Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I–to steal a cypher 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 … 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 light he finds is meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.
But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn’t–that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.
more
I’m not usually a fan of books set amidst wars but this book just totally captivated me from start to finish. It probably helped that I’d already fallen in love with Willa in the previous book in the series but I just loved her story. She’s so strong, so determined, yet also a broken child searching for love but certain she doesn’t deserve it. Brilliantly written, so much so that it feels as if you’ve been transported back in time just reading it. Highly recommend it.
Oh, the more I read about this family, the more I love them! This book packed in some heart-breaking history, yet it was crucial to the story and not overdone so that it distracted from main characters and what they were attempting to do. I love how the author brought forth God’s gift of both music and mathematics in different characters, and how they learned to use them well. I cannot wait to continue the series!
Where to begin? I loved this story—The historical setting, the characters, and especially the inspirational thread deep in the pages. The war was raging and I sat on the edge of my seat every time we got to be with Lukas’s family. The German soldier who took particular interest in them worried me. Would he find out their identities? What would he do if he did? The reminder of man’s cruelty during war time made my heart ache. Full review is at my website: LoraineNunley(dot)com
I received this book complimentary in a giveaway. I was not required to give a review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
I enjoyed the first book in the series immensely but this second one blew me away. I love the strong female characters of Willa Forsythe and young Margot De Wilde. A perfect mixture of mystery, romance, faith and family values. Willa is not your ordinary woman of this time period, she’s out spoken, a professional thief and a self taught violin protege. Margot l, sister of violinist Lukas De Wilde is a fourteen year old mathematical genius in hiding with her mother. The risks these women take are incredible and the way the characters evolve in the book is refreshing. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Another great story by Roseanna White!
When I finished the first book of the series the first word that came to mind was “special”, and here I thought none would be able to top that one… goodness, did I not know what was coming.
I wish I could find words to do this book justice. It is an entire melody, filled with cracks and breaks that make you feel you’ve come to the end of yourself, only to then be swept away by the sweetest harmony that overcomes any obscurity.
Willa Forsythe always expects change to come; not so much that she likes it, but life has proven she’s on the forgotten and abandoned side of this. That’s just her lot and so taking risks with people isn’t something she does easily. Especially not with a full-of-himself playboy superstar violinist who’s sure he can teach Willa a few things. Considering that music is the only constant in her life (alongside her family of urchins) and that she has no inspiration for fame, why should she give him her time of day and let him stain what is so precious in her life with his rules and impossible names?
Lukas de Wilde is, in a few words, out of his mind. People might attribute it to the fact that he’s been severely separated from his family, with no way to contact them, and is still recovering from a bullet wound. They say he’ll soon be back to his old self. True, he might have been fine with living a life as a rake until now, but war has a funny way of messing around with people’s mind – or of actually waking them up to the depth and obscurity of hurt and loss, peculiarly those caused by taking without consideration.
In the midst of tumult and shadows raging within and around them, these two characters think, analyze, struggle and question. They have no fear to scrutinize a God who calls Himself Creator but supposedly stands aside while the world is torn apart. Note the SUPPOSEDLY there, because what the characters might find out is that there’s forgiveness even for trust withered, there’s steadfastness among chaos, there’s faithfulness beyond reason. And this constancy doesn’t come naturally from us, yet this lesson about giving other than just taking is for all of us.
And as the suspense builds with each turn of the page, making you hold your breath and gut-turn, be prepared to hope beyond reason and have your world turned upside down by a hero who is seeing his filth being turned into purity, a wary heroine finding confidence beyond circumstances, and a 14-year-old protege surely to capture your heart.
As these characters find a new normal, they will also find an unstoppable and unwavering melody that has been there all along ready to be put out.
I enjoy Roseanne M. White’s writings. I find them hard to put down. This book was no exception. Great writing combining intrigue, romance, and history. A perfect combination if you ask me. I could hardly wait for the next installment.
In book 2 of the Shadows Over England series by Roseanna M. White, A Song Unheard touched my heart as it is a profound example of love and forgiveness from both our Heavenly Father and each other. I loved this story and recommend it to anyone who loves clean, Christian, historical romance.
Willa Forsythe is on the job for the government. Her assignment is to steal the “Key” to a secret coding machine the British government wants to use against the Germans to end World War 1. This key is supposed to be in the hands of Lukas De Wilde, a famous violinist in the Belgian orchestra in Wales performing concerts to raise money to help the Belgian refugees coming into Britain.
The closer Willa gets to finding the key to the machine, the closer she gets to Lukas and he to her. That is not supposed to happen with a “Mark”. Why is this happening, Willa wonders and how can she stop it? Lukas is willing to give up his womanizing for Willa. He is thinking about settling down, but how can he if Willa keeps him at a distance.
What will it take for Willa to let her guard down? When Lukas discovers Willa’s lies, he is devastated. Can he forgive Willa when he hears the whole story? Will Willa finally let Lukas into her heart or will she return to London alone? Check out this wonderful, thought-provoking story. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!
A thoroughly enjoyable book, A Song Unheard continues the Shadows over England series that follows a family of street urchins (think a nice version of Charles Dicken’s Fagin gang) who steal to provide for themselves. They’ve gained such a reputation as clever thieves that they are recruited by a mysterious “Mr. V” who needs them to steal important documentation for him at the beginning of WWI.
The first book in the series followed Rosemary, an uneducated but passionate reader who poses as a librarian in the home of a potential traitor to the British crown. Her job–to find proof of his ties to Germany. But what she uncovers is a lot more surprising…
The second book follows her “sister” Willa, an untrained but gifted violinist who plays by ear. Her task is to steal a cypher from a famous violinist and the son of a brilliant cryptographer. He immediately falls head-over-heels for her, and proposes marriage, but Willa’s only in it for the mark.
While it’s hard to say that any romance is completely original or that “you didn’t see it coming”, this book just strikes me as very unique and well-crafted. Roseanna White’s characters are all so brilliant; you feel like you are learning about cyphers, music, and lock-picking right along with them.
There is a lot of quick wit and unexpected plot twists that keep you on your toes, while still providing a happy ending and a satisfactory smile on the face of the reader. Highly recommended for people who like classics and historical fiction. It’s a nice twist on both.
I would recommend both books in the series, although I would suggest starting with Book 1 if you plan to read it. Book 2 does give away the ending of Book 1, even though it follows a different main character.