Review: The Number of Love (Codebreakers #1) by Roseanna M. White

About the book:

The Toughest Puzzle She'll Have to Solve
Might Be the Wishes of Her Own Heart

Three years into the Great War, England's greatest asset is their intelligence network--field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack German telegrams for hints of the enemy's plans. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, she discovers for the first time in her life that numbers aren't enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy who just won't give up. He's smitten quickly by the quick and brainy Margot, but soon the dangers of the war draw ever closer. Margot and Drake will have to team up to save themselves from the very secrets that brought them together.

My rating:

Review: A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White

About the book:

If Betraying Her Heart Means Saving Countless Lives, Will She Find the Courage?

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a critical task at the outset of World War I--to secure a crucial cypher key from a famous violinist currently in Wales.

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won--until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only distraction he finds from his worry is in meeting the intriguing and talented Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't--that she must betray him and find that key, or her own family could pay the same price his surely has.

My rating:
5 stars
(View my rating system)

My thoughts:

Review: A Lady Unrivaled by Roseanna M. White

About the book:

Amid the Unforgettable Cotswolds, the Final Grasp for the Fire Eyes Diamonds Could Threaten Them All 

Lady Ella Myerston can always find a reason to smile--even if it's just in hope that tomorrow will be better than today. All her life everyone has tried to protect her from the realities of the world, but Ella knows very well how the dangerous Fire Eyes diamonds have haunted her brother and their friends, and she won't wait for peril to strike again. She intends to take action . . . and if that happens to involve an adventurous trip to the Cotswolds, then so much the better.
Lord James Cayton has already broken two hearts, including that of his first wife, who died before he could convince himself to love her. Now he's determined to live a better life . . . but that proves complicated when old acquaintances pull Cayton into their desperate attempt to seize the jewels. He does his best to remove the intriguing Lady Ella from danger, but the stubborn girl won't budge. How else can he redeem himself, though, but by saving her--and his daughter--from those intent on destroying them all?

My rating:
5 stars
(View my rating system)

My thoughts:

7-Year Blogoversary Party - Guest Post by Roseanna M. White + Giveaway!

I can't believe it is already the third week of the 7-Year Blogoversary Party! Crazy how fast this has gone by. Today we have Roseanna M. White stopping by with a guest post and giveaway. She is one of my favorite historical romance writers and if you haven't read her books you definitely should check them out.

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Check out the series on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2Hrk1dR

Guest Post by Roseanna M. White

The Linguist, the Violin Prodigy, and the Leader

Some of my friends thought it would be a hard sell, pitching a series about a family of thieves to a Christian publisher like Bethany House. I wasn’t particularly worried about the subject matter though. Because though the characters in the Shadows Over England Series are thieves by trade—at first—their stories are largely about their redemption, and the move of their family from the world of shadows and street gangs to the world of light. Still, it was fun to craft this family who had survived decades on the mean streets of Edwardian London by their wits and determination. And it was especially fun to get to know the three oldest members of this patchwork family who would be my heroines and hero in each of the three books.

Rosemary Gresham captured my attention first. The oldest of the girls, second oldest in the clan of orphans who decided to stick together, Rosemary has a way with a needle. She’s a real whiz as a seamstress, and though she doesn’t exactly enjoy the work, it has enabled their family to blend in with a society high above their own. Rosemary’s secret weapon though, which has gained her the attention of one mysterious Mr. V, who starts each character on their adventure, is that she apparently has a bit of a knack for languages. She set out to learn German a few years ago so she could identify the correct manuscript for “the British Museum Job” and picked it up far better and more quickly than anyone would have guessed. Which is why Mr. V sends her to Cornwall, into the home of Peter Holstein, suspected German sympathizer. And so begins the fun of book one, A Name Unknown, as Rosemary enters the world of the reclusive adventure novelist whose stammer often keeps people from seeing his heart of gold…and whose chaotic library might just be the death of Rosemary, who he hires to order it.

