After successfully rescuing Phillip from the Order of the Rising Moon, Ivy and Jack are looking forward to some rest and recovery back at the Talon headquarters. But an ambush derails all of Ivy’s plans as she watches Jack disappear into the darkness. Ten years later, Ivy has accepted that her husband is dead and is focused on bringing down the Order that took him from her. She’s in the midst of her reckless revenge when she comes face-to-face with someone she never thought she’d see again.

This book was so good! Full of action and intrigue. Betrayal and reconciliation. And a lovely romance. So many wonderful things in this story. I felt there was a perfect balance of action and romance. I thought all the action scenes were very well done and exciting. And the romance was sweet and hopeful. Ivy and Jack have a rough, emotional journey but it’s so worth the read and so satisfying in the end. Just a really well written story that sucks you in. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

If you’re looking for historical fiction with intrigue, action, and romance then pick up this duology, “The Brilliance of Stars” and “To Free the Stars”.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for the opportunity to read this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An imaginative story in a world of assassins. The reader is in for a heart-stopping adventure in this 'Mission Impossible' type story. What a page-turning sequel to The Brilliance of Stars. To Free the Stars takes place 10 years later. A wife who has never gotten over the loss of her husband. "I will never give up on Jack. Never." I love her unwavering commitment to her husband and her always wanting to give those she loves the benefit of the doubt.

'Talon continues in its search to find and destroy the Order of the Rising Moon. Can light/good win over dark/evil?' The assassins with Talon are tasked with ridding the world of this evil order. The Order of the Rising Moon thinks world domination with them in charge will make a world a better place. Like other recent ideologies that are evil and try to present themselves as good, many understand the threat that they are. Not light topics, but a very compelling story. I recommend this series for lovers of unique, non-stop action, romance, and adventure stories!

I could not stop turning pages. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

Ten years later, still devastated by her inability to find Jack, Ivy continues on with vengeance the only thing she seeks. Assassinations, kidnapping and more will keep you wondering if she can even survive.

The author brings this story to a conclusion with a little bit of light at the end of the proverbial tunnel - Jack has been found but will he ever be the same? With all those drugs in his system forcing him to do things he does not want to do, can he overcome the darkness and let the light back in?

Talon continues in its search to find and destroy the Order of the Rising Moon. Can light/good win over dark/evil?

An early copy was received through Thomas Nelson, HarperCollins Christian Publishing and NetGalley. These thoughts are my own and were in no way solicited.

Gripping books like TO FREE THE STARS, the last in a compelling histfic romance series, are the reason I auto-read anything by J'Nell Ciesielski. I suggest you read the first before devouring this. You will be completely rewarded. This second book is not for the faint of heart as we follow the continued adventures of Jack and Ivy. I experienced all the feels -- fear, anguish, hope, loss -- and I will never forget it! Highly recommended.

There’s plenty of potential but it didn’t keep my attention
Not my cup of tea
Many thanks to the publisher, all opinions are mine

Ten years after her beloved husband and fellow Talon agent dies in Europe while rescuing their friend Philip, Ivy still struggles with depression and sadness. While assisting in a covert operation in London, Ivy comes face to face with Jack.

Instead of falling to his death that fateful day, Jack fell into the hands of the Order of the Rising Moon, a fiendish cult bent on world domination. Drugged, deprived, and manipulated, Jack has gone from Ivy’s closest friend and husband to a lethal automaton in the hands of evil. He is a Riser.

Ivy knows the old Jack remains somewhere inside the shell of the man, and her new goal in life is to find him. But first, she must capture him—the world’s deadliest assassin. With the help of Philip (who also suffered at the hands of the Order) and other Talon agents, Ivy just might accomplish her rescue.

Can Ivy and Jack regain the years the Order has stolen? How will they navigate the terrors locked inside, the betrayal of their dearest friend, and the unspeakable horrors of their separation?

What I Loved About This Book

Two important notes about this book. Readers will only understand this book if they read the first one, The Brilliance of Stars. This book does not provide a light, beach-read experience. While the first book hints at the darkness, the characters will plumb the depths of darkness in the sequel.

Readers will hear the echoes of the salvation story. They’ll see how the evil one wants to ensnare and enslave us. Readers will also see God’s relentless pursuit of us, no matter how small or wide the chasm between us seems. Ultimately, it is the grace story of hope and redemption for the worst of the worst.
I often had to put the book aside for a day or two and struggled with the big emotions it brought up. Read the two books together. While they might not provide an easy week of entertainment, they will provide a fast-paced thriller filled with deep theology and analogies to ponder for weeks after closing their covers.

