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    A Noble Masquerade
    A Noble Masquerade
    A Noble Masquerade
    Audiobook10 hours

    A Noble Masquerade

    Written by Kristi Ann Hunter

    Narrated by Ann Marie Gideon

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Sparkling Regency Romance from a Captivating New Voice Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Entering her fourth Season and 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, a duke-with no intention of ever sending these private thoughts to a man she's heard stories about but never met. Meanwhile, she also finds herself intrigued by Marlow, her brother's new valet, and although she may wish to break free of the strictures that bind her, falling in love with a servant is more of a rebellion than she planned. When Marlow accidentally discovers and mails one of the letters to her unwitting confidant, Miranda is beyond mortified. And even more shocked when the duke returns her note with one of his own that initiates a courtship-by-mail. Insecurity about her lack of suitors shifts into confusion at her growing feelings for two men-one she's never met but whose words deeply resonate with her heart, and one she has come to depend on but whose behavior is more and more suspicious. When it becomes apparent state secrets are at risk and Marlow is right in the thick of the conflict, one thing is certain: Miranda's heart is far from all that's at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateSep 8, 2015
    ISBN9781490694634
    A Noble Masquerade
    Author

    Kristi Ann Hunter

    Kristi Ann Hunter is the author of the Hawthorne House series and a 2016 RITA Award winner, an ACFW Genesis contest winner, and a Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence winner. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. For more information, visit www.kristiannhunter.com.

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    Reviews for A Noble Masquerade

    4.5/5

    116 ratings19 reviews

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    • 2/5
      Decent plot, but the characters weren't very bright. The bad guy was so easy to pick out.
    • 4/5
      This was a very good read. I found the whole idea of diary-like letters written to a real person (with no intentions of ever mailing them!) to be very unique and very interesting! The fact that the valet mistakenly mails them makes it laugh-out-loud funny! I can understand how Lady Miranda is deeply mortified and probably wishes she'd curl up and die. I know I would if some of my most private thoughts were published on today's social media platforms.

      Kristi Ann Hunter made a great story out of this. There is romance, mystery, intrigue, and that element of humor all neatly tied up in this book. I would not mind moving on to the next book in the Hawthorn House series!
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed the storyline. Written long before Downton Abbey, it reminded me a bit of that. How proper Lady Miranda must behave though she did not want to act the lady, she was true to her emotions, ladylike or not. I enjoyed the humor of it all.
    • 3/5
      *THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS* I was sadly disappointed in this story. The premised sounded so interesting! But, it just fell flat. The center of heroine's, Miranda, internal conflict was her "longing to be bold and carefree" but she's a lady and has to act like one. But I never felt like she actually could be bold. So, she wants to cry or laugh whenever she feels like it, but can't, because she's a lady. How is that bold? It seemed Miranda often confused boldness with good manners. She wanted to be rude or emotional when the situation was better served by self-control - and then complained about being stifled. Compared to other stories I've read with "bold" female characters, Miranda felt tame and boring. And that whole her-trust-in-men-is-ruined thing? The author never explained that, just tossed it in when it seemed to move the plot along. It seemed like a more interesting point of character for the heroine, but one that was only used to create a plot point and not something that actually defined the character. Which is a pity. It's been done before, but the idea of a rich girl learning that most men only want her for her money can be used to give the heroine depth. But Hunter uses it poorly and vaguely, and added into all the other cliches, makes the story of jumble of hacked ideas.As for the hero, he seemed dull. There is allusions to a cruel childhood and some unpleasant family relations, but it felt like that was added to give him the cliched tragic past. It had little to do with his character or behavior. As for the villain - meh. The butler did it? Really? And it was his cousin - whom, according to the hero, they grew up like brothers and had all the same privilege and whose life he saved and then, wham! Suddenly, cousin is an evil guy? It made no sense.Also, a lot of the hero/heroine interaction seemed contrived. Lost in the woods together? Lame. They had little chemistry and no humor. The hero is desperate to marry heroine, she asks for three days to decided, then he doesn't show up to hear her answer and doesn't seem worried about it. If he was so desperate for her answer, how come he seemed not to care about missing their appointment. Often their interaction felt vague and shallow and cliched. I never really felt any struggle - and the letter thing - which sounded interesting in the blurb - was rather stupid and short lived, and felt forced. The duke sent the letter to himself? Stupid. It would have made better sense to have someone else mail the letter to the duke. I'd rather hoped for more of the story to center on the letters. Oh, and the Marlow-valet is actually the Duke thing - boring. Another cliched plot device - the heroine falls in love with the lowly servant - but, oh look, he's actually a fabulously wealthy duke!The secondary characters also felt contrived. Convenient best friends in both town and country. Older brothers who are perfect and protective, in particular the one who showed up out-of-nowhere. The pretty popular younger sister and the strict mother - these are cookie-cutter characters. The mother seemed to also be chiding Miranda but never the younger sister, and not in a "mom's favorite" sort of way, but in a "author needed a plot device" sort of way.There also seemed to be too many other plot devices - the evil aunt, the mysterious spy, the collection of criminals-turned-loyal-servants, the kidnapping and rescues - in the end, it was just jumbled and vague and not interesting.My last complaint is the God-Faith thing. That was just tossed in there randomly, with out order or believability. Half the time, I didn't realize she was actually praying - I thought she was just using God's name as an exclamation! The author's use of scripture and prayer as the thing that kept Miranda strong seems like a good idea, but it came off cheap. Miranda never actually struggled with her faith or doubt in God, and the things she was praying about seemed...trite. Yes, not getting married can be painful. But she's a wealthy, rich, much-loved young woman who - what? Didn't have the strength to make it through her oh-so-hard life? If she's read the bible that much, she would have picked up the idea of gratitude and stopped being such a twit about her circumstances.Hunter has the makings of a fine author. But she wants more practice. This book has too many early-write mistakes. Compared with books produced by some of the current greats - of even, okay - romance authors,it's clear that Hunter needs to step-up her game to make her work less cliched and more interesting.Prude Note: This is a CLEAN book - meaning, other than a few heated kisses, there is nothing sexual mentioned or described in the story.Note: I received this book free at part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program, in exchange for my fair and honest opinion
    • 3/5
      I described the prequel novella to this book, A Lady of Esteem as a good, light-hearted, fun read, and it was. As its big sister, A Noble Masquerade had many of the same admirable traits – a socially awkward and often unconventional heroine, with a big heart and a sense of adventure. Some- colourful family members as a supporting cast, and plenty of mishaps, and social customs of the ton that (admit it) most of us have come to love in Regency tales, as well as a sprinkling of romance, and intrigue with the espionage sub-plot.

