Masquerade of the Heart is the second, and final installment in Katy Rose Pool's Garden of the Cursed duology. Key Characters: Marlow Briggs one of the best cursebreakers in the City of Caraza. Vale Falcrest former heir to the Falcrest Family after the events of the first installment. Like the first book, we follow Marlow's POV, but we also get a few Adrius chapters sprinkled in this time too. The city of Caraza sits poised on the edge of chaos—and cursebreaker Marlow Briggs is at the center of a deadly struggle for power.

In the tragic aftermath of the Vale-Falcrest wedding, Marlow is being spurned by Adrius, who refuses to speak to her and publicly vows to find a noble wife before the year is out while his sister Amara truly believes that she is guilty of trying to murder her father and will do anything to make her life miserable. Despite her heartbreak, Marlow is still intent on breaking his compulsion curse. To do so, she’ll have to play loving daughter to the man who cast it—the man (Cormorant Vale) who’s hellbent on reshaping Caraza in his own image, no matter the cost if he can get his hands on a valuable grimoire.

As Marlow navigates a city where far too many people want her dead, be it the gangs (Reapers & Copperheads) she’s crossed in the Marshes or the aristocrats (Evergarden Society) offended by her very presence in their gilded halls, the closer she gets to discovering what really happened to her own mother Cassandra, and the more Marlow starts to question if her father is really the villain she’s made him out to be. As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Marlow must decide if she’s willing to sacrifice her heart’s desire to save a city that wants her dead.

*Thoughts* As a certain singer once said, "Sorry Not Sorry" but adding in a romance for the sake of a certain group of individuals was time consuming and a waste of time that should have been spent on Marlow and Adrius. Also, after everything that Marlow has been through for the past how many years, for the author not to allow any sort of resolution with her mother disappoints me. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be, but I would have loved to see reconciliation. Marlow is a likable character not because of all the crap that is done to her, but how she manages to keep her sanity after the backstabbing and betrayal by people who were supposed to be friends.

This is the second book in a duology. Not the best reading I have had but definitely not the worst. Probably would have helped had I read the first book.

I loved the first book with the whole enemies to lovers trope. This one continues with the mystery around Marlow's mom. Marlow is so fearless. It is a satisfying conclusion but I want more from this group.

This arc was provided to me by Netgalley!

This review will contain spoilers in place of my notes: I; 'm also going to assume that you're reading this because you've already read the first book and enjoyed it so we're going to go all in and hope for the best.

I am nothing if not a person who loves a good sequel to a first book that I loved, so i jumped at the chance to read this as quickly as i could and i for the most part was not disappointed. Masquerade of the Heart jumps right into where Garden of the Cursed left off so as long as you remember what happens in that book's ending you can jump right into this and everything will make sense. The same cast of characters I loved in the first book show up and have a good plot relevance with a few exceptions: those being Amara, Gemma, and Darian who should have gotten a lot more screen time but did not.

I feel as if this should have been a trilogy though, with all that was happening and what we could have explored more. For instance, i think we could have a whole book just about Vale coming to power and them trying to destroy him while he has full control of the book and them having to deal with not being fast enough to stop him. Cassandra could have had a more prominent role in stopping him and showing Marlow that she did love her, and we could have still gotten the added drama of Adrius being engaged to Iris because tha just fell through almost as soon as it happened and we knew next to nothing about Iris and why he and Amara thought she would be a good wife.

Personally, I’m upset that we didn’t get a confrontation with Amara and Gemma about their relationship that could have been a pivotal moment for us to gain an emotional attachment to Amara and care about her as a character. We have a vested interest in Gemma, as Marlow’s only other friend and Adrius’ close friend so it would have been nice to see her get proper closure to her relationship.

All in all, a lot happened and yet nothing happened at the same time which is how I typically feel when I believe a duology should have been a trilogy, but now we get to my favorite part which is showing everyone my reading notes:

