A misunderstanding and lack of communication keep a newly wedded couple apart for 2 years. Each have gone on with their lives, one as a diplomat and the other a socialite. One is full of anger, the other full of regret. Both have not forgotten the other, nor the love they feel for each other. However, one wants revenge and the other wants to rekindle their marriage. But the reason for their separation is even more sinister than either realize. Will they discover the truth in time?
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It has been two years, since Grace has seen her husband, Oliver, the Earl of Wenning. The day after their wedding night, Oliver left her whilst she slept, to pursue his ambitions abroad. Believing herself a failure as a wife, Grace refused to crumble and began a life as a fashionable socialite, flirting with scandal with her many male admirers. Yet Oliver returns, still believing that Grace married him, hiding her own scandal. Yet when they meet again at a masquerade ball at the infamous Maida Pleasure Gardens, Grace believes that she has met a mysterious stranger who understands her grief, whilst Oliver begins to think that what tore him away from Grace, might all be a lie. Meanwhile, they start to realise that there is danger lurking close by, when both of them feel that their lives are threatened.
I love this book, with all its uncertainty and secrets. Both Oliver and Grace were such passionate people, strong in their feelings but afraid to show the other, their true feelings. It seemed that at all times, both wanted to reveal all but their past hurts made them so careful and very vulnerable. With the threat of danger always eminent, this was a heightened romance. I also thoroughly enjoyed many of the secondary characters. This book is destined to keep all readers hooked until the end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Grace has been summarily wedded, bedded and left by a man she thought would love her forever. Embarrassed, but vowing to never let anyone know her pain, she proceeds to flaunt the edge of propriety for the first two years of her “marriage”. Oliver beyond angry with his Countess. He truly believes that she betrayed him-how dare she! Only neither of them realize they have been set up to fail.
Returning from his post to China, Oliver revisits the reason for his actions of his wedding night. He decides that he needs to woo his wife and find the person responsible for their loss of trust and time with each other.
The first book of this series is entertaining and the readers have a chance to revisit some beloved characters from previous books.

After reading a letter Oliver the Earl of Wenning leaves his wife Grace on their wedding night. Two years later he returns from his diplomatic ambitions abroad.
His wife Grace was left to deal with the humiliation and suspicion of why he left. Grace is very confused and upset as she has no idea why he left.

This was a great historical romance read. Everything I love in this genre was in this book.

A young couple in love that let a misunderstanding get in between them. A villain who will stop at nothing to keep the young couple apart so that he can gain the title of Earl.
An ex of the Earls that wants the affections of the Earl of Wenning again.
There is lots of intrigue and mystery in this book as well as a second chance at love.

Grace and Oliver are a fantastic couple and I was cheering for them from the beginning. There was also some great characters in this book that I hope to hear more of as the series progresses.

After a passionate wedding night, the Earl of Wenning abruptly left his young bride for a diplomatic post with little explanation. Two years later, Oliver has returned to find that Grace has blossomed into a confident social butterfly not short of male admirers fighting for her attention. Their reunion is cold and awkward, but there is still a bit of a spark there, something that Oliver is keen to fan after realising that perhaps he made too hasty a decision to abandon his marriage after their one night together. However, he is finding himself in hot competition with no other than... (view spoiler).

Okay, so I really enjoyed the author's writing when I first sampled her a few months ago. This book is less witty and more angsty, the forced kind of angsty. I just didn't enjoy the plot device used in this story (view spoiler).

Would I try Mary Lancaster again? Yes, most definitely. She's a capable writer but this story just did not work for me.

The day after his wedding, Oliver Harlow, Earl of Wenning, leaves his wife and sails for China on diplomatic business. Grace, the new Countess, does not know why he suddenly left. For two years she flirts and lives on the edge. She stays faithful to her husband, even though she never receives a letter and is angry. When he returns, he wants to win back his wife. Masked as a stranger at the Maida, he approaches his wife to question her feelings for her husband. Only someone wants to keep them apart. Who and why? Oh my, the mysterious stranger,Rudolf, can take me into the shadows anytime!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

