Wilson is such an amazing writer. She easily pulls me not only into the time period, but the story line as well. I loved Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

A young woman on her way to a better life, leaving her troubled past behind her. A handsome lord who spies for the Crown, posing as a highwayman to rob a stagecoach. If that sounds a trifle familiar to you, then you must have read Wilson’s debut novel, In the Shadow of Croft Towers, like I did. I loved that novel – and I loved the nod to it at various times throughout Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey. You don’t need to have read one to read the other, though; they work just as well as standalones and have their own respective dynamics and tone, apart from each other.

Oh Elizabeth & Adrian, how I love thee. I adored the slow burn romance between them and the delicious tension that a marriage of convenience creates, not to mention their individual personalities. Elizabeth is a strong heroine, both independent and intelligent, and I appreciated the layers that her unique situation added to the plot. She’s been wounded in love, and the secrets she carries with her may undo everything she and Adrian are beginning to build between them. I loved their late-night conversations in their shared sitting room, especially getting that front row seat to their growing affection and easy camaraderie. And Adrian… pardon me a brief twitterpation of heart. He has secrets too, and the further we unearth them the more I fell in love with him. He’s just such a genuinely good man, and he is exactly what Elizabeth needs.

Bottom Line: Abigail Wilson’s writing voice is so engaging and evocative, immersing you completely in the story world and holding you captive there until the last page. The words flow effortlessly in Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey and keep the story moving along at a steady but comforting pace, and the characters? They are layered and relatable, despite the differences between our time periods. Mystery and secrets also abound in this story, adding intrigue to the narrative and turning the mood quite delightfully atmospheric more than once. Gothic, romantic, and compelling, this is another richly-written must-read from Abigail Wilson!

(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I read via Kindle Unlimited.)

Mystery, intrigue, plot twists. I love the era and the setting of this book. Regency mixed with romance and mystery is the perfect recipe for a book that will hold your attention. This may not have been my favorite of this author's, nevertheless, I was glued to the edge of my seat till the end.

A marriage of convenience, a murderer, and the dastardly French make for a lively and engaging tale in Abigail Wilson’s Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey. Wilson’s signature flair for Regency with a Gothic tone is readily apparent as Elizabeth Cantrell narrates this tale of murder, espionage, duty, and love. As she comes to know her husband, Adrian Radcliffe, Lord Torrington, Elizabeth slowly learns to trust him with everything except the identity of her son’s father. In the atmospheric environs of Middlecrest Abbey, secrets abound, and the consequences could be deadly.

I adore Abigail Wilson’s Regency Romances and Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey is no exception. What fun to have Elizabeth, formerly of Croft Towers, as the heroine and for Lewis Browning, nearly a neighbor as the Abbey is close to the River Grey, make an appearance. Also of note is that the author’s upcoming release (Within These Gilded Halls, out October 4, 2022) has Phoebe Radcliffe as the heroine.

If you enjoy your Regency with a touch of the Gothic, this is one not to miss. Recommended.

This review refers to a temporary digital galley I voluntarily read via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

It comes off as a sweet romance, with allusions to some mature topics. As for being categorized under Christian Fiction, there's barely any spiritual content there, much to my dismay. Still, it was a nice read!

A little Jane Austen and a little Jane Eyre - a Regency romantic suspense - loved it!
Looking forward to reading more from Ms. Wilson as there is just the right touch of clean romance, suspense, historical detail, and faith.

This was such a lovely book and I can't believe it took me so long to decide to read it! The regency vibes were perfectly Pride and Prejudice-esque and I loved loved loved both of the main characters, Especially Adrian. *swoon* The mystery had me on my toes and I had no idea what was going on most of the time, but in the most delightful way. Abigail Wilson's books are so underrated, but they are must-reads if you love regency era fiction and romance!

Ms. Wilson is a new-to-me author, so I didn't know what to expect when I picked this book up. The summary sounded interesting and intriguing and I have to say I was not disappointed. The story is set in 1815 when England and France were still at war. While there certainly is romance woven into the story, mystery and intrigue is what truly stole the show. Complete with undercover secret agents and a murder mystery this was definitely a page-turner and kept me engaged the whole time. The writing was well done and the story flowed smoothly. The characters were also well-defined and believable and I enjoyed following their story. Ms. Wilson also did a very nice job of bringing about an authentic quality to the story and making it come to life. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of her work.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Really enjoyed the Gothic/ murder mystery vibes. The h/H relationship was good and I thought the story developed well. This was my first book by Abigail Wilson and I really liked her writing style. An enjoyable easy read. Would be fun to read around Halloween!!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the arc. All opinions are my own.

