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Love in Disguise
Delightfully Engaging Blend of Romance, Suspense, History, and Humor
When costume-maker Ellie Moore suddenly finds herself out of a job in the middle of a bleak Chicago winter, she uses her knowledge of theatrical disguise to secure a position as an undercover operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.
Mine owner Steven Pierce is about to lose his business after the theft of several bullion shipments--until hope arrives in the unlikely form of Lavinia Stewart, who offers to invest in Steven's mine. In his wildest dreams, Steven never expected to be rescued by an inquisitive gray-haired widow . . . or to fall head over heels for Lavinia's captivating niece, Jessie. But then the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Will she be forced to reveal her true identity before the criminals are caught? What will Steven do when he discovers the woman he loves doesn't exist?
When costume-maker Ellie Moore suddenly finds herself out of a job in the middle of a bleak Chicago winter, she uses her knowledge of theatrical disguise to secure a position as an undercover operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.
Mine owner Steven Pierce is about to lose his business after the theft of several bullion shipments--until hope arrives in the unlikely form of Lavinia Stewart, who offers to invest in Steven's mine. In his wildest dreams, Steven never expected to be rescued by an inquisitive gray-haired widow . . . or to fall head over heels for Lavinia's captivating niece, Jessie. But then the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Will she be forced to reveal her true identity before the criminals are caught? What will Steven do when he discovers the woman he loves doesn't exist?
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 22, 2013
73 people are currently reading
1795 people want to read
About the author
Carol Cox
61 books172 followersCarol Cox has an abiding love for history and romance, especially when it’s set in her native Southwest. As a third-generation Arizonan, she takes a keen interest in the Old West and hopes to make it live again in the hearts of her readers. A pastor’s wife, Carol lives with her husband and daughter in northern Arizona, where the deer and the antelope really do play—within view of the family’s front porch.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
November 30, 2017
A fair reading but it wasn’t all that I expected.
GOD IS EVERYWHERE
I wasn’t sure what to expect about this novel on the angle of being “historical Christian romance”, due the “Christian” part of the genre. I am a religious person, but I don’t think that we should bother the Almighty for anything or even mentioned him if you really don’t need him at that moment. But, I didn’t mind all the kinda forced-in comments and references to Bible, church, God, etc...
Since while I certainly I am very open minded about doubts in the men-managed religious institutions, but I am aware that I do mind whenever comment about not believing in God, in any kind of form of higher power of your preference. I am aware that I do mind comments about total atheists, since while I think that people can live without religions, I can’t conceive how not living without the faith in God, any form of your preference of the concept.
So, now I know how that kind of things are managed in this kind of novels, so it was a good experience, since while kinda forced in some moments during the narrative, there isn’t anything wrong to pray and/or just “speak” to God. Honestly, I feel more alienated (even at least for a moment) when I found a comment about a character in a novel telling that they don’t believe in any kind of God.
GOOD PREMISE
The premise of the novel is really good since it’s about a young woman that after losing her job in the theater business in Chicago, in the ends of 1881, she is forced to engage into a kind of job that she didn’t think that it would be in her future, on earlies 1882, she convinced to the bosses of a local office of the Pinkerton Agency, that she would be able to be a valuable asset to them as an undercover agent in a dangerous case in the middle of the Wild West, in the territory of Arizona.
The lead female character is forced to use all her theatrical skills in acting but even more vital in disguising and make-up, to perform two different characters during the investgation. She has to look as an older widow and her young provocative niece. Both characterizations are challenges to her since, while the young niece is of her own age, the “niece” should be a kind of woman that she never has been, and even look sexier than she ever thought possible to be herself.
She needs to live in Pickford, a Wild West town, in the Arizona territory, to investigate the case of a unknown band of robbers whom has been attacking silver lingots deliveries made by a local community of mine owners. However, since the possibility that there must have an “inside job” involved, while the mine owners are the ones who hire the services of the Pinkerton Agency, she must keep her true identity as a secret even from the mine owners.
Keeping the secret even from Steven Pierce, a young noble man, owner of one of the mines, that she is starting to fall in love with him.
NOT THE FINAL ACT AS I EXPECTED
Without doing any spoiler, I will do my best to explain my dissapointments on the final part of the novel that I think it was been developed in a very fair way.
Ellie Moore, unemployed theater girl with skills on acting, costume making, and make-up, she is forced to convince to the people of a Pinkerton Agency, that she would be able to take a dangerous case in the Wild West to uncover a band of silver lingots’ robbers.
To do that, Ellie Moore should disguise herself into two different characters: The old widow Lavinia Stewart, and her young niece Jessie Monroe, and she isn’t as any of the two characters, curiously enough, her personality is kinda more related to the old widow than the young attractive girl.
It was interesting the challenge of a young woman without experience in detective work, trying to uncover a band of robbers. However, while I was aware that she wasn’t an experienced investigator, I expected that she would develop a fair amount to skill in the process and even have some glimpses of intuity about it.
Sadly, I think that she isn’t able to deduce anything and basically all the case is almost served to her on a silver tray (pun intended), even the very villains explaining to her, why and how they were doing the robberies.
Therefore, while she is quite able to fool everybody in the town and to perform with success two different characters to make her investigation, once we reached the point of solving the case, well, I expected some hints of brilliant deducing, the proper analysis of clues, but that just didn't happened.
However, I enjoyed fair enough the reading in a general sense, but certainly in the particular angle as a detective novel, it was certainly weak in that area.
GOD IS EVERYWHERE
I wasn’t sure what to expect about this novel on the angle of being “historical Christian romance”, due the “Christian” part of the genre. I am a religious person, but I don’t think that we should bother the Almighty for anything or even mentioned him if you really don’t need him at that moment. But, I didn’t mind all the kinda forced-in comments and references to Bible, church, God, etc...
Since while I certainly I am very open minded about doubts in the men-managed religious institutions, but I am aware that I do mind whenever comment about not believing in God, in any kind of form of higher power of your preference. I am aware that I do mind comments about total atheists, since while I think that people can live without religions, I can’t conceive how not living without the faith in God, any form of your preference of the concept.
So, now I know how that kind of things are managed in this kind of novels, so it was a good experience, since while kinda forced in some moments during the narrative, there isn’t anything wrong to pray and/or just “speak” to God. Honestly, I feel more alienated (even at least for a moment) when I found a comment about a character in a novel telling that they don’t believe in any kind of God.
GOOD PREMISE
The premise of the novel is really good since it’s about a young woman that after losing her job in the theater business in Chicago, in the ends of 1881, she is forced to engage into a kind of job that she didn’t think that it would be in her future, on earlies 1882, she convinced to the bosses of a local office of the Pinkerton Agency, that she would be able to be a valuable asset to them as an undercover agent in a dangerous case in the middle of the Wild West, in the territory of Arizona.
The lead female character is forced to use all her theatrical skills in acting but even more vital in disguising and make-up, to perform two different characters during the investgation. She has to look as an older widow and her young provocative niece. Both characterizations are challenges to her since, while the young niece is of her own age, the “niece” should be a kind of woman that she never has been, and even look sexier than she ever thought possible to be herself.
