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Fool's Masquerade
Escaping the constrictions of Regency society, Valentine Ardsley disguised herself as a groom on Lord Leyburn's Yorkshire estate. But the arrogant (and irresistible) Diccon discovered her deception quite easily and felt he was honor-bound to offer marriage to the young lady. Valentine would rather suffer London's ton than marry a man who didn't love her--wouldn't she? Regency Romance by Joan Wolf; originally published by Signet
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1984
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205 people want to read
About the author
Joan Wolf
101 books370 followersJoan Wolf is a USA TODAY bestselling American writer, whose acclaimed Regency romances have earned her national recognition as a master of the genre. Her many historical and contemporary romances, some of which have been chosen as Literary Guild selections, have been highly praised by reviewers and authors alike.
Joan was born in 1951 and she grew up in the Bronx, New York. A former English teacher, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Mercy College and Master in English and Comparative Literature at Hunter College. An avid rider and horse owner, Joan lives in Connecticut with her husband Joe and two grown children, Jay and Pam.
Joan was born in 1951 and she grew up in the Bronx, New York. A former English teacher, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Mercy College and Master in English and Comparative Literature at Hunter College. An avid rider and horse owner, Joan lives in Connecticut with her husband Joe and two grown children, Jay and Pam.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 9, 2015
This is undoubtedly one of Joan Wolf's better works, and I really like the simplicity and earnestness in the process of her characters' falling in love, as well as their steadfastness of that.
I also like Valentine and Diccon supremely well, even as their personalities were explained quite early on. This is a rather simple romance in terms of plots and twists, but I would compare it to drinking warm milk under the soothing Tuscany sun - pleasant and nice, without giving you a headache or making you feel overwrought.
I also like Valentine and Diccon supremely well, even as their personalities were explained quite early on. This is a rather simple romance in terms of plots and twists, but I would compare it to drinking warm milk under the soothing Tuscany sun - pleasant and nice, without giving you a headache or making you feel overwrought.
July 13, 2015
You could easily wonder when you read FOOL'S MASQUERADE, who is the simpleton and what is the smokescreen? Valentine Ardsley, our young heroine, used a common-sense approach to living on her own. Her parents were deceased but with a superb knowledge of horses and the means of a disguise, she found a job. As a male, she could live and work among the working class until something better came to mind. And that is what she did.
Val endeared herself to Lord Diccon Leyborn's estate. From the cook to the stablemen to Diccon's gentlemanly relative Mr. Fitzallan, none was the wisest. Then Diccon returned home with his dark looks and intense moodiness. Unaware, he followed along with the others but an odd friendship soon developed. Just 'suspend your disbelief'.
Eventually, as you would suspect, Valentine is outed. What then transpires is he-said, she-said, loneliness, wants and needs with a fair amount of confusion. If anyone other than Joan Wolf wrote this romance, it probably would not have worked. But it did.
Val endeared herself to Lord Diccon Leyborn's estate. From the cook to the stablemen to Diccon's gentlemanly relative Mr. Fitzallan, none was the wisest. Then Diccon returned home with his dark looks and intense moodiness. Unaware, he followed along with the others but an odd friendship soon developed. Just 'suspend your disbelief'.
Eventually, as you would suspect, Valentine is outed. What then transpires is he-said, she-said, loneliness, wants and needs with a fair amount of confusion. If anyone other than Joan Wolf wrote this romance, it probably would not have worked. But it did.
December 9, 2010
It had been a while since I read a short historical romance, so I decided to look through the large stack of books my mother gave me. I picked one at random and was pleasantly surprised by the premise. Even if I had not read the summary on the back cover, I would have guessed parts of the book based on the Twelfth Night quotes that separated “Part I” from “Part II.”
There are two main characters, Valentine Ardsley, granddaughter of an earl, and Lord Richard Diccon Leyburn, an earl from Yorkshire. Valentine has recently lost her father in a military battle, and in an effort to remain independent, she disguises herself as a young stable boy. You can just imagine some of the mischievous adventures she has. The best part about her disguise is the ability to connect with the working class in the earl's household and the unexpected friendship between her and Diccon. Plus, who doesn't enjoy a cross-dressing heroine in a romance novel?