Willa Forsythe was already vying for her story to be told, however. Just a bit younger than Rosemary, Willa has the same grit that her “sister” has, with an extra streak of stubbornness for good measure. But what makes her the perfect agent for a new task assigned by Mr. V—traveling to Wales and stealing a cypher key from a famous violinist, Lukas De Wilde—is that Willa is a violin prodigy. Though too poor to ever have had a real lesson, she found an old violin when she was twelve, picked it up, and unlocked music in the depths of her soul. As she finds herself in the world of an orchestra for the first time, Willa’s greatest dreams are realized…along with her deepest fears. Because though she can play with the best of them, she knows what they don’t—that she’s just a thief, stealing her time among them, and sooner or later, when she doesn’t have a clue what all their terminology means, she’ll prove herself a fraud. Toss in a former playboy who has finally woken up to what he should be focusing on, and his genius little sister hiding out from the German army in Belgium, and you have A Song Unheard, which just released.

But then there’s Barclay. Through the sisters’ stories, we learn a lot about the big brother of their clan. It was Barclay who patched them together, not into a gang but into a family. Barclay who continually finds new orphans to add to their numbers. Barclay who taught them all how to pick a pocket, how to avoid a bobby…and Barclay who is just as at home with an academic book in his hand as a lock-pick. By the time his story opens in An Hour Unspent, he’d made the whole family swear off stealing, as long as they’re working for Mr. V…but it isn’t just because he doesn’t want to risk endangering their new jobs. It’s because faith is beginning to unfurl in his soul. He doesn’t quite understand it all yet, but he wants to. And when Barclay Pearce sets his mind to understanding a thing, it might as well consider itself understood. As the focus turns his way in the final installment of the series, Barclay isn’t just trying to figure out the clockmaker he’s been assigned to recruit into helping the Admiralty…he’s trying to puzzle out said clockmaker’s daughter. But Evelina Manning, suffragette and newly abandoned fiancée, has her own puzzling to do, and at the top of the list (after determining how to avoid her controlling mother and aunt) is figuring out this bizarre family who has just moved in a few street over. They are in some ways everything she has ever dreamed of being, of having…and in other ways, everything she has worked against.

I can’t begin to tell you how much fun I had writing this family. Because though their situation is completely fabricated, their love is very much based on my own extended family. As I was writing An Hour Unspent last year, my great-grandmother passed away at 103 years old, and listening to everyone remember her at her funeral made it clear why I had these ideas of family. It’s because I was raised with the sure knowledge that it wasn’t birth that made a family, it wasn’t a name. It was love. That we serve first the Lord, then each other. That there is never a good enough reason to give up on those you love. I hope the way this family of orphans live that out will touch my readers, as they touched me. And that we’ll all recognize the truth behind their family motto: With the greatest risks come the greatest rewards. Especially when those risks are to your heart.
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GIVEAWAY!

Enter for a chance to win a print copy (US only) or eBook (INT) of EITHER A Name Unknown or A Song Unheard. Giveaway ends 3/5.

How to enter: Sign into the Giveaway Tools form below (it might take a moment to load) and submit each entry you complete. Commenting alone will not get you entered – you must click enter on the form. Happy entering!

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Review: The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White

About the book:

Will Fleeing the Scottish Highlands Only Leave Her in More Danger? 

Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she's never felt good enough--not for her father, not for the man she thought she'd marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she's willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping those threatening her life.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, yet the last thing he needs is the distraction of the newly introduced Lady Rowena. He has enough on his plate having recently come into possession of a rare treasure for which many would kill, yet those around him seem intent on pairing him with this desperate but beguiling girl.

Rowena is reluctant to marry this notorious flirt. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she'll end up in more danger than she fled.

My rating:
5 stars
(View my rating system)

My thoughts:

Review: A Name Unknown (Shadows Over England Book #1) by Roseanna M. White

About the book:

She's Out to Steal His Name. Will He Steal Her Heart Instead?

Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins who helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they are no longer pickpockets--instead they focus on high value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. Rosemary is beginning to question whether she can continue in this life when she's offered the challenge of a lifetime--determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany. After all how does one steal a family's history, their very name?

As Europe moves ever closer to World War I, rumors swirl around Peter Holstein. Awkward and solitary, but with access to the king, many fear his influence. But Peter can't help his German last name and wants to prove his loyalty to the Crown--so he can go back to anonymously writing a series of popular adventure novels. When Rosemary arrives on his doorstep pretending to be a well-credentialed historian, Peter believes she's the right person to help him dig through his family's past.

When danger and suspicion continue to mount, both realize they're in a race against time to discover the truth--about Peter's past and about the undeniable attraction kindling between them.

My rating:
4 stars

(View my rating system)

My thoughts:

Review: Circle of Spies by Roseanna M. White

About the book:

1865--Marietta Hughes never wanted to be a spy, but the family legacy of espionage is thrust upon her as the War Between the States rolls on. Unknown to her, the Knights of the Golden Circle--a Confederate secret society bent on destroying the Union her brother died for--has been meeting in a hidden lair beneath her home. Faced with the secrets of her late husband and his brother, whom she thought she could trust with anything, Marietta's world tilts out of control. Can she right it by protecting a Union agent infiltrating the KGC?

Slade Osborne, an undercover Pinkerton agent, is determined to do whatever is necessary to end the conflict between the North and the South. When he infiltrates this secret cell, it isn't just their inner workings that baffle him--it's the beautiful woman who seems to be a puppet for the new leader and yet...so much more.

Do they dare trust each other in this circle of intrigue? Will their shared faith sustain them? And can Mari and Slade stymie the enemy long enough to see their beloved country reunited?

Book Trailer: 

 

My rating:

(View my rating system)

My thoughts:

Review: Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White

Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White
Culper Ring series: Book Two
Harvest House / 2013

Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

This exciting and adventurous romantic spy novel is the second book in a new series from Roseanna M. White. Whispers from the Shadows combines fascinating cloak-and-dagger secrets with a tale of love and intrigue during the War of 1812.

Treachery causes Gwyneth Fairchild’s world to crumble. The daughter of a British general, she barely saves her life by fleeing London aboard a ship to America. Her goal is to find refuge with the Lane family in Maryland, having been told by her father she could implicitly trust Winter and Bennet Lane, even though their nations are once again at war. After meeting their son, Thad, she wonders how safe she truly is when she discovers that the Lanes trade in a dangerous commodity—espionage.

Not long after Gwyneth finds refuge in his city, Thad Lane experiences the tug of love, though he fears it may blur lines of loyalty. With family playing the part of enemies and enemies proving themselves friends, a future with Gwyn is uncertain. But at this moment, with the British advancing on Washington and Baltimore, they have only their shared faith in God as a shield about them.

My rating:

My thoughts:

Ever since I finished Ring of Secrets and Fairchild's Lady, I could hardly wait to read Whispers from the Shadows! I just knew it was going to be another fantastic read - and it was!

I loved all of the main characters in Whispers from the Shadows (well, except for Gates - couldn't stand him!) and I especially loved the relationship between Thad and his parents.

I also loved the whole spy aspect to Whispers from the Shadows - especially the codes and encrypted letters. There were a few things in this book that weren't my cup of tea, but the story definitely made up for those things and I just loved this book!

Overall, Whispers from the Shadows was a wonderful addition to the Culper Ring series. As a whole, I think I enjoyed Ring of Secrets a little bit more than this one, but I still absolutely loved Whispers from the Shadows - especially the fantastic ending! I definitely recommend this book and the entire series.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.* 

Was my review helpful? If so, please click "yes" on Amazon. Thanks!

Interview & Giveaway! Roseanna M. White ~ Author of Ring of Secrets!!

Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Roseanna!! Will you tell us a little about yourself? 