She needs to live in Pickford, a Wild West town, in the Arizona territory, to investigate the case of a unknown band of robbers whom has been attacking silver lingots deliveries made by a local community of mine owners. However, since the possibility that there must have an “inside job” involved, while the mine owners are the ones who hire the services of the Pinkerton Agency, she must keep her true identity as a secret even from the mine owners.
Keeping the secret even from Steven Pierce, a young noble man, owner of one of the mines, that she is starting to fall in love with him.
NOT THE FINAL ACT AS I EXPECTED
Without doing any spoiler, I will do my best to explain my dissapointments on the final part of the novel that I think it was been developed in a very fair way.
Ellie Moore, unemployed theater girl with skills on acting, costume making, and make-up, she is forced to convince to the people of a Pinkerton Agency, that she would be able to take a dangerous case in the Wild West to uncover a band of silver lingots’ robbers.
To do that, Ellie Moore should disguise herself into two different characters: The old widow Lavinia Stewart, and her young niece Jessie Monroe, and she isn’t as any of the two characters, curiously enough, her personality is kinda more related to the old widow than the young attractive girl.
It was interesting the challenge of a young woman without experience in detective work, trying to uncover a band of robbers. However, while I was aware that she wasn’t an experienced investigator, I expected that she would develop a fair amount to skill in the process and even have some glimpses of intuity about it.
Sadly, I think that she isn’t able to deduce anything and basically all the case is almost served to her on a silver tray (pun intended), even the very villains explaining to her, why and how they were doing the robberies.
Therefore, while she is quite able to fool everybody in the town and to perform with success two different characters to make her investigation, once we reached the point of solving the case, well, I expected some hints of brilliant deducing, the proper analysis of clues, but that just didn't happened.
However, I enjoyed fair enough the reading in a general sense, but certainly in the particular angle as a detective novel, it was certainly weak in that area.
February 11, 2021
About this book:
“Can she solve the crime before they uncover her true identity?
Jobless and down to her last dime, Ellie Moore hears about a position with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and believes it's the perfect chance to put her acting skills and costumes to use. Reluctantly, the agency agrees to give her one assignment, one chance to prove herself. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie travels to Arizona to begin her investigation. When the need arises, she also transforms into the dazzling Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.
Mine owner Steven Pierce is going to lose his business if he can't figure out who's stealing his silver shipments. In his wildest dreams, he never expected to receive help from a gray-haired widow...or to fall in love with her beautiful niece.
Then the thieves come after Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Should she give up and reveal her true identity? What will Steven do when he realizes the woman he's falling in love with doesn't really exist?
Set in 1880s Arizona, Love in Disguise blends romance, humor, and mystery for a can't-put-down read.”
Series: No.
Spiritual Content- Psalm 86:11 at the beginning; Many Prayers & Thanking God; Scriptures are mentioned, read, talked about & thought over; Church going, singing & sermons; Talks about God & praying; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Ellie isn’t sure God is listening, says she believes & starts to wonder if God really does care about her; *Spoiler**End of Spoiler*; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of church; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading & believers; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of blessings; Philippians 4:4 is referenced at the author’s note;
*Note: A mention of a ghost.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy’, a form of ‘stupid’, two ‘idiot’s, three forms of ‘dumb’; Many, many mentions of threats, thieves & robbers; Many mentions of drinking, alcohol, flasks, saloons & drunks; Mentions of blood, aiming to kill/hurt & fighting (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fires & deaths (semi-detailed); Mentions of gamblers & gambling; Mentions of gossip; A mention of tobacco; A (non-sexual) assault.
Sexual Content- a forehead kiss, an almost kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss and a semi-detailed kiss; Remembering kisses (barely-above-not-detailed kisses); Wanting to touch, embrace & kiss; Touches, Embraces, & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Noticing (up to semi-detailed); two ‘floozy’s; A mention of a man skirt chasing; A mention of a man looking at Jessie with hunger; A mention of having a warm body to be with at night (in the married sense); A couple mentions of honeymoons; Mentions of flirting & crushes; Mentions of reputations; Mentions of courtesans & saloon girls (“Being reduced to selling one’s body surely required circumstances of extreme desperation.” Ellie says she would rather stave first.); Mentions of kisses & kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a creeper who leers & sends intimate glances towards Jessie (and asks Jessie if she wants to sit in his lap and she shivers over his possessiveness); Love, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of a buxom woman; A couple mentions of attractive women’s figures; A couple mentions of a woman swaying her hips; A few mentions of a Rubenesque painting; Mentions of Jessie trying to get male attention & it working (mostly just swaying hips, barely-above-not-detailed).
-Ellie Moore
-Steven Pierce
P.O.V. switches between them, & the Villain (twice)
Set in 1881-1882
350 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
This is such a fun plot—just reading the back cover makes me happy and giggly! Quite a bit of Spiritual Content which is great, pretty clean Sexual Content wise and the mystery is very interesting! I very rarely read a book twice, but this was my second time reading “Love in Disguise”, so it’s definitely one I enjoy. :)
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Can she solve the crime before they uncover her true identity?
Jobless and down to her last dime, Ellie Moore hears about a position with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and believes it's the perfect chance to put her acting skills and costumes to use. Reluctantly, the agency agrees to give her one assignment, one chance to prove herself. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie travels to Arizona to begin her investigation. When the need arises, she also transforms into the dazzling Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.
Mine owner Steven Pierce is going to lose his business if he can't figure out who's stealing his silver shipments. In his wildest dreams, he never expected to receive help from a gray-haired widow...or to fall in love with her beautiful niece.
Then the thieves come after Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Should she give up and reveal her true identity? What will Steven do when he realizes the woman he's falling in love with doesn't really exist?
Set in 1880s Arizona, Love in Disguise blends romance, humor, and mystery for a can't-put-down read.”
Series: No.
Spiritual Content- Psalm 86:11 at the beginning; Many Prayers & Thanking God; Scriptures are mentioned, read, talked about & thought over; Church going, singing & sermons; Talks about God & praying; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Ellie isn’t sure God is listening, says she believes & starts to wonder if God really does care about her; *Spoiler**End of Spoiler*; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of church; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading & believers; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of blessings; Philippians 4:4 is referenced at the author’s note;
*Note: A mention of a ghost.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy’, a form of ‘stupid’, two ‘idiot’s, three forms of ‘dumb’; Many, many mentions of threats, thieves & robbers; Many mentions of drinking, alcohol, flasks, saloons & drunks; Mentions of blood, aiming to kill/hurt & fighting (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fires & deaths (semi-detailed); Mentions of gamblers & gambling; Mentions of gossip; A mention of tobacco; A (non-sexual) assault.
Sexual Content- a forehead kiss, an almost kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss and a semi-detailed kiss; Remembering kisses (barely-above-not-detailed kisses); Wanting to touch, embrace & kiss; Touches, Embraces, & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Noticing (up to semi-detailed); two ‘floozy’s; A mention of a man skirt chasing; A mention of a man looking at Jessie with hunger; A mention of having a warm body to be with at night (in the married sense); A couple mentions of honeymoons; Mentions of flirting & crushes; Mentions of reputations; Mentions of courtesans & saloon girls (“Being reduced to selling one’s body surely required circumstances of extreme desperation.” Ellie says she would rather stave first.); Mentions of kisses & kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a creeper who leers & sends intimate glances towards Jessie (and asks Jessie if she wants to sit in his lap and she shivers over his possessiveness); Love, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of a buxom woman; A couple mentions of attractive women’s figures; A couple mentions of a woman swaying her hips; A few mentions of a Rubenesque painting; Mentions of Jessie trying to get male attention & it working (mostly just swaying hips, barely-above-not-detailed).
