Friday, October 23, 2015

Unwrapping a Review of MASQUERADE, an Andalucian Nights novel by Hannah Fielding

If there is one thing I can say for the writing style of Hannah Fielding, it is that she can use words to create a setting better than anyone in the romance genre. MASQUERADE is her most recent release and the second book in her Andalucian Nights series. I have not read the first but I might just have to indulge in that just to experience more of this amazing ability of hers to transport the reader to the past.

***ecopy provided by author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for MASQUERADE:

A young writer becomes entangled in an illicit gypsy love affair, pulling her into a world of secrets, deception and dark desire. Summer, 1976. Luz de Rueda returns to her beloved Spain and takes a job as the biographer of a famous artist. On her first day back in Cádiz, she encounters a bewitching, passionate young gypsy, Leandro, who immediately captures her heart, even though relationships with his kind are taboo. Haunted by this forbidden love, she meets her new employer, the sophisticated Andrés de Calderón. Reserved yet darkly compelling, he is totally different to Leandro – but almost the gypsy’s double. Both men stir unfamiliar and exciting feelings in Luz, although mystery and danger surround them in ways she has still to discover.

~*~            ~*~            ~*~            ~*~             ~*~

Open the doors or pages in this case, and be transported to the summer of 1976. Luz de Rueda has returned home to Cadiz, Spain after spending years in England. A freelance writer who works as a biographer, she enjoys her work because it allows her to be herself, free to do as she pleases. Having always considered herself a free spirit, she discovers her life is nothing as free as that of a gypsy – one in particular. The young, handsome, and very sexy Leandro is not easily forgotten, not even when she meets her new employer, Andres de Calderon who is practically his double. But the two men are complete opposites yet both inspire her deepest desires. The question that needs to be answered is…which will her heart choose?

As usual, Hannah Fielding has painted an extraordinary picture of Cadiz. Her settings always take center stage in her romances. As much as I love this quality about her writing, I wish she could extend it just a bit more toward her characters. Whereas the city is one of the characters in the story, and although I enjoyed the premise, the mystery, and found it intriguing, I wish the characters had a bit more life to them. I wanted to feel more of what Luz was feeling and there were times when I wished I could have put some words in Leandro’s mouth. Andres was probably the most alive character in this story. The love triangle is a good one…I think I lean more toward Andres being the better man although, I’m not sure I totally trust him but Leandro needs to grow up. I should warn that it does end in a cliffhanger and so if you’re not prepared to read the next book, you might be a tad disappointed…I’d like to know what happens.

MASQUERADE by Hannah Fielding is a beautiful journey back in time to a beautiful city to experience a story filled with passion, heartbreak, revenge, betrayal, and love…the only question is with whom does our heroine find herself finally falling in love…the sexy gypsy or the sophisticated and refined gentleman?

If you’re a fan of beautiful settings, fabulous imagery, and descriptions that make you feel, smell, and sense the place then definitely read MASQUERADE, book two in the Andalucian Nights series by Hannah Fielding. If she ever packs as much wallop into her character building as she does her settings, there will be no stopping her.

Happy Reading Everyone!

MASQUERADE, an Andalucian Nights novel by Hannah Fielding, London Wall Publishing, available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

   

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