Mercedes Maxwell needs to find out what is wrong with her twin sister, Katherine Braxton, to send her to the Blackwood Asylum. Kat had never been ill a day of her life, to land in any asylum. Kat is surprised to see Mercedes. She had the feeling her husband wouldn’t allow her to leave, but Mercedes informs her that her husband is dead. Kat tells Mercedes she left her cursed husband, William, because she could no longer take the abuse. Mercedes wonders why Kat would rather die in an asylum than return to her husband. Kat has suffered for the eighteen months in her marriage and once she is dead, she wishes Mercedes to punish her husband severely. Mercedes is furious that Kat is forced to live in such terrible filth, even to dirty fingernails and matted hair. Kat, always the assertive one, now turns to Mercedes to be the one to take action. Mercedes decides the only way to learn what is happening with her sister’s condition is to go to William and pretend she is Kat, never realizing the consequences.

William Braxton hopes to make money when he funds the Sons of Liberty. He sketches vessels for the King’s Navy to be purchased. His wife, Kat, is a thorn in his side, and very cruel. He feels she is a threat to him and the children. He has been worried, thinking she had been kidnapped, but when she returns, this time she is different and he wonders what has prompted her kindness. As William seeks to unlock the truth about this mysterious woman who claims to be Kat, Mercedes has her own guilt to worry over as she tries to get to the truth of the matter. Along the way, the two develop a budding romance hard to release.

Pretend I’m Yours is an exceptional masterpiece. This lovely story is so rich in detail and personalities that it just leaps out and grabs hold of the reader. From the moment I started reading about Mercedes and Katherine as they share their conversation, I was spellbound. Ms. Campbell carries the reader into a mirage of mystery with deceit, betrayal of the worst kind, and a passionate love revolving around the sisters, that makes this a whirlwind page-turner. Mercedes and William are astonishing characters that ignite the pages and allows the reader to experience all their deepening sensations. There were moments I could share in with their breathtaking romance, almost feeling the butterflies of love they emitted. This extraordinary read had me mesmerized with its ambiance, its characters and its remarkable twists and turns, making it one recommended read in my book.

Reviewed by: Linda L.