Review of An Hour Unspent

Title:  An Hour Unspent

Author: Roseanna M White

Series: Shadows Over England book 3

 

Chapters: 33 plus Epilogue

Pages: 416

Genre: Christian Historical fiction, Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 stars  

An Hour unspent is the third and final book in the Shadows Over England series by Roseanna M White.  It's Barclay's story, the story that I've been waiting for since I read the first book in the series.  Barclay's the "older brother" of Rosemary and Willa and the rest of the rag tag group of orphans. He's a reformed thief who now uses his skills for the good of England.   

Evelina Manning is the daughter of a clockmaker who just may have the key to helping England win the war against German.  Barclay is sent to steal the secrets any way he can. But what he doesn't count on befriending both Evelina and her father. But he doesn't' feel like he would ever fit into Evelina's world.  But on that same note Evelina who walks with a limp do to a polio like disease as a child doesn't think any man can love her for herself.  She knows her former fiance didn't not really.  Can these two misfits find a place together. 

Out of the three books in this series, An Hour Unspent was my favorite, I loved Barclay and Evelina did finally grow on me after a while.   I enjoy books set during WWI but I haven't found many of the Christian fiction market.  So I was thrilled to discover that Roseanna had this series especially this year being the hundred anniversary of   the end of WW I.   

Evelina and Barclay are both flawed characters but they both grow throughout the book especially in their faith. I loved the ending especially when Barclay was able to "steal" the thing that his sister challenged him to steal.   Got a love an honorable reformed thief.  This was my favorite book of the series to me Roseanna saved the best character for last, but I am sad that this series is over. Barclay has been added to my list of favorite book heroes.  I look forward to the next book or hopefully next series from Roseanna M. White. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction. WWI history especially if you want stories about the home front and the social aspects of the war like I do.  Not only I am a book nerd, I'm a history nerd. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

A Song Unheard

Title: A Song Unheard

Author: Roseanna M. White

Series:  Shadows Over England book 2

 

Chapters: 29

Pages: 403

Genre: Christian Historical fiction/Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 stars

     Can a young woman be both a violin prodigy and a top-notch thief?  With Willa Forsythe in A Song Unheard Roseanna M. White answers yes. That's what Willa is, she belongs to a "family" of thieves but thieves who only y still from those who can afford to lose something.  Lukas De Wilde is  famous violinist who wants to find his family who was left behind in Belgium while he finds a way to protect the key to break his father's cypher.  Both Willa and Lukas realize that there is more to each other than meets the eye.  Both will do whatever it takes to protect their families.  They may come from different worlds but they both love their families.

     As much as liked A Name Unknown I loved A Song Unheard even more. I loved the twist about the key to the cypher.  The romance in this one was a bit of hate to love. But the disagreements  between to couple was cute. It added to depth to the story and allowed the reader to see different sides to the characters.  Love at first sight for both characters wouldn't have worked for this story.  One of the characters personality and who they were would have gone completely against who they were.  Who would have thought music could be used to help fight a war.

I received a complimentary copy of A Song Unheard  from Netgalley . I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. 

A Name Unknown

Title:  A Name Unknown

Author: Roseanna M. White

Series: Shadows over England Book 1

 

Chapters: 28

Pages: 428

Genre: Christian Historical fiction/ Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 4 stars

     Rosemary Gresham is an orphan young woman who is a part of gang of pickpockets and thief. However Rosemary and her "family" only steal from those who can afford it.  But then a man called Mr. V hires her to find out if an Englishman with German blood Peter Holstein is indeed loyal to England. However there is more than meets the eye to Peter he's an author who writes novels. Just not under his own name not a pen name.

     Rosemary pretends to be a librarian in order to gain access to his house and library.  She however doesn't know exactly what's she is looking for. However she is willing to do whatever it takes to do the job and find out what Mr. V is paying her to find out. Because the amount of money she'll get will help her family out.

     But the longer Rosemary stays the more she learns. And what she learns is that not everything as it seems. Peter isn't like any rich person Rosemary has every meet before.  Peter also isn't your typical hero he has a slight stutter but to that me it made him an even better hero, because of the way that he chose to communicate with Rosemary.

     With A Name Unknown you will discover that both Peter and Rosemary have a lot to learn about themselves and each other. But more importantly they both have to learn to try God.  Normally with Roseanna's books I don't tend to love the first book in the series but I loved A Name Unknown. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.