I wanted to like this book. Black lesbians in Harlem in the 20s? Sounds great. But unfortunately the blurb didn't accurately describe this book.

<spoiler> Was this about lust vs love. Was it about polyamory, but unnamed? I don't know. And it didn't hold my interest to finish. </spoiler>

3.75 stars. This was so not what I expected, but in a good way! I was inclined not to read this book as I don’t particularly like the time period it is in (1920’s), which I associate with gloom, inequality (for women, POC and queers), class separation and poverty (for most people that is). This book underlines all those views, but it also gives a view into a wonderful and sensual forbidden life behind closed doors and it shows the journey of two strong women, finding their place in a hostile society.

Celine is the dutiful daughter, always obeying her parents’ wishes in order to improve the standing of her family. Burdened with expectations, she has always had to repress her deepest desires for women. However, when her family moves from Louisiana to New York she is introduced into the world of masquerade drag balls and she is immediately intrigued. She meets Dinah, a nurse and night club dancer who hopes to make a better life for herself than she had in the rural south, and there is immediate attraction between the two, but soon they run into trouble.

The book is written in the third person from the POVs of Celine and Dinah and the writing was very good. It took me a while to become invested in the book though, as I ran into some pet peeves early on. Later, I realized later that they were necessary for the story. The first was that I struggled with the believability of it all. There is this gloomy outlook of life, queers have to live in hiding, but at the same time there were so many queer people and they seemed pretty open about their life style. Perhaps not the most believable, but it allows for the erotic atmosphere that is created, which is such an interesting part of the book. The second was the speed of the romance, Celine and Dinah almost immediately fell in love which annoys me as I’m not a fan of insta-love. Later on, I realized that the whole falling in love part was not what the book is about, their story comes after the falling in love part, and is so much more complex and really well done.

Once I was sucked into the story I could not put it down. Celine enters this world of forbidden love with Dinah, but then plenty of things start happening and they are forced into a situation that was not (fully) consensual. While this obviously made me feel uncomfortable it was very well and carefully handled and it was a totally believable situation. It’s done out of love, but turns their relationship upside down. However, in the resulting confusion Celine starts making decisions that frustrated me to no end, and my heart broke for Dinah. The decisions are explained from Celine’s point of view, but I just could not understand them, it totally clashes with my view on life. This took away some of my enjoyment and I actually would have rated the book higher if I just could have enjoyed this part of the book better. Clearly, this is more because of me than because of bad writing.

I’ll easily recommend this to historic romance fans, and I also recommend it for the diversity (I had never read a book featuring almost only POC, this was refreshing) and the sensuous atmosphere.

Strong world building - New Orleans and Harlem of the 20's.

A young Creole widow finds unexpected adventures in Harlem when she catches the attentive eye of an exotic dancer. Can she find her place in the world and learn how to be true to herself?

The story touches lightly on the culture of the 20's - fear of being an out lesbian, racism within the African American community, bootlegging and racketeering as a way to survive.

The love is quick to develop, the consequences of sacrifice a bit predictable but believable- I was eagerly rooting for Celine to find her happiness.

There was much to enjoy and appreciate about this read. The title, time period, environment, clothes, night life, food, and the diversity of characters. The historical story proved to be entertaining as well as educational. As the story unfolded, it was easy for me to engage and internalize what was going on. I cheered the encouragement and support of some family and friends. Especially Josephine and Olivia. I understood the comments about light and dark skin color as well as other racial differences like hair.

Celine Montre's, talented hat maker with a domineering family. She is also quiet and uncertain while hiding a secret from her parents and herself. Dinah Hampton, nurse/talented dancer, embraces who she is. Celine and Dinah are likeable strong women that grow throughout the read. Which make them even more likable. Loved that they are of color and have the ability to make a living. As other characters enter their lives, it was interesting to read how they respond.