      So on the plus-side it was an enjoyable, well-written novel. Light yet immersive, fun and (generally) clean. Yet- I didn’t enjoy it as much as the accompanying novella, and had a couple of major issues. I suppose the first of these could be described as something of an identity crisis in the plot, style and execution. The book, I think was meant to be light and fun (almost the point of regency spoof, I felt at times) but at the same time had some serious content with the espionage, scheming relatives, and possible seditious plot in the background.

      To me, these just did not always seem to mix very well, that it was hard to take one seriously alongside the other. I mean, Ryland was meant to be an experienced spy of many years- he’s not really meant to have been getting his head turned by pretty girls, or walking into traps. So I suppose I would say that some incidents and details seemed to be lacking in plausibility or credibility, and were perhaps resolved too quickly? Perhaps this situation was exacerbated by my finding things a bit hard to follow at times (I mean what did the relatives have to do with someone possibly feeding secrets to Napoleon- or were these two different situations altogether). Am I just being dense? Or perhaps this is a consequence of fast reading over several days.

      Putting this aside though- the language really was an annoyance. The odd Americanism in Regencies like this can be overlooked- but in this the characters speech and thoughts were literally crammed full of Americanisms and modern terms and phrases- as if no attempt had really been made to make this authentic for the period at all. Call me nit-picking, but British Aristocrats people in 1812 were not going to be using the word ‘Okay’ which originated as slang in New York/Boston nearly 30 years later. To me, such things damage the credibility of the setting, making it resemble some Regency Drama made by PBS with an exclusively American cast, trying, but not always succeeding, to sound ‘British’.

      Elsewhere, whilst It was great to see Miranda, eclipsed by her prettier younger sister getting some happiness, and coming into her own in the course of the book, and sometimes her unconventionality was quite endearing- at the end, some of her conduct could only be described as- really inappropriate. Okay, so kissing happens, it’s a Romance after all- and I have no issue with that.
      Nor could she help the situation she was in- but for a Lady of refined manners and breeding, to be sitting on a man’s lap- whilst they ate. And the man in question was a Gentleman- also raised to refinement and good manners. Readers can call me a prude all they want- but by the standards of the time, such behaviour could only be called lewd, totally unnecessary- and perhaps quite out of character.

