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.

This book is full of adventure and twist and turns, more so than the other books in this series. 
I am so happy that Barclay finally got to have his own story. I think this might be my favorite book of the series. Getting to see Barclay grow and change for the better, and falling in love, made for a satisfying ending to the series.

I loved this story! The whole series has been amazing, but I may of loved Barclay's story the most. I enjoyed the depth that Roseanna adds to history and to the message of the Cross. Highly recommend this one!

So much HEART! This is how I can define this book... the entire series, in fact!
I've been very much looking forward to writing this review. But I'm feeling SO MUCH I don't know how to put it into words!

Barclay Pearce is a figure! Still finding his steps in this new called faith but with a heart as big as the family he's grown. Steadfast and loyal, he's having a blast seeing his sister find happiness and welcoming new brothers into the family. And as this said patched family grows and find their own footing in the world, the question remaining is who will take care of Barclay?
One who loves so well and fiercely needs some as determined and passionate as him.

Evelina Manning knows what it means to march for a cause, to have to shout, to tackle every nuance life throws her way and win. But, along the way, she has forgotten that she's a mear human BEing and has conformed to a human DOing - not meeting the expectations of those around her.
If her fiancé leaving her isn't a surprise enough to have her pondering than the honesty and openness of one Barclay Pearce is sure to unbalance her out of the fastidious environment she's used to be in, though always leaving her smiling.

I love how their interaction started organically, without an agenda. With Lina's fire bringing out the protectiveness inside Barclay and his compassion challenging and breaking down the walls around her. These two have many valleys to get through, but there is one thing that ties all the different layers of the story together; something precious grown inside us by the Greatest Clockmaker who doesn't see us as mere tools, but seen and known, good workers with a vocation, redeemed. And this secret is something no treasure or merit can gain, but only grace. This secret that twines it all together is love.

An Hour Unspent is the third and final book in the Shadows Over England series.
It's pretty evident with Roseanna's very detailed descriptions and obviously many hours of research she loves what she does. By this I mean she loves to research her books and writing them for us and her quality of work really reflects this. You better believe I felt as if I was there in the early 1910's in England. Barclay, it's so exciting to see him get his own story now, it was everything I had hoped it would be and more! Of the siblings he is my favorite. As you read this book you an just feel it humming with energy through the well developed story line,the many twists and turns. I really enjoyed seeing the character development as well. Barclay is a sweetie in this book, older protective brother but yet keeps his siblings in line as well. I am really hoping to see some of the siblings have their own story, maybe even a novella would be great. I enjoyed all the action happening in this story and the suspense. I kept me reading but I am sad now that it is over. Isn't that how great books work, you want to race to the end devouring the great book but are sad it's ending. I highly recommend the whole series!
Pub Date 04 Sep 2018 
I was given a complimentary copy by Bethany House through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is quite possibly my favorite book of this series! It has unforgettable characters, and such an amazing story. The setting was beautifully done as usual, and the twists in this story kept me turning the pages.
I loved getting to hear more of Barclay's past. He is one of my favorite main characters from all of my Roseanna White books. And it was also easy for me to relate to Evelina. She had to face some big challenges and hard decisions. But watching her try to work through them was quite something.  
And I really enjoyed getting to learn more about who Mr. V really was. It was just the perfect touch to the story. Some puzzles only get more interesting as you learn the details!
 
 
  I received this book free through NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers for my honest review. The opinions are my own.

This third and final book in the Shadows Over England companion series was just as entertaining as the previous two books. Roseanna M. White has become one of my favorite Christian romance authors. I love the historical settings of her books and the added mystery involved in each of them. This series involved spies during World War I. She makes sure to include little bits of history in each of her books, including real people from history who make appearances.

My one problem with this book, just like most historical romance, is that there is a silly thing that breaks the couple up for a while. It's always either a lie or a misunderstanding. This time around it was a lie that was believed way too easily. I began to dislike the character Evelina to an extent at this point, and it took until the end of the book for me to really like her again. I do wish that authors would come up with some other way to create drama in their romance stories. On the other hand I loved Barclay throughout the book. It was really nice to get to read his story this time around.

