Unmasked by the Marquess
The Regency Impostors
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4.0 • 38 Ratings
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- $5.99
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
One of Library Journal's Best Romances of 2018
The one you love…
Robert Selby is determined to see his sister make an advantageous match. But he has two problems: the Selbys have no connections or money and Robert is really a housemaid named Charity Church. She’s enjoyed every minute of her masquerade over the past six years, but she knows her pretense is nearing an end. Charity needs to see her beloved friend married well and then Robert Selby will disappear…forever.
May not be who you think…
Alistair, Marquess of Pembroke, has spent years repairing the estate ruined by his wastrel father, and nothing is more important than protecting his fortune and name. He shouldn’t be so beguiled by the charming young man who shows up on his doorstep asking for favors. And he certainly shouldn’t be thinking of all the disreputable things he’d like to do to the impertinent scamp.
But is who you need…
When Charity’s true nature is revealed, Alistair knows he can’t marry a scandalous woman in breeches, and Charity isn’t about to lace herself into a corset and play a respectable miss. Can these stubborn souls learn to sacrifice what they’ve always wanted for a love that is more than they could have imagined?
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Cat Sebastian updates a traditional Regency romance by including LGBTQ characters. To protect herself and her best friend, Charity Church has been living as a man named Robin Selby. But what was once a disguise has now become an identity. Alistair, Marquess of Pembroke has led a solitary, curmudgeonly life, but after he meets the irresistible Robin he finds himself questioning whether he can trust his new lover. With a genderqueer heroine and a bisexual hero, this romantic romp breathes new life into a popular genre.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A bisexual marquess and a genderqueer con artist fall in love in the spectacular first book of Sebastian's Regency Impostors series. Robert Selby, a man of no great consequence in Regency England, wants to see his sister safely married off, and he hopes to use a tenuous connection to Alistair, Lord Pembroke, to launch her social season. As Robert and Alistair begin to form a deeper emotional bond, Robert is forced to reveal that the body beneath his gentleman's clothing isn't what Alistair expects, nor is his relation to Miss Selby what he makes it out to be. The romance that develops is remarkably tender, but with Alistair wanting a wife and an heir and Robert unwilling to live as a "proper" woman, it seems like their relationship is doomed before it gets off the ground. This delightful book will captivate readers with beautiful character development, emotional thrills, and a swoon-worthy courtship.
Customer Reviews
Loved it
Loved this book couldn’t put it down
Lovely, unforgettable lgbtq romance!
UNMASKED BY THE MARQUESS is a lovely, unforgettable romance. It was such a pleasure to read. It was sexy and sweet and had all the feels. I was invested in Alistair and Charity’s story from the start and rooted for them the whole way through.
Because Alistair and Charity had different personalities and upbringings, they gave each other what they needed and what was missing from their lives. Charity’s charming personality broke down Alistair’s walls, and lit up the darkness in his life. I loved how he described her sparkling laughter as a pop of champagne. I loved how Alistair loved her just the way she was and didn’t want or try to change her.
The sexual tension was simply delicious, and the plot was so suspenseful I couldn’t put the book down. Because Charity had many hurdles to overcome after assuming another man’s place in society and Charity's gender identity would have caused a scandal if Alistair married her, I worried that she and Alistair wouldn’t make it. I was in tears near the end. I wanted them to have their happy ending so much, and I was so happy for them when everything worked out.
I liked how Charity saw the light as well. I liked the symbolism of her rebirth. And I liked how Alistair as well as Charity went on a journey to realizing their true selves that the novel also could have been titled “Unmasking the Marquess.” I loved how in the end Charity achieved the freedom she so desired and deserved.
I loved the funny moments in the novel. Alistair’s wooing of not only Charity but her acquaintances and his estranged family was rather cute. I loved the goose and the chickens and the kitten, and Alistair in gothic villain mode. The secondary characters were just as entertaining.
Alistair and Charity’s understanding of each other, their sexual chemistry and devotion are everything I would want in a romantic relationship.
I wholeheartedly recommend this gem of a novel, and look forward to reading Cat Sebastian’s future books.