Love in Disguise

by Anneka R. Walker

Marion Watt is set to embark on her first London Season, and her parents have spared no expense to help her secure a suitable husband. Unlike most of the social-climbing young women in her position, Marion has no desire to marry hastily or for anything less than love. But when she learns of her mother's declining health, she knows she must keep an open mind and allow herself to be courted. What she does not anticipate, however, is that the attentions of the insufferable Lord William Everton will be placed squarely on her. He might be the most sought-after bachelor of the Season, but she sees in him nothing but a frivolous cad.
Until William inherits his father's title and seat in parliament, he must rely on his own devices to change the world. Dressing like a ridiculous dandy serves its purposes, but he is certain his newest disguise will help him find a wife to please his parents and further his own agenda. From among the glittering group of debutantes, William finds only one woman who passes his test. Unfortunately, the perfect choice is the only woman in all of London who despises him.

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Regency Romance, Fiction, Historical Romance, Historical

224 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2019

About the author

Anneka Walker was raised by a librarian and an English teacher turned judge. After being fed a steady diet of books, she decided to learn about writing. The result was a bachelor's degree in English and History. When she isn't dreaming up a happy ending for a story, she's busy living her own together with her husband and adorable children.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. I only had one issue and it was not glaring but there. The story was sweet and had some nice elements. She dislikes him but gradually and honestly overcomes her dislike. He has no interest in her until forced but his interest grew in a natural way as well. I just love the Regency time and this book fits well. We get a little of the Ton and a little of the country in this and I love both settings. There was just a bit too much back and forth the did slow the story at the end there but nothing that kept me from liking this. I will follow this author and read more of her books in the future. This is a brilliant start.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 Stars) William and Marion have a history - he's never paid her much attention and she despises him - but a test concocted by William and his mother proves that Marion is the woman for him and he sets out to win her over.

I adored that premise of enemies-to-lovers and my stomach tingled with anticipation in these character interactions. I was left wanting more and desperately awaiting their next meeting. Although William is a dandy, he has layers of personality and characteristics that are waiting to be uncovered. Marion is a sweet girl with a spicy, sassy side that William tends to draw out.

They each have individual reasons for agreeing to this marriage and I love how their troubles and trials bring a recognition of true feelings and desires. A few of the storms they weathered were a little abrupt, coming with no warning, but all were well written.

I only wished for a slightly more developed romantic experience because I felt that some things were skimmed over and I was immersed and wanted more details. Overall, a great debut and I'm looking forward to more!

Content: mild romance (kissing)

*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given without compensation.*

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this book! I thoroughly enjoyed my time while reading this one. I smiled, giggled, cringed, sighed, laughed out loud, possibly was a little angry towards a couple of the characters a time or two, cried, and sighed some more! My emotions were all of the place...and I loved it! Anneka Walker has made it on my list of favorite authors and I'm looking forward to see what she writes next. It's always a happy day when you discover a new author and love their work and know that there will be more to come.

I really liked both of the main characters, Miss Marion Watt and Lord William Everton. They had some similarities that led them to agree to look for a match sooner than they had both previously hoped for. And the way William went about it was pretty comical. I was trying to imagine what the Ton would have done, or how they would have acted, if they discovered one of their most elite members had dressed as a beggar to ascertain if a young lady was suitable to court and ultimately marry.

The hearts of Marion and William are golden. Even if they occasionally didn't show it. Yet, there's a bit of a grudge residing in Marion's heart. And yes, it was placed there by William. *giggles* Ok, it's not super funny because for Marion it was hurtful but I inserted a giggle there because of subsequent scenes and interactions between these two because of the grudge.

Some moments both Marion and William were very straightforward with each other, and other moments they held back and hesitated to share. Which of course led to miscommunication, hurt feelings, unknown futures...all the great things that happen to build up suspense in the story. You'll have to read to discover how it all unfolds but I will say that Marion is one plucky young lady. I loved her spunk. She is exactly what William needs!

