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english_lady03's review
4.0
I had some reservations about the last book in this trilogy, which was the story of Miranda, the eldest sister of the four aristocratic Hawthorne siblings, story although I enjoyed it overall. This was less about the espionage, and more about the young debutante trying to hide a secret which would make her out as a social failure. She had dyslexia, which prevented her from reading more than a few sentences, or being able to write legibly.
Honestly, I loved this book quite a lot more than the first. Georgina, the female protagonist is like marmite- you either love her or hate her, and I absolutely loved her! Yes, she was mercenary, manipulative and shallow, but there was something endearing about her. Perhaps it was her vulnerability or determination. Perhaps because I have some experience of dyslexia I sort of identified with Georgina's eccentricities and frustration.
The story follows Georgina's attempts to find a husband, and how her path crosses with Colin McRae, the Scottish businessman who has dealings with her family, and just does seem to keep appearing. As motives and social engagements clash, Colin and Georgina motives, personalities and secrets must be confronted so they can face their families, and discover the true meaning of love. The banter and rivalry between the two of them provided plenty of humour and character exploration, and when voice of Georgina's conscience manifesting as a 'Tiny Colin in her head' was a stroke of genius.
There was romance, inevitably, but it was not too mushy. The characters don't really even confront their feelings for each other until the end. Perhaps it was a bit forced, as some have suggested. The religious content was not overdone (again a little bit forced at the end), and Georgina's struggles to work out how she felt about God seemed credible enough.
My only real complaint is that as with the last book, there were a lot of Americanisms in the character's speech and the narration. Not as many as last time admittedly, and 'biggies' seem to have been avoided, but some did annoy me. A character at one point said 'Should I write him back’? when a native Brit would have said 'Should I write back to him'.
It might seem like nit-picking, but phrases like that just don't fit into the settings, and make the writing seem clunky and unnatural.
Also, the characters seemed to be continually eating their breakfast with just a fork, like Americans, rather than a knife and fork as would have been normal in polite British society, and is still the norm over here.
This complaint aside, An Elegant Facade was a pleasant and cleverly written Regency, exploring some interesting and unusual subjects, and important themes with sensitivity. At the same time, it was not too deep and the tone remained witty and light-hearted for the most part. Recommended for Regency fans.
I received a free e-book from Netgalley, and a print copy of this book from the publisher and their UK distributor for the purposes of writing a review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.
Honestly, I loved this book quite a lot more than the first. Georgina, the female protagonist is like marmite- you either love her or hate her, and I absolutely loved her! Yes, she was mercenary, manipulative and shallow, but there was something endearing about her. Perhaps it was her vulnerability or determination. Perhaps because I have some experience of dyslexia I sort of identified with Georgina's eccentricities and frustration.
The story follows Georgina's attempts to find a husband, and how her path crosses with Colin McRae, the Scottish businessman who has dealings with her family, and just does seem to keep appearing. As motives and social engagements clash, Colin and Georgina motives, personalities and secrets must be confronted so they can face their families, and discover the true meaning of love. The banter and rivalry between the two of them provided plenty of humour and character exploration, and when voice of Georgina's conscience manifesting as a 'Tiny Colin in her head' was a stroke of genius.
There was romance, inevitably, but it was not too mushy. The characters don't really even confront their feelings for each other until the end. Perhaps it was a bit forced, as some have suggested. The religious content was not overdone (again a little bit forced at the end), and Georgina's struggles to work out how she felt about God seemed credible enough.
My only real complaint is that as with the last book, there were a lot of Americanisms in the character's speech and the narration. Not as many as last time admittedly, and 'biggies' seem to have been avoided, but some did annoy me. A character at one point said 'Should I write him back’? when a native Brit would have said 'Should I write back to him'.
It might seem like nit-picking, but phrases like that just don't fit into the settings, and make the writing seem clunky and unnatural.
Also, the characters seemed to be continually eating their breakfast with just a fork, like Americans, rather than a knife and fork as would have been normal in polite British society, and is still the norm over here.