I did not expect this to take place 3 days after the first book's ending, but Marlow is on a time crunch so I guess this makes a lot of sense.
Is Vale her father or is he just playing the long game? Is this just his con? Is Cassandra dead?
I hope we get more of Swift in this book, he was neat.
Vale: Don’t worry, I told the family about you. Silvain, upon seeing Marlow: What is SHE doing here?!
Vale, the messy man that you are.
Does Vale want to control Evergarden or destroy it?
Brother-sister bonding in which they go on an adventure to track down her best friend who just so happens to be the object of the brother’s affection let’s GO
Is Aidrus looking for a wife because he wants to get over Marlow or because Amara told him to and he’s under a compulsion curse?
I was right it was Amara’s doing
Take a shot every time Marlow calls Silvain her brother and he objects:
2 shots, sadly
They do not in fact call each other siblings in a positive way.
Adrius POV, we have won.
He knew it was his Minnow!!!
Still mostly Amara’s idea to marry him off, but very star-crossed lovers of them to keep the two apart.
Not fully convinced that the curse is broken
Marlow’s plan to get Swift back was so extra, which is good on her I guess, but I’m mostly glad that he isn’t evil or working with the Reapers.
She’s playing a pretty dangerous game of fuck around and find out with all the gangs she’s messing around with.
Silvain telling Marlow that she needs to get her shit together and fix Adrius because he’s sad and annoying, and if she can handle all these gangs she can handle his sister-in-law's bullshit is such a sibling thing to do.
Boy does she get her man though! Good for you, Marlow.
Vale creating a school because of Marlow is such a good move on his part if he’s trying to get her on his side.
Don’t kill her boyfriend though that’s not going to help you.
There’s a reason I don’t believe Cassandra is dead and it’s because you can’t out lie, a liar and I stand by that Neil Josten quote.
The introduction of a grown-ass man who has a weird obsession with a teenager is so on-brand and I hate that he’s a thing but I love that they all acknowledge that he’s the weird one in this situation.
Without shame. Without shame, men like this say weird shit to teenage girls and do not think that it’s weird at all and we should be publicly shaming them more. We should be shaming this man for wearing a fedora at the very least.
Fuck Amara, to be honest, I still hate her.
The one thing that Adrius doesn’t mess around about is Marlow and yet people keep trying him about her safety to his face!
Tear of a killer could be from Adrius as long as his dad actually dies
Called it.
I knew that Iris would be an issue but was really hoping that she wouldn’t be.
I also called Cassandra not being dead but I do not believe it until I see her on page getting shit done.
Marlow’s mommy and daddy issues coming out at the same time was a doozy.
It took Marlow far too long to realize that her best friend has been hooking up with her brother for someone whose job is essential ‘Magic Detective’
Gemma coming in with the steel chair of emotions! Good for you!
For being 70 pages away from finishing this it sure feels like there’s a lot left going on.
Vale goes hard, holy shit.
Get yourself a father who melts people for you, I guess.
I always forget that YA implies that the characters, who are teens, are having sex, and while that’s a thing that happens in real life leave it to the adult-themed books!
Fuck Cassandra as well, to be honest, I don’t care for her at all.
Love that Marlow and Adrius both do not give a shit anymore and have just reached a YOLO outlook on life and their situations.
Because of course, the evil curse man is his ancestor.
There was way too much back and forth about who could really fix Caraza and Marlow wondered ‘Huh…maybe Vale is right?’
Cool motive, still murder
There was far too much build-up up for the ending that we got and I will stand by that. Too many plot holes were left unmentioned.
The gangs
Cassandra
The literal ghost haunting Adrius
Iris and Adrius’ engagement
Amara and the rest of the five families
Vale going to jail and their kissing does not feel like a good enough ending

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc!

I enjoyed this finale. I previously mentioned that I was skeptical coming into this series because I had DNFed this author's first series, but I found that I enjoyed it a lot more than I had originally thought. For this book, I thought that this was a good conclusion to the story, if some parts of it did feel a bit unnecessary and rushed. I did still have a few problems with the main character, but she didn't bother me as much as she did in the first book. Maybe it was because she grew and learned from her mistakes, but either way, she didn't annoy me as much as she had when I read the first book---and to be fair, that could have just been a me problem and I wasn't in the mood for her at the time.

I look forward to what this author does in the future.

I had fun with the first book. This one had a lot more angst. I generally liked the fast pace, but the second half just zoomed on by. There were surprises that seemed to come out of nowhere and needed further explanation. I also wanted better closure around the five families, especially because there were certain individuals I believe needed to face harsher consequences. While I was not much of a fan of the conclusion, I liked how the main story wrapped up. It posed multiple questions about exacting justice and ensuring equality that I've often thought about.

The focus on the romance in this one made up for a lot in the first book. Marlow and Adrius are separated most of the time but there is a lot more sizzling between them. The first book was filled with suppressed feelings and hate-filled tension. This one hurt a bit differently with suppressed feelings and a romance that veered toward the forbidden.