Content: Clean. Some kissing, and a couple very mild innuendos.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[Melissa Tagg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! I'll admit, it took me a few chapters to warm up to William, but once I did, I loved him...and Marion, too. It's a sweet love story with all the delight of the regency era and it easily kept me turning pages. There were a few spots, particularly near the end, where the both the plot and the characters' emotions took such quick turns that it felt a little whiplash-y (and moments when I was like, uh, guys, if you'd just communicate everything would be fine!), but I still found the story delightful and charming. Looking forward to more from this author!

[Lucinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3- 3 1/2 stars.

This is a cute story that tells the story of Marion and William and how they fall in love. It's kind of an enemies-to-lovers trope in an historical setting.
Marion's opinion of William, who is Lord Everton, is not favorable. She finds him arrogant and rude. He's aloof and doesn't interact with other despite knowing his younger sister is good friends with Marion.

When Marion finds out her mother is in poor health, she agrees with her parents wish that she marries. Surprisingly, Lord Everton expresses an interest in her and she goes along with it.

The more time they spend together, the more they realize they're falling in love.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

Wow, this book felt so different from your typical regency romance story. 😍

I remember purchasing this on sale then regretting it. Probably because I must've seen something in the reviews that convinced me I wouldn't like it. So I did come into this more curious. But super excited. Really once I read the synopsis, I had no idea why I "regretted" this purchase. (And still wondering that now.)

But that first chapter! (or was it prologue?!) I wouldn't say I had a connection with Marion thereon, but her character intrigued me. I'd say it was her inner struggles or vulnerability that presented itself in that 1st chapter(/prologue??) that didn't seem just "there" to make her feel more human, you know? And that drew me to her! I've seen some of those thrown into stories sometimes, and those "inner character struggles" felt so oddly out of place and just unnaturally there to make the character have realness.

As I said, this story felt like it had a unique touch. Therefore, I'mma list out slowly (aka, long review) allllll the reasons why I find this novel pretty different (imo) and fun.

1. There was a smidgen of heartache in the story, which is (I think) rarely seen in the field of sweet Regency romances. And that heightened things in the novel and got things moving, especially when I was wondering how things were going to develop between Marion and William, considering that things were "moving fast" (but not really) between them. And it wasn't like it was just placed in there randomly for the sake of character development or something (at least, I don't think so... a lot of opinions from me today, so it seems 😳), even though I didn't see it coming.

2. Marion (yes, her character made things different! :D). Remember how I said the 1st chapter(/prologue??) had that vulnerability thing going on? YES. Man, it didn't feel random. It felt so real and natural, and her situation was relatable. And that level of vulnerability in her character that we got to see was carried throughout the story-- through confliction with that oh-so-confusing William, through different worries of life (that will remain unmentioned lest I spoil everything), and through the uncontrollable annoyance of JUDITH. AUGH, that lady!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (let me have this moment to say HOW MUCH I wanted to enter the book and GIVE THAT WOMAN A PIECE OF MY MINDDDD 😠😠😠)

*breathes*

Then for 3. William. Ohh, ohhhhh, OHHHHHH, AHHH!!. From that 1st chapter(/prologue??), I could feeeeeeeeeel the Darcy vibes so strongly from him. And it didn't feel unnaturally so. I loved how the author crafted his character. He was such a guy, so incredibly cocky and just... a guy... and he didn't really feel like your typical hero. He felt more stubborn and complicated than most, but not over-the-top so (even though he got me really really really really annoyed at times), and he was really really really cocky. Like, brother, if I knew a guy just like you, I'd be as mad as Marion was. That aside, I loved his development throughout the book so much. It was so subtly evident, as well as Marion's.

Then this ties in with 4. Marion and William. Together. Their romance. Everything! It was romantic, and I sighed and laughed a couple of times here and there, but it wasn't so much of the romance but the trope, the way it was done. They fairly got together "soon", and I was busy wondering how the romantic tension would show up.

And show up, it did.

