Beneath This Mask

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Title: Beneath This Mask
Author: Meghan March  
Publication date: 09/29/2014
Kindle Unlimited: No
Cliffhanger: No

There was lots of stuff about this one that I really loved. There were also some “meh” bits. But I’ll start with the good stuff:

• I LOVED Simon. He was respectful and patient with Charlie, but also alpha enough that he was super sexy. (And who doesn’t love a former fighter pilot? Le sigh. But I digress...)​​

• It was nice that it was the man pushing for more commitment in the relationship instead of the woman. In this case, it was Charlie who was emotionally broken, not Simon. While not unheard of in romance, it’s definitely more common the other way around. This was a nice change of pace.
• I love books that include animals as more than convenient plot devices. Huck was a sweetheart, and I loved that he served a genuine purpose in the story.  

As for the “meh” bits:

• I’m a little unclear as to why the FBI was so sure Charlie had anything to do with her father’s crimes. There certainly wasn’t any obvious evidence that pointed in Charlie’s direction. I get that she ran and stayed in hiding, which didn’t make her look innocent, but at the end of the day, I didn’t really think they had enough on her to jail her, or even question her too vigorously. Seemed a little unrealistic.
• There were a few points in the story that I just wanted to reach through my Kindle, slap Charlie across the face, and yell, “JUST TELL HIM THE TRUTH, ALREADY!” Simon showed no signs of ever being anything but super supportive of her, and the fact that she was so reluctant to let him in on her secrets really pissed me off after awhile.

But, “meh” bits notwithstanding, this was a well-written, emotional, sexy read that I think fans of low-angst, slow-burn romances would enjoy. It’s definitely worth a read!   

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
It might not crush the stigma, but it definitely discourages it. Strongly, even.

Other reading suggestions
This was good enough that I’ll be checking out the author’s backlist. And for more slow-burn recommendations, check this out. ​

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