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.

This is my first book that I have read written by Abigail Wilson. The author has done a wonderful job with this story. The opening scene sets the stage for a story that was engrossing and unexpected. This gothic, romance mystery had me on the edge of my seat. I could not figure out who to trust. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This is my new favorite book! The characters were so realistic, they pulled me in, rooting for them, worrying for them. I loved that while this had a mystery going on, the romance was very well balanced with it. I felt for Elizabeth as she was pushed by circumstance into an unexpected marriage, that she tried to make the best of, but worried to be truly honest in the relationship. The examples of forgiveness were spot on, touching while not being out of character. I can't wait to read more by Abigail Wilson!

I thoroughly enjoyed this marriage of convenience story set in Regency England. There is lots of spy drama and intrigue, and the story moves along at a good pace. I also liked the fact that the main character was an unwed mother. That's something we don't see much in historical fiction, and I thought it added a lot to the story. I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical romance with a little mystery thrown in.

I received this book for free from Netgalley and the publisher for review, but I also purchased a copy for myself.

Although defined as an historical romance, Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey reads more like a gothic novel without the moldy, old castle and the heroine running through the underground crypts on a dark and stormy night. Like most gothics, it is told in the first person, a page turner with a lot of action. The action starts right away when Adrian Radcliff, Lord Torrington mistakenly runs the wrong carriage off the road.. But why? The carriage contains our heroine, Elizabeth Cantrell and her son, Isaac. With Elizabeth sustaining a head injury, Adrian takes over getting her to an inn. Unfortunately, his actions necessitates a hasty marriage.. However, they both are keeping secrets from each other. Will their secrets get in the way of a successful marriage and happiness. The story is fast paced, filled with spies, murder, French traitors and some British ones as well. This is the first Abigail Wilson book i have read. It will not be the last. I need to read In the Shadow of Croft Towers since the Towers and its inhabitants are mentioned frequently throughout this book. I am always happy to find a new author to enjoy.

The book opens with a scary scene as Elizabeth regains consciousness after her carriage has been run off the road by bandits. She is frantic as she finds her son, Isaac, and then confronts the bandit. The bandit turns out to be Adrian Radcliff, Lord Torrington, the elder brother of her son’s father.

In his attempt to keep his cover as a British spy and to give him a reason for being in Elizabeth’s coach, Adrian marries Elizabeth and brings her and Isaac to his home at Middlecrest Abbey.

This is where it gets really interesting. Adrian has two teenage daughters who aren’t too keen on having a new mother and the eldest daughter is actually to be married within the fortnight. But that isn’t the only drama here. Elizabeth is also greeted by Adrian’s mother-in-law who has lived with him since his first wife’s death years before.

If this doesn’t sound like enough drama, let’s throw in a murder and espionage. Yep, Elizabeth isn’t going to get a quiet life in the country to start her hasty marriage.

Into all of this, Elizabeth finds herself thrust with the goal of convincing everyone that she and Adrian married for love. Except Elizabeth isn’t the best actress. And could it be that her heart is getting involved as well? What will this all mean for her son Isaac?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had some twists that I did not expect. It was great to see Elizabeth and Adrian change as the story progressed and they both needed to confront their own feelings about each other and about the situation they find themselves in. If you enjoy historical romance, I highly recommend this book.

OH EM GEE, what an exciting and fascinating complex and complicated story and romance. There are so many twists and turns that surprised me. The main characters and secondary characters were outstanding. The author, Abigail Wilson, was able to bring them to life. They were so realistic. When Ms. Wilson described their facial expressions, emotions and feeling it was so easy to image what they would look like. The story is very descriptive. Each scene in the book smoothly went from one topic and location seamlessly. There was never any hiccups nor confusion as to who was talking or what they were talking about. Ms. Wilson kept me on the hook till the very end. I must say at the end I was totally shocked by the reveal. It never crossed my mind not once. I have never read a more intriguing beguiling enigma of a story. A must read. You will not be disappointed. I highly recommend it.

