Loved it! Though this fabulous historical fiction story takes place in 1918, some of the things they were dealing with seem to be straight out of today's headlines!

Roseanna M White did an amazing job on this book (as always!) and I highly recommend the whole series! I thoroughly enjoyed the espionage aspect, the photography aspect, and the human aspect in this WWI story. The importance of faith, freedom, and forgiveness are themes that are addressed in A Portrait of Loyalty.
I highly recommend this story!

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White is the third book in what I now consider one of my favorite series of all time: The Codebreakers. I’m afraid it does spoil a bit where this review is going, prepare for a lot of fangirling!

First, it is possible to read this as a standalone but I can promise you it’s much more fun to read them in order, as the main characters from the previous books definitely make appearances.

Now, unto the premiss... we have a former Russian intelligence agent, who deflected to the English after the Bolsheviks took over Russia. Roseanna M. White is a genius in coming up with interesting characters, and Zivon definitely is one. He’s been traumatized and needs to learn to trust again, but he’s also very good at seeing patterns. Not like Margot, with math and codebreaking, he sees patterns with people. He’s very good at what he does, and it takes courage and quite a bit of humbling to start at the lowest point and have his loyalties questioned.

Meanwhile Lilian pretends to work at the hospital but is secretly also working for Room 40, editing photographs. She’s a real artistic talent, and sees magic through her lens, but now she uses her skill for the war effort. Most men don’t really see her because she has an adorable vibrant younger sister, but Zivon sees more and they keep finding excuses to talk to each other. This is what I love most about their relationship, they develop a very deep friendship and are not afraid to call out the other when they see something or be kind to one another.

But of course there is more, lots of action as Zivon is looking for his lost brother and it seems that Russia is not leaving him alone... We get some perspective on the bad guys too, and they were so interesting! The changing POVs make you eager to read more, there was never a dull moment.

I absolutely loved this book, with extremely interesting characters and enough happening to keep it interesting, yet not so much that it feels like it’s just one big action scene. There were breathing spaces and different perspectives and emotional growth, and I loved every minute of it and I just wish it was longer. Aka the pacing was perfect and the writing style intruiging. The spiritual message was very strong, and hit home with me. It is about hate, if you allow that to linger, and to question yourself what it is exactly you hate. But also about learning to trust, renewed faith and how to deal with hardship, and never in a preachy way.

All in all, I really recommend this book! My dad just finished The Number of Love and is kind of jealous I already read book 3, and my granddad is reading the first book now and actually can’t stop reading, so this series really is for everyone!

I also have to give a trigger warning, I’ll do it at the end so you can choose not to read it, it’s not really a spoiler but it does give an indication where the story is going.




As it’s 1918, it’s also the start of the Spanish Flu pandemic, and for me that brought back a little bit of the fear I experienced the past months. I can imagine if you’ve had or are having a rough time or in the very worst case, lost someone, it can be hard to read.

I received a free e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

I cannot tell you the number of times this book caused me goosebumps. The way the author presented the themes of loyalty, truth, and forgiveness was so poignantly relevant to today's world. As you read this story, you may find yourself asking critical questions like, "What does loyalty to one's country truly mean?", "What is the purpose of art, and when does it become propaganda?", and "Can propaganda be used for a good purpose?"

Lily's mother was one of my favorite supporting characters. Though she disapproves of the use of propaganda, and by extension, Lily's role in the war office, she is a loving mother, not just to Lily and her sister, but she is welcoming to all who enter her house. I respected her convictions that art should reflect the truth and not be used to promote lies, as well as her ability to put aside her judgments and allow other people to make their own decisions (eventually).

Zivon and Lily were perfect compliments to each other. The way she took the time to capture single moments, and the way Zivon recognized patterns in his surroundings and people's behavior made me want to pay better attention to the world around me. Zivon's decision to leave his country, demonstrating what he saw as true loyalty to the Russia he had known and loved brought up some thought-provoking questions of what true loyalty really means.

The camaraderie between Lily and her sister made me want to give my own sister a call.

Evgenie and Nadya's story was great! I loved watching their relationship develop. It was interesting to see the differences in their approach to the communist party and how their beliefs were challenged at various points in the story.

