Cover Image: Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey

Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey

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This would’ve been a five star rating had it not started dragging. We have villains. Brooke, her husband‘s brother was a spy and a villain. Adrian was our hero. Together they bring you around wondering Who did it. Finally at the end we learn how terrible Brooke was. But somehow it took a little too long to get there

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I personally prefer a little more physical action in my historical romances, so this wasn't quite for me. However, if you're a fan of Jane Austen and detective work, this historical romance is perfect. A woman on the verge of ruin finds the perfect lifesaver in a quick marriage to protect a British spy's cover, but she gets pulled into the drama and danger of his investigation. There's romance, suspense, mystery, and societal drama.

The pace of the first few chapters was too fast, so the plot development felt very rushed. The bonds that the male and female protagonists build with secondary characters was good, but I didn't like that we didn't see more insight into the male protagonist's feelings, so the romance felt underdeveloped to me. And I could have done with a little more kissing.

NOTE: I looked up the author on Goodreads after I wrote this, and realized that the book was part of a "series." It would be REALLY helpful to note that in the book's marketing; it would go a long way in making more sense of the French spy storyline.

All in all, Masquerade was a decent Regency romance.

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I really liked this book, it has a mixture of romance and mystery, which made it a fun read. The main character, Elisabeth, is a very fierce and protective mother that has been burned in the past. It is because of her past that keeps her closed off from the people around her, especially Adrian, who is her handsome husband that has swept her off her feet. But with their new marriage comes, darkness that threatens the people that Elisabeth and Adrian care about the most. It is up to the two of them to figure out what is going on in the manor to protect themselves and the people that they love.

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Am I the only one obsessed with @acwilsonbooks ? Everyone writes Regency, it's true. But there is a consistent intelligence and diamond cut voice to Wilson's books. They're just sooo smart. Gothic enough, sure. Meltingly romantic and with such assured pacing that every carefully crafted scene makes up a kind of delicate Jenga game. Pull one little element and the beauty of her intricately created world would fall. She has such a brilliant handle on the customs and traditions as well as authentic voice of the day. Her first person narratives never once straddle into modern vernacular. She just does historical fiction so well. Soooo wellll. Oh and look! Covers. ( also her heroes are dishes. Smart. Complex. Dishes)

I truly enjoyed this tale of love tenuously found against the trial and very real hardship of past betrayals. Two tender hearts must find strength in an unconventional union despite the barriers of the circumstance that brought them together and against the ongoing war with France. Intelligent use of espionage, a fully realized and believable world and the cherished bonds of family ---at their worst and best--- are prevailing themes in this unique Regency.


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This was a great book and truly kept me on the edge of my bed. I honestly could not have guessed the ending.
You have to read this. This was a clean romance!

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This is the second book I have read from this author and I believe her third published; she captured me with Midnight on the River Gray, and solidified her place on my favorites list with this story.

Regency romances are fun to read for me because they are plot based and character driven. This is the perfect example of that. It has mystery, angst, tension, passion and real life issues that are all mixed together to make an entertaining and fun read.

The characters are unique and fierce, determined and real. I love the character’s personalities and their willingness to go to extra lengths to protect what was theirs. I also like that they were multi layered so that they really jump off the page.

The mystery is fun and I would have never guessed the culprit! The author as a way with weaving her stories so no clue is left undiscovered or any offhanded comment unimportant. This story is like playing a game of Regency English Clue!!

I also liked that the romance aspect of the story, while not dominate was perfectly balanced and true to the era. I would classify this as a regency mystery with a bit of romance. I LOVE it. I need this in paperback to add to my collection!! I received an ARC via NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing and am leaving an honest review.

#NetGalley #MasqueradeAtMiddleCrestAbby #AbigilWilson #ThomasNelson #RegenceRomance #Mystery

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This is my first time reading this author and now I find that I‘ll have to go collect her other books...