-Ellie Moore
-Steven Pierce
P.O.V. switches between them, & the Villain (twice)
Set in 1881-1882
350 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
This is such a fun plot—just reading the back cover makes me happy and giggly! Quite a bit of Spiritual Content which is great, pretty clean Sexual Content wise and the mystery is very interesting! I very rarely read a book twice, but this was my second time reading “Love in Disguise”, so it’s definitely one I enjoy. :)
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
February 28, 2016
Here I go again with a review I forgot to give! It's a good thing the book made enough of an impression that I can still remember what happened...
So, our heroine is fired by the actress she works for as ladies' maid and makeup artist. She is job-hunting and desperate when she learns of the Pinkertons. She goes to great effort to convince them they must hire her, novice or not, and gets a job with a seasoned agent. Only problem is, the seasoned agent gets married and doesn't show for the job. So Ellie's stuck in Arizona with a murder case and only her natural smarts to complete the job.
I loved the twists and turns, and loved this new take on the amateur sleuth. Definitely would recommend it!
So, our heroine is fired by the actress she works for as ladies' maid and makeup artist. She is job-hunting and desperate when she learns of the Pinkertons. She goes to great effort to convince them they must hire her, novice or not, and gets a job with a seasoned agent. Only problem is, the seasoned agent gets married and doesn't show for the job. So Ellie's stuck in Arizona with a murder case and only her natural smarts to complete the job.
I loved the twists and turns, and loved this new take on the amateur sleuth. Definitely would recommend it!
September 3, 2019
This book goes high on my list of favourite historical novels!
Read my full review: https://joyandwildflowers.blogspot.co...
Read my full review: https://joyandwildflowers.blogspot.co...
December 30, 2012
This was such a cute story. I really enjoyed that I got halfway through the book and wasn't asking myself "What else can they possibly do? Everything's happened already!" There was still plenty of story and mystery yet to be unraveled!
On her first assignment as a Pinkerton Detective, and desperate to keep her job, Ellie Moore finds herself in a small mining town surrounded by plenty of mystery and eventually danger. Her efforts to uncover a theft ring while disguised as an old woman (and also the old woman's niece) provide ample opportunities for laughs. But when Ellie falls for the man who is in love with one of her disguises, she wonders if she'll be able to keep up her disguise long enough to finish the job.
Ellie was such a neat character. I loved learning more about her through the characters she played.
Wonderful story! I appreciated how clean it was. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and look forward to reading more from Carol Cox.
On her first assignment as a Pinkerton Detective, and desperate to keep her job, Ellie Moore finds herself in a small mining town surrounded by plenty of mystery and eventually danger. Her efforts to uncover a theft ring while disguised as an old woman (and also the old woman's niece) provide ample opportunities for laughs. But when Ellie falls for the man who is in love with one of her disguises, she wonders if she'll be able to keep up her disguise long enough to finish the job.
Ellie was such a neat character. I loved learning more about her through the characters she played.
Wonderful story! I appreciated how clean it was. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and look forward to reading more from Carol Cox.
June 4, 2012
GENRE: HISTORICAL ROMANCE
PUBLISHER: BETHANY HOUSE
PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 01, 2012
RATING: 4.5 OUT OF 5 – EXCELLENT
PROS: Plot is entirely original and unlike anything already present in the genre; perfect blend of romance and mystery
CONS: Spiritual sections felt disjointed and didn’t add much to the story
When Ellie Moore finds herself alone and jobless in Chicago after spending her whole life working for the theatre, she has no idea where to look for work. All she has is a trunk full of costumes and her skill at putting together an outfit. When she overhears two men discussing their need for a new female operative for their detective agency, Ellie can’t help but wonder whether her knowledge of costumes and disguises might be able to help her gain such a position. After much convincing and a new persona as the elderly Aunt Livinia, Ellie makes her way to the small town of Pickford, Arizona, where she is to meet an experienced detective who is to play the part of her niece, and help her catch the thieves who are stealing silver from the nearby mines. But along the way, Ellie receives news that her partner is unable to make it to Pickford. Desperate for work, Ellie decides to continue on to Arizona and solve this mystery on her own. But as endearing as Livinia is, she isn’t able to make the right people talk. Ellie really needs someone to play the part of Jessie, the attractive and flirtatious niece of Livinia. She couldn’t play both parts...could she? With all the effort of keeping track of her two personas, Ellie finds herself becoming more confused about who she really is, especially when Jessie catches the eye of handsome mine-owner, Steven Pierce. Between balancing the two characters of Livinia and Jessie and attempting to catch the silver thieves, Ellie may just have forgotten to guard her heart against potential suitors...
The common thread that I’ve spotted in reviews of this book is that it is a lot of fun to read, and I completely agree with that sentiment. The premise of Ellie switching between two different personas in order to solve a crime not only made for an original and compelling story, but also a very entertaining one. It was the premise of the novel that drew me to Love in Disguise in the first place and it definitely lived up to my expectations. While there’s a mystery running through the entire book and a sweet, if slow to develop, romance between Ellie and Steven, it was Ellie’s character-switching that kept me reading. Could she really keep her ruse up? Would she ever forget which character she was playing? Would anyone figure out that neither Livinia nor Jessie existed? Not only did this situation create a fair amount of suspense, it was also pretty amusing to read about Ellie’s attempts to play two entirely different characters. I found myself grinning and giggling at several points throughout the story, and it was very sad to say goodbye to these characters – not just Ellie, but also Livinia and Jessie, who almost seemed as real as Ellie.
Unlike some historical novels that contain a hint of mystery, I didn’t solve the mystery before the protagonist. But I wasn’t at all disappointed at this. Ultimately, I just wanted Ellie to catch the thieves and prove that she could be a good detective; I didn’t really mind who ended up being cast in the role of the bad guys! But although the mystery wasn’t always at the forefront of my mind while I was reading this novel, I did appreciate the climatic ending. It was nice to see Ellie using the wits that she had developed over the course of the story, and a couple of hints that had been dropped earlier in the novel finally made sense and aided the characters as they apprehended the thieves. Fans of romantic suspense and mysteries may be disappointed that Ellie’s attempts to catch the thieves aren’t as developed as they would be in a pure mystery novel, but I felt that Love in Disguise had the perfect blend of history, mystery and romance to keep fans of all three genres entertained.
