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Unmasking Prometheus #1
Masked Intentions
Adrian Strathmore is a reclusive genius by day. However, by night, he is a masked avenger named Prometheus, rescuing unfortunate children from lives of prostitution. Horribly burned as a child, he loves the anonymity of his mask.
Vanessa Bourke, the famous actress, is fascinated by both Adrian Strathmore, who throws flowers at her feet but remains in the shadows, and Prometheus, the masked man who shows up in her flat in the middle of the night with a small boy he’s saved. When she discovers they are one and the same, she begs him to unmask himself, to no avail. He is willing to lose her forever rather than trust her to love him despite his scars. Frustrated, she blackmails Adrian into marrying her, ruining his trust.
Will he ever believe she’s come to love the man behind the mask?
Vanessa Bourke, the famous actress, is fascinated by both Adrian Strathmore, who throws flowers at her feet but remains in the shadows, and Prometheus, the masked man who shows up in her flat in the middle of the night with a small boy he’s saved. When she discovers they are one and the same, she begs him to unmask himself, to no avail. He is willing to lose her forever rather than trust her to love him despite his scars. Frustrated, she blackmails Adrian into marrying her, ruining his trust.
Will he ever believe she’s come to love the man behind the mask?
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2020
577 people are currently reading
708 people want to read
About the author
Diana Bold
53 books73 followersI am the award-winning traditional and indie published author of Western Historical Romance and Victorian Historical Romance. My books are deeply emotional and a bit on the dark side.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
January 26, 2022
Fucking atrocious. The hell is this book.
Okay. After I wrote some reviews and had some time to cool down, I am going to say: this book is a mess.
So. At first, I thought I was going to get an interesting Phantom of the Opera / Scarlet Pimpernel retelling. No. I got a half-baked one with some truly awful characters.
It seems that the Phantom of the Opera bit only truly exists at the beginning of Chapter 1 and sprinkled throughout the book. You see, the Phantom character is one of three brothers who save young children from the sex trade. Okay. Not bad. The brother, Adrian, who is a twin, is horribly scared thanks to a fire in his house when he was younger which cost the life of his dad. His step-father his mother remarried beat him up and he vowed to protect those who can't protect themselves. Hence his guise as Prometheus. ... I don't get the Prometheus name, I guess he and his brothers 'created' this guise in the attic after Adrian and his brother were beaten by step-dad.
Adrian, though with wealth, is horribly scared and goes every night an actress named Victoria is up on stage playing a lead. He hides within his box and throws a rose down at the end of her performances. She is smitten without knowing who he is, but she FEELS THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS HIS SOUL or some shit like that.
One night, while saving a kid, he gets shot in the leg and he and the kid end up in her house. He is daredeviling across rooftops in London. How? It's not explained. Rooftops back then weren't flat, they were awkwardly angled but man, he was able to get on up there with a 10 year old boy and run about. Victoria takes him in, falls in love with Prometheus and heals is wound and gives her a kiss.
Oh! But who would love him due to his scars? ... Which aren't that bad since he doesn't wear a mask when he goes out in public?
So, there comes a point where she puts the two together and decides to shittily blackmail Adrian and he gets it into his head that she is out for his money. She was trying to blackmail him because she was horny and wanted him to fuck her, and if she would have said that to begin with he would have not done what he did next... He then tells her he will marry her but on the condition that she gives herself to him. So he flips a switch and goes completely dominant and aggressive and near rapes her on his desk.
This is now the rest of the book from this point on. Plus, he calls her a bitch and a slut and a couple other choice comments about how dare she try to blackmail him! How dare she not love him or trust him? Yet, he was coming to her house as his alter-ego and having romantic moments, and she asked him several times to be honest with her and take of the mask. He refused so she got angry.
There is a shit side story about his step-brother Roger who was the son of his step-dad hating him and working for the police and figuring out who he is and wanting to get revenge. Why he doesn't just arrest him after getting some pretty damming evidence from a girl named Bridget I don't know, but he ends up kidnapping his wife and his brother's pregnant wife. I had to stop reading when I saw the men working for them slap the shit out of them in a carriage and call them 'bitch' one too many times. (Oh, the brother's wife is pregnant! So, ... wow for hitting a pregnant woman.)
There is so much going on in this book, and on top of that, the writing is so ghastly and modern it sucks you right out of enjoying what is left of the book TO enjoy.
I urge you to not read this. Just don't. There are better self-published books out there. If you wanna get angry and pissed off at manhandling of pregnant women and a crap nod to Phantom, you choice.
Okay. After I wrote some reviews and had some time to cool down, I am going to say: this book is a mess.
So. At first, I thought I was going to get an interesting Phantom of the Opera / Scarlet Pimpernel retelling. No. I got a half-baked one with some truly awful characters.
