MASKED INTENTIONS by Diana Bold

Title:  MASKED INTENTIONS
Series:  Unmasking Prometheus #1
Author:  Diana Bold
Publisher: Diana Bold
Publish Date:   08.25.2020
Category /Genre:  Historical Romance
Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from:  Diana Bold
Goodreads link: Masked Intentions
Date completed: 12.23.2020
 
Description from the publisher:
Adrian Strathmore is a reclusive genius by day. However, by night, he is a masked avenger named Prometheus, rescuing unfortunate children from lives of prostitution. Horribly burned as a child, he loves the anonymity of his mask.
 
Vanessa Bourke, the famous actress, is fascinated by both Adrian Strathmore, who throws flowers at her feet but remains in the shadows, and Prometheus, the masked man who shows up in her flat in the middle of the night with a small boy he’s saved. When she discovers they are one and the same, she begs him to unmask himself, to no avail.
 
He is willing to lose her forever rather than trust her to love him despite his scars. Frustrated, she blackmails Adrian into marrying her, ruining his trust. Will he ever believe she’s come to love the man behind the mask?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MASKED INTENTIONS is the first book in the Unmasking Prometheus series.  I expect that this series will need to be read in the order of release.
 
I can’t tell you how much I loved this story.  Beauty and the Beast, The Phantom of the Opera, Batman, … so many wonderful stories are brought to mind as I read this.  Not because the story mimicked them, but because there were just small elements that were the greatest memories of these amazing stories.
 
Truly, this was a twist to the story of the Phantom of the Opera.  This Eric, who is named Adrian, though equally scarred is not mad, has not escaped from an insane asylum, and does not kidnap his Christine (named Vanessa).  Instead, he fights for justice, has a heart as sweet as sugar, and is determined to remain in the shadows of his fair lady.
 
Vanessa is intelligent and soon figures out the man behind the mask – literally and figuratively. 
 
I loved the intense suspense as Adrian fights for the children.  I especially fell in love with six-year-old Gabriel right along with Vanessa.  The story is sweet, dramatic, and at times shocking. 
 
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.  I hope the brothers will each get their stories and their loves realized.
 
Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
 
Unmasking Prometheus Series:
1.      Masked Intentions
2.      Masked Promises
Also from Diana Bold:
·         Birth
·         Briony’s Soldiers
·         Cheyenne Moon
·         The Christmas Soldier
·         Fortune’s Gamble (Fortunes of Fate #3)
·         Gabriel’s Mistress
·         Halcyon Rising
·         A Knight in Halcyon
·         Once a Bandit
·         Once a Gunslinger
·         Once a Mail Order Bride
·         Once an Outlaw
·         Once a Pirate
Brides of Scandal Series:
1.      Gambling on the Duke’s Daughter
2.      Marrying the American Heiress
3.      Finding the Black Orchid
4.      Seducing the Spinster
Last Chance Brides Series:
1.      One Last Chance
2.      Chance of a Lifetime
 

AMAZON-US
BOOKBUB