A Shadowed Charade

The Lockwood Family #4

by Laura Beers

Protecting her was his duty. Falling for her was a risk he couldn’t afford—but couldn’t resist.

Lady Melody Lockwood deciphers enemy codes from the safety of her home. It is safe and predictable, allowing her to feel as though she is doing more than what is expected of a lady in High Society. However, when a leak at the agency suggests her cover may have been blown, she faces a danger she never expected.

Wesley Ainsworth, the Earl of Emberly, is tasked with protecting Lady Melody, a responsibility he takes very seriously—even when she insists she doesn’t need his help. Having already lost one agent under his watch, he is determined to do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

As the threat looms closer, Wesley and Melody are forced to work together to uncover the culprit that is lurking in the shadows of Brockhall Manor. Their partnership challenges them to balance duty with the desires of their hearts. Will they unravel the mystery in time, or will their guarded hearts keep them from working together and discovering the love they both deserve?

As the fourth novel in the series by author Laura Beers, A Shadowed Charade continues The Lockwood Family series. This is a light-hearted, clean and wholesome romance set in the Regency era. All books in this series have their own Happily-Ever-After and are best enjoyed in proper order.


Other series by Laura Beers include The Beckett Files, Regency A Promise of Love, Proper Regency Matchmakers, Regency Spies & Secrets, Gentlemen of London and Lords & Ladies of Mayfair.

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Mystery

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 4, 2025

About the author

Laura Beers is an award-winning author. She attended Brigham Young University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. She can't sing, doesn't dance and loves naps.

Laura lives in Utah with her husband, three kids, and her dysfunctional dog. When not writing regency romance, she loves waterskiing, hiking, and drinking Dr Pepper.

You can connect with Laura on Facebook, Instagram, or on her site at www.authorlaurabeers.com.

Reviews

[Melissa (christianbooksandcoffee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely wonderful! Everything about it is just a delight! We have spies, murder threats, attempted murder, mystery, hilarity and romance. This is book 4 in the series, and I do recommend reading them in order to know who everyone is and their backstory. However, this still does work as a standalone. Lady Melody is a spy, more specifically, she deciphers codes for the crown. When her cover is compromised, Wesley, the Earl of Emberly and spy for the crown, comes to protect her. The problem is she doesn’t want protection. But when Melody’s mother invites Wesley to stay for a few days along with their other guests, he does so. As Melody and Wesley try to figure out who is after Melody they grow closer and I loved watching it. They work well together, compromising when needed and being brave for their country and those they love. I love this entire family, but one of my favorite characters is Melody’s twin sister Elodie, she is hilarious and I can’t wait for her story next. Overall this was a wonderful clean regency romance and I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Jo|Ruth Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laura has done it again with this book! Once again, it's a five-star read, and honestly, I expect nothing less at this point. Her books are always packed with excitement, and this one is no exception, it has romance, mystery, suspense, and, of course, her signature humor. Laura is one of the only Regency authors I know who can seamlessly shift from swoonworthy moments to LOL moments within the same paragraph.

I absolutely adore the Lockwood family, and I’m still waiting on my invitation to join them for a game of pall mall... although, Elodie is a bit competitive. Now that she's armed with that rusty nail, I’m not sure I want to get on her bad side! Haha! That being said, this story was wonderful.

In this book, Wesley and Melody have been working undercover (as spies) for some time, but it seems someone has discovered Melody's true identity, putting her in danger. Wesley, having lost his last partner and the love of his life, is determined not to let anything happen to Melody. While they often work together, their relationship has been strictly professional, and they tend to get on each other’s nerves. However, as the threat against Melody grows, Wesley refuses to leave her side. Forced proximity once again leads to sparks flying, and they begin to see each other in a new light, though neither is quick to admit their feelings. As their closeness becomes more obvious, they must eventually confront what, if anything, will come of their relationship once Melody no longer needs his protection. Meanwhile, the mystery of who is after Melody and why continues to unfold. Wesley may be able to protect Melody physically, but can he guard his heart from wanting more?

Some of my favorite moments included...
- Family Pall Mall
- Family meals
- The Banter!!!
- Dance lessons
- Elodie and her bread, Elodie’s mooing, Elodie’s eavesdropping, Elodie and Anthony’s banter, Elodie with the rusty nail... am I playing favorites? Maybe. Am I SUPER excited about Elodie’s love story next? YES!

Honestly, Wesley and Melody’s story was fantastic, from enemies to friends and eventually more. I’m so grateful to have been part of the launch team for this one, but it's bittersweet knowing there’s only one book left in the series. I just can’t bring myself to say goodbye to the Lockwood family!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. This review reflects my honest opinion.

[Regency_Fan_ Michelle RegencyFanMichelleAndMore · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy clever dialogue and outstanding writing, this book is a must-read. A Shadowed Charade masterfully weaves together a captivating tale of slow-burn romance, intrigue, mystery, danger, and humor, as Melody, a brilliant and underestimated code breaker, and Wesley, her infuriating yet appreciative ally, navigate their passion for their work and each other, ultimately leading to a deeply satisfying happily ever after.

[MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Melody enjoys her independence and working as a code breaker. When her identity as a code breaker is compromised, The Earl of Emberly is tasked with protecting her until the identity of those who wish to hurt her is discovered.

Melody is annoyed by Wesley’s incessant hovering. Wesley is determined to protect Melody at all costs. Under the disguise of a house part guest, Wesley uses his position to spend as much time as possible with Melody. I loved how they got to know each other during this unique forced proximity situation. I also loved figuring out the mystery of who was after Melody with the main characters. It kept me guessing and intent on turning pages.

If you love regency romance with a strong female lead and a mystery to discover, this is the book for you!

[Emma | meadowroselibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

Laura Beers writes the BEST suspense filled books with spies and mystery, and this was one of her best!

Melody has been my favorite family member in the Lockwood series, so I was so excited for her book! To find out that she's a spy wasn't a huge surprise, if you read the series in order, but still full of secrets that makes the whole book!

Lord Wesley was a great match for Melody in every way, which always makes a book perfection. And I always love when one or both characters has past battles that they heal through friendship & love. 🩷

This is book 4 in The Lockwood Family series, and can be read as a standalone, but I personally recommend reading in order. 🩷

*I received an e-ARC copy for review, all opinions are my own

[April Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one the most in the series. Good character development.

[Kristi W - Book Love By Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read! Danger, humor, secrets, spies, and romance abound. There is a o much witty banter! I say that about all of Laura’s books, but it is true.
Melody is a spy! After meeting her in the previous books, I did not see that coming but I am so glad it’s true. She and Wesley had a fractious relationship to start. “You do realize I can take care of myself, don’t you?” “There is no need, not when I am here,”
I loved seeing Melody and Wesley together. She was so independent and determined to take care of herself and he was so protective and determined to take care of her himself. I enjoyed their serious conversations when they learned more about each other too.

I love the Lockwood family. Lady Dallington, Melody, and Elodie made me laugh so many times. “It is not my fault you dance like a drunken hippopotamus.” 🤣
I cannot wait for Lady Elodie and Lord Belview’s story. Their bickering was so entertaining and you can tell there is something deeper there.

There are so many amazing quotes I could share. I’ll just share this one though:
“It is not that I don’t believe in you. It is that I can’t bear the thought of losing you.” “You won’t lose me,” she said firmly. “I wish it were that simple,” Wesley responded.

This ARC was provided by the author. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.

[Shayla Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Shadowed CHARADE
-The Lockwood Family Series; Book 4-
by: Laura Beers
@author_laura_beers

-I give 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

““Love is a risk. Opening yourself up to another person and being vulnerable... it is terrifying. But it is worth it.”

~Protecting her was his duty. Falling for her was a risk he couldn’t afford-but couldn’t resist…

-A Shadowed Charade, my friends is a delightful light-hearted, clean and wholesome romance set in the Regency era! All books in this dear series have their own Happily-Ever-After and really are best enjoyed in proper order to fully appreciate such goodness and beloved characters. Now, if you are a fan of spies, murder threats, attempted murder, mystery, romance, slow burn, sparks of great chemistry, wonderful banter, forced proximity, endearing characters then you will love this thrilling journey where danger lurks, humor abounds, and love comes with a cost. You simply can’t but help rooting for these dear characters’s successes and in figuring out a mystery that will hit close to home. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and seeing hearts heal and grow along the way. I loved watching dear characters grow and find what makes their hearts full and ultimately find exactly what they not only need, but want! Definitely a wonderful story that has depth and is worth the dear read, any day. I am already anticipating what comes next and I am here for it, dear @author_laura_beers💯

“Life has broken me in so many ways. But when I am with you, every shattered piece falls back into place. And now, we will continue on our journey, together, mended as one.”

-Content: (not graphic):Murder, Kidnapping,
Poisoning, Shooting; Clean kisses only.

“To love, you must expose your heart. For you can’t truly love without the risk of being wounded.”

-I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

““Being strong does not happen overnight.
You became strong by overcoming everything that was meant to destroy you.”

#authorlaurabeers
#ashadowedcharade
#allaboutthebestreads

“We are a team, you and I.”

[Koren | the_blue_eyed_bluestocking · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lockwood series is the series that keeps on giving. I have been so invested in Melody and Elodie since the first book, and particularly since Melody's heroic actions in A Gentleman's Miscalculation. She is fierce, independent, and maybe even a touch arrogant, but written to perfection on the page as a female agent to the British Crown and coveted code-breaker.

When Lord Emberly shows up to her home, claims her life is in danger and gets himself invited to stay, I knew this story was going to be endgame for me. Wesley and Melody are colleagues, to reluctant friends to more in a VERY slow burn romance, nestled in between a thrilling mystery. I thought I had it figured out from the beginning, but NO. This story is full of close calls and dangerous encounters, and Laura kept me expertly enthralled all the way to the end.

I was also constantly teased by Elodie's upcoming story all throughout, so you know I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment. The bond between the twins is perfection. Their witty banter creates some laugh out loud moments in some pretty serious stories, and I am so thankful for such beautiful, well-rounded writing. I'm captivated and plan to stay that way!

I received a complimentary copy of the author's story to read and review. All thoughts contained here are my own.

[Crystal (Books Are Sanity!!!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spies, poison, murder, intrigue, romance, and witty banter all rolled into one amazing story! A Shadowed Charade is full of everything you want in a great read. Fantastic characters with wit and wisdom. Wesley and Melody made for quite the pair. He kept opening his mouth and inserting his foot and she quite soundly put him in his place. I loved that she was a spy who could decode and code like nobody’s business! Her twin Elodie was a delight and I cannot wait to read her story. The Lockwoods are a family you become a part of and A Shadowed Charade is a welcome addition to the series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Savannah M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been so excited to read Melody’s story and it is just as I suspected-it was fantastic!
Melody was recruited to be an agent of the crown while at boarding school and for over a year has worked at deciphers enemy codes.
No body in her family knows the truth of what she does, and she has no one to confide in about the loneliness and struggles her position causes.
That is until Lord Emberly arrives and informs her that there has been a leak in the agency and he fears for her safety.
Wesley has been writing to Melody for a while now under the guise of her friend “Josephine”. While their relationship has been purely professional, Wesley is determined that nothing will happen to the young lady he was responsible for recruiting. But things change once they get to know each other in person.
I loved the dynamic between Melody and Wesley. They both are independent and practical people, but they deny themselves so much. The way they both slowly realize their feelings for each other run much deeper than being spy partners was so beautifully done and felt very organic.
I loved seeing other beloved characters from the previous book in the series as well, like Elodie, Sarah, Jasper, and the Lord and Lady Dallington.
Now I can’t wait for Elodie’s book!

Thank you to the author for an arc copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Fiction with Phoebe]

There was an innuendo from Elodie (when she was discussing plants) that I found very inappropriate. And I couldn’t understand why Melody didn’t take the potential leak of her identity as an intelligence agent more seriously.

[Amilya Norris · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️This wasn’t my favorite of the series. Honestly it took me ages to get through it.

[Laramee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite Lockwood book to date! I loved the push and pull between Melody and Wesley! Let's be real Laura Beers is the master of Regency Spies and I am HERE.FOR.IT!!!

I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving the Lockwood family and getting to know each member better. Lady Melody Lockwood is more than just a proper lady—she's hiding a secret from her family, and it's a big one: she works as a codebreaker for the crown. Because of a recent security breach at the agency, even though Melody doesn't go on missions, her name is not on any paperwork—just a code—the agency fears her identity has been discovered, and she's in danger. Enter Wesley Ainsworth, the Earl of Emberly, who's been assigned to keep Melody safe.

I adored this pairing! Melody is strong-willed, intelligent and refuses to sit and do nothing while danger closes in. Wesley is the perfect counterpart. He's steadfast and protective, while struggling with his own demons. Their partnership is full of tension, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry as they work to uncover a traitor lurking in the shadows of Brockhall Manor.

Things I loved about this book:
• Forced proximity, especially the dancing
• Elodie and Anthony
• Matilda the goat
• All the banter!!!

Although there's a lot of suspense because . . . spies and death threats, there's also quite a bit of humor. The family meal scenes are so much fun and the dancing lessons were next level. I highlighted so many funny scenes!

Some of my favorite quotes:
"Why is it so impossible to believe I dance like an angel?" "You dance like a wounded duck," her mother replied matter-of-factly."
"It is not my fault you dance like a drunken hippopotamus."
"I don't want to be your hero. I want to be your husband," Wesley said.

Each book in the series can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading all of them. I've enjoyed each one and can't wait to get Elodie's story!! I received a complimentary ebook. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic, adventurous, full of twists and turns, and gripping, “A Shadowed Charade” is an incredible Regency Romance that kept me turning the pages chapter after chapter to see what was going to happen next!⁣
⁣
This is the fourth book in Laura Beers “The Lockwood Family” series, and oh how I love this series! Ms. Beers does such a breathtaking job of bringing the story to life, and I always find myself truly feeling like I have been whisked back in time! Every element of her novels jumps to life right off of the page; from the characters, to the setting, to the plot, to the world-building, etc., and I am always immersed in the book from the first page to the last. ⁣
⁣
(Possible Spoilers!):⁣
OH MY GOODNESS Melody and Wesley!! Melody is an intelligent code breaker who absolutely loves what she does. However, when her identity is possibly found out placing her life in danger, Wesley, whom works with Melody, is determined to protect her. What follows is two extremely kindhearted, driven, smart, and brave people bumping heads while also working together to find out what is going on. And perhaps their feelings toward one another begin to deepen and change the more time they spend together, and the better they get to know one another. I do not want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but, I will say, I simply did not want to put this book down! There is truly so much in this book: family, love, secrets, spying, sweet romance, and so, so much more! I am so excited to read the next book in the series soon! ⁣
⁣
If you enjoy Regency Romance, I highly recommend this book! I can’t wait to read what Ms. Beers writes next. ⁣
⁣
Thank you so much to the author, Laura Beers, for the gifted e-ARC of this incredible novel! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.⁣

[sassygirlreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful regency spy story by Laura Beers!

Melody is a highly intellectual code breaker for the Crown who often feels underestimated but loves her work as a spy. Wesley’s protectiveness is infuriating to Melody, but he understands and “sees” her. She feels she can take care of herself, but he won’t let her! They both have sacrificed so much doing the thing they love. Their witty banter and sense of humor mesh perfectly together. I loved Melody and Wesley’s story.

A Shadowed Charade has it all. A slow-burn romance, intrigue, mystery, danger, humor, family, and of course, a happily ever after!

Some of my favorite things: The pettifogging conversation, the dance lessons, Melody's twin, and the rusty nail!

- Regency romance
- Intellectual FMC
- Protective MMC
- Enemies to friends to more
- Forced proximity
- Intrigue and mystery
- So much humor
- Witty banter
- Wonderful and fiercely loyal family

Quote: Wesley leaned forward, their faces now just apart, and his eyes locked on to hers with a fierce intensity. “You, my dear, are nothing short of extraordinary. In my eyes, there is no comparison.” - Wesley (What he says to Melody when she compares herself to her twin)

Happy reading!

[Alexis (IG: lexislimitlesslibrary) Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spies, murder, kidnapping, fake identity, humor, witty banter, forced proximity, enemies to lovers!! Laura has done it again with book 4 of The Lockwood Family series!

Melody is an independent women and an agent of the crown working to decipher codes. Her identity has been found out and her life is now in danger. Wesley, also an agent of the crown, will do everything in his power to ensure the safety of Melody.

The conversations between Melody, Elodie, and their mother Lady Dallington is so relatable and hilarious!! I can only strive to be as cool of a mom as Lady Dallington! “You dance like wounded duck” her mother replied matter-of-factly. 🤣🤣

Wesley and Melody’s relationship is filled with tension, secrets, wit, and a deep desire to protect each other and those around them. Their connection develops so well from the start of the story to the very end and I really hope we see them in book 5! I didn’t want their story to end!! I loved how there is more than one happy ending in this story ♥️

Each of the books can be read as a standalone but you get the true dynamic of each character if you read them in order.

[Kaitlin M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Wesley and Melody’s story in A Shadowed Charade! If you like slow-burn, forced proximity, and mystery then you will love this story! We get to see glimpses of three character pairings throughout this story with a good background to Elodie’s story that’s coming up next!

