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The Seduction #3
Two Masquerades and a Major
In this delightful, sensual romp by bestselling author Eloisa James, Miss Olive Tyron falls in love with a major—who promptly walks away when he realizes who she is.
Livie never worried much about the world’s opinion of her—until the world despised her.
One minute she is happily dancing through her first Season, and the next her family is plunged into scandal and exiled from society.
Stealing into a masquerade ball, she meets the handsome, honorable Major FitzRoy, son of an earl. Yet if she removes her mask and tells Joshua her name, the scandal might engulf him as well.
Could he possibly love her enough to give up his career—and his honor?
Praise for Eloisa
'Eloisa James is extraordinary'—Lisa Kleypas
'Smart heroines, sensual heroes, witty repartee and a penchant for delicious romance have made James a fan favorite . . . readers will be hooked from beginning to end'—RT Book Reviews
'Romance writing does not get much better than this'—People
'Eloisa James writes with a captivating blend of charm, style, and grace that never fails to leave the reader sighing and smiling and falling in love'—Julia Quinn
'Charming, romantic and unexpectedly funny'—Kirkus
Previously published as The Livie [Episodes 46-75] on Kindle Vella.
Livie never worried much about the world’s opinion of her—until the world despised her.
One minute she is happily dancing through her first Season, and the next her family is plunged into scandal and exiled from society.
Stealing into a masquerade ball, she meets the handsome, honorable Major FitzRoy, son of an earl. Yet if she removes her mask and tells Joshua her name, the scandal might engulf him as well.
Could he possibly love her enough to give up his career—and his honor?
Praise for Eloisa
'Eloisa James is extraordinary'—Lisa Kleypas
'Smart heroines, sensual heroes, witty repartee and a penchant for delicious romance have made James a fan favorite . . . readers will be hooked from beginning to end'—RT Book Reviews
'Romance writing does not get much better than this'—People
'Eloisa James writes with a captivating blend of charm, style, and grace that never fails to leave the reader sighing and smiling and falling in love'—Julia Quinn
'Charming, romantic and unexpectedly funny'—Kirkus
Previously published as The Livie [Episodes 46-75] on Kindle Vella.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 19, 2023
308 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Eloisa James
121 books9,455 followersNew York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 22, 2024
It’s not that I don’t believe in love at first sight. It’s that I resent a romance novelist using it as a shortcut to avoid the hard work of building a relationship between her main characters, establishing a bond that feels right and enduring to a reader, so that the result does feel like a “ever after.” I think the hero and heroine had all of four face-to-face meetings in this book, and the fourth was the big HEA with sex moment. Disappointing in the extreme.
Other than the lack of a romance, this book told an engrossing story. Other than the two main characters, the book was populated by interesting, vivid people, most notably Daisy and Frederick and the completely mad Captain Sir Tyron and the horrid Regina. Heck, even the Scallion was more interesting than the hero. How that happens, I could not tell you.
Other than the lack of a romance, this book told an engrossing story. Other than the two main characters, the book was populated by interesting, vivid people, most notably Daisy and Frederick and the completely mad Captain Sir Tyron and the horrid Regina. Heck, even the Scallion was more interesting than the hero. How that happens, I could not tell you.
June 4, 2025
I got this book from a "Blind Date with a Book" at my local coffee shop and I really enjoyed it! Just when I thought I could guess what would happen next, a new plot twist came to be. There were some gaps between chapters that made some parts hard to piece together, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed!
January 10, 2024
I believe this is my favorite of the 3 I have read so far!
The plot is great but it's the two cousins who shine and sparkle with life
and joy that really "grab" you!
For the main character, Livie, it is a roller coaster ride of emotions and
quite a few revelations about her "father"!
The book is one you do not want to put down and your
mind will not leave it lay for long.
This is an excellent book and I will be buying the next one as soon as I can!
The plot is great but it's the two cousins who shine and sparkle with life
and joy that really "grab" you!
For the main character, Livie, it is a roller coaster ride of emotions and
quite a few revelations about her "father"!
The book is one you do not want to put down and your
mind will not leave it lay for long.
This is an excellent book and I will be buying the next one as soon as I can!
August 7, 2024
A bit on the YA side of things for my taste. Livie, our heroine, is so naive and reckless that it made me squirm. Joshua is a wonderful hero, but my favorite character is his brother Frederic. That’s a man with a clear view of life despite his addiction to alcohol.
