Melanie and Venus are stepsisters, different as night and day.  Venus is beautiful, vivacious, and owns a hugely successful spa.  Melanie, on the other hand, is as ordinary as they come.  When Venus talks Melanie into accompanying her to a masked ball, Melanie takes a shopping trip to find a mask.  On her excursion Melanie comes across a shop she’s never seen before – Madame Periwinkle’s Erotic Delights.  Within the shop there is the most gorgeous mask Melanie has ever seen.  Strangely enough, before she even decides to buy it, the shop’s owner has decided the mask is for Melanie and she must be the one to wear it.

As if her day can’t get any stranger, when Melanie leaves the shop she decides to take a break and read her favorite book, Wizard’s Heart.  Melanie’s reading time is interrupted by the appearance of a mysterious stranger, Nic Chival.  Melanie can’t believe the gorgeous stranger is attracted to her nor does she believe his promise that they’ll meet again soon.  Melanie soon finds out that not everything is as it seems when the mask opens up a world beyond her wildest dreams, where Melanie will have to risk it all to be with the one who loves her.

Prepare to be swept away with Michele Bardsley’s engaging adventure of a tale, Melanie Unmasked.  It’s charming, delightful, and pure fun, with characters I universally adored.  Melanie is the kind of heroine it is easy to identify with, in that she is the everywoman who loves to read.  It was easy to put myself in her place, getting swept away in reading a favorite book, which might be more than it appears to be on the surface.  As for Nic, he’s sexy, endearing, and slightly mysterious.  I eagerly read the story in order to learn more about him.

Unfortunately, I cannot say much about the story itself without spoiling the book.  I will say, however, that Melanie Unmasked is wonderfully unique.  It took me on a ride I did not expect but absolutely loved, making this tale a supremely satisfying read.