(In the form of Judith. AUGH, THAT WOMAN-)

*breathes*

Their romance, I felt, took a different route than I had expected. They had complications. Those complications were rough. Complex. Adding a whole lot of tension and... texture? to the story. Also to randomly put it out there, William was the complicated one, and poor Marion was left confused all the while. 😔 And before I accidentally start telling the whole story myself, I better stop talking for now...

With those four points bootifully laid out, my critique mind can't resist saying that I didn't enjoy the last few chapters thaaaat much. The beginning till about 80ish percent was superb, but the ending felt a tinzy-winzy disappointing. It's just.. I was hoping for that "sweep me off my feet" moment with the hero and heroine, but that didn't happen (ik, again, cheesy... but I really need it sometimes 😭). Especially since I was already loving the beginning-middle of it.

But I guess I'll have to find that in another book! XD '

All in all, Love in Disguise was incredibly fun with down-to-earth characters, and it'll be a very memorable Regency romance for me. I'm so glad that my first book of 2022 started strong! This book definitely, uhm, disguised itself as an average 3-star rated book but to be a 5-star one in reality... (imo XD)

haha...I tried...

...I need sleep...

(and yeah, looks I gotta work on not judging a book based on its average rating... 😳😞)

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4.5 stars***

It's wonderful when you pick up a book and genuinely like the characters. Marion and William held preconceived notions that had to be overcome, but they were good people at their core.

This book was so cute! There were moments that were "laugh-out-loud" funny. I really couldn't wait to turn the pages to see they would do next. While this book is humorous, there are moments that were serious. William is actively trying to change the lives of people less fortunate. He takes in the misfits and gives them hope and purpose. He uses his influence in less than subtle ways to help others.

Marion is tenderhearted, but she has a stubborn streak. It is hard for her to change her opinion once it has been set and William is NOT one of her favorite people. He knows her for her kind heart, but she is unaware of his. She sees him as a dandy and not worth her time. I loved reading the transformation of opinions and hearts.

This author is new to me, but I will not hesitate to pick up one of her books in the future. This is a clean regency read.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't been reading lately because I have so much work to do, but last night my brain needed a rest and this book has been tempting me for over a month. I'm so glad I finally got the chance to dive in. I love the set up of this book. Such a fun premise. Marion and William are so sweet together and their love grows naturally and over time despite their beginning being anything but typical. There is some heartache in the book as well as good clean romance, and overall that just made the book feel that much more real to me. The final scene in the book is one that will stick with me for a very long time. I'm looking forward to reading more from Anneka R. Walker

[Camille]

Love in Disguise is a thoroughly intriguing premise, so I was thrilled when my library got a copy over a month before this book’s release. I adored the premise of a future earl needing to marry and, while in disguise, chooses a woman who despises him as his future bride and thus needs to win her over.

The story was well written with well-developed characters, but while the plot was always engaging, the premise that drew me to the story only lasted for a few chapters, and the enemies-to-lovers trope didn’t last nearly as long as I wanted.

Despite this, I overall enjoyed my time reading Love in Disguise. The parts with Marion and William together were the best part of the book and were quite fun. I really enjoyed their courtship and the scenes where they deepen their relationship after their engagement. I wish more focus had been on that. Still, the story was well written, the characters’ growth was satisfying, and overall the plot kept my interest. I’m eager to read the author’s current and future works, as she writes well and has a firm grasp of this time period.

[Julie]

Anneke Walker's debut novel, Love in Disguise, had such an intriguing back copy, I was excited to read it. Who wouldn't love an enemies-to-love romance?

We are introduced to Marion Watt as she is about to play the piano in public for the first time. But the experience is ruined when Lord William Everton leaves in the middle of her piece and all of the ton comments on it, taking it as a slight to her playing. She vows never to play in public again. Marion does befriend Lord Everton's sister, Clara, however, which gives her a friend that she will need later on. A year later, Marion comes across Lord Everton at another ball and he insults her in public again. She can't stand his dandified ways and his arrogance and tries to avoid him. But when Lord Everton suddenly decides to court her, can she see the good in him and let him into her heart?

