Blog Tour: Masquerade by Joanna Taylor

Blurb: A street-girl and a lord? London is poised for scandal ... Bestselling author Joanna Taylor delivers captivating historical romance.

Can a street-girl fool Regency London? 

Lizzy Ward never meant to end up working the streets of Piccadilly. So when a mysterious lord pursues her, it seems her fortunes are changing. 

But Lord Hays wants feisty Lizzy for more than a night. He needs her to masquerade as his companion. 

So can a street-girl navigate the fashion and faux pas of London society? And will Lizzy’s wild heart be too much temptation for Lord Hays?

First of all I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: The first thing that caught my attention from this tittle was the stunning cover. Only looking at it I had the feeling it was going to be a beautiful and captivating story. I'm glad to say that I was not wrong. Set in Regency London, Masquerade takes us to a completely different era, where street girls do all they can and use all their tricks to win some coins, selling their bodies but not their hearts. But soon you realise Lizzy Ward, our heroine is destined for much more than that.

She is clever, kind and witty. So when Lord Hays offers to pay for her services as a companion for a whole week, she sees it as an opportunity to leave her meagre life behind and finally opt for something more. What she doesn't expect is to fall in love... 

I have to admit that more than once I couldn't help comparing the story a bit to Pretty Woman but a hundred years before. But it being one of my favourite films, the similarities didn't bother me. 

Lord Hays was such a gentleman. I really liked reading about him and how he opened up to Lizzy. I think she made him a better man. My favourite scene in the book is definitely when they go to a masquerade ball. I can't imagine how those balls must have been back then but Joanna certainly gives us quite a clear image. That's one thing I love about historical fiction, they take you to a completely different time, and Masquerade does it easily. With detailed descriptions of the fashion, the customs and manners of that time.

I'd say Masquerade is a cute lighthearted story about falling in love with the person you shouldn't. The novel is quite easy to read, I finished it in a couple of sittings and really enjoyed it. Do not expect a lot of depth, twists and turns, it has quite a simple story line, but well executed. 

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