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Scandals & Secrets #2
Masquerade Secrets
A novella of 36,000 words (about 130 pages).
A confirmed wallflower, Lady Aubrey Langston didn’t have high hopes for the new season. After a masquerade was announced, a modiste promised Aubrey that she would add some magic to her gown, enough to have men eating out of the palm of her hand. Little did Aubrey know that she would fall for the Duke of Wathersby, her best friend’s almost fiancé. With a shared history of tepid friendship, Aubrey struggles to trust the man who so completely stole her heart.
Bradford, the Duke of Wathersby, wanted to find a bride, and quickly. Preferably one that didn’t drive him mad. Frustrated with the social scene, he longs escape to the country. At least he did until he met the beyond comparable masquerade woman. Driven with a force he had never felt, he wants to make her his forever.
While Aubrey tries to reconcile her fears, an outside force is working to tear them apart. As another woman plots against them, Bradford must do everything in his power to convince Aubrey that she is the woman he wants. Will Aubrey be able to overcome her fears and be able to trust the man she loves, or will their relationship only be another masquerade secret?
A confirmed wallflower, Lady Aubrey Langston didn’t have high hopes for the new season. After a masquerade was announced, a modiste promised Aubrey that she would add some magic to her gown, enough to have men eating out of the palm of her hand. Little did Aubrey know that she would fall for the Duke of Wathersby, her best friend’s almost fiancé. With a shared history of tepid friendship, Aubrey struggles to trust the man who so completely stole her heart.
Bradford, the Duke of Wathersby, wanted to find a bride, and quickly. Preferably one that didn’t drive him mad. Frustrated with the social scene, he longs escape to the country. At least he did until he met the beyond comparable masquerade woman. Driven with a force he had never felt, he wants to make her his forever.
While Aubrey tries to reconcile her fears, an outside force is working to tear them apart. As another woman plots against them, Bradford must do everything in his power to convince Aubrey that she is the woman he wants. Will Aubrey be able to overcome her fears and be able to trust the man she loves, or will their relationship only be another masquerade secret?
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2012
41 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 11, 2019
Great
I found this a really good book. Aubrey is a great character. She has always stood to the side of her best friend who was beautiful but now she must step forward into the limelight to make her own dreams come true with her one true love. A great read and very quick read.
I found this a really good book. Aubrey is a great character. She has always stood to the side of her best friend who was beautiful but now she must step forward into the limelight to make her own dreams come true with her one true love. A great read and very quick read.
January 25, 2015
Masquerade balls give an excuse for the most introverted wallflower to disguise and become anything or anyone that they want for one night. So Lady Aubrey Langston lets her favorite modiste dress her for the big Masquerade and she is promised 'magic' to wear that night. I guess the true magic is her self confidence in herself and that she is a desirable wonderful woman. The Duke of Wathersby, her best friend’s almost fiancé, Bradford finds and falls in love with the Masquerade magic that is actually Aubrey. She hides her true identity until Bradford can figure out that it is she that he loves and not just an illusion of the lady from the Masquerade.
There is an 'evil' spoiled Victoria that tries to stop the romance between Aubrey and Bradford. The next novel in the series is about her and I have serious doubts how the author is going to reform that terrible character. HEA is guaranteed in this historical English romance with no sexy scenes.
118 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
There is an 'evil' spoiled Victoria that tries to stop the romance between Aubrey and Bradford. The next novel in the series is about her and I have serious doubts how the author is going to reform that terrible character. HEA is guaranteed in this historical English romance with no sexy scenes.
118 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
July 14, 2017
Better than Book 1 of the Scandals & Secrets series, but Still VERY Poor editing
Masquerade Secrets picks up about 3 months after Scandal of Love ends. Although it is helpful, you don't need to read Book 1 to understand or enjoy Book 2. Lady Sera and her Earl are off on the Continent enjoying their honeymoon, and Lady Sera's best friend, Aubrey, is left to handle the social whirl alone. Bradford, the Duke of Wathersby, has been hiding himself in the country since the unsuccessful abduction of Lady Sera. Upon his return to society, Aubrey makes an effort to be nice to him because the Duke was always genuinely nice to Aubrey when he was courting Lady Sera.
