BOOK REVIEW: The Marquess's Masked Archer by Abbey Downey

 NOTE: I will post the Celebrate Lit information next week about this book, October 1. This is my review for now. 

The Marquess's Masked Archer by Abbey Downey, is the first book in the Headliners and Heartstrings series. And it's simply an adorable story and one you don't want to miss because it has all the ingredients to make a story stand out and allow the characters to live in your memory after their story ends!   

Set in 1907 at Put-In-Bay, Ohio, along the shoreline of Lake Erie, the story happens during the summer months at the popular Cedar Point where the wealthy and high society owned summer cottages and took vacations there. Trey gathered at the resort to attend social events lake activities, and boating excursions.

The story is about Sylvie Bryce, the daughter of wealthy parents and an acid archery lover and Miles Wentworth, the Marquess of Rockingham, who is working at the Cedar Point laboratory for the summer. 

At the age to twenty-two, Sylvie is in danger of becoming a spinster and therefore her mother has plans for her to mingle with the eligible bachelors and find one to marry. While there, Sylvie disguises herself as the Lady Robin archer and on Mondays and Thursday she performs tick shot exhibitions and archery shows in the evening's to crowds. 

Miles is running from his shadowed past and has come to America to live and study entomology at teh Ohio State University's research facility. He intends to keep a low profile and study insects in a quiet manner. He is staying with Alexander and Grace Loftin at their cottage for the summer season.

A notable quote from the story after Miles meets Sylvie: For a moment, Miles concluded that it wouldn't be so terrible to drown in blue eyes like hers, with as much as hidden depth as the waves he'd crossed traveling from England. She had charmed him without trying. 

As the story progresses, Sylvie and Miles deny their feelings for each other while a jealous nemesis sets out to blackmail Sylvie with her secret disguise. Bachelors and debutantes are expected to follow the social rules and at times the story is quite humorous as they attend the high society balls, the outings along the seashore, and all kinds of lunches and activities. 

Abbey Downey has written another winning story with a strong-spirited heroine and the handsome hero who falls in love with her adventurous ways. I enjoyed reading this Gilded Age romance where high society was expected to follow their own rules and flashy materialism ruled the day. 

I learned a little history of the Ohio area, too, which I appreciate. And you won't want to miss the epilogue....it will put a big smile on your face and a sign on your lips. 

I was provided a copy of this book by Celebrate Lit for an honest review. This is my own opinion.