Although I like both Valentine and Diccon, I was disappointed by the lack of character development. The story is told through the first person perspective of Valentine, which limited my understanding of Diccon. “Part I” is too short, and Valentine doesn’t have enough antics while disguised as a boy. Additionally, the characters stay the same throughout the entire book because, as it turns out, they are perfectly suited for each other. The trials and tribulations that separate them are rather tame compared to most of the romances I read. Even though their character development is nonexistent, I still enjoyed the novel. There's something sweet about having such likable characters that remain the same.
Other supporting characters are rather superficial. There are various workers at Diccon's homestead, like Georgie and Mrs. Scone. Family relations include the earl's cousin, Ned, and Valentine's grandparents, who you meet in “Part II.” Finally, there are various suitors for Valentine's affections, many of who fall flat and are even less developed than Diccon. The only one I connected with was Lord Henry Sandcroft purely because he resembles Valentine's father. In the end, the story is about Valentine's and Diccon's relationship. Everyone else becomes part of the setting.
The setting was perfect for this type of a story. There are plenty of descriptions about the beauties of the countryside which contrast nicely with the stark city life. Valentine quickly learns that London is a place for change and fashion, emphasized with the Season, while the countryside is almost its own kingdom. Notable author Shakespeare is referenced a few times, mainly his misrepresentation of Richard III. Since England's Regency period is one of my favorites next to Medieval, I appreciated the setting.
There are no special themes or motifs in the book other than your usual "love conquers all" sentiment. "To thine own self be true," no matter how unpopular that makes you, is another sentiment expressed in the novel. Other interesting subplots include the discussions about change, especially with workers and factories in the city. One character, radically-minded Martin Wakefield, Valentine’s cousin, discusses England's government. I am rusty on the history of the Whigs and the Tories, so I glossed over these details. I wasn't compelled to research them either, which is a sign that the book is lacking. These ideas might have been explored in more depth, but then Fool's Masquerade would be too serious. In the end, it is typical escapist literature: light, fluffy, and delicious to read. It's a "feel-good" book and was what I needed after losing the diamond from my engagement/wedding ring.
This is the only book I've read by author Joan Wolf, but I was suitably impressed that I won't hesitate to read another novel by her. There are only two flaws 1) The lack of depth to characters and issues 2) The first person perspective. Of the two, the perspective is the most harmful. In terms of a romance novel, it’s uncommon to read from this point of view. In terms of Fool's Masquerade, it limits and isolates the reader even making the writing technique appear clumsy.
Despite this major flaw, the book was a refreshing break from more serious reads. I also appreciated the "teen" quality. There are no sex or explicit situations between the hero and heroine (extremely PG), which more mature readers might consider another fatal flaw to the first person point of view. I consider the characters' innocence, love, and affection for each other a refreshing change of pace. Plus, it's always sweet to have a genuine gentleman in a romance novel.
This book is a perfect read for those who enjoy historical romances and want a quick read. It's also suitable for a younger audience, like middle school or teenage readers.
There are two main characters, Valentine Ardsley, granddaughter of an earl, and Lord Richard Diccon Leyburn, an earl from Yorkshire. Valentine has recently lost her father in a military battle, and in an effort to remain independent, she disguises herself as a young stable boy. You can just imagine some of the mischievous adventures she has. The best part about her disguise is the ability to connect with the working class in the earl's household and the unexpected friendship between her and Diccon. Plus, who doesn't enjoy a cross-dressing heroine in a romance novel?
Although I like both Valentine and Diccon, I was disappointed by the lack of character development. The story is told through the first person perspective of Valentine, which limited my understanding of Diccon. “Part I” is too short, and Valentine doesn’t have enough antics while disguised as a boy. Additionally, the characters stay the same throughout the entire book because, as it turns out, they are perfectly suited for each other. The trials and tribulations that separate them are rather tame compared to most of the romances I read. Even though their character development is nonexistent, I still enjoyed the novel. There's something sweet about having such likable characters that remain the same.
