Romance blossoms when Isla Crawford steps into McQuivey’s Costume Shop in London and is swept back in time to 1605, where she and Lord Bancroft attempt to thwart Guy Fawkes’s Gunpowder Plot.
One moment, Isla Crawford is inside McQuivey’s Costume Shop trying on a Jacobean-style gown for the parliamentary Autumn Ball, and the next, she is standing in an unfamiliar garden, barefoot, coatless, and at the mercy of a fierce storm. Confused, she seeks refuge in a Tudor manor, where she discovers that she has inexplicably traveled back to 1605, mere weeks before the culmination of Guy Fawkes’s infamous Gunpowder Plot.
Simon Hartworth, Lord Bancroft, finds his orderly seventeenth-century life disrupted when a mysterious woman appears on his sister’s doorstep during a storm. Intrigued by the stranger’s quirks and bewildering speech, he feels compelled to protect her and heed her warnings about a fatal plot against Parliament. As Simon is drawn into Isla’s dangerous scheme to stop the evildoers, he can’t help but also feel drawn to her.
With seemingly no way to get back home, Isla uses her twenty-first-century knowledge of the past to try to thwart Guy Fawkes and his coconspirators without altering the course of history forever. She and Simon must race to unravel the threads of the treasonous plot even as they wonder how their hearts will navigate their deepening connection and the seemingly insurmountable four centuries that separate their lives.
My Review:
Squuueeeaaalllll!!! Another time travel romance (my second in two weeks…what are the odds?!) And I’m kinda hoping this is a trend because I really enjoy the added angst of trying to figure out how things can possibly end well. I mean, what era will the heroine end up in? And how can there truly be a happily ever after?
There’s all kinds of rules about time travelling that fans of the genre are sticklers about adhering to and Bessey did a great job of sticking to them creatively. Loved the mode of time travel — so clever and deals with a crucial complication that most time travellers have to deal with. Argh — I want to be more specific but I don’t want to reveal anything spoilerish. This would make a great book club selection because it would be so much fun to talk about the speculative side of this novel.
I felt Isla’s culture shock when she shows up in 1605. She’s confused and incredulous and in denial for awhile. Her meet-cute with Simon is anything but cute. Grinning just thinking about the convoluted conversation that takes place. Also swooning over his Jacobean gentlemanly manners while madly anticipating the moment that he finally realizes Isla’s colossal secret.
The historical details around Guy Fawkes and the gun powder plot are easy for non-British readers to grasp which I appreciated. Argh — again so much more I want to say about the ingenuous way the author works Isla into this epic historical event….but, no spoilers. Gah, so frustrating! lol
Perfect balance between the cozy historical details (the clothing! I had to google farthingale…what in the world?! It boggles the mind!) and the burgeoning doomed romance all while a traitorous plot is unfolding all around them. Unputdownable from start to finish!
I enjoyed listening to the audio book narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown and Paul Fox. They helped me settle into the time and place as I visualized the story unfolding around me.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY
ebook copy available to anyone with a US Kindle account (.com)
Canadians will have a choice of receiving an Amazon.ca gift card towards the purchase of an ebook OR an audible copy. Winner’s Choice.
If you would like a chance to win an ecopy of A Time Traveler’s Masquerade, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 3 2024.
Kav's Best Reads 
I’m excited to read this book! I have a NetGalley copy sitting on my Kindle, and I’m waiting not-so-patiently only because I have another book I need to read and review first! I love Sian Ann Bessey’s books! Since I have a copy already, no need to enter me in the drawing. Thanks for the lovely review. Now I’m even more eager to read this book!
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Eeeeppp!!! You’re gonna love it. Happy Reading, Winnie!
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What a captivating cover. Thank you so much for your review. I love time travel books. This one sounds very intriguing. Thank you for all you do. Please put my name in the hat for this one.
Norafindinghope at yahoo.com
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You’re welcome, Nora. It’s a gorgeous cover, isn’t it? Good luck!
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Not entering the contest because I can’t read ebooks, but had to say WOW what a fabulous sounding book! I’ve added it to my TBR list and excited at the prospect of reading it.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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I’m the same, Kay, which is why I’m so glad this book is in audible as well. Hope you get a chance to read it sometime. Happy Reading!
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oh what a lovely cover. time travel – yes please. I love time travel. thank you for your review. cant wait to read this one. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
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I’ve enjoyed a few time travel novels as well and am looking forward to more. The next book in this series is going to Sherwood Forest! Good luck, Lori!
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Ooh, this one sounds so good!
manderley23 at gmail dot com
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Good luck, Kimmy!
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Don’t enter me (I don’t read ebooks🙃), but I just wanted to chime in and say that I’m looking forward to reading this one too! I love time travel books and I’ve read a book by Sian Ann Bessey and it was excellent! So I’m definitely anticipating great enjoyment from this one as well😊
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We’re kindred reading spirits that way. I don’t read ebooks either. Hope you find this book in your reading future somehow. Happy Reading, Elly!
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Squueeaall! Indeed! I so enjoy reading time travel books, and this book sounds like an awesome read! Please throw my name in the hat! 😀
Alison Boss
nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com
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It is totally awesome! Good luck, Alison!
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I first “met” Sian with her Georgian Gentlemen series…and I *think* you might have introduced her books to me here on your blog Kav. Ever since then, I’ve gobbled up every book I can get my hands on by her!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her writing 😀
This sounds intriguing with the time travel angle…I don’t believe I’ve read one of those before. It would be something quite enjoyable for me to escape into 🙂
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
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Yay for new bookish introductions! I need to catch up on Sian Ann Bessey’s backlist. This would be a great start for your time traveling reading. Good luck, Trixi!
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This is one I very much want to read!
melmo2610ATgmailDOTcom
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Here’s your chance! Good luck, Melmo!
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Oh, that cover!! That would draw me to the book plus it is a time travel
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
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It’s so inviting, isn’t it? Good luck, rubynreba!
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This sounds quite interesting. I had to Google farthingale. What a strange fashion that certainly took up a lot of space.
pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com
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Bwahahaha! The farthingale boggles the mind, doesn’t it? How did they even get through a doorway?! Oh — and try riding side saddle wearing one. 🙂 Good luck, Pam!
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Oh I love reading time travel. This sounds like it is really good. I am looking forward to reading it.
tighefan42atgmaildotcom
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Time Travel novels are becoming a bit more popular now in the Christian Fiction / Clean Fiction genres which is super exciting. Good luck, Tammy!
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