Review: Masquerade By:  Nyrae Dawn
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 9, 2014
Ro's Take on this Journey:Masquerade, by Nyrae Dawn, was the third installment of the Games Series.  Masquerade continues where Faade ends.  This segment is about Bee, the girl that at a young age was kidnapped and grew up with Rex and Melody, two people she loved dearly, but years later came to find were not her real parents.  Bee has trouble connecting with others and pretty much is a loner.  She doesn't do well with kids her age or adults for that matter.  When she is returned to her genetic family she doesn't connect with them.  They are very kind, love her dearly, but want to mold her into someone she use to be and is not any longer.  Bee has a sister who is college bound and the family tries to push the same on her.  Bee chooses to tattoo.  Her parents are wealthy and pay to set her up with her own studio and she is determined to make them see that this is the real her.  She feels the artistry that flows through her veins.  It is her heart and she does it with everything she has in her.  The Professor, an older man who became her mentor, showed her the ways of tattooing and how to become the best at what she did.  He is the only one that she has ever trusted to ink her.  Her tattooing is her only connection that runs deep.  A physical connection without commitments is all she can handle.Maddox, the brother of Laney, from the second segment of the games series, Faade, applies for an apprenticeship in her studio called Masquerade, after a one night stand with Bee, not knowing that he would come face to face with her at an interview the next day.  Maddox is a very closed off personality with the guilt of a heavy responsibility on his shoulders for the sins of his parents.  He is overprotective to the tenth power over his younger sister Laney and has a hard time with the man she loves, Adriane, even though he knows he loves her dearly.  Maddox never does commitment.  He has a lot of one night stands, but no seconds for him.  He doesn't want anymore commitments, responsibilities, or women to take care of besides Laney and his ever suicidal mother that lacks the mother gene and blames her daughter for everything that has ever gone wrong with her marriage.This novel was so fantastic that it completely enveloped me and I couldn't put it down.  The gravitational pull between Maddox and Bee is so real it will touch the reader to the core.  Ms. Dawn has a way of weaving a completely enthralling story, filled with real to life characters, with deeply emotional pain that scars them, and pulls the reader into their most intimate space possible.  Bee was a refreshingly honest and blunt girl with the tact of an elephant, and the reader will fall in love with her.  Maddox can't put two sentences together when it comes to his personal life, but somehow Bee breaks those barriers with her pure intentions and blatant honesty.  It is something that he has never found in a woman and he loves it.  He see's the sad side of her and recognizes it in himself.  They are two halves of one whole.The banter between Maddox and Bee is sexy, light, snarky, witty, and wanton.  You will fall madly in love with Maddox and Bee's story and want more.  Together they light up the sky with fireworks with the hottest, smoldering, swoon worthy, love scenes ever! Your heart will ache for both of them in an unexplainable way, and you will want to reach out and tell them to surrender to each other, and pull in that happiness that they both deserve.  The unconditional love they finally give to one another grows and as it is enriched they flourish into two magnificent beings.  This story brought back the wonderful characters from book one, Charade, with Cheyenne and Colt, and Adriane and Laney from Faade.  The characters all come together in this segment in a wonderfully orchestrated reunion that you don't want to miss.  Laney's matchmaking skills are at work and she is determined to become a strong independent woman like Bee, and set her up with her older brother Maddox.  In her eyes his happiness is due.I loved this series and Ms. Dawn always does an excellent job with her flowing prose.  She can say so much in a very succinct way.  The reader feels everything she wants them to feel.  I give this fast paced novel, Masquerade, by Nyrae Dawn, 4.5 Heart Wrenching, Life Changing, Renewal of Spirit and Life Changing Stars!!!