Moonlight Masquerade - A Review

Lady Celine Wexham was born French but married a wealthy English earl. Now a widow, the French beauty is hiding something. Something that the British government is determined to find out. Rees Phillips is given the assignment to pose as her butler and determine if she is a spy for France. As he spends more and more time in the lovely widow's company, he's convinced that she is in fact a French spy. As his heart becomes entangled, he finds he must choose between his country and the woman he's fallen in love with. Does their love have a chance? Or will it all be part of the old saying "all's fair in love and war?"

This is the first book I've read by Ruth Axtell, and while it started off terribly slow, it did pick up and I was able to enjoy it. It's set in the years of Napoleon, 1813-1814, which is basically between the French Revolutions. I have to say that I loved the kindness Lady Wexham showed to her servants. She treated them more as equals than master to servant. I also loved how Rees thought he was such a great spy only to have been found out early into his game and did not have his cover blown. Yes the book moved slow. Rather tediously slow in spots. But I found that when I put it down and came back to it several hours (or days) later, I was soon lost in the story's intrigue.

I received this book for free from Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Jane Austen, Downtown Abbey, Julie Klassen, Regency Romance

Available March 2013 at your local bookstore from Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Rating - 4 stars