A Masquerade with the Devil

Courting Ruin, Book 2

By: Amanda Mariel

Narrated by: Jake Gillespie

He ruined her once with a whisper. Now she’ll ruin them both with a lie.

Lady Clara Mapleton believes in love—the kind worth waiting for, not the kind brokered in drawing rooms or secured by titles. It certainly doesn't include Crispin Hallworth, Earl of Oakford, a man so steeped in scandal he’s earned the name Devil of Oakford.

But when a masked kiss at a lavish masquerade threatens to destroy her reputation, Clara does the unthinkable to protect herself: she claims they are engaged.

Crispin is stunned. Clara is the one woman he’s never managed to charm or forget. A fake betrothal might serve them both... if they can resist the temptation simmering behind their practiced roles long enough to find a way out.

With every stolen glance and every staged touch, hatred gives way to something far more dangerous—desire.

Because falling for the devil was never part of the plan. Neither was surrender.

©2025 Amanda Mariel (P)2025 Amanda Mariel

Emotional enemies-to-lovers historical romance

This enemies-to-lovers audiobook started a little abruptly for me. Clara is at a masquerade ball, nursing a tarnished reputation and trying to hide, when a man in a mask asks her to dance. After the dance, he hard kisses her, and when she pulls away, his mask falls away and she recognizes him. Turns out, they have history, and he is the man responsible for ruining Clara during her first season. This raised so many questions for me, including why did he ruin her the first time, how, and why is he doing it again? It just felt like it needed a prologue or something to give more history. The reader/listener does get the answers to these and other questions as the story continues, but some not until much further in the book. I liked Clara and her spirited efforts to salvage her reputation and turn the tables on Crispin, but I didn’t feel I knew Crispin well enough. Deep into the story, we finally get some (minimal) history on Crispin and his relations with his father that may explain some of his attitude and behavior. However, his complete change still seemed rather sudden, with only a few scenes of personal reflection. I wanted to see more inside Crispin and experience his growth and change. I did like the story and seeing Crispin win over Clara’s intense animosity (and the HEA), but I felt I saw Clara’s change much more distinctly and logically supported than Crispin’s.

I received an audio ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

A deliciously dramatic Regency romance with heat and heart

This audiobook swept me up from the very  first chapter. Lady Clara, ever the romantic idealist, finds herself entangled in a faux engagement with Crispin, the notorious “Devil of Oakford,” after one impulsive masquerade kiss threatens her good name. What follows is a slow-burn tangle of sharp banter, forbidden longing, and two stubborn hearts learning to trust what they fear most.
The narrator brings the tension to life—every charged pause, every stolen breath, every faux-fiancé moment dripping with chemistry. Crispin is perfectly rakish without ever feeling cartoonish, and Clara’s determination makes her easy to root for. Their enemies-to-lovers (or perhaps “won’t-admit-they’re-in-love” to lovers) journey is filled with longing glances and emotional depth that hits just right.
If you love audiobook romances with masquerade mishaps, forced proximity, and a hero who falls hard against his will, this one is a delightful listen.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Good

I really enjoyed listening to something different going back in time. It’s so good. The character is absolutely wonderful and I enjoyed the narration.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Delightful Revenge

When a masked stranger kissed her at a masquerade, and she realizes he is the arrogant earl who spread a rumor, (a lie), that ruined her reputation, she decides to get a bit of revenge. Lady Clara Mapleton boldly declares that she and the Earl of Oakford, aka the Devil of Oakford are engaged. The Mamas are ecstatic, and the Ton is flabbergasted. Crispin is amused, and Clara is furious (even though it was her rather rash idea). This is an absolutely delightful enemies-to-lovers romance. As their ruse goes on, there seems to be a connection between them, but it lacks one important element – trust. Will Clara and Crispin find true love, cause each other bodily harm, or find a way out of their betrothal? A witty and entertaining story with a quite enjoyable cast of characters. Entertaining narration.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.

A Kiss, A Scandal, A Heart

This was an entertaining romance centered around Lady Clara Mapleton, who believes in real love—not scandal. After a masked kiss at a masquerade puts her reputation at risk, she shocks everyone by claiming she’s engaged to Crispin Hallworth, the infamous “Devil of Oakford.” Their fake betrothal quickly becomes complicated as staged touches and stolen glances turn into real desire.

The narration by Jake Gillespie was very well done, and I’m definitely looking forward to more from both the author and narrator.