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Lady Miranda's Masquerade
Fleeing from an impending marriage arranged by her evil stepbrother, Lady Miranda Henley changes her identity and ends up at the home of the Earl of Cresswood after a minor accident, which prompts a game of mistaken identity, mayhem, and love. Original.
- GenresClean Romance
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 9, 2018
Lady Miranda Henry is determined not to be sold in marriage to her despicable step brother's friend. Fleeing the unwanted match, Lady Miranda tries to make her way to her former governess in London. Barely having left the neighborhood on horseback, Lady Miranda meets with a terrible accident when a young aristocrat hits her with his carriage. Feeling guilty about harming a lady, Julian Cresswood brings her home to his family estate to recover. Upon discovering she hasn't made it to London, Miranda feels it best to conceal her identity lest her brother learn her whereabouts. Charles Benton, Earl of Cresswood has had charge of his family from a young age. With a younger brother with a knack for getting into scrapes, Charles tries to set the best example he can, even when he is alone with friends. He is shocked that his friend Sir Peter would give a woman (no doubt a "ladybird") 500 pounds to help her "brother." The woman is clearly a swindler. When Charles learns of Miranda's accident and arrival, he discovers she matches the description of Peter's "friend." Could it be the heartless jade is trying to swindle Charles next? Not if he has anything to say about it! He's determined to protect his family from this worthless schemer even if it means denying his own desires.
2.5 stars maybe?
At first I liked the story because Miranda took action instead of waiting for her brother or his friend to change his mind. Miranda seemed firm of mind and strong willed. However, once she ended up at Oakhill she turned into a different person. Miranda is so sweet and good. She gives the very best advice to her host's younger siblings and turns into a simpering, missish idiot whenever Charles is around. The entire plot hinges on deception. I get why Miranda/Mary would change her name and I understand why Charles is so angry with her but he is an arrogant jerk. He assumes she's the same person who may have swindled his friend. He has no proof that his friend was swindled in the first place. Then he just ASSUMES because Miranda has the same name and same hair and eye color that she MUST be the same person. Like there can't be more than one Mary Hamilton in the world with blond hair. If he suspected her of being not all she should be because she was traveling without a chaperone, that would make sense for the time period. He continually, willfully misjudges her even after she pretty much proves she isn't THAT Mary Hamilton. I really didn't like the romance at all. I hate punishing/angry kisses. That isn't romantic and an author writing in 1999 should have known better. Georgette Heyer gets a pass because she wrote before the women's liberation movement in a very different time.
The secondary characters are much better than the main characters. I liked Julian for all his faults. He is a young man trying to find his way as an adult in the shadow of an older brother who is more like a father to him. Charles is way too hard on Julian. The only way Julian can learn is to learn from his mistakes. Charles just lectures. Ellen is a delight. She's headstrong and wild. Charles doesn't know how to deal with her either and if he isn't careful, he'll end up with a scandal when she runs away. Lady Cresswood is very sweet and kind. I would love to have her for a mother, except for her belief in "breeding always tells." I don't know how Charles got to be such a prig.
The villainous step brother is all you would expect. His friend Major Caldwell has some surprising depth. They're very shallow characters though and barely in the story.
This book was only 50 cents at the library book sale but it's not worth paying for except as a library fundraiser!
2.5 stars maybe?
At first I liked the story because Miranda took action instead of waiting for her brother or his friend to change his mind. Miranda seemed firm of mind and strong willed. However, once she ended up at Oakhill she turned into a different person. Miranda is so sweet and good. She gives the very best advice to her host's younger siblings and turns into a simpering, missish idiot whenever Charles is around. The entire plot hinges on deception. I get why Miranda/Mary would change her name and I understand why Charles is so angry with her but he is an arrogant jerk. He assumes she's the same person who may have swindled his friend. He has no proof that his friend was swindled in the first place. Then he just ASSUMES because Miranda has the same name and same hair and eye color that she MUST be the same person. Like there can't be more than one Mary Hamilton in the world with blond hair. If he suspected her of being not all she should be because she was traveling without a chaperone, that would make sense for the time period. He continually, willfully misjudges her even after she pretty much proves she isn't THAT Mary Hamilton. I really didn't like the romance at all. I hate punishing/angry kisses. That isn't romantic and an author writing in 1999 should have known better. Georgette Heyer gets a pass because she wrote before the women's liberation movement in a very different time.
The secondary characters are much better than the main characters. I liked Julian for all his faults. He is a young man trying to find his way as an adult in the shadow of an older brother who is more like a father to him. Charles is way too hard on Julian. The only way Julian can learn is to learn from his mistakes. Charles just lectures. Ellen is a delight. She's headstrong and wild. Charles doesn't know how to deal with her either and if he isn't careful, he'll end up with a scandal when she runs away. Lady Cresswood is very sweet and kind. I would love to have her for a mother, except for her belief in "breeding always tells." I don't know how Charles got to be such a prig.
The villainous step brother is all you would expect. His friend Major Caldwell has some surprising depth. They're very shallow characters though and barely in the story.
This book was only 50 cents at the library book sale but it's not worth paying for except as a library fundraiser!
July 14, 2019
Great
I found this a really good book. Miranda is a great character. She helps others but also needs the help of the Bentons family to escape from her stepbrother's plans to marry her off for her fortune. Charles is her hero coming in to save the day.
I found this a really good book. Miranda is a great character. She helps others but also needs the help of the Bentons family to escape from her stepbrother's plans to marry her off for her fortune. Charles is her hero coming in to save the day.
September 25, 2009
Regency
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews