Regency Masquerade

by Joan Smith

Posing as Lady Crieff, a saucy, rich widow, Moira is closing in on Lionel March, the notorious thief who tricked her family out of their fortune--but Daniel Hartly has his own reasons for pursuing the scoundrel--and Moira. Original.

Genres: Regency, Romance, Historical Romance, Traditional Regency, Historical

203 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 2, 1994

About the author

Joan Smith is a graduate of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and the Ontario College of Education. She has taught French and English in high school and English in college. When she began writing, her interest in Jane Austen and Lord Byron led to her first choice of genre, the Regency, which she especially liked for its wit and humor.
Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.
She is also known as Jennie Gallant

Reviews

[Mela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect for a short break between serious/sad books. Funny, witty, with mystery and a little adventure and with a romance.

Everybody pretended they are someone else. Most of them were on the same side but they didn't know it so they prevented each other.

I really enjoyed it.

[Haylee Kroeger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining enough, if you are a fan of vaguely regency-esque plots and miscommunication as a trope. For myself, I much prefer Joan Smith's more witty works like Aunt Sophie's diamonds, an Affair of the Heart, and Imprudent Lady.

[Kristin King · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick Regency read.

[Colleen Fraser · Rating 1 out of 5]

Huge Dissapointment

After enjoying so many of Joan Smith's books, this was disappointing and felt like it had been written by someone lacking her wit.

[Asaria · Rating 2 out of 5]

My stupid brain, this is precisely what happens when you are allowed to consume fluff as crazy. Especially after reading Heyer!

Joan Smith plays tropes straight. The heroine is trying to bamboozle a schemer into returning her family's inheritance. Unknowingly to her, the other victims of Mr Major are also there. The game of mistaken identities, 3,2,1. And misunderstanding that would get quickly resolved if someone got an idea to communicate with each other, you are allowed to entry too.

Often the success of romance genre, and novels in general, depends on the protagonists. Moira is a smart, resourceful woman and I respect her for her acting abilities. Still, I didn't like her RO. Alpha jerk, quick to judge. Fishy as hell. He even tried to take an advantage of the heroine . No rape if you enjoy it, eh?

I miss some humor too. If I have to suffer romance novels due to some whim of my crazy brain, may they be at least be funny!

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Joan Smith comedy of manners, featuring yet again, a charming hoyden (yes, she really is called that in the book, I'm not making this up). 19 yo Moira is determined to get her stolen dowry back from the cad who tricked her mother (since deceased) into marrying him, upon which event he looted the family estate, including said dowry. The plucky but naive young lady and her good hearted but doofusy younger brother embark on the titular masquerade in order to cheat the cheater, but unfortunately (?) for them, several other disguised victims are converging on the rustic inn where the villain has hidden, all intent on fleecing the same black sheep. This sort of reminds me of Twelfth Night, where mistaken and false identities pile up to insupportable heights, only to come crashing down in warmly humorous and emotionally satisfying fashion. A good quick escape from life's craziness, with classic Joan Smith banter, wit and romance.

[suzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. Especially Jonathan. Though the conclusion seemed hurried to me.