      Altogether, A Noble Masquerade was worth reading, and I would certainly consider more by this author- but I think I still prefer other Regency writers. Perhaps this story was just a little too ambitious, with too many separate elements thrown it that were not always women together seamlessly.

      I received an electronic version of this book free from Bethany House via Netgalley for review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.
    • 5/5
      I didn't want the book to end. Kristi offers a romantice, mysterious plot taking the reader on a journey with a reluctant syp who encounters danger and intrigue at every turn. As lives entwine, love, trust, and truth are challenged. I'm definitely a fan and I'm waiting patiently for the next one....
    • 4/5
      Title: A Noble Masquerade (Hawthorne House Series)Author: Kristi Ann HunterPages: 368Year: 2015Publisher: BethanyMy rating is 4 stars.One of the main reasons I requested to review the book was because Kristi Ann Hunter is a new author and I wanted to see what she brought to her audience. The main female character, Lady Miranda, desired to break out of the societal constraints of her life, but kept that secret closely guarded until her brother’s new valet sends one of her letters to Duke Marshington. The letters were Miranda’s way of releasing her pent up feelings and desires were she to write them in a journal.Miranda’s problem is that she is attracted to her brother’s valet, but then she receives a response from the Duke that was never expected! There are Christian themes throughout the book, which I am glad to see in the novel as some publishers have not been publishing novels with any Christian themes even though they are clean. Readers will love the fast-paced action in the book and be entertained as they read how Miranda decides what to do with two men in her life.My knowledge of this era is very little, but the author does a great job of bringing humor to her first full length novel. If you desire to read the prequel, A Lady of Esteem, it is readily available as an ebook. I didn’t read the prequel and enjoyed this first book in the Hawthorne series. I look forward to the next installment. The novel will make a great gift for the readers you know whether family or friends!Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
    • 5/5
      Christian Historical Romance at its best. Lady Miranda tries to be a Lady and live up to her mother's expectations, but she has a rather wild streak that she likes to indulge. She is very close to her brother though. Having growing pains in this struggle and after four unsuccessful seasons, she decides to write letters to her brother's closest friend, a Duke, whom he speaks highly of - but only to vent and bare her soul, not to really send. These letters are kept in a secret place in her room. But somehow, she starts receiving responses to these letters. After her mortification wears off, she feels close in reality to her former fictional friend. But at the same time she is drawn to her brother's new manservant, which is really against all rules of society. Something mysterious is going on and there is more depth to the story than is apparent on the surface - and something dangerous. The unfolding story is very entertaining and enjoyable to read!Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Bethany House Publishers - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
    • 5/5
      I am normally wary of new authors. But this book sounded interesting. I really enjoyed this book. I like regency time period books and this one really delivered. A little romance, a little danger, a little confusion and you have a great read. I would definitely say add Kristi Ann Hunter to your buying list!
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book so much it was hard to put down. As I read the story, I laughed at the shenanigans of Lady Miranda Hawthorne. She was brought up to be a perfect lady at all times. Her mother would say, "would a lady act like that, or would a lady say that?" It was always a reminder that Miranda was being observed by others and always needed to be prim and proper. Miranda has always thought of herself as the plain one next to her beautiful sister. She takes to writing letters to her brother's friend Marsh. She pours out her heart to him, but never intends to actually mail them. Griffith has acquired a new valet named Marlow, but seems to be a bit out of place. He is not the typical valet and secretly is there as a spy. What does he think is going on in the household? Is it something that could damage a country? As a letter that Miranda has written to Marsh gets mailed by accident, she fears that she will be laughed at. As Marlow and Miranda start to develop a friendship, the laughs and adventure really take off. They get into some pretty tight spots and it is impossible at times not to snicker at their impossible journey. The book has mystery and great characters that are entertaining and intriguing. Will Miranda ever meet the man she writes letters to? Does Marlow's secret identity get revealed? What secrets are being shared by members in the household? Does Miranda find true love, or will she be destined to be a spinster? The book is light and refreshing and the author has a great sense of humor thst she brings to the story with ease. The story is rich in characters that grab your attention as you read about secrets, mysteries and romance in this delightful adventure that will keep you glued to the pages. I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Lady Miranda Hawthorne, sister of Griffith Hawthorne, Duke