Masquerade
August 25, 2010
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Masquerade Bethany House (August 1, 2010) by
Nancy Moser
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty inspirational novels. Her genres include contemporary stories including John 3:16 and Time Lottery, and historical novels of real women-of-history including Just Jane(Jane Austen) and Washington’s Lady (Martha Washington). Her newest historical novel is Masquerade. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She’s earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Sister Circle Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included. Find out more at
www.nancymoser.com and www.sistercircles.com.
ABOUT THE BOOK
1886, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine.
She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. She wants a chance at “real life,” even if it means giving up financial security. For Charlotte, it’s a risk she’s willing to take. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival amid poverty beyond Charlotte’s blackest nightmares.
As for Dora, it’s the chance of a lifetime. She lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions–yet is tormented by guilt from the possibility of discovery and the presence of another love that will not die. Is this what her heart truly longs for?
Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It’s a risk. It’s the chance of a lifetime.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Masquerade, go HERE.
View the book trailer:
Sally Says: I really loved the premise of this story — a high-society English girl and her maid switch places so that the spoiled English girl can have a life of her own and marry for love. Lately, New York’s Gilded Age has fascinated me, and I’ve read a lot of novels set during that time.
The one negative about that era is that the heroines all seem the same in the beginning of the books. They’re rich, spoiled, and live only for their debut. That was initially true of the heroine in Siri Mitchell’s She Walks in Beauty and also true of Charlotte, the heroine of Masquerade.
Fortunately, the story was deeper than the initial shallowness Charlotte portrayed. And while the switch didn’t come right away in the book like I’d expected, Moser’s storytelling was strong enough to still make the part leading up to the switch intriguing.
Masquerade was a very fun, somewhat light twist on the usual Gilded Age plot. I enjoyed the journey with Charlotte and Dora and found myself sure of what would happen to one yet very unsure of what would happen to the other. If you like historical fiction or romance, I think you’ll enjoy Moser’s Masquerade.
Comments
2 Responses to “Masquerade”
Hi Sally!
I just found your site and I’m so excited… I LOVE fiction… and I can’t wait for your contest! But even more, I’m superexcited to find a review site where I can get advice on which books to buy!!
Erin, I LOVE fiction, too! The contest is on hold right now for a number of reasons; I should update that front page. But I’m hoping to be able to do it. I post more about books I read on Facebook if you’re there.