I really enjoyed the first few chapters setting up our hero and heroine for a journey to love with a lot of twists and turns. The dialogue was witty and the premise was so fun. I was hopeful that we would get to see Marion really coming out of her shell and showing her sassiness to Lord Everton when he tried to court her. I admit, I was a little disappointed that instead, she easily falls in love with someone she previously could barely stand. Such a missed opportunity to really delve into these characters and show how they gradually become friends, then more. There are also several time jumps that brush over parts of the romance that I wish had been shown. But beyond that, we do move from the London social scene to the viscount's country home and the author does a wonderful job of describing all the details of the estate and tenants. The author also touches on the fact that William had faced a lot of experiences in his life that are difficult and emotional involving slaves and people who have been mistreated, and I wished we had seen more of what compelled him to seek that out. A few more thorns are added to the story when William's past shows up with a jealous ex-girlfriend and he's also dealing with a forger on top of everything else. With all of this on his plate, that might explain why he hid his emotions and was fairly unkind to Marion. He does finally make up for his boorish behavior and readers will definitely root for them to have their happily ever after. Marion has a nice growth arc throughout the book and I was glad to see her get the happiness she deserved. Though there were a few bumps, I think the author has a solid knowledge of the time period and this is a fine debut novel. I will definitely watch for more from Ms. Walker!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love finding new to me authors who write great books! Anneka R Walker has written such a fun one in this Regency Romance novel. I loved so many things about it. And it was a fairly quick, easy read for me.

Let’s start with the characters. I loved Marion. She hasn’t been the kind of girl to like much attention. And that doesn’t change in the story, even though she ends up getting plenty of attention for being around Lord William Everton. I felt a bit bad for her character in several places, it seems that Lord Everton is always helping her to feel awkward in social situations. And she despises him for it. That’s always fun!

I love that the reader gets to see things through William’s perspective too. It’s always fun to see how one situation can make one character feel a certain way and the other character is completely oblivious. That’s how it is with William, he has no idea why Marion seems to despise him. He only knows that she does. And when he decides that she’s the one for him – that only makes the whole plot line more fun.

The plot of this one is a fairly straight forward love story. There are many bumps in the way however, making this one a page turner for me. I didn’t want to put it down! You’re going to want to read this one!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marion is back for her second season this time determined to make a match, if only to improve her mother’s poor health. The only problem is all her suitors are being chased away by the one man she despises, Lord Everton.

A fabulous fresh regency story! I loved the banter between Marion and William, they are just what the other needs. I was pleasantly surprised by the plot twist and the ending was perfect!

I am excited for more books by Anneka R Walker!

[Tiffany]

Enjoyable regency romance.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s always funny how you can despise someone and realize later that you really didn’t even know that person and all your reasons for despising them were not really who you thought them to be. I guess it just goes to show that we shouldn’t judge people! Also funny is how we have problems verbalizing our feelings or even acknowledging to yourself about your feelings!!

Once I started reading, I didn’t get up to do anything until I was done. I was curious how this would turn out. I was sitting in a need to be reupholstered furniture that was really lumpy but I just wanted to know what kind of person William really was and how Marion would learn who he really is!

Discovering people’s characters and what they stand for brings me to tears in books easily. I liked seeing William soften to Marion. The twists at the end; well I wasn’t expecting those. I loved seeing how family is important to both Marion and William.

If you like historical fiction, twists, loving families, righteous quests, gamblers, disguises, how one bad moment can make you want to stop sharing what you love, not saying what you are feeling, humor, falling in water, and finding love in a time where it wasn’t the norm to marry for love than this might be for you!!