This complaint aside, An Elegant Facade was a pleasant and cleverly written Regency, exploring some interesting and unusual subjects, and important themes with sensitivity. At the same time, it was not too deep and the tone remained witty and light-hearted for the most part. Recommended for Regency fans.
I received a free e-book from Netgalley, and a print copy of this book from the publisher and their UK distributor for the purposes of writing a review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.
farmfreshlisa's review
4.0
Because the An Elegant Facade overlaps A Noble Masquerade, I was wracking my brain trying to remember the events and characters from the first book, and discovered, I HADN'T read it. Fortunately, there is enough references in this book to carry you through...but I very very much feel the need to go back and read A Noble Masquerade to tie everything together. So, I DO think it would be wise to read book #1 before attempting this one or you will feel drug along for the ride without knowing all that's going on.
Georgina was a very interesting character and it was intriguing to see how the author dealt with Georgina's "shameful secret", something that is actually very common in today's world. I won't spill it, so that you can still enjoy discovering it on your own. Considering the time period, I think the author did well portraying WHY Georgina was so worried about it being discovered, because it really WOULD have been a big deal back then. Georgina had a lot of insecurities and they actually kept her from having a deep meaningful relationship with God. So watching her grow as the book continues was very satisfying.
I felt much more satisfied with Georgina, than Colin, but I think that is simply because Georgina was just more...interesting. Colin was a good character and a great match to Georgina because of his naturally observant nature. He too went through some growth as he attempts to reconcile with his family through the course of the book. He wasn't "empty", he was just not as exciting. LOL.
If I could on Goodreads, I would give An Elegant Facade a solid 3-1/2 rating. It was interesting and a good story with developed characters. I wouldn't technically give it four stars because, it doesn't stand on its own and I really think you need to read book #1 in the series to completely understand the characters. Why does this earn a 1/2 star less? Aren't a lot of series books continuations? Well the author states in her notes before the story begins, that if a reader has discovered An Elegant Facade without reading book one, that the book will be just as enjoyable without having prior knowledge of characters or events. And I don't agree. Having to read this one without knowing the plot/characters in A Noble Masquerade, was just too much for me. LOL. I like my series in order!
Disclaimer: I was given this book for free from the publishers in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor was I required to share a positive review.
Georgina was a very interesting character and it was intriguing to see how the author dealt with Georgina's "shameful secret", something that is actually very common in today's world. I won't spill it, so that you can still enjoy discovering it on your own. Considering the time period, I think the author did well portraying WHY Georgina was so worried about it being discovered, because it really WOULD have been a big deal back then. Georgina had a lot of insecurities and they actually kept her from having a deep meaningful relationship with God. So watching her grow as the book continues was very satisfying.
I felt much more satisfied with Georgina, than Colin, but I think that is simply because Georgina was just more...interesting. Colin was a good character and a great match to Georgina because of his naturally observant nature. He too went through some growth as he attempts to reconcile with his family through the course of the book. He wasn't "empty", he was just not as exciting. LOL.
If I could on Goodreads, I would give An Elegant Facade a solid 3-1/2 rating. It was interesting and a good story with developed characters. I wouldn't technically give it four stars because, it doesn't stand on its own and I really think you need to read book #1 in the series to completely understand the characters. Why does this earn a 1/2 star less? Aren't a lot of series books continuations? Well the author states in her notes before the story begins, that if a reader has discovered An Elegant Facade without reading book one, that the book will be just as enjoyable without having prior knowledge of characters or events. And I don't agree. Having to read this one without knowing the plot/characters in A Noble Masquerade, was just too much for me. LOL. I like my series in order!
Disclaimer: I was given this book for free from the publishers in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor was I required to share a positive review.
what_ella_reads's review
5.0
My rating: 5 stars
After recently re-reading "A Noble Masquerade," I decided that it was finally time to read "An Elegant Façade,".
When I first started it and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it, mainly due to the fact that the heroine of this book, Georgina, was not a character that I had liked when I read this book's predecessor.
I was pleasantly surprised that Georgina grew on me. While her snobby attitude and her treatment of her family is not excusable, I do understand it. Georgina, through the course of the story, wrestles with a major inferiority complex due to something that is out of her control. It was actually kind of sad to see how hard she was on herself.