This is one of those strangers-must-marry-to-protect-woman's-reputation stories. Elizabeth Cantrell, single mother, ends up marrying Lord Torrington and settling in to Torrington Hall with her young son (who is coincidentally the bastard of Torrington's feckless younger brother – though she keeps that to herself). There's a spy sub-plot, and a murder plot. There are a lot of coincidences. Elizabeth seems to know people she couldn't possibly know. It made it feel a bit disjointed at times, which made it a little difficult to suspend disbelief, but it was a light and frothy read.

Abigail Wilson is new to me author that I will be picking up again. I couldn't put down the book when Her characters had depth and the descriptions kept me firmly in the era. Gothic mystery, romance, and a strong, smart, female lead. Not the run of the mill marriage of convenience. There are so many things I want to say, but I don't want to spoil it!

Definitely worth a read.

I received a copy from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Masquerade At Middlecrest Abbey was a very enjoyable story and I love finding myself immersed in this wonderful time period. Elizabeth was such a brave character that was willing to do whatever it takes to protect her young son as she was whisked away to Lord Torrington’s home. Pretending to be a happy new bride was a challenge for Elizabeth but I understood that she needed to convince everyone to protect the paternity of her young son. Mystery, espionage and romance also played a delightful role in this story and I enjoyed every moment of this fascinating story. Ms. Wilson is a new author to me but I’m excited to read more from her in the future.

This was the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it. I am not usually someone that gravitates toward historical fiction, but this one was recommended to me because the mystery was so good and it definitely was. I was quickly drawn into the storyline and it held my interest, I enjoyed the banter between the characters, and the mystery truly kept me guessing. I totally did not see the ending coming at all.

I was given a copy of this story by Thomas Nelson through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

What a great read! There were twisty turns and mysteries, all wrapped within a beautiful regency cover. This was a sweet and clean romance, I'd rate it PG for mentions of illegitimate children, which was handled quite well.

Delightful! Absolutely delightful. This is part redemption story, part mystery. I got sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. My brain twisted and turned trying to guess whodunit; the author gave very good clues! I highly recommend for historic mystery lovers.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

I read and enjoyed Midnight on the River Grey last year, so I jumped at the chance to read this latest release from Abigail Wilson. I'm so happy to say that I loved this one even more!

The story starts out with a scene that gave me a good introduction to the characters and also hinted at what was to come. I loved how the romance progressed - a marriage of convenience, but you could tell that there were sparks. ;)

The mystery was SO good. You didn't know who to trust and there was endless danger lurking around, it seemed.

All in all, Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey was worth the read and I recommend it.

*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/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and 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.*

3.5 stars

I wanted to adore this one. At times the story and dialogue was captivating and intriguing. The mystery and murder investigation always leaving you guessing, never quite sure how everything would play out.

I really had issue with the multiple plot holes and the occasional modern Americanisms. The epilogue was a little strange. Read more like a journal entry than the ending I was hoping for.

Overall, most will probably enjoy this story. Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

Abigail Wilson has written an adequate regency romantic spy novel in Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey in which an unmarried mother from the upper class is trapped in marriage to a nobleman who in pursuit of a French spy mistakenly attacks her coach. Lots of red herrings.

I’ve read a number of Regency romances that sort of build on what we all love about Jane Austen. In the case of Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey the sentiment is there, but it’s missing some of the magic.

The book is similar to those in Shadow Mountain Publishing’s Proper Romance series. It’s what’s considered “clean romance,” i.e. rated PG. The ending is somewhat predictable, but the ride there entertaining nonetheless.

The Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey is a nice escape — easy to read and not requiring much on the reader’s end. Its pacing is strong and characters likeable. I’d have no problem reading more from this author.

Abigail Wilson's writing never fails to transport the reader to her historical settings. The pacing of this novel was quick, and the character's situations unique. If you're looking for a clean historical romance, then this is it.

This is my third book by Abigail Wilson and while I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two, it still is a very good read. I will definitely continue to wait for more of her books because I believe she blends in the romance and gothic very well.