This is my first book by Anne Shade. Its very hot, sex, blackmail, swing parties. I enjoyed it tremendously. It was beautifully crafted and well written. The plot was great. The main characters Dinah and Celine had great chemistry and loved each other. I especially loved Celine's aunt Olivia, a beautiful smart and intelligent business woman. Did I forget to mention also gay. She supported Celine in whatever she decisions she made that would make her happy. In the 1900 it was very difficult to be an openly gay couple. I would recommend you get a copy. 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5⭐️ – This was my first book by Anne Shade and I had no idea what to expect but it was certainly not this. First of all, the atmosphere is brilliant. The way Anne Shade describes the places, the clothes, the vocabulary and turns of phrases she uses carried me easily to Harlem in the 1920s. Some scenes were so vivid in my mind that it was almost like watching a movie. Without hammering the point, she makes it clear all along that the only way for two women to make a life together is to hide, which leaves the door open to blackmail, both from gangsters and from malicious suitors, but also adds a deliciously forbidden taste to the freedom they find.

All her life, Celine has done what was expected of her. And really, how could she not, as a young Creole woman in a tightly structured society in 1923 New Orleans? To avoid being married off to a man of her parents’ choosing, she married her best friend, an arrangement that worked for both of them until tragedy struck. When Celine’s family is forced to move to Harlem, Celine discovers that life can be very different from what she has known so far. So different, in fact, that she finds herself torn between two women, between what her heart wants and what her body craves.

There are all sorts of characters in this story, besides Celine and her unbending parents. Olivia, Celine’s aunt, is one of my favourites. She’s smart, kind, and full of secrets, some of which you just know have to be scandalous. The two women vying for Celine are fascinating too. There’s Dinah, a nurse and dancer, loving, sexy and experienced, and on the other hand, there’s steamy hot Philly, whose dangerous way of life makes her all the more attractive.

This novel is seriously hot. After years of denying her true self, Celine learns a lot about herself and what her body desires. The chemistry with Dinah is instant and strong but somewhat softened by the love they share. With Philly, Celine knows no other bounds than what her conscience will let her get away with.

Just a warning: there’s one scene that made me really uneasy. It’s very important to the story and entirely justified, and is, in itself, not far from a tour de force. To help Dinah out of a bad situation, Celine makes a decision that leads her to consent to things she might not have agreed to in different circumstances. The consent line is blurry in a way that makes absolute sense, and Shade describes the conflicting emotions and desires to which Celine is confronted perfectly.

Around these women gravitates a mix of bad guys and pleasure-seeking women (mostly), in what at times feels like the freest society ever. Yet just as the characters start believing in this freedom, they’re reminded of how heavy the constraints brought by race, class and sexual orientation can be.

Masquerade is an unexpectedly wild ride, in turns thrilling and chilling. There’s nothing more exciting than a woman’s quest for freedom and self-discovery.

ARC provided to Les Rêveur for an honest review.

I had no idea that this romance would be about two women of color. Yippee for diversity. Celine Montre family moves to Harlem after her family is forced to leave New Orleans in the early 1920's. Her family is well to do and is able to settle in quickly in Harlem. What they don't know is that Celine is a lesbian. Dinah Hampton is a nurse by day and a dancer by night. She moved to Harlem to make a better life for her mother and sister who live in Georgia. These two are attracted to each other from the beginning. It's not easy falling for a woman in the early 1900s.

I for sure enjoyed reading this romance. There is nothing like a historical fiction romance featuring two women of color who are also femme. Masquerade has mystery, chemistry, crime, sex, plot twists, acceptance, love, etc etc. From the moment I started reading I could not put this one down. I can't give this one 5stars but It comes close. 4.5 stars.

This arc was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Fantastic plot and characters. It’s also a joy to read about black folk, as in all the cast and not just one of the leads or the friend. At times the writing could do with a bit more zip in the dialogue, but it doesn’t matter because honestly the plot is so good. It would make a fabulous mini series. Somebody pass it to on to Shonda; a lesbian Bridgerton is what we’ve been waiting for. I would also like to read a prequel about the earlier life of tante Olivia and Celine’s mother. The characters are so good, you really do want to know more about them. Another idea is Paris the sequel, with adopted children and young apprentices or Philly finally falling in love. I don’t want this world to go away. Please write more.

Heartbreakingly Beautiful

Celine’s life is turned upside down when a scandal means her family have to move to Harlem. There she meets Dinah, who enlightens her and awakens desires in Celine for love and life she hadn’t allowed herself to previously embrace but when the past catches up with both Dinah and Celine, a gangster sets her sights on Celine. Dinah and Celine are forced to make heart-breaking decisions for the sake of their love but are unsure of the consequences that could come as a result.