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute read, though it suffers from a few anachronisms and the common plot device of a couple who is just not communicating properly, which can get frustrating for the reader as a main source of tension. Still, the characters are likable and the writing pretty good.
The plot, in summation: Marion Watt has taken a strong dislike to Lord William Everton, after a brief experience wherein she feels that he sabotaged her socially. One year later, she has determined that she really must try harder to get married to appease her ill mother. William has also decided he needs to get married to satisfy his parents, who won't let him return to his life in the country until he takes a bride. He devises a scheme to select a suitable young lady and then plans to court and marry her in haste. This book involves interludes with disguise, a fraud and a mystery that requires quick solving at the end, and servants with back story that seems tacked on for too much extra intrigue.
What I did like were the moments of authenticity between Marion and William. They were a fun couple to read about, it's just that they kept taking so many steps backward in their relationship that things felt a bit bogged down.
Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for this digital review copy!

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance, clean; period romance
Marion and William's story was a lovely read. I do feel the first 2/3 of the novel was much stronger for me as a reader. The ending felt just slightly rushed. I think I would have wanted a bit more of them after all the dancing around each other that they did.
Still, this was a lovely, sweet, novel. The romance and characters so very vividly portrayed. Told from alternating points of view, it was truly fun to read their perceptions, moments, worries, thoughts, and sweet fall for each other from each of their perspectives. The settings, characters and plot were well-drawn. I do have one peeve, I don't think they would have put Marion in the bridal room with the connecting door prior to them being married, but that is just me. It was lovely seeing them both learn to see each other for who they really were, William a little sooner with his subterfuge early in the novel, and them both as they fell for each other as William worked through his grief, pain and concerns.

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was the blurb that grabbed my eyes, I thought it would be more a witty battle between enemies to lovers.
Mrs Anneka Walker is a new author to me, she is very talented to immerse her readers in the atmosphere of this time area. She did an astonishing work in transcribing the rules and ways in proper society.
I do loved the banters between the hero and heroine and I know for this time period, a debutante should one smile and nod, so that she answers and puts the hero in his place was great, but I would have liked she falls not so quickly, one day she dislike him, for good reasons, the other because he courts her, she is in love. He belittled her and hurt her and never she discussed it, suddenly he is marvelous. Later, right she explained about the hurt part but never about the belittling one.
The hero has its reasons to act the way he is, he is a good man and likes to shake the London society but I never really warmed to him because the way he is, he hurts also innocent persons in his way.
The additional character of the ex upset me, an awful shrew and next to her, the heroine appears as meek, too weak to stand for herself, she relies on other to defend her.
Last, the forgery plot was overflown then suddenly it became the main intrigue (by refusing to alert the officials, he found himself caught in his own predicament), it added few things to the development of their romance, just more struggles as they have been prior to it unable to express their feelings. It at last showed the heroine had done some growing up.
In all, it is lovely story, 4 stars.
It is a clean read as it is called, just some mild kisses.
I was provided a copy by Netgalley and the publisher, but this is my true and unbiased opinion.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story by new author Anneka Walker. Delve into the realm of London society and get swept into the Season. Always an era in which I will be intrigued into the ways and means people would go to in order to find a match, seemingly the only purpose for the women at least. The characters are endearing, although a bit maddening at times (Lord Everton to be precise) and you'll quickly be pulled into this story.

It has all the elements, and the addition of the extra players - the spurned ex, fraud, the insights into the downstairs/tenants, medical issues of the day and my favourite - getting out of London to the country estate. Devon is beautiful and make a wonderful backdrop to Henmore.

William & Marion may have a lot to uncover about the true nature of each other, but when they do - it will be clear to see why they are a perfect match.

This is a perfect addition to my shelf of regency romances & I look forward to more stories from this author.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE IN DISGUISE is a story of perceptions, miscommunication, family, friendship, and love. Readers will fall in love with these characters and cheer them on against criticizing and conniving women, deceitful thieves, and their own fears to a sweetly satisfying ending.

I pretty much enjoyed this story from beginning to end, with one rough spot towards the end. The characters were easy to relate to and I really liked their friendships and families. I also liked the constant tension between Marion and William. Their dialogue was great, as were some of their antics. There were plenty of laughable moments. There were also plenty of sweet, almost-kisses, moments. I also felt the continue strain for these two to get to know each other and figure out how their relationship would work to be genuine. I would think many of the marriages at that time would have felt just as awkward, but probably without the added care for each other. The ending was dramatic, but also sweet.

My only real issues with the story were just a couple of things. One, I wasn't sure that I liked how drastic the scandal was involving William and the situation he faced (without giving too much away). It seemed a little too easy for the villains to do what they did and for things to become so dire so quickly. The other issue I had was that I thought Marion was overly dramatic in her fears with William to the extent that they were. It seems to me that if someone loves someone that they would take what they could get instead of always running away - at least in this situation. I think for me it was overdone and dragged out too long.

In the end, was it what I wished for? An overall entertaining read. The characters were lovely and the plot intriguing with moments of great dialogue, humor, and heart. Recommended to Regency romance fans.

Content: Some innuendo, but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her novel Love in Disguise, Anneka R. Walker has written an absolutely charming and sweet regency romance novel. The romance in this story is excellent. The relationship goes from William hardly paying attention to Marion and her despising him to unexpectedly falling in love. And Marion’s list of characteristics of the man she will marry add even more fun and enjoyment to the story. Readers will immediately fall in love with Walker’s characters as they come to life from the turn of every page. This book will also cause readers to laugh out loud at times, as well as cause readers to become more serious at other times. An excellent story, readers will have a hard time putting it down.

Genre: historical, regency, romance
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication date: June 1, 2019
Number of pages: 224

A review copy of this book was provided by Covenant Communications. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the premise of this story strained my credulity. I could understand Everton's motivations but I was frequently baffled by Marion's and the whole fraud situation was a mess that did not add much if anything to the story. On the other hand there were some really funny moments and it is nice to have a heroine appreciated for more than just being pretty.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book!

[Chalon Linton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great debut by Anneka Walker. I rooted for Marion and enjoyed watching the love develop between the to main characters. Can't wait to see what's next.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps I’d like it better if I read it first rather than listened to the audiobook. The narrator was a little distracting.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes I read a regency just because I wish there were more Austens out there. I’m almost always disappointed. This one started with an interesting premise, but the author didn’t succeed in executing it. And don’t read on from here if you don’t want to have any idea of the plot. I’m not putting in actual spoilers, but there are hints.

It was a fun idea to have the hero choose a wife based on a test of character, but the author didn’t really capitalize on the possibilities of it. That was an especially fun plot device in the book Arabella by Georgette Heyer, which I highly recommend btw. I’ve tried to figure out why it didn’t turn out to be as pleasing as it should have been here, and I think the problem was the hero and the heroine both.

Of course I assumed at the beginning that William’s antisocial behavior was an act, because how many regencies utilize that technique, right? But it turned out that was actually his real personality. He put on a show for the heroine for a brief time, but the veneer of charm quickly cracked and he returned to being as much of a curmudgeon as when he started. Sadly, I don’t think that the author realized she was doing that to him.

It was also a fun idea to have the heroine dislike the hero, and then have her turn out to be the only choice of bride who passed the test he and his mother dreamed up. Unfortunately, Marian doesn’t have the strength of character to stick to her convictions for even a few days. The author could have benefitted from watching She’s All That. Then she would have known how to handle the “unpopular girl favored with the popular guy’s attentions” trope. Walker broke the cardinal rule of that story: the girl can’t see the good in the hero too soon. It has to take a while. And part of the fun here would have been William eventually realizing why he is so disliked. That aspect resolves in a very unsatisfying way.

Finally, you never, ever, want to see the heroine in the role of pursuer, and unfortunately Walker transgresses that as well.

And another pet peeve: she kept putting inconsistent language in the characters’ mouths. At one point the hero tells his father he needs time to “process.” Talk about a term you never would have heard in the early 1800s. Or even the late 1900s!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a lot of clean Regency romance novels--there's just something about the time period that appeals to me. When I was given the opportunity to review Love in Disguise by Anneka R. Walker I couldn't pass it up even though I wasn't familiar with the author.

