Reviews

The Long Masquerade by Madeleine Brent

aharey's review

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adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Emma lives a life of luxury in Jamaica until she marries a man who is not what he seems. She escapes during a storm and becomes Casey, a fisherwoman wandering the seas of the Caribbean. She later travels to England, but her past may come back to haunt her.

I really love this novel. It has a lot of the elements of a Madeleine Brent novel that I love, plus it throws in a marriage of convenience, which is one of my favorite plot elements.

Great, great book!

takethyme's review

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4.0

In 1897, Miss Emma Delaney’s uncle betrothed her to Mr. Oliver Foy. She had just turned eighteen years of age. He was 36 and was one of the island of Jamaica’s prime bachelors. He was a gentleman during their brief engagement. But soon after the wedding ceremony, Emma discovered their holy wedlock dissolved into a marriage from hell.

On a stormy night and with the assistance of a dear friend, the young woman escaped on a small ship that Daniel Choong had built. Originally her servant, Daniel became her companion, teacher and guardian. With his guidance, Emma survived.

’I found that the secret of true contentment in the life we lived was never to think more than a day into the future and never to think of the past at all. We had only three concerns; the weather, the boat and our provisions.’

Three years passed in a short period of time. Then fate takes a hand.

[b:The Long Masquerade|334668|The Long Masquerade|Madeleine Brent|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1173840414s/334668.jpg|22302] referred to Emma disguised as ‘Casey’. It was a combination of historical fiction, light adventure and mild suspense with a setting in the West Indies and England. I was surprised at the original publication year: 1981. Because of some innuendoes, I expected an earlier declaration by at least two decades. Still, if you are a fan of Ms. Brent, it is a must-read. For those of you looking for romance, Emma/Casey finally earns a well-deserved HEA.

*Free on openlibrary.org*

jodilynclayton's review

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4.0

This cover is so dumb and has nothing to do with the book. Like all Brent books, this story is way more about the heroine, the challenges she faces, and her many adventures--the romance always comes at the end of the book and is fairly understated. Anyway, Brent's formula for his books is my favorite and I'm so sad there is only one more Brent book for me to read! 😥 Anyway, don't judge these books by their covers! I'm so thrilled to discover more books that are well written, engaging, and clean!!!! I'm definitely going to be purchasing some of theses titles.

jenne's review

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5.0

Excuse the trashy cover, but Madeleine Brent is the BEST EVER.
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