MY REVIEW:
Kristi Ann Hunter has combined a historical England setting with a spunky heroine, a dashing hero, witty dialogue, lots of humor, and just the right amount of romance and intrigue to produce a perfectly entertaining tale in her debut full-length novel. This tangled tale revolves around a young woman who instead of writing in a journal has spent years writing letters containing her innermost thoughts to her brother’s best friend Marsh but never mailing them. The fun begins when Marsh accidentally gets hold of one of the letters and proceeds to write back to Miranda. Despite her mortification, she continues to write to him and they get to know each other through the letters. Little does she know that she actually knows him better than that!
To be absolutely truthful, I am finding it difficult to write this review without spoilers. I liked the fact that the hero and heroine were not perfect and that their relationship grew over the course of the book rather than being a love-at-first-sight kind of attraction. The inclusion of a strong Christian message was welcome but not overdone in my opinion. I like that Bethany House has not compromised on that facet of their books. Perhaps some of the language used was too modern for the time period as some reviewers have mentioned, but it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. In fact, I was probably too involved in the story to notice. This was such a fun and yet suspenseful book that I hope to find time to read it again soon.
Thank you, Bethany House for taking a chance with another new author. Kristi Ann Hunter is a keeper and I look forward to reading many more novels from her.
This book was provided for review by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not in a diary but in letters to her brother’s old school friend, the Duke of Marshington. Since she’s never actually met the man she has no intention of ever sending the letters and is mortified when her brother’s mysterious new valet, Marlow, mistakenly mails one of the letters to the unsuspecting duke.
Shockingly, this breach of etiquette results in a reply from the duke that soon leads to a lively correspondence. Insecurity about her previous lack of suitors soon becomes confusion as Miranda finds herself equally intrigued by Marlow, a man she has come to depend upon but whose behavior grows more suspicious by the day. As the secret goings-on at her family’s estate come to light, one thing is certain: Miranda’s heart is far from all that’s at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.
Read an excerpt from A Noble Masquerade.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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Kristi Ann Hunter graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Computer Science but always knew she wanted to write. Kristi is an RWA Golden Heart contest winner, an ACFW Genesis contest winner, and a Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence winner. She is a founding member and the coordinator of the Regency Reflections blog and lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. Find her online at www.kristiannhunter.com.
