Books › Masquerade Marriage

Masquerade Marriage
284 pages
A glamorous, jet-setting 1980s romance where immense wealth collides with rugged, reluctant attraction.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage 1980s romance feels like stepping into a glamorous, high-stakes world where immense wealth offers no protection against betrayal or sudden danger. The narrative moves at a brisk, jet-setting pace, sweeping the reader from sun-drenched Caribbean beaches to elegant European locales. Beneath the glittering surface of heiress lifestyles and equestrian circuits lies a tense, emotionally guarded atmosphere. The core of the experience is the crackling, class-clashing friction of forced proximity, pitting impulsive privilege against rugged, principled reluctance. It delivers the satisfying, slow-burn frustration of mutual attraction denied by pride and circumstance. This is a perfect escape for readers who crave classic category romance textures, dramatic emotional arcs, and the timeless trope of a grumpy protector resisting a vulnerable heroine.
- Mood
- glamorous
- sun-drenched
- emotionally guarded
- tense
- Tone
- dramatic
- tense
- romantic
- cynical
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- wealth versus worth · forced proximity · class friction · betrayal and trust · reluctant attraction
- The writing
- Classic 1980s category romance prose that leans into dramatic emotional clashes and the glittering descriptions of jet-set lifestyles.
- The arc
- The protagonist moves from impulsive naivete and sudden betrayal to navigating a tense, guarded landscape of reluctant mutual attraction.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love vintage 1980s romance, glamorous international settings, and the classic friction of a grumpy bodyguard protecting a wealthy heiress.
Content notes
- death of a spouse
- kidnapping threat
- deception
About the book
Her money could buy anything - except him.
Oil heiress Carlotta Burr had the money and freedom to do whatever she liked. That included jetting to the Caribbean and Europe, where she met and quickly married horse show champion Kurt Maiden.
The discovery that Kurt was a fortune hunter jolted her. His death was a further shock, as was the news that her father had hired a bodyguard to protect her from kidnappers.
Carlotta had never before met a man like Brad, her bodyguard. Not only did he despise her money and her spoiled, impulsive ways, he made it clear that their mutual attraction would never grow into anything else.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Masquerade Marriage
See why they match
Married LoversFlora KiddA whirlwind of Venetian glamour and romantic angst where a hasty marriage gets a tense, emotionally charged second chance.
The Paper MarriageFlora KiddA vintage, high-angst marriage of convenience set against the steamy, unpredictable backdrop of the Venezuelan jungle.
The Magnificient MasqueradeElizabeth MansfieldA sparkling, mistaken-identity romp through Regency drawing rooms where a playful deception leads to unexpected romance.
The Masquerading HeartCaroline CourtneyA frothy, fast-paced romp through the London Season fueled by mistaken identity and long-held romantic grudges.
The Marriage MasqueradeTeresa DesJardienA charming, low-angst Regency romp where a royal decree forces two reluctant acquaintances to navigate the awkward, tender path from obligation to true love.
Bittersweet HoneymoonMarjorie LewtyA sun-drenched, vintage-flavored journey through the Riviera where a pragmatic charade slowly melts into genuine, aching romance.