Walker captured my attention right off and made me feel for Marion with her performance at the musicale. Her shattered confidence was so sad, yet understandable. And, I think most people can relate to holding a grudge against someone for at least a small amount of time.

I wasn't drawn to William initially. I would have appreciated deeper character development for him to more fully understand his facade, but he did grow on me as the story progressed.

On the whole I liked the idea of the story, but would have loved more attention to the latter half. Some of the resolutions came on very quickly and needed more hashing out.

While I don't see myself reading this story again, I would give the author another try.

2.5 Stars

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn in by the cover of the book, which is gorgeous, and I was super interested in the initial plot, where Marion dislikes William and he tries to court her. I thought this would be such a fun enemies-to-lovers book, but it didn't pan out that way; Marion fell for William pretty quickly--too quickly, in my opinion. I felt like I didn't get to see enough of their courtship or real reasons why her feelings would change, especially since there were two pretty big incidents where he'd been really rude to her and didn't even seem to realize he'd been totally obnoxious. I really wanted to see him working to overcome the initial bad impression he'd made, and I was disappointed not to see that happen. It took a really long time before Marion actually told him about the one time he'd pretty much crushed her, and she never even mentioned the other. Later on in the story, I was frustrated by the number of times William just needed to talk to Marion--and even thought that he needed to talk to her--but wouldn't take the opportunity to just communicate!
All in all, the book wasn't what I was expected, but it was a nice, clean Regency romance, and I would read another book by the author to see what I thought.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book right from the begining, but ended up being slightly disapointed. There were too many facets to the story, without enough time and space to fully develope all of then. The book either needed to be longer or simplified in its plot. Ie. The jealous ex love interest could have disappeared completely and the story would have been just fine.

[Ashley Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You do smell of strawberries tonight,” William said softly. His eyes moved to her mouth again.
Marion self-consciously bit her lower lip. Heat flames her neck and cheeks. “Strawberries...on my lips.” It was a girlish admonition, and she wished it back the moment she said it. “How did you know strawberries are my favorite?” William asked, still staring at her mouth. There was no laughter in his voice-only amused intrigue.
“I had no idea.” Love in Disguise by Anneka R Walker is a story of a woman, Marion, who is in need of a husband to alleviate the stress of her mother’s health, and a man, William, who’s sole purpose for the Season is to make a nice match in order to return to his beloved countryside, and his passion of changing the world. When Marion does a kind gesture while William is in disguise, he sets his sights upon her, only to find she is not keen on him at all. Which is something he is not used to. Through series of events, ups and downs, there stories collide into this sweet story of love and healing.
This was my first novel of Walkers and I was blown away with how swept up into the story I was! I stayed up half the night to finish because I could not put it down! I loved the banter, the growth of these characters, the realistic conflict that changes our hearts, and the beauty that love heals all wounds. This was a beautiful and sweet story! I can’t wait to read more from her!
4.9/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this novel I didn't like the main character, William. He seemed to be a rude and pompous jerk that I hoped Marion steered clear of, especially after what happened in the first chapter. Thank goodness for William's wonderful mother and her guidance. My only wish is that the "disguise" part had been expanded in the plot. It would have added to the humor and relationship development.

I did like the interaction between the "frenemies" as Marion tried to figure out what William was on about. Some of the witty dialogue had me laughing out loud. The novel does show the struggle between the two "would be" lovers who both have trust issues and many other obstacles in their way. It was nice once we got to know the real William and from that point, I was firmly in his corner. I liked Marion but wish she'd have stood up more for herself, especially when it came to dealing with Judith.

The underlying plot of forgery and possible financial ruin could have been expanded more. It also seemed to be resolved too quickly. The romance part had enough going on without the subplot. The romantic tension between Marion and William was written very well. I always loved when they were together.

Love in Disguise is a very fast read and Regency Romance lovers will enjoy this novel.

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