Review: Masquerading with the CEO by Dawn Chartier
Masquerading with the CEO
What Happens In Vegas Continuity
Book Four
102 Pages
Release Date: 07/21/2015
Publisher: Entangled Publishing | Imprint: Lovestruck
Genre: Contemporary Romance | Series Romance
Series: What Happens In Vegas Continuity
He’ll give her everything…except his true identity.
After catching her fiancé cheating on their wedding day, interior designer Kylie Edwards swore off high-powered men. But before she can drown herself in wedding cake, she’s dragged to a Vegas romance conference by her friends. At least she’ll be able to meet the hotel’s owner and pitch her new design idea. And maybe attend the elaborate masquerade ball, where business unexpectedly becomes pleasure with the hotel’s oh-so-hot head of security.
Jake Royale’s no security guy—he owns the hotel and casino. The masquerade ball gives him the perfect opportunity to drop his high-profile identity and blend in. To be seen as a man, not his money. But when one hot night with Kylie becomes more, Jake knows he’s screwed. Not only will his fake identity cost him the design that will catapult his casino back to the top, it might just cost him the one thing money can’t buy…
Masquerading with the CEO is part of the What Happens In Vegas continuity series by Entangled Publishing: Lovestruck
Book One: Tempting Her Best Friend by Gina L. Maxwell
Book Two: The Makeover Mistake by Kathy Lyons
Book Three: A Change of Plans by Robyn Thomas
*ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review *
Masquerading with the CEO is the fourth book in the What Happens In Vegas continuity series by Entangled Lovestruck. Written by new to be me author, Dawn Chartier, Masquerading with the CEO is the story of Kylie Edwards, a once idealistic woman determined to avoid dating powerful and wealthy men like her cheating CEO ex-fiancé, and hotel and casino owner, Jake Royale, a man desperate to be accepted for who he is and not what he does or how much money he has in the bank. When an opportunity to hide his identity presents itself via a case of mistaken identity, Jake runs with it, but in keeping it a secret afterward, he risks losing the best thing that has ever happened to him.
I enjoyed this story a lot. It’s a quick, well-written read that starts out with a situation familiar to most romance readers, a cheating fiancé, but Kylie’s hurt, and her later desire to move on from her disappointment and upset and also prove herself to her father, is what keeps this particular book from being like so many others that start out with this same kind of circumstance.
I have to say, it was really refreshing to read this book and see a fair bit of differences from books with similar themes and circumstances. I also enjoyed reading how a once starry-eyed, romance-minded Kylie overcame her unexpected heartbreak to even try to give a man like Jake a chance with her.
When we first meet Jake, it’s obvious that he’s stressed-out and ill-content with his current life situation. He knows something is missing, but he can’t quite figure out what it is. Until he meets Kylie, that is, and her feisty spirit makes him want to get to know her better.
Kylie is understandably bitter and resentful about the way her ex-fiancé treated her, and it colors the way she views other men like him. Powerful, wealthy men like Jake. And yet, in thinking Jake is only the security guard for the hotel, she finds herself attracted to him, and willing to get to know him despite not actually wanting a relationship. Of course, the fact that Jake doesn’t immediately correct her misconception of his identity puts a mark against him, but because he has his own issues with trusting people and he wants the chance to get to know Kylie without his money and status as Masquerade’s owner in the way, it’s almost understandable that he keeps his real name a secret from her. Because he needs her to see the man and not the owner of the hotel.
Both characters want the same thing, acceptance and approval, though they want that for very different reasons. And while there were a few issues with predictability and clichéd interactions, as well as a few hard to accept circumstances in a few parts of this story, there were just as many fresh and unique surprises because the author didn’t always go where I expected with the story, or have things revealed the way I thought they might come out. It really made for an interesting read, and the characters were far from ordinary as well. In fact, I liked both Kylie and Jake, and I enjoyed them getting to know each other quite a bit.
If you want a fun, enjoyable romance that can be read in one sitting, I recommend reading Masquerading With the CEO by Dawn Chartier. It’s a good romance read, and perfect for fans who love mistaken identity stories.
Dawn might occasionally have a gator parked in her front yard there on the bayou, but it’s the snakes that really scare the bejeezus out of her. So instead, she tends to hole herself up with a good romance book, chocolate by the pound, or marathon tv viewing of Game of Thrones, Hell On Wheels, various home renovation shows and Supernatural—oh Dean. *swoons*
I love a nice quick read, and all the better if this one manages to stand out from the pack a little!