January 15, 2024
The last installment of the seduction series suffers a bit since it is not placed in the ton and its events. After a slow beginning where I couldn't care less about the heroine's imprisoned father, a very bubbly cousin, a stuffy but helpful lord, drunk but friendly earl, a super smart butler, I started to enjoy the book! The romance (that armoire!) is delightful and sweet and absolutely perfect. 4.5 stars
January 4, 2024
When Miss Olive Tyron’s father is arrested for treason, her first Season abruptly ends and feeling desperately bored, she and her cousin decide to attend a masquerade. She meets Major Joshua Fitzroy there and the girls must be rescued from a risky situation. More shenanigans and misunderstandings ensue, until the lovely happy ending, which is why I've always loved this author’s romances. They never fail to transport me to another time with spunky, brave heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, and despicable villains.
March 24, 2024
A little over a third of the way through this book, I gave up. I have never DNFed an Eloisa James book. NEVER. Except well…now I have. This entire “series”, if you will, has been tiresome and boring, and read nothing like my previous experiences with EJ. There was little sparkle, no witty repartee, and zero zilch nada chemistry between hero and heroine. I struggled with #1 and the struggle only worsened with #2. When #3 showed no signs of improvement, I just couldn’t go on. Maybe others will have a more positive experience than I, maybe the problem was me. Sad. Sad. Sad. Another beloved author struck from my auto buy list.
August 24, 2024
I don’t know what to make of it, honestly. The first is a total romp. The second is a Cinderella retelling. This is…a mess? It’s just all over the place. Except for the places I really wanted it to be, such as ballrooms, carriages, Vauxhall, book sellers, only one brief visit to Almacks, and far too much time in the company of the odious Lady Regina. I just couldn’t warm to Olive. Particularly by the end when she continued to be loyal to her vicious parent, then made the noble sacrifice of jilting him for his own good. I hate that trope. The epilogue is the best part of the book. Oh well, I still love Eloisa James. I just didn’t love this series.
February 22, 2024
Well, this was my least favorite of the series so far. I just couldn't really get into the romance, either of the main characters or the plot. I didn't really care if Joshua and Livie got together since neither of them seemed like interesting people. He was way too moralistic and she was just blah. The whole love at first sight thing was annoying. I found Daisy and Lord Devin much more interesting so I'm looking forward to their story next. I would have given this 2.5 stars but I did like the last couple chapters and epilogue so that rounded it up.
April 9, 2024
Ooookkkkkkkaaaayyyy. This was a cannon shot of reality. It's epically different from the rest of the books in this series, and it's vastly, VASTLY different from all other historical romances I've read in over 30 years. Don't get me wrong. I love twisty twists and topsy turvy plot changes and surprises, but this one took the cake. I just wasn't into it. I couldn't really understand how this insta-love bloomed and grew in such chaotic scenarios. Two Masquerades and a Major is, unfortunately, not for me.
September 15, 2024
Amusing
An odd sort of romance story, with several loose ends, a set of terrible parents, a loving aunt, 2 cousins more like sisters, and a tale of treachery and betrayal.
Interwoven is the love-at-first-sight, rocky, will-they-won’t-they relationship between Livi and Joshua. It’s both heartwarming and heartbreaking as the pair grapple with honour, truth, and duty.
While this is also a funny, entertaining, and delightful read, there are several loose ends, such as who did Daisy marry?
Still …….
Highly recommended
An odd sort of romance story, with several loose ends, a set of terrible parents, a loving aunt, 2 cousins more like sisters, and a tale of treachery and betrayal.
Interwoven is the love-at-first-sight, rocky, will-they-won’t-they relationship between Livi and Joshua. It’s both heartwarming and heartbreaking as the pair grapple with honour, truth, and duty.
While this is also a funny, entertaining, and delightful read, there are several loose ends, such as who did Daisy marry?
Still …….
Highly recommended
December 24, 2023
unfortch worst of the bunch with fell too quick leads and a kinda cray plot. i need lord devin and daisy to have their story i been waiting since book 1!!
lord devin popular as hell he everywhere and know everybody just hanging round the back of all these books. his characterization has changed since book 1. and how old is he cuz now he uncle aged.
also i wanna read about frederick
lord devin popular as hell he everywhere and know everybody just hanging round the back of all these books. his characterization has changed since book 1. and how old is he cuz now he uncle aged.
also i wanna read about frederick
January 11, 2024
Good read from Eloisa James, again. I wasn't really enthused at the beginning of this book, but it did pick up and became more interesting. I think it had more to do with their age and being naive. I like these characters and the plot. Looking forward to reading the next installment when it come out on Kindle.
