Lord Ares (Lords of the Masquerade Book 3)

 A by-blow will never find themselves married to anyone of worthy stature, even if she were raised as if she were legitimate. Lilah Rees is just that, the bastard child of an aristocrat father and a poor actress mother. Brought into her father’s home as a child, Lilah’s hope is that society’s ton could overlook her poor parentage, but that is just not the case. When Lilah is attacked at a masquerade ball, Aaron, the illustrious Lord Chambers, rescues her and discovers that she is an intriguing and enchanting woman but knows he cannot even consider marrying her. Rejected repeatedly, Lilah begins to form a plan that will allow her to take control of her life, that is, until she loses all of her money and risks her already inferior reputation. Can Lilah let go of her own expectations of society to fight for her happiness, or is she damned to be an unhappy spinster forever?

 Jade Lee’s novel takes the reader deep into the world of aristocracy during a time when your parentage was one of the most valuable things you held. Intelligent and a bit stubborn, Lilah is a beautifully written character full of depth and emotion that transcends time. While trying to fit society’s mold, Lilah follows all the rules but often finds that there is no place for her. The only small flaw noticed would be in the way the surprise twist at the end was left open-ended. The intriguingly intense connection between Aaron and Lilah brings growth as they both must learn to let go of their preconceived notions due to heritage and social standings.

Marie Sanderson