“Wonderful historical fiction! Great accuracy and detailed research, with a full-blooded, gripping story running (and sometimes leaping) from page to page. Excellent read– and even better, the beginning of a series!” DIANA GABALDON #2 – Best 1700s Historical Fiction (Listopia) Following the death of their father, Beth’s brother Richard returns from the army to claim his share of the family … of the family estate. However, Beth’s hopes of a quiet life are dashed when Richard, dissatisfied with his meagre inheritance and desperate for promotion, decides to force her into a marriage for his military gain. And he will stop at nothing to get his way. Beth is coerced into a reconciliation with her noble cousins in order to marry well and escape her brutal brother. She is then thrown into the glittering social whirl of Georgian high society and struggles to conform. The effeminate but witty socialite Sir Anthony Peters offers to ease her passage into society and she is soon besieged by suitors eager to get their hands on her considerable dowry. Beth, however, wants love and passion for herself, and to break free from the artificial life she is growing to hate. She finds herself plunged into a world where nothing is as it seems and everyone hides behind a mask. Can she trust the people professing to care for her? The first in the series about the fascinating lives of beautiful Beth Cunningham, her family and friends during the tempestuous days leading up to the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, which attempted to overthrow the Hanoverian King George II and restore the Stuarts to the British throne. Join the rebellion of one woman and her fight for survival in… The Jacobite Chronicles.
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I loved this series of books! I Loved the characters. I loved the history! And I loved the silly fop! I highly recommend this series of books.
MASK OF DUPLICITY: Julie Braman
Set in 1742, defined by the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, the book is grounded in the history of Catholic and Protestant troubles in the British Isles. Throughout the empire, women survive at the mercy of the men who control wealth and property. A young orphaned woman seeks to protect the workers on her family’s estate. Her brother, ‘to the manor born’, as they say, seeks to impose his despotic will on his sister and all who try to protect her. She must marry well to ensure his career in the military and his hold on the estate. His monstrous behavior prevents any sort of sibling bonding, but his grip on her never loosens. His occasional glimmers of humanity are self-serving and fleeting. Her options are few, but carefully calibrated toward decent ends. An interesting story with well-constructed characters. As part of a series, the end is not intended as conclusion.
No great shakes
Very well researched—I learned a lot about Spanish Civil War. I did not have much knowledge about this period of Spanish History.
Good story line. Enjoyable reading but towards the end of the story a little too descriptive with the sex scene. Not recommended for innocent eyes or minds.
I didn’t like the ending. It left you hanging. I would like to read the sequel, but I been unable to find it. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.
A compelling read until the end which could have been developed further.
Amateurish prose, predictable, cardboard characters.
The question is what I thought of the book, and I am sure many if not most readers have other tastes. I love fanciful historical stories like The Scarlet Pimpernel, and thought that this would be like that.
It was not–and it differed in several serious ways that killed my interest completely: explicit sex-related scenes and comments; explicit violence; and poor underlying motivation for the violence and even the plot itself. I not only have no interest in either side of the Jacobite revolt against the then-current British king, I really don’t like any story that justifies murder for political intrigues. Remember, I am just talking about my own taste in what I read.
The dandy character was a Pimpernel rip-off, I agree. I didn’t mind that. But the original fought to save people’s lives from unjust visits to Madame Guillotine. To me, there is a huge difference in motivation and actions between them.
I am very disappointed; the author writes well, and her main character is capable of change. Her situation in society along with the dandy’s character promised a number of delicious twists and turns. The continual intrusion of violence, though, made me finally give up.
This is not your typical Victorian romance. Good read!
Porn. Discriptive Violent attack of half sister. Violence toward women is never acceptable. No stars
Entertaining but can’t rave about it.
Very entertaining but predictable. And you need to buy 2nd part to get some closure.
I finished the book and thought the premise interesting. The male lead could be a stronger character. I figured out the story line about one quarter into the reading. But the author wanted this to be a series and ended this novel about three chapters short. All of the characters were either extremely good or extremely bad. Seriously. I think adult readers don’t need extreme s to prove morals and values of characters. Makes me wonder how mindless the readers want to be as they read
Complex and heavy reading. Too heavy for entertainment for my purposes.
I just couldn’t get into the story. Stopped reading after less than a chapter.
Not great but readable
I liked the book but the ending was a disappointment it left you feeling the story wasn’t over! But wait! Book 2 ……but it was totally unavailable to read on a iPad, could only get it to use on a Kindle (which I did) but Kindle can’t compete with an iPad. So that’s the end of this series for me.
I started reading this and just put it down after about 11% in.