Other than that I thought this was a good ending to the series. All three books included themes that I found interesting. The first book was about books -so that was a given- and the second one was about music. This time around it's clocks and mechanical inventions. I liked the clock-maker aspect of the book and all of the toys and things he invented, and the invention of the synchronization gear for the bi-planes during the war was a good plot devise. This time around, the historical figure we meet is the inventor of the Rolex watch. We see the beginnings of the use and popularity of the wristwatch, an idea that was embraced by the military because of its ease of use during wartime.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This book was a great ending to the Shadows Over England series. I didn’t love it as much as I loved A Name Unknown, but I did think that it was a smart and well-written novel that was enjoyable. I love the setting of the book and thought the clockmaker theme was clever.

But of course, the characters are what made the book. Barclay was a great hero. He is selfless and would do anything for the ones that he loves. And I love the theme of this series; how these people who think they’ve been forgotten have learned that God has never forsaken them; that He loves them unconditionally. Such a great message. Evelina was a good heroine, also. I felt sorry for her and the way her mother and aunt treated her, but I love that she learned to stick up for herself, despite her circumstances.

Overall, An Hour Unspent is a good conclusion to a great series. If you love historical inspirational fiction, you will definitely want to read the Shadows Over England series.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
 
All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this lovely tale of grace and mercy in WWI.

Ms. White is easily one of my favorite authors. She writes well researched novels filled with complex characters who often wrestle with spiritual issues and natural issues. However, as much as I’ve been enjoying this series, this book was my least favorite. My thoughts:

What I liked

Return of characters. Obviously, if you’ve been following this series, you get the return of the orphan siblings. I was very excited to find out who Barclay was and the kind of woman who would win his heart. Of course there was also the return of Willa and Rosemary and I enjoyed seeing what they were up to.

The setting. I feel like World War I is a war that’s rarely highlighted in fiction. White does a lovely job of showing London in this era and the effects of the war on those at that time.

Clockwork. You learn a lot about clocks and how they work and just how intricate they are. I really appreciated the time and effort that White put into explaining it.

Spiritually, the novel deals with how God is like a clockmaker…very much into the details of our lives. Every part of us is important to Him.

What I didn’t like

Evelina and Barclay. Okay, to be fair, it’s not that I didn’t like them, it’s that I didn’t understand them. Evelina was the more confusing of the two to me because I didn’t understand why she was the way she was and why I should care. She cares about the rights of women and factory workers but it seemed like just something she did because she was bored, not because their situations actually bothered her. She was a mix of things that didn’t make sense. She loved her father, but often treated him with disrespect. She cared for the poor and downtrodden and then at moments looked down on them. She wanted independence, but was not in anyway striving to get it. In the end I just did not connect with her character.

As for Barclay, he was a real sweetheart…which was part of the problem. I realized that he’s a believer in this book and no longer over a gang, but his personality was so soft that I had a hard time believing he had ever been as criminal as he kept telling me he was. Because let’s face it, it takes a certain, ‘I don’t care about others,’ attitude to live a life of crime. And Barclay cares a lot.

Which leads to the romance. Why did Barclay fall for Evelina and vice versa? They seemed so different from each other and I’m not referring to class. I’m referring to personality and character. Evelina came across as silly compared to everything Barclay had done and was doing. It just didn’t work for me.

Romantic scale: 6.5

Overall, not my favorite book by White, but she’s still one of my favorite authors!

** I received a copy from Netygalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.*

An Hour Unspent is the third installment from Roseanna M. White exciting series, Shadows Over England. I have loved series and this one did not disappoint me at all. I loved Evelina and Barclay’s story. To me, they had instant chemistry that made me enjoy their scenes together and, also, the best parts of the book. In addition to the romance, there was an element of mystery and suspense that they were thrown into that made me want to find out how they were going to solve. The historical details were so vivid, I felt like I was right there among the characters. 