Laura’s writing keeps you invested in everyone’s story and rooting for all of the happy endings! I liked how Wesley and Melody both had things that they were dealing with and ultimately worked through those things to find their way to each other. Wesley’s protectiveness was sweet even when Melody was exasperated by him. Elodie and Anthony were hilarious and such a great support for Melody and Anthony, I cannot wait for their story!

Another great regency mystery/romance that you should definitely check out (along with the rest of the series)!

Content Warning: (not graphic)
Murder
Kidnapping
Poisoning
Shooting
Clean kisses only

Thank you to the author for including me on her ARC team! All opinions expressed are my own.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Melody Lockwood is quite good at what she does; she is a secret codebreaker for the British Intelligence. When her cover is blown and her life is in danger, her extremely irritating colleague decides it is his duty to protect her. What this means is that he is pretty much her shadow and even goes to such lengths as to climb up the side of the house to her bedroom at night. With a few dodgy suspects I was couldn’t wait to see if I was correct in who was threatening Melody. I loved the turning of a contentious relationship into a lovely one.

I love this series because while it is set in the Regency era, it has spies! Not many books that are set in this era have that as the main theme, which I enjoy the more unique aspect of the story. I highly recommend this to readers of all ages for its plot as well as its clean romance. It is part of a series, but it can also be read as a standalone.

I received a copy of the book. All opinions are my own with no obligation to write a positive review.

[Hannah Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a delight to visit with the Lockwood family. There is so much to love about it!

Melody is an agent for the crown decoding messages and Wesley is her supervisor. When Melody’s name is possibly leaked, Wesley comes to her house to protect her. Except that Melody doesn’t want help. As things start to go awry, can they trust their hearts and each other?

Highlights:
Dancing lessons (sweet and sassy)
Pall mall is hilarious with this family
I love the banter between the sisters and their bond
The bent nail (IYKYK 😂)

I love Melody for being smart and self reliant. I love that she uses her skills for good and wants to see those around her happy.

I love Wesley for his protective nature. I love how observant he is and how he really sees Melody.

“Wesley gave her a knowing look. “There is an obvious solution.”
Melody’s lips tightened into a flat, white line. “If you even mention marriage, I will hit you with this mallet.”
“It is the perfect solution,” Wesley defended.
“For you, perhaps, but not for me.”

[Stephanie - Books Less Travelled · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I read an early copy from the author. This does not affect my review and the thoughts are my own. This review is voluntary.*

A Shadowed Charade is the fourth book in this series, but can be read and understood on it's own. While I know that reading them in order does add to the overall story, since we see a lot of reoccurring characters in these. That said, I ended up jumping in this new series here, and found this one to be an entertaining read.

The concept of spies and espionage aren't new in Beers' regency stories, but this one did have an interesting twist. What if, the act of being a spy itself wasn't the focus, but having your cover possibly blown was? Now that's an interesting twist, and I enjoyed seeing how these characters would deal with the problem. The reveal was also an interesting surprise!

Melody was a fun character, rather serious and practical. And for that, I found her to also be rather relatable which I liked. Still, it was when she was with her twin that her gifts truly shined. Well, that an when she was working to crack a code!

Wesley likewise is more the quiet and serious type. A fact that I found especially amusing when seeing how he handled Melody and Elodie's sisterly twin antics. Those two, no matter how 'serious' Melody normally was, never failed to get themselves into some mischief or other, and their games kept things interesting throughout the story.

I also really enjoyed the parts with their brothers. The family dynamics in this one were one of my favorite parts of the story, and seeing them playing off each-other was a delightful experience! Overall, this was a fun read, and has me excited to read the rest of this series as well.

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The continuing adventures of the Lockwood family—I absolutely loved getting to know Melody better and finding out her secrets in this book! Spies and unlikely allies… this book will keep you hooked from beginning to end.

An unexpected house party, a threatening note, and the appearance of a man she doesn’t care to associate it. Melody certainly doesn’t live as dull and boring a life as she might appear to. The day Lord Emberly shows up to protect her from an unknown threat sets her whole world upside down in a race against the clock, and her heart. Who wants to silence her and why does Lord Emberly insist he must take care of her himself? And what are these pesky feelings developing between them? A Shadowed Charade gives us all the sweet romance and intrigue rolled into one! You’ll be sure to fall in love with Melody and Wesley. I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to dive into the next one.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[SRH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secretly working as an agent for the Crown, Lady Melody uses her skill to break enemy codes. When a security breach allows her identity to be leaked to French agents, Wesley, her partner, shows up conveniently in time for a house party. His mission is to protect his partner whose life is now endangered. While Melody doesn’t feel it necessary in the beginning, after threatening notes arrive, they realize they need to work together to find the person threatening her. Of course, along the way they both discover that there is more to their relationship than just a partnership.
This story had me guessing who the villain was up to the end. As always, the side characters added a lot to the story, and it was fun to see some faces from previous books in the series. Although this clean, sweet, story is a standalone, I recommend reading the series in order to best benefit from character development. I’m now eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!

