An Elegant Façade (Hawthorne House Book #2)
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4.7 • 46 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
An Exciting New Voice in Regency Romance
Lady Georgina Hawthorne has worked tirelessly to seal her place as the Incomparable for her debut season. At her first London ball, she hopes to snag the attention of an earl.
With money and business connections, but without impeccable bloodlines, Colin McCrae is invited everywhere but accepted nowhere. When he first encounters the fashionable Lady Georgina, he's irritated by his attraction to a woman who concerns herself only with status and appearance.
What Colin doesn't know is that Georgina's desperate social aspirations are driven by the shameful secret she harbors. Association with Colin McCrae is not part of Georgina's plan, but as their paths continue to cross, they both must decide if the realization of their dreams is worth the sacrifices they must make.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lady Georgina Hawthorne has spent the last 12 years preparing for her first season out in London society, and nothing will get in the way of her plan to marry a titled gentleman before anyone discovers the secret she's had to hide almost her entire life. Colin McCrae runs in the social circles of earls and dukes, but knows that as a gentleman without a title no matter how much money or shrewd business sense he possesses he'll never truly belong to the upper echelon of society life. As the season progresses and Colin and Georgina are thrown together into social situations and adventures, Georgina's secret is in danger of becoming public, ruining her chances of a good match. Once Colin begins to uncover what Georgina is hiding, he doesn't ruin her or write her off as broken; instead, in Colin's assessment, she changes from a superficial husband-hunter to a strong and courageous woman. Now all he has to do is help her see herself that way. Hunter (A Noble Masquerade) does a wonderful job of portraying Georgina's secret and slowly revealing it, and its ramifications, throughout the novel. Readers of Pride and Prejudice and The Selection will enjoy this novel.
Customer Reviews
An excellent read!
An Elegant Façade by Kristi Ann Hunter
If you have read the first book of this series, A Noble Masquerade, you already know that Kristi Ann Hunter is an engaging writer. If you have not yet read anything by this fabulous author, then welcome to a new favorite! Whenever any of my true favorite authors: Francine Rivers, Roseanna M White, Melanie Dickerson, Dee Henderson, put out a new release, I have them Pre-ordered. Kristi Ann Hunter has joined this group!
What I found to love about this second book of the series, is that the beginning of the story takes place during the end of the last book. The author addresses this in the beginning of the book, and I was a little skeptical of how I would like reading the same parts of the previous story again. Instead being repeticious, it gives the story from other characters' perspectives which is such a beautiful artistic spin by Krisit Ann Hunter. This book by itself can stand alone without reading the previous in its series. But really, I love both this book and the previous, and the Author's way of creating her stories for her readers, just you should just read the first one too. (side note, there is also a prequel called "A Lady of Esteem" that is just as fabulous!)
A few things I am always looking for in a good book, is a well developed, engaging story line. It must be an easy read, because I have only few hours in my day to spend reading, but contain depth. Unlike some ficion stories, I have read, this storyline has been thoughtout, developed and laid beautifuly in winding detail. It must be clean, free from raunchy descriptions, love stories can be written beautifully without rank wording. I find the best stories written are engaging enough to leave you feeling hopelessly romantic as a young girl would feel, rather than painted with filth. This book delivers all my requirements and more.
You find yourself in England when life was still very much surrounded by the class system. Georgina a descendant of a Duke who is trained in all things of elegance, social hierarchy, and formality. Colin, a man from business and trade decent. These two have very different upbringings, both have completely different outlooks on life. And yet, they are continually thrown into the same mix of people despite what society would may have deemed appropriate. It is a love story, but also a story of acceptance, growth, transparency, and trust.
Without giving away the premise of the storyline, I love that it addresses a situation in which many people have gone through. Trying to hide, overcompensate, or deem unfit when there may be something that makes them "different" from others. There is healing to letting out the secrets that we sometimes hold onto, and this was the case for our main lady, Georgina. To be honest, I could NOT stand this girl at the beginning of the book, even when you already know that she is hiding something, I had no taste for her actions nor persona. And here is why I LOVE Kristi Ann Hunter, if an author can get you to dislike a character in the beginning and then weave her story into truly cheering on this lady by the end of the book, You have a talented writer! Georgina's story starts with viewing her as shallow, title hungry, rude and selfishness. Enter in our leading man, Colin, who is able to disarm, interact, and bring forth the woman underneath her façade.
Truly, this book was one that will be read many times in my home and passed on as a recommended read for enjoyment. I so enjoyed the delivery of this couple's story by Krisit Ann Hunter.
While this book was giving to me for review, these are 100% my thoughts and opinions on this book and author. Thank you to Bethany House Publishing on behalf of Kristi Ann Hunter for the gift, privilege and honor in being able to read this book for review!
7/5/2016 Bethany House,
I received a copy from Bethany House Publishing, in exchange for my honest opinion, with no other compensation, which I am privileged to provide.