Book Review: Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey

Title: Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey
My Rating: 4.25
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Format: eARC*
Publication Date: May 26, 2020
Author: Abigail Wilson

Similar To

In this new Regency romance, Elizabeth knows she must protect her heart from the charm of her new husband, Lord Torrington. She is not, however, prepared to protect her life.

When the widowed Lord Torrington agreed to spy for the crown, he never planned to impersonate a highwayman, let alone rob the wrong carriage. Stranded on the road with an unconscious young woman, he is forced to propose marriage to protect his identity and her reputation, as well as his dangerous mission.

Trapped not only by her duty to her country but also by her limited options as an unwed mother, Miss Elizabeth Cantrell and her infant son are whisked away to Middlecrest Abbey by none other than the elder brother of her son’s absent father. There she is met by Torrington’s beautiful grown daughters, a vicious murderer, and an urgent hunt for the missing intelligence that could turn the war with France. Meanwhile she must convince everyone that her marriage is a genuine love match if her new husband has any hope of uncovering the enemy.

Determined to keep her son’s true identity a secret, Elizabeth will need to remain one step ahead of her fragile heart, her uncertain future, and the relentless fiend bent on her new family’s ruin.

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | INDIEBOUND

My Thoughts

So this book was definitely an adventure, both the actual story and the romance. FYI this is a not terribly steamy romance, as the love story is more of a subplot to the entire mystery, but the relationship is still compelling just without the more intimate bits 😉.

I really loved the heroine of Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey, Elizabeth, and the hero, Lord Torrington. They both felt like really guarded characters that seemed to open up to each other as the book went along, even though they had plenty of reasons not to.

The dark and twisty murder mystery kept me glued to the pages and I honestly didn’t know what would happen. I did figure out a few of the characters’ roles, but not with any specific detail. I probably would have needed to keep track on a chart to really try and solve this plot.

I wish the ending has taken a little longer, because I wanted more payoff. After the book, and all of the buildup, I just wanted a little more time spent on the end. After reading about the spies, the murder, the building relationship, I really needed a few more pages about the couple and how they came together.

Otherwise, this was a great historical fiction romance even without my favorite parts, lol.

About the Author

Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A registered nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the national parks, attending her daughter’s gymnastic meets, and curling up with a great book. In 2017, Abigail won WisRWA’s Fab Five contest and in 2016, ACFW’s First Impressions contest as well as placing as a 2017 finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.

She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children.

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*Special thanks to Abigail Wilson, Thomas Nelson, and HFVBT for providing a copy of Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey in exchange for an honest review.