This is the first book I've read written by Tricia Goyer. What an interesting read! The topic of Allies' photographic investigators being the "brains" at work of WWII air raids and the involvement of MI5 in the war effort were both unique and fascinating. The author's writing flows well and her description of the countryside in the midst of war is so detailed.

At first, I was a little confused and had trouble following the premise of the story. I wasn't sure how the characters introduced in the first few chapters were all connected and how these characters will bring together the story. A third way into the story, events and roles of each character fell into place and I raced to the end to find out how the mystery gets solved.

Emma is an intelligent, vulnerable, stubborn heroine working as WAAF bent on contributing to save the world from Hitler. Will is a loyal, compassionate, loving MI5 agent posing as a painter to thwart the German spies. Their faith is tangible, their loss is real. Their romance felt a bit choppy, perhaps because the plot concentrated heavily on the intrigue of why and who is trying to bring down Danesfield where the photographic reconnaissance is being played out and planned. The ending seemed a little rushed as well, but I guess good overcoming evil can't be dragged out too much.

Perhaps there will be a sequel? It sure felt that way when I finished the last page.....

There were more grammatical errors than I would have expected, but since I received an advance review copy, hopefully those errors would have been corrected by now.

I received ARC from Harvest House via NetGalley. I was not required to give a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

An excellent World War II spy novel. Filled with secrets, danger, Emma is a keen eye and works in a secret project looking over photographs. She has to pay very close attention to details. Will is assigned to find out what the threat is to Danesfield. Berndt is determined to bring down Danesfield. Filled with several twists and turns and surprises! Well worth the read! Can't wait for book 2 in the series!

A Secret Courage by Tricia Goyer is a marvellous nail biting, Christian historical suspense. It is the first book in The London Chronicles and what a fabulous series that promises to be.
With the action set in 1943, at the heart of the war, everyone is on high alert. A military house where staff are working on top secret photos and documents, plunges the reader into a world of secrets and lies, agents and double agents, espionage and intrigue. The theme of trust runs deep. "Loose lips sink ships" means secrets must be kept and mouths guarded.
The theme of trust extends to God. He is the Rock and can be trusted. "The only thing she could fix her mind on, was God." War focuses people. They either run to God or away. "She'd believed in God most when the world seemed a safe, good place, but he had found Him while fighting through the darkness." Suffering and death make no sense. If God is good, why does He not step in? "You could stop this war." Life is a battle between good and evil. We have to trust God, especially when life makes no sense.
There is the theme of fathers. Earthly fathers may be absent, for whatever reason. Characters search to belong.
Life hurts. War exemplifies this hurt as people die. Fences are erected around hearts. "She didn't mind risking her life but the last thing she wanted was to risk her heart." These are meant to protect from hurt but actually mean lives are lived in isolation. God wants us to bring our hurts to Him. "She'd given her broken, guarded heart to God, and He'd softened it." God can be trusted with our hearts.
War changes everything - not just the landscape but people too. Hearts may become hardened and loyalties change. War can bring out the best and the worst in people.
Tricia Goyer has spun a fabulous tale in A Secret Courage. With an intricate plot, and twists and turns, even I began to doubt who could be trusted. The leading lady is wonderfully drawn with a strong work ethic, loyalty and a mixture of strong but vulnerable. She is likable and easy to empathise with.
A Secret Courage was a marvellous read and I cannot wait for book two. Tricia Goyer's books always entertain and inform. I love them.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

A Secret Courage was every bit a riveting as The Swiss Courier! I loved it, even though it made me pretty anxious at times ;)

Emma is a young American woman working as a photo investigator in England during WWII. I did not know about photo investigators or the cool way the photos were taken so that the PIs could find hidden details. That was pretty cool.

Will is, well, I spent about half the book trying to figure out what he was. It was driving me CRAZY! Is he good or bad? Whose side is he on? It really is quite the operation he is running and Goyer does a good job keeping it all straight.

