Unmasked by the Marquess
by Cat Sebastian
Genres: Historical Fiction, RomancePages: 320
Series: Regency Imposters #1
Rating:
Synopsis:Robert Selby is determined to see his sister make an advantageous match. But he has two problems: the Selbys have no connections or money and Robert is really a housemaid named Charity Church. She's enjoyed every minute of her masquerade over the past six years, but she knows her pretense is nearing an end. Charity needs to see her beloved friend married well and then Robert Selby will disappear... forever.
Alistair, Marquess of Pembroke, has spent years repairing the estate ruined by his wastrel father, and nothing is more important than protecting his fortune and name. He shouldn't be so beguiled by the charming young man who shows up on his doorstep asking for favors. And he certainly shouldn't be thinking of all the disreputable things he'd like to do to the impertinent scamp.
When Charity's true nature is revealed, Alistair knows he can't marry a scandalous woman in breeches, and Charity isn't about to lace herself into a corset and play a respectable miss. Can these stubborn souls learn to sacrifice what they've always wanted for a love that is more than they could have imagined?
Unmasked by the Marquess is a m/nb romance, which may not be entirely apparent to all readers since Sebastian chooses to refer to Robin as she/her (a fact which is addressed in the author’s note, in a way that makes sense to me). It’s also a little bit grumpy/sunshine, if that’s something that appeals to you.
I did find myself struggling a bit in the middle of the book with the two of them being all “our relationship can never be, alas, woe, alack!” I mean, it makes sense, there needs to be something keeping them apart… but it felt a bit repetitive and like it wasn’t moving forward quite quickly enough.
I do enjoy both the characters, but especially Robin; I love that she’s so clever (and that sometimes she can’t resist going off into a dissertation on a pet subject), and I enjoy the ease she brings to Alistair: watching him open up as character was pretty fun.
Rating: 3/5
I cannot get over how bad this cover is for what the apparent actual plot and characters are.
It is disappointing. I didn’t realise until reading it that it was m/nb. (Now granted, that isn’t explored a whole lot in the book, there’s not a lot of emphasis on how Robin/Charity identifies, but still.)