I enjoyed The Number of Love, but it was a little slow to get going for me. The romance was atypical due to a main female character that is so mathematical and logic-focused. So even though I liked it, I wasn't sure I was going to continue the series, but the opportunity to get Camden's story pulled me in. And I'm so glad that I did.

Normally I find myself connecting to the male characters in books a little easier than the female characters. Or maybe the better way to say that is that I find myself more critical of the female characters. Sometimes that's simply the difference of the female typically being the narrator. Regardless, I absolutely loved Ara. She is the exact type of character I love to root for. While I couldn't fathom her agreement to marry without love, I understood her motivation to create a stable family so she wouldn't be alone. What I loved most about her was her continued choice to do the right and good thing despite how it might affect her personally. I appreciated the personal struggles that she worked to overcome. Like Margot, Ara has a strong relationship with God, and she follows the inclinations that He gives her.

Oh Camden. So much that he had to work through. I almost feel like I need to re-read this book now that I know his story. He came from such a dark place. Ara is sure that God is working on Camden--wearing him down and calling him back to Himself. I don't want to say too much because his story is so essential to the twists and turns which would be spoilers to reveal.

Unlike Das Gespenst from The Number of Love, Denzille's story was more interesting. I appreciated that her pieces weren't completely hidden from the reader. It's frustrating enough to jump from the main characters to a side story so at least it was easier to see how she fit into the overall story.

Favorite quotes:
-If you want to be healed, He’d whispered into her heart when she was around Cassandra’s age, then heal others.

-“I don’t think God has much to do with this particular situation.” Jeremy wasn’t fazed. He just turned to watch for whatever auto might appear through the bare-limbed trees lining their drive. “Your ignorance is showing, brother. God has much to do with everything.”

-“Avoid Him as you may, I daresay even you have heard the story in the Gospels of the rich young ruler and how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”“Always found it absurd. If everyone goes about giving away all they have—”“He does not ask everyone to give all they have. But if He does, are we willing? Truly willing?” She shook her head. “Whatever He asks of us, whether it be a fortune or a pittance or our time or our devotion, we can be sure it will be painful. Cutting out what stands between us and God always is. But we can also trust that in the giving, we’ll gain something far more precious.”

-“You know it’s true. You know you need Him.” Blast, but he could drown in those eyes. “I need you.” She shook her head. “Don’t put that responsibility on me. I’ll fail you— people cannot help but fail. Not to mention . . .” She narrowed those eternal eyes at him. “How exactly can you claim you care nothing for matters of faith if they’re part of what you stand here claiming to love about me?”

-“Perhaps you should instead praise Him for using the cruelest of circumstances to achieve the brightest of miracles.”

On Wings of Devotion was more enjoyable in every way than I expected. I found myself wanting to seek out other books written by Roseanna M White which is one of the best compliments I can give On Wings of Devotion. I'm giving this 4 Stars, and I'm excited about the final book in the series to come. Have you read On Wings of Devotion? What did you think? Let me know!

It’s intimidating to write a review for a book you love so well...I had super high expectations for this book and it blasted through them all in the best way possible. The layering of the story elements is masterful and reminds me of some of my favorite vintage writers. I don’t know how she does it, but the characters are rounded and polished and hop right off the page. The way Ara meets the Black Heart is just so interesting and sparks off a very unusual alliance between the two when Ara’s fiancé becomes their common antagonist.

The chemistry with this romantic pair is so thick you can cut it with a knife but of course neither of them see that at first. They in fact never dream of romance to begin with, and I loved that about them. Phillip is a haunted man and doesn’t think he’s really worthy to live. Someone’s threatening him and he couldn’t care less because he thinks the same things about himself.

Then a counter-spy plot pops up and both Ara and Phillip have to work together to save their country from the threat. This is when things really tick up and I seriously couldn’t put the book down.

Phillip’s mother is a spice box and one of my favorite characters...I love it when even the side characters hop off the page! Ara’s also friends with the ladies from the previous Ladies of the Manor series and I got super excited when Barclay from the Shadows Over England series made a couple of appearances.

Overall, it’s already going on my favorites list, so great job to Roseanna White. I can’t wait for the next in the series!