An Hour Unspent is my favorite book from the Shadows Over England. I am giving it a well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend this book, as well as, the other books in the series. Great job, Roseanna! I recommend this book for readers who love a good, clean, suspenseful and romantic historical. 
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

Join Barclay and Evelina in a whirlwind adventure. Here we find ourselves in a London on the brink of war. Barclay and his family are only trying to survive, by any means necessary. Although Barclay has turned over a new leaf and has turned away from thievery, it seems that the past is not ready to let go of Barclay. Evelina's father is a clockmaker, tinkerer, and - it would seem - an inventer. He has something in mind that could change the war. As his family continues to grow, Barclay finds himself on Evelina's doorstep with orders to help her father if he can, and steal the plans if he must.
The last thing Barclay expected was to find himself thrust into Evelina's world. He is nothing but a street rat, and she is most definitely high society. Any other time, Evelina would not give Barclay a second glance, but when he comes to her rescue, she is forced to acknowledge that there is more to Barclay Pearce than meets the eye.
The entire theme of the book centers around clocks. White did a wonderful job weaving everything together as God is referenced as the great clockmaker. People's actions, their dance with one another, and how it all works together become the gears that God turns. Thinking of God in this fashion gave me an entirely new perspective on how our lives are connected to one another. When one gear turns, it affects the one next to it, and so on, and so on down the line. Everything that we do has a reaction to someone else. What we do affects others, and that fact was showcased to a wonderful degree in An Hour Unspent. 
Barclay's family is delightful, and there are so many of them I still don't think I have them all sorted out. They might not be related by blood, but they are family nonetheless, and this is a great reminder that family is about how you treat others, not who gave birth to whom. Barclay himself was almost too good to be true. He is a true hero, always thinking of others before himself, and willing to sacrifice his own life for those he loves.
Evelina is strong and determined. Once she is set on the true path, she does not falter, no matter what might stand in her way. Although she struggles to overcome Barclay's past, she cannot doubt his love for his family. When her own family is threatened, she refuses to sit back and let Barclay take care of the problem for her. 
I thought the characters were entirely relatable, and I enjoyed this journey into London. It was a different perspective to see London on the brink of war, and White did a marvelous job of capturing both the fear of war and the heroism that came from it. I would gladly read more books about the many other members of Barclay's family.

An Hour Unspent was written by Roseanna White, and is the third book in the Shadows Over England series.
This book follows Barclay Pearce, a reformed thief now working for the English government during World War I.  Although he still struggles with regret for his past actions, he is determined to maintain the fresh start he has made for not only himself, but also his large adopted family of brothers and sisters.
When Barclay receives a new mission to get close to a clockmaker and discover the secrets behind his latest invention, the last thing he expects is to be intrigued by the clockmaker’s daughter Evelina.
As Evelina and Barclay become closer, they have no idea that they will soon be confronted with more danger than either of them have ever known.  Spies, kidnappings, a daring rescue plan, old enemies, and a sudden confrontation with the demons in Barclay’s own family’s past await.
Will the clockmaker’s invention be able to give England an edge in the war efforts?  Will Eveline and Barclay survive the dangers of war that are beginning to close in around them?
My Thoughts:  I loved this book.  It is very well-written, filled with action and drama, has a riveting storyline, and contains a wonderful message of hope for the future, and redemption for one’s past.
Although I tend to love historical fiction of all kinds, I was especially drawn in by the interesting characters, and well-developed relationships within the story.  Even though this is a book three, it is not necessary to have read the previous two books.  I did not read them, but after being so thoroughly impressed and fascinated with this one, I intend to go back and read them as soon as I can.
I also really enjoyed that the author took time at the end of the story to point out facts from the story that really did occur, ones that had been altered slightly, or ones that she had added to enhance the story-so interesting!
This is a truly wonderful book, and if you enjoy historical fiction, especially that which is set during the World Wars, then this one is a great choice.  It is definitely a keeper book!
As always, I thank Bethany House for providing me with a copy of this book for my unbiased review-thank you!

It’s almost unfair, really, how good this book is. And how devastating that it’s over. Roseanna White has perfected the balance of history, intrigue, and romance, with just more than a hint of Christianity. If that’s it’s own niche sub genre, White reigns supreme.

This can be read as a stand-alone, but Barclay has such a extensive family that you may want to familiarize yourself with them first (besides, the previous books are awesome). And I’d really like to see the series continued with stories for Elinor and Retta and Lucy and Georgie and all the rest!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really love this series! I love the author's writing style, and the character development. They are all endearing, and pretty much anyone can find someone to identify with. I love that this book focuses on a different member of the family, and we continue to get to know them. So good! I love the interaction of the family members, their loyalty and love for one another.