It seems that the Phantom of the Opera bit only truly exists at the beginning of Chapter 1 and sprinkled throughout the book. You see, the Phantom character is one of three brothers who save young children from the sex trade. Okay. Not bad. The brother, Adrian, who is a twin, is horribly scared thanks to a fire in his house when he was younger which cost the life of his dad. His step-father his mother remarried beat him up and he vowed to protect those who can't protect themselves. Hence his guise as Prometheus. ... I don't get the Prometheus name, I guess he and his brothers 'created' this guise in the attic after Adrian and his brother were beaten by step-dad.
Adrian, though with wealth, is horribly scared and goes every night an actress named Victoria is up on stage playing a lead. He hides within his box and throws a rose down at the end of her performances. She is smitten without knowing who he is, but she FEELS THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS HIS SOUL or some shit like that.
One night, while saving a kid, he gets shot in the leg and he and the kid end up in her house. He is daredeviling across rooftops in London. How? It's not explained. Rooftops back then weren't flat, they were awkwardly angled but man, he was able to get on up there with a 10 year old boy and run about. Victoria takes him in, falls in love with Prometheus and heals is wound and gives her a kiss.
Oh! But who would love him due to his scars? ... Which aren't that bad since he doesn't wear a mask when he goes out in public?
So, there comes a point where she puts the two together and decides to shittily blackmail Adrian and he gets it into his head that she is out for his money. She was trying to blackmail him because she was horny and wanted him to fuck her, and if she would have said that to begin with he would have not done what he did next... He then tells her he will marry her but on the condition that she gives herself to him. So he flips a switch and goes completely dominant and aggressive and near rapes her on his desk.
This is now the rest of the book from this point on. Plus, he calls her a bitch and a slut and a couple other choice comments about how dare she try to blackmail him! How dare she not love him or trust him? Yet, he was coming to her house as his alter-ego and having romantic moments, and she asked him several times to be honest with her and take of the mask. He refused so she got angry.
There is a shit side story about his step-brother Roger who was the son of his step-dad hating him and working for the police and figuring out who he is and wanting to get revenge. Why he doesn't just arrest him after getting some pretty damming evidence from a girl named Bridget I don't know, but he ends up kidnapping his wife and his brother's pregnant wife. I had to stop reading when I saw the men working for them slap the shit out of them in a carriage and call them 'bitch' one too many times. (Oh, the brother's wife is pregnant! So, ... wow for hitting a pregnant woman.)
There is so much going on in this book, and on top of that, the writing is so ghastly and modern it sucks you right out of enjoying what is left of the book TO enjoy.
I urge you to not read this. Just don't. There are better self-published books out there. If you wanna get angry and pissed off at manhandling of pregnant women and a crap nod to Phantom, you choice.
August 19, 2022
Lovely historical romance, the characters are the best.... first in the Unmasking Prometheus series!
September 24, 2020
Disappointed
The storyline is different but writing is weak, seems like a first novel. I was disappointed at amateurish sentence structure, fact that Vanessa was connected to step-brother, too contrived. Generally like the social justice aspect more but not this time.
The storyline is different but writing is weak, seems like a first novel. I was disappointed at amateurish sentence structure, fact that Vanessa was connected to step-brother, too contrived. Generally like the social justice aspect more but not this time.
September 17, 2020
Bittersweet. I just wanted to know if Morgan had mistresses or why he was so distant of Anne.
Want to read
September 17, 2020🎁FREE on Amazon today (9/17/2020)! 🎁
January 28, 2024
Painful, and not in a good way.
I’m not sorry I skim-finished it, though. If I had quit reading somewhere after the first few chapters as every brain cell urged me to do, I would have missed the absolute WORST, UGLY-RIDICULOUS ending ever written for a romance novel.
I’m not sorry I skim-finished it, though. If I had quit reading somewhere after the first few chapters as every brain cell urged me to do, I would have missed the absolute WORST, UGLY-RIDICULOUS ending ever written for a romance novel.
August 29, 2020
This is an intense, dramatic, shocking and sweet story. When Adrian was 8 he was burned in the fire that killed his father. He was left scarred and at the mercy of his cold-hearted mother, then his evil stepfather. When he was 10 his twin and oldest brothers found out what he had been through, and they decided that someone needed to do something about the abuse and came up with the idea of a masked crusader named Prometheus. Soon after that their stepfather was dead. Adrian became the masked man as an adult when he found out what his stepbrother was doing with children at his bawdy houses. Adrian spirited children from places like that and brought them to the orphanage that he started. He normally hid from society, but he went to the theater once and became entranced with Vanessa, the lead heroine. Vanessa knew that Adrian was an admirer and hoped that he would introduce himself, but he never did. She heard what people said about him, but didn't care about his scars. One night Adrian gets shot and almost caught, but he went to Vanessa's flat and escaped. He had a boy of about 6 with him and asked Vanessa to bring him to the orphanage. Vanessa fell in love with Gabriel and visited often. Vanessa was visited by Prometheus a few times, and she felt drawn to him as well. Unfortunately for Adrian, people began to figure out who he was, and not all of them were happy about it. The storyline is so suspenseful and intense, and Adrian and Vanessa are so sweet. This book is one of the best books I've ever read. Add it to your TBR list.