If you have ever found yourself a part of a group (or in the character's case, his case country) whose values you no longer recognize, and had to make the difficult decision to leave that group, this book has something for you. If you have questioned God's participation and care over the events in your life, and whether or not prayer does any good, this book has something for you.
If you have struggled with how to use your talents to make a difference in this world, this book has something for you. And if you've ever found yourself in a particular season where propaganda runs rampant on Facebook...this book might have something for you. ;-)

I received an early copy of this book for the purposes of reviewing. I was not required to submit a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Portrait of Loyalty
by Roseanna M. White
Back of the Book: “Zivon Marin was one of Russia's top cryptographers until the October Revolution tore apart his world. Forced to flee to England after speaking out against Lenin, Zivon is driven by a growing anger and determined to offer his services to the Brits. But never far from his mind is his brother, whom Zivon fears died in the train crash that separated them.
Lily Blackwell sees the world best through the lens of a camera and possesses unsurpassed skill when it comes to retouching and re-creating photographs. With her father's connections in propaganda, she's recruited to the intelligence division, even though her mother would disapprove if she ever found out.
After Captain Blackwell invites Zivon to dinner one evening, a friendship blooms between him and Lily that soon takes over their hearts. But both have secrets they're unwilling to share, and neither is entirely sure they can trust the other. When Zivon's loyalties are called into question, proving him honest is about more than one couple's future dreams--it becomes a matter of ending the war.”
Impressions: I loved this book. It was truly a spectacular historical romance.
Liked: I have enjoyed all the books in this series but I believe this one was my favorite. It was thoughtful and I really enjoyed the characters and their development.
Disliked: Does making you cry, count? I might have cried a little bit.
Learned: Living life and loving is a risk worth taking.
Quotes: “God is there. His promises have not changed just because my circumstances have. He is still the giver of all. The lover of our souls. No matter how bad our situation, He is still good. All we have to do is look for Him.”
I received a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

"A Portrait of Loyalty" is a suspenseful Christian romance set in 1918 in England. This novel is the 3rd in the series. You don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the previous book.

Zivon has lost everyone that he cares about and flees Russia because his life in danger. He accidentally ends up with information that the Socialists need, so they're still tracking him down. In the darkness of his loss and anger, he's uplifted by the beauty that he can see when Lily takes photographs. And Lily's intrigued by how Zivon can anticipate people's actions simply by watching the patterns of movement. Their interest grows as they spend time together, but then photographs turn up that call Zivan's loyalty into question. Will an opportunity to end the war be lost because Zivon's advice is ignored?

The main characters acted realistically, were engaging, and I cared about what happened to them. Interesting historical details were woven into the story and were critical to the plot. The hero and heroine respected and supported each other. The suspense came from danger to the hero's life as well as an outbreak of the Spanish Flu. Zivon needed to forgive those who killed his betrothed and ruined his life. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.

If your ever craving a fantastic historical novel, look no further than Roseanna M. White! She writes with such authenticity, passion, and faith that you will be drawn in and glued to the pages until the end. A Portrait of Loyalty is the third book in the Codebreakers series and it is absolutely enthralling. Lily is a photographer that works with the British Admiralty to retouch and photoshop (before photoshopping was a thing) pictures, helping with the war effort. Her skills are unsurpassed and intriguing. Zivon has escaped Russia as his enemies want to see him stopped. He has something they want and doesn't even realize it. When Lily and Zivon meet their friendship blossoms and it's beautiful to watch. They compliment each other perfectly and I enjoyed it very much. The strong faith and family elements are also something I greatly enjoyed! Ms. White has a wonderful way of including faith without being preachy or pushy. This story has some events that are incredibly relevant to today's headlines and they're also heartbreaking. SO well done! I'm greatly looking forward to see what comes next for Roseanna M. White!

I received a complimentary copy of this story through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

A click. A whir. A moment...
This book is filled with many moments. Wonderful, happy moments. Sad, heartbreaking moments. Moments that will change lives and history forever.

I finished this story the same day I began reading it. However, it was not finished with me. I kept picking it back up, reading certain passages again and again. I could not help thinking about the people living their lives amidst the tragedies of war and then a horrible flu outbreak happening. People that seem to be healthy in the morning are dead by evening, it was such a scary time.