It was so enjoyable to see her overcome her inferiority complex through the help of Colin. Colin, who is one of my favorite characters from this series, was the perfect match for Georgina. He helped her see the ways she needed to change and why she needed Christ's help to do that.
I'm so happy that I enjoyed the second installment in this series! I'm excited to see what happens in the rest of it!
After recently re-reading "A Noble Masquerade," I decided that it was finally time to read "An Elegant Façade,".
When I first started it and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it, mainly due to the fact that the heroine of this book, Georgina, was not a character that I had liked when I read this book's predecessor.
I was pleasantly surprised that Georgina grew on me. While her snobby attitude and her treatment of her family is not excusable, I do understand it. Georgina, through the course of the story, wrestles with a major inferiority complex due to something that is out of her control. It was actually kind of sad to see how hard she was on herself.
It was so enjoyable to see her overcome her inferiority complex through the help of Colin. Colin, who is one of my favorite characters from this series, was the perfect match for Georgina. He helped her see the ways she needed to change and why she needed Christ's help to do that.
I'm so happy that I enjoyed the second installment in this series! I'm excited to see what happens in the rest of it!
jamiehatch4488's review
3.0
I liked the story. Too much overlap from the first book. I skipped over quite a bit at the beginning 1/3 of the book.
jazzyjan94's review
3.0
This review appears on my blog: https://confessionsofabookwormweb.wordpress.com/2016/08/27/book-review-an-elegant-facade/
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley.
I really wanted to love this book, especially since it is set during the Regency era, which is on eof my favorite time periods to read about. However, I was kind of left disappointed and confused at some points during the novel. Before I get into all the details, here is a synopsis of the book.
Lady Georgina is out for her first season and she hoping to catch the eye of a wealthy, well-titled man, not just anyone will do for her plan. She also doesn’t want anyone to get in her way and is willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She then meets Colin McCrae, a friend of her brothers, and instantly views him as a nuisance. He is also irritated with her because he has an instantaneous attraction to her that he tries desperately to fight. Colin then finds out a secret about Georgina, which if it got out it could ruin her marriage prospects, but he is also afraid of her marrying someone just for wealth.
I liked this book, however there were several scenes in the first part that confused me so much because they were events that occurred in the first book A Noble Masquerade which I have yet to read. Even though the author does give a warning that this will happen, I feel like there should have been a warning that readers must read the first book before reading this one in order to understand what is going on.
The plot also seemed choppy in several places, to the point that I had to keep going back several pages in order to find out if I had missed something, even after the scenes that also take place in the first book. I also found that the ending was a bit rushed, but I feel like that is the case with most books.
I really liked Colin McCrae because he seemed to Georgina for who she really was and didn’t look down on her when he learned the truth about her. Georgina was an interesting character because she wasn’t really likable and she only really grew in the last 50+ pages of the book, however it was still interesting to see why she did the things she did, and what she did.
Harriette was an awesome sidekick and I loved how she put up with Georgina’s antics, even though she was often in the wrong. It was also interesting to see just how much she did for Georgina and how she didn’t resent her for it.
One other thing that I will say about this book, even though it is kind of a spoiler, I loved how the romance developed between the two characters and it wasn’t really insta-love because I hate insta-love tropes.
I am giving this book 3.5/5 Stars because even though I liked some aspects of it, I was confused for most of it.
Thanks again to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley.
I really wanted to love this book, especially since it is set during the Regency era, which is on eof my favorite time periods to read about. However, I was kind of left disappointed and confused at some points during the novel. Before I get into all the details, here is a synopsis of the book.
Lady Georgina is out for her first season and she hoping to catch the eye of a wealthy, well-titled man, not just anyone will do for her plan. She also doesn’t want anyone to get in her way and is willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She then meets Colin McCrae, a friend of her brothers, and instantly views him as a nuisance. He is also irritated with her because he has an instantaneous attraction to her that he tries desperately to fight. Colin then finds out a secret about Georgina, which if it got out it could ruin her marriage prospects, but he is also afraid of her marrying someone just for wealth.