The romantic element to Love on Disguise wasn’t as central as I thought it would be, considering that the word “love” is in the title, but the slow progression of Ellie and Steven’s relationship seemed appropriate for their situations. Steven was preoccupied with protecting the interests of his mine and Ellie was too wrapped up in being both Livinia and Jessie to consider the possibility of her connection with Steven turning into something more serious. I found Ellie’s reaction when she realised that Steven was falling for Jessie to be very realistic. Her dilemma over whether she was leading Steven on and whether it was fair to continue spending time with him was very heart-felt. Did he really love her, underneath her disguise? Or would he be disappointed once she took off her wig and revealed how different she was from Jessie? Even if Ellie’s situation in this book was entirely fanciful, the “Does he really like me for who I am inside?” issue is one that any woman can relate to.
I came very close to giving this novel full marks: I loved the concept, the characters, the suspense and the romance. But what holds me back from giving Love in Disguise five stars is the spiritual aspect of the novel. While I liked Ellie’s commentary on her church experiences and her reception of the pastor’s sermons, some of the other scenes that were intended the show the development of Ellie’s relationship with Jesus just didn’t flow with the rest of the novel. The one where she devoted her life to Jesus seemed to almost come out of nowhere, and I wished there had been more development on Ellie’s spiritual life. She seemed to have almost no concept of faith at the start of the book, and while there was a smattering of comments on her growing relationship with God over the course of the book, it wasn’t enough to convince me that Ellie had suddenly come to a complete understanding of God’s love for her by the end of the novel. The spiritual sections of the novel were so brief that they could easily have been removed entirely from the novel and not changed the flow of the story. While I do think that the spiritual elements of Love in Disguise could have worked if they had been better integrated into the main storyline, I couldn’t help but wonder if by choosing to write a salvation plot into the story, Carol had missed out on the great possibility for exploring the struggles that a Christian detective faces in having to lie and deceive others as part of their work. That is a story that I’d definitely like to read.
Although I wasn’t entirely convinced by the spiritual aspects of Love in Disguise, I didn’t find fault with any other aspect of the novel. From start to finish, this book had me hooked and I hated having to put it down for any reason. Not only does Love in Disguise contain the perfect blend of character development, mystery and romance, it’s also entirely original and unlike anything I’ve come across in this genre. And although I appreciated the originality of Love in Disguise, I can’t help but hope that Carol gets the chance to write another novel about a female detective. If she does, you can be certain that I’ll be one of the first to get my hands on it.
Review title provided by Bethany House.
PUBLISHER: BETHANY HOUSE
PUBLICATION DATE: JUNE 01, 2012
RATING: 4.5 OUT OF 5 – EXCELLENT
PROS: Plot is entirely original and unlike anything already present in the genre; perfect blend of romance and mystery
CONS: Spiritual sections felt disjointed and didn’t add much to the story
When Ellie Moore finds herself alone and jobless in Chicago after spending her whole life working for the theatre, she has no idea where to look for work. All she has is a trunk full of costumes and her skill at putting together an outfit. When she overhears two men discussing their need for a new female operative for their detective agency, Ellie can’t help but wonder whether her knowledge of costumes and disguises might be able to help her gain such a position. After much convincing and a new persona as the elderly Aunt Livinia, Ellie makes her way to the small town of Pickford, Arizona, where she is to meet an experienced detective who is to play the part of her niece, and help her catch the thieves who are stealing silver from the nearby mines. But along the way, Ellie receives news that her partner is unable to make it to Pickford. Desperate for work, Ellie decides to continue on to Arizona and solve this mystery on her own. But as endearing as Livinia is, she isn’t able to make the right people talk. Ellie really needs someone to play the part of Jessie, the attractive and flirtatious niece of Livinia. She couldn’t play both parts...could she? With all the effort of keeping track of her two personas, Ellie finds herself becoming more confused about who she really is, especially when Jessie catches the eye of handsome mine-owner, Steven Pierce. Between balancing the two characters of Livinia and Jessie and attempting to catch the silver thieves, Ellie may just have forgotten to guard her heart against potential suitors...
The common thread that I’ve spotted in reviews of this book is that it is a lot of fun to read, and I completely agree with that sentiment. The premise of Ellie switching between two different personas in order to solve a crime not only made for an original and compelling story, but also a very entertaining one. It was the premise of the novel that drew me to Love in Disguise in the first place and it definitely lived up to my expectations. While there’s a mystery running through the entire book and a sweet, if slow to develop, romance between Ellie and Steven, it was Ellie’s character-switching that kept me reading. Could she really keep her ruse up? Would she ever forget which character she was playing? Would anyone figure out that neither Livinia nor Jessie existed? Not only did this situation create a fair amount of suspense, it was also pretty amusing to read about Ellie’s attempts to play two entirely different characters. I found myself grinning and giggling at several points throughout the story, and it was very sad to say goodbye to these characters – not just Ellie, but also Livinia and Jessie, who almost seemed as real as Ellie.
Unlike some historical novels that contain a hint of mystery, I didn’t solve the mystery before the protagonist. But I wasn’t at all disappointed at this. Ultimately, I just wanted Ellie to catch the thieves and prove that she could be a good detective; I didn’t really mind who ended up being cast in the role of the bad guys! But although the mystery wasn’t always at the forefront of my mind while I was reading this novel, I did appreciate the climatic ending. It was nice to see Ellie using the wits that she had developed over the course of the story, and a couple of hints that had been dropped earlier in the novel finally made sense and aided the characters as they apprehended the thieves. Fans of romantic suspense and mysteries may be disappointed that Ellie’s attempts to catch the thieves aren’t as developed as they would be in a pure mystery novel, but I felt that Love in Disguise had the perfect blend of history, mystery and romance to keep fans of all three genres entertained.
The romantic element to Love on Disguise wasn’t as central as I thought it would be, considering that the word “love” is in the title, but the slow progression of Ellie and Steven’s relationship seemed appropriate for their situations. Steven was preoccupied with protecting the interests of his mine and Ellie was too wrapped up in being both Livinia and Jessie to consider the possibility of her connection with Steven turning into something more serious. I found Ellie’s reaction when she realised that Steven was falling for Jessie to be very realistic. Her dilemma over whether she was leading Steven on and whether it was fair to continue spending time with him was very heart-felt. Did he really love her, underneath her disguise? Or would he be disappointed once she took off her wig and revealed how different she was from Jessie? Even if Ellie’s situation in this book was entirely fanciful, the “Does he really like me for who I am inside?” issue is one that any woman can relate to.
I came very close to giving this novel full marks: I loved the concept, the characters, the suspense and the romance. But what holds me back from giving Love in Disguise five stars is the spiritual aspect of the novel. While I liked Ellie’s commentary on her church experiences and her reception of the pastor’s sermons, some of the other scenes that were intended the show the development of Ellie’s relationship with Jesus just didn’t flow with the rest of the novel. The one where she devoted her life to Jesus seemed to almost come out of nowhere, and I wished there had been more development on Ellie’s spiritual life. She seemed to have almost no concept of faith at the start of the book, and while there was a smattering of comments on her growing relationship with God over the course of the book, it wasn’t enough to convince me that Ellie had suddenly come to a complete understanding of God’s love for her by the end of the novel. The spiritual sections of the novel were so brief that they could easily have been removed entirely from the novel and not changed the flow of the story. While I do think that the spiritual elements of Love in Disguise could have worked if they had been better integrated into the main storyline, I couldn’t help but wonder if by choosing to write a salvation plot into the story, Carol had missed out on the great possibility for exploring the struggles that a Christian detective faces in having to lie and deceive others as part of their work. That is a story that I’d definitely like to read.