While traveling to her new position as housekeeper for a friend, Elizabeth Cantrell and her son Isaac were accosted by a highwayman, and the coach in which they were riding was destroyed. Once Elizabeth regained consciousness, she found herself in a bedroom with the said highwayman, who turned out to be Adrian, Lord Torrington, who was a spy for the British crown. In order to avoid any improprieties, Lord Torrington proposed marriage, and as Elizabeth had few options because of the circumstances surrounding her son’s birth, she agreed. The journey to Middlecrest Abbey was uneventful, but after Lord Torrington’s announcement of his marriage, strange things began to happen. His eldest daughter, Juliana, had her own wedding mere days away, and her young man was inexplicably murdered before the marriage could take place. Elizabeth assists Adrian in gathering clues and speaking with the staff, but it seems everyone at Middlecrest has secrets they need to keep.

Set in 1815, at a time when an unwed mother would have been a terrible scandal, I applauded Elizabeth for keeping her son and doing her best to protect him, even to the point of not informing her new husband that her son was also his nephew. The intrigue brought about by Adrian’s spy assignments, the murder, and the clues surrounding it made for a satisfying read. I enjoyed my time at Middlecrest and plan to seek out more from this author.

An inspirational romance with a little intrigue. Perfect for lovers of historical fiction. I found this book to be engaging and the perfect distraction.

I love the mystery Abby bring to her historical romance novels. You will be hooked until the very end.

A very well written regency romance/ mystery. I received an ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

Abigail Wilson quickly became an addition to my list of must-read authors, and this is my favorite of her books yet! After Elizabeth Cantrell is mistakenly accosted on the road by Lord Adrian Torrington, their marriage of convenience quickly lands Elizabeth and her young son Isaac in the middle of a dangerous plot unfolding in the shadows of Middlecrest Abbey.

The mystery was deliciously Gothic, the atmosphere perfectly creepy and the romance a slowly burning with plenty of sparks flying. I couldn’t stop turning pages as new clues were discovered and answers lurked just around the next corner.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Romance, espionage, intrigue, mystery! This story had it all. Elizabeth is a young unwed mother who is held up by a highwayman. Lord Torrington is a spy posing as a highwayman who inadvertently holds up the wrong coach. To protect his cover, and reputation, he whisks Elizabeth to his estate with the intention of marriage. Unbeknownst to him, he is the uncle of Elizabeth's son. This makes for a riveting read.
Thank you Abigail Wilson, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

This was my first book by this author and I was really impressed.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! I would label it a romantic mystery, heavy on the mystery. I loved the characters a lot and will read more from this author. Not steamy but I was still satisfied at the end.

In this new Regency romance, a young unwed mother must protect her heart from the charms of her convenient new husband, Lord Torrington. She is not, however, prepared to protect her life.
A tale of romance and intriguing characters this story is not to be missed.

There’s no doubt that Abigail Wilson knows how to create atmosphere with her words, particularly the kind of Gothic atmosphere that seems to pair so well with a Regency setting. Unfortunately, I felt as though this story didn’t have the substance to do her words justice. Notwithstanding the dramatic opening and the fact that there’s a murderer to find, there wasn’t anything mysterious or sinister about any of the characters, particularly the hero, Torrington. I had my suspicions about who the culprit was early on, and although the overall picture turned out to be bigger than I originally guessed, there was a kind of inevitability about it that sucked the marrow out of the story.

As mentioned, Wilson makes good use of descriptive writing, however the dialogue, and even the narrative at times, was too on the nose for me, particularly for a novel that’s trying to create an air of mystery and suspense. There were also times when the phrasing pulled me out of the novel, for example obvious Americanisms such as “I hadn’t even considered what all she might apprise me of,” and oddly enough, obvious Heyerisms, such as the exclamation “’Pon rep!” It felt a bit…affected to me—jarring rather than authentic—but maybe that’s just me?

The other thing that was disappointing for me was the lack of any chemistry between the hero and heroine, which made it difficult to become invested in them as a couple. Readers who are looking for atmospheric writing and a bit of mystery will get the most enjoyment out of this novel.

Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey was my first book by Abigail Wilson, and it will not be my last as fans of Julie Klassen have found another great author. Elizabeth Cantrell is starting over with a new life in a new location as she is an unwed mother. On her journey to her new home, her carriage is attacked, and the highwayman ends up proposing marriage to save her reputation and to keep his spy mission secret. The highwayman is not your typical criminal but really Lord Torrington who just happens to be the brother of the baby's father. Add in a murder and a few other surprising twists, and you have a great novel!

I do love a marriage of convenience that is done well.

Elizabeth was on her way to accept a position as a housekeeper when her carriage was accosted by a highwayman. Her first concern was her son and then there was the fact that the highwayman seemed familiar. Hmmm...

Elizabeth and Lord Torrington marry to protect her and his mission as a spy for the Crown. Both of them are keeping vital secrets from each other. Both of their secrets could upset the tenuous relationship they are forming.

This book was fun to read. I loved both Elizabeth and Lord Torrington. He is such a good main character. As the story progressed I found more things to admire about him. Elizabeth is curious about the world and devoted to the people she loves. I really liked her too.

The suspense is fantastic. I loved as they teamed up to investigate a murder mystery and who is the spy for the French. Seriously. So good. I had inklings about a few of them, but there are some curveballs. I love how Abigail Wilson pulls it all together.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.