Another triumph by Stella Riley and Alex Wyndham!

Masque of Deceptions is the second book in Ms. Riley’s latest ‘Shadow’ series.
In the Prologue we find Daniel Shelbourne, who was full of joie de vivre in book 1 - The Shadow Earl, brought resoundingly down to Earth when he discovers on his father’s death he not only inherits the title of Viscount Reculver but also his father’s debts and loans that he knows cannot be repaid.
From the start Alex Wyndham brings Daniel to life with emotion and shock as he questions the lawyers to understand the enormity of his financial situation.
We then move to Chapter 1 and are introduced to Anna Hawthorne. She is unmarried and on the death of her father became the sole heiress of Hawthorne’s pottery in Worcester. Consequently she is a very rich young lady whose life revolves around her porcelain business.
Mr. Wyndham performs Anna perfectly by his timing and delivery and one immediately feels she is very much in control of her comfortable surroundings.
Thereafter the story brings Daniel and Anna together and from a position of mutual mistrust because of their differing situations – one facing financial ruin while the other secure and extremely wealthy – an unlikely bond develops slowly, beautifully and emotionally, which is captured by Stella Riley’s writing and Alex Wyndham’s performance.
The story has many twists and turns resulting in a bringing together of Daniel and Anna in a most satisfactory way.
Stella Riley never fails to set her books against different backgrounds and locations. The Shadow Earl was against a background of kidnapping in the Levant. Here it is the porcelain industry in 1780’s Worcester.
What a refreshing change from the balls and endless soirees of Georgian London by other writers!
Ms. Riley’s excellent at writing dialogue and plausible characters. In this case Anna who has her own voice and opinions plus a thorough knowledge of how a business should be run because of her father’s upbringing.
I thought this audio book was outstanding. The pairing of Stella Riley and Alex Wyndham is just perfect as can be witnessed by the many Audios and 5-Star reviews they have achieved together.
Stella Riley’s characterisations are wonderful and Alex Wyndham’s performance is always outstanding.
A huge well done and thank you because it's richly deserved.
I look forward to hopefully a third book in the 'Shadow' series and cannot wait.
Another triumph by Stella Riley and Alex Wyndham!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

lovely story and great narration

cannot wait for the next one! love Stella Riley's heros and this was a wonderful Hermione. Got to be Vere next?!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

My favourite book of the year

I love listening to Alex Wyndham performing audiobooks. With Masque of Deception, he has excelled once again. He conveys Ms Riley’s written word so well that the story (already wonderful) has a new freshness and immediacy. His portrayal of the main characters, Daniel and Anna, is pitch perfect, especially Anna. He captures the nuances of her character – her self-deprecation, her forthright common sense, and her amazing courage – through both her internal dialogue and her spoken interactions.

The theme of the story is a marriage of convenience. This is a well-worn trope in romantic fiction and a hard one to make believable to a modern readership but when done well is one of my favourite themes. The author succeeds here with a gorgeous story of two people I really care about. I adore Anna. She is so relatable that I was willing her to succeed all through the story. Daniel is in desperate straits, not knowing which way to turn, but his reluctance to marry money is understandable. There are glimpses of his naturally warm, teasing and wholly attractive character but they are crowded out at the beginning of the story by his financial worries and feeling of entrapment.

The development of their relationship is simply a joy to watch. The gradual breaking down of barriers and growth of friendship and mutual respect and support is so beautifully written that I could not stop listening to the story – just one more chapter.... Both Daniel and Anna had areas of jeopardy to overcome. It was fun to see how they increasingly turned to each other for help and to see their partnership grow.

As always with Ms Rlley’s stories, the historical backdrop is perfectly delineated. I loved the setting of the porcelain manufactory as the source of Anna’s wealth. The descriptions of the processes and the making of the scent bottles were fascinating. Though unusual, it was not unheard of for a woman to control such an enterprise and it is clear how her experience in every part of the business has formed her character and makes her such a good match for Daniel.

The social commentary on the changing world was also interesting. On the one hand is the (often) impoverished landed aristocracy struggling to survive and on the other hand is a new breed of entrepreneurs discovering new ways to exploit and develop business at the start of the industrial revolution. Will the two worlds clash, meld together or develop symbiotically. This is only lightly touched upon in the story but I found it thought-provoking.

However, at heart this is a love story. My heart sings for the joy of Daniel and Anna’s happy ever after ending. It will stay with me for a long time and, enhanced by Alex Wyndham’s masterful performance, it truly is my favourite book of the year.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A sweet and slow-burning romance

I really enjoyed the book so have been looking forward to hearing Alex’s narration. It doesn’t disappoint! Anna is a socially awkward heiress who unexpectedly crosses paths with her schoolgirl crush; a naturally gregarious viscount who is struggling under inherited debt. The romance is slow-burning and very sweet. Chuck in a couple of villains to complicate things and this is a great listen!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

The Talented Ms Riley

Another triumph. I am really enjoying this new series which is beautifully written & narrated. What a treat to put my feet up, sip a hot chocolate and wallow in the late 1700's. I don't think I've ever listened to a S.R book & not come away from the experience having gleaned additional historical information. As always, this was no exception. A very enjoyable read. Highly recommended.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Gripping

Wonderfully written and read! Original story, with excellent historical detail and engaging characters. Can’t wait for more.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Couldn't put it down

Delightful characters and a believable story. I'm in love with Daniel and really like Anna. Alex Wyndham is superb as always.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

A beautifully narrated engaging historical romance

Stella Riley and Alex Wyndham created again a captivating audiobook.

Starting from a historical fact – the huge popularity of porcelain scent bottles in 18th-century polite society – Ms Riley creates a charming and page-turner romance spiced up with crime investigations on the side of both main characters. Even if we feel from the two protagonists’ first meeting that there will be a happy ending, prepare for the unexpected not once but many times. The storyline takes the reader/listener through several twists and turns, funny, laugh-out-loud and candid scenes, dangerous situations and some insights into the porcelain manufacturing of the second half of the 18th century. Stella Riley’s novels are always well-documented. They are not only based in the Georgian era; they take the reader/listener on a time travel to the 18th century. I especially appreciated Anna’s character, a strong and independent young woman deeply involved in the management of the porcelain manufactory she inherited from her father.

Alex Wyndham is a master of portraying characters through different voices making the dialogues easy to follow even if several persons are involved. His velvety, pleasant voice and dynamic narration are a bonus to those who choose the audio version of this novel.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Perfect listening combination!

I have been eagerly anticipating this edition since the ebook was published. Any Stella Riley book performed by Alex Wyndham never disappoints and I adore this!

This is a fascinating slow burning romance with a touch of intrigue. The setting in the Potteries is very well researched and, as always, rich character portrayal and sparkling dialogue bring the story to life.

Thank you Stella and Alex for so many pleasurable reading and listening hours. Looking forward to the next instalment in 'Shadows'.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful