Masquerade [Paperback]

Nancy Moser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2010

1886, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine. She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival. As for Dora, she lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions--yet is tormented by guilt and the presence of another love that will not die. Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts?  Will love win out? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It's a risk. It's the chance of a lifetime.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

When Lottie is told that she must marry an American whom she has never met in order to salvage what is left of her family’s reputation in Wiltshire, England, she sees all of her dreams of storybook love and romance crumble. Until she devises a plan. Heiress Lottie trades places with her longtime maid, Dora, and together they attempt to pull off the switch of a lifetime. How will Lottie survive the cruel streets of New York City on her own? Does Dora have what it takes to become an aristocrat? In Moser’s (How Do I Love Thee? 2009) latest inspirational tale, a princess faced with poverty and a pauper disguised as royalty undergo a test of faith and a journey to self-discovery as both women struggle to survive in two different facets of nineteenth-century America—the slums of industrialized New York and the lavish enclaves of the elite. A novel of friendship, faith, and finding out who one truly is, Masquerade slips off its mask to reveal great love and strength in unlikely places. --Elizabeth Ponder

Review

Moser writes inspirational fiction with a strong, historically accurate foundation in this new offering, set in 1885 in New York City. Twin protagonists Charlotte Gleason, wealthy English heiress, and Dora Connors, her maid, decide to take fate (and love) inca their own hands and switch places upon their arrival in America. Dora, having never experienced material comfort, jumps at the chance to "become" Charlotte and marry a very wealthy American suitor, Conrad Tremaine, in Charlotte's stead. Charlotte, whose idea it was to trade places, finds herself penniless and on the Streets of New York, alone and desperate. Both young women find themselves utterly discombobulated and ill-at-ease pretending to be the other. Through some expected plot twists, Charlotte and Dora learn a few tricks, and lessons, about life. In the end, they find their way back to being comfortable in their own skins. Moser's work is nicely done and thoroughly entertaining throughout, even with a predictable storyline. --Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House (August 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764207512
• ISBN-13: 978-0764207518
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (113 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #546,924 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty novels that focus on the characters discovering their unique purpose. Her genres include both contemporary and historical stories. Her latest release "An Unlikely Suitor" was named to Booklist's "Top 10 Romance Novels of 2011". Both "An Unlikely Suitor" and "Masquerade" are set in the Gilded Age of New York City (see a book trailer for "Masquerade" below.) Coming out in 2012 is a Christmas/Quilt antholgy,"A Patchwork Christmas", containing three novellas by Moser, Stephanie Grace Whitson, and Judith Miller. Moser's contemporary books are known for their big-cast utilization of multiple points-of-view and intricate plotting. Some titles are "John 3: 16", "The Sister Circle", "The Good Nearby", and "The Invitation." Her historical bio-novels allow real women-of-history to share their life stories: "Just Jane" (Jane Austen), "Mozart's Sister" (Nannerl Mozart), "Washington's Lady" (Martha Washington) and "How Do I Love Thee?" (Elizabeth Barrett Browning.) Her time-travel novel, "Time Lottery", won a Christy Award and "Washington's Lady" was a finalist. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She's earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Said So Sister Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She paints canes voraciously, kills all her houseplants, and can wire an electrical fixture without getting shocked. She is a fan of anything antique--humans included. Find out more at www.nancymoser.com, www.sistercircles.com. and her historical fiction blog at: http://footnotesfromhistory.blogspot.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My New Favourite Book!, August 6, 2010

By 

Laura Davis "Laura" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Masquerade (Paperback)

Masquerade by Nancy Moser is my new favourite book. I loved the characters, the setting, the concept - well everything!

Set in England in 1886 Charlotte Gleason is a spoiled rich girl with not a wit of sense. Her maid Dora Connors has the sense, but when it comes to standing up to her mistress, she doesn't think things through. Charlotte is being forced to marry one of America's wealthiest heirs - a man she has never met, all because of bad decisions made by her father. While on the voyage to America to meet her intended, Charlotte decides to switch places with Dora. Think - The Prince and the Pauper. Charlotte wants her freedom, she doesn't want to get married. Dora wants security - it seems like a good idea - until everything goes horribly wrong!

The historical nature of this book was well researched. Moser left nothing to chance. The workhouses, the crowded tenement conditions and the horrible way immigrants lived during those times, compared to the rich, are well defined and contrasted. You could see everything and smell it too!

The lesson that Charlotte learns through her flight of freedom speaks volumes. I wish I could tell you more, but that would spoil everything for you. Suffice it to say - you need to get this book today!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An American Princess, August 1, 2010

By 

C. Hodde "Hannah Alexander" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Masquerade (Paperback)

I just finished reading Masquerade and I love it! This is the kind of story that's perfect for a movie. Fabulous historical detail, wise human insight and an unassailable spiritual message make this romantic women's novel a must-read. When an heiress from England and her companion maid switch positions on a voyage to America, not only does the maid, once raised in poverty, tackle the challenge of learning the societal rules of the upper crust, but the young heiress, pampered from infancy, learns to trust God for strength when she is plunged into the real world of immigrant life in New York City in the late 1800s. Well-balanced, with satisfying romance, this novel is poised to shoot to the top. I think Nancy Moser has taken her next step toward greatness.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars worthy of an all-night read!, September 24, 2010

By 

Sandra (Tx. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Masquerade (Paperback)

Historical romance readers will love Nancy Moser's book on America's gilded age. In Masquerade she weaves a tale of scandal, adventure and romance. Charlotte "Lottie" Gleason is a wealthy, young English socialite in 1886. She is forced to face reality when she learns of her father's sin and loss of money. Trying to save her from disgrace, her parents send her to America with instructions to wed Conrad Tremain, a wealthy man she has never met. Lottie decides she wants to have a chance to control her own life even if it means disobeying her parents and giving up the lifestyle she is accustomed to. She convinces her lady's maid, Dora, to trade places with her.
Dora considers this her chance to escape poverty and avoid a lifetime serving others. She takes Charlotte's place and enters the world of fancy clothing, parties, and leisure. She discovers that all is not well in the Tremain household and even though she likes Conrad and considers him a friend, she learns that it isn't always easy to live a lie.
Charlotte faces many hardships in the streets of New York; robbers, unhealthy living conditions, hard work and unsavory crowds are a shock to her system. She begins to regret her decision and wants to take her rightful place in the Tremain home. Will she learn how to support herself, or will she expose Dora and ruin Dora's chance at happiness? Both ladies must learn to seek God first and trust in His guidance. This was an enjoyable book worthy of an all-night read! Thank you to Bethany House for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255