Book Review: How to Master Your Marquis by Juliana Gray

How to Master Your Marquis

By Juliana Gray

Release Date: January 4, 2014

Source: Publisher

Summary: Three intrepid princesses find themselves targets in a deadly plot against the crown—until their uncle devises a brilliant plan to keep them safe...

Of all her sisters, Princess Stefanie is by far the least amenable to law and order, which is why she’s appalled to find herself masquerading as an unbearably drab clerk for the most honorable barrister in England. But her dull disguise turns out to have its privileges: namely, the opportunity to consort unchaperoned with her employer’s exceedingly handsome nephew, James Lambert, the Marquess of Hatherfield.

Hatherfield quickly realizes that his uncle’s spirited new clerk is, in fact, a lovely young woman of daring habits. The outwardly impeccable marquis isn’t about to reveal her deception. After all, he’s hiding a dangerous secret of his own. But when one too many escapades with the madcap princess bring Hatherfield’s troubled past to light, it is only Stefanie’s sharp wits that stand between the marquis and utter disaster, and only Hatherfield’s daring that can save the princess from the shadowy agents bent on finding her.

Review: It has been far too long since I've read a historical romance this good. There's nothing better than a cross-dressing princess, a steamy romance, and a murder mystery to make an exciting read. 

When Princess Stefanie and her sister are threatened by assassins, the sisters must separate and hide away in places no one would ever think to find them. Defiant Stefanie finds herself masquerading as a male clerk for barrister in England. What she doesn't expect to find in England, though, is the irresistible Marquess of Hatherfield. Hatherfield sees right through Stefanie's disguise the moment he lays eyes on her, but why would a woman disguise herself as a man? And why can't Hatherfield stop thinking about that feisty, tempting woman? 

Wow, what an awesome book. I loved how Stefanie was masquerading as a man and thought that everyone else thought she was a man as well. And when she saw Hatherfield for the first time, she had to stop herself from ogling the gorgeous man because no man would look at another man like that. Then, when Hatherfield discovers that Stefanie is in fact a woman as soon as he sees her and plays with her head, while everyone else believes she is a man, the story becomes very entertaining. Also, I loved how the storyline of Hatherfield and Stefanie meeting while Stefanie hides from assassins is intermingled with the future storyline of Hatherfield on trial for murder, because it gives you a suspenseful mystery mixed into an irresistible romance. 

Moving onto when Stefanie is actually a woman in this story, the romance she has with Hatherfield is so sweet and develops quite rapidly. Normally I wouldn't be a fan of such quick romance, but it worked with Hatherfield and Stefanie. They both had their pasts that affected their current relationship with each other, but opening up to each other allows them to truly connect and develop feelings deeper than they'd ever felt before. 

While I haven't read the first novel in this series (this is the second) I still loved the story Juliana Gray wrote for us. Enough information was given that Stefanie's story was quite enjoyable as a standalone. After meeting Emilie and Ashland for a brief moment in this one, though, I can't wait to get my hands on the first book in the series and see how their relationship came about. Either way, I'm definitely going to be reading more Juliana Gray in the future! If you want a great historical romance that gives you some mystery and suspense, check out Juliana Gray's A Princess In Hiding Series right now!