All of England thinks Phillip Camden a monster–a man who deliberately caused the deaths of his squadron. But as nurse Arabelle Denler watches the so-dubbed “Black Heart” every day, she sees something far different: a hurting man desperate for mercy. And when their paths twist together and he declares himself her new protector, she realizes she has her own role to play in his healing. Phillip … Phillip Camden would have preferred to die that day with his squadron rather than be recruited to the Admiralty’s codebreaking division. The threats he receives daily are no great surprise and, in his opinion, well deserved. What comes as a shock is the reborn desire to truly live that Arabelle inspires in him.
But when an old acquaintance shows up and seems set on using him in a plot that has the codebreakers of Room 40 in a frenzy, new affections are put to the test.
more
I am absolutely enamored by The Codebreakers series. In On the Wings of Devotion, Ara defies the expectations of society, seeking meaningful work when she has no need to earn a living, and Camden typifies an anti-hero. Roseanna M. White’s writing transports her reader’s back in time into a wonderfully dynamic World War I era community. Each of her series are intertwined, and I love that every new book gives the reader a glimpse of heroes and heroines from past books. White is such an engaging writer that I enjoy the history and atmosphere as much as I enjoy the interactions between the characters. When does the next book come out???
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and I am willingly offering this honest review
This intriguing WWI fiction had me turning pages. I was drawn into the lives of these two main characters. I especially enjoyed the relationships and interactions within their families, as well as, the added humor. I appreciated the lessons of faith woven into the daily lives of these characters. During struggles and tests, hard choices needed to be made about what they truly believed about God, themselves and each other. The romance that developed with twists and turns was fun to read. The historical research is evident and I am enjoying this series revolving around the codebreakers. Their work is as interesting as their friends and family. I absolutely loved the return of characters from White’s previous novels. She added these characters in seamlessly which made the story richer. It also made me want to go back and read those books again while I wait for the next book in the Codebreakers series. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Wow!
This book is a wonderful combination of God’s love pursuing man until he surrenders, espionage like you’ve never read before, loyalty, sacrifice and prayers in earnest.
I love the combination of history with fiction and the beautiful result of it.
I loved reading about Arabella! She was exceptional, forgiving and gracious despite the blows life dealt her. She never allowed it distract her from her God given mission; caring and loving the wounded especially those who did not deserve it. That was how she met the formidable, uptight, but with a heart of gold Major Philip Camden. Reading about him, his loyalty and the lenghts he went for the people he loved was so admirable. Even at the expense of his life and reputation he choose to do the right thing. One of the most profound parts of this book was his faith journey from bitter, reckless to beloved of God.
The writer wove a beautiful story of faith in earnest, love and sacrifice with a lot of history to keep you engage and lessons to be learnt. I loved how the author did not rush the story, she took her time to ease her readers into it, step by step she lead us into history and lives of her characters.
I received a copy of the book from Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.
Arabelle Denler has been alone her whole life. With her mother deceased and her father gallivanting about the world on explorations, she has been forced to throw herself into the work of nursing, dreaming of someday having love, affection, and a family of her own. But when Philip Camden, the dastardly pilot about to be court-martialed, throws a spanner in the works of her matrimonial plans, Arabelle refuses to lash out or languish. Instead, she recognizes that beneath Camden’s bullying bravado, there is another soul just as starving as her own, a soul filled with humor, kindness, and constancy. Together Arabelle and Camden survive a bombing on London, outwit a Nazi assassin, and prove that devotion is a quality most desirable, a quality that they both have in spades.
Philip Camden is my favorite hero since…forever. His devil-may-care attitude and flirtatious banter is tempered by a heart loyal to both his family and his men. Plagued by the demons of guilt, he refuses to defend himself from the charges against him. Yet, even while wallowing in self-recrimination, he protects his younger sister’s honor, befriends the teenage-genius Margot in the codebreaking room (see the first book of this series!), and appoints himself as Arabelle’s protector to drive off the fortune hunters. I’ll avoid spoilers and just say that the setup for Philip meeting Arabelle is one of the most ingenious introductions in a romance that I’ve ever run across.