Barclay is a wonderful character, and it is great to see him front and centre in his story. He's just so loveable.

The way the author reveals spiritual truth to the characters is also great. Their awakening doesn't just happen one day with no reasoning. We see the progression and growth as they are challenged through circumstances and people. I thought the story line was very good, and compelling. 

I also love the historical details, as the author uses them well, without letting descriptions or detail weigh down the story, as some can. This is just an overall wonderful book. 

If the author writes more books in this series, I would read them all!

This is the third in the series, Shadows over England. I would recommended reading the first two books to get the full story. Barclay soon became my favorite character. His love for his family and others really shone. His family and Lina's family were so notably different. I felt sorry for Lina's father and was glad he had his clock making and tinkering. I enjoyed the author's note explaining some of the history during WWI and loved the Rolex story. Highly recommended!

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary electronic copy of this book from NetGalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

This is, perhaps, Roseanna White’s best book to date. The incredible amount of twists and turns, thorough character development, immersive historical accuracy, analogies and turns of phrase that pull directly from the main characters' jobs and personalities, and familial ties ensure that this story will be not only remembered well but also reread multiple times. We might as well all invest in multiple copies of it, for I fear we’ll be wearing out our first one by sheer love and overuse.

The only things that held this book back from being five stars for me: replacement expletives and a few slips in Evelina’s high-class character when she used a few low-class terms.

This book would be incredibly quotable… if all those quotes wouldn’t give so many things away! Watch out for Alice. You’re going to love her. I really think she and her honey deserve a full-length (okay, I’ll settle for a novella, if I must) story of their own. Please, Roseanna??? I also want a story on Lucy, Georgie, Clover, and Patch (and all the rest of Barclay’s siblings who don’t already have one).

Ever since I read the first book in this series (and definitely read them in order, y’all!), I have been eagerly anticipating Barclay’s story. He’s been my favorite of the siblings from day one, and I must say, this story was even more than I could have imagined for him. It’s my favorite of the trilogy. I’ll be revisiting it often over the coming decades.

The faith thread was well thought out and thorough. I enjoyed that aspect very much. It wasn’t just about discovering faith for the first time, as both characters already have at least a bit of belief in God in the beginning of the story. It’s more of a growth of faith as well as sorting out how to hear God, how to follow His call, how to make significant changes in our lives to be the best we can be to bring joy and great glory to God. I loved the lessons learned and the practicality of the faith thread. I think bringing such depth to that aspect of a story is a huge challenge for any Christian writer, and it’s clear in this book that Mrs. White has mastered that art.

Barclay Pearce has given up stealing, except when it’s for his job as a secret agent for the British government. His current project is to infiltrate the household of a clockmaker, ensure that he finishes his plan to upgrade the guns on England’s World War I aircraft, and then turn that plan over to the British government. But when Barclay meets the clockmaker’s daughter, Evelina Manning, his job becomes more intriguing…and more difficult.

Evelina’s fiance Basil has just called off the engagement. As much as he admires Evelina’s determination to fight for women’s suffrage and better conditions for factory workers, he finds her incapable of any real romantic feeling. Horrified to be thought an automaton, Evelina throws herself at Barclay Pearce, the new neighbor who has been befriending her father. But as she learns more about Barclay’s criminal past, she begins to doubt his intentions as much as she doubts her own capabilities for love. When a mysterious foreign agent steals something they both need, Barclay and Evelina must band together to get it back.

This book concludes the Shadows over England series and tells the much-anticipated story of Barclay. As the head of the family of street orphans, Barclay has always sacrificed to take care of the others. Now, he must struggle to find his own happiness with a girl who might not fit into his world. Along the way, the story of Barclay’s long lost family emerges, and Barclay must learn to trust Jesus enough to wholly abandon his old ways.

This book was a satisfying finale to a great series. Barclay has always been my favorite character of the bunch, and it was delightful to see more of his protective and honorable heart. I loved the historical details, such as the zeppelin bomb run over London, the rationing of sugar, and the trench warfare in France. The heroine, who is new to the reader, takes a little getting to used to, but her lameness from childhood polio helps one develop a sympathy for her, and her determination ends up impressing the reader as much as it does her admirers. Recommended.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.