My Review: Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey by Abigail Wilson

The Story (synopsis from the publisher):
In this new Regency romance, Elizabeth knows she must protect her heart from the charm of her new husband, Lord Torrington. She is not, however, prepared to protect her life.

When the widowed Lord Torrington agreed to spy for the crown, he never planned to impersonate a highwayman, let alone rob the wrong carriage. Stranded on the road with an unconscious young woman, he is forced to propose marriage to protect his identity and her reputation, as well as his dangerous mission.

Trapped not only by her duty to her country but also by her limited options as an unwed mother, Miss Elizabeth Cantrell and her infant son are whisked away to Middlecrest Abbey by none other than the elder brother of her son’s absent father. There she is met by Torrington’s beautiful grown daughters, a vicious murderer, and an urgent hunt for the missing intelligence that could turn the war with France. Meanwhile she must convince everyone that her marriage is a genuine love match if her new husband has any hope of uncovering the enemy.

Determined to keep her son’s true identity a secret, Elizabeth will need to remain one step ahead of her fragile heart, her uncertain future, and the relentless fiend bent on her new family’s ruin.

Available for pre-order (releases May 26, 2020). If you would like a copy, please consider supporting your local independent bookseller!

My Review:
Readers, this book fairly screamed my name when I saw the blurb. I devour romance in the general market as well as clean and inspirational stories and the marriage of convenience trope is my favorite across the board. There's just something about two people being forced into a marriage arrangement for whatever reason and working together for themselves and their families that I love. Obviously, these types of relationships tend to make a little more sense in a historical setting, so that's what sub-genre I tend to reach for.

Abigail Wilson is a new-to-me author of historical romance and now a must read! The chemistry of her leads is straight up fire. This is Christian fiction, so she keeps it clean, but also...hot. That's gotta be hard to do, right? Ms Wilson does it veryyy well. A secret smile from Torrington is all it takes for Elizabeth, and also this reader, to melt. She puts some of the seasoned veteran romance writers to shame! That said, this book is so much more than a romance. Yes, romance is fun, but there's the relationship building that accompanies the blending of families as well as a bit of murder and mystery.

At just over 300 pages, with so much going on, you'd think maybe some things would be glossed over or rushed, but that isn't the case. Wilson does a fabulous job at fleshing out the characters, the plot, setting, AND the mystery--so much so that I did not have a clue as to who the perpetrators were! I've already contacted the author and inquired after a few of the secondary characters I fell in love with too! I'm desperate for them to get the happy endings they deserve. Happy news: The author's written a proposal for an additional series to continue each siblings' story! Yay!

I highly recommend Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey for fans of romance, mystery, and clean books! I'll definitely be looking at this author's backlist in the near future. I can use more high quality quarantine reads.

~ My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ~

*I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*

Happy Reading!