There is sad betrayal and the characters, mostly Emma, sometimes struggle with the horrors of the war and the morality of what is being done. This makes the characters relatable. Emma's struggles with trust and love also make her a more accessible character.

I don't want to reveal too much, but this was a really great book, full of suspense, and it had a nice ending with a happy surprise!!! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and I'm looking forward to more in this series.

As all Tricia her books this book was great. I just loved it. Had to get used to the fact it wasn't Amish cause thoose are the books i;ve only read of Tricia cause they are translate to Dutch. Do i recommend this book. YES.

One of my favorite periods of history to read about is World War 2. My own grandfather served in the war and I'm sure this is what fuels my interest in this period. A Secret Courage is the first fiction title I've read from Tricia Goyer. I was very excited to give this novel a try and I was not at all disappointed!

A Secret Courage is set in war-time England and centers around the covert operations of the war. Wars are fought and lost upon the backs of the dedicated men and women willing to risk their lives to uncover the secrets of the enemy. It is hard, often overlooked work because of the need for secrecy. I loved learning about how covert photos were taken and analyzed in secrecy. It was a fascinating side of the war I was unfamiliar with prior to this book While the history fascinates me, I do not enjoy reading fiction books which end up feeling like a history text. The author skillfully weaves in the historical information with accuracy and grace so that I was engaged through every page.

I also liked the slightly different take on the love-story. As with most historical, romances I had a pretty good idea from the beginning which characters were going to get together, but rather than the usual cat-and-mouse game authors tend to give their readers, these two quickly came together. Now every good love-story needs some challenges to overcome, and they are definitely present, but I won't tell you about those and spoil the book for you!

I was also surprised by the ending. Again, I do not want to spoil it, but it was anything other than a neatly wrapped-up story. What I can assure you of is you will not be disappointed. It was one of the best historical fiction books of the World War 2 era I have read in a long time.

Really enjoyed Emma's and William's journey with setting in WW2 and character interaction. This author always delivers a good read to settle in with.
Ebook from Net galley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

I enjoy reading WWII fiction because I feel like I learn so much. Such was the case with this story. I liked learning about the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit--their employees, the process, and even the instruments they used. Emma and Will were likable characters, if a bit dramatic, at times. Sometimes, I felt the interactions between characters were stilted or unclear, such as when Emma meets Will's friend, Ruth. At first, Ruth seems to welcome her but then is abruptly cold towards her for no reason. These uncertain interactions happened between several characters. I think the author was trying to throw in some uncertainty so the reader is not sure which character is good or bad but I just found it confusing. I thought some parts awkward and choppy--as if it needed to be edited a bit more. The pace slowed during the middle of the book but then picks up towards the last third. It became more interesting and I was investing in the villain getting his due. There is a slight twist in the end that was a welcome surprise. Overall, I appreciated the historical information and the spiritual component but felt the writing needed to flow more consistently--3.5 stars.
* I received this book free of charge from NetGalley.

Tricia Goyer has written over fifty novels, but I think this is the first I’ve read. The big-picture historical background was new to me, and fascinating. I’ve heard of the codebreaking work that went on at Bletchley Park in World War II England, but I’d never heard of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit at Dansefield House near Henley, England. Reading about the work these men and women did was fascinating, and was the novel's greatest strength.

The details were less strong—tea with cream, a fried egg for breakfast (rationing, anyone?), references to sidewalks, signposts, the United Nations, and majoring in history in college (a Brit would read history at university).

There was unintentional comedy in the references to British efficiency (if we’re talking national stereotypes, Germans are efficient. The British are bureaucratic). And while I’d like to think the typos in my review copy were all were corrected in the final published version, I don’t think that’s the case. I was able to search the Kindle Look Inside and find Blenheim Place (should be Palace), and American accident (should be accent). Awkward …

In terms of the plot, I found the first quarter confusing. While it was obvious Will was a double agent, it was less obvious where his true allegiance lay. This made it difficult to engage in the developing romance as I didn’t know whether I was supposed to like Will or loathe him. This made it impossible to engage in what was supposed to be a romance. The middle of the novel often dragged to the point where I considered giving up several times, and I didn’t feel the suspense aspect of the plot really kick in until the last quarter.

This is the first book in The London Chronicles series, but I can’t say I’m interested enough to follow the rest of the series, even though World War II is one of my favourite historical fiction genres.

Thanks to Harvest House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Unable to read this book fully due to the scrambled formatting of the chapters. The beginning three were fine, then it skipped around to other random chapters after that. I was really looking forward to reading it as I am a fan of the subject matter covered. I have put in a request to my local library to receive a copy and will hopefully be able to receive it soon. I will also hopefully be able to write and submit a proper review for this book within the next couple of months.

A Secret Courage by Tricia Goyer

World War Two remains one of my favorite settings for a novel and I’d enjoyed other novels by this author placed in that era, so naturally I was anxious to read A Secret Courage.

A picture is worth a thousand words; Emma Hanson knows this first hand. She spends her days at Danesfield House, peering at photos of Germany through a stereoscope, looking for anything that will help the war effort. Will Flemming believes in this old adage as well. He’s part of a contingent of artists capturing Britain’s changing landscape before the war changes it beyond remembrance. But that’s just his cover; his real job is to find the Nazi spy working out of Danesfield House. When he spots Emma at a café in London, it doesn’t take him long to make her as one of the AICU. He quickly strikes up a conversation and before you can blink, the two are making plans to meet again. Will is working in a town nearby; just close enough to make it easy for them to start seeing each other

I had some struggles with this story. For starters, the deprivation of the war years seems to have passed our characters by, with cream, sugar, and coffee all being readily available in England in 1943. Will’s cover assignment as an artist rather than being assigned directly to Danesfield House seemed odd to me as well. I didn’t find the arguments made for this choice to be very strong.

Add in the fact that the book depends entirely on the love at first sight trope and that the characters are two dimensional and you have a story that skims at a slightly below average range. There is some interesting history sprinkled throughout the text and a mildly intriguing mystery gives the tale a modicum of momentum but I found A Secret Courage to be slow-going overall. I will hopefully enjoy the author’s next book more but I simply can’t recommend this one to anyone but Ms. Goyer’s diehard fans.

Always enjoy the writings of Ms Goyer...another masterpiece.

One of my favorite aspects of historical fiction is getting to experience a piece of history I never knew about. With Tricia Goyer’s A Secret Courage, it was seeing women examining photographs to try to figure out things that Hitler was doing during WWII. I found it to be a fascinating aspect of this novel.

A Secret Courage does a wonderful job of immersing the reader in WWII England after the blitz on London. There are military secrets and espionage all over this book. It made it a fun read and really transported me there. While I prefer characters that are a bit more developed than I found in this book, they were still fun to get to know as they invited me into their world.

One piece of this book that I struggled with though as a reader, was that at times who some of the characters were are a bit confusing. When dealing with spies and double agents, it isn’t always clear who is on which side. While sometimes this can allow for some interesting twists, in this case, it just made for a slower read.

But overall, I did enjoy the book. And if you are looking for a good WWII read, this is certainly worth looking into.

I just finished reading A Secret Courage (The London Chronicles Book 1) by Tricia Goyer. Travel with me to the countryside from London circa 1943 to Danesfield House. Hidden behind the doors of this beautiful manor estate are men and women doing their part to win the war in Europe. What they didn't know could have crippled their work and cost them their lives because a spy was in their midst! Espionage and intrigue made for those special discoveries that led to usurping air strikes that could have decimated Great Britain following the terrible blitz on London.

The cast of characters were brilliantly written and each part played a role that suited their surroundings. Emma, our heroine was an American who traveled to England to study at Oxford. Her mother hailed from England and emigrated to America after marrying a soldier from the states after W.W.I. Emma joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force soon after war broke out. Stationed at Danesfield House, her job was carefully studying aerial photographs taken over Germany for signs of anything out of the ordinary.

Will Fleming, is a handsome Englishman who worked for the British government recording the changes in the landscape of the country through his painting. He and Emma met by chance at a bookstore while she and her friend Vera were on leave for a day.

Vera, along with Georgette are Emma's friends and coworkers. These women work closely together and also share living quarters. The ladies lived in Nissen huts, which are what I grew up knowing as "Quonset huts.

Adding to the intrigue was Berndt, who, as a handyman, seemed to be everywhere. Edward, the sergeant who was Emma's superior officer, supervised Emma and her coworkers. The work being done on this estate was paramount to the cause and security was strict. People who worked together didn't necessarily know all the pieces of a project or why locations of study were chosen. The timing was just as cryptic, making it difficult for the information to be cracked.

Emma was a dedicated member of the W.A.A.F. who was vigilant in the secret nature of her work. Her only brother, Samuel, a pilot lost his life when his plane was downed. She mourned his loss greatly and she worked all the harder to contribute her best to the war effort. It was her fervent hope that if she could find an important clue while studying the photographs perhaps she could help save the lives of others.

The plot of A Secret Courage was well constructed and the characters well written. All mysteries seem to have a red herring or two and while I had some suspicions, I'll admit I was surprised more than once. It is fun to guess an outcome but much better find that the author truly kept a mystery, creating a better book. I heartily recommend this book. I am glad that it is only book one in a series because I feel there is more to unfold in this story.

Tricia Goyer writes incredible Amish Fiction, and she writes World War II Era fiction and some non-fiction. A Secret Courage is a WWII era book that details the life of a Photo Investigator. There are spies, double agents, counter spies, and a budding romance. I didn't find this book as enticing as her Amish fiction. With all the characters carrying main roles in the book, there just wasn't enough time or space to develop them all. The setting was well described and fit its role in the book.

Emma is the Photographic Investigator charged with scouring photos of the German countryside looking for weapons installations and possible rocket launch sites.

Will is an artist whose job it is to paint pictures of England where the war has not touched it.

Berndt is a German spy wanting to bring Emma's work down.

Ruth is a German woman taking care of war orphans, but that's only her cover for her duplicitous actions.

Both Will and Berndt want to get to know Emma more because she has information that can help or hurt the English cause by their own agendas.

I wish I could have liked the book better than I did. Three stars.

My thanks to Harvest House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

"One's true character shines brightest in the midst of storm."
A young American woman becomes immersed in a special branch of military intelligence working as a photograph investigator in WWII England. She finds her gift for memorizing details places her in a unique position to help the Allies, and help further the war effort. As the loss of her brother motivates her to focus on work, an unexpected romance just seems to bring complications.

A large country estate in a little English village was the perfect setting for a special intelligence operation, and a group of dedicated women working covertly in the WAAF. It was interesting to learn more about their roles in the war and think how difficult it was to keep everything under wraps. "Loose lips sink ships."
As the tension built and plot twists were revealed, the story picked up and grew suspenseful. A lot of inspirational moments added depth to Emma's character as she wrestled with her questions of faith.

Recommend to readers who like clean historical romances with faith and some action. Okay for teens and up. Fans of Foyle's War and WWII stories will like this one.

A Secret Courage

by Tricia Goyer

Harvest House Publishers

Christian , Historical Fiction

Pub Date 01 Apr 2017

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy of A Secret Courage through Harvest Hope Publishers and Netgalley:

Emma Hanson came to England from America to study at Oxford, her best friend is Vera Miller but at the height of the war she joins the Auxillary Air Force during the height of World War 2 where she is quickly recruited to become part of the secretive Photographic Reconnansance Unit.

Will Fleming is an Englishman, and a young artist who is called onto change the landscape in paintings, soon Will and Emma develop a friendship.

Soon Emma finds herself facing danger, fearing for her very life. Can Emma find love in a time of war, can she overcome her looses.

I give A Secret Courage five out of five stars.

Happy Reading.

Emma is a WAAF photo investigator, gifted with an eye for detail, and her diligence earns her a special assignment. On her day off in London, she tells her friend Vera about one of her heroes, Grace Darling, the brave daugher of a lighthouse keeper who rowed out into a storm to save someone from a wreck.

Will overhears Emma's story and is intrigued by the American WAAF, and plans to run into her at a bookstore, because he wants to meet her. Will is an artist who hasn't let the loss of his arm keep him from his craft, he is working undercover to find out what is happening at Dansfield House, to help with the war effort.

Will knows that he isn't being completely honest with Emma, but he tries his best to be as open as his job allows for him to be. Will is a strong Christian and encourages Emma to reclaim her faith. I liked his confidence and faith, he was a good friend and encourager to Emma.

Emma is my favorite character, she comes to work early and stays late, she is astute and has a compassionate heart. She is courageous and believes in what she is fighting for, bu she worries about the innocents in the crossfire. She comes to realize that her work and the destruction around her has come between her and God, and she is inspired by her brother's faith.

There is some great interaction between Emma and Will, but I felt that much of their relationship was assumed. I liked how everything came together in the end, though it seemed a bit to short for my liking. There are some surprises along the way, though the readers find out who is behind everything before the characters do, which was a tad anti-climatic. Overall, an enjoyable read.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

A Secret Courage by Tricia Goyer showed up as I was perusing through NetGalley a few weeks ago, and it really caught my interest. I mean, come on, who doesn’t like a WW2 spy drama? I do. Seriously, I have a problem with spy stories. I’d read some of Goyer’s work before, and I’ve always really enjoyed it, and so I was really excited to read A Secret Courage!

Emma Hanson and William Brandt are swoon-worthy characters. They are not cut-and-dry typical spies of WW2 starcrossed lovers; they are intricate and well developed. Emma is guilt-ridden over her work as a photo investigator for the Allied army, as well as broken over her brother Samuel’s death a few months prior to the story:

And then there were things she never would write about, even if given the chance, like the fact they’d lost more than thirty American bombers during that raid over Saint-Nazaire, including two that collided when one of the bombers drifted off course due to failed engines. She wasn’t supposed to think of that, of course, when she was working. She had one job—to find Hitler’s strongholds. It was up to the brass to determine the whens or hows of destruction.


Will is also grappling with life, working as an undercover spy set on trying to find a rogue agent. He originally sets his sights on Emma as just an ‘in’ to the Allied intelligence, but genuinely falls in love with her, as he explains:“This war was easier before I knew you, Emma,” he finally said, filling the quiet space. “Why? Because I ask too many questions?” She chuckled. “No, because it’s easier facing this war with a hard heart. You’ve cracked it open. Broken down my protection. Made things matter more, hurt more.”

Coupled together, Emma and Will are really the perfect couple. They fell in love head over heels fast, and complimented each other’s strengths and weaknesses while grappling with difficult topics such as loss, guilt and justice.

The mystery that A Secret Courage follows is wonderfully predictable, because Goyer lets us see beyond Will and Emma, and into the villain’s thoughts and actions. I really enjoyed this! A lot of mysteries completely cloud the reader in doubt, and while that has its place, I enjoy knowing what’s going on before the protagonist does. I can barely predict the ending to a Murdoch Mysteries, so having a little bit of help from Goyer in solving A Secret Courage’s mystery was really lovely. I also really enjoyed the setting of this book! Danesfield House, along with the English countryside, are places I’ve never been before in a book, so I really enjoyed exploring them with Emma and Will.

In short, I really enjoyed A Secret Courage. I would give it five out of five for Goyer’s well-developed characters, thrilling plot, beautiful setting and enjoyable mystery! Go take a look here!
A special thank-you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a free ARC, in return for my fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this storyline. I loved feeling as if I lived back in that time and felt so much sorrow for all those who lived through it. The characters were wonderful. I didn't personally think all their choices reflected their personalities but the story was still wonderful. The ending was surprising but after reflection was still set up for it. Overall, very enjoyable.