Thanks to the publisher and author for a free reading copy.

Hands down, Roseanna White is one of the best! With every book I think she can't get better and yet again she surprised me! Wow, what a breathtaking read this was. Breathtaking in...the romance...the scenery...the characters - they were unexpected and I loved it! You definitely have to read this one! :-)

This is the first book I’ve read of Roseanna White’s so I don’t have anything to compare it with, but it was filled with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. It was a bit slow moving in parts, maybe a little redundant in sections, but it kept my attention and I was surprised by the conclusion. I enjoyed the references to the code-breaking and spying as I find that all to be intriguing, and the characters were well-developed. Recommended.

Phillip Camden has become a national outcast. Known as Black Heart since the mission that killed his entire squadron, public outcry has been high for the military to give him the death penalty he likely deserves. Instead he's been whisked away to the mysterious Room 40 in the Old Admiralty Building, where he works on deciphering coded messages from the enemy.

While the other nurses flock to the window each day when the handsome Black Heart walks by the hospital, Arabelle Denler doesn't go to gawk at the mysterious man. She goes to pray for his wounded soul. When family circumstances entangle Arabelle and Phillip for the foreseeable future, she finds not only the hurt she was expecting, but also a strong loyalty and hidden depths.

Figuring his days are numbered, Phillip is trying to right what wrongs he can, as well as keep dark secrets from coming to light. Things become much more interesting when an old flame begins coming around. What is she doing here in London? Could she have had something to do with the deaths of his men?

I love reading stories about wounded characters, and Phillip hits all the right notes for me. He's tortured but not beyond redemption. Arabelle is strong, compassionate, and devoted to the Lord. A heroine truly worthy of admiration. Knowing she can't save Phillip, she does her best to befriend him and point him to the One who can.

This is a lovely addition to Roseanna M. White's WWI Codebreakers series. I had a hard time getting into the scenes with the point of view of Dee, the German spy. I didn't feel like they were necessary. But many people love it when a villain gets to have a voice. That was my only complaint on an otherwise fantastic story. Looking forward to the final book in this series in a few months!

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.

There is so much I loved about this book! I liked the first book in the Code Breakers series, but I really fell in love with the characters and storyline in this second book. Let's start with the hero. I won't lie, those dark, broody, angsty, bad boy heroes get me every time. I was sold on Phillip Camden from the beginning of this novel and I certainly wanted to know his story 'til the end. I was totally invested. Roseanna White detailed his character so well, contrasting his deep inner struggle of secretly being a man of high convictions with his outer appearance of being a handsome, yet unfeeling, man with a "black heart." Then there's the heroine, who is herself considered less than beautiful on the outside (although her cover image looks pretty beautiful to me!), but her heart is pure gold. I love the way that she is one of the only people who can see through Phillip's rough exterior to the heart of who he truly is. It's what makes this novel pretty special. My personal sense of justice struggled with Arabelle's deep sense of humility and generosity (especially when the others, in my mind, didn't deserve it), but even that became a lesson learned for me in the end. Redemption, humility, and courage are just a few of the themes in this book that I appreciated. I also appreciated the romantic tension : ).

I would highly recommend this book for those of you who are fans of historical Christian fiction. There is a definitive Gospel moment in this book as well, which also adds to an additional theme of forgiveness. Loved it!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in order to share my honest opinions, which I did.**

I always enjoy a Roseanna M. White novel. each one is filled with dynamic, deep, and unique characters, a fast paced plot, and a sweet romance that you can't help but root for, and this one was no different. I appreciated the witty banter, the themes of unconditional love, and powerful redemption.
her characters are so real and have so many layers that you get so attached to them!

Dang. This series and these characters just keep getting better!

I loved Arabelle and could relate so much to her. And Phillip is her perfect match. I can't say I adored Phillip, as he isn't usually the kind of guy I like, but his character was nonetheless fabulous and I loved him, even if I didn't love him, ya know? ;)

White's writing style is as beautiful as ever. I instantly feel like I'm living in the time period with the authentic and historically accurate dialogue and descriptions. The history lessons White includes are so fascinating as well, and never dry or boring or interrupting the story.