Other supporting characters are rather superficial. There are various workers at Diccon's homestead, like Georgie and Mrs. Scone. Family relations include the earl's cousin, Ned, and Valentine's grandparents, who you meet in “Part II.” Finally, there are various suitors for Valentine's affections, many of who fall flat and are even less developed than Diccon. The only one I connected with was Lord Henry Sandcroft purely because he resembles Valentine's father. In the end, the story is about Valentine's and Diccon's relationship. Everyone else becomes part of the setting.
The setting was perfect for this type of a story. There are plenty of descriptions about the beauties of the countryside which contrast nicely with the stark city life. Valentine quickly learns that London is a place for change and fashion, emphasized with the Season, while the countryside is almost its own kingdom. Notable author Shakespeare is referenced a few times, mainly his misrepresentation of Richard III. Since England's Regency period is one of my favorites next to Medieval, I appreciated the setting.
There are no special themes or motifs in the book other than your usual "love conquers all" sentiment. "To thine own self be true," no matter how unpopular that makes you, is another sentiment expressed in the novel. Other interesting subplots include the discussions about change, especially with workers and factories in the city. One character, radically-minded Martin Wakefield, Valentine’s cousin, discusses England's government. I am rusty on the history of the Whigs and the Tories, so I glossed over these details. I wasn't compelled to research them either, which is a sign that the book is lacking. These ideas might have been explored in more depth, but then Fool's Masquerade would be too serious. In the end, it is typical escapist literature: light, fluffy, and delicious to read. It's a "feel-good" book and was what I needed after losing the diamond from my engagement/wedding ring.
This is the only book I've read by author Joan Wolf, but I was suitably impressed that I won't hesitate to read another novel by her. There are only two flaws 1) The lack of depth to characters and issues 2) The first person perspective. Of the two, the perspective is the most harmful. In terms of a romance novel, it’s uncommon to read from this point of view. In terms of Fool's Masquerade, it limits and isolates the reader even making the writing technique appear clumsy.
Despite this major flaw, the book was a refreshing break from more serious reads. I also appreciated the "teen" quality. There are no sex or explicit situations between the hero and heroine (extremely PG), which more mature readers might consider another fatal flaw to the first person point of view. I consider the characters' innocence, love, and affection for each other a refreshing change of pace. Plus, it's always sweet to have a genuine gentleman in a romance novel.
This book is a perfect read for those who enjoy historical romances and want a quick read. It's also suitable for a younger audience, like middle school or teenage readers.
July 15, 2015
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved this novel so much!!!!! The simplicity & the fact it is a true traditional regency era romance!!!! Loved the twist of her being disguised as a groom the ability for the characters to get to know each other without society's construction on genders to inferior at least not a first though it all turned out for the best, which is what we love a happy ever after!!!! Feisty heroine & mega alpha male the chemistry was apparent from the start!!! A huge bravo to the author making the characters have such wit & spark to make a story come alive!!!!!!! This is what I was talking about a novel that just engulfs you is escapism at its best!!!!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!! One of my all time favourites to re-read with glee each time now!!!!!!!!
September 7, 2014
Genre: Traditional Regency
Sensuality: Kisses only
18 yr old orphaned Lady of Quality runs away and becomes a groom/courier for the H, an earl, masquerading as a 15 yr old boy.
Reading the reviews, I dont see Twelfth Night as much as These Old Shades. The h adores the H and I kinda expected her to address him as "Monseigneur" at any moment.
Altho I have a hard time getting used to regencies told in 1st POV, I like Joan Wolf ok and I love the cross-dressing trope so this bk was a win-win for me. Wolf is very hit-and-miss for me but this may be my fave of hers that I have read.
Grade: B
Sensuality: Kisses only
18 yr old orphaned Lady of Quality runs away and becomes a groom/courier for the H, an earl, masquerading as a 15 yr old boy.
Reading the reviews, I dont see Twelfth Night as much as These Old Shades. The h adores the H and I kinda expected her to address him as "Monseigneur" at any moment.
