Olivia Joliot is a liar and a thief. Recently widowed, she is trapped by the wicked dealings of her late husband’s relatives, forced to work for them to pay off an endless debt. Her next target, the wealthy violin builder Erik de Villiers, is scarred by a past that left him permanently disfigured and heartbroken. When she meets him, however, she sees the man behind the mask. As walls begin to … the mask.
As walls begin to fall and hearts begin to heal, a terrible secret threatens to tear their fragile love apart.
more
Exceptional Debut with Nuanced Characters
After reading some books that disappointed me lately, this book was a delight. I am surprised that this well-done book is a debut novel. The quality is just there on so many levels, surpassing quite a few authors who pump out books regularly.
Most of the books I read are either set in England or America, so it was fun to read about historical France. The author’s descriptions in the very first scene put me there, and she continued to do so throughout the novel. That opening scene between the couple showed so much about their characters, yet the author didn’t give in to the cardinal sin of an information dump. Instead, she revealed characters through thoughts and actions. She continued to peel away the layers of the onion, and I was actually surprised at the circumstances that the heroine was in when they were revealed. She lived in a brutal world and was abused, mentally and physically, by her dead husband’s con artist family. When I actually realized how these evil people were going to try to insinuate themselves into the life of the hero so they could fleece him, I actually felt sickened by it and wished that the heroine did not have to suffer in such a way. This all happened early in the book, and the fact that I felt so strongly for the heroine at that juncture says something about this writer’s skill.
I thought the pacing was good; I never felt a need to skim to get to the good parts. I absolutely adored the hero. He’s the perfect tragic and flawed man that plays so well in romance in general and historical romance in particular. I will admit that I’m a huge fan of the Phantom of the Opera, so I particularly enjoyed those aspects of it. Yes, his first wife was even named Christine! But other elements of that original story aren’t here, but that’s fine. Authors can draw inspiration from other works in any measure they choose, especially if they do it well. There are also elements of Beauty and the Beast, as the title might suggest. The hero is a recluse because of his disfigurement and pain after losing his wife and child in a fire. Again, the author did an exceptional job showing the hero’s pain that is still so vivid and a part of his life.
Given that the heroine is trapped in an abusive family situation and the hero is in such deep pain, the chemistry and attraction between the two are surprising. Of course, they both deny it and don’t see any future there. But it’s so apparent to the reader that they would be perfect for each other. The sexual tension fairly crackled, and when it was brought to fruition, the description was more about the emotions than the physical happenings, which I loved. I think it’s a real skill to be able to write sensual scenes like that, and it isn’t done often enough.
You can’t help but want these two wounded souls to find their happiness with each other. That’s how all romances should be written. If you enjoy romances with elements pulled from familiar tropes like the Beast and the Phantom, or you just enjoy a really well-written historical romance with characters you can’t help but root for, you may enjoy this book. I will certainly be looking for the next book by this author.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Loved this book so much!