There is a reason Roseanna White is one of my favorite authors. Every book she releases is intriguing, well written and multi-faceted.

I enjoyed the glimpse into The Imposters, why and how they came about and the genius that allowed them to use their unique talents for the good of their own household and for society as a whole. The scenario that the author presented of the birth of the UK’s intelligence service was also interesting and compelling. The way all the threads wove together created a fascinating tale.

I recommend the book to you and look forward to the next book in the series.

“The truth isn’t always pretty. But I like to think it’s always beautiful.”

Wow! I absolutely loved A Beautiful Disguise! It’s a fantastic start to the new Imposter series and I can’t wait for more. Set in Edwardian England, this romantic, suspenseful pre-MI5 story will take you on an amazing, nail-biting journey. With spies, acrobatics, a slow burn love story, a brother & sister sleuthing team akin to Holmes & Watson, & a touch of faith, this story intrigued me from the beginning.

I immediately liked Lady Marigold Fairfax. When she’s not performing acrobatics with her brother Yates or caring for their pet lion and monkey, she’s working undercover as a spy for The Imposters. Left with crushing debts, she and Yates founded the secret investigative agency to help save their estate.

Marigold relies on her aristocratic pedigree and unusual upbringing with actors and circus performers to appear the cool, aloof, fashionable debutant while secretly investigating her peers. When she meets the handsome Sir Merritt Livingston, she’s in danger of losing her heart to a noble man, but with all the truths they discover, can she trust that he’s for real. And, how long can Marigold keep her secrets from him.

Sir Merritt Livingston hates having a desk job while recovering from pneumonia. He’s used to serving as one of the monarch’s elite guards and wants a position in the future MI5 organization. But, when he suspects one of his superiors might be endangering English spies by leaking classified information to Germany, he enlists the help of The Imposters to prove it. No one knows who The Imposters are, but they have a sterling reputation. While depending on their help, he also investigates on his own and keeps running into the enigmatic beauty, Lady Marigold. But, who is she really under her high fashion mask? As England’s human assets keep disappearing, it’s a race against time for Marigold, Yates, and Merritt to find the truth.

I loved Marigold & Merritt! Theirs was an opposites attract love story that slowly builds throughout the story. I loved their friendship, witty banter, & the under the surface attraction. I also appreciated Merritt’s character. He’s the epitome of integrity and like Marigold says, he’s the true embodiment of his name. I enjoyed the slow burn romance and felt like it developed in a natural, believable way.

I’m a huge fan of spy stories, and thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and suspense. I also loved the acrobatics and circus tricks they employ. Be patient at first while lots of characters and motivations are introduced. Like the love story, the mystery takes awhile to unfold, but the last third of the book was unputdownable as the intensity builds and more and more clues are revealed. The side characters were also intriguing and it’ll be interesting to learn more about them in future stories.

All in all, an exciting start to a new series. If you enjoy romantic suspense or historical mystery & romance, you’ll enjoy this story. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4 1/2 stars raised to 5.

#BookRevew: A BEAUTIFUL DISGUISE by Roseanna M. White

I was not familiar with the Edwardian era before reading this book, so it was interesting to learn about it. The mystery and intrigue kept me engaged, and I enjoyed the quirky characters, fashion styles, and circus. The cover is beautiful. I can just imagine Lady M wearing the same ensemble.

I was pleased to read a story with a unique plot and excellent writing, but there was a lot of backstory from the beginning. I had to reread some parts to understand them better. I found the story to be engaging, even with the amount of backstory. I was especially interested in the discoveries and secrets that were revealed. I liked that the characters prayed and cared for each other. Sir Merritt and Marigold's clean romance was charming, but it was not the central focus of the story. I also enjoyed the bond between the Fairfax siblings and their shared love for acrobatics.

I am eager to see what happens next for The Imposters and to revisit the characters again.

Rating: 4 stars
Series: The Imposters, book 1
Pub date: 22 Aug 2023

Thank you Bethany House Publishers and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have become such a fan of Roseanna White’s wonderful historical stories, and this one is no exception. Roseanna’s characters shine in this story. From the very beginning, I knew I would love Marigold and her brother Yates. I enjoyed their sibling bond, their banter, and most of all, their sense of loyalty to one another as well as those under their care. Burdened with the responsibility of maintaining their estate, they established themselves as The Imposters - a secret team of private investigators. Taking on cases that involve spying on their elite group of peers becomes their only source of income. Fortunately, they are very good at what they do, utilizing the unique skills they learned from the parade of circus performers they grew up with.

