In the spring of 1917, all of Britain’s attention is on the WWI war front and the thousands of young men serving their country on the front lines. Jack Benningham, dashing heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, is young and able-bodied but refuses to enlist despite the contempt of his peers.
A wealthy young suffragette, Grace Mabry will do anything to assist her country’s cause. Men like Jack … Jack infuriate her when she thinks of her own brother fighting in the trenches of France, so she has no reservations about handing him a white feather of cowardice at a posh masquerade ball.
But Grace could not anticipate the danger and betrayal set into motion by her actions, and soon she and Jack are forced to learn the true meaning of courage when the war raging overseas suddenly strikes much closer to home and their fervent beliefs become a matter of life and death.
“Not by Sight will sweep you away . . . Kate Breslin brings us another story that will touch our hearts and lift our spirits.”–Carrie Turansky, award-winning author of Surrendered Hearts and A Refuge at Highland Hall
“Set in Great Britain during the first World War, readers will feel that they have been transported to the world of Downton Abbey. With a great deal of romance, along with intrigue, espionage, and suspense, Breslin creates a tale difficult to put down until its touching, soul-satisfying ending.”–RT Book Reviews
“Breslin has done her research, unfolding her story with impeccable attention to historical detail. Adding to the novel’s pleasures are a lush rural English setting, absorbing protagonists, and a moving, suspenseful plot. The emotional and spiritual growth of Grace and Jack as they struggle with threat and betrayal makes for an engrossing read for fans of historical romantic suspense.” —Library Journal
“Breslin’s research and attention to historical detail is impeccable. Britain in 1917 comes alive with lush landscapes, colorful period costumes and cultural references. The hero and heroine are compelling, their romance emotionally satisfying and the plot absorbing. Readers of historical romance will thoroughly enjoy this tale set in Downton Abbey-era surroundings.”–BookPage
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I really enjoyed Jack and Grace’s story. Especially how much Jack grew. I actually wish there was a longer ending to wrap things up with more detail. I wanted this because I liked the story so well. It took me a minute to get into the story, I think primarily because I had just done such a genre jump of what I had been reading, because it is well written.
*This is a review of all three of Kate Breslin’s World War 1 novels: Not by Sight, High As the Heavens, and Far Side of the Sea. No spoilers included.*
First of all, the covers are simply lovely and give a good idea of what to expect from these novels. All three stories keep fairly light as they have a strong romantic lean (but are non-explicit), making them good summer reads, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have plenty of moments of intrigue. Kate does a great job with her research, providing so many little details as to make us feel like we’re really part of the war scene. She also includes many lesser known elements of The Great War such as the Women’s Forage Corps in Not by Sight, German-occupied Brussels in High as the Heavens, and the French/English government’s use of carrier pigeons in Far Side of the Sea.
High as the Heavens was probably my favorite of these three as I love seeing a story about a troubled/estranged marriage finding redemption. There are so many novels about how to fall in love, but so very few about how to stay that way, so I really enjoy it when I come across one done well. Not by Sight also had a unique viewpoint in that the main hero, Jack, is struck blind during a mission and as such, it results in a growing romance based entirely on personality rather than physical attraction. And Far Side of the Sea taught me about Barcelona, Spain, an area I haven’t yet read much about in regards to World War I.
These three novels do not need to be read in any particular order; however, characters from Not By Sight are mentioned in Far Side of the Sea, which leads to some spoilers if you haven’t read the first book.
This review was first posted on kelseygietl.com.
This is the first book I have read by Kate Breslin and I really liked it. It has so much to offer. It has romance, intrigue, deception, a little history, and a lot of faith and how important duty to family and country is. It also teaches forgiveness. I’m not usually into reading above the 19th century, but I gave this one a try and was not disappointed.
Wealthy suffragette Grace Mabry meets Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, at a masquerade ball when she approaches him believing he is a coward because he is not out fighting in WWI like her beloved twin brother. They are mesmerized by each other, but Grace is on a mission to give a white feather to every man not fighting in the war. The white feather represents cowardice and Jack must be a coward. At first he laughs, then appears to get angry and storms out of the ball.
Little does Grace know, Jack secretly works for the Crown tracking down German spies and he was distracted by her while on a mission to catch a spy when the spy left the building. So Jack went after him.
A few months later, Grace, with her maid in tow, joins the WFS working to make hay for the cavalry horses in the war. She meets 4 other women in the group and begins to make friends and helping them to better themselves. Telling them they can do and be whatever they want to be with a little faith and helping the suffragettes make changes for women.