of Riverton, fears that she will never secure a suitable marriage mate and as a consequence will be relegated to a life of spinsterhood. Her younger and decidedly prettier sister, Georgina, is about to embark on her first Season, while Miranda is heading to her fourth. Miranda has survived her mother’s harrowing “lady lessons” over the years by writing letters which she never intends to mail to her brother’s friend the Duke of Marshington, who Griffith always spoke of when corresponding with Miranda while he was away at school. Affectionately known as Marsh, the Duke was more than a friend, he was Griffith’s protector, and his character appealed to Miranda. The letters she wrote and kept hidden away provided an escape. She could pour out her heart and release the anguish, discouragement and discontent she endured to a man who she had come to know and respect through Griffith’s missives; ever careful not to mail the letters, which would be committing the ultimate breach in the rules of etiquette, that of writing to a man of whom she has no family relation. Her brother Griffith is home now and he has brought a most interesting new valet, Marlow, to replace old Herbert. While Miranda has practically accepted her fate as a future doting aunt, and not wife and mother, she begins to admit to herself that Marlow is quite captivating indeed. But there’s a niggling feeling that something is amiss, and when she finds out the truth about this mysterious man all of the lady lessons involving rules of gentility, propriety and decorum will be tossed to the wind.Smart, witty, suspenseful, intriguing, illustrative, endearing and inspiring are all words that readily come to mind when describing A Noble Masquerade, a delightfully charming read. There was sufficient historical knowledge and verbiage to keep me stimulated and informed about the time period, but not to the point where a dictionary was constantly needed. And although this book is labeled inspirational fiction, it is not at all preachy or oversaturated with scriptural texts. I prefer this sort of mild christian fiction because I don’t have to be concerned about gratuitous violence, sex or foul language. I can safely enjoy the story without those distasteful elements. Also, I become highly perturbed when scriptures are misapplied or spiritual anecdotes seem to be thrown in for good measure, without any real basis for them. This was not the case with A Noble Masquerade. In fact I was only subtly reminded of its Christian aspects throughout reading, which was a plus for me.In conclusion, Kristi Ann Hunter’s prose was a welcoming diversion to the pressures of everyday life and consumed me until forced to abandon it until the next opportune reading time. A great book that’s highly recommended. In fact, I was so pleased by it I immediately visited her website and then downloaded a novella that she’s written based on a couple who were secondary characters in A Noble Masquerade.Thank you Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this lovely book in exchange for an honest review which I have given.
    • 5/5
      The cover on A Noble Masquerade speaks clearly of the Regency era. This novel uses a unique form of media...writing a journal in the form of a letter to an unnamed friend. Except, in this case, Lady Miranda actually does name him, but never intends to send the letter. It was a fun story in that i had no problem immersing myself completely into it. Kristi Ann wrote in such a way that from the very first page i had an affinity with Miranda. Georgina was spoiled, and second daughters can be. Griffith as the oldest child and a son had an image to uphold as well as a business to run, and as such demands respect. Marlow, the Duke of Marshington, Ryland and the other men vying for either girl’s attention were lower on my list for various reasons. Kristi Ann’s excellent use of imagery through the five senses brought this story alive. i had a hard time putting it down as the twists and surprises just kept on coming.Thank you to Graf-Martin Publicity Group and Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this novel. i received this book free in exchange for an honest review through Nuts About Books. A positive critique was not required. The opinions are my own.
    • 4/5
      Ever since she was quite young, Lady Miranda Hawthorne has sublimated her tempestuous emotions by writing -- not in a diary, but in secret letters to Marshington, one of her brother's school friends. Of course, she'd never mail the letters -- she doesn't even know the gentleman! But her brother's tales of his school exploits made Miranda think that Marshington might understand her impulsive nature better than her etiquette-conscious mother or her featherbrained younger sister. Now, Miranda is all grown up -- in fact, in her fourth Season, she's nearly a spinster. And where is the adult Marshington? He's gained a reputation as one of London's most elusive bachelors, rarely appearing in public. What the public doesn't know is that this elusiveness is due to his dangerous career as a spy catcher for the Crown. When an information leak seems to lead back to his old school friend's house, Marshington takes on one last assignment. Little does he know that this act will throw both his life and Miranda's into complete turmoil.I found this book generally enjoyable with just a few small flaws. Miranda's character type (the strong-minded woman who chafes at societal restrictions) is fairly common in this sort of story. In fact, the story itself is both typical and a little far-fetched -- I'm still not sure why Miranda's brother's home would be a likely place for spies, for instance. And Marshington, while generally charming, irritated me with his patronizing attitude toward women, though in retrospect, this was probably the most historically accurate aspect of the entire story! Fans of the genre will find plenty to like here. Though marketed as inspirational, the overtly Christian aspects of the story are slight, making this an enjoyable read for anyone looking for a clean Regency romance.