Thanks so much for having me, Melanie! Let’s see, about me...I’ve been married for twelve years to my high school sweetheart, we have two adorable kids, 7 and 5, who we homeschool, make our home in the mountains of Western Maryland/West Virginia, and I’m an editor for WhiteFire Publishing as well as a novelist. Once in a while I take the time for such luxuries as breathing. ;-)

What is your Culper Ring Series about? 

Well, back in the time of the Revolution, there was really a spy ring called the Culper Ring, George Washington’s most trusted intelligencers. Ring of Secrets weaves my fiction hero and heroine through the documented exploits of the Culpers. Winter Reeves is a Patriot forced to hide her heart amid the Loyalists of New York and uses her unique position to feed information to her childhood friend—one of the real Culpers. Bennet Lane is a professor from Yale who comes back to New York City with one purpose—to find the Patriot spy hidden amid the elite. From their introduction, he knows there’s more to Winter than anyone gives her credit for...but if she opens up her heart to this man who seems to see her depth, it could mean a noose around her neck.

Though history has no idea what become of the real Ring after the Revolution, my series continues with the question of “What if they didn’t all just go back to their normal lives?” Book two, Whispers from the Shadows,  follows the children of the characters from Ring of Secrets in the War of 1812. Gwyneth Fairchild, daughter of a murdered British general, flees to America to save her life—but when she finds herself under the protection of the charming Thaddeus Lane, she has to wonder how safe she really is, given that his family deals in a dangerous commodity—espionage.

The final installment, Circle of Spies, follows our family into the Civil War. Marietta Arnaud Hughes didn’t choose to be a spy, it was forced on her when she discovered that a Southern secret society, the Knights of the Golden Circle, has been meeting in secret cellars under her house. Her grandfather brings her into the Culpers and charges her with protecting a Pinkerton detective trying to infiltrate the K.G.C. But that detective, Slade Osborne, has some secrets of his own—and is none too sure Marietta is anything but a puppet of the Knights’ captain, who has been secretly courting her.

There are also two bonus novellas that come between the books. The first, Fairchild’s Lady, is available now for free download for all you devices! http://roseannamwhite.blogspot.com/2013/06/free-novella-is-live.html

What inspired the series and how many books will there be?

The inspiration came from a TV show that dug into the history of the real Culpers. Naturally, I had to ask, “What if one of their unnamed members was this cool chick pretending to be ditzy...and what if my hero and heroine are on different sides?” Then when the show said no one knew what became of them—well. That’s just fodder for imagination, isn’t it? LOL. So there are a total of 3 books and 2 novellas, making a series of 5. (Both novellas will be free forever.)

What is something the average reader wouldn't know about you? 

That I belong to a farming family but hate vegetables. *Sigh.* I wish I liked them, but alas!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

Primary school. =) I wrote my first story in class at age 6 and was hooked!

How many books have you written/published and do you have a favorite? 

I’ve written somewhere in the neighborhood of 25. Published far fewer, LOL. Of all those books written, five are available, two more slated for publication, and I have contracts on five more not yet written. =) My favorite? Oh dear. I don’t think I could decide between them!

Where do you like to write? 

Anywhere there’s quiet! LOL. Which I seldom get, being a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom with two active, small children and a hubby who works from home. I’m most often at an end table in the living room, my chair turned to face it, laptop waiting for two minutes of opportunity. =)

What is the best and/or worst part about being a writer? 

For me, the best part is, well, the creativity. Coming up with stories, putting them upon the page...the worst part for me is the conflict between the time it takes to produce a book and the time the rest of my life takes—there just aren’t enough hours in the day!

Is there a place you’d like to visit, but haven’t yet? 

I’d love, love, love to go to Europe sometime. Italy especially. And Monaco. And England. And...

Do you have a favorite Bible verse? 

“So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.” 
I Samuel 3:19

This might seem like a strange one to pick as a favorite, but that image of words not falling to the ground has stuck with me for years. That’s my goal—to be like Samuel, so attuned to the Spirit that every word I speak or write (and every word I don’t) hits its mark and doesn’t fall to the ground.

What is your favorite holiday? 