Although I wasn’t entirely convinced by the spiritual aspects of Love in Disguise, I didn’t find fault with any other aspect of the novel. From start to finish, this book had me hooked and I hated having to put it down for any reason. Not only does Love in Disguise contain the perfect blend of character development, mystery and romance, it’s also entirely original and unlike anything I’ve come across in this genre. And although I appreciated the originality of Love in Disguise, I can’t help but hope that Carol gets the chance to write another novel about a female detective. If she does, you can be certain that I’ll be one of the first to get my hands on it.
Review title provided by Bethany House.
January 8, 2022
Goodness, this was fun!☺️ One of the funnest books I’ve read in a while. It reminded me of an I Love Lucy episode (one of my favorite TV shows!) so I loved that!! I was laughing and snickering the majority of the time. I loved the characters! Ellie was such a fun and relatable character. Her insecurities and flaws made her feel real. Steven was also a great male lead!
The plot was mostly lighthearted but it also had its deeper, more serious moments. The faith was inspiring too. I loved the message.❤️
It was fast-paced and had lots happening that kept me invested.
I really have fun reading books with the secret identity trope! This one was super fun and I enjoyed it a lot! ☺️
The plot was mostly lighthearted but it also had its deeper, more serious moments. The faith was inspiring too. I loved the message.❤️
It was fast-paced and had lots happening that kept me invested.
I really have fun reading books with the secret identity trope! This one was super fun and I enjoyed it a lot! ☺️
December 11, 2023
This was an entertaining, light read. It was humorous to follow Ellie’s hair-brained ideas and know the likelihood of them flopping. It also had a nice spiritual subplot mixed in the humor. The romance was a pretty strong focus of the book toward the end.
July 15, 2012
Every bit as wonderful as I hoped it would be!
Ellie Moore is an aspiring actress on the verge of poverty, so when she overhears two Pinkerton agents talking about their need for a woman to do a job in Arizona, Ellie knows that this might be the chance of a lifetime.
Stephen Pierce is the owner of a potential rich silver mine, in Arizona. He would be well on his way to success if only robbers wouldn't take every shipment...
Can Ellie catch the theives without blowing her cover?
Snagging my full attention from the first page, I knew from the first sentence that I was going to love this book. And boy, did I ever!
I really liked Ellie as a leading lady, she was determined, and likable who had a resourcefulness about her. The perfect heroine, who had me cheering for her from the first. In fact all of the characters were well written, and very full. And I loved "observing" them and trying to figure out who were the bad guys. I really liked how when Ms. Cox wrote bits about the bad guys, that she kept their identities secret, which I believe is totally the way to do it. I have never liked knowing who was evil before the heroes did. So bravo, Ms. Cox, for keeping me in suspense!
The story moved rapidly, and I was easily engaged, even when my brother was blaring rap music in the car on the way home. I loved how the pages turned rapidly by, and how I was quickly consumed in the tale. This book had it all, a good mystery, romance, and some great humor!
Overall, I loved this book and it was every bit as wonderful as I had been hearing from all of my wonderful friends :) I loved the plot the characters...Everything! A book that I heartily recommend :)
I got this book at the public library so no review required here :)
Ellie Moore is an aspiring actress on the verge of poverty, so when she overhears two Pinkerton agents talking about their need for a woman to do a job in Arizona, Ellie knows that this might be the chance of a lifetime.
Stephen Pierce is the owner of a potential rich silver mine, in Arizona. He would be well on his way to success if only robbers wouldn't take every shipment...
Can Ellie catch the theives without blowing her cover?
Snagging my full attention from the first page, I knew from the first sentence that I was going to love this book. And boy, did I ever!
I really liked Ellie as a leading lady, she was determined, and likable who had a resourcefulness about her. The perfect heroine, who had me cheering for her from the first. In fact all of the characters were well written, and very full. And I loved "observing" them and trying to figure out who were the bad guys. I really liked how when Ms. Cox wrote bits about the bad guys, that she kept their identities secret, which I believe is totally the way to do it. I have never liked knowing who was evil before the heroes did. So bravo, Ms. Cox, for keeping me in suspense!
The story moved rapidly, and I was easily engaged, even when my brother was blaring rap music in the car on the way home. I loved how the pages turned rapidly by, and how I was quickly consumed in the tale. This book had it all, a good mystery, romance, and some great humor!
Overall, I loved this book and it was every bit as wonderful as I had been hearing from all of my wonderful friends :) I loved the plot the characters...Everything! A book that I heartily recommend :)
I got this book at the public library so no review required here :)
October 17, 2015
Amazing! So good, fun, clever, and my favorite girl power. I loved the way he saw her, and loved her in that way. I like how it did have a love story yet stuck to the plot and just kept on. So glad I was challenged to read it. Not a challenge at all.
August 25, 2023
It's 1880 and Ellie Moore jobless and down to her last dime; learns about a position with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. If she gets this job, she can use her acting skills
Ellie travels to Arizona to start her investigating, due to the silver thefts at Silver mines in the area.
Ellie plays the part of Lavinia Stewart an older woman and when the need arises she changes into the young Jessie Monroe, a niece of Lavinia.
The Thieves come after Lavinia and Jessie since they seem to know too much.
Steve Pierce a mine owner is in love with Jessie Monroe. What will he do when he discovers who Jessie Monroe really is?
Ellie travels to Arizona to start her investigating, due to the silver thefts at Silver mines in the area.
Ellie plays the part of Lavinia Stewart an older woman and when the need arises she changes into the young Jessie Monroe, a niece of Lavinia.
The Thieves come after Lavinia and Jessie since they seem to know too much.
Steve Pierce a mine owner is in love with Jessie Monroe. What will he do when he discovers who Jessie Monroe really is?
September 16, 2017
I LOVED this book! This book made me realize how much I really do love a good Christians romance mystery! This book had amazing characters and a great plot! I instantly feel in love with Steven and my love for him in this book kept on growing the more I got to know him. The main lead character Ellie/Jessie/Lavina (you would understand if you read the book) was a great strong female lead. It took me longer then I thought it would for me to finish this book because lately I haven't been in the reading mode but to most people finishing a book in less than two days is a miracle but to me it seems like forever...especially a great book like this one! The main thing that I loved about this book was the ending how Steven stilled loved Ellie even after he realized that she really did not look like she had before with her wig and make up but he saw the amazing wonderful woman that she was on the inside and still loved her!! If you love historical-fiction, mysteries, romance or just Christian books. I highly recommend this one!!!!
April 9, 2012
In this exciting tale, Ellie Moore aspires to be an actress, but makes her living as the wardrobe mistress to a self-serving theatrical performer. Then suddenly, she finds herself unemployed when the actress leaves for Europe. Alone in the world and desperate for any job, she used her knowledge of the theater and disguises to work for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Assigned to investigate the theft of silver ingots from several mines, Ellie, as an undercover agent, is soon targeted for trouble. Handsome mine owner Steven Pierce adds a bit of romantic interest for Ellie. But he doesn’t know the real Ellie, and after playacting in real life, is Ellie even sure who she really is? With a clever plot and well developed characters, this tale is entertaining as well as inspirational.