Of course, this book is also filled with secrets. Lily has secrets, Zivon has secrets. I loved how they connected and really saw each other, saw the things others did not.
"Be still and know that I am God" is an important verse in Zivon's life and a recurring one throughout the story. It was also a good reminder for me.

Lily finds light in the darkness, good in the bad, and captures moments. Some are perfect moments.

This was a fantastic conclusion to the Codebreakers series!
*I received an early copy of this book from the publisher. A review was not required. The opinion expressed is entirely my own.

I so enjoyed this series and this latest addition was no exception, and so very timely considering what is happening in the world.
You will also have a greater understanding of the White and Red Russian, and make sure you read the author's notes at the end!
Who do you trust, and things get twisted so once you make up your mind, many will change theirs.
There is a bit of sweet romance, some very sad happenings, and a finding of the faith that you thought you lost.
We walk with these folks that you will soon care about, as they are fighting the evil of WWI, and learning more about those who help win the victory.
Yes, this book can stand alone, but you once you've read this one, you will be grabbing the others.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

I think it's safe to say that I'm pretty much obsessed with Roseanna M. White's books. I devour everything she writes. I've loved this Codebreakers series and I really thought On Wings of Devotion, the previous one in the set, would end up being my favorite in the series. (Phillip the pilot!! *insert heart eye emojis*) But oh my goodness, this one just became my new fave for several reasons: I have an obsession with Russian history so Zivon's storyline, the plot with the Bolsheviks and his brother, was absolutely enthralling to me. Plus, I loved the heroine's photography work with British WWI intelligence. It was intriguing and it rang with authenticity. It's easy to give a character a cool career, but White made Lily's career feel real—not only by including details about camera work and photo retouching but also in the way the reader gets to see the world through Lily's eyes. The author walks such a perfect line between including details/research but not so much that you get bogged down or bored. The plot was wonderfully paced and the characters grabbed ahold of me from the first pages. The romance was as captivating as the element of mystery and suspense. I LOVE this one!!

A PORTRAIT OF LOYALTY is the third and final novel in the Codebreakers series by ROSEANNA M. WHITE. The whole series is well worth reading but each book can easily stand alone. The story is well told, the history of the time well researched, and the characters, some of whom we have already come to know in the earlier novels, are unforgettable. It is a beautiful love story told against the background of the first world war and the Russian revolution.
The story takes place in London and focuses on the codebreakers who, under "Blinker" Hall, are doing an essential job for the war effort. Lily Blackwell is a photographer who works secretly for the Admiralty. When Zivon Marin, the Russian codebreaker is invited to her parents' home by her father and gets to know her, he is impressed with the life she sees in everything, as she snaps photos wherever she goes, and the life and light she brings into every situation. She seems to see right through him and into his troubled soul.
The Bolsheviks are trying to discredit Zivon, the Spanish flu is tearing through London, and the city is in danger from German bombs - this book will keep you enthralled on every level!
The Christian message is one of being still and letting God work in your life, and of showing mercy and forgiveness towards those who have wronged you.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling the read for you. It is a lovely and inspirational book and one I can highly recommend.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

How often have you ever considered the perspective of Russians during WW1? For me, never. In fact, I had to get a history lesson from my husband after starting this book because I didn't know anything about Russian history during this time except like, Anastasia. 🙈

Zivon Marin and Lily Blackwell are both on the fringes of Room 40- their skills are necessary, but they're excluded from the camraderie of the team. As both have secrets and a unique way of looking at a situation, they are drawn together and must figure out if the other is someone they can trust. Both also have extremely challenging family situations to navigate and as they gradually learn to love and support each other, they challenge each other in their faith.

Roseanna White does a good job of dropping the reader into 1918 London and fleshing out what life as a whole was like- the war, the weather, the culture, the food. Zivon and Lily were people that I didn't necessarily relate to or connect with, but that was kind of the point of the book, that people who have a different way of looking at life from me are valuable and their opinions aren't the whole of a person. There was some good meat to chew on, as some parts of their journeys are things everyone can relate to on some level.
Also, props for seeing old friends again, which is one of the highlights of Roseanna's series. I'm going to miss these characters and now I want to see how Roseanna can insert Brook into her Savannah book (kidding!). But really, the Staffords are the best!

