Tuesday 9 May 2017

THE MASK REVEALED by Julia Brannan

AmazonUK £1.99 £6.99  
AmazonUS $2.49 $12.99
AmazonCA $16.99

This title was selected as the May Book of the Month

Fictional Saga / Adventure
1700s Jacobite Rebellion
Britain /France

 The Jacobite Chronicles Book 2

“The second in the fascinating series about the lives of the beautiful Beth Cunningham, her family and friends... Britain moves ever closer to the 1745 rebellion and the impending attempt to restore the Stuarts to the British throne. With no other options available to her, Beth marries the effete and tedious social butterfly Sir Anthony Peters. She resigns herself to a future of formal parties and dismal social gatherings, whilst accompanying a husband who is both tiresome and physically repellent to her, but consoles herself with the thought that if she is not to know love, then at least she will have a secure and comfortable life. It may be uneventful, but she will be free of her brother. The ink on the marriage contract is hardly dry, however, when Beth makes a shocking discovery, one that turns her world upside down and throws her whole future into doubt once more. Almost immediately she must make a decision. Will she opt for the safe but dreary life her husband wishes her to lead, or will she fight for a life of passion, adventure and excitement, knowing that in doing so, she risks not only her own life, but the lives of those she loves?”

Beth and Alex continue their fascinating adventures in this second tale of romance and deceit. I thoroughly enjoyed this most exciting sequel to book one (this can be read as a stand-alone but I heartily recommend starting at the beginning with Mask of Duplicity.)

The twists and turns that the characters – and the reader – face keep the pages turning, with that ‘need to know what happens next’ feel. The writing style is excellent, the characters and plot believable. Yes we know the characters will get into scrapes, that there will be misunderstandings and all sorts of difficulties that they get into and out of. And we also know they will probably sort everything in the end because this is a series and the characters will more-than-likely be back for more adventuring, but the pleasure of reading an excellent ‘drama’ series such as this is not knowing how the characters get themselves out of various pickles!

Ms Brannan has obviously studied the period of Jacobite rebellion in great depth for the detail seems authentic for the political, court and wider-world historical fact. Yes the story is romanticised a little – but is that not the stuff that makes fiction entertaining? And this is highly entertaining! A recommended Diamond read indeed!


© Anne Holt




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