Masquerade

Unchained Trilogy, Book 2

By: Maria McKenzie

Narrated by: Madison Vaughn

Celebrated actress Lavinia Hargraves performs her most challenging role offstage. Although born in 1872 to Daniel Taylor, a white man and wealthy landowner in Southern California, Lavinia's mother, Lori, is a Negro and former slave. Lavinia, who appears white, is desperate to hide her Negro ancestry as well as pursue her dream of becoming the world's greatest actress. After eloping with the much older Vernon Hargraves, owner of New York's premier theater company, Lavinia is provided with all she could ever want: a new life as white, stardom on the stage, and an abundant supply of money. Soon Lavinia's seduction by a young and handsome actor sets in motion a devastating turn of events. Dashing millionaire contractor Andrew Standish comes into Lavinia's life at a time when she needs him most. However, the secret of Lori's existence could demolish her daughter's carefully constructed facade. To what lengths will Andrew go to uncover Lavinia's past?

©2013 Maria McKenzie (P)2017 Tantor

Great 2nd book in the series

Love the story so far and can’t wait to read the 3rd book in the series!

Great 2nd story to this series

Lavinia was a conniving, lying, no good woman. Shw married and old man to advance her acting career. She caused a jealous girlfriend to kill her boyfriend and then herself. She used her second husband Andrew for his money. She tried very hard to hide the fact that she was a coloured woman due to her light skin. She even despised her darker twin son but kept her light skinned daughter by lying to her to get her to remain with her instead of her father. Racial passing is very ugly. This has caused Lavinia to be estranged from her own family because of this.

Started Great, Ended Not So Good!

This being the second book I enjoyed it a lot better than the first, the story was much better and it flowed until the end. the characters were smart until the end. Andrew knew how deceptive his wife was and it's not believable that he would leave his daughter with her mom. the book is pretty good and I think you should read it but I'm disappointed in the author because the ending appears as if she was exhausted and just wanted to end the book and that hurt the story in my opinion. I'm going to start the 3rd book only because I'm invested in the story. hopefully the story recovers. overall it's a good book but if I had to rate the ending it would be a negative 1 because it just doesn't make sense. it's not believable.

Wait.....WHAT???

Loved this story! Hated the ending!!!! Just seemed so unfinished, need more!!!!!!! Is there more coming?????

Good book

I enjoyed this book more than the first book. Can’t wait to read the third book !

Well...

I love African American historical fiction books—they are my absolute favorite. This book was good, so good it managed to piss me off in the end. I'm sorry the author described the 8 year old daughter as outspoken speaking her mind and her brother's, she spend most of her life being loved and doted on by her father, and you mean to tell me two minutes with her deranged mama, she doesn't have the wherewithal to see that snake of a mama for who she is--the daughter now looks like a total nit-wit. My three year is more perceptive than that. That Lavinia pissed me off so much that I’ve had to take a break from reading. When a fictional book can do that, it’s a good book!

Appropriately titled!

It was very obvious why this book was entitled Masquerade. It was somewhat predictable while sadly enough there are many people in this world who pretend to be something or someone they are not. I thought the narration was great and the storyline was well developed. Hopefully in the 3rd installment of this series Selena will come to be extemely proud of who she is and see her masquerading mother for who SHE really is..... Lost!

WOW....I CRY BULL$&@!

THAT LAVINIA IS AN AWEFUL RETCH. THIS BOOK ANGERED ME SOOOO MUCH AND THE ENDING WAS DISAPPOINTING. IT APPEARS THE ARTHURS FOCUS ON LAVINIAS DECEIT TRULY CONTROLLED THE STORY AND MADE IT HARD TO FINISH. WHY WOULD A BAD CHARACTER HAVE SOOOO MUCH SUCCESS. I FEEL SHE OVER DID IT WITH THAT CHARACTER SO MUCH THAT AS A BLACK WOMAN I FEEL ASHAMED. THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL ANY PERSON OF COLOR WOULD BE ABLE TO PASS FOR SO LONG WITH SO MUCH EVIDENCE OF THE TRUTH. I LIKED THE STORY BUT I CRY BULL%$&$! I WISH SHE WOULD HAVE FOCUSED ON THE GOOD STUFF MORE. THE PASSION AND LOVE SCENES. THE SPIRITUAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, THE KINDNESS AND GOODNESS. LaAVINIAS ASS aND HER EVIL IS AN OVERKILL IN THIS STORY. SO MUCH SO THAT I DONT WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT BOOK TO SEE HER DAUGHTER BE JUST LIKE HER. I THOUGHT THEY WOUKD FOCUS ON ANDREW AND OLIVIAS NEW LIFE. To TAKE THE BITTER TASTE AWAY, BUT INSTEAD IT ENDS WITH MORE OF LAVINIAS SHIT. THIS BOOK IS REALLY SHAMEFUL. BLACK READERS BEWARE THIS BOOK WILL PISS YOU OFF! I’m kinda disappointed! Just too much and I can’t say enough THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL!

GWTW Knockoff

This book played out like a poor repeat of Gone with the Wind. I only kept listening because we had a 7 day power outage and I didn't have a signal to return it or download anything else.