Masque of Deceptions
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Masque of Deceptions
Narrated by:
Alex Wyndham
Buy Now for £15.18
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Narrated by:
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Alex Wyndham
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By:
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Stella Riley
Had it not been for the scent bottles, it is unlikely that Daniel Shelbourne, Viscount Reculver, and Anna Hawthorne of Hawthorne’s Porcelain would ever have met.
Daniel’s late father left him an impoverished estate – which he had expected – and unexplained debts, which he hadn’t. Anna inherited a thriving business, along with the knowledge and passion required to run it.
Daniel needs money quickly if his family is to avoid ruin.
Anna wants to create a tribute to her father’s vision and skill.
He is desperate; she, astute and determined.
So when Anna hears whispers that Lord Reculver is discreetly selling some of his possessions, she remembers the large collection of scent bottles purchased from Hawthorne’s over the years … all of them designed by her father.
They are exactly what she needs.
Moreover, selling them to her will give his lordship some of what he needs.
All she has to do, therefore, is make him a reasonable offer.
Simple. Or is it?
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lovely story and great narration
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Listener received this title free
Starting from a historical fact – the huge popularity of porcelain scent bottles in 18th-century polite society – Ms Riley creates a charming and page-turner romance spiced up with crime investigations on the side of both main characters. Even if we feel from the two protagonists’ first meeting that there will be a happy ending, prepare for the unexpected not once but many times. The storyline takes the reader/listener through several twists and turns, funny, laugh-out-loud and candid scenes, dangerous situations and some insights into the porcelain manufacturing of the second half of the 18th century. Stella Riley’s novels are always well-documented. They are not only based in the Georgian era; they take the reader/listener on a time travel to the 18th century. I especially appreciated Anna’s character, a strong and independent young woman deeply involved in the management of the porcelain manufactory she inherited from her father.
Alex Wyndham is a master of portraying characters through different voices making the dialogues easy to follow even if several persons are involved. His velvety, pleasant voice and dynamic narration are a bonus to those who choose the audio version of this novel.
A beautifully narrated engaging historical romance
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Listener received this title free
The theme of the story is a marriage of convenience. This is a well-worn trope in romantic fiction and a hard one to make believable to a modern readership but when done well is one of my favourite themes. The author succeeds here with a gorgeous story of two people I really care about. I adore Anna. She is so relatable that I was willing her to succeed all through the story. Daniel is in desperate straits, not knowing which way to turn, but his reluctance to marry money is understandable. There are glimpses of his naturally warm, teasing and wholly attractive character but they are crowded out at the beginning of the story by his financial worries and feeling of entrapment.
The development of their relationship is simply a joy to watch. The gradual breaking down of barriers and growth of friendship and mutual respect and support is so beautifully written that I could not stop listening to the story – just one more chapter.... Both Daniel and Anna had areas of jeopardy to overcome. It was fun to see how they increasingly turned to each other for help and to see their partnership grow.
As always with Ms Rlley’s stories, the historical backdrop is perfectly delineated. I loved the setting of the porcelain manufactory as the source of Anna’s wealth. The descriptions of the processes and the making of the scent bottles were fascinating. Though unusual, it was not unheard of for a woman to control such an enterprise and it is clear how her experience in every part of the business has formed her character and makes her such a good match for Daniel.
The social commentary on the changing world was also interesting. On the one hand is the (often) impoverished landed aristocracy struggling to survive and on the other hand is a new breed of entrepreneurs discovering new ways to exploit and develop business at the start of the industrial revolution. Will the two worlds clash, meld together or develop symbiotically. This is only lightly touched upon in the story but I found it thought-provoking.
However, at heart this is a love story. My heart sings for the joy of Daniel and Anna’s happy ever after ending. It will stay with me for a long time and, enhanced by Alex Wyndham’s masterful performance, it truly is my favourite book of the year.
My favourite book of the year
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Excellent
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Each character has his tale!
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