Altho I have a hard time getting used to regencies told in 1st POV, I like Joan Wolf ok and I love the cross-dressing trope so this bk was a win-win for me. Wolf is very hit-and-miss for me but this may be my fave of hers that I have read.
Grade: B
July 29, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I love books (& movies) where the female is in disguise as a male and the hero is none the wiser. This book did an amazing job at that aspect. Generally I don't care for books written in first person but once I got used to it, I didn't even notice anymore. I did however dislike the lack of the hero's POV. I can understand why we might never it and it does sort of add to the mystery of the male lead. I just think Fool's Masquerade would have been richer with a male POV. (Plus, then it could of easily been a full length novel.) As for the 4 stars and what made me not give 5, with all the build up throughout the novel, I felt let down that even the kisses were glossed over. Not that it wasn't refreshing but you don't watch a firecracker shoot into the sky and expect nothing to happen -- I want the explosion of color and this book let down in that regard. If you love heroines in disguise then this book is definitely worth a read. Happy reading!
August 16, 2015
Wonderful read. A little too short to merit 5 stars, but it was close.
Read
July 18, 2020I have no idea how well this trope-y Regency romance would stand up to a re-read now (it would probably depend on my mood), but I first read it at a formative age, when I was buying lots of Harlequin/ Silhouette/ Signet/ etc. library discards (favoring clean to less-explicit historicals). I was attracted by the girl-in-pants plot as something at least a bit different.
Not all reviews and summaries mention it, but the hero is of a York family that still supports/respects the memory of Richard III. Since I also read Josephine Tey's The Daughter of Time while still in school, I became firmly skeptical of Tudor-connected Shakespeare's now-accepted "evil hunchback" depiction
I'm not good at remembering names or titles from years past, so when I happened to correctly recall this author, I decided to seize the moment to add it to my GR shelves, decades-since-reading or no.
Not all reviews and summaries mention it, but the hero is of a York family that still supports/respects the memory of Richard III. Since I also read Josephine Tey's The Daughter of Time while still in school, I became firmly skeptical of Tudor-connected Shakespeare's now-accepted "evil hunchback" depiction
I'm not good at remembering names or titles from years past, so when I happened to correctly recall this author, I decided to seize the moment to add it to my GR shelves, decades-since-reading or no.
June 8, 2022
a book to make you laugh and give thanks for a great read!
I love when Joan Wolf creates her wonderful character pairs and this is a great one. The story is told through the voice of Valentine and she is outstanding. What could have been a trite cliché romance was transformed into a witty romp of the caliber of the best Georgette Heyer with none of the overblown angst, emotional flailing or contrived difficulties. Enjoy!
I love when Joan Wolf creates her wonderful character pairs and this is a great one. The story is told through the voice of Valentine and she is outstanding. What could have been a trite cliché romance was transformed into a witty romp of the caliber of the best Georgette Heyer with none of the overblown angst, emotional flailing or contrived difficulties. Enjoy!
Read
November 20, 2025This is written in the first person POV which is not my favourite in historicals. She masquerades as a boy and gets a job at his estate. There are amusing bits but I didn't fall for either of the main characters. When the MMC proposes she runs away. When her masquerade is over she has a season in London and everybody and their uncle proposes to her, and she sulks seeing the MMC paying attention to other women
it was a quick read.
Steam level: Nah.
it was a quick read.
Steam level: Nah.
November 6, 2022
I was expecting more drama from the first part, but Valentine's time disguised as a boy was pretty lowkey. Of course, part two made up for that, with characters Not Communicating and rampant unstated jealousy on the part of both the hero & heroine and the secondary characters.
July 14, 2025
I usually avoid the runaway girl disguised as a boy, who is a marvel with horses trope. The female lead character Valentine is well written and so is Diccon the male lead, enough to give a trite plot new life.
March 22, 2019
3.5 out of 5 stars
October 21, 2018
I love cross-dressing romances, but this one is pretty slight.
May 10, 2021
Fast read
Great fast read with interesting characters. Great for airplane distraction or other time filler. Yadda yadda etC etc and so on
Great fast read with interesting characters. Great for airplane distraction or other time filler. Yadda yadda etC etc and so on
August 13, 2021
Great read but a re-release
Fun characters, setting - did not realize it was a release. Have an earlier Kindle version so not thrilled about purchasing it twice.
