The Masquerade
Brenda Joyce
ISBN# 0778322092
Mira, Aug 2005, 554 pp
Historical Romance-Regency
Ireland/London
$7.50 (US) $8.99 (CDN)

Reviewed by Laurel
August 2005

Ever since Elizabeth Fitzgerald was ten years old she has been hopelessly and madly in love with Tyrell de Warrene after he saved her from a near drowning. Years have gone by and Elizabeth is a now a young lady, who is self sacrificing, full of compassion, loves to read romance novels and still harbors a secret crush on Tyrell. She knows that she is below his station in life and there is no hope of ever marrying him. While out in town, she is nearly run over by a runaway carriage and is suddenly pushed to the ground out of harm’s way. Covered in mud, she is shocked to see she is safely in the arms of Tyrell. Recovering her wits and mortified he sees her looking like this, she hastens to run away from him, but not before divulging she is attending his family's All Hallow’s Eve costume ball.

Lord Tyrell de Warrene is the heir apparent to the de Warrene dynasty. His honour and duty require him to make a spectacular marriage. To ensure financial security ensuring the line and legacy years down the road. All his life he has harboured a desire and a love for the ten-year-old girl he plucked from the lake one day. He has secretly watched her in town grow from a girl to a woman, with a strong need to protect her. A woman he craves and lusts after, knowing he would never be able to take her for a wife but she is the one he secretly loves. At the masked ball he spots her in disguise and he stares captivated. Directing her outside, he corners her for a kiss with the hope and a demand that she will meet him in the garden at midnight for a carnal and lustful night of passion.

Lizzie is overcome with emotion and is stunned, debating on whether or not she should fill her secret desire with one blissful night in Tyrell’s arms. When her sister, Anna, ruins her costume, their mother orders her home. But Anna convinces Lizzie to trade costumes with her sending her home and Anna staying in her place. Months later her sister divulges that she is pregnant and is about to face certain ruin. She is engaged to marry a man who is not the father of her unborn child. Lizzie comes up with a bold plan that would take her and Anna to Dublin to their Aunt Elenore’s doorstep where she can have the baby and put it up for adoption. Elenore demands to know whom the father is as a condition to stay at her house, with full cooperation in this scandalous secret. Lizzie learns her sisters shocking betrayal. She divulges she met Tyrell in the garden on All Hallows Eve and the result is this pregnancy. Hurt and confused Lizzie pushes aside her anger for her sister and maintains her loving support. When the baby is born Lizzie cannot part with him, riddled with guilt that they would be giving Tyrell’s son away. She raises him as her own and remains in seclusion. After a year her Aunt decides that it’s time Lizzie went home with her child. Her father, upon discovery, is outraged and marches her up to Adare and confronts Tyrell, insisting that he marry his daughter. Now Lizzie, caught in the lie and scandal of her life, must face Tyrell and confess that Ned is his child with her.

THE MASQUERADE is the second novel in The de Warrene Dynasty. This novel was really quite enjoyable, both of the main characters being headstrong, kind hearted and determined. Tyrell is a character that oozes sex appeal and reminds me of his great ancestor, Stephen de Warrene from THE PROMISE OF THE ROSE. Lizzie was a compassionate woman; she loved Tyrell and her sisters and would do anything for them to ensure their happiness. However, I would have loved to see her anger, she pushed everything to the back of her mind. She did not really grieve through out this novel, making her too self-sacrificial for my liking. The secondary characters Rory and Georgina almost steal the spotlight in this novel. With the humorous and charming banter back and forth between them as they both fought their attraction to each other.

The novel was well written and the movement of the story is enjoyable. Yet, all through this novel I was somewhat expecting Anna to reappear. She was a very selfish character and showed no real remorse towards her sister for the hurt and pain she caused her. THE MASQUERADE is based on the passion between two people and the loss of power to stop the turn of events that must happen. Lizzie & Tyrell were a sexually alluring couple; the steam rises from the pages when they are together. Brenda Joyce is a master at telling stories that sweep you in and pull at your heart. Her hero’s are always sexually captivating and Tyrell is no exception. Like a predator stalking his prey he went after Lizzie, knowing he could never have her. THE MASQUERADE is emotional, it is passionate and it’s a Brenda Joyce novel that will have you sighing and rereading time and time again.