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?
My Thoughts
Rarely has a book I adored this much taken me so long to complete! I was insanely busy the whole time I was reading and despite reading every spare chance I had it was still almost two weeks before I finally finished! And it really was EVERY chance! I hated putting this book down and was thinking about it quite a bit during my other activities.
I loved Peter as a hero! He wasn't what typically comes to mind when you hear that word but he completely embodied it. Speaking words isn't always easy for him due to a lifelong stutter but when it comes to writing them he has a God-given gift and he uses it. I almost melted with the letters he wrote to Rosemary, always seeming to have the right words. And all the letters he wrote, to her and others (and there were scads of them) were quietly pointing to God in a completely natural way. Because that was who Peter was, his faith was such a part of him that it just flowed seamlessly pointing everyone in his life to God.
Rosemary had a profession that to be perfectly frank, was criminal, but it was born out of necessity not greed and was all she'd ever known. And she was such a unique, fun character! She was fiery but also deeply cared about those close to her and would do whatever it took to take care of them. I loved watching her soften as she spent time with Peter and read the words in his letters. The Rosemary who came to Kensey Manor was worlds different from the Rosemary in the end.
Peter being a writer made this book the perfect one to read after coming home from CFRR and spending a whole day talking to authors and seeing bits of their process. So many of the things Peter wrestled with as he penned his books were the very things discussed at the retreat and it was cool to see fiction mirror life. Also one of my new favorite quotes came from a letter Peter wrote, "Fiction is truth...in a pretty wrapping." Honestly it was a book nerds perfect story with the plot being so centered around books and writing. I wanted to jump into the pages and help Rosemary organize the library or talk to Peter about his novels.
And before this turns into a novel of it's own I'll wrap up with these thoughts. There were so many things I didn't figure out until the end, the author did such an amazing job weaving the tale. And lastly this book is by far one of the best I've read and you absolutely must read it! Okay I'm off to go turn into a puddle again as I think about how much I loved this book and, let's be honest, about it's amazing hero!
Meet the AuthorRoseanna 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's fiction ranges from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.roseannamwhite.com.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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