It isn’t very often that the second story in a series outshines the first, but that is exactly what has happened with the “Hawthorne House” series by Kristi Ann Hunter! “An Elegant Facade” is the new 2016 sequel to “A Noble Masquerade”, both published by Bethany House. According to Ms. Hunter’s website, the series will carry on for at least two more books, meaning that each of the four Hawthorne siblings will have their own story. Who is “An Elegant Facade” about, you ask? Well, it reveals the secrets of Georgina Hawthorne, and what a story it turns out to be!

The realistic characters with very real dilemmas, the charming and colorful Regency setting, and the engaging and interesting plot combine to create a compelling story that readers will undoubtedly connect with. However, an unexpected technique used by the author takes the story to another level entirely. Reading this book in sequence with the closely connected previous story becomes a fun (and funny!) experience… You see, “An Elegant Facade” (book 2) does not begin after “A Noble Masquerade” (book 1) ends, but rather in the MIDDLE of it! This means that for the first half of the second book, you are witnessing what happened during the last half of the first book through a completely different pair of characters. If that sounds confusing I apologize, but there is really no simpler way to explain this unique experience created by Kristi Ann Hunter… The result of watching the story unfold in this topsy-turvy fashion is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look that I just adored, and I’m sure you will too.

To say any more would be to give the story away, and that is definitely something I do not want to do. I will add, however, that the spiritual content in this book is marvelous, thought-provoking, and adds depth to each primary character in beautiful ways. Basically, you should believe me when I suggest to give this book a try without delay. If you have read the previous book in the “Hawthorne House” series, great! And if not, well, I’m almost positive it will be next on your list after finishing “An Elegant Facade”.

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”