August 26, 2020
People, hurt by a horrible man, have formed bond and created friendships and a loving family.
Adrian and his two brothers lost their loving family when a fire at their mansion killed their father and severally burned Adrian. But what was worse was when their mother re-married, and their step-father and step-father were both cruel depraved men. All three brothers were beaten and abused and they finally got together to get rid of their step-father. But their step-brother Roger is worse. He owns many houses of ill repute and he preys on young children. The alter ego Prometheus was born and it has been Adrian’s life’s mission to hurt Roger’s business and rescue children. Adrian doesn’t allow anyone other than his brothers to see his damaged face, but for weeks he has been secretly attending the theater to watch Vanessa. One night when he needs help he shows up at her door as Prometheus. Over the next few weeks she falls for Prometheus but he won’t reveal himself and he stays away for weeks. Will her plan to force him to reveal himself gain her the one she loves or will he feel betrayed? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
Adrian and his two brothers lost their loving family when a fire at their mansion killed their father and severally burned Adrian. But what was worse was when their mother re-married, and their step-father and step-father were both cruel depraved men. All three brothers were beaten and abused and they finally got together to get rid of their step-father. But their step-brother Roger is worse. He owns many houses of ill repute and he preys on young children. The alter ego Prometheus was born and it has been Adrian’s life’s mission to hurt Roger’s business and rescue children. Adrian doesn’t allow anyone other than his brothers to see his damaged face, but for weeks he has been secretly attending the theater to watch Vanessa. One night when he needs help he shows up at her door as Prometheus. Over the next few weeks she falls for Prometheus but he won’t reveal himself and he stays away for weeks. Will her plan to force him to reveal himself gain her the one she loves or will he feel betrayed? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
August 25, 2020
A truly beautiful love story.
What a truly beautiful love story Ms. Bold has written. A man who has been hurt in so many ways turns the pain into the need to help those abused by evil. A woman who lost her security early now hopes to find some way to have that again to have a home a family. These two lost souls are splendid yet again the author has a number of outstanding characters in this book. This book is emotional in both good and bad ways and it will touch you. This is a first-rate tale and it is just as impressive as the other books I have read by Ms. Bold I strongly suggest you pick this book and I am sure after reading it you will want to read other works by this author. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
What a truly beautiful love story Ms. Bold has written. A man who has been hurt in so many ways turns the pain into the need to help those abused by evil. A woman who lost her security early now hopes to find some way to have that again to have a home a family. These two lost souls are splendid yet again the author has a number of outstanding characters in this book. This book is emotional in both good and bad ways and it will touch you. This is a first-rate tale and it is just as impressive as the other books I have read by Ms. Bold I strongly suggest you pick this book and I am sure after reading it you will want to read other works by this author. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
September 12, 2020
He has two sides to him. One is where he hides from everyone during the day. While at night he wears a masks and saves children from the streets. She soon finds out what he does and she falls in love. She tries to blackmail him into marrying her. Will it wirk? Will it just push him further awwy? See if they can make it
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 29, 2021
Masked Intentions is a great read. Adrian and his two brother's have created a masked, vigilante hero but Adrian is the one who dons the cape and mask. He was burned in a fire that killed his father when he was a child. Adrian fights for justice for young children who are in awful situations.
Opera singer Vanessa has caught Adrian's eye, even though she has never actually seen him. When Prometheus lands in her bedroom window with a young boy and injured, she helps bandage him up and takes the boy to the orphanage the next day. She is now entranced by Prometheus.
When Vanessa puts together that Prometheus and Adrian are one and the same, she makes a bargain with him. They will marry, but will they be able to forgive each other for their past mistakes and find a path to love?
Great story that is full of emotion and some angst. I really liked the characters and look forward to continuing the series.
Opera singer Vanessa has caught Adrian's eye, even though she has never actually seen him. When Prometheus lands in her bedroom window with a young boy and injured, she helps bandage him up and takes the boy to the orphanage the next day. She is now entranced by Prometheus.
When Vanessa puts together that Prometheus and Adrian are one and the same, she makes a bargain with him. They will marry, but will they be able to forgive each other for their past mistakes and find a path to love?
Great story that is full of emotion and some angst. I really liked the characters and look forward to continuing the series.
February 28, 2023
The series is very well pulled together and it's keeping me engaged onto book 2. It's sweet and endearing. I am skimming thru some of the writing bc it is predictable somewhat. However, I like it overall. All the main characters are well created and depicted.
December 6, 2024
There were some good things in the book that I liked and enjoyed, even though I didn't love it, but one thing that happened 'round the end completely threw me off, and not in a good way.
September 25, 2020
could have been so much better
It's an interesting premise and I read the whole thing but was constantly distracted by the really annoying anachronistically modern dialogue and the juvenile Junior High School level of the writing. I'll read the next one in hopes that the style improves, but I am not too hopeful.
It's an interesting premise and I read the whole thing but was constantly distracted by the really annoying anachronistically modern dialogue and the juvenile Junior High School level of the writing. I'll read the next one in hopes that the style improves, but I am not too hopeful.
September 12, 2020
This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Ms. Bold throws in another twist! I felt conflicted about the hero, Adrian, for several chapters - he has his moments where it's hard to see him as anything but a jerk - but his character development by the end is just beautiful. Vanessa is a wonderful heroine who doesn't always think before she acts, but it's impossible not to love her.
I received a free copy from the author. My review is voluntary.
I received a free copy from the author. My review is voluntary.
August 27, 2020
The first book in the Unmasking Prometheus series a well written story that kept me turning pages. Adrian Strathmore and Vanessa Bourke's story, there is suspense, drama, danger, murder, a little boy being rescued, a masked figure called Prometheus, and love. I hope Morgan gets another chance at love. I want to read the next book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 2, 2022
Not a great romance or suspense
MY RATING
5 stars--WOW
4 stars--would read again
3 stars--was good
2 stars--didn't enjoy
1 star--didn't finish
Should I read books before this one: no
Cliffhanger: not really
SUMMARY
Hawkesmere Manor burns. The earl gets his wife and 2 sons out, goes after the third. He throws Adrian from a window, dies. Mom marries Winters a year later.
Winters convinces Mom Adrian shouldn't go to school, so Adrian's twin, Morgan, joins Lucien while Adrian is submitted to child abuse. His brothers find out. They come up with a cloak and mask for the persona Prometheus, wanting to stop the abuse from Winters and his son Roger.
Winters is found dead, clutching a piece of the cloak.
Now an adult, Adrian enjoys watching Vanessa act on stage, throws her roses. He is also Prometheus, rescuing children from brothels and delivering them to an orphanage he's set up and funds. One night, Adrian sets fire to a club, rescues a boy, and is shot making the escape. He needs to hide, knows Vanessa has a flat nearby.
Vanessa recognizes Prometheus. He's a folk hero. She helps him with his wound. He asks her to take the child to the orphanage because he's close to passing out. She agrees. He kisses her, leaves.
Adrian barely makes it home. He thought of the way she’d melted into his kiss, the soft, breathy sound she’d made as he’d pulled her into his arms. For the first time in his adult life, his scars hadn’t mattered. The mask had given him the anonymity he craved. Of course, she never would have given herself so sweetly if she knew the truth.
Vanessa falls in love with the boy, takes Gabriel to the orphanage, visits him daily.
3 days later, Adrian sneaks into the orphanage to check on them all. Then he goes to Vanessa's. “Don’t be afraid,” he hastened to reassure her. “It’s just me.” “Just you?” She gave a soft, incredulous laugh. “By that you mean, ‘just the masked villain who already broke into my room and scared me to death once before’?” A smile curved his lips at her sassy tone. The girl had spunk; he’d give her that. And it felt good to smile. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done so out of genuine pleasure. “Yes,” he murmured. “Just that masked villain.”
EVALUATION
Too much thinking and narration, too little character development. The plot moves slowly until the end, too. Not enough setting to enjoy Victorian Era v Regency, other than designing airplanes.
RECOMMENDATION
Find another book
FAVORITE QUOTES
Her words fell like a gentle rain upon the parched surface of his soul.
POSSIBLE TRIGGERS (SPOILERS)
Sex: 1 scene with detail, multiple without
Language: 3 f***, 33 Lord's name in vain, 1 s***
Violence: arson, child beating, child prostitution, GSW, murder, kidnapping
MY RATING
5 stars--WOW
4 stars--would read again
3 stars--was good
2 stars--didn't enjoy
1 star--didn't finish
Should I read books before this one: no
Cliffhanger: not really
SUMMARY
Hawkesmere Manor burns. The earl gets his wife and 2 sons out, goes after the third. He throws Adrian from a window, dies. Mom marries Winters a year later.
Winters convinces Mom Adrian shouldn't go to school, so Adrian's twin, Morgan, joins Lucien while Adrian is submitted to child abuse. His brothers find out. They come up with a cloak and mask for the persona Prometheus, wanting to stop the abuse from Winters and his son Roger.
Winters is found dead, clutching a piece of the cloak.
Now an adult, Adrian enjoys watching Vanessa act on stage, throws her roses. He is also Prometheus, rescuing children from brothels and delivering them to an orphanage he's set up and funds. One night, Adrian sets fire to a club, rescues a boy, and is shot making the escape. He needs to hide, knows Vanessa has a flat nearby.
Vanessa recognizes Prometheus. He's a folk hero. She helps him with his wound. He asks her to take the child to the orphanage because he's close to passing out. She agrees. He kisses her, leaves.
