⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I look forward to the Lords Of The Masquerade books. Jade always delivers a brilliant, sexy, exciting love story. This book didn’t just meet the expectations of an excellent series; it excelled. Ever since the second book, I have been looking forward to Aaron and Lilah’s story. The couple’s journey exceeded expectations; it took me on a rocky journey to undeniable love.
Lilah has been balancing between two worlds her entire life. She is an illegitimate daughter of a nobleman and an actress. Raised in the home of her aristocratic father and his wife, she is trained to be a lady. However, she cannot escape her mother’s past. Lilah is a people pleaser, never able to go after what she wants. She was so relatable. I empathize with her situation. We all have moments where we feel we don’t belong and lose our way. The novel had an uncanny way of making the reader feel what it is like to survive in two different worlds, never belonging to either. I was so happy that during the book, Lilah finds her voice and goes about forging the future she wants.
Aaron, Earl of Kittrel, is the epitome of an aristocratic politician. He makes no waves, always making the right, expected decision. Aaron buries his emotions in duty. He denies himself the gift of all-consuming love with Lilah due to his inability to see past all society’s traps. He would rather dictate to others than to listen. Aaron’s character was unbendable yet held a particular quiet vulnerability that I enjoyed.
The couple had sparks at their first encounter. Lilah embraced emotions where Aaron suppressed them. Their connection was bone-deep; it resonated from the page. The passion was ravenous, but the couple had to decide if that love was enough. Often, the main couple in a story falls in love, and the book ends. However, love is complicated and messy. Here, the two have to decide if love is worth giving up a piece of yourself- your freedom. That freedom is the ability to choose your fate.
This book was imaginative and heart-wrenching. There was a push and pull between Aaron and Lilah that kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot had layers of depth and raw emotion. It moved at a steady pace. I read this book in one night! It was an easy read yet contained an intricate plot. My only wish was that these books would have an epilogue; they tend to stop abruptly. Overall, I was enthralled and delighted with this love story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book via Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lord Ares is the third book in the Lord Of The Masquerade series by Jade Lee. I reviewed the second novel, Lord Satyr, earlier in the year. It was a five-star review. I loved Lord Satyr so much I made it my book of the Month! Lord Ares is the conclusion of this series…at least, I think it is. Aaron has a sister in this book whose story is hinted at, and I would love to read. Aaron and Lilah are a class difference story, almost to the point of star-crossed lovers. I was frustrated at times when the couple’s social status dominated the scene. However, it was an incredible frustration! Those scenes built the tension and made the happily ever after that much sweeter. I wish the author wrote epilogues, each book of this series seems to come just up to the happy ending and stops before you can enjoy the triumph. That is my only critique. I would start at the first book in this series, Lord Lucifer. Each book takes on one of the three friends. It is worth reading all three in order, I loved these books!
readingrebelreviews.com 