🍰Review: A Time Traveler's Masquerade

☕Rate: 5 Stars!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

💌Praise: Such a warm and romantic tale! Beyond thrilling! My Heart belongs to everything romance and time travel and this beautiful book that is the start of a wonder series did not disappoint! Isla and Simon are connected through time and the galaxy clocks decided to bring them together!

🍵Isla lives in 2025 London and decide to go to a costume shop to pick up a costume due to her friends costume coordination request! When she goes into a dressing room she loves the dress! It feels as if it was meant for her! Beautiful 1600s Jacobian ball gown! However when she opens the costume change your room door she's not back in the store! She is on the lawn in a Maner in 1605!

🌹Isla is rescued by Simon! He is the brother of the woman whose husband owns the manor. Both characters develop a sweet and subtle instant connection that turns into something more! I really love that Simon's family was there for her and didn't make her feel inadequate in any way. There's a lot of plot going on! The treasonous plot that took place in 1605 thanks to Guy Fawkes! (I won't go into too much detail to give away spoilers but......WOW!!!!!)

📖Characters: Isla and Simon and all the side characters whether they were from the future in the beginning or the ones in the past and the second part of the book really have my heart! I really want to go to the costume store and try on an outfit from the 1920s or 1950s! LOL maybe find a dashing man from the past of my own! 😂💗🤗

🥞Extra/Tropes: To say this book was a delicious literary dessert is an understatement! It was truly what a proper and clean and beautiful soft romance should be! It was definitely a pallet cleanser and what I needed for my mind and spirit. Bravo!!!! I can't wait for more more books from this series!

🍪Romance
🍪Time Travel
🍪 Adventure
🍪 Historical Plots
🍪Must Read!

I know this is a new subgenre for Bessey. I think she really did a great job on this one. The story was well done. The research and information was very interesting. I loved being able to see this true event through the eyes of the main characters and understand some of the motivations that were involved. I really enjoy time travel books and I loved that the main character had to figure out how to speak and live in a century totally foreign to her. If you like historical romance and time travel, you should definitely pick this one up. This is a sweet romance so there is very low spice content. It would be appropriate to give to a teen.

This was stunning! I did not want to put it down. A Time Traveler’s Masquerade is the first book in Sian Ann Bessey’s McQuivey’s Costume Shop Romance series. And oh my goodness was it such a good read!
Isla was such a fun FMC. She was spunky but kind and she really adapted to being thrust into another time period. It was fun to read about her experience in the past and see her work through the changes. Simon was a lovely character. He was charming but also weary. I loved getting to know him more and seeing him open up to Isla. They were both lovable characters and I was rooting for them as they tried to figure out why Isla was in the past.
I loved the romance between Isla and Simon. They weren’t looking for love but they connected with each other. Their interactions were sweet. I especially loved reading about their talks and their scenes with Simon’s nephews. The plot was so intriguing and there was so much going on. I loved the intrigue and hints of mystery/suspense in the book. The historical aspects of this book were interesting to me too and I loved how Bessey wove the story together.
I adored this book and would totally recommend it! It is a must read especially if you enjoy historical time travel romances. I am so excited for the next book in this series. A Time Traveler’s Masquerade is a clean time travel romance.

CW: historical violence and plague, dying mentioned

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Isla Crawford lives in modern day London. She enters a costume shop and the owner insists she tries on a historic story gown. As she leaves the dressing room she finds that she has slipped through time and has arrived in 1605. She is found by Simon Hartworth, (Lord Bandcroft) as he is arriving at his sister’s home. The family takes her in and Simon has a hard time believing her tale of coming from the future. Simon’s sister suggests that Isla is here to accomplish a task. And Isla remembers this is the time when Guy Fawke’s is about to make his attempt at his attack on the King and parliament.