These ladies are working on a farm on the estate property of none other than Jack Bennigham, who was wounded and is recovering at his country home. Grace does not know this until she runs into him while chasing down pigs. She realizes he is the man she gave the feather to but he doesn’t recognize her because he is blind now and he has lost what little faith he had and blames God and Grace’s father, Patrick Mabry, for his injuries.
This is a complicated read, but enjoyable and thought provoking. Who is the traitor sending secrets to the enemy? Will Jack ever regain his sight as well as his faith in God? How much can Grace do for the ladies she works with to really help them?
If you like clean, Christian, historical romance with intrigue, faith, love and forgiveness, you will like this book. Pick up a copy and Enjoy!
So many wonderful characters involved in turmoil, intrigue and interaction, set in a whirlwind of a time period. I just wanted the book to continue. Fortunately, there is a sequel.
A fantastic story of faith, forgiveness, friendship, and love. This story is beautifully multi-layered. It is so well written and engaging. I enjoyed every single page!
Kate Breslin and I met last September at the 2014 ACFW conference. After spending time with Jewess aka Stella and Aric in For Such a Time, I couldn’t wait to read more of Breslin’s writing. When I found out she was writing another book, I jumped at the chance and contacted her, asking to read an ARC copy of Not by Sight. She agreed. Not by Sight is an impressive historical romance by one of my favorite writers. I think it is because I connect instantly with the characters.
I really enjoyed getting to know Jack Benningham, a wealthy man who first comes onto the scene as a playboy and a gambler. But three months later, I met a totally different guy. He was humbled with less hubris leading his choices. Now Jack was blind with scars on his face. Throughout the book, I watched Jack change and transform, not only physically, but also spiritually.
As for Grace Mabry, when we first encounter her, she was a woman who wants to shame the men who weren’t fighting. Three months later, she was a very strong heroine who I related to instantly and liked. She fought for women who worked with the Women’s Forage Corps (WFC) and wanted more with their lives.
Breslin’s use of imagery and descriptive language welcomed me into Jack and Grace’s world. I smelt the roses in Jack’s garden. I imagined the hay, laying down waiting to be picked. I imagined the dirt and sweat rolling across Grace’s body after she spent a day unsuccessfully digging a trench. Jack’s estate came alive in my imagination. I felt like I have left the twentieth-century and moved into the conflict of the early nineteenth century.
The historical detail is top-notch and really brought the historical period to life in my imagination. I learned a lot about the treason that went on behind the line during the 1917’s and the fight for women’s equal rights. I enjoyed how Breslin included a mystery surrounding Grace’s father who was accused of being a traitor. This captured my attention, and I couldn’t wait to see the resolution.
The romance was sizzling. Beauty and the Beast is my all-time favorite Disney movie because of Belle’s ability to look past Beast’s outer appearance and discover his true personality. Breslin fashioned a classic romance with Grace and Jack, tugging at my heart along the way. Every time Grace would drive Jack around town, Grace would find another reason to fall a little more in love with this scarred and damaged man beside her. Likewise, Jack learned that someone could love him, no matter what his scars looked like. Their romance was sigh-worthy, and I prayed for their happily-ever-after together.
At times, I had a hard time believing that Grace could be so perfect and polite to everyone, even Clare who treated her badly at their first encounter. But her personality did not stop me from loving Breslin’s heroine.
In literary fashion, Kate Breslin’s Not by Sight gave me a glimpse into the world of World War I with treason and women suffrage, while creating a romance that reminded me a lot of classic literature’s Beauty and the Beast and Phantom of the Opera. I will definitely recommending Not by Sight to fans of classic romance novels and good literature.
This book was not at all what I thought it would be. I did not guess that Jack would be a … monster, per say, and Grace Belle, trying to help him regain his life back.
The storyline was rich and fun, but a couple things bothered me. One, I wish Jack’s past was expanded on more. As I mentioned above, Jack was trying (failing) to regain his life. There was mention of his bad-boy behavior, but I wish that was mentioned before, especially toward the end. Getting his life put back together meant leaving some things in the past, and that wasn’t necessarily touched on enough. (In my opinion.)
*Mild spoilers*
The other thing that bothered me was that in the come-to-Jesus moment toward the end, Jack didn’t seem to ask for God’s forgiveness for not only his poor behavior, but for the harsh words he said about Him in the past. To me, coming to Jesus is much more than just asking for help.
Other than that, the book was sweet, and the mystery was well done. It has a Julie Klassen/Jane Austen feel to it.