I liked this book, however there were several scenes in the first part that confused me so much because they were events that occurred in the first book A Noble Masquerade which I have yet to read. Even though the author does give a warning that this will happen, I feel like there should have been a warning that readers must read the first book before reading this one in order to understand what is going on.
The plot also seemed choppy in several places, to the point that I had to keep going back several pages in order to find out if I had missed something, even after the scenes that also take place in the first book. I also found that the ending was a bit rushed, but I feel like that is the case with most books.
I really liked Colin McCrae because he seemed to Georgina for who she really was and didn’t look down on her when he learned the truth about her. Georgina was an interesting character because she wasn’t really likable and she only really grew in the last 50+ pages of the book, however it was still interesting to see why she did the things she did, and what she did.
Harriette was an awesome sidekick and I loved how she put up with Georgina’s antics, even though she was often in the wrong. It was also interesting to see just how much she did for Georgina and how she didn’t resent her for it.
One other thing that I will say about this book, even though it is kind of a spoiler, I loved how the romance developed between the two characters and it wasn’t really insta-love because I hate insta-love tropes.
I am giving this book 3.5/5 Stars because even though I liked some aspects of it, I was confused for most of it.
Thanks again to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
adventuresofaliterarynature's review
5.0
After adoring this author's debut novel I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and thankfully I loved this one too!
I found it very interesting and rather cool how instead of picking up where the first book left off this one started in the middle of the events from A Noble Masquerade. But since they were told from two new perspectives it didn't feel repetitive and I actually loved seeing multiple sides of the same story.
Georgina didn't come across very likable in the first book but as soon as we got into her head it was all explained. It was rather brilliant the way she had manipulated her life and created a character for herself all to keep her secret from being discovered. That she was able to hide it for so long from all but one person was remarkable. And even though she didn't start off on the best foot in my opinion by the end she had captured my heart and I was rooting for things to work out for her.
Colin was an amazing character. I loved how despite being a shrewd businessman he always made sure to do the honorable thing and also the fact that he was content with his status on the fringes of society in a time when having a high status meant everything to most people. The way Colin and Georgina matched wits throughout left me with a smile on my face almost the whole time I was reading. I loved the way their relationship played out and there were some moments that were absolutely swoon-worthy!
It was really fun to see some of Ryland and Miranda's story from another view and to see how things played out after the events of their book. It was also great to "visit" with the other familiar characters from book one and the prequel novella!
In conclusion I loved everything about this book (like I did with the first one) and I cannot wait till Trent's story comes out so I can devour that one as well!
I received this book free in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I found it very interesting and rather cool how instead of picking up where the first book left off this one started in the middle of the events from A Noble Masquerade. But since they were told from two new perspectives it didn't feel repetitive and I actually loved seeing multiple sides of the same story.
Georgina didn't come across very likable in the first book but as soon as we got into her head it was all explained. It was rather brilliant the way she had manipulated her life and created a character for herself all to keep her secret from being discovered. That she was able to hide it for so long from all but one person was remarkable. And even though she didn't start off on the best foot in my opinion by the end she had captured my heart and I was rooting for things to work out for her.
Colin was an amazing character. I loved how despite being a shrewd businessman he always made sure to do the honorable thing and also the fact that he was content with his status on the fringes of society in a time when having a high status meant everything to most people. The way Colin and Georgina matched wits throughout left me with a smile on my face almost the whole time I was reading. I loved the way their relationship played out and there were some moments that were absolutely swoon-worthy!
It was really fun to see some of Ryland and Miranda's story from another view and to see how things played out after the events of their book. It was also great to "visit" with the other familiar characters from book one and the prequel novella!
In conclusion I loved everything about this book (like I did with the first one) and I cannot wait till Trent's story comes out so I can devour that one as well!
I received this book free in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
kimsbookmoon's review
5.0
A great Historical romance dealing with dyslexia.
I loved A Noble Masquerade! This was just as good.
I loved A Noble Masquerade! This was just as good.
debralewi's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0