This book is so well-written and there are so many interesting things about it. I loved how the details about Lily's photography and her work altering photos were incorporated. It was also really interesting to learn more details about the Bolshevik revolution in Russia and the worldwide flu pandemic of 1918. There was a lot going on, and yet, it was written so well that it all came together seamlessly, without feeling bogged down with too much information. The historical information was awesome, but it didn't outshine the characters. Lily and Zivon pulled me in from the beginning; I loved how neither was a particularly flashy or outgoing character and yet they both made important contributions to the war efforts and were wonderful together. Another excellent book from Roseanna M. White.
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Roseanna White is one of my top choices of authors I read and love. She never disappoints! I looked so forward to this last of the Codebreakers series. And I loved seeing characters I'd met again from her previous books!
This book it was a little different because it revolved around Zivon who had fled from Russia. So it was great seeing the time period from Russia's perspective. And photography is one of my favorite hobbies so it was interesting to see how it was used in the war.
This was a very emotional book. I have never cried while reading a book before but this one had a serious cry in it!
I also would like for Clarke to have his own book, He needs a happy ending. He seemed to vanish a good while before the end of the book.
I enjoyed this book but it was not my favorite of her book but still a good read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Roseanna M White concludes her Codebreakers series with A Portrait of Loyalty. In the midst of World War I, the Bolsheviks revolted against the Czar of Russia, creating even more havoc in the world. Lily Blackwell is a photographer with the Intelligence Division of the Navy. It is through this work that she meets Zivon Marin, a linguist and cryptographer refugee from Russia.

Zivon works hard at the job he's been given and has shown nothing but loyalty to the British Crown as well as to the Czar. His brother, Evgeny, is a Bolshevik through and through and he does everything he can to destroy his brother's reputation. Regardless of Evgeny's actions, Zivon loves him and doesn't want any harm to come to him.

Worked into the plot of this book is the influenza pandemic of 1918. Lily works at the hospital in the Vocational Aid Detachment and encounters the influenza up close and personally, when her sister dies from the disease.

While Lily's and Zivon's relationship is foremost in the novel, the historical aspects of the book are well researched and delineated. Roseanna has created characters that are both likable and believable. The settings are incredibly descriptive and allow the readers to feel they are part of the book. It is easy to get lost in the narrative and not come out until the book is finished. This is a five-star book, with two thumbs up, and a garden party to help a friend.

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A brilliant end of this fantastic series. After every one of White's books I've read, I think she has written her best yet. This story was another unique and interesting subject with excellent characters. Book 3 in this series can be read as stand-alone, but I highly recommend you'll read them all in order. They're just too good to pass up. :)

When I'm looking for a brilliant historical novel, I know I need to look no further than Roseanna M. White. I've learned a lot about the WWI timeline from these past 2 series that she has authored. While this is book 3 in the Codebreakers series, it can be read as a stand-alone. However, they do go in chronological order (and the main characters from books 1 and 2 make cameos in this book as well), so if you're going to read them all, I would read them in order - otherwise you're reading the war backwards. :) But this story does stand on its own. If you've read the other books, you'll recognize the main characters in this one as they've made small appearances in the other books and be glad to see them get their own story. This one follows Lily, the photographer extraordinnaire (who "photoshopped" pictures before photoshop existed!) and Zivan, the Russian cryptographer who'd fled from Russia and landed a job with the Admiralty in the codebreaker division.

Lily volunteers part-time as a nurse at Charing Cross hospital where our heroine from book 2 also works, and works part time at the OB (Old Building - for the admiralty) developing and creating pictures that relate to the war effort. We learn more about Zivan, why he felt the need to flee his home country and what brought him to England. Zivan is drawn in by Lily's quest for capturing beauty in the lens of a camera and learns to see the world differently because of her. Lily is taken in by the sad, knowing eyes of the Russian and seeks to peel away the layers he's placed around his heart. As is typical in White's historical novels, there is an intense mystery, some action and adventure, and danger in addition to the budding romance. The characters are well developed and relatable and even the villian has a voice that makes you sympathetic to their cause. In reading the author's note, I was actually quite surprised on how much of the story was based in fact, and I had an "aha" moment about the timing of the war, the Bolshevic uprising and the Spanish flu all coinciding at the same time. Because of the politics created by all of that, there were some scenes that felt eerily similar to 2020 (I messaged the author to find out if current events altered the manuscript in any way, only to find out the re-writes were actually done 4 months before the pandemic hit, so none of it was making a current political statement - just coicidence), but I think that makes it a good read for our current time!