I also really enjoyed many of the other characters, especially Merritt. I knew from the very beginning he would prove to be a favorite of mine. His sense of duty and dedication to the truth quickly endeared him to me as a reader. I loved watching the friendship develop between Merritt and Marigold, especially as she realizes she has met someone who truly sees her and cares anyway. Roseanna does a beautiful job letting Marigold’s story unfold as she learns to come to terms with who she is and realizes even though she works as an Imposter, she does not have to live hidden behind the persona she created for herself.

There are many unexpected plot twists along the way which kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. I love all the history the author incorporated, and was surprised to learn that so much of it is based on true events. I look forward to the next installment in this series!

I received an early copy for review. The comments and opinions expressed are my own.

“I want you to focus on your attitude when things seem not to be going your way, not on simply changing the circumstances that so displease you.”

Espionage, intrigue, and secrets abound in this beautifully crafted historical fiction set in pre-WWI Edwardian England (1909). Roseanna M White’s gift of weaving intricate, engaging plots and creating charming, lovable characters shines so clearly in this book that kicks off her new series Imposters. Marigold and Merritt stole my heart with their backstories and sparkling souls; the surprises in the plot had me gasping at parts and the romance was sweet and tender. I loved learning about the beginnings of MI5 in England and other countries’ spy networks during this era. Menagerie of circus animals as well as circus retirees living with Marigold and Yates added flare and uniqueness to the setting.

I am super excited about continuing in the Imposters’ journey! Yates, Gemma, and Graham should have fascinating stories of their own and I’m looking forward to some more excellent spy intrigue.

I received complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

Protecting the home front

Interesting story above an unusual brother and sister from the top echelons of Edwardian English society, Lady Marigold and her brother Lord Yates, Earl of Fairfax. Upon their father’s death they find that he had spent all their funds and more on the joyous thrills he had surrounded himself, and them with.
Their response was to cover up their scarcity of funds and dive into becoming detectives for a price. Imposters Ltd. is born.
Together with their closely knit dependants they maintain the outward appearance of solvency. Lady Marigold is always sublimely dressed, amazing hats, shoes and gowns. (From reworked wear from an attic full of startling clothing and bolts of fabric.)
Their father had a circus resting at Fairfax Towers in Northumberland, and that continues, along with the menagerie of animals collected. The expense of maintaining their animals is no small amount.
The siblings are committed to their care. They have learned to use the trapeze, balance, and climb (all prerequisites for what they do now)
By word of mouth their investigative powers are becoming known. Now they have been engaged by Lt. Colonel Sir Merritt Livingston, part of the newly formed Intelligence Agency to investigate their neighbor Lord Hemming. Coincidentally they are hired by Genie Ballantine over her missing brother Cornelius.
Lady Marigold wants to find out more about Merrit. They know little of him.
The threat of growing German unrest, the threat of their disguise being unmasked, and the threat of powerful forces at play are real. As is treason and betrayal.
Undergirding all this is the strong belief in God that the siblings have. We are also given some of the tale of how Merritt came to a decision about the Christian faith. Interesting, especially as it’s pretty much hinted at that Marigold would not contemplate being involved with anyone who was not a believer.
An tale with many moving parts that quietly fascinates.
Although, I’m at a loss as to why the siblings felt it important to cover up the reality of their situation, especially given their faith. Still it did keep them in circles they needed to be in, enabling them to work in secret.

A Bethany House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

3.5-4 Stars! This is my first time reading this author and I did enjoy reading this book but I also had a few issues with it. I felt like I was missing something, maybe a previous book but this is the first book in the series ‘The Imposters’. I felt lost at times and didn’t really feel the romance between the 2 main characters, Marigold and Merritt. Plenty of mystery and intrigue and was overall an interesting and entertaining book. It’s a clean Christian historical romance, so no sexy times. I really liked the ending and finding out who the ‘bad guy’ was and wish the book had a bit more after all that got wrapped up. I loved all the characters and the story was one I’ve never read before, totally original. I wish it was explained more about the tensions between Germany & England at that time, since it’s a little confusing if you’re not a big history buff. So even though I’m not in love with this book, I’d definitely read this author again.
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

A Beautiful Disguise is the newest book of Roseanna M. White, one of my favorite Christian authors. I’ve read almost everything from her oeuvre and especially loved The Codebreakers series and The Secret of the Isles. For me, this book ranks just below these series.