I like the story. I enjoyed the weaving of Fawke’s plot into the story. I was already familiar with the plot from my travels to England and being there on Guy Fawke’s Day. But this will be new to many readers and as far as I can tell it sticks to historical accuracy unless noted by the author. Of course Bessey includes a romance. Simon is unsure of Isla and comes to believe her. Isla makes mistakes using modern idioms that are confusing in the time period. A big deal was made of her learning to ride. I personally would be struggling trying to use a chamber pot. LOL.

Bessey is a good story teller. I learned historical information while enjoying a clean romance. The time slip is not explained but is believable in the story. I find it interesting that Sarah Eden, another favorite author with the same publisher, has also recently written a time slip historical romance. The books are set in different time periods and are not related at all. But I’ve enjoyed both and look forward to the next romances in their series.

A GOOD READ.

I liked this one! It’s a quick and easy read with a lot of historical aspects. Flying back to the early 1600’s, Isla is taken in by Simon and his family. I loved the soft and supportive nature of Simon’s family and the trust they had in Isla and hopefully stopping a villainous plot.

There were some POV moments from Guy Fawkes and that did take me out of the story a bit. I didn’t think it was necessary to the plot line to get perspective so those parts stuck out to me most.

I enjoyed the soft romance between Isla and Simon. They were an easy pair to love. I adored all of the interactions they had together and watching them grow to care for one another. There’s some good suspense and I liked how the time travel aspects worked out in this book (aka it stayed mostly in one time period for the book which is my personal preference vs. going back and forth).

Overall audience notes:

Time travel romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: mild
Content warnings: weapons violence

What a gem! I was in love with this book from the beginning. I loved the characters, the plot, the twists and turns. I was sad to reach the end of the book. So so good. This was my first book by this author, but I will be reading everything she has written now. Highly recommend!

I LOVED this book! Dreamy and romantic and full of interesting history, this time travel novel was just so well done! Isla time travels back to the 1600's, and discovers that she has arrived just in time to thwart the Gunpowder Plot!

Mrs. McQuivey's and her Costume Shop are rather like a time travelling fairy godmother/pumpkin carriage duo, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

I received an eARC via netgalley, but all enthusiastic opinions are my own,

#atimetravelersmasquerade #netgalley
**A Captivating Time-Travel Romance with Historical Intrigue**

This enchanting novel seamlessly blends history, romance, and suspense as Isla Crawford unexpectedly finds herself transported from a modern-day costume shop to the tumultuous world of 1605 England. Caught in the midst of the infamous Gunpowder Plot, Isla must rely on her twenty-first-century knowledge to prevent disaster, all while navigating the complexities of life in the past.

The chemistry between Isla and Simon Hartworth, Lord Bancroft, is both heartwarming and compelling. Simon’s protective nature and growing fascination with Isla’s modern ways add depth to their romance, while Isla’s determination to stop the plot against Parliament keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The author masterfully captures the tension and danger of the era, immersing readers in the historical setting while weaving in moments of tenderness and humor.

What makes this story truly captivating is the emotional struggle Isla faces as she tries to change history without altering the future—and the growing bond between her and Simon, despite the centuries that separate them. The blend of rich historical detail and a beautifully written love story makes this book impossible to put down.

With its gripping plot, vivid characters, and a romance that defies time itself, this novel is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and time-travel romance.

Mrs. McQuivey knows exactly WHEN someone is needed. In the kickoff to this series, Isla Crawford wanders into Mrs. McQuivey’s magical costume shop looking for something to wear to a costume party. Instead, she finds herself appropriately dressed to step back in time to 1605- just in time to stop the Guy Fawkes gunpowder plot.

This is a cozy historical romance. It’s low stakes (you know what’s going to happen because it’s based on known historical elements) and sweet closed door romance.

I really enjoyed the combination of elements in this book- it’s well written, contains just the right amount of magic, has some historical intrigue to keep the pages turning and the romance feels like one of those middle school crushes in the best way possible- hello butterflies!

