The Opera Singers Duel

Julie's life is complicated enough. After dueling a nobleman's son and getting herself in legal trouble, she lands at the Paris Opera as a singer—where she promptly falls in love with Madeleine de Villiers, the beautiful and untouchable star soprano. In 1690s Paris, their love is dangerous, illegal, and absolutely worth it. But keeping their relationship secret means living in constant fear of exposure. Enter Charpentier, the Opera's talented but awkward composer. When he confesses to Julie that he's attracted to men—specifically the handsome baritone Thévenard—Julie is thrilled to finally have a friend who understands what it's like to hide. She becomes his confidant, teaching him about their secret community, helping him navigate his "awakening," and supporting him through the anxiety of being different in a hostile world. But Charpentier is lying. He's not attracted to men at all. He's desperately, hopelessly in love with Julie, and he panicked the moment she asked about his romantic interests. Now he's trapped in an increasingly elaborate deception, taking notes on "how to be gay," practicing romantic expressions in the mirror, and accidentally choosing Guillaume as his fake crush. The deeper the lie goes, the worse it gets—but he can't tell the truth without losing Julie forever. When Julie and Madeleine's chemistry becomes too obvious to hide, Charpentier sees his chance. He proposes a marriage of convenience: marry him for protection, and Madeleine can live with them openly as Julie's "companion." No one would question it. Everyone would be safe. Julie agrees. It's the perfect solution to an impossible problem. Except it's built entirely on lies. As the fake courtship becomes a real marriage, Charpentier's deception spirals out of control. He's lying to Julie, lying to Thévenard (who actually is interested in him), lying to an entire community of people who think he's one of them. The guilt is destroying him. The wine consumption is concerning. And Julie is starting to notice that something isn't quite right. When the truth finally explodes—triggered by a forgotten notebook full of Charpentier's real feelings—it threatens to destroy everything. The marriage, the friendships, the trust that took months to build. Julie feels betrayed, manipulated, used. Madeleine is furious. Thévenard is hurt. And Charpentier finally understands the full weight of what he's done. But this is a rom-com, not a tragedy. Between disastrous dinner parties, attempted interventions, and Deschamps's determination to turn the whole mess into an opera (complete with duels and trained parrots), there might just be a path to forgiveness. It won't be easy. It won't be quick. But friendship, real friendship, might be worth fighting for. THE OPERA SINGER'S DUEL is a historical romantic comedy about identity, deception, chosen family, and learning that the hardest person to be honest with is yourself. Featuring: terrible fake courtship, elaborate lies that spiral magnificently out of control, a marriage of convenience that's convenient for no one, two parrots (inexplicably), and the worst opera ever written about real people. Perfect for fans of unconventional romances, queer historical fiction, and anyone who's ever told one lie that got completely out of hand.