I liked the first book much more but this one still provided me with a generally good reading experience and some closure. I appreciated Marlow staying loyal to herself and to the people she cared about.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

This is the second book in the Garden of the Cursed duology and was a fun conclusion to the story! I loved the first book and want to be best friends with Marlow, and while I don't think I loved book #2 quite as much, it was such a fun book and I will absolutely be adding a copy to my classroom library. This book picks up right when #1 ends, and follows Marlow, Adrius, and crew as they search for the ingredients needed for the spell of a lifetime, basically. I don't want to spoil anything by explaining further! There is still action and romance like in book #1, but I think what kept me from loving this one as much was the lack of magic-packed action, which is so fun in this world since it relies on the spell cards/curse cards, not anyone's innate abilities. The ending brings lots of action for sure, which was great!

This is an awesome duology for readers who enjoy magic, romance, action, adventure, all with a healthy dose of family drama!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

I really enjoyed this second installment in the duology. This picks up right where book 1 left off, so it might be good to have some memory of the first book (unlike me). I wasn’t 100% on all the past details but after reading for a minute I remembered everything again.

Marlow is back trying to get all the pieces to finally fit together from book 1. There’s a lot of plot in between Marlow trying to save the day and there’s a million different side quests. The real action happens so fast and is resolved so easily, however. The book is shorter so all the plot feels crammed in. It made for a fast read and there’s plenty going on to keep your attention. Throughout the whole book I couldn’t stop thinking about how annoying Amara is. Like I would be so done with her. She is the worst. Swift is such a great friend to Marlow and I like his grumpyxsunshine relationship that I called from the very beginning. How Marlow missed that I don’t know.

Adrius & Marlow’s romance ramps up a LOT and it’s again surprising people didn’t know they were into each other. Like how? All the questions you had in the first book are answered and resolved and I’m glad that the series wrapped up with a sweet epilogue at the end. A very fun duology filled with unique magic and sweet romance!

What a great follow-up and conclusion to Garden of the Cursed. I loved the additional perspective and I love Katy Rose Pool's writing style and the world she has built with this series. This is such a great YA urban-fantasy that fits perfectly within the young adult genre. I loved the overall story and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. The romance did a great job at not overpowering the story while still being entertaining.

Masquerade of the Heart is the exciting conclusion to the Garden of the Cursed duology. I inhaled Garden of the Cursed, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next with Marlow and Adrius. The ending of the first book was marvelous, and this one grabbed my attention from the start.

Marlow and Adrius both have compelling stories, and the growth they both show over the course of the duology is incredible. I felt for both of them as they dealt with the ramifications of what happened at the end of the last book. Now, tensions run high in the five ruling families, and, as more secrets and lies are revealed, the battle for power is intense. The story is action-packed and suspenseful as Marlow unravels all that she learns and tries to forge a better future for herself and those she cares about.

I loved that this story included Marlow and Adrius's perspectives. I was so interested in Adrius in the first book and loved seeing all the different layers to his character. There are parts of his story that felt very emotional, and I was moved by some of the things he experienced. And other characters like Swift, Gemma, and Silvan, as well as some new additions, add so much life to the story and highlight the found family aspect, which is always a fave of mine. And the love story - so wonderful! The pining and angst, the sexual tension, the banter and chemistry, the forbidden aspect to their romance - it's all fantastic!

.I really enjoyed this read. It was fast-paced and suspenseful, and the plot was intriguing. It's a nice balance of action, character development, and romance, and the fantasy elements, especially the magic, are unique and interesting. And the ending is wrapped up well. I would definitely recommend the duology to YA fantasy and romantasy readers. Thanks to NetGalley and Holt Books for Young Readers for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

🤍Thank you @netgalley for the earc of this anticipated sequel🤍

•Spoiler Free for books one and two•

After reading Garden of the Cursed, I was on pins and needles for the sequel. Like book one, I ended the story just loving everything about this world and these characters

The magic, the mystery, the romance, the friendship, all of it had me absolutely obsessed.

This duology feels like Enola Holmes meets a Ketterdam feeling world, with the addition of magical cards

A few things about book one!
• duology
• second chance
• fake dating
• curses
• a mystery

I highly recommend picking up Garden of the Cursed and Masquerade of the Heart (out 6/18)

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆/5
Steam: make outs
TW: dm for details

Thank NetGalley and Macmillan for an e-arc of this book!

This was a satisfying conclusion to the duology that started with Garden of the Cursed, but I’m not sure I liked it as much as the first book.

The main reason I didn’t think it was as strong as the first book is that Marlow outshines all the other characters by miles. And of course, she is the main character and I LOVED her development and her character in general, but it just made the lack of growth and development in the side characters more obvious. I wanted more from Gemma, from Swift, from Silvan, they were all such interesting characters and we didn’t get enough development in their relationships with Marlow.