Speaking of story, from page one I was draw into the story and couldn't put it down! Even the slower moments kept my interest and the fast-paced suspenseful moments had my heart racing.

All in all, I greatly enjoyed book two in The Codebreakers series, and can't wait to get my hands on book #3! I cannot recommend this enough if you are a lover of rich and fascinating historical fiction with a side of romance, espionage, and suspense. You definitely want to check this one out!


FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Epic! I know I must say this about Roseanna’s every release, but this is her best book yet. The heroine being tall and gangly and an heiress ... contrasts with the hero being a rogue blamed for a crime he didn't commit ... or did he? The banter is unbeatable, the plotline unguessable, and this book un-put-downable!

What I Loved: Just when I think the series can't get any better ... White publishes another book! Seriously. The Codebreakers, and Shadows Over London (which ties into this series), is chockful of memorable characters and page-turner action. The war is happening in the background, but the story is taking place at home with a nurse and a codebreaker ... or rather a humble woman with insecurities and a bitter man practically on death row. 
Camden and Arabelle had great chemistry from the moment the two stepped onto the page together. I couldn't get enough of these two. You could feel the underlying tension slowly coiling around the characters with every turn of the page.
Fans of the previous books will be treated to small cameos. It's not anything that would ruin the other books if you haven't read them, but it's just enough to bring a smile to your face if you'd already met them. 
I loved every minute I had spent in London with them and I can't wait until the next book. 

Rating and Recommendation: I recommend On Wings of Devotion to anyone who enjoys Christian historical, WWI fiction, and spy fiction. I'm giving it 5 stars. 

~ I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own. I was not compensated for this review or required to give a favorable one.

I don't even know how to talk about this book without incoherently gushing. It was INCREDIBLE.

This was my first Roseanna White book and I was blown away. The character development was done so well. The plot was brilliant. The truth of Jesus bringing and being Life was handled so beautifully. And the romance? 😍

All the tears. All the heart eyes. All the stars. This is how it's done, folks.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. All expressed opinions belong to me.

On the Wings of Devotion has been been added to Roseanna M. White's The Code Breakers series. Arabelle Denier is working as a nurse at a hospital in London. Every day as Arabelle goes about her duties, she often catches a glimpse of Phillip Camden, dubbed "Black Heart". Phillip joined the nearby codebreakers division, shortly after an accident took the lives of his entire air squadron!

Now that he is seen as the cause of the accident, Phillip is having trouble moving on with life. When Phillip needs help dealing with a family situation, he seeks out Arabelle for help. Phillip's younger sister has shown up pregnant and the cause of the event is none other than Arabelle's fiance!

As Phillip and Arabelle spend time together dealing with this situation, you will see something developing between them. However, the situation suddenly becomes complicated. Someone from Phillip's past has shown up and is possibly up to no good. You have no idea what complication will come in these troubling days of WWI!

I received a e-copy of this book from Bethany House. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

WHAT A DELIGHT!!!! Cam & Ara's relationship--it was SO SWEET. Their personalities just SANNNGGGG when they were together. There were so many sweet moments between them that I loved.
I enjoyed the plot--the pace was pretty good--not too fast (I mean, it's not a thriller), but not too slow either, as I find a lot of historical fiction titles are.

The only thing keeping this from being a 5-star rating for me...it was those preachy bits that felt oh so preachy, tacky, and out of character. Each time I would be reading along, and the characters were really feeling the moment, and then--BAM!--they'd pop out an evangelizing comment that always felt (to me) like it was not appropriate in the moment. I'm not against telling friends about your faith, but I have seldom seen it done in Christian fiction where it didn't feel out of place and like I was being smacked with a 2x4. That is why I rated this one at 4, instead of 5 stars. Not a huge thing, but enough to be noted.

Above section aside, I LOVED On Wings of Devotion--it was intricate & suspenseful, the romance was sweet, their chemistry was on point, the plot truly well-crafted--& I loved the previous series' character cameo's that popped up partway through.

