ARC Review: Unmasking Deception (Pleasure Garden #2) by Mary Lancaster
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Series: Pleasure Garden #2
Author: Mary Lancaster
Published Ocotber 26th 2021 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Goodreads Synopsis
“Exactly how desperate are you?”
Escaping to Maida Pleasure Gardens for an evening of anonymous moonlight waltzing is bliss for Viola Dove, compared to the strained formality of her first London Season. But the excitement reaches fever pitch when an escaped convict is pursued through the gardens—wounded and in desperate need of help.
So, of course, Viola hides him in her family’s cellar.
Lord Dominic Gorse, the rakehell son of a marquis, is ill-suited to confinement, whether in Newgate or a surprisingly comfortable cellar, cared for by the beautiful, intriguing Viola, a parcel of lively children, and a very large puppy.
Viola sees beneath Dominic’s layers of charm and trouble to the man beneath, and sets out to help prove his innocence. But is she right to trust the handsome, volatile stranger with whom she is falling hopelessly in love? Is he using her for his own ends, or is there a deeper, deadlier deceit at work?
One they need to expose to have any chance of happiness...
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
For a young lady, experiencing the Season should be everything you've ever wanted, but Viola Dove hates the stringent rules and the formality that must be followed. But as the eldest child, she knows her family rely on her marrying well, so she needs to find a husband by the end of the Season. However, the midnight waltz she had with a masked stranger at Maida Pleasure Gardens has been the most fun she's had yet, and when she realises that her partner is actually Lord Dominic Gorse, younger son of a Marquess, and escapee from Newgate Prison, she risks everything to hide him and his companion, while they discover the truth about his conviction. Dominic never expected that a night out with his friends would result in one of them dead, and him arrested and charged with murder. Escaping prison and being rescued by a beautiful young lady was definitely not in the cards, but while hiding in her cellar, entertained by Viola's siblings, Dominic can't imagine anything better. And as they get closer to discovering the truth, the sparks fly between the couple, and it seems that more than just freeing an innocent man is at stake.
After reading Unmasking the Hero, I was pleasantly surprised by this series, and the synopsis for book 2 definitely drew me in. I really enjoyed the plot line, and the mystery in this book. Both of the main characters were enjoyable to read, and I felt like their stories, both individually and as a couple, really suited their characterisations. Okay, the mystery wasn't a difficult one to solve for the reader, but the way in unfolded across the page was enjoyable, and I was hooked until the ending. I adored seeing the rest of the characters all come together, especially the scenes in the cellar with Viola's siblings. I'll be awaiting the next books, hoping to see more from our previous couples.
Dates Read:
October 11-13 2021
Rating
3 Stars
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