The setting is very unique, the main character Marigold runs both a circus and a secret investigation bureau with her brother, to try to stay afloat financially. Their acrobatics background come quite in handy, to be honest, and I absolutely love this setting. I mean, there is pet lion, how epic do you want it to be? I really loved it all, especially how Marigold struggles to keep her different identities secret, and how she has created this persona for society to try to get the most secrets.

The plot is very well done and it’ll keep you on your toes as the mystery slowly unfolds (because it involves Marigold’s bestie, you get quite invested actually), and the introduction of Sir Merrit Livingstone as another spy who hires the private investigation firm yet does research on his own and keeps bumping into Marigold… that’s.. well… gold! I love their growing relationship, there’s a lot of depth and a slow burn attraction. There was an amazing plot twist and I loved how action packed and nerve wrecking the end was, I was on the tip on my seat the whole time.

There’s a lot of backstory in this book, and sometimes it was a bit too much, especially in the beginning, there were a lot of names. Once you get the hang of it the story flows. I feel this is more a character based book despite the intruiging plot, the characters are very well done and complex, their inner conflicts and doubts shine on the page. There is a place for faith too, Catholic to be precise, but it doesn’t feel too preachy.

All in all, we’ve got an amazing first book in a series that I can’t wait to read more of! There are two other investigators with a hidden past and a brother with a crush, so I expect lots of awesome books to come.

I received a free e-arc from the publisher through Netgalley but it hasn’t influenced my opinions.

I loved this book. I love stories with quirky characters. In this story, Marigold has a facade that makes her seem eccentric but her home life truly is unusual. It was fascinating.

I enjoyed the mystery, the secret passages, zebras pulling a carriage, the trapeze acts. It was unique and fun. I can't wait to find out what's behind Gemma's hostility towards Graham.

It also raises the question of the rightness of telling lies as an investigator. Do the ends justify the means?

There are twists and plenty of action. It was an enjoyable read. I'd highly recommend it. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Better than I anticipated!

The author is a good writer and the characters became more compelling as I read more. Definitely a fun Edwardian romance/mystery, but at the same time, the characters had more depth than in most of those stories. I like the character of Lady Marigold a lot.

I was a bit confused as to whether or not I'd missed the backstory of the main characters. Perhaps that is addressed in a different series by the author. But it was not enough that I couldn't follow the plot of this story.

I received an ARC as a reviewer for Net Galley. #sponsored

This took me a white to get into and I read it slowly, but it ended up being really good. A Beautiful Disguise is the first book in Roseanna M White’s new series, The Imposters.
Merrit and Marigold were such intriguing characters. It was fun to get to know this new cast of characters as we start a new series. I really liked Merrit and his honorableness, he was just trying to do the right thing. Merrit was trying to figure out who he could trust in the War Office and who was leaking information. Merrit grew throughout the book and learned how to live life and even fall in love.
Marigold was also a lot of fun, I liked how different she was from those around her. She and her brother were the Imposters, trying to keep themselves afloat. I loved Marigold’s relationship with her brother and those who she chose to call her family. I really felt for Marigold as she tried to balance being herself and being the person who society saw.
Marigold and Merrit were so cute together. I liked how they truly saw each other. They had to overcome their differences and the secrets they kept before they could be together. I liked how they became friends first and then fell in love. The side characters were wonderful and I am super excited to read the next book.
A Beautiful Disguise is a lovely book although it did have a slower start. I would recommend it to those who enjoy White’s other books and historical romance with Christian elements. A Beautiful Disguise is a clean historical romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Thank you Bethany House for the gifted book!

Read for:
• Intricately plotted mystery
• A little romance
• Great secondary characters
• Edwardian England setting
• Christian fiction
• Circus animals and trapeze artists
• First in a series
• India Holton vibes, but much more grounded in the real world

This was such a fun book that totally pulled me out of my reading slump!