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

This book is an amazing ending to The Codebreakers series and can be read as a stand-alone (although I recommend reading all three because they are so good!).

Zivon Marin is a former cryptographer from Russia who fled to England as his country was in upheaval around the time of the Bolshevik Revolution and during the midst of WW1. He works with the British to help bring an end to the continuing conflict of WW1 by helping decode messages.

His world overlaps with that of Lily Blackwell, the daughter of an intelligence officer, who helps the government by retouching and creating photographs used in various propaganda efforts.

Zivon’s life is complicated when someone begins sending the British government photos and information that makes it appear he is not working in the government’s best interests. As he works to clear his name and reputation, he finds he must trust others with secrets he holds close as much as he longs to be trusted.

//

This book had me in tears at one point and all out smiles in other. As always, Roseanna White’s incredible attention to detail and her depth of writing make this a book worth reading and savoring (her research on her book focus shows).

Definitely worth the read - and taking the time to sit down with the entire series.

5 Stars

The final book in the trilogy, a Portrait of Loyalty follows the end of WWI with the emphasis on the Russian Revolution.

Zivon Marin was a Russian code breaker before the revolution and flees for his life when the Boleshievicks threaten him. He flees to France with his brother until a train accident separates him. He reaches out to England to join their intelligence group, wanting revenge on the party that has taken over his country.

There he meets Lily Blackwell, a photographer with secrets of her own. With the end of the war and the appearance of a deadly flu, they have challenges to overcome, personal as well as internal.

This story hit very close to home, and touched on subjects very prevalent in today’s world. In the past we have capitalists vs socialist, questioning if the end result justifies the means, and a deadly flu virus spreading around the world. The same exists today.

I enjoyed the novel very much. I consumed it in a day. It made me laugh, ugly cry, and surprised me at every turn. Both characters have their flaws but that just makes them relatable.

Their love story was very organic and natural, didn’t seem forced or contrived. You could really see/feel the heroine falling in love, struggling to trust her heart with her head. The way the hero realized he loved her was subtler, but still as powerful.

I have one complaint; a side character that is fairly important, the hero’s best friend, -Clark- essentially disappears after a tragedy strikes. I really want his story to be resolved and hope that the next book focuses on him.

Overall , an excellent ending to an amazing series, one that inspires multiple re-reads.

Roseanna M. White's stories are well-written. She definitely knows how to dive into her characters and their settings. She does a wonderful job at picking a topic that is a little different, yet in a good way. She moves the story along at a nice pace. The romance builds slowly, which is the way I like my romances, if I want them a story, to happen. No rushing through the romances for me. With a Portrait of Loyalty, I really liked that the heroine had a job that I never heard of during the war. Some of her skills with pictures seems pretty obvious with all the technology we have now, but back then, it really didn't seem that obvious. I really wished the story featured more of this in the story. When it happened, I was fascinated and wanting to learn more of what she was doing to help the war effort. It would have been nice to see her actually doing the task at hand, then just been told that this is what she was doing. As for the heroine, I really enjoyed how he was trying to run from his past, but still struggled with issues in his past. He wanted to do better, but he needed part of his past to be part of his future. A lesson a lot of people today actually need to learn. Overall, A Portrait of Loyalty had its ups and downs. A good story, well-written but had a little holes in the plot for me.

I received a complimentary copy of A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

The conclusion to the Codebreaker Trilogy is rich in history with realistic characters. Lily is such an interesting character with an amazing ability to read and create photographs to help the British intelligence. Zivon Marin, the Russian expert cryptographer was forced to leave Russia because if his views about Lenin. Together, Lily and Zivon will form a friendship as they both work together at Admiral Hall. The story has some parallels to what's happening in the world today which is a plus. Hate to see the series end! Very enjoyable! Highly recommended!