Adrian barely makes it home. He thought of the way she’d melted into his kiss, the soft, breathy sound she’d made as he’d pulled her into his arms. For the first time in his adult life, his scars hadn’t mattered. The mask had given him the anonymity he craved. Of course, she never would have given herself so sweetly if she knew the truth.
Vanessa falls in love with the boy, takes Gabriel to the orphanage, visits him daily.
3 days later, Adrian sneaks into the orphanage to check on them all. Then he goes to Vanessa's. “Don’t be afraid,” he hastened to reassure her. “It’s just me.” “Just you?” She gave a soft, incredulous laugh. “By that you mean, ‘just the masked villain who already broke into my room and scared me to death once before’?” A smile curved his lips at her sassy tone. The girl had spunk; he’d give her that. And it felt good to smile. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done so out of genuine pleasure. “Yes,” he murmured. “Just that masked villain.”
EVALUATION
Too much thinking and narration, too little character development. The plot moves slowly until the end, too. Not enough setting to enjoy Victorian Era v Regency, other than designing airplanes.
RECOMMENDATION
Find another book
FAVORITE QUOTES
Her words fell like a gentle rain upon the parched surface of his soul.
POSSIBLE TRIGGERS (SPOILERS)
Sex: 1 scene with detail, multiple without
Language: 3 f***, 33 Lord's name in vain, 1 s***
Violence: arson, child beating, child prostitution, GSW, murder, kidnapping
September 14, 2024
Adrian Strathmore is Promethus, a masked vigilante who saves children from brothels and is known as a hero in the news. He has a traumatic past after getting scars from a fore that killed his father and living with an abusive step father.
TW: Abusive step father and brother, child and teenage sex trafficking, sex assault (not the heroine)
He is also part of the Ton and the brother to the Earl of Strathmore.
He becomes fascinated with theatre actress Vanessa Bourke and their lives intertwine when he asks for her help one night when he is injured and being pursued. They start to pine for each other and it felt insta-lovey. The heroine grows attached to the young boy Adrian rescues, she dreams of having a family, marriage and stability.
Vanessa grows attached to the masked Prometheus and Adrian Strathmore though she doesn't know how they both look and that they are the same person.
The hero is a jerk many times and the heroine could have had more self respect but they end up in a nice place by the end with their found family. I liked how the author showed that adopting is just as okay as having a baby.
The fantasy of the rich hero running around as a masked vigilante was fun to read. I didn’t see much of his inventor side and would have liked more of it. I liked the relationship between the brothers and how they were supportive of one another. Anne was very sweet to welcome Vanessa since she did not grow up in the Ton.
The graphic aspects of the story felt gratuitous especially that typical scene where the heroine is captured and needs to be rescued but her pregnant sister in law gets taken too and it becomes tragic as
TW: Abusive step father and brother, child and teenage sex trafficking, sex assault (not the heroine)
He is also part of the Ton and the brother to the Earl of Strathmore.
He becomes fascinated with theatre actress Vanessa Bourke and their lives intertwine when he asks for her help one night when he is injured and being pursued. They start to pine for each other and it felt insta-lovey. The heroine grows attached to the young boy Adrian rescues, she dreams of having a family, marriage and stability.
Vanessa grows attached to the masked Prometheus and Adrian Strathmore though she doesn't know how they both look and that they are the same person.
The hero is a jerk many times and the heroine could have had more self respect but they end up in a nice place by the end with their found family. I liked how the author showed that adopting is just as okay as having a baby.
The fantasy of the rich hero running around as a masked vigilante was fun to read. I didn’t see much of his inventor side and would have liked more of it. I liked the relationship between the brothers and how they were supportive of one another. Anne was very sweet to welcome Vanessa since she did not grow up in the Ton.
The graphic aspects of the story felt gratuitous especially that typical scene where the heroine is captured and needs to be rescued but her pregnant sister in law gets taken too and it becomes tragic as
September 6, 2022
This gets a star for making an unusual decision in the climax . I'd be more impressed with this development if it didn't seem like a way to set up a sequel.
The romantic conflict in this book stems from Adrian's very difficult childhood and the physical scars he carries from surviving a fire when he was very young. He considers himself hideous and hides from the world, setting up the Beauty and the Beast dynamic. Except that the dynamic makes absolutely no sense. According to Adrian, and the comments of other members of the ton, he's hideously scarred. But, in fact, it's evident that he's not; there is some scarring around his eye but it clearly doesn't significantly mar his good looks. So why does society act as if he is a monstrous freak? He's the brother of an earl, independently wealthy, and still good looking, with some (at most) moderate scarring. The idea that a society still dedicated to marrying off its daughters to socially-appropriate men would write off a wealthy aristocrat because of some scars is unbelievable.
The other significant weakness is the cartoonish nature of the villain. He's an equal-opportunity rapist and torturer--he rapes kids of both sexes, as well as adult females. He's also an incredibly bad planner. The climax involves an abduction that makes no sense:
The romantic conflict in this book stems from Adrian's very difficult childhood and the physical scars he carries from surviving a fire when he was very young. He considers himself hideous and hides from the world, setting up the Beauty and the Beast dynamic. Except that the dynamic makes absolutely no sense. According to Adrian, and the comments of other members of the ton, he's hideously scarred. But, in fact, it's evident that he's not; there is some scarring around his eye but it clearly doesn't significantly mar his good looks. So why does society act as if he is a monstrous freak? He's the brother of an earl, independently wealthy, and still good looking, with some (at most) moderate scarring. The idea that a society still dedicated to marrying off its daughters to socially-appropriate men would write off a wealthy aristocrat because of some scars is unbelievable.
The other significant weakness is the cartoonish nature of the villain. He's an equal-opportunity rapist and torturer--he rapes kids of both sexes, as well as adult females. He's also an incredibly bad planner. The climax involves an abduction that makes no sense:
May 26, 2023
Behind The Mask
The following are my thoughts as I read this book. Adrian Strathmore…stepson to the Earl of Winters, younger brother to Lucien and twin to Morgan, scarred and disfigured as a child. Vanessa Bourke…an actress, tired of being a performer, desires to marry and have a family. It appears as if the H did not have a pleasant childhood but he and his brothers came up with a plan to ease their abuse. Hmmm it seems as if the H has a secret life that is somewhat dangerous. The h has found someone who brings her as much joy as she gives to him. The MCs finally meet but it is with secrecy on one side. Oh the h has decided to blackmail the H but it does not go as planned. The H has a great deal of hidden anger. The H gave the h her heart’s desire and she is caught off guard. There is a horrible villain and he has a vendetta against the H that may put the h in danger. First the H does a good act and then he treats the h horribly, tsk tsk. Ok maybe the MCs are finally working toward the same goal. The villain has finally made his move. Oh no tragedy has struck and it is really sad. Yea the H found the h but there is also sadness. The MCs got their HEA but there is some more to this story. This book is part of the Unmasking Prometheus series, book one. It deals with a very sensitive subject while also unwrapping a love story. There is adult language and steam. I can’t say more without giving spoilers, read further below for trigger warning.
Trigger…child sexual abuse.
The following are my thoughts as I read this book. Adrian Strathmore…stepson to the Earl of Winters, younger brother to Lucien and twin to Morgan, scarred and disfigured as a child. Vanessa Bourke…an actress, tired of being a performer, desires to marry and have a family. It appears as if the H did not have a pleasant childhood but he and his brothers came up with a plan to ease their abuse. Hmmm it seems as if the H has a secret life that is somewhat dangerous. The h has found someone who brings her as much joy as she gives to him. The MCs finally meet but it is with secrecy on one side. Oh the h has decided to blackmail the H but it does not go as planned. The H has a great deal of hidden anger. The H gave the h her heart’s desire and she is caught off guard. There is a horrible villain and he has a vendetta against the H that may put the h in danger. First the H does a good act and then he treats the h horribly, tsk tsk. Ok maybe the MCs are finally working toward the same goal. The villain has finally made his move. Oh no tragedy has struck and it is really sad. Yea the H found the h but there is also sadness. The MCs got their HEA but there is some more to this story. This book is part of the Unmasking Prometheus series, book one. It deals with a very sensitive subject while also unwrapping a love story. There is adult language and steam. I can’t say more without giving spoilers, read further below for trigger warning.
Trigger…child sexual abuse.
January 19, 2023
This is two of my most favourite troupe coming together. I have always loved wounded hero and also different classes. Adrian, pretending to be Prometheus, went to to Vanessa's house to ask her to look after a child that he has rescued for a night. Adrian had loved Vanessa since the first time he saw her on a stage as an actress and had been giving her poems and flowers. Vanessa is also interested in Adrian and at last founded out that Adrian is Prometheus. She then went to his house and exposed him because she wanted to be with him. Even though their marriage hadn't started in the right way, but Vanessa had shown Adrian how much she loved him even though he is scarred.
I really like the fact that he is scarred and Vanessa still love him. Vanessa also really love Adrian for Adrian and not for his looks and wealth. I really like how Adrian could not resist Vanessa even though he tried so so hard to do so, as he believed she was in it for wealth and at last Adrian was all soft for Vanessa. The action was really good and I really felt sorry for Morgan and Anne. I really love how close the brothers are and that they are always there for each other.
Looking forward to reading Lucien's book!!
I really like the fact that he is scarred and Vanessa still love him. Vanessa also really love Adrian for Adrian and not for his looks and wealth. I really like how Adrian could not resist Vanessa even though he tried so so hard to do so, as he believed she was in it for wealth and at last Adrian was all soft for Vanessa. The action was really good and I really felt sorry for Morgan and Anne. I really love how close the brothers are and that they are always there for each other.