Fun characters, setting - did not realize it was a release. Have an earlier Kindle version so not thrilled about purchasing it twice.
March 27, 2022
Just couldn’t buy it. Because it was first person it was never truly explained what her appeal was.
August 30, 2023
Un 'regency' ben scritto, delizioso, riposante, pieno di humor, narrato in prima persona da un'eroina un po' particolare, ma destinata a restare nel cuore di chi legge
October 25, 2023
I really liked the main female character. She could hold her own against the main male character.
July 11, 2025
Charming and fun and full of interesting information and history about Richard III, politics and the Industrial Revolution.
November 3, 2024
This was an enjoyable read. I liked the plot a lot, but I'm not so sure about Ms. Wolf's writing style. It was well-written and there were humours moments, but I think I like the style of Joan Smith or Sylvia Thorpe much better.
There were also some parts that really irritated me. Like the scene where the earl and the h sing a song together at a party:
"When we had finished, he sat still for a moment, his hands on the keys. Then he turned his head a little and looked at me. I felt as if we had just made love."
I'm not sure if a gently-bred virgin in 1810 would ever say that last sentence. But maybe I'm wrong.
There were also some parts that really irritated me. Like the scene where the earl and the h sing a song together at a party:
"When we had finished, he sat still for a moment, his hands on the keys. Then he turned his head a little and looked at me. I felt as if we had just made love."
I'm not sure if a gently-bred virgin in 1810 would ever say that last sentence. But maybe I'm wrong.
September 20, 2015
This is more like a Georgette Heyer classical romance than anything like the historical romance by Julia Quinn or Lisa Kleypas.
I loved it - especially the heroine Valentine.
I like a heroine with spunk and backbone and doesn't wallow in self-pity and tears.
Val is awesome.
In fact I think Joan's heroines are very likeable.
Ending is quite predictable and there is not much sensational dramas with this novel but its a quite enjoyable light reading.
I wish there were more 'moments' between Val and Diccoon, cos both their characters are so interesting.
Overall: A very enjoyable light read
I loved it - especially the heroine Valentine.
I like a heroine with spunk and backbone and doesn't wallow in self-pity and tears.
Val is awesome.
In fact I think Joan's heroines are very likeable.
Ending is quite predictable and there is not much sensational dramas with this novel but its a quite enjoyable light reading.
I wish there were more 'moments' between Val and Diccoon, cos both their characters are so interesting.
Overall: A very enjoyable light read
September 30, 2009
I never did like books written in the first person because it lacks the edifying thoughts of a jealous emotion-wrought hero (hehe). But as I was starved of cross-dressing heroines, I had nothing to do but continue reading after the first sentence. Diccon is a good hero (too bad we don't have any inside of his thoughts). too bad the only thing happenning in this book was a kiss.
A bit too much of a teen-read for my taste all in all.
A bit too much of a teen-read for my taste all in all.
June 21, 2016
This was a very light, frothy read. The heroine was strong and independent, everyone was likable, and everything just fell into place nicely.
The story was told from a first-person POV (the heroine's), which I liked. You get to see the hero just from her POV with no insider's track on his thoughts, and see the little things and the simmering jealousy she misses, etc. Fun read.
I enjoyed this a good deal more than I expected to, and shall check out Wolf's other works.
The story was told from a first-person POV (the heroine's), which I liked. You get to see the hero just from her POV with no insider's track on his thoughts, and see the little things and the simmering jealousy she misses, etc. Fun read.
I enjoyed this a good deal more than I expected to, and shall check out Wolf's other works.
April 28, 2011
It's a pleasant Regency. But, nothing really stands out about it.
November 2, 2013
A very light and fun read
February 23, 2014
An old Joan Wolf favorite I've read many times.
July 8, 2020
I would have given it five, but there is some language in this book that I definitely did not appreciate.
May 28, 2014
God looks out for fools and little children. So do authors looking for comic relief.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews