I love Roseanna White’s books. This is the third book in her series “Shadows over England”. I loved the first two but I believe this one “An Hour Unspent” is my favorite. I enjoyed getting to know Barclay better and why he does the things he does. Not for selfish gain but to take care of other orphans who band together and make up their family. I cheered for Evelina as she steps out to be her own person and to do what is right not necessarily what is best. A gripping story of compassion, intrigue, mystery and a family, who aren’t related by blood but by something much deeper – commitment, loyalty, devotion and love.



Blessings,

Karen Hadley Rating: 5*

I received this book as a gift and all opinions are my own.

An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White is the third book in Shadows Over England series. Barclay Pearce has given up a life of crime and now uses his talents to help his country win the war. Barclay’s latest assignment is clockmaker, Cecil Manning who has an invention that would give England’s flying men an edge over Germany’s pilots. On the way to the Manning residence, Barclay saves a woman from a mugging. The woman turns out to be Evelina Manning, the clockmaker’s daughter. Barclay is intrigued by the independent woman and perplexed by the identity of her mugger. Evelina is shocked when her fiancé, Basil ends their engagement three weeks before the wedding and learns that he has enlisted in the army. Basil tells Evelina that she lacks warmth and the last thing he wants is a marriage like their parents. Evelina never thought that standing up for a woman’s right to vote and for safe working conditions would drive away Basil. She dreads telling her mother about the broken engagement. Barclay works with Mr. Manning on his invention in the evenings and makes a point of arriving early to spend time the clockmaker’s fiery daughter. It seems that someone else is interested in Mr. Manning’s device, and they will go to great lengths to acquire it. Barclay will need to dig deep into his bag of tricks if he is to complete this assignment and keep the Manning family safe.

An Hour Unspent is an intriguing novel. It begins in May of 1915 when England is at war with Germany. I recommend reading the books in Shadows Over England series in order. Each book builds upon the previous one and it will provide you a better understanding about the family and its members. The characters from A Name Unknown and A Song Unheard appear in this installment along with the rest of Barclay’s family. I enjoyed getting to know more about Barclay who is the head of his family. He has given up a life of crime, has become a Christian and is reading the Bible. When he is asked to acquire an item, he has a moral dilemma. There is only one way to get it and it is not legal. Barclay’s faith continues to grow as does his character. Barclay is issued a new challenge to steal an hour from Big Ben and the solution is unique (and practical). Barclay decides to follow the mysterious Mr. V one evening. Readers get to know a little more about enigmatic man. I thought An Hour Unspent was well-written and researched. The author captured the time-period with the character’s speech, clothing, items available, conveyances, books, music and the environment (descriptions of Poplar, the buildings). Ms. White provides detailed descriptions that brings the scenes to life. I wish, though, that the pace had been a little peppier (it drags along sometimes). Unique historical events are included in the story and it was fascinating to learn the origins of Rolex. Wrist watches were considered a newfangled idea that would not catch on. The mystery is captivating with its many twists and turns. I was happy the author provided an epilogue. An Hour Unspent combines a thought out plot along with great characters, drama, suspense, humor, romance, friendship, family, and faith.

Reviewed for Hope by the Book magazine (online)

Fans will adore the romance, suspense, subtle humor and delightful ragtag family of street orphans in this conclusion of the Shadows Over England series. Be prepared to swoon over the hero, a devoted big brother with a heart of gold, as he navigates the unfamiliar narrow path of a new believer while using his unique skill set as a former thief for the greater good during the height of WWII. Barclay’s fiercely protective nature and carefully honed street smarts make him an invaluable asset to his family, his nation, and his new neighbor. Cool and controlled Evelina fights for women’s rights and female independence yet she wasn’t prepared for a broken engagement (or her mother’s reaction) when her fiancée unexpectedly enlists and ships out to the front lines. Secrets, lurking dangers, and intriguing new technology bring Barclay and Evelina together in this story of home front heroes, family affection, and abiding faith.

enjoyed this book immensely. This book has all the elements you want. Adventure, mystery, romance, family, comedy, hope and love. Roseanna White has a wonderful style of writing that captures your attention and whisks you away to the streets of London. I liked Barclay and his family very much! Evelina’s was fun to get to know as well. I can’t wait to read more books by Roseanna!

I recommend this book to my family and friends.

I received this book from the publisher to read and write my honest review.

I'M FINALLY FINISHED. It took me so long to get into it (not the author's fault- I was just in a slight reading slump) so I'm so happy that I'm finally done reading it! But it's sad since I loved reading about Barclay and his family- I went into this book without any knowledge about it besides that my friends really love this series? So yeah... I read the 3rd book before reading the 1st and 2nd. *cough*

The characters had some brilliant development throughout the book (*pokes a certain aunt and a certain V*) and I really loved reading about them. Barclay is the sweetest guy ever and I love his thieving skillz. He's so amazing to his family and Evelina and I really hope we see lots more of him in future books. <3 I didn't really like Evelina from the beginning, and some of the other characters didn't give me very good impressions.

But overall, I really liked reading An Hour Unspent! It was the first book I've ever read from Roseanna and it certainly didn't disappoint. I'll definitely be checking out more of her books in the future! 4 stars.

Barclay Pearce has undergone a transformation since A Name Unknown and A Song Unheard, the first two books in this series. Then, he was a thief and the leader of a large adopted family of thieves. He's now been persuaded of the truth of the gospel and the associated need to change his ways. His newfound honesty is challenged when V, his mysterious boss, asks him to befriend Mr Manning, a clockmaker who has made what could be a revolutionary discovery.

As Barclay befriends Mr Manning, he also meets and befriends Miss Evelina Manning. This is an interesting relationship to watch develop, as Lina has recently been jilted because her fiance didn't think she loved him. Now she's wondering if she can love anyone ...

And, as with the other books in this series, there is a bet within the members of Barclay's makeshift family—and again, it relates to the title.

White has the ability to take little-known factoids from history and incorporate them into her story without it feeling forced (for example, the origin of Rolex watches, and the presence of internment camps in England in World War I).

World War I is an excellent backdrop to this romance story about two people damaged by their parents and trying to rise above their histories to become better people. It's the third book in the Shadows Over England series, and while it can be read as a standalone novel, you'll enjoy it more if you read the other two first.

Recommended for historical romance fans.

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

Steal an hour from Big Ben.
That was the challenge presented to Berkley Pearce, a reformed thief, and provider of a troupe of orphans who call each other family. Determined to stay on the straight and narrow, Berkley takes up the war efforts of 1915 England, and works for a branch of the government obtaining the unobtainable during desperate times. When he is assigned to help a local clockmaker finish his design that would put England ahead of the enemy in air combat, Berkley doesn’t plan on rescuing his fiercely independent daughter, nor the trouble that seems to follow her.
This is the third book in the Shadows Over England series. I didn’t realize that there were two books prior to this one before I started reading it. It does well enough on its own, there’s lots of little fill-ins as to the significance of other characters who have their own stories told in the previous two books.
As always, this novel took several chapters to hook my interest. I’m not sure why, but every book I’ve read of Ms. White’s takes me a while to get into the story. Once I hit close to the halfway mark, that’s when I usually get sucked into the story. Perhaps it’s the background being set or backstory that detracts from my focus, I’m unable to pinpoint a reason. I’ve read the complete Ladies of the Manor series, and now the final installment of Shadows Over England.
Characters are likeable and believable; mystery and intrigue are full of twists and turns. Descriptions of the times, and settings are vivid bringing the reader back to an uncertain and unnerving time in London’s history. There are elements of faith that contribute to the fabric of each character.
Overall, once I reached my personal hurdle, I quite enjoyed the story.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

These books just keep getting better. This last book in the Shadows over England series follows Barclay, the big brother of the orphan family. The plot and new characters do not disappoint and it is a delightful wrap-up to the series.

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 it.



My Thoughts: This is an intriguing and entertaining book. From the first chapter to the last, it has the reader completely enamored. This is the third book in the series and if the reader like myself hasn't read the first two, they will be able to read along easily. The setting takes place during the first world war and grabs the readers attention from the first page. The characters are fun, witty and down to earth.


I believe that this book is to teach us what family really is and to appreciate and to hold on tight and love our famililies. It's a book about serving others and putting family first.


I believe that readers will truly enjoy this novel, especially those who love historical fiction.

An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M White is a marvellous Christian historical wartime adventure. it is the third book in the Shadows Over England series but can be read as a stand-alone.
Set in 1915 there is the theme of trust and the threat of German spies everywhere. Even those with foreign surnames were suspected. No one was immune. The royal family changed their name from Saxe-Coburg to Windsor as it sounded more patriotic. "Help me to trust." God can always be trusted even when man cannot.
Sometimes circumstances suggest that God is absent, or even worse, He doesn't care. "He just sits there in His heaven... not caring a whit." This is anger and hurt talking because we know that being a Christian does not make us immune to bad things but "He [God] didn't remove the bad - He just lent him strength to face it."
Having faith can give us peace in spite of our circumstances. Faith and God are available for all. "The Lord of the universe couldn't possibly be concerned with... a nobody from the London streets. " No one is ever excluded from the love of God.
There is the theme of riches. Where is your treasure? "She was the poor one... Raised to believe one must strive always for things." True treasure is not to e found in stuff but in a person and His name is Jesus. I was reminded of what our pastor Leon Evans once said (and it has stuck with me) "Some people are so poor, all they have is money." Treasure and life are found in people and God never in possessions. "Life. This house had it, despite its lack of furniture."
Knowledge and education are important. "Education could change the world for him." Education brings freedom and choice. 1915 is the dawn of a new era.
Family is important. Family are the people who love you and with whom you do life. There is a family in the novel who have evolved over time as they take in those who have no family. The reader is reminded that we are all adopted into God's family.
God is the God of new beginnings. Our past does not define us. We can all leave our past behind and have a fresh start in God.
Roseanna M White marries fact and fiction in this marvellous tale. There are cameo appearances by real life figures as well as real life events such as zeppelin raids included.
Fabulously entertaining, An Hour Unspent had me hooked from the start.
I received this book for free from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

An Hour Unspent is the third book in Roseanna M. White's Shadows Over England series, which follows characters in the early years of World War I. Having read the first book in the series I knew what to expect with Ms. White's stories and I was not disappointed. I will say that even though there is enough background information about the characters in this third book, I feel like I missed another good story since I didn't read the second book. A person could read this and find it an entertaining and satisfying tale but reading the complete series brings a depth to the tale you wouldn't want to miss. Barclay and Evalina's story is wonderfully enchanting and yet fraught with obstacles and difficult situations. Barclay has led a checkered past and his family is a mish-mash of orphans and former street thieves who have learned what family truly is and it's not just blood--it is choice--the choice to love no matter what. He will do anything to give his adopted siblings what they need. Evalina's from the wealthier side of London and her family is nothing like this raucous, teasing, loving bunch. When her former fiancé confronts her with the fact that she truly doesn't love him, Lina begins to doubt herself and wonder if she can change from the automaton-like feelings she shows others and truly love. And what about God--is He like a clockmaker who just winds things up and then watches as things play out however they might. Or is He, as Barclay is coming to realize, a personal God who is involved in our lives, giving grace and wisdom and bringing help and guidance. I liked how the characters (and not just Lina and Barclay) are so realistic in their feelings and actions and how they grow and mature in their emotional and spiritual lives as the story unfolds. And of course, there are those characters that you really just don't like, adding a little extra charm and appeal to the story. Interest is kept high as there are several surprise twists to the plot and a climactic ending that is rather edge-of-the-seat suspenseful. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more of this author's works.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required and opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.

Rosanna White’s latest book in the Shadows Over England series tells Barclays Pearce’s story. We’ve met his two ‘sisters’ Rosemarie and Willa in A Name Unknown and a Song Unheard. Now we learn more about the remarkable young man who brought the ‘family’ together.

Barclay has a new assignment from the mysterious V—do everything he can to help clockmaker and inventor Cecil Manning finish the designs for a synchronization machine that will allow gunners to shoot between airplane propellers.

The country is counting on him. But as his relationship to his Heavenly Father deepens, he finds he has no stomach for dishonesty. He tries to approach this new assignment with an honesty that he believes will honor God—even if it gets him in hot water with the ones he works for.

Evelina Manning arrives home one afternoon to find her fiancé has enlisted in the war and wants to break their engagement. Even worse, a handsome young man who seeks audience with her father witnesses the entire episode.

Evelina can’t decide which is worse, getting jilted or dealing with her mother’s anger over the broken relationship. When the mysterious young man shows up again, Evelina feels instant kinship with him and quickly forms a friendship. Sometimes she’s not sure if she’s drawn to him as a man, or just longs to have a joyful family—the kind of family Barclay has. Although his family does seem a little odd at times.

Barclay and Evelina navigate faith, family, and the dangers of living in a war zone as they grow closer to each other and to the one who longs to be their heavenly Father. History buffs will love the skillful way White weaves history and faith into her stories.

There is something about orphans who have risen above that intrigues me. From Oliver Twist to little orphan Annie, the hand they were dealt in life didn't determine their outcome. This is Barclay Pierce. What I love is that he not only found a way to survive on his own in the world, but he took in others and adopted them as his own as well. Even though money was tight, he couldn't turned an abandoned youngster away.

Throughout the story Barclay wrestles with guilt over the thieving he did in his past, but as a reader you can also see that the Lord has certainly done a work in his heart and that he has worked hard to turn his life around. What's interesting is that he still does some of what he used to, but the difference is that he is now doing it to help the war effort. I appreciate how the author approached Barclay's attitude towards this. Think of it this way: we all know that lying is a sin. But think back to WWII for example, when people would hide Jews in their homes to save them from the Nazis. If a soldier came to their home and asked if they were harboring Jews-- the truth would be yes, but to save the people's lives they would deny it. Is a lie to save another's life truly a sin? Although not as extreme of an example, this is essentially the same type of question the author is posing for this story--if Barclay is stealing for "the good guys" now, is it still sinning? What I like about this is that the author presents the issue in a way that makes the reader think about it.

Another piece I really liked about the story is that no family is painted as perfect--they all have a level of brokenness. Wealth nor poverty determine if a family will be happy or not. Biology or circumstance are both able to create family. Not only do spouses enter a marriage with baggage of their own, but as  a family the traumas in this life can leave permanent scars. I don't want to say too much about this so that I don't spoil anything in the story, but I'll simply admit that my perception of certain characters changed the more I learned about them and the obstacles they faced in their lives.

Overall I really enjoyed this story and would recommend to fans of historical fiction. This is the 3rd book in the series but it was the first I've read. While I was easily able to read it as a stand-alone, I also believe I would have enjoyed the first two books and wish I read them first. I would have liked to read more about Barclay's backstory along with the other orphans who'd adopted each other. It's certainly an intriguing series.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit Tours and NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

Roseanna White never fails to grip me with her stories. Her characters are captivating and her stories nuanced. I greatly enjoyed reading An Hour Unspent and look forward to the next book in the series.

It's hard to find words to talk about a story this good. So much detail, such absorbing bits, that it was easy to blast right on through to the end.

I don't normally like suffragists at all but this portrayal had me agreeing with her reasoning and also relieved to see some of the movement's underbelly shown as well. I especially thought Evelina's slow realization of why she wanted to join the movement felt very authentic.

Barclay...my favorite sibling all the way back from book one! Wow...I never saw his drama coming. He's trying to make sense of his new faith journey and balance his resolve to make an honest living even while continuing to fulfill assignments from V that are allowing him to take part in the war effort. That's threatened by sudden family drama and someone who's trying to get to his mark first, threatening Evelina and her family before Barclay can save the day!

So it's another one that's nearly impossible to put down and is a page-turner for sure. :)

Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House for a free review copy. A favorable review was not required.

Wow--what a book! This is book 3 in the Shadows Over England series, however, it was easily read as a stand-alone book. Although I have not read books 1 and 2 of the series, I may have to! I very quickly became involved in the characters lives and roles. This book involves several different characters (which I'm guessing would be easier to keep straight if previous books in the series have been read) who quickly grab you and pull you into their stories. VERY difficult to put down! Sweet romance in the midst of mystery and family and war. Great book!

I connected with this series on the last book, An Hour Unspent, which is book 3 in Shadows Over England. It doesn’t require reading the previous two books, but, I am intending to read both shortly! The characters are delightful and the context fascinating.

The theme is time and it runs through the narrative and descriptions as well as creating a clever metaphor for each of the characters. I particularly enjoyed Barclay, his honesty, dedication and quick wit. Evalina grew on me, as I came to understand her better. Whilst World War One is the backdrop, the war itself isn’t described in detail. The focus is on covert operations and outthinking the enemy. Whilst interesting, I found the relationship between Barclay and his orphans the part of the novel I enjoyed most. The brutalities of life of the poor in London isn’t overlooked but the tone is hopeful.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and give it five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale.

Finally, Barlay's story! It was great to see the changes he went through. Wonderful to see how he met Evelina and their interaction was very enjoyable to read.
In my opinion, Shadows Over England is White's best series. I loved all the books in this series, but Barlay's story is the most dear to me. I highly recommend the whole series.

I love how Roseanna White can teach me a great deal about history, weave a beautiful story, and make me think about my relationship to Christ all at the same time. This book is book 3 in the Shadows Over England series. Though it is part of a series, the story itself can stand alone (that's another thing I love about her books!). You have a better understanding of the characters if you've read the other books, but you don't feel like you're missing anything if you haven't (I still need to read book 1!).

For fans of this series, this book focuses on the leading male character in the motley group of thieves that call one another "family" - Barclay Pearce. Even though I've only read one of the other 2 books, I was anxious to read this one as I wanted to learn more about the head of the family. Barclay is assigned to get a device, by any means necessary, from the local clockmaker. When he shows up at the clockmaker's door, he finds Mr. Manning's daughter in a difficult predicament (enter the heroine). Barclay became invested in her safety and our story takes off. As is typical for Ms. White's fiction, there is a love story and a mystery. This series is also set during WWI. Because I don't see a lot of fiction in this time period, I learned a great deal about this portion of history in England in reading these books. And of course, a lot of factual events took place in this story-line as well. I enjoyed learning about the start of Rolex and Daylight Savings Time in the midst of the story and it was good to see Barclay's past catch up to his present and see his spiritual and emotional growth throughout the story. There were a lot of ups and downs and times when I had no idea what was going to happen, but this series came to a nice end!

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for provide an e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to write a review. The thoughts contained herein are my own.

An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Roseanna M. White closes out her Shadows over England series with a suspenseful story involving an unusual family, a clockmaker, Belgian spies, and the possibility of romance for a young woman searching for love, acceptance and independence.

Although I’m not a big fan of WWII stories, this one struck me as potentially delightful as it focused not so much on the war itself but rather on people seeking to protect the cities and shores of England. Ms. White begins her story with a focus on Barclay Pearce, self-appointed guardian of his adopted family, who is using his skills in the art of pilfering to aid the cause of the Ally commanders in England. Having very recently become a Christian, Barclay is having a hard time following his faith and serving his country, due mostly to the fact that they wish him to use his former skills to gather information. His most recent assignment will bring him in contact with the Manning family, a well-to-do family that just happens to have a brilliant inventor and clock maker as its patriarch. Cecil Manning has thus far used his genius to create unique clockworks and mechanical toys for his many clients, but his latest idea could change the way in which the war is fought in the air. With an idea for a timing mechanism to allow pilots to shoot between their propellers at enemy fighters, Manning is poised to give great advantage to the Ally forces. But his invention will soon make him and his family a target for foreign spies and thieves, most especially his beloved daughter, Evelina. Lina first meets Barclay Pearce when he foils an abduction attempt on her. He is not the usual type of person that Lina socializes with but his kindness and respect of her catches her attention. And that he has come to their home to speak with her father gives her another reason to like Barclay. Barclay inadvertently observes the breaking of of their engagement by Lina’s fiance when they step into the Manning home, and determines to help her see that a man who cannot appreciate her did not deserve her in the first place. Lina is not so sure, especially given her mother and her aunt’s way of haranguing her over her mode of dress, conduct and support of the Women’s suffrage movement. But as she spends more time with Barclay as well as with his unusual but very welcoming family, Lina will discover that there are families in the world who truly care for and about each other enough to be kind and encouraging. When Cecil Manning suddenly goes missing, along with the plans for his mechanism invention, Barclay and Lina will be in for the the adventure of their lives as they traipse from the seediest parts of England all the way to the borders of France. Along the way they will find that love isn’t something that places great demands on another, rather it is being willing to sacrifice everything for the well being of the loved one. I loved the multiple moments of suspense that were included in the story. You were never exactly sure who was being honest and who was a double agent. It was nice to read a story that had plenty of intrigue while also providing a good story that I actually wanted to finish. And the answers to a lot of questions that were raised in the first two books were finally answered in this story; that made this book and series even better in my opinion. It’s hard to read a series that is not truly tied together by the intentional leaving out of answers in one story to branch over to another. I also found the intentional choosing of Faith over previous behavior of Barclay to be very refreshing. He truly wanted to live out his faith and sought ways to do the job assigned without compromising his convictions. This proves to be difficult for him but not impossible and I was glad to see it. The journey of faith and discovery of self that Lina went on throughout this story was also well done. Ms. White allowed her to grow steadily and with new convictions as Lina determined to find her place in the world and influence for good those terrible situations she encountered on a daily basis. Her heart for those less fortunate will bring her ample opportunity to reach out to the hurting to offer help and hope. There was no doubt that the faith of the main characters of this story was on full display as they sought to work out their faith for others. A last note: the reason for the title is a cleverly done touch that was fun to discover at the end. I will certainly recommend this book and series to others as I found it to be very well done and excellently complex. I look forward to Ms. White’s next book or series as I know she will not disappoint.

I received this E-book free of charge from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.