Looking forward to reading Lucien's book!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2022
This was my first finish of the year. I liked the book but it took longer to read because, lately, I've been feeling a lot of anxiety when I get to certain things in books. This makes little sense since I've never been a victim of some of the things that are bothering me. Sexual crimes as suggested in this book. Nothing is described. Just implied. Also, when people are embarrassed or humiliated, it really bothers me. I, of course, have experienced that. So I put the book down for a day here and there.
The real thing that bothered me is a spoiler so I'm not going to discuss it much but I wish it hadn't happened that way. I think it is part of the set up for the third book. But I still hate it. It didn't seem fair. I really hope the bad guy gets what is coming to him. He is part of the larger, multi-book story arch. I guess I'm a vengeful person because I wish they had done him in at the end of this book.
I bought the next book right when I finished this one. That is usually a good sign that I really liked a book.
The real thing that bothered me is a spoiler so I'm not going to discuss it much but I wish it hadn't happened that way. I think it is part of the set up for the third book. But I still hate it. It didn't seem fair. I really hope the bad guy gets what is coming to him. He is part of the larger, multi-book story arch. I guess I'm a vengeful person because I wish they had done him in at the end of this book.
I bought the next book right when I finished this one. That is usually a good sign that I really liked a book.
January 30, 2025
This book is basically Victorian Batman if Batman's backstory was years of horrific emotional, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of his stepfather and -brother. Except this Batman is so careless about keeping his identify secret from his main antagonist that he puts his wife and pregnant sister-in-law in extreme risk. For a big part of the book, he's basically like "Well, I'm imperiling Roger's shady business and he knows exactly who I am and what I'm after but, whatever."
So it's not that good, the plot is tissue paper, none of the characters have any nuance whatsoever. But where I really lost my taste for what I was reading was when they had a woman die alone after just giving birth in a kidnapping situation (Vanessa couldn't even stay awake to hold her hand while she was bleeding out) CONVINCED THAT HER HUSBAND DIDN'T LOVE HER. I mean, I read romances for escapism and I know that sometimes characters will die. But honestly, Anne's death was so bleak. To give birth in a dark basement and bleed to death while your last thoughts are hope that your husband will someday find the love you think he deserves because he didn't love you . . . if this book had been better written, this scene would have ruined my day. As it is, it was just incredibly distasteful. Stop creating women just to kill them off in the hope it will create a better story for that guy's book in the series! Or if she dies, at least let her know that her husband did care for her.
So it's not that good, the plot is tissue paper, none of the characters have any nuance whatsoever. But where I really lost my taste for what I was reading was when they had a woman die alone after just giving birth in a kidnapping situation (Vanessa couldn't even stay awake to hold her hand while she was bleeding out) CONVINCED THAT HER HUSBAND DIDN'T LOVE HER. I mean, I read romances for escapism and I know that sometimes characters will die. But honestly, Anne's death was so bleak. To give birth in a dark basement and bleed to death while your last thoughts are hope that your husband will someday find the love you think he deserves because he didn't love you . . . if this book had been better written, this scene would have ruined my day. As it is, it was just incredibly distasteful. Stop creating women just to kill them off in the hope it will create a better story for that guy's book in the series! Or if she dies, at least let her know that her husband did care for her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2020
Masked Intentions
Unmasking Prometheus, Book 1
Diana Bold, author
A beautifully written storyline with well developed characters and plot.
This is Mr. Adrian Strathmore and Miss Vanessa Bourke's tale. Two lonely, scarred and troubled souls fine their way together via a little lost boy named Gabriel and Vanessa's acting career. As dispair and tragedy looms ahead of them, will their love prevail or forevermore be stolen from them?
A gut wrenching story that will definitely pull upon the readers heart strings. There is also a mysterious element to the storyline. I personally look forward to reading the second book in the series.
I was afforded an advanced reader copy of the book from the author. I leave this review of my own volition
Unmasking Prometheus, Book 1
Diana Bold, author
A beautifully written storyline with well developed characters and plot.
This is Mr. Adrian Strathmore and Miss Vanessa Bourke's tale. Two lonely, scarred and troubled souls fine their way together via a little lost boy named Gabriel and Vanessa's acting career. As dispair and tragedy looms ahead of them, will their love prevail or forevermore be stolen from them?
A gut wrenching story that will definitely pull upon the readers heart strings. There is also a mysterious element to the storyline. I personally look forward to reading the second book in the series.
I was afforded an advanced reader copy of the book from the author. I leave this review of my own volition
April 4, 2025
this was one of my spur of the moment purchases on stuff your kindle day. i didn't expect much from it but as a proud asian, you can't get me away from the free stuff.
but i was pleasantly surprised to find myself quite enjoying the story. i enjoyed the aristocratic victorian setting, as well as how heroic the adrian was. vanessa wasn't too bad herself, in fact, both characters were likeable. i found their adopted son (forgot his name already) adorable too, and i thought their romance was... palatable. it could have been worse.
the saving children from sex trafficking was also a good background story, and it's what drew me in to begin with. but yeah don't bother reading this unless you have half an hour to kill.
but i was pleasantly surprised to find myself quite enjoying the story. i enjoyed the aristocratic victorian setting, as well as how heroic the adrian was. vanessa wasn't too bad herself, in fact, both characters were likeable. i found their adopted son (forgot his name already) adorable too, and i thought their romance was... palatable. it could have been worse.
the saving children from sex trafficking was also a good background story, and it's what drew me in to begin with. but yeah don't bother reading this unless you have half an hour to kill.