Elizabeth is on her way to take up a housekeeper position where she can keep her young son with her when tragedy strikes. She’s already had a challenging life that had her ending up with a child and no husband. When her carriage is attacked and crashes her life takes a turn. The man who seemed to be there to rob her isn’t exactly there for that reason. Adrian is a spy sent to intercept an important message before it can be passed to a French spy. Instead what he finds is a young mother and her son. After the incident it becomes necessary, at least in Adrian’s mind, to marry Elizabeth to ensure her safety and to keep his mission a secret. With few options available to her and the future of her child to think about she agrees to a marriage of convenience. Even though unknown to her new husband his younger brother is the man who betrayed her and left her alone and pregnant. Adrian then takes Elizabeth and her son Issac back to his home.... where his oldest daughter is just days away from her wedding. There’s a house full of guests and immediately she finds that the groom is an old friend of hers.

Pretending to be in the middle of a whirlwind romance does not come easy for Elizabeth. She also had to contend with her new husband’s 16 and 18 year old daughters, his wicked witch of a mother-in-law and the young man with mysterious origins that he took in along with a house full of people. If that wasn’t enough to deal with a murder occurs destroying the plans for the wedding. Between dealing with the family, trying to solve a murder and a mystery and Elizabeth is trying to keep her secret and guard her heart against falling for her husband. Which is proven to be no easy task. The past the present and the truth collide with devastating consequences. Elizabeth is left fighting for her future and those she loves.

I really enjoyed this book the mystery keeps you guessing till the end. Some of it I could guess but I never imagined who the killer ended up being. And now I’m off to go read the other books by this author.

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Wow! This is a very exciting book! A real page turner! It begins with a carriage accident. Elizabeth and her young son, Isaac, are attacked by a highwayman, only to be rescued by the same man. She wakes up in an inn with this same man beside her. His name is Adrian and soon they find themselves married for convenience sake. He takes her to his estate, and a day or two later a man, an old friend of hers, is killed during a party, days before he is to be married to Adrian's oldest daughter. There is a mystery to solve, and they work together to piece it all together. Excellent writing! Fantastic story with an exciting ending! Loved it!

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Picking up a NG book from a new author is always a gamble, but I'm glad I got this one.

What an amazing story! It's got a Gothic tone, lots of tension, a mystery, bad guys, Christian themes, and a super fabulous romance! I couldn't put it down.

Elizabeth is a strong character with her share of troubles and worries, and the story starts with an accidental attack. She and her son Isaac (who's the cutest toddler) are taken by Lord Torrington to his home to recover. To keep her reputation and his spy service a secret, Adrian proposes a marriage of convenience and Elizabeth agrees.

What can I say about Adrian? *sigh* What a hero. He admits to his past mistakes and he's truly repented from his former life. He's attentive, protective, and he plays on the floor with little Isaac by himself. *fanning and sighing* He's so charismatic and genuine, it's impossible not to fall in love with him. Elizabeth never stands a chance and neither does the reader.

A marriage of convenience story has to be done well and this one delivered. The setting added depth and the secondary characters were also indispensable to the narrative. And the twist? Can't say I saw it coming (there was one like that made me suspect something, but not for resolving the mystery).

I can't say enough about it and will mostly likely read the author's other books.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