*In exchange for an unbiased review, I was given a free ebook copy of On Wings of Devotion via NetGalley.*

On Wings of Devotion is set during WW1, not a common time for many historical fiction books (something to love!), and focuses on the English codebreakers who were helping the war effort, although not in the air or in face-to-face combat. This second book in the series features a former pilot, Phillip Camden, grounded because he is under suspicion of causing the death of his squadron. He is recruited to work with the codebreaking division, and then crosses paths with Arabella Denler, a nurse at a nearby hospital. Her heart is to show him that despite his past mistakes, he is worthy of healing on every level - and love.

While I know that these characters are fictional, White does such an incredible job portraying her characters and settings that the reader feels as though the story IS real. Her thoroughness in diving into the historical aspects and creating a plot/storyline that pulls the reader in is always wonderful.

When reading, I prefer books that help me learn more about a specific time period (and cause me to do more digging myself), but also leave me with a love for the characters. Roseanna White does this so easily, and I am always ready for the next installment in her series. Her characters possess a depth (she definitely isn't a superficial writer) and face obstacles that are real-to-life, showing their various weaknesses, strengths, and growth. They are far from perfect, but there is such a sincerity to their characters, readers will quickly love them. The simplest way to put it: the characters are human. They make mistakes. They learn from them and grow.

Every single one of White's books remains on my shelves because they aren't typical "fluff" reading. This book in the series can be read independently, but I would recommend reading the others - because they are worth the read.

I received a complimentary copy On Wings of Devotion from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

What can I say? Amazing? Wonderful? Sweet? Emotional? All of these I think! I loved this book!
Phillip Camden, Black Heart, as they called him. Was he a villain or what? He was one of a kind character that I so enjoyed. Well Arabella could certainly hold her own with Brax and Camden. I loved that she was strong and I loved her faith. She even prayed for Camden even before she really knew him.
I loved this quote in the book.
“He’d thought before that he’d lost it all. That he had nothing to live for. He’d been so very wrong.” So much in this book I enjoyed. I really really recommend this book to my friends. You don’t want to miss this whole series.
I received this book free from Bethany House Publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I really am enjoying this series. It’s set in London during WWI. I think we focus on others that are in the spotlight vs. those who are behind the scenes. I like that this series focuses on those behind the scenes. The unsung heroes. Ari is a nurse in London, and her father is an Explorer. She desires to serve and save. She meets disgraced pilot Phillip Camden and a friendship begins between them and between him and her father. I really enjoyed the grace displayed freely by the heroine. She is a gracious woman who tries to see the best in everyone, including Phillip. Will her grace make a difference in his life? Can she show him he’s redeemable in the eyes of God? Another book I didn’t want to take a break from while reading! Excellent writing. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All views stated here are my own.

I had to wait to read Wings of Devotion until I knew I’d have the time. Because once I start one of her books, it’s so hard to put down. I absolutely loved The Number of Love, which is the story preceding Wings of Devotion.

Her story telling, her research, her character building. How she does it, I’m not sure. But I can’t wait for book 3 in the Codebreakers series!

All right, enough blubbering on.

Based in London, England in 1918, this book was gripping from the first page. So much action, mystery—and, yes—a heart-warming love story.

But, the mercy! Arabelle truly had it in spades. I don’t think there was anyone she couldn’t extend mercy and compassion to. It was convicting, really. Seeing the world through her eyes.

One thing that was a bit hard to get around… *spoiler alert*… was that she fell for Camden before he got right with God. But at the same time, the story was very relatable. It just might have been nice to hear her feel at least a bit of angst over the whole ‘unequally yoked’ thing. It may have been there. Maybe I missed it.

The real reason his squadron died in the war was devastating. I won’t tell you the details—I think one major spoiler is enough for this review—but it really wrenched my heart. The impact one choice had on so many men—yes, even in this fictional story—was heart breaking. And even though Camden was more than willing to take the fall, and cover up the truth for the sake of the families, God had mercy on him. And sent him someone who really believed what she saw in him rather than what she read in the papers. Someone who really believed in mercy. And someone who needed to be seen for more than face value herself.

This story was very moving, very well written (I would expect no less form Roseanna!) and you better believe I will be ready and waiting for book 3. I can’t wait to see what else happens amongst these World War 1 codebreakers of room 40.