I do feel like this book could have been improved with being shortened slightly as the pacing did really slow down in parts. I personally would have preferred more romance, but I knew going in that it was a secondary part of the story so it wasn’t a letdown.

3.5 stars

What a fun book! Acrobats and a menagerie of circus animals. Aristocratic Spies. Disguises and intrigue. The newest story from Roseanna M White is as different as they come, but definitely worth the read!
Yates and Marigold have been on their own a long time, harboring a secret of their own – though they are titled, they are completely bankrupt. Upon their father’s death, they inherited a large estate with exotic animals and no way to pay for any of it – a shocking revelation. In an effort to keep the estate going, and to prevent others from experiencing the same devastation, they create an agency (the Imposters) to spy on the elite, helping others to find the truth.
Yates and Marigold, though siblings, are the best of friends and trust each other explicitly – it’s a nice change!
Sir Merritt Livingstone has been relegated to desk work to recover from a recent bout of pneumonia but he suspects there’s more to it than that – especially when the newest department in the War Office keeps losing men overseas. Under Merritt’s watch. He hires the Imposters to get to the bottom of what’s really going on.
I loved the premise of the story, the historical detail of a story in 1909, the slow burn romance between Marigold and Merritt, the intrigue, and the circus training that enables Marigold and Yates to infiltrate information in a rather interesting way.
I look forward to the next book in this brand new series.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

The plot of this book was so interesting to me that I knew I wanted to give it a try! Private Investigators who operate anonymously, a little bit of circus flair and some possible traitors and spies are a few of the things that caught my attention! I struggled at the beginning of this book mostly due to the excessive amount of characters and information about each character and how they related to each other. I admittedly have a hard time when books have too many characters or plot threads, which I absolutely know about myself. Others may not struggle at all to embrace the wide array of eccentric characters and how they come to play in this story. All that said I am glad I didn’t give up on this book! It was enjoyable and entertaining while threading along a mystery that didn’t unravel until the conclusion. I enjoyed the characters, the setting was unique and held my interest and the bits of romance between Merritt and Marigold were my favorite parts of the book. Once I got settled into the story I had no problem following along with all the characters and found them to be charming and really invaluable to the story. I really enjoyed this book and definitely look forward to reading more from these characters as the series continues!

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for this gifted ARC and finished copy. All opinions are my own.

A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White takes place in early 1900s England, which is a time period that I’m not super familiar with but was excited to read about.

The things I loved most about this book were the sibling relationship between Marigold and Yates, the circus aspects, and the interesting premise of a secret investigative agency.

Because of Marigold’s and Yates’ past experiences, they were quite close as siblings in both personal matters and in their jobs. I loved their interactions and just how obvious their affection was for each other.

The unexpected circus elements were such a fun part of the story. I loved the animals (especially Leonidas) and the circus troupe that was more like an extended family. Also, the acrobatic scenes were so good!

The Imposters were so fascinating to me since most spy content I’ve seen has been in movies. I loved seeing how Marigold, Yates, and the others worked together to uncover the truth in ways that don’t involve modern spy equipment.

The romance was sweet, but I do wish there had been a bit more to it. I could see the friendship slowly building, but then the romance seemed kind of sudden once it happened.

I am very excited to read the next book in this series since I’ve come to enjoy these characters and this setting.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you like mysteries involving spies, early 20th century England, and found family.

Sir Merritt Livingstone has a problem...actually two of them. First, after serving the Crown for over a decade in the military he's been placed behind a desk while recovering from pneumonia, instead of out in the field, where he's sure he belongs. His second problem is that he suspects there's a spy in the upper eschelons of the War Office where he works. Unable to be out in the field himself, he decides to call on the services of a private inquiries firm known only as The Imposters, Ltd. The Imposters have an excellent reputation for getting discreet results with amazing accuracy and speed. But nobody knows who they are, and he needs to know they can be trusted...both to find the spy and to stay loyal to their client. This turned out to be a fun romp of an adventure, and filled with unconventional characters as well as romantic interests enough to satisfy.

I'm fully aware that I am the bad guy in this review section. Let's get to it.