December 30, 2016
Es war zweifelsohne spannend und nett zu lesen, aber manche Sachen fand ich einfach etwas komisch. Steven zum Beispiel, der sich über ihre Verhalten empört und plötzlich mit einem "Ich dachte, dass da etwas zwischen uns ist" um die Ecke kommt, obwohl er zu dem Zeitpunkt gefühlt dreimal mit ihr geredet hatte und ja nicht weiß, dass sie ihre Tante ist. Oder Ellie, die wirklich keine gute Detektivin ist; irgendwie rennt sie nur ziellos in der Stadt umher, himmelt Steven an, findet sich unscheinbar und findet im Wesentlichen nichts heraus. Nur gut, dass die Bösewichte, wie es brave Bösewichte nunmal tun, ihr am Ende alles erklären und sie dieses eine Versteck für Zettel gefunden hat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2021
This book was so much fun!!! I loved it!!! This book had me laughing out loud so many time!!! Just thinking back on this story makes me want to jump up and down and squeal!!! *looks around and checks to make sure nobody heard me*
The whole plot of this story was just fantastic. It was fun, adventurous, and exciting with some romance sprinkled in.
This book is definitely become one of my favorite Christian historical fiction books!
The whole plot of this story was just fantastic. It was fun, adventurous, and exciting with some romance sprinkled in.
This book is definitely become one of my favorite Christian historical fiction books!
March 29, 2016
Amazing! I loved how and where it was set. How it was a mixture of romance and her job. I fell in love with Steven immediately! Especially when he
January 14, 2021
Love in Disguise is like receiving a box of chocolates and loving every different kind in the box. For two years, I have been trying to read the books in my "To Be Read Bookshelf". I opened the cover and so an inscription from the author. I do not know when I won it or from what website and this is the first book that I have ever read by this author. Well, I loved the book!
Ellie Moore loses her job as a theatrical assistant the star she was working goes off with her new husband to explore her career in Europe. Ellie is left a trunk of costumes that the star decided were not needed anymore. Very hungry in Chicago with a meager sum to her name, she tries to find a job that she can succeed in staying employed and she gets desparate. Om a walk for jobs she sees saloon girls and is more determined than ever to get a respectable jpb. Overhearing a conversation on the street leads her to apply at the Pinkerton Age ncy. Ellie is compelled use her wits and determination and she lands the assignment in Arizona.
This is a start of a very humorous mystery tale where the heorine has to summon all of her wits, acting talents, powers of observation to convomce the town people of the geununess of the characters she was playing while trying to stick to her principles as possible. I really enjoyed this story and now want to look for more books by her.
Ellie Moore loses her job as a theatrical assistant the star she was working goes off with her new husband to explore her career in Europe. Ellie is left a trunk of costumes that the star decided were not needed anymore. Very hungry in Chicago with a meager sum to her name, she tries to find a job that she can succeed in staying employed and she gets desparate. Om a walk for jobs she sees saloon girls and is more determined than ever to get a respectable jpb. Overhearing a conversation on the street leads her to apply at the Pinkerton Age ncy. Ellie is compelled use her wits and determination and she lands the assignment in Arizona.
This is a start of a very humorous mystery tale where the heorine has to summon all of her wits, acting talents, powers of observation to convomce the town people of the geununess of the characters she was playing while trying to stick to her principles as possible. I really enjoyed this story and now want to look for more books by her.
November 30, 2022
A friend of mine told me about a book called “Love in Disguise” so I decided to try it out. Turns out there are two books with that name.. and I accidentally borrowed the wrong one! But that was the best mistake I could have made! This book was soo good! I could not stop listening to it! I listened to it while i walked through snow to a youth activity, and when I got there, I realized I had brought my backpack and car keys along without meaning to! I hadn’t even noticed till I walked inside and put them down! To give context, my backpack has multiple textbooks in it haha. One negative note.. I will be up late doing homework cause of all the time reading today ;)
June 24, 2017
A charming historical mystery with a bit of romance. I really enjoyed this one!
Ellie was a great character - she's smart and sweet and very easy to relate to. I enjoyed the sections about her managing to disguise herself as two completely different women.
The mystery was pretty good too - not the best one I've ever read but interesting enough to keep me guessing.
Ellie was a great character - she's smart and sweet and very easy to relate to. I enjoyed the sections about her managing to disguise herself as two completely different women.
The mystery was pretty good too - not the best one I've ever read but interesting enough to keep me guessing.
April 11, 2024
Really good, actually. Very enjoyable read
October 15, 2024
I really loved this book! It was super fun, and I loved Ellie's transition between Lavinia and Jessie!
August 1, 2012
Love in Disguise by Carol Cox
Review by Kara Grant
Minor Spoilers
My Review
I give this book a rating of 3.5
While reading this book I thought of the movies Tootsie with Dustin Hoffman and One for the Money with Katherine Heigl. Carol Cox manages to mix the wild west and the theater with small town characters and one young woman determined to find her independence. Ellie has just lost her job thwarting her plans to become a big theatrical star in England and now must find her way without any family or friends to support her. While she decides what steps to take next, there is a group of miners who are being robbed of their silver in another state. When Ellie overhears two men discussing this case she takes immediate action and is given one chance to prove herself. She gladly takes it, but an unexpected turn of events leaves her in a strange predicament and she takes on the identity of two different women to solve a serious case. Armed with only her stage experience and fear of unemployment, she pursues justice and attempts to pull off the performance of a lifetime.
Even though I enjoyed the story, it was difficult for me to connect with it until halfway through because of Ellie’s deception. At first she only cares about herself and her perspective on things when she realizes she’s not going to be the next star on England’s stage. It was challenging for me to like her. And instead of being logical and responsible, she further complicates the job when she assumes to the identity of two women instead of one. She communicates via telegrams with her employer throughout the story, but she doesn’t admit to them she is working the case by herself for fear of being fired before she can prove herself. As she slowly gets to know the townspeople and becomes more involved in the work of observing them, she gets to care about them and the deception becomes more and more difficult.
When she finally realizes she is overwhelmed and too inexperienced, help finally arrives. In the midst of her research and detective work, she comes to realize she needs Christ and turns her heart over to Him. As her heart changes and her perspective is no longer about herself, that’s when the story got my full attention. Even though the deception is comical and it’s interesting to see how the townsfolk respond to the two different personalities she creates, what I enjoyed most about the story is how Ellie starts caring for the town. Ellie has been told numerous times that she is plain looking and this comment is repeated throughout the story making her think she has no real beauty. The violence in the story includes: when Ellie almost gets rundown by a horse in the street, someone attacks her at one point insisting she get off the case, there’s a small collapse in one of the mines as Ellie is getting a tour, a fire is set to a hotel, there’s a scene in a saloon where the men get drunk and fire gunshots at a naked lady painting, and Ellie is kidnapped at the end and forced to find her way out of a dark mine.