[Natalie Paukstys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sure do love Elodie and am looking forward to the next book being about her. I felt she did steal the limelight from Melody a little bit in certain parts of this story. I do struggle with the whole “He just said how much he cares for me, but he probably doesn’t mean it” and “Marry me, Melody,” but then he doesn’t know if he likes her. Huh? Weird.

And again, not enough description from this author. I still don’t even know what color eyes Wesley has and that was obnoxious. And how many times was he going to say “I will keep you safe”? There are a lot of redundant phrases from this author, as well. “The long, rectangular table.” Yes, we get it - it’s long and rectangular. “White announced that dinner is ready. Shall we go?” A little too “Groundhog’s Day” for me from this author. I really, really want to adore these books, because the stories are so sweet, but I needed more. Including the kiss. It is soooo short-lived each time.

[Caitlin Coska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Spice: 0/5 🧼

Summary: Melody is known in her family as the dependable one that fails at nothing. Little do they know she also serves the country cracking codes from the enemy. When her identity is compromised, another agent, the Earl of Emberly secures himself a guest room in her estate to keep an eye on her. As they work together, her previous feelings of disdain towards him start to turn.

Thoughts: Another great book in this series. I swear the family just gets better and better.

I absolutely loved the double life aspect going on here and how modern the main characters felt despite it being a historical romance.

I feel repetitive just continuing to say how much I love this family in the series but… I love this family in the series. They are so quirky and honest and refreshing. I’m sad there’s only 1 book left.

[Shauna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gracious! So good!
This book has it all, intrigue, danger, humor, secrets, spies, quirky characters, and romance. I didn’t want to stop reading. Melody is a very proper young woman. In fact, her twin sister describes her as perfect. However, secretly, she is also a spy with her specialty being code breaking. With the possibility of her identity having been compromised, Lord Emberly, Wesley, is sent to protect her. The problem is she doesn’t want protection and she doesn’t like Wesley. Finally admitting that her identical twin may be in danger, she and Wesley set out to keep everyone safe and identify any threat. A truly wonderful read. I received an early copy and this is my honest review.

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Brief: Lady Melody is not your normal regency girl. She deciphers code. And now someone is coming for her. The Earl of Emberly, Wesley, is determined to keep her safe and his ideas are not her jam.

The Debrief: I loved Melody’s family, especially Elodie, and I laughed out loud so many times. I figured out the bad guy early on, and haven’t read the others in this series, but those things did not keep me from totally enjoying this sweet story. I think it stands alone. This is my first book by this author and it was such a surprising delight! Hoping to binge them all!

The Rhyme: When Melody decodes a message that threatens her safety will she continue to be able to do her part? Wesley is desperate to protect her, but the most exposed thing in danger is his heart.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these characters. Melody is a complex character. She is fierce yet vulnerable, confident yet shies away from compliments. She is smart, loyal and an agent of the Crown. Wesley ( Lord Emberly) is also an agent of the Crown and take his responsibilities seriously, especially the safety of Melody Lockwood. I love the banter between the two characters.
There is mystery, intrigue and just enough doubt about who the villain(s) is that it is fun trying to solve the case before the end.
I love the side characters and am really looking forward to Elodie's story. The banter is too good between her and Lord Belview. This series is amazing!

[Jacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Shadowed Charade by @author_laura_beers was released today and if you like clean regency romance with spies (that's right, SPIES) then you NEED this book!
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A Shadowed Charade is book four in the Lockwood Family series. But this book can be read as a standalone and still be thoroughly enjoyed. I should know, I've never read any of the previous books and I LOVED this book! The characters are fabulous and the banter is hysterical!! I enjoyed every second of reading this book! 10 out of 10 would recommend!!!
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I received an ARC copy from the author, all thoughts are my own.
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#ashadowedcharade #regencyromance #spies #lockwoodfamily #bibliophile #booklover #bookstagram