Masquerade by Nancy Moser

Eighteen eighty-six, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine. She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival amid poverty beyond Charlotte's blackest nightmares. As for Dora, she lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions--yet is tormented by guilt and the presence of another love that will not die. Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It's a risk. It's the chance of a lifetime.

Masquerade starts off like any girls typical dream. A girl, about to marry one of America's wealthiest heirs. The only downside is that she has never met this man. I absolutely loved this book. The way the author crafts such a tale takes a typical situation from the 1800's  and twists it in such a way that a reader cant help but keep reading. My favorite character was Dora just because she represented someone who was thrown into every girls dream. She got to live in the fairy tale, even if it wasn't for long. I loved the way Moser crafted the friendship between the two girls. This book was one that made me feel what Charlotte was feeling. What she is forced to do makes you feel bad for her to an extent where you feel like you are experiencing it yourself. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in historical novels. It is truly a fairy tale twisted.


This book was provided by Bethany House.