Man Behind the Facade

by June Francis

As a renowned traveling player—with a dangerous sideline career in political intrigue—no one understands better than Philip Hurst the masks that people wear. But the effort it takes to school his reactions when he comes face-to-face with Rebecca Clifton tests even his theatrical expertise!

Becky has blossomed from innocent childhood friend into a beautiful and fiery widow. As Philip gets drawn into the tangled web of her family affairs, he can't help but wonder if he's met his match. Could Becky be the woman to tempt Philip to take on a new role, as her loving husband?

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance

Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Although, June was born in the seaside resort of Blackpool, she has lived all her life in the port of Liverpool, home of the Beatles. One of four children, her love of stories began when her father told her 'The Little Match Girl', which left her in floods of tears, but also with a desire to make up stories, herself. As soon as she could read she was doing a three mile walk to the local library. She passed the scholarship to Liverpool Girls' College where her English teacher told her that she had a great imagination. Despite this, June did not believe she could ever be an author, so on leaving school, she became a cash clerk. She married at twenty-two, has three sons, ran a church playgroup for ten years and it wasn't until her youngest started school that she joined a Writers' Club and turned her hand to writing articles about What She Knew for a woman's magazine. But her first love had always been books and eventually she wrote her first two medieval romances for Mills & Boon. After doing another two, she had an urge to write a family story set in Liverpool during WWII. This was bought by another publisher. Since then she has had thirty-three books published.

Reviews

[Amy W · Rating 3 out of 5]

After my first foray into Mills & Boon was disappointing (A Baby for Agent Colton), I debated whether to even bother ploughing through the other 4 I got for Christmas (a library ex-stock bundle, not a callous gift from a relative who hates me).

However, I'm glad I did as this was actually not bad. Not exactly up there with Philippa Gregory or Alison Weir, but a fairly competent stab at a romance set in those Tudor times.

There was an actual thought-out storyline which was interesting with a few twists and although some sex does occur (I'd be disappointed if it didn't), it was described in the gentle 'lovemaking' way rather than the 'throbbing member' way, which was nice. I can't stand reading those coarse descriptions of sex and anatomy, they make me cringe! I want good old fashioned romance from my Mills & Boon, not smutty porn.

That's not to say this wasn't still cringey -- it definitely was, just in a more palatable way than the one I read set in modern times. Perhaps 'bodice-ripper' is my way forward with romance novels.

[Annie Burrows · Rating 4 out of 5]

another tudor set love story, involving the Hurst brothers, who June first wrote about in "An Unconventional Maiden". There is one more brother in this family. I hope his story is out soon!