In the midst of solving this case and finding justice, Ellie finds herself in the process. After spending so many years in the theater, she knows nothing of her real value. With the help of one man who has made promises to himself to do the right no matter what the cost, dealing with life in the wild west, and realizing that Christ loves her just as she is, she comes to understand that despite her creative disguises that the best person she can be is herself. To learn more about Carol Cox and her wonderful books, please see her websites:
www.AuthorCarolCox.com
www.AuthorCarolCox.com/journal
www.facebook.com/carol.cox
www.twitter.com/authorcarolcox
I want to thank Bethany House Publishers for sending me a paperback copy for reviewing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Review by Kara Grant
Minor Spoilers
My Review
I give this book a rating of 3.5
While reading this book I thought of the movies Tootsie with Dustin Hoffman and One for the Money with Katherine Heigl. Carol Cox manages to mix the wild west and the theater with small town characters and one young woman determined to find her independence. Ellie has just lost her job thwarting her plans to become a big theatrical star in England and now must find her way without any family or friends to support her. While she decides what steps to take next, there is a group of miners who are being robbed of their silver in another state. When Ellie overhears two men discussing this case she takes immediate action and is given one chance to prove herself. She gladly takes it, but an unexpected turn of events leaves her in a strange predicament and she takes on the identity of two different women to solve a serious case. Armed with only her stage experience and fear of unemployment, she pursues justice and attempts to pull off the performance of a lifetime.
Even though I enjoyed the story, it was difficult for me to connect with it until halfway through because of Ellie’s deception. At first she only cares about herself and her perspective on things when she realizes she’s not going to be the next star on England’s stage. It was challenging for me to like her. And instead of being logical and responsible, she further complicates the job when she assumes to the identity of two women instead of one. She communicates via telegrams with her employer throughout the story, but she doesn’t admit to them she is working the case by herself for fear of being fired before she can prove herself. As she slowly gets to know the townspeople and becomes more involved in the work of observing them, she gets to care about them and the deception becomes more and more difficult.
When she finally realizes she is overwhelmed and too inexperienced, help finally arrives. In the midst of her research and detective work, she comes to realize she needs Christ and turns her heart over to Him. As her heart changes and her perspective is no longer about herself, that’s when the story got my full attention. Even though the deception is comical and it’s interesting to see how the townsfolk respond to the two different personalities she creates, what I enjoyed most about the story is how Ellie starts caring for the town. Ellie has been told numerous times that she is plain looking and this comment is repeated throughout the story making her think she has no real beauty. The violence in the story includes: when Ellie almost gets rundown by a horse in the street, someone attacks her at one point insisting she get off the case, there’s a small collapse in one of the mines as Ellie is getting a tour, a fire is set to a hotel, there’s a scene in a saloon where the men get drunk and fire gunshots at a naked lady painting, and Ellie is kidnapped at the end and forced to find her way out of a dark mine.
In the midst of solving this case and finding justice, Ellie finds herself in the process. After spending so many years in the theater, she knows nothing of her real value. With the help of one man who has made promises to himself to do the right no matter what the cost, dealing with life in the wild west, and realizing that Christ loves her just as she is, she comes to understand that despite her creative disguises that the best person she can be is herself. To learn more about Carol Cox and her wonderful books, please see her websites:
www.AuthorCarolCox.com
www.AuthorCarolCox.com/journal
www.facebook.com/carol.cox
www.twitter.com/authorcarolcox
I want to thank Bethany House Publishers for sending me a paperback copy for reviewing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
September 11, 2023
Cute, fun story. The setting is well done; I think this is the first historical novel I’ve ever read set in Arizona, so that was cool, and the whole Pinkerton element is interesting. I loved Steven, but didn’t find Ellie particularly likable, so she was hard for me to connect to. The book has a sitcom vibe, which I wasn’t really in the mood for, but at another time I’d probably have appreciated it more. 3.5 stars rounded up because it’s really well-written.
July 22, 2012
Ellie Moore finds herself down to her last pennies and out of a job. In desperation, she seeks a job with the Pinkerton Agency. The only reason they hire her is because of her acting ability. When things quickly go wrong on her first assignment, Ellie's only course of action is to rely on her acting skills and play the roles of both elderly widow and her beautiful, vivacious niece. Steven Pierce is one of the mine owners who have asked the Pinkertons to come and investigate into the silver robberies the owners have been facing. He didn't expect to find a friend in Lavinia or fall for her beautiful niece, Jessie. When the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie, Ellie finds herself depending on Steven. What will happen to their budding love when she's got the case wrapped up? Or will she decide that it's time to take on the role she was born to play - that of herself?
This is the first book I've read by Carol Cox. I found that it started out a little slow, but then as the story moved along, it became quite entertaining. I really liked seeing how Ellie managed both roles. But in the process of that, she also found out who she really was and the importance of integrity. I also really liked how Steven was a man who wanted justice done. He'd also protect the people who managed to put themselves in danger. Overall, this was a really pretty good book.
I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a light-hearted mystery, Mary Connealy fans, and those looking for adventure in the Wild West.
Rating - 4 stars
This is the first book I've read by Carol Cox. I found that it started out a little slow, but then as the story moved along, it became quite entertaining. I really liked seeing how Ellie managed both roles. But in the process of that, she also found out who she really was and the importance of integrity. I also really liked how Steven was a man who wanted justice done. He'd also protect the people who managed to put themselves in danger. Overall, this was a really pretty good book.
I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a light-hearted mystery, Mary Connealy fans, and those looking for adventure in the Wild West.
Rating - 4 stars
June 25, 2012
An absolutely delightful read, Love in Disguise is sure to provide some well-spent hours of entertainment to the reader fortunate enough to spend time in its pages. I found myself thrilled by the unique plot, smiling and laughing at the antics of the heroine, and completely swept up into the adventure that was created by Ellie's crazy scheme to go undercover as not one but two spunky women! The plot has plenty of action to keep the story unfolding at a quick pace, and I guarantee that you are not going to want to put this book down until you see how everything resolves, especially when it comes to the relationship that Ellie develops unexpectedly with Steven! The historical setting is a wonderful one, and provides the perfect environment for Ellie to develop her sleuthing skills, all while unraveling the mystery of her own heart at the same time. Best of all, the story reveals a truth that almost sneaks up on you, a reminder that it's not our outer selves that matter, no matter how plain or beautiful, but rather the hidden treasure of our character that is important. That, indeed, is the stuff of romance.
The end will no doubt leave you smiling and even perhaps heaving a sigh of contentment as you come to the end of Ellie's adventure. I don't know about you, but those are my favorite type of endings! 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
The end will no doubt leave you smiling and even perhaps heaving a sigh of contentment as you come to the end of Ellie's adventure. I don't know about you, but those are my favorite type of endings! 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
October 15, 2012
Spunky, Feisty, Determined. Three good adjectives to describe main character, Ellie Moore. Insecure, Stubborn, Desperate. Also three good adjectives to describe Ellie.
Author, Carol Cox, did an excellent job in creating the character, Ellie Moore. Ellie is someone who desperately wants to be acknowledged for being good at something. She has always been in the background, but desperately wants to stand out. Some people are comfortable being in the background and never being noticed. Ellie is comfortable in the background, but longs to be able to come forward and have someone say she has something, but she doesn't think she has anything worth noticing.