Then, a masquerade ball is held, and Aubrey shows up in this magical gold dress that has all the men fighting over her. Of course, there is instant attraction between the Duke and Aubrey, and so he wins her first dance. He takes a long time to speak, and when he does, she realizes who he is, and then will not tell him who she is. He is smitten and declares himself to her, but she doesn't believe that he would still want her if he knew who she was. She pulls a Cinderella, and runs away at the first opportunity.
Lady Victoria's brother throws a 2-week house party, and after a really long time, he figures out that Aubrey is the masquerade woman. There is a HEA for these two, but I won't spoil the story by telling you how it happens.
This follow up to Scandal of Love is definitely an improvement in the depth of the characters and the believability of their interactions and reactions to what life throws their way. We even get to understand Lady Victoria some more. (It wouldn't surprise me if Book 3 deals with her story.) Given the leading characters' history, their suddenly discovered attraction is more understandable. The foundation has been there since before the time covered by Book 1 - the characters have been acquainted for years. Also, the drama created by Aubrey's nemesis is much more dramatic and unsettling than in Book 1. Such a challenge could easily happen in this day and age, and so it is not a leap that the characters would struggle as they do.
However, the editing in this book was also poor. Words are clearly misused - e.g., when a business matter suddenly arises, sometimes you are unavoidably detained, NOT: "the business matter could not be detained." If you say, "Nothing can come between us" it means there is nothing separating the two people, but it was used here to mean that "nothing can come of us" or "nothing can happen between us." Misuse/mix-up of adjectives and adverbs was also a problem.
I would give this book a PG-13 rating because the characters' thoughts about each other are set forth in greater detail, which makes part of the book more suggestive. I still don't remember any curse words.
Masquerade Secrets picks up about 3 months after Scandal of Love ends. Although it is helpful, you don't need to read Book 1 to understand or enjoy Book 2. Lady Sera and her Earl are off on the Continent enjoying their honeymoon, and Lady Sera's best friend, Aubrey, is left to handle the social whirl alone. Bradford, the Duke of Wathersby, has been hiding himself in the country since the unsuccessful abduction of Lady Sera. Upon his return to society, Aubrey makes an effort to be nice to him because the Duke was always genuinely nice to Aubrey when he was courting Lady Sera.
Then, a masquerade ball is held, and Aubrey shows up in this magical gold dress that has all the men fighting over her. Of course, there is instant attraction between the Duke and Aubrey, and so he wins her first dance. He takes a long time to speak, and when he does, she realizes who he is, and then will not tell him who she is. He is smitten and declares himself to her, but she doesn't believe that he would still want her if he knew who she was. She pulls a Cinderella, and runs away at the first opportunity.
Lady Victoria's brother throws a 2-week house party, and after a really long time, he figures out that Aubrey is the masquerade woman. There is a HEA for these two, but I won't spoil the story by telling you how it happens.
This follow up to Scandal of Love is definitely an improvement in the depth of the characters and the believability of their interactions and reactions to what life throws their way. We even get to understand Lady Victoria some more. (It wouldn't surprise me if Book 3 deals with her story.) Given the leading characters' history, their suddenly discovered attraction is more understandable. The foundation has been there since before the time covered by Book 1 - the characters have been acquainted for years. Also, the drama created by Aubrey's nemesis is much more dramatic and unsettling than in Book 1. Such a challenge could easily happen in this day and age, and so it is not a leap that the characters would struggle as they do.
However, the editing in this book was also poor. Words are clearly misused - e.g., when a business matter suddenly arises, sometimes you are unavoidably detained, NOT: "the business matter could not be detained." If you say, "Nothing can come between us" it means there is nothing separating the two people, but it was used here to mean that "nothing can come of us" or "nothing can happen between us." Misuse/mix-up of adjectives and adverbs was also a problem.