September 14, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. It is the first book in the series and I think it is off to a great start. It is a beautiful love story full of lots of emotions. The storyline flowed smoothly and the plot twist kept me guessing. Adrian's backstory was so sad and his actions with the orphaned children really endeared me to him. I also enjoyed Vanessa's character, and the fact that she didn't let other people's opinions influence her own about Adrian. This was definitely a suspenseful and intriguing story and I really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 9, 2020
A life giving mission
He and his two brothers had devised the idea of Prometheus as boys, planning to use the masked, capped crusader to take revenge on their evil stepfather. But as Adrian grew into adulthood, the need to be out of the house and laboratory became increasingly important to his health and well being. So he'd donned the costume and begun a crusade against the Underbelly of London; those who kidnapped and put to work in brothels even young boys and girls.
You will have to search very hard to find a more touching story or well designed characters and plot. Enjoy!
He and his two brothers had devised the idea of Prometheus as boys, planning to use the masked, capped crusader to take revenge on their evil stepfather. But as Adrian grew into adulthood, the need to be out of the house and laboratory became increasingly important to his health and well being. So he'd donned the costume and begun a crusade against the Underbelly of London; those who kidnapped and put to work in brothels even young boys and girls.
You will have to search very hard to find a more touching story or well designed characters and plot. Enjoy!
March 6, 2022
1st story in the Prometheus series
This is Adrian and Vanessa's story. Adrian was badly burned in a fire that killed his father and turned his mother from him. When his mother remarried, the monsters that were her husband and stepson were extremely abusive to Adrian and his two brothers. As an adult, Adrian carried so much emotional baggage that Vanessa ended up blackmailing him into marrying her, even though she was very much in love with him. This is an interesting story, but not a completely happy one for all the characters and it definitely sets the scene for the rest of the series.
This is Adrian and Vanessa's story. Adrian was badly burned in a fire that killed his father and turned his mother from him. When his mother remarried, the monsters that were her husband and stepson were extremely abusive to Adrian and his two brothers. As an adult, Adrian carried so much emotional baggage that Vanessa ended up blackmailing him into marrying her, even though she was very much in love with him. This is an interesting story, but not a completely happy one for all the characters and it definitely sets the scene for the rest of the series.
January 30, 2024
Fast-paced. Scarred MMC. Actress FMC. Prometheus. Cross-class lovers.
👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼
1. I started this book and finished it in two hours. It was fast-paced and good
2. I liked the trope and how Vanessa and Adrian found each other.
3. I liked Adrian's brothers. They were brotherhood goals.
👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼
1. I felt like Adrian didn't seek closure. Everything was just rushed
2. I hated that 'that' person has to die
3. I didn't see the perpetrator get the punishment he deserved
👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼
1. I will definitely read the next books in the series
2. I'd definitely recommend it
👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼
1. I started this book and finished it in two hours. It was fast-paced and good
2. I liked the trope and how Vanessa and Adrian found each other.
3. I liked Adrian's brothers. They were brotherhood goals.
👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼
1. I felt like Adrian didn't seek closure. Everything was just rushed
2. I hated that 'that' person has to die
3. I didn't see the perpetrator get the punishment he deserved
👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼👩🏼❤️💋👨🏼
1. I will definitely read the next books in the series
2. I'd definitely recommend it
March 25, 2024
A fantastic re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast
The origin story for the hero's Prometheus is fantastic and is circled back to at the end of this story, setting us up for Book 2 in this series.
There's a scarred nobleman, an actress, and a secret identity. Even better, a masked hero saving children. All of this happens in just the first few chapters, and I was hooked.
When Vanessa falls for Adrian but is sure he won’t believe her, another layer of complexity is added. Just as that is starting to unravel to a stronger relationship, this turns into a romantic suspense. A heart-wrenching death, a miraculous birth, and an adoption complete this fast-paced love story and leave the reader wanting just enough to one-click Book 2.
An excellent read!
The origin story for the hero's Prometheus is fantastic and is circled back to at the end of this story, setting us up for Book 2 in this series.
There's a scarred nobleman, an actress, and a secret identity. Even better, a masked hero saving children. All of this happens in just the first few chapters, and I was hooked.
When Vanessa falls for Adrian but is sure he won’t believe her, another layer of complexity is added. Just as that is starting to unravel to a stronger relationship, this turns into a romantic suspense. A heart-wrenching death, a miraculous birth, and an adoption complete this fast-paced love story and leave the reader wanting just enough to one-click Book 2.
An excellent read!
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