Easter. =) I love spring, and more, I love the reminder of what Jesus did for me. So stinkin’ amazing!

A few this-or-that questions:

Snowstorms or Thunderstorms? Thunderstorms (so long as we are guaranteed no tornadoes)
Chocolate or Vanilla? CHOCOLATE!!
Tea or Coffee? Coffee-coffee-coffee-coffee...you’re offering, right? Where is it???
Call or Text? Um...email? LOL. Between the two, call.
Cats or Dogs? Both =) I’ve got cats at the moment but always had dogs before
Early-bird or Night-owl? Early bird, for sure!
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook. I try to tweet, but it still feels like a foreign language. ;-)

Are you currently working on any new novels? If so, could you give us a hint?

Always! My next couple years are pretty well mapped out for me. =) I just finished up edits on the third Culper Ring book, Circle of Spies, so I’m working on another quick little novella to come between books 2 & 3—about the parents of book 3’s heroine—and then I’m launching into my next series for Harvest House, Let Me Count the Ways. The first book of those, How Do I Love Thee?, is set in the Regency when Elizabeth Barrett Browning was a little girl, on an estate neighboring her parents’. My hero kidnaps my heroine, determined to make her pay the price for her fiance’s sins...and ends up fearing she’ll have to pay for his. Should be fun. =) And in between those, I’ll be working on another biblical for WhiteFire, Song of Solace, set in the time of Melchizedek and Abraham.

Thank you so much for being here! Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers and where can we find you on the web?

Sure! I LOVE to hear from readers, so you can email me at roseanna at roseannawhite dot com, or check out my website at www.RoseannaMWhite.com, my blog at www.RoseannaMWhite.blogspot.com, like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RoseannaMWhite and follow me on twitter @RoseannaMWhite.

And again, I hope everyone will download that free novella if you want a test drive of my writing. ;-) You don’t need to read the rest of the series to understand it, though hopefully it’ll make you want to, mwa ha ha ha, LOL. http://roseannamwhite.blogspot.com/2013/06/free-novella-is-live.html

Book Giveaway!

Roseanna is giving away a signed paperback copy of Ring of Secrets (US only) and a digital copy of winner's choice of A Stray Drop of Blood OR Jewel of Persia (open to everyone). Enter via the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to be one of the two winners. Ends 8/1.

To enter, be sure to sign into the Rafflecopter form and click “enter” on each entry you complete. Commenting alone will not get you entered – you must click enter on the form. Happy entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Fairchild's Lady by Roseanna M. White

Fairchild's Lady by Roseanna M. White 

The Culper Ring series: 1.5 (bonus novella)

Harvest House / 2013

Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

This bonus romantic novella is set in the intervening years between Ring of Secrets and Whispers from the Shadows by Roseanna M. White. In 1789 General Isaac Fairchild travels across the Channel on a very special assignment. After surviving the American Revolution, he is now gathering information on life at King Louis XVI’s court. But he must also locate a countess and her grown daughter and escort them back to England before revolution explodes in France. He knows danger is in the task set before him, but when he meets the beautiful Julienne, a new peril beckons him deeper into the intrigue of Versailles.

My rating:

My thoughts:

Wow! Fairchild's Lady has got to be one of the better novellas I've read. Usually they seem too short and the story kind of rushed, but not this one. I loved it! :)

After being introduced to Fairchild in Ring of Secrets, I was really excited to read this story and see what happens next in his life. I really liked his character and also Julienne's.

Even though Fairchild's Lady was fairly short, there was still a good story with some romance and suspense/danger. I was also kind of surprised by some things - which was great. :)

Overall, I loved Fairchild's Lady and definitely recommend it. I think you'll probably want to read Ring of Secrets first, but, even if you don't, I think you'd still be able to enjoy this one. I can't wait to read Whispers from the Shadows.

*I did not get this book for review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

Was my review helpful? If so, please click "yes" on Amazon. Thanks!

Just a note - this novella is FREE on Amazon. :)