws a Masquerade Ball, Hannah can’t say no to the invitation and takes comfort behind a mask. She dances with a charming masked man, matching him wit for wit. When the glorious evening culminates in a kiss, and the two remove their masks, Hannah is horrified to discover the man she’s been flirting with all night is her most despised neighbor, the Duke of Suttenberg. No matter how charming the duke was at the ball, and how wonderful the kiss, he is the last man she’d ever accept.
WHAT’S IN A NAME by Nancy Campbell Allen. Penelope Timely has a terrible secret. She’s been writing letters to the Duke of Wilmington, pretending to be her ever-proper twin sister, Persephone. Now, the duke has written that he’ll be coming for the Autumn Masquerade Ball and Festival. Penelope will have to continue the charade while the duke is in town in order to protect her sister. The Duke of Wilmington isn’t fooled for a moment, but instead of confessing that he knows about the deception, he finds himself utterly charmed by Penelope and jumps into the game of deception to see how far the twin sisters will take it.
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I enjoyed these three stories very much.
Sweet, short stories.
Enjoyed all three books.
Good, clean and fun romance.
Sweet, clean read
I didn’t realize when I read this book the first time that Unmasking a Duke is part of the Rogue Hearts series of books by Donna Hatch. Having just read that series I had to reread this book so I could finish up the series. I think I enjoyed these three novellas better the second time around so it made the reread worth while. (Unmasking a Duke stands alone so no worries if you haven’t read the series).
I enjoyed all three of these books.
I loved every moment of all three books in this collection! These are exactly the sort of “whisk-me-away” stories that leave me smiling as I finish each one. They are well written, smartly crafted, and satisfying from beginning to end. Perfect for the autumn season!
Three Regency novellas based around an Autumn masquerade!
I’m going to go through these each because they are not equal in my mind.
A Merry Dance by Josi S. Kilpack is the first story in the collection. We follow Miss Lila, who is an illegitimate girl with an affectionate uncle. Her heart is set on her cousin, who has been away, but overhears that her uncle intends to introduce her to friend 14 yrs her senior. To forestall any attachment forming, she does everything she can to be unlikable. Though her feelings begin to shift, it takes a masquerade for everything to come to light. I just did not find her entertaining. in fact, I dearly wished to slap some sense into her. 3 stars and I’ve definitely read better by this author.
Unmasking the Duke by Donna Hatch. I’m fairly certain this fits in with a series by this author. At least, it has the same characters. Hannah is shy and feels as though she is sheltered by her sister. She very much dislikes the arrogant Duke of Suttenburg. At a masquerade, she feels like she can be herself and is attracted to a handsome masked Musketeer. When the truth comes out, she is horrified. I’ll give this one 3.5 stars. Though I enjoyed Donna Hatch’s series, this novella felt tiresome.
What’s In A Name by Nancy Allen Cambell. This one saves this collection. Penelope is the plain and overlooked twin. She’s written to the Duke of Wilmington on behalf o her sister who had no interest. When the Duke comes to the area, she fears he will be angry when he learns the truth. These two were so sweet together! The Duke realizes the truth immediately but is curious to see how it will play out. Penelope can’t help her feelings, and she has to contend with her sister who has fallen in love with a doctor.
For readers looking for a collection of novellas, centering on a masquerade, I’d recommend the last one in this book.
Such fun, enjoyable Regency stories! I love that since there are only three in the collection they can be longer than normal. The plots of each are varied and intriguing, but all involve a masquerade ball, which is a fascinating setting. Some characters find their inhibitions lowered, allowing themselves to act according to their true personality and not the front society expects. Of course, there are always consequences… 😉 Some couples are looking forward to the ball with anticipation of a turning point in their relationship, only to have their plans upset. I think the common thread is that first impressions are not always correct and through the obstacles in their path, each character comes to know the object of their affection more deeply. Highly recommend!
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions expressed in this review are my own)
I have been so excited for the Timeless Regency Collection! Regency books are my favorite!! Then add some of my favorite authors and stories I can sit down and read in an afternoon…yeah, not much better. And I get to meet new-to-me authors, too.
A Merry Dance by Josi S. Kilpack
Lila was delightful, in so many ways. Her efforts to make herself undesirable, and her struggle to keep from being herself made me laugh! The whole story was so enjoyable! What a great way to start the collection!
Unmasking the Duke by Donna Hatch
We first meet Hannah in The Stranger She Married. It was great to see some of the characters from that book again! However, this is a stand alone story and can definitely be enjoyed on it’s own. I loved seeing Hannah come alive behind the mask! She had such great wit and grace. And it was wonderful to see the Duke let down his guard and learn what truly matters in life. I loved their romance! The dialogue between them, the passion they had, the way they brought out good in each other…perfect!
I read The Stranger She Married and immediately fell in love with Donna Hatch’s writing. She is one of my absolute favorite authors! So I was very excited to see that she had a novella in this book. It did not disappoint!!!
What’s in a Name? by Nancy Campbell Allen
I felt for Penelope! She had to deal with so much. Her aunt was so awful to her!! I was so glad she found someone that accepted her completely! She had so much personality and passion. I just laughed as she tried to be Persephone, especially in her aunt’s eyes, and yet also be the girl the Duke expected. It was even funnier knowing the Duke wasn’t fooled. The Duke’s love for her was so pure. It was great to see a love based completely on the inner person. He fell in love with her before he even saw her. They were perfect together!
What a fabulous collection!! I loved every story! The plots were great, and I enjoyed the masquerade ball theme. If you enjoy the regency time period, you will definitely want to read this book!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.