4.5 Stars
Two years ago, the Earl of Wenning abandoned his bride on their wedding night, leaving her to face the humiliation and inevitable suspicion of guilt alone, while he pursued his diplomatic ambitions abroad. But the resilient Grace refused to crumble. Setting aside her bewildered grief, she has become a fashionable socialite living on the edge of scandal, surrounded by male admirers. Now, she awaits her husband Oliver’s return with a little revenge in mind. The earl and the countess circle each other in a wary, dangerous dance where either might win - or ruin what’s left of their marriage. Meanwhile, a more deadly enemy stalks them.
A new series starter & another very well written book by the author, the characters have depth, I liked both Oliver & Grace & thoroughly enjoyed their second chance. There were misunderstandings, mistrust, murder attempts & of course romance. I loved that Oliver was made to work to win Grace back & that Grace made him work to woo her. If only they’d talked! There was a very strong cast of secondary characters who I hope feature in future books. I found this often edge of the seat read to be very hard to put down & read it in two sittings, I also loved that the villains got their comuppances.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Oliver, the charming Earl of Wennng, thought he was living his perfect life. He had married Grace, the woman of his dreams and their life together looked wonderful full of love and laughter. Except, something goes terribly wrong on the wedding night and Oliver abandons Grace while he pursues a diplomatic mission in China. Grace was shattered and had not idea what had happened, but she soon tries to pull her life together and carry on. When word reaches her two years later, that her wayward husband is coming home, she vows never to forgive him his terrible treatment of her. But, are there other things in play keeping these two apart?

I absolutely loved this book! It was so heartbreaking for the suffering Grace had endured and she does her best to put on a brave face to Society. Everyone accuses her of driving her husband away, but how is that fair? There was mystery, intrigue and a slow understanding of what jealously can do to families. The pacing is good throughout the book and the ending is perfect! I'm looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

I really enjoyed Unmasking the Hero by Mary Lancaster. This book starts off with Grace and Oliver enjoying their wedding night until Oliver finds a letter that causes him to leave Grace for two years. Grace continues on as if she is not heart broken and lonely until Oliver returns. This book is romantic, mysterious, treacherous, and calculating. It will keep you on the edge of your seat while making you wonder what will happen to the hero and heroine. I was so caught up in the story that I finished it in one day. I just couldn't put it down.

I was given this book by Netgalley for an honest review.

A gorgeously well crafted regency romance. Unmasking the Hero, book 1 in the Pleasure Garden series is off to a wonderful start. Oliver and Grace are wonderful characters and you get swept up in their journey back to each other.

Having been abandoned by her husband the day after the wedding, Grace is understandably upset and nervous when he returns two years later. Oliver comes to realize he made a mistake in not discussing things with his new bride before he left her. The couple must now come together to fight an unknown enemy. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

This story was filled with regrets, anger, and hate while also teaching forgiveness and love. Unseen forces plotted against this couple causing strife and heartache before they ultimately discovered truth. The slow burn of discovery, the taunting and teasing, and ultimately the passion was a joy to read. I felt for this couple so much and they truly deserved their happy ending when they got it. #netgalley #unmaskingthehero

My heart was in a twist throughout this achingly beautiful romance. When Oliver, the Earl of Wenning, impulsively abandoned his wife after their wedding night, he could not have known the peril he put her in. I wanted to cry for Grace as she brazened out her critics, deftly managing her hangers-on, and keeping the hounds at bay. Returning home from his mission abroad, Oliver shadows his wife, trying to discover the truth about her and ultimately to win her back again, knowing that he has broken her heart. When one of Grace's admirers becomes more strident in his attempts to trap her, she finds a stranger to shelter her. She is surprised by her reaction towards him and as he lures her in, Grace finds it increasingly difficult to push him away. I love the main characters in this novel, the undeniable attraction between them, and the way in which they worked together to unveil the plot against them. The novel comes to a very satisfactory and humorous conclusion, serving up justice and retribution to those who deserved it. I received a copy of this outstanding book through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Lady Grace Wenning has spent the last two years showing a cheerful face to society. Her husband, who she thought loved her, abandoned her the day after the wedding. Now he is due home from assignment in China, and she has no intention of changing her life for him.

Oliver, the Earl of Wenning has had two years to brood over the letter that ruined his marriage. He's finding no evidence that it could possibly be true. Maybe it's time to find out just who his wife really is.