It’s 4.5 out of 5 from me, but since we can't do half stars I'll round up ;)

Oh, this series! It is so good, you guys.

Wealthy Heiress and Nurse Arabelle Denler is convinced that her only avenue to having the family she has always craved is to marry for convenience...and in exchange will save her fiancée's family estate. With her mother dying when she was young and her explorer father always away on "adventures", she has learned to cope with disappointment but certainly has some abandonment issues. When said fiancée's unfaithfulness comes to light, things change rapidly....and in the process of navigating this she is introduced to Philip Camden (aka Black Heart). He's a grounded pilot accused of allowing his entire squad to die - and Ara has already been praying for him.

The substory of spy Diellza Mettler eventually intersects with both families, and the author weaves them beautifully together. The characters are multi-faceted and rich. The result is a story of pain, forgiveness, grace, and true mercy that illustrates the love God has for us.

I always enjoy when authors include little winks from other books, supporting characters that were leading ones in other books pop in for a visit - it makes it even more enjoyable. However, you can definitely read this as a standalone. I wholeheartedly recommend this entire series!

This was such a great read. Not a fan of historical fiction, but this being set in the 1900's made it easy and fun to read. The writing was beautiful. I loved the way they spoke back in England in those times. I setting, the events and the romance were all great. I enjoyed each of the characters as well.

Arabelle Denler is a nurse and she works with those injured from war with the Russians. Arabelle is a bold girl, but she also has her moments of being idiotic. She was a sweet girl with a ton of faith. I loved seeing her encourage and love on people you normally wouldn't love on. She was strong girl, but she did downplay herself most of the time. I didn't like when she called herself ugly continually. It annoyed me. She was hard working and she was very wealthy as well. I enjoyed Arabelle though.

Phillip Camden is a major who is facing some heavy charges for killing his squadron. People call him the Black Heart because he appears to be tough and uncaring. However, Camden is such a sweet guy. He's loving, caring, protective and he is just downright amazing. I loved seeing him battle with his faith as well and begin to truly allow God to work in him.

The romance was absolutely amazing between Arabelle and Camden. They started off as strangers and then grew to know one another through an unfortunate mishap with Arabelle's ex. From there they became friends and grew to love one another. I loved their banter and how quirky they were. You couldn't tell that they had an instant attraction for one another because they played it off as nothing. I totally enjoyed watching them grow in their relationship.

Mrs. Lewis was absolutely the most annoying character for me! She irked me with her letters to Camden, she pissed me off her letter to Arabelle and just ANNOYED me with how gullible she was in letting Diellza "help" her. I felt bad for her once the truth about Camden's squadron came to light, but she still just pissed me off.

Diellza was an interesting character. I didn't care for her storyline at first, but as the story progressed she seemed to have an important part. She was so wishy-washy with her feelings. She was a great spy and assassin though. I'm interested in learning more about her from book one.

Overall, tit was a great read and I can't wait to read the first novel, The Number of Love, since I own it. Would definitely recommend it.

This was the first time I had read anything by Roseanna M. White. In fact I do not usually read or enjoy historical fiction. I kept seeing good reviews on this one and therefore, decided to try it. It has to be a really special book for me to commit to read and boy was this one special!
Black Heart (Phillip) and Arabelle were characters that came off the page for me. Arabelle was not attractive but had a beautiful heart and she loved God with all of her being. Phillip's heart was one many considered black as he must haven no heart since he was assumed responsible for a tragedy in the war. But they both led each other to a new meaning of a deep relationship. Each had and gave what the other one. needed. And Phillip's journey to God made it all work together.
The other love story of Dee and Alvin and the intrigue of their story as it intersected with Philip and Ara was masterful.
I could not put this book down!
My favorite quote was:
“Whatever He asks of us, whether it be a fortune or a pittance or our time or our devotion, we can be sure it will be painful. Cutting out what stands between us and God always is. But we can also trust that in the giving, we’ll gain something far more precious.”
I recommend this book highly. My only complaint would be how on Ara looked on the cover, how anyone could say she was not beautiful!
I received a complimentary copy The Number of Love from Net Galley. The opinions expressed are mine alone.