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This is the first book I have read in this series and I was hooked from the very beginning. There are three books and I think characters overlap, however, I do not think they are dependent on the other. Elizabeth Cantrell is travelling to Dover with her infant son Isaac and they are stopped by a highwayman and the coach overturns. Elizabeth is injured as is her coachman and the highwayman is helping them? Turns out he is Lord Torrington and a spy for the Crown trying to intercept a missive meant for the French. He takes Elizabeth to an inn but is seen by people they both know and he offers marriage to Elizabeth. The twist is Isaac is technically Adrian’s (Lord Torrington) nephew. Elizabeth believed she was to marry his brother Brook and when she was with child he abandoned her. She has been living with her cousin and her husband Curtis (also a spy). She accepts the offer of marriage and agrees they must act as if this is a love match as Lord Torrington has vowed he would never marry again. Elizabeth agrees to play her part. As they arrive at the household is preparing for Adrian’s daughters marriage to Giles who happens to be an old childhood friend of hers. He asks her to meet her the next day as he has something he wants to talk to her about as he fears he can trust no one. The next day Giles is murdered and Lord and Lady Torrington work as a team to find the killer. I enjoyed this book so much. It pulled me and I stayed up late to finish it. I have gone back and ordered the first in the series and will order the second as well. I used to read regency romances a long time ago and have been primarily a mystery reader, however, this gave me both and neither element (the romance or mystery) overwhelmed the other. Highly recommend and will be looking for more from this author!

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There's only one thing I like less than a romance written in first person and that's a historical romance written in first person.

I was quite looking forward to reading this book but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it due to the narrative. DNF at 20%.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

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Wow! does not begin to do this book justice! This is an incredible book. It starts off with a bang and builds from there. The story is told by Elizabeth Cantrell who finds herself suddenly married to the highwayman/spy, Adrian Torrington. Elizabeth is taken back to Adrian's home, Middlecrest Abby, where she meets his family preparing for his daughter's wedding. When things start to happen, Elizabeth helps Adrian protect her son and her new family. This is such an incredible story, Not only from the mystery and intrigue of the story but also the dynamics of Elizabeth and Adrian's relationship. This book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what happens next. I could not put it down until I had finished it. I loved this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

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Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey was a delightful read in many different ways and I am so glad that I got the chance to read it. This is the first book I have read from Abigail Wilson and I see that I will need to catch up on her previous two books with some of the same characters. However, not having read them, I didn't feel like I was missing any information or needed to have read them in order to enjoy Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey.

This was a very well thought out regency mystery with well developed characters that pulled you in from the start and you didn't want to stop reading until you finished the book and solved the final puzzle. The plot is unique and refreshing. Some things I could guess, but there were still some twists that you didn't see coming. I can imagine it must've been quite the challenge to create so many characters and backstories, insert clues and mystery, all while the main characters are learning and growing and developing their personal relationship. Abigail Wilson takes you to a time and place that you can almost see for yourself from her descriptive writing. The text was true for the time period and I learned a little bit that about the customs that I hadn't known before.

The "masquerade" is more symbolic and no actual masquerade (ball) takes places. It seems that most of the characters are in some way wearing a mask and have something to hide or overcome. The main characters, Adrain and Elizabeth, were fun to read about and of course Adrian is pretty swoony and seems like the perfect person to have on your side. They had both struggled for so long with their individual past, demons and trust issues that when they get their happily ever after you can't help but be happy for them. Of course, the road to happily ever after is never easy and Adrian and Elizabeth showed how to build and gain trust and work together. Like Elizabeth said, you are actually free when you can let go of pain and fear and I think that's a good lesson to learn from this book.

I recommend this book and enjoyed reading it. I was given a copy in exchange for my review of this book. All opinions stated are honest and my own.

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Miss Elizabeth Cantrell and her infant son are on their way to her new employment when they are accosted on the way by a highwayman, causing her carriage to crash. Only - things are not as they appear. The highwayman is none other than the brother to her absent son's father, Lord Adrian Torrington, who happens to be a spy for the crown. To save her reputation when she falls unconscious, Lord Torrington claims Elizabeth is his wife. Soon after, he procures a special license to wed and whisks both her and her son away to Middlecrest Abbey. But when the fiance to Lord Torrington's daughter is murdered, the house is thrown into upheaval. Will the find the culprit in time?

This book hooks readers right from the start. You have murder, mystery, and romance all combined into this amazing book. Abigail Wilson keeps us on our toes throughout and you will not know who the culprit is until the very end! What a delightful read, I cannot wait to read more from Ms. Wilson.