March 10, 2024
3 stars
I hung around fr the end because I wanted to know the result of the heroine's father's trial rather than the love story.
Not a bug fan of the love at first sight troupe made even more implausible by the fact that the heroine was in disguise/masqurade when hero falls for her 🙄
Def not the strongest book in the series!
I hung around fr the end because I wanted to know the result of the heroine's father's trial rather than the love story.
Not a bug fan of the love at first sight troupe made even more implausible by the fact that the heroine was in disguise/masqurade when hero falls for her 🙄
Def not the strongest book in the series!
December 30, 2023
Wow!!! What a book!
My goodness ...so much to unveil! Get ready! So much to learn in this book, always with Lady Regina to torment! Many laughs with Daisy and Frederick... Can hardly wait for the next novellas! Great to visit the Duke and Duchess of Trent as well.
My goodness ...so much to unveil! Get ready! So much to learn in this book, always with Lady Regina to torment! Many laughs with Daisy and Frederick... Can hardly wait for the next novellas! Great to visit the Duke and Duchess of Trent as well.
January 3, 2024
A fun book to reread later!
Its a good thing I wasn't Life's mother because I would have punched that Captian upside his head! Thank goodness the Major realized the gift he had in Movie before it was too late!
Its a good thing I wasn't Life's mother because I would have punched that Captian upside his head! Thank goodness the Major realized the gift he had in Movie before it was too late!
January 18, 2024
Big fan of Eloisa James and this was no exception. Her romance novels are always lots of fun. Kindle versions seem to be less well proofread than actually printed books. Overlapping characters from previous two books in the series.
February 22, 2024
Hmmm.
Liked Livie, liked Daisy, liked Joshua, liked Frederick, liked Lord Devin, liked Daisy’s mother. Some decent dialogue otherwise I needed to force myself to finish. HEA was slightly challenging but I was not inspired.
Liked Livie, liked Daisy, liked Joshua, liked Frederick, liked Lord Devin, liked Daisy’s mother. Some decent dialogue otherwise I needed to force myself to finish. HEA was slightly challenging but I was not inspired.
March 15, 2025
Great story and series
Loved the story with it's interesting plot and colorful characters. I would also love to read a story about Lord Frederick who is a memorable character throughout.
Loved the story with it's interesting plot and colorful characters. I would also love to read a story about Lord Frederick who is a memorable character throughout.
May 27, 2025
two masquerades and a Major by Eloisa James
This novel is everything you expect from Miss James. It is interesting , nothing at all what was proper at the time, but ever so intriguing and sensual. Seduction at its finest. Reviewed by Heide Katros, Winter Haven News, Florida
This novel is everything you expect from Miss James. It is interesting , nothing at all what was proper at the time, but ever so intriguing and sensual. Seduction at its finest. Reviewed by Heide Katros, Winter Haven News, Florida
November 30, 2023
Read as kindle vella
Read
December 22, 202312/21/2023
December 31, 2023
A nice story to read when you just want to be entertained.
January 14, 2024
cute
Although it started amusingly, by the time we got to the whole moral question of glher sainted father, the book lost me.
I skipped to the ending, eyerolled, and moved on.
Although it started amusingly, by the time we got to the whole moral question of glher sainted father, the book lost me.
I skipped to the ending, eyerolled, and moved on.
February 18, 2024
more! more! more!
I fear I am addicted to these tales of romance, delightful plot twists, and happy ever afters! More! More! More!
I fear I am addicted to these tales of romance, delightful plot twists, and happy ever afters! More! More! More!
March 9, 2024
The heroine is too young.
July 22, 2024
Definitely my favorite so far of the Seduction series…I loved Livie and Joshua..not typical story too..hoping that Joshua’s brother Fredrick gets a book..loved him🥰
January 12, 2025
3.5 stars.
May 30, 2025
Another winner
Started off a little slow but ended up with plenty of interesting twists and turns. Elisa James is a wonderfully writer
Started off a little slow but ended up with plenty of interesting twists and turns. Elisa James is a wonderfully writer
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews