Review: The Girl Behind the Curtain by Stella Knightley [Hidden Women trilogy, book 3]

Warning: There are spoilers beyond this point for anyone who hasn't read the Hidden Women trilogy (check out my reviews for the first two books).

Sarah Thomson and Marco Donato's complicated love affair continues - their passion is a deep one but both have been badly hurt before and are wary of exposing their vulnerabilities to the other.

Meanwhile, Sarah begins to research a new subject . . .

In Nineteen-Thirties Germany, Katherine Hazleton escapes her stuffy finishing school and runs away to Berlin in pursuit of an unsuitable man. Alone and penniless when her boyfriend deserts her, she is forced to become a hostess at a cabaret bar. There she reinvents herself as Kitty Katkin. Writing her own songs to accompany her risque dance routines, Kitty is soon a sensation. She is in love with Berlin and her handsome musician lover, Otto. But Germany is about to change.

Will Kitty and Sarah find the love they truly deserve? (via Hodder.co.uk)

So, this is it. The last book in Stella Knightley's Hidden Women trilogy and, I must say, it went far beyond my expectations.

The Girl Behind the Curtain continues the same structure, with Sarah's story running alongside that of a historical research subject – this time the fun, brave, and lovable Kitty. There are less sex scenes here than in the previous novels, but I found this to be very fitting of the plot's development and underlying message. Anything more would have seemed gratuitous.

And though I'm sad that such a fabulous story has ended, I absolutely loved its conclusion. I stayed up for hours one night to finish the book because I was dying to find out the truth behind each mystery; including what becomes of Kitty and Otto's relationship and, of course, whether Sarah and Marco are finally able to make it work.

Altogether, The Girl Behind the Curtain is a sweet, emotional, and atmospheric conclusion to an inspiring trilogy, and reveals a powerful message about the true value of love. I cannot recommend it enough!

Rating: 5 / 5

Review: The Girl Behind the Fan by Stella Knightley [Hidden Women trilogy, book 2]

Warning: There are spoilers beyond this point. Check out my review of The Girl Behind the Mask first.

Hurt and confused by the sudden end of her strange love affair with Venetian millionaire Marco Donato, Sarah Thomson is persuaded to take her bruised heart to Paris by her ex-boyfriend Steven, who is hoping for a reconciliation. While she and Steven rekindle their psychologically and sexually tortured relationship, Sarah tries to forget her yearning for Marco by throwing herself into a new project: a study of the life of notorious nineteenth-century courtesan, Augustine Levert, whose sensual charms parted many a man from his fortune.

But when her life begins to parallel Augustine's story, Sarah realises she will never erase Marco from her heart. Faced with a choice between safety and overwhelming passion, will both women make the right decision? (via Goodreads)

Though it started off a little slowly, it wasn't long before I found The Girl Behind the Fan even more absorbing than its predecessor.

Much like The Girl Behind the Mask, there's a good balance between the stories, and the switches in perspective are well-timed. I loved how a few of the latter chapters would end on a cliffhanger for one of the girls and, instead of immediately finding out what happens to her, the next chapter changes its perspective to the other girl. Sure, I might have cursed the book at the time, but I quickly realised this as a fantastic way of creating suspense.

But that's not to say that there's a shortage of suspense within the rest of the novel. The Girl Behind the Fan is darker than the previous instalment, what with the return of Sarah's ex-boyfriend Steven and the introduction of Augustine Levert's turbulent life, so there are a variety of uneasy, and sometimes shocking, occurrences.

I also loved Augustine. Her narrative is utterly compelling and at times heartbreaking, so I couldn't help but feel an attachment to her. Be prepared to have some tissues to hand whilst reading her point-of-view!

Altogether, The Girl Behind the Fan continues Sarah's unique tale with great sensuality, intelligence, history, and a beautifully realised Paris. By then end of it, you'll be begging for the next book – I know I am!

Rating: 4 / 5

Review: The Girl Behind the Mask by Stella Knightley [Hidden Women trilogy, book 1]

Leaving the heartache of sexual betrayal behind her in London, historian Sarah Thomson intends to make the most of her research trip to Venice. But she soon finds her attention consumed by mysterious millionaire Marco Donato. Despite their deepening relationship, however, the handsome playboy persists in playing a secretive game. What exactly is Marco hiding?

The subject of Sarah's research is eighteenth-century Venetian Luciana Giordano. At a time when debauchery is the city's favourite pastime, virginal Luciana is kept out of trouble by a zealous chaperone--until she meets a man who promises to help her escape her restraints. But just what does the worldly stranger want to teach her in return? (via Goodreads)

Ever since Fifty Shades of Grey became a smash-hit, many publishers have grown the desire to replicate its success by releasing their very own version of the trilogy. While you can't blame them for this (after all, publishing is a business and they have to make money), it does annoy me that they don't generally pick very imaginative novels. For example, you might remember my review of Sylvia Day's Bared to You, where it seems as though Day hasn't gone to great lengths to separate her plot from that of Fifty Shades (the characters' names are even similar: Eva and Gideon instead of Ana and Christian!).

So when The Girl Behind the Mask arrived in the post, I admit that I was apprehensive about reading it at first glance – the front cover certainly doesn't look any different to other books of its kind. But when I flipped it over and read the back, I could tell that, despite some superficial similarities, this novel would be more unique.

Reading through the chapters, it became increasingly evident that The Girl Behind the Mask wasn't just another carbon-copy. It blends together the lives of two women living in different eras – present day Sarah and eighteenth century Luciana – as they experience the allure of Venice, Italy for the first time.

I enjoyed the very personal feel to both stories; Luciana's is told through a series of diary entries and letters which we read alongside Sarah as she does her research. And though Sarah's narrative isn't presented in diary form, I still felt as though she was personally confiding in me as she discusses her life before and after arriving in Venice.

The sex scenes, while unambiguous, are told tastefully. The language used is subtle, rather than being explicit for the sake it (for example, there are no 'C' words here... unless you think that letter stands for the word used to name a male bird!)

Altogether, The Girl Behind the Mask is a multi-layered erotic romance novel with a difference. If you loved Fifty Shades but don't just want to read another version of it, this is probably for you. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for Sarah in The Girl Behind the Fan!

Rating: 4 / 5