This is a fabulous historical romance that is fun and quite sad at the same time. Plenty of secrets and underhanded people set around a slightly disreputable venue. We have lots of great characters in this new series. I'm sure we are going to have lots of fun with them all.

Great fun.

I am sad to say that this book was not for me. I deeply appreciated the writing style and the extraordinary amount of details to the plot and characters. These are signature marks of every book written by Mary Lancaster and it is what makes her voice a very distinctive one in the historical romance world, and a much appreciated one as that.
However, I could not get behind the plot in this one. The entire deception carried on for way too long and even when the incomprehension between the two main characters was revealed to be just that, they kept on lying to each other in a all "he/she doesn't know that I know" and it is simply not a kind of plot that I appreciate.

Thank you to Dragonblade publishing and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Will his pride prevent him to acknowledge his errors …

I missed the authors last series due to lack of room in my reading schedule so when I spotted this upcoming new series, I immediately marked a slot for it.

The heroes spent two years estranged, torn apart by falsities that broke the hero’s faith in his new bride. So she was left alone to patch up the crumbs of their marriage and face the scandal of his desertion.
Two years change a woman when she is like a walking disgrace, so she endorsed her role and played it perfectly, bordering decency and brushing propriety as after all it is what everyone were expecting from her, the abandoned spouse, the one lacking or undeserving.
Grace is no more the innocent naïve young woman she was on the eve of her marriage, time and distance changed her, she is more circumspect and she has learned bitterly to not trust a man’s word. Still, she was never able to fall out of love with her faithless husband. So what is she to do now he is back, after so long without an explanation nor a word. She imagines the worst and won’t wait for him open armed when he wounded her so much.
Oliver immediately reacted when he thought his new bride unfaithful, he bolted and ran away without a talk. Now he is reconsidering his actions as in fact, outside talk from his kin, no one has proof of her infidelities nor does her comportement lead to expect more than mere flirting. So was he rash and reckless in his need to mark her as guilty.

I loved the author did not follow the easy path of an angsty reunion, she plays with the rules and with the game of hidden identities, she offers her characters a way out, free of ire, but not of the hurt as the wounds inflicted had time to fester. As truth comes out, it does not absolve Oliver of the trust he has broken.
A lovely tale of a second chance to grasp knowing it will need to be earned.
5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen sweet lovemaking scenes

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Dragonblade Publishing, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Two years ago, the charismatic young Earl of Wenning abandoned his bride on their wedding night, leaving her to face the humiliation alone, while he pursued his diplomatic ambitions abroad. Grace recovered and become a fashionable socialite living on the edge of scandal, surrounded by male admirers. And, by the time Wenning comes home, she has befriended a mysterious stranger she met at Maida whom she believes might just serve as her means of revenge. The earl and the countess circle each other in a wary, dangerous dance where either might win - or ruin what’s left of their marriage. Meanwhile, a more deadly enemy stalks them. Will there be a happy ever after?

Lots of suspense, romance, mystery. It's exactly what I like. :) I love how Grace become her own person while her husband was away. She is the best thing in the book... :) Great ending as well....

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC.

I love a good second chance married romance. I haven't seen one written with this type of plot before so I really enjoyed it. I could have done without a few of the random POV jumps to side characters but otherwise, I really enjoyed the story. I'll be keeping an eye out for the rest of the books in the series as I enjoyed the cast of characters that's likely to show up again.

5 stars

This is a delicious read. I notice that this is the start of a 5 book series. I'm ravenous already for the other books.

i do like Mary's writting but this book was a delight.

The heroine is like her name graceful in the way she treats her errant husband. Grace was bewildered by his treatment of her, hurt and upset she wasn't going to allow him an easy return. Oliver is remorseful of his lack of sense. He uses the ruse of disguised would be rescuer in the pleasure garden whilst removing Grace from the unwanted attentions of a would be lover,

The mystery unfolds as does the romance. I don't want to add more as it would spoil the story and I'd thoroughly recommend you read it for yourself. Mary paints such great characters I'm eager to find out who will be her next hero/heroine.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own..

This was a great book secrets,mystery and second chance at romance. I loved the writing and the characters. The writing was superb with engaging characters