This book was given to me an an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

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WOW!! This book is absolutely amazing in every way! It is suspenseful, romantic, and hooks you from the very first sentence to the last. Every time I picked up "Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey", I felt like I was whisked away back to Regency Era England, and felt like I was a part of the story.

This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Wilson, and I can't wait to read many more! She writes in such a way that all of the characters, events, conversations, interactions, and descriptions, etc. feel incredibly real, vivid, and authentic. I found myself very clearly able to envision the characters and locations throughout the novel.

If you love Regency romance, historical mystery, and / or historical fiction books, I HIGHLY recommend this novel! I did not want to put it down, and found myself wanting to find out what happened chapter after chapter. The book keeps you guessing with clues along the way, and there were MANY twists and turns I did not see coming. My mouth definitely fell open quite a few times.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an ARC of this book, I absolutely loved it!

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

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I inhaled this story. From page one I was hooked. Richly layered — even when I anticipated where the story was headed, I enjoyed it

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A rousing regency era romp full of unexpected twists and turns, Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey, was as enjoyable as it was entertaining. Abigail Wilson’s characters were fun to get to know, and I found myself looking forward to seeing what would happen next. I recommend you get a copy of this book, a nice cup of tea and sit back as you revel in the mystery and romance of Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

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If you love a good gothic romance, you will love this book. Adrian is a widower with a complicated past. He encounters Elizabeth after he causes a carriage accident as part of a covert intelligence mission. Elizabeth is a young unmarried mother. Her family was part of the ton - but is now disgraced with her brother in prison for smuggling and her pregnancy. In a collision of difficult circumstances Adrian and Elizabeth marry. Adrian takes Elizabeth back to his estate - just in time for his 18 year-old daughters wedding. A series of mysterious and unfortunate events occur from that point forward.

Adrian is really a good man. He has a very complicated history - but one you come to understand. Elizabeth was hurt badly and is understandably wary of the situation. But I liked her sensible nature and toughness.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. I had a few quibbles with minor plot points, but overall this was an enjoyable quick read!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley but these opinions are all my own!

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Elizabeth Cantrell is astonished when her carriage is attacked by a highwayman. She is even more astonished when she discovers that the highwayman is in fact Lord Adrian Torrington. He confided his true intentions and asks for her help in exchange for preserving her reputation and providing for her son. As the pros outweigh the cons, she agrees to become Lady Torrington. But has she just put herself in more danger?

This was...a complicated read. Parts of it, I really liked. Elizabeth was an interesting character. An unmarried woman with a child is bound to bring censure on herself, and she does what she thinks is best for her small family. Lord Torrington was a nice counterpoint to her, mysterious but kind.

At the same time, while I could see the attraction between them, romance and love felt like a stretch. The plot felt like it dragged and there were several times where I was bored. I didn't find the scenario likely. I guessed the "villain" early on so it didn't come as a surprise. I know I had an ARC, so I really hope it gets a final edit. At times there were words that didn't seem like they meant what the author felt they meant.

Overall, it was an alright read. I would probably read this author again. I received a free copy from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.

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I have been on the best reading streak ever this week! I LOVED this book. Man, Abigail Wilson just gets better and better! I really enjoyed her debut novel (In the Shadow of Croft Towers)...I loved her second one (Midnight on the River Grey)...and this one is my favorite yet. It was atmospheric and romantic and just gothic enough to completely whisk me away without anything feeling melodramatic or overdone. The premise was intriguing from the opening pages and really, the whole story just completely beguiled me. Couple notes:

-HOLLA for an older hero. LOVE that about Lord Torrington.
-There were hints of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier in this, so I couldn't help watching the Hitchcock movie over the weekend...yay for remembering how fantastic that movie is!
-I will never ever get tired of well-executed marriage of convenience stories!

Considering I've loved every Abigail Wilson story more than the last, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. Highly recommended!

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