Brenda Joyce, The Masquerade

The Masquerade

Brenda Joyce

Mira, Sep 2005, $7.50, 592 pp.

ISBN: 0778322092

Tyrell de Warenne rescued ten years old Lizzie Fitzgerald though he could not save the book she was reading. From that moment on, Lizzie worshiped the older boy.

In 1812 sixteen years old Lizzie attends the annual All Hallows Eve masque at the home of Tyrell's father the earl. Tyrell and Lizzie meet and agree to a tryst later in the evening. When her sibling Anna spills wine on her costume, she persuades Lizzie to change garb with her. Lizzie, believing she is ugly and unworthy of her hero, goes home while Anna meets with Tyrell. Nine months later at their aunt's isolated home, Anna gives birth to Ned who she intends to give away as she plans to marry her sweetheart, but Lizzie adopts him as hers though society condemns her as a fallen woman.

Her parents learn that Tyrell is Ned's father. They confront Tyrell and his parents, who agree, Ned is one of them. However, Tyrell does not believe he slept with Lizzie, but decides to go ahead with the game she is playing so he can uncover the truth. As Tyrell and Lizzie fall in love, he has first hand proof that she is not Ned's mother, but waits for her to confess; she wants to but she promised Anna she wouldn't.

THE MASQUERADE is a solid Regency romance that sub-genre fans will rejoice in reading due to the likable lead couple. Tyrell has everything going for him, but instead of being spoiled and pompous like much of the nobility, he is a nice person. Lizzie has issues about her self-worth, but her champion sees her courage and kindness as virtues. Though the secondary cast accepts Ned and the relationship between the heir and the bookworm too readily, historical romance readers will enjoy this fine tale.

Harriet Klausner