My only negatives for this book would be the quick changes in POV- there’s no indication in the chapter title or page breaks that would indicate whose POV we’re in, you just have to figure it out. Another small negative is based purely on its length, because it’s so short you really don’t get much back story or in-depth character arcs. You really have to go into this just wanting a quick, sweet, fun, read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this early copy.
#ATimeTravelersMasquerade #NetGalley

This was such a fun read with lots of adorable moments between Isla and Simon! I love the family dynamic of the Maidstones and I just love a step back in time to an actual historical moment with real life characters!

England, 1605

Isla Crawford is passing time in her ho-hum career as an assistant to a politician. As Christmas nears, she must find a costume for her work’s upcoming Christmas party. Isla doesn’t want to wear the Wendy nightie that she will pick up at Mrs. McQuivery’s. Instead, Mrs.McQuivery has Isla try on a dress from the 17th century, true to Isla’s love of history. She steps inside the change room to try on the dress for size, and when she steps back out, she’s no longer in the costume store.

I always enjoy a story that involves time traveling, and I have to admit that this is my new favourite one! Isla, Simon, Martha, and Hugh were so much fun. Learning new words, or rather unlearning English to speak Old English. Simon was so well imagined in my mind, and if taken by Simon’s view, Isla was also a vision to behold. I enjoyed being immersed in the era of the 1600s and Guy Fawkes. Highly Recommended.

My gratitude to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain. All opinions expressed are honest and mine.

Sian Ann Bessey employs her considerable writing talent and delights readers with "A Time Traveler's Masquerade". Conveniently dressed for the time by the mysterious Mrs. McQuivey, Isla Crawford exits the woman's costume shop's dressing room and finds herself four hundred years in the past. Drenched and cold, she is spotted by a confused Simon Hartworth, Lord Bancroft, who takes her to his sister's house.

I have read a plethora of time travel romances. Some are fun, others are decent, and quite a few are appallingly bad. A suspension of disbelief is required, of course, yet actual history matters. Utilizing multiple points of view, Bessey skillfully blends fact and fiction and the result is a very interesting read. The romance between lovely heroine Isla and the initially suspicious Simon unfolds believably. Their interactions are filled with intelligent and witty banter. Secondary characters are finely-drawn as well, and Simon's sister Martha is especially appealing.

With the time travel genre, it always begs the question as to if and how the time traveler will affect the past. Isla Crawford knows the outcome of the infamous 1605 Gunpowder Plot, and Bessey takes an uncommon approach and inserts her into history. A twist near the end is very satisfying.

The usage of a costume shop as a time portal offers endless opportunities for future novels featuring historical events. I look forward to Sian Ann Bessey's next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this entertaining tale.

I was hooked from the beginning! This is my first book by this author, and I'm starting her backlist now. I loved how the story just jumps right into it. Isla finds herself in a quirky costume shop looking for something that the owner says she doesn't really need. One second she is in the changing room with what Mrs. McQuivey says she needs and the next she is in 1605 London. Isla meets Martha, Lord Maidstone, Sam, Will and Simon (insert heart eyes). Together, they find themselves on a quest to save the King. I didn't know about Guy Fawkes and his conspirators and their gunpowder. Always fun to learn something new about history.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

With vivid historical details, author Sian Bessey makes the story of Guy Fawkes and his plans against the British government come alive. I didn’t know anything about this event or period of time, so it was interesting to learn about it. I liked how it was presented as a time traveler story and the way the events unfolded made you feel as though you were part of the story. It is a clean romance and I can recommend it to readers of all ages to enjoy it.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

On the hunt for a costume to wear to a ball, Isla enters a costume shop. Despite only wanting a Wendy (from Peter Pan) costume, the shop owner insists she try on an Elizabethan ball gown. After putting the dress on, Isla finds herself transported back in time to 1605, right before Guy Fawkes’ infamous Gunpowder Plot.

Time travel stories are usually a hit or miss for me but this one fell somewhere in the middle. I appreciate the amount of research that went into the making of this story, it is so evident that the author put in a lot of effort.