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed reading this book. It's been a few months since I read it but I enjoyed reading it. It was a good enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      All of the elements readers love in Regency romance are to be found in "A Noble Masquerade"--a delightful debut work from author Kristi Ann Hunter. This inspirational historical romance with touches of humor and mystery will keep the reader's interest, and they will smile as they turn the pages. Lady Miranda Hawthorne comports herself as a proper lady, even while in the tenure of her fourth London season. Since childhood, her longing for a life of freedom and adventure has been secretly detailed in unsent missives written to Marshington, an old school friend of her brother, Griffith. When one of the letters is discovered by Griffith's new valet Marlow, and the man mails the letter to Marshington--now the grown up Ryland Montgomery, Duke of Marshington--complications ensue. Miranda is equally captivated by Marlow and by Ryland, who begins to correspond with her. As confusing emotions swirl around Miranda, intrigue builds and tensions increase. Who will Miranda choose when mysteries are resolved and true identities are revealed? Through it all faith has a guiding hand, and when all is said and done, will love and a hopeful future be the heart's reward? Review Copy Gratis Library Thing
    • 5/5
      Living the life of nobility can be oppressive and demanding. There are restrictions for every aspect of life. Lady Miranda longs to be free of the expectations placed on her, but will she have the courage to stand up to her mother and her "lady lessons"?"A lady never posted letters to an unrelated male. But the very writing of his name made her feel dangerous."Lady Miranda Hawthorne has been raised to be the epitome of poise and grace, but everything inside of her screams to rebel. She pours her heart out on paper, in letters she never sends, to her brother's childhood friend, the Duke of Marshington. She is approaching her fourth London season when Marlow, the handsome new valet to Lady Miranda's brother, accidentally mails one of these letters. She is mortified, until she receives a reply. Conflicted with her growing attraction for two men, her life is quickly changing in ways she never thought possible. She soon realises however, that there is more at stake than her heart. Miranda has had to hide behind the mask she have been expected to wear for so long. Hiding her true personality and identity. But the time has come for her to become the person she was created to be."'A Lady never sits on the floor.' A lady probably wasn't supposed to crawl on her belly through the dirt either."A Noble Masquerade is a fabulous story from beginning to end! Kristi Ann Hunter has done a marvelous job with her debut novel! I was completely captivated by the intrigue and espionage. I was surprised more than once when the story line went in a different direction than I anticipated. The faith was natural and the romance genuine and clean. Kidnappings, traitors, witty humour and masquerades will keep you turning the pages of this remarkable story. This is a book that I will enjoy reading over and over again. I can not wait for Mrs. Hunter's next book!I received a free advanced reading copy of A Noble Masquerade from Bethany House Publishers through Library Thing in exchange for my honest review.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, well written and different. I look forward to reading more books by Kristie Hunter. Thank you.
    • 3/5
      This was a sweet & delightful read. Miranda was plucky, sensitive and quite resourceful and didn't come across as annoying. The espionage angle probably was my favorite thread of the story and I don't think that's a bad thing. I was positive Miranda was going to get her Happily Ever After no matter how fraught her marriageable status seemed so I invested myself in the Spy vs. Spy stuff instead. I will say that it all tied in very well together and that made this a page turner that I found easy to pick up and had it calling me back when I set it down. This historical wasn't as immersive as it could have been as some things in tone and character thought process & speech was modern but I find that can be a common enough thing so it didn't ruin the read for me. I would suggest that if you're one who gets thrown out of the story & can't go on when such things crop up, tread carefully here. I'd read another by the author and if this book turns out to be a first in a series, I'd read on.I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
    • 4/5
      Almost as good as a Georgette Heyer. Hunter wrote a complicated story that held together pretty well. The two protagonists were well rounded characters, though perhaps more attention could have been given to a few of the side kicks.Set during the Napoleonic Wars, it doesn't really qualify as a Regency period novel, but I admit that it was that designation that caught my interest.My advice to the author is to sharpen the humor a bit more, spend a bit more time describing the period culture and môde, and continue to write!