This story made me happy and at the same time broke my heart! It was filled with passion and drama that made for an exciting story, packed with emotions that take the reader on quite the ride. It was everything I had expected and so much more. The story was dramatic, and I just couldn’t put it down. I had no idea how the story was going to go, and at times I was worried it would all end in a dramatic gangster ending, but that just added to the thrill. It was a much an adventure for Celine into behind the glamour that sugar-coats some of the darker elements that surrounded that period of time, for women, different races, and classes. Not only did I learn from this story but I felt a great sense of connection, mostly emotionally to Celine, Dinah, and those that surrounded them and added to the story.

What Anne covers in this story is very sensitive, highlighting not only the indifferences between race but also sexual orientation as it was perceived in the 1920’s and that was quite the insight. Everything was handled sensitively but realistically and I very much related to it being as accurate of the times as my knowledge but also gave me further understanding and insight into that historic time, which I just love. Learning of experiences and seeing just how hard it was for two people to fall in love with who they wanted to, rather than what was expected, and experiencing these challenges with both Dinah and Celine was certainly more than I expected.

I really felt I could connect with them both. Celine was more reserved and had a lot to overcome if only she could embrace it, whereas Dinah was the experience, carefully guiding Celine and supporting her in becoming her true self. They were both terribly brave and I admired all they did, went through, and their morals. They were very admirable and they deserved all the happiness in the world, even if again that emotionally challenged them. I really felt I got to know Celine and Dinah quite intimately and going through all they went through with them gave me a great empathy for them both and their circumstances. In some ways it was quite tragic but I had a lot of hope and could hold onto it, even during the moments when my heart was breaking for both Dinah and Celine.

An amazing historical romance that I can’t help but recommend it. This was my first story by Anne Shade and it won’t be my last. I was completely moved by this story, it was so beautiful and emotional, I just couldn’t hope but become invested in supporting Celine and Dinah, wishing them all the happiness, and hope we may see Celine and Dinah again in future.

The music, dancing and the night life of Harlem in the 1920’s pulsates through the pages of this novel.
Life isn’t always what one expects. Celine Monte’s family is leaving New Orleans for Harlem when a scandal infiltrates their world.
Dinah Hampton longs for a better life for herself and her family. With high expectations, Harlem will be her answer, only to find a job as a chorus girl to support the family.
When Celine and Dinah meet, Celine learns about a new and very different life and love. Entering a world of danger, slack prohibition laws and drag balls, Celine and Dinah’s bond is put to the test when a well known gangster sets his sights on Celine.
Anne Shade beautifully describes life in Harlem and made me feel as if I was there.
My thanks to NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books for an ARC of this enjoyable read in exchange for an honest book review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes for approving me for this ARC!

it's not the book, it's me. Attraction at first sight usually isn't my thing, and neither is yearning or love triangles. I wanted to try-- I love sapphic reads, and this seemed like it could be my thing! Unfortunately for me, it wasn't. There seemed to be more of telling the reader of attractions, some deus ex machina (with some of Paul and his assets)-- and maybe that's part of the Romance books!

Still, I'm giving this 4 out of 5 stars because it's really not the book, it's me.

Dinah study to be a nurse and was working at clinic that pays well because of that she sticks it out because the money helps her family but when she has enough of not using her skills because the head nurse is racist she decides to take her chances in Harlem.

Celine and her family had to flee their home when a scandal hurt her family reputation. Celine married her childhood friend Paul but it was a ruse because she and Paul are attracted to the same sex but when he get kill she wonders should she live the life Paul wanted for her or will she be content being a widower rest of her life.

Dinah and Celine meets and they both help each other discover there’s more to life then what society deems fit but as they fall in love will their love be strong enough when they have to deal with unwanted attention.

This was a good read. I love the supporting characters Fran and Jo was a hoot and I’m amazed that they build a good life for themselves even though they can’t be out in open with their love. I admire that some have the guts to live their life the way they wanted to despite the danger that comes with it. Even though we can be as open now it’s still a battle for rights it’s a shame that society can’t see love is love.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.