I received this book for free from Author, Bethany House in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Name Unknown (Shadows Over England #1) by Roseanna, Roseanna M. White Series: Shadows Over England #1
Published by Bethany House on July 4th 2017
Genres: Christian, Clean & Wholesome, Fiction, Historical, Romance
Pages: 428
Source: Author, Bethany House
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Edwardian Romance and History Gains a Twist of Suspense
Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they concentrate on stealing high-value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. But when Rosemary must determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany, she is in for the challenge of a lifetime. How does one steal a family's history, their very name?
Peter Holstein, given his family's German blood, writes his popular series of adventure novels under a pen name. With European politics boiling and his own neighbors suspicious of him, Peter debates whether it might be best to change his name for good. When Rosemary shows up at his door pretending to be a historian and offering to help him trace his family history, his question might be answered.
But as the two work together and Rosemary sees his gracious reaction to his neighbors' scornful attacks, she wonders if her assignment is going down the wrong path. Is it too late to help him prove that he's more than his name?
I discovered Roseanna through her last series, The fire eyes series and I loved it! So when she started asking for influencers for her new series I jumped at the chance…I mean a thief turned almost spy, set out to steal his name. and a hero who isnt quite what you expect a hero to be..who wouldn’t fall head over heels for this story!
I loved Rosemarie! She was orphaned as a young girl and forced to live on the streets, her ragtag family thinks there only way to get by is stealing. And she’s one of the best thief’s there is! Than Mr. V comes along and starts giving her jobs. The newest, find out where Peters loyalties are! She decides to pose as a librarian to organize and straighten out his “cave” or library. The best place to find proof might be in those mountains of books he hasn’t ever straightened!
Peter is an English gentleman but his parents were German so is he loyal to England or Germany?? And what is his biggest secret, cause he definitely is hiding something from her. I wanted to tell her as soon as we found out lol. If she had just found out his secret sooner she wouldn’t have been in such turmoil about him. Peter has a stutter so its so much easier for him to write a note than say what he wants to especially when he gets flustered. and he also very often drifts off into his own world, or just wont come back to our world till he finishes what he’s in the middle of. Rosemarie finds this out pretty quick and the way they interact is quite amusing!
I loved the notes back and forth, maybe I’m weird I know, but I so love that look into the characters! And Peter not being able to not share God with her was awesome, I know he isn’t your typical hero, slightly skinny and stuttering as he does but he’s so sweet and super charming you can’t help but love him!
And I kinda loved that there was a Salvation scene! I notice A lot of books the characters already know about God and already were christians or just need to renew there faith, so turning a thief towards God was pretty cool! I SERIOUSLY cant wait for Willa’s story, Mr. V is supposed to be sticking around and calling on Rosemaries “siblings” for the rest of the series so what is he going to want Willa to do??? Roseanna, I need a copy of it now K? 🙂
About Roseanna M. White
Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels and novellas, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to make their way into her novels…to offset her real life, which is blessedly boring.
Being educated at St. John’s Collete (the Great Books School) taught Roseanna to ask questions, to value conversation, and to never accept the simple answer without exploring it for herself. She and her family make their home in the mountains of West Virginia where she and her husband both grew up. Roseanna is a member of ACFW, a frequent speaker at writers events and also small groups of readers, and an unabashed email addict.
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