This is labeled as a historical fiction, mystery and romance. While it delivered on the mystery, it tanked on everything else for me. The writing was also in need of editing.

Historically speaking, there were some good moments and nice little bits of information. However, the main theme through this book is the mystery of particular characters, connected to secrets that involve the Germans. The reasons why this is important isn’t explained until 240 plus pages into the book. Not everyone will remember that WWI was in 1914. (this is set in 1909) Maybe the author was simply banking on everyone so used to seeing Germans as the villains, therefore no one would question it. This lack of information made the majority of the books purpose feel weak. Also, the history in 1909 wasn’t explored or expanded upon, unless you want to know more about the circus. Yay for Lions and Monkeys.

I waited over 230 pages for the romance. (if you can call it that) Imagine my “delight” when the kissing scene was only six sentences long. It was like waiting 4 hours in line for a ride at Disney Land and when you finally get in your seat, the ride goes 5 feet and breaks. Bloody disappointing.

The writing was fine but not only did facts need to be switched around, but entire chapters could have been shortened to a few paragraphs or combined for better flow, and the long ass inner monologuing was exhausting.

WHAT I LIKED:
I loved the gymnastic, trapeze moments. Those were entertaining. While the purpose for the mystery wasn't explained until LATE, it was done well.

**I went into this fully expecting to love it. The last book I read from this author was fabulous and I was positive this would be no different. Oh well, not every book will work out, and that's ok.**

You might like this if you are entertained easily, you don't mind waiting for the romance, or you like very little of it. Also, if you enjoy mystery books set in 1909, Then give it a try.

A Beautiful Disguise was such a fun read!! I was blown away by the characters and how unique they were. I loved the acrobatics and lively characters... including the lion. 😊

It didn't take long for me to be pulled into the story and I loved the Imposters. They definitely got into a sticky situation when their paths crossed with Merrick, but it was good to see how that all played out.

The romance was great. I absolutely loved seeing them grow close and can hardly wait to read the next book, as THAT relationship has me intrigued to know its past and what will happen next.

All in all, I absolutely loved a Beautiful Disguse and definitely recommend it. It had a lovely romance, great characters, AND a thrilling mystery. So good!

*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.*

Brimming with originality and her trademark attention to historical detail, readers will find Ms. White's newest series will appeal to the imagination. What initially starts out as a fantastic romp will have you sitting on the edge of your seat as the story unfolds. I absolutely adored the unconventional heroine and the eclectic cast of characters that formed a secretive team of investigators.

Upon their father's death, the Fairfax siblings find they are facing bankruptcy. They resort to forming The Imposters, a private investigative enterprise which leads to a life of adventure. Their investigations lead them to crossing paths with members of the intelligence branch as they pursue the path of a traitor.

Artfully woven within the mystery is a story that celebrates the power of family, those we are born into and those we choose. I am eagerly looking forward to reading more of their adventures in upcoming books in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I fear I'm just becoming a broken record when it comes to reviews for Ms. White's books. She is definitely one of my "must have" authors and I regularly (at least a couple times a year) reread one or more of her books. So when she announces a new book or series, I just wait impatiently for it to be available, no questions asked. I don’t even have to know what the storyline is - I just know I’m going to fall in love with it.
That said, I was super intrigued with the premise behind this new series. I adore anything to do with mysteries or investigations and this one was so well done! I was kept guessing throughout the story, and even by the end, I was as surprised as the characters when the plot was revealed.
Speaking of the characters, I adored Marigold Fairfax, her brother, and the others of their eclectic team/household. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say that the lion was definitely a favorite addition. And I can’t wait for Graham and Gemma’s book!
Marigold has spent so long working to be seen without actually being known or noticed, so when Sir Merritt actually sees her, I couldn’t help but cheer for him. I had to smile at Sir Merritt proving Marigold wrong again, and again, and again, in her opinion of people in general, but of himself in particular.
Goodness, this review is ridiculously hard to write! I don’t want to add any spoilers, but sharing any of my favorite parts of the story would involve potentially sharing one. So I suppose I’ll surrender, before I get myself in trouble and just say - “read this book! It was amazing and beautiful and suspenseful and intriguing and . . . you might love it as much as I did. So go forth and read it!”

*My thanks to the author and publisher for my copy of this book! I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.