Arabelle is the polar opposite of what one expects in a romantic heroine. She is tall, gangly, and, in her own words, plain. Instead of being missish and taking offense at every imposition or misunderstanding, she is perpetually gracious and forgiving. Her insecurities and fears are portrayed gradually and poignantly, giving Camden opportunity to rise to the occasion to protect, complete, and cherish her.
This is one of my favorite reads of the year! Although it is part of a series and you’ll enjoy seeing the tie-ins from White’s other books, it could easily be read as a stand alone. Highly recommended.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
A great continuation to the series—with a great Christian element and a few hilarious parts!
I can’t wait, from one book to the next, to see what Roseanna M. White will be sharing next. I knew, almost as soon as I’d finished Margot’s story, that Camden would be up next. He was quite the surly character in the last book, and knowing the magic White can work to characters, I couldn’t wait to see what she’d do here!
As I expected, she did a marvelous job! I don’t want to spoil the story, but I loved the theme of forgiveness and learning to release to Jesus that wove through this book. It’s such a needed reminder; so often, we can get stuck in our grief and guilt and forget that there is a Friend who wants to come alongside us and help us in our journey.
Besides the faith element in this book—which, admittedly, was my favorite—there were some very, very funny elements. I loved the scene where one of the main characters (a very manly man) walks into his sister’s room (which is quite a pink girly room!), sits on her bed to talk to her, but “Gingerly, lest some of the pink get stuck to him somehow.” My poor brothers. They’ve heard me quote that line at least three times this past week. I also loved Arabelle’s dad, who perches rather than sits. I have a brother or two who love to do that, and can just imagine the trouble he got himself into as a result—the scene with the map all over the floor was simply hilarious!
The history side didn’t show up quite as much in this story as it did in others. Still, the setting was there and on-point, like all the other books in these two series (Shadows Over England and The Codebreakers), so I still enjoyed that. The romance, too, was just perfect. I could have done without one part of a scene, perhaps, but I didn’t have to gag over kissing scenes too much, so I was thankful for that!
In all, this was a delightful continuation of the series. In some ways, with the Christian aspect and the humorous elements in a tale that could be rather difficult, it was one of my most favorites so far. I’m looking forward to the conclusion to the series—and can’t wait to see how that will be played out, as the two main characters in there were side-characters here! If you enjoy historical fiction with a side of romance, or adventure novels, you’d probably like this series.
I requested a free review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.
This book has it all:
Another fabulous and riveting book by talented Roseanna M. White! There was not as much emphasis on code breaking as in the first book of the series but I enjoyed all of the mystery and intrigue. My attention was captured from the very beginning and it had me madly turning pages in order to determine would what happen next.
The main characters were flawed, authentic and lovable. Poor Cam doesn’t feel as if he is worthy of redemption but that is the amazing thing about God’s grace; none of us are. I also liked that the heroine wasn’t drop dead gorgeous like most are made out to be. She was however beautiful on the inside which is where it really counts after all.
Another thing I really liked was the way that the message of hope and salvation was woven throughout the book. The author did a great job highlighting the contrasts between light and dark; good and evil; and life and death.
Now I can’t wait for the third book in the series!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
My Review of On Wings of Devotion (the Codebreakers Book #2) by Roseanna M. White
Every time I hear that another Roseanna M White book is coming out I dream about reading. You see, her books are so marvelous, they tug you into the story and leave impression every time, no matter if it is a lesson in the plot, a character, or anything else, White has a way of showing you a world somewhat lost in history. On Wings of Devotion is no exception, as a matter of fact it is her best yet, though I say that every book of hers I read.
Phillip, or rather to most Black Heart, is something of a broken glutton for punishment waiting for death to come until he meets Arabelle and then the story steps into another dimension of a wonderful plot. Every aspect of this second book in the Codebreakers series is thoroughly researched, emotionally reaching, and romantically shown.
Recommendation: 16/19 up.
Verse: Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (King James Version)
Rating: 5 stars, would give more if possible.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.