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A fun YA romance about a trip to Venice that will end with Love Unmasked.
Love Unmasked by Becky Dean. Delacorte Romance, 2025. 384 pages.
- Reading Level: Teens, ages 15-18
- Recommended For: ages 15 and up
A school trip to Venice is an amazing opportunity for high school senior, Evie Whitmore, and not just because Venice is amazing. Evie has a secret, something only her best friend (and Venice roommate) knows. Venice is the location of her favorite fantasy series, the Elven Realms. It was the series she and her late father bonded over, and one she still loves. Somewhere in Venice is a secret club for Elven Realms fans. Evie is a secret, hard core fan—known in Elven Realm online groups for her skilled fan art. She arrives in Venice with several commissioned costumes and a mission: to find the Elven Realms club without getting caught.
On her first night, she meets a teenage boy, and fellow quester. Since both are wearing masks, she isn’t sure if he is a fellow student, but both enjoy roaming Venice at night, searching and following clues they’ve found during the day. Meanwhile, during each day, Evie is determined to befriend her newly-assigned research partner, the taciturn Gabriel Martinez. Evie is a people pleaser, but she is also kind. She struggles with insecurity: one reason she is determined to keep her night-time escapades secret. Yet her growing friendship with her mysterious elven realms friend, and her growing daytime friendship with Gabriel put Evie on a collision course with reality. The result is a sweet, romantic story of character growth, and the importance of honesty, as well as the joy of creative community and real friendship.
Considerations:
- Romance: The novel contains age appropriate romance (with some kissing) and good advice from the main character to a younger character on how to be smart at a party (ie, don’t drink anything unless you open it yourself).
Bottom Line: Love Unmasked is a fun, romantic summer adventure that will especially be enjoyed by teens who are literary fans.
Related Reading From Redeemed Reader
- A Review: Don’t miss Becky Dean’s Love and Other Great Expectations (we gave it a starred review!)
- A Review: Romance, historical fiction style: Yours From the Tower by Sally Nichols, An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund, or The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski.
- A Review: Like romance, but want a fantasy romance? Try Sky of Seven Colors or Embergold, both by Rachelle Nelson.
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