Adrius is another story altogether, I felt as though he did have development and his relationship with Marlow had depth, but it just felt a little bit rushed. Also, he wasn’t in like half of this book, hence why it might have felt rushed. That being said, I’m glad Marlow and Adrius FINALLY got on the same page.

Other than that, I loved this world and it’s complexity in the first book and I still really enjoyed it in this one, and watching Marlow navigate it and use it to her advantage was great.

I also liked the villain in this story because he really believed he was doing the right thing and made points that Marlow understood. It was interesting to watch because I think Vale truly did love Marlow.

If you read the first book, definitely pick this one up, it was a satisfying conclusion to the story.

Really enjoyed this! A great conclusion to the duology that didn’t leave me with too many questions.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely devoured Garden of the Cursed and the same can be said of Masquerade of the Heart. At the beginning of the book, we have Marlow still trying to break Adrius' curse. At the same time, she is doing what she can to avoid being tried as guilty at her upcoming trial. She is still convinced her dad, Lord Vale, is responsible for the curse and is determined to prove it.

Marlow is searching for her friend, Swift, who has been taken by one of the gangs. She is also still strongly disliked by the Copperheads and continues to have to avoid them. Without giving too much away, Marlow discovers their is more secrets and lies among the five families and that the city of Credenza is on the cusp of destruction. Marlow seeks out old friends, new friends, and gains some unlikely allies in order to create a spell that will hopefully save the city from being taken over.

Marlow and Adrius are not at odds for the whole story, so for those of you like me who are invested in the romance, don't worry! The plot is fast paced and events from the previous book that were left open all culminate in the final book as the different families, gangs, and allies all merge together.

This serious was did not disappoint. The second book was equally, if not better than the first book!

This novel was high on my list of anticipated sequels this year, and it didn’t disappoint. My review will be brief to avoid spoilers – it’s an especially challenging task with this one.

After the events of the Vale-Falcrest wedding at the end of the last book, the fate the head of the Falcrest family is uncertain, and tensions are high between the Five Families. Adrius’s father named him heir, a title Adrius doesn’t want, and his sister is determined to prove she’s the better choice to lead the family. Marlow learns the identity of her father, but he’s also the same man who cast the compulsion curse on Adrius in the first novel. As she gets closer to her father, Marlow begins to question if he’s the villain she’d believed.

The main focus of book one was the breaking Adrius’s compulsion curse before it became permanent. In this follow up, the curse is broken early in the story, and Marlow is unsure exactly how it happened. I was surprised that plot line wrapped up so quickly, but I can see how its resolution impacts the direction of this story. The MCs are now on a suspenseful quest to gather items for a spell. Marlow is put in some impossible situations, and she certainly makes mistakes, but her strong moral code guides her decisions. From the gangs in the Marshes to certain aristocrats, there’s no shortage of people who’d like to see her dead. I was happy to have some chapters in Adrius’s POV this time and rooted for him every step of the way. Since he and Marlow finally admitted their feelings for each other, their romance takes up a larger portion of the story, but doesn’t overshadow everything else going on. I have to admit another relationship caught me by surprise, but I fully supported it and enjoyed the dynamics.

The conclusion of this magical high stakes fantasy is very satisfying, but I’ll miss these characters. Recommended for fans of magical mysteries, found family, and enemies to lovers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I won’t lie, this didn’t hit as hard as the first one, which I absolutely adored. There were certain emotional developments that felt unearned. The main antagonist was a little underwhelming. I did still love the cast of characters though!! Definitely recommend this duology.

MASQUERADE is overall a satisfying conclusion to the duology; while nothing was too surprising, the various plot threads and relationships were wrapped up nicely. I don't think it's as strong as GARDEN; we're not really learning anything new about the setting and the world building isn't expanded as much as I would have liked, but the character relationships are explored a bit more. I did miss the fake dating and mutual yearning of GARDEN though, which is perhaps my favorite aspect of the series.

I like a good coming of age story and this one hits all the marks: magic, betrayal , misunderstandings, ill-fated love stories, vengeance .

I did read it as a stand alone and there is a previous story. I didn’t have any trouble following the current story line could tell there was information that could have provided more context.

I found Marlow’s decision making and rationale interesting at times. Definitely not choices I would have made, but I could see how she arrived at her decisions.

I am curious to see what other stories might come out of Evergarden society.

This was amazing! I never want this series to end. I can’t wait for the last one! If she forever end up with Gabe, I will riot.

Loved book two even more than book one. The twists the turns. The character development. The little tastes of romance all coming together to make this book un-put-down able!