The story, itself, was somewhat slow for me; however, I did enjoy the book. The story is solid. The descriptions are quite good, and I did like the characters. It was easy to figure out the plot and the twists in the story, so I focused more on the main character. It was fascinating to see her adapt from a large city like Chicago to a small town in Arizona where everyone is usually in everyone's business. I also liked the side character of little Billy Taylor, the boy who would be a spy. I think we now know how James West the character from "Wild, Wild West" might have gotten his start.
Although this is not a two-reader for me, it is definitely a book I will pass along to my friends and recommend. I look forward to more novels from Carol Cox.
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers' Book Review Program for providing me this book free of charge.
Author, Carol Cox, did an excellent job in creating the character, Ellie Moore. Ellie is someone who desperately wants to be acknowledged for being good at something. She has always been in the background, but desperately wants to stand out. Some people are comfortable being in the background and never being noticed. Ellie is comfortable in the background, but longs to be able to come forward and have someone say she has something, but she doesn't think she has anything worth noticing.
The story, itself, was somewhat slow for me; however, I did enjoy the book. The story is solid. The descriptions are quite good, and I did like the characters. It was easy to figure out the plot and the twists in the story, so I focused more on the main character. It was fascinating to see her adapt from a large city like Chicago to a small town in Arizona where everyone is usually in everyone's business. I also liked the side character of little Billy Taylor, the boy who would be a spy. I think we now know how James West the character from "Wild, Wild West" might have gotten his start.
Although this is not a two-reader for me, it is definitely a book I will pass along to my friends and recommend. I look forward to more novels from Carol Cox.
Thank you to Bethany House Publishers' Book Review Program for providing me this book free of charge.
October 13, 2012
“Gentlemen, that young woman and I are one and the same.” The heroine of Love in Disguise, Ellie Moore, tells two Pinkerton detectives in interview for a job in which she can use her acting and makeup skills . She get’s the position and is soon on a stage to a wild west town in Arizona. There she disguises herself as two people, an elderly aunt and her beautiful, vivacious niece for the purpose of investigating robberies of local silver mines.
As she puts her life on the line to solve the mystery of the silver mine robberies, her investigation also leads her to an attraction for a local mine owner, Steven Pierce. He has similar feelings for her, except she’s not who he thinks she is. The woman he’s fallen for, the lovely Jessie, is just an undercover roll Elle’s playing. She really doesn’t exist.
If you love history, mystery, and inspirational romance, then you’ll love Love in Disguise as well as Carol Cox’s other novels. As a third –generation Arizonan, she is able to bring the tumbleweeds and trail dust of this western frontier setting alive with ease. In fact, for historical accuracy, she visited and researched the famed old west town of Tombstone, Arizona, even going so far as to tour one of the abandoned silver mines.
This is a pleasant, sweet read that I found uplifting and enjoyable. I highly recommend this western, mystery, inspirational romance, Love In Disguise.
As she puts her life on the line to solve the mystery of the silver mine robberies, her investigation also leads her to an attraction for a local mine owner, Steven Pierce. He has similar feelings for her, except she’s not who he thinks she is. The woman he’s fallen for, the lovely Jessie, is just an undercover roll Elle’s playing. She really doesn’t exist.
If you love history, mystery, and inspirational romance, then you’ll love Love in Disguise as well as Carol Cox’s other novels. As a third –generation Arizonan, she is able to bring the tumbleweeds and trail dust of this western frontier setting alive with ease. In fact, for historical accuracy, she visited and researched the famed old west town of Tombstone, Arizona, even going so far as to tour one of the abandoned silver mines.
This is a pleasant, sweet read that I found uplifting and enjoyable. I highly recommend this western, mystery, inspirational romance, Love In Disguise.
June 11, 2012
Pinkerton detective agency? Undercover agents? Romance? History? Dastardly deeds? Hmm, yes please!
From just a little bit of the book’s plot, I was eager to get my hands on this novel. It has those qualities to the story structure and characters that set it apart, especially in today’s historical fiction genre. I wasn’t disappointed.
There is much to love about this book. Ellie is a rookie Pinkerton detective, playing not one, but two operatives. The quirky and funny things that happen to her once she is in disguise, keep the story an element of lighthearted. But there is plenty of serious to go around.
The mystery of the silver mine thieves was well portrayed and even a bit surprising once I found out who the real villains were.
The romance was so sweet! Ellie might have fallen in love, but what happens when the man who loves you…actually loves the woman you’ve become to solve the mystery? If that doesn’t make you want this story nothing else will.
Story was solid. Plot was well founded. The writing was enjoyable. The novel has that star quality about it that makes you want to keep reading. I loved the uniqueness of it all.
Overall, four stars to a good book. One I’m glad I took the time to read.
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.
From just a little bit of the book’s plot, I was eager to get my hands on this novel. It has those qualities to the story structure and characters that set it apart, especially in today’s historical fiction genre. I wasn’t disappointed.
There is much to love about this book. Ellie is a rookie Pinkerton detective, playing not one, but two operatives. The quirky and funny things that happen to her once she is in disguise, keep the story an element of lighthearted. But there is plenty of serious to go around.
The mystery of the silver mine thieves was well portrayed and even a bit surprising once I found out who the real villains were.
The romance was so sweet! Ellie might have fallen in love, but what happens when the man who loves you…actually loves the woman you’ve become to solve the mystery? If that doesn’t make you want this story nothing else will.
Story was solid. Plot was well founded. The writing was enjoyable. The novel has that star quality about it that makes you want to keep reading. I loved the uniqueness of it all.
Overall, four stars to a good book. One I’m glad I took the time to read.
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.
September 20, 2012
A very entertaining and delightful read, even if it the romance doesn't start cooking until the latter half of the story. Ellie's guilt over her necessary deception, and her tendency to dig herself deeper into a hole gave her a refreshing human element, and made her fun to watch. I really enjoyed her love/talent for acting. The hero was okay, but I didn't connect with him as well as Ellie. I didn't understand his attraction to "Jessie" since he didn't spend much time with her "on screen", and it seemed to go no further than her looks and penchant for trouble.
The one thing that really annoyed me was that Ellie doesn't draw second glances without her disguise. How different can a wig and makeup make her look? And yet, when she puts on her wig and makeup, suddenly, she is a beauty queen and men fall all over themselves for her attention. It just doesn't make sense to me since you can't change your features--if she is using a false nose, etc., it is not clear.
Once I reached the halfway point, I found the book hard to put down. The mystery is thought-provoking and well plotted, and the author's writing voice clear, pleasant, and undistracting. If you like westerns and mysteries, you'll not want to miss out on "Love in Disguise".
The one thing that really annoyed me was that Ellie doesn't draw second glances without her disguise. How different can a wig and makeup make her look? And yet, when she puts on her wig and makeup, suddenly, she is a beauty queen and men fall all over themselves for her attention. It just doesn't make sense to me since you can't change your features--if she is using a false nose, etc., it is not clear.
Once I reached the halfway point, I found the book hard to put down. The mystery is thought-provoking and well plotted, and the author's writing voice clear, pleasant, and undistracting. If you like westerns and mysteries, you'll not want to miss out on "Love in Disguise".
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