Several plot points in this story felt a bit disjointed - specifically Guy Fawke’s POV. It provided insight into the time period but did not feel like an intricate part of the story.

This story just didn’t quite capture what I love about historical fiction and romance novels but I’m still really glad I read it.

I am really excited for this series! I didn't know much about the historical event that happens during book, so that was fun to discover. The main characters were likeable and I really liked the story.

I was drawn into the story about the origins of Guy Fawkes day in the UK. I didn't know much about it and was proud of myself for not giving into my native librarian tendencies to look everything up and thus spoil the story. One of the things I loved most was how Sian worked the real life historical events into the story and even made some of our characters part of the happenings. It worked so well with the time slip and I loved it!

One of the hard things for our FMC, Isla, was having to adjust her speech to the 17th century. It really got me thinking about all the things we say and take for granted (like Okay!) that just wouldn't work back then. It was impressive to me that our author could write both time periods. I also wouldn't have thought the handwriting would be so hard. I sort of want to try it now?

One thing that always makes me nervous in time slip novels is the choice to leave one time period behind. I loved how that actually worked out here! It made sense and I was actually surprised (since I thought it would go a different direction).

Lastly, the romance - I did like how the relationship grew from a willingness to listen, understand, and support each other. (If you're looking for tension filled enemies to lover banter, this might not be for you.) It was sweet and I loved the moments they had together with riding, nephews, and learning the 17th century.

4.25 stars
Content: kissing only, one fight scene

Sian Ann Bessey's latest novel masterfully blends historical fiction with romance, immersing readers in the tension of the Gunpowder Plot while kindling a love story that defies the boundaries of time. Simon is the perfect counterpart to Isla—chivalrous and logical, yet drawn to her modern sensibilities and unwavering resolve. Their dynamic is engaging, filled with witty exchanges, growing trust, and a slow-burning romance that keeps readers enthralled.

Beyond the romance, the novel shines in its historical detail. The author paints 1605 London with rich descriptions of Tudor manors, courtly etiquette, and the ever-present danger of political treason. The suspense of Isla and Simon’s mission to thwart Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators adds an edge of urgency, making the novel more than just a love story—it’s a thrilling race against time.

For fans of time travel romances, historical adventures, and star-crossed love stories, this book delivers in every way. With compelling characters, a well-researched backdrop, and a plot that keeps the pages turning, it’s a novel that lingers in the heart long after the final chapter.

This was such an interesting book, I loved the melding of modern and historical, and fact and fiction. I also liked that Guy Fawkes got his own POV. I learnt a lot about this historical event that I didn't know before, and I loved that Isla fit seamlessly into the story.
I also thought Isla and Simon were great together, although I felt like their relationship happened maybe a little too fast.
Overall, this book was very enjoyable.

This is a kisses only time travel romance. It is the first book in the A McQuivey’s Costume Shop Romance series by Sian Ann Bessey.

I love a time travel story that doesn't feature mystical or paranormal elements. I knew that this was a "clean" time travel romance and didn't read the blurb to know what time periods were featured. I just knew that the cover was beautiful and I wanted to read it!

The historical time that is featured in this story is one that I had heard of and knew small amounts about, but I found this book very informative and fascinating. I was thoroughly invested in the characters and the events going on around them. I loved the story!

I was given an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book by Shadow Mountain Publishers and Netgalley. I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The one thing that bothered me about this book follows....It doesn't affect my rating, because as I said, I loved it.
On several occasions characters remark on the speech of the person that traveled to their time period. It actually plays a part in several scenes. My issue comes from the time period this takes place. These characters should be speaking Old English, like what the King James Bible is written in. Yet their speech sounds more like Regency books I have read. I know that it wouldn't be advisable to have a book written for today's audiences in KJV English. People have a hard time understanding the Bible written in that manner and would not be willing to read a novel for fun in it. I just thought drawing attention to a few words that were not understood in this historical setting when the dialog we read from then isn't accurate was a bit ironic.