I would give this book a PG-13 rating because the characters' thoughts about each other are set forth in greater detail, which makes part of the book more suggestive. I still don't remember any curse words.
November 16, 2017
A wallflower dresses up for a ball, and catches a large amount of male attention. She captures the attention of an acquaintance who has no clue who she is, and the fun begins. Aubrey wants Bradford to love her too, not just the Masquerade woman. Bradford made a promise to the masquerade woman and is stubbornly holding to that promise.
Aubrey is an interesting heroine. I admire her desire to have Bradford love her for her and not just the Masquerade woman. She's sweet, kind, and forgiving, but she isn't a doormat.
Bradford is irritatingly stubborn at times. He has the description of the Masquerade woman, for goodness sake, and he remains utterly blind. Otherwise, he's a pretty likeable hero. There isn't a ton of depth to him as a character (something I didn't even think of while I was reading), but you still feel like you get to know him. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.
Aubrey is an interesting heroine. I admire her desire to have Bradford love her for her and not just the Masquerade woman. She's sweet, kind, and forgiving, but she isn't a doormat.
Bradford is irritatingly stubborn at times. He has the description of the Masquerade woman, for goodness sake, and he remains utterly blind. Otherwise, he's a pretty likeable hero. There isn't a ton of depth to him as a character (something I didn't even think of while I was reading), but you still feel like you get to know him. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.
June 20, 2019
A fun romance!
Once I finished reading this book I immediately wanted to read it all over again. Fun, sassy, flirty, and unexpected. I loved the transformation of Lady Audrey and how she viewed herself effected how others saw her. I totally bought the friendship to romance.
This is technically a clean romance, PG, but for some, when Branford gets a little carried away with his imagination, this becomes more like a PG-13.
Once I finished reading this book I immediately wanted to read it all over again. Fun, sassy, flirty, and unexpected. I loved the transformation of Lady Audrey and how she viewed herself effected how others saw her. I totally bought the friendship to romance.
This is technically a clean romance, PG, but for some, when Branford gets a little carried away with his imagination, this becomes more like a PG-13.
February 21, 2018
Romance novels
Thank you for sharing these wonderful series books. Please keep writing more of these wonderful books. Thank you very much for your talent .
Thank you for sharing these wonderful series books. Please keep writing more of these wonderful books. Thank you very much for your talent .
November 30, 2012
Same story with a wallaflower that at a Masquerade attracts the attention of this utterly handsome man with broad shoulders and black raven hair and very, very rich! We even have an evil lady that tries her best to have this man. Oh well, we have everything, even breathless-I'm-going-to-faint kisses. The writing isn't bad, but much too predictable for my taste. A cute little book to pass the time ;)
I'm not sure I should give 3 stars, but it's more like 2.7 and I quite enjoyed it so.. hell, why not! :D
I'm not sure I should give 3 stars, but it's more like 2.7 and I quite enjoyed it so.. hell, why not! :D
October 2, 2012
What a sweet little romantic novella. I really enjoyed this story by [author Janelle Daniels].
I found this novella on amazon, and I'm so glad I read it. I'm looking forward to reading more work by this author.
This is a very clean romance. It's very concise, and is a great love story mingled with g-rated seduction.
I found this novella on amazon, and I'm so glad I read it. I'm looking forward to reading more work by this author.
This is a very clean romance. It's very concise, and is a great love story mingled with g-rated seduction.
April 2, 2012
Nice short historical romance. Nothing original, predictable and not a bad read. Overall I liked it.
January 6, 2013
Nice story. Quick read. I enjoyed it.
April 3, 2013
Nice story. Wanted to smack the Duke on the back of the head though.
June 28, 2015
I would have rated this book higher but I found the main male character to be a blind idiot.
October 3, 2015
Lovely story. Although I think Bradford needed glasses. How could he not see Aubrey was the masquerade lady...lol.
Really enjoyed reading this.
Really enjoyed reading this.
October 8, 2012
A very sweet novella!! <3
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews