Gwen Barton, an American heiress with a heart for orphans, didn't want to come to London in search of a titled gentleman to marry. But when she helps an injured, unidentified man in an opera box—and shares a kiss with him—it turns her trip abroad on its head. On his part, Avery Winfield needs to maintain a certain level of mystery about him to continue his Secret Service work in a search for German spies in Night at the Opera by author Stacy Henrie.

I was quite in the mood for a historical romance when I picked up this ChristFic novel set in 1908. I love the atmosphere of understated drama and intrigue set by the clouds, haze, and minimal, muted tones on the gorgeous book cover.

Granted, the cover gave me the impression of a somewhat sharper and more suspenseful read than I'd say this one is. It doesn't have a good deal of spy action in it, and Avery himself doesn't have the keen powers of observation and intuition or the constant awareness of his surroundings to make a great spy.

The narrative sometimes states the obvious and is rather redundant in a number of places, both in the phrasing and in the main characters' reflections. I think the story could have been tightened up and told in fewer pages.

While it seems the central couple could have figured out the "mystery in the opera box" sooner, their growing attachment has a sweet, genuine feel. The faith thread is clear and purposeful without sermonizing, and the story gives interesting hints about what must be coming up in the novel that follows it.

So my historical-fiction-loving self will likely go on to try Book Two in this series. ( )

This was a love story from the Edwardian Era, when many of the American heiresses went to England to find and marry into the aristocracy (history fun fact). Gwen Barton had a limp that made her chances of marrying well almost non-existent in America even though she is beautiful and comes from money. One night at the London opera she met a man in an empty box that had been stabbed. With both their identities shaded in the dark, she helped him with neither of them knowing each others identity but the night making a mark on their future.

Avery Winfield is next in line to his uncle, a duke. He should be looking for someone to settle down with and give the line a successor. He, however has been secretly working for the Secret Service Bureau attempting to find German spies inside of England. The job gives him a purpose but it's dangerous and not something to do while married and put a wife and family at risk.

Spoiler Alerts Ahead…

Gwen and Avery begin to keep running into each other at social events and then Avery helps Gwen with some social work she wanted to do while in London. He does want her help in return though, to give him information on one of her suitors that he believes in a German spy. She agrees to the plan and he begins to also court her in order to see her more often to get the information she is getting from the potential spy.

Obviously the two fall in love and eventually figure out that they were the two strangers in the opera box. There are some twists and turns though that were unexpected. The book was sweet and showed the classic idea of good winning over evil. There was a lot to love about this book: the man didn't care about the woman's deformity, a lot of care about charity and others, and love for family. I'd definitely recommend this book. I certainly loved it. If you get a chance to read it, let me know what you think!

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ( )