Once London's top thief, Barclay Pearce has turned his back on his life of crime and now uses his skills for a nation at war. But not until he rescues a clockmaker's daughter from a mugging does he begin to wonder what his future might hold.
Evelina Manning has constantly fought for independence, but she certainly never meant for it to inspire her fiancé to end the engagement and enlist in the army. When the intriguing man who saved her returns to the Manning residence to study clockwork repair with her father, she can't help being interested. But she soon learns that nothing with Barclay Pearce is as simple as it seems.
As 1915 England plunges ever deeper into war, the work of an ingenious clockmaker may give England an unbeatable military edge--and Germany realizes it as well. Evelina's father soon finds his whole family in danger--and it may just take a reformed thief to steal the time they need to escape.
My Thoughts
Oh where to even begin putting into words how much I adored this book?! Every time I think this author has written her best book ever she has to go and top it in a spectacular way. But regardless of the next masterpieces she creates I think this one may hold its spot as my favorite, because Barclay.
I loved Barclay in the first two books, the protective big brother watching out for everyone. But getting to really know him in this book made me just melt into a puddle. The way he sacrificed for anyone who needed something without hesitation or giving a thought to the personal sacrifice. Everyone knew to go to Barclay with problems because he would do whatever he could to solve them, whether giving the coat off his back or risking his life to save another’s. And his honesty was inspiring, it would have been easy to sugar-coat who and what he’d been but he never did. He may have not told Evelina the full story at the start but he never lied about any of it. I absolutely loved the way Barclay took people in like family, he struggled to provide for himself but that didn’t stop him from collecting siblings and then doing whatever necessary to make sure they were provided for. And he didn’t just take care of their physical needs he opened his heart and loved them like they were blood. Watching him interact with his various siblings, being protective, teasing, and just caring about every little detail of their lives, made me smile so much as I read this book. Honestly I could go on about Barclay for days but I suppose I should move on...
I loved Evelina as well, she hadn’t had an easy go of life, living through polio while her brother didn’t, learning to walk again, a distant and critical mother, a harsh aunt, and a painful rejection, but she stood resilient through it all. But with resiliency came walls, walls that Barclay seemed to easily get around, making her feel in ways she’d started to believe she was incapable of. I loved how accepting she was of Barclay’s unconventional family. Sure it surprised her at first but it wasn’t long till she was on the floor with them as if it were a normal occurrence.
Barclay and Evelina’s romance was lovely to watch unfold. It started as a ploy but quickly turned into something more. Barclay was the first to realize it and his steadfast devotion and patience while Evelina figured out what it truly meant to love and be loved was just another sign of the great man he was.
The cast of characters was again vast, due mostly in part to the beautiful family Barclay started and continually added to. I loved catching up with Rosie and Peter, Willa and Lukas, and seeing more of Margot. Evelina’s father was also a wonderful character. I really wish this series could be epically long and that each sibling could get their story because I just don’t want to say goodbye. Basically I loved every single thing about this book and this series and while I’m sad to say goodbye I can’t wait to see what else this brilliant author has for us!
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 is the author of nine novels, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. Roseanna lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.roseannamwhite.com.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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