This book was oh so good but very difficult to read because of the dark and heavy content. And it made me sad. It was very moving.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jack and Ivy!! Oh my goodness!
This story is one of resilience, determination, and the power of true love. Your heart will break for them, and their friends, as they navigate the evils of the world and attempt bring down an ancient order. They are all pawns and the game is deadly.
Loved this book! Jack and Ivy Forever!!

In this eagerly-anticipated sequel to The Brilliance of Stars, secret agent Jack Vale is presumed dead and his young widow, Ivy, is seeking revenge. With trusted friend Philip at her side, Ivy discovers that Jack lives, but has been turned into a brainwashed assassin controlled by the enemy. Will Ivy be able to rescue Jack before he is lost forever? Get ready for some surprising plot twists in this suspenseful page-turner.

1927. This is one where really, it's best to have read the previous book to understand the full depth of Jack and Ivy's relationship. Very deep, complex. Perfectly matched. Orphans, brought together at a young age. Secret agents for our country, trained in weaponry, self defense, hand to hand combat, stealth. Each assassins when necessary. They spent 10 years apart in agony because of an organization called the Order - dark, nefarious. Action filled story, so well written you can feel their heartbeats. Would make quite the movie as they help save the world as well as themselves. Hard to put down! Intense love story of healing and redemption.

I received this book free from the authors, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #ToFreeTheStars #jnellciesielski #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #ThomasNelson #HistoricalFiction @jnellciesielski @tnzfiction #upcomingrelease #winteriscoming

4.25/5⭐️

This was the second in an historical thriller/romance/fantasy, and the conclusion of the Jack and Ivy series set in the world of 1920s espionage.

Ivy, an agent for the Talon espionage agency, has had to live with heartache and regret for the past 10 years. But hunting down and destroying members of the evil deadly cult, the Order of the Rising Moon, has helped her resolve some of her need for revenge and vengeance. But as long-buried secrets and lies are unearthed, she finds herself struggling to forgive unimaginable deceit from an unexpected source.

I enjoyed this one and found it a satisfying conclusion to the series. It was interesting to see the character growth/interactions after the passage of 10 years, and while there were some heartbreaking surprises from some of the characters, one in particular was especially sad. However, I could see it coming and understood its inclusion in the story.

Well written (I always enjoy Ciesielski’s books), good plot development and a pleasing conclusion.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary early arc of To Free the Stars for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

An action-packed, dramatic conclusion to Jack and Ivy's story begun in book one. After a ten year separation, both of them have been through traumatic circumstances, yet Ivy refuses to give up hope.
This was well-written, with emotion, suspense, and passion. Serious betrayal from someone close adds to the drama and creates ethical dilemmas, leaving room for redemption. Full on battle mode in parts reads like a war movie, with spies and seriously evil villains. This is not for the faint of heart. It reminded me of a steampunk type action-adventure movie.
A few curse words here and there, lots of violence and some passion between a married couple makes this better for mature readers. No obvious spiritual content other than mentions of the occult, and a blurry war against evil.

A positive ending leaves a bit of hope after the smoke clears.
Worth a read for those who enjoy a lot of action in a historical setting. 4 stars

I picked up this book because I was convinced I had read the first one, but I can't actually find any proof of it, which is baffling.
In any case, I was able to follow the story and understand the backstory as the narrative went on.

This is the continuation of Ivy and Jack and Phillip's story, and the opening is not a good one for the characters. The narrative then jumps ten years ahead and leads to a moment where the characters meet again, but things are not the same.

There's a fight between good and evil, a fight to recover love and overcame impossible odds, a fight to do what is right at the expense of sacrifice. It's fast-paced, with danger and suspense, and also tender moments.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

J'Nell Ciesielski is such a talented author with an amazing way with words. At times, this was a hard book to read (man these characters were put to the test) and I'm sure a hard book to write. Yet Ciesielski executed it so well and I finished the book feeling completely satisfied with the ending. I'll definitely be recommending the Jack and Ivy novel to friends!

INTENSE!!! This is not a stand alone book you must read the first book. Jack, Ivy and Phillip have been through so much. This book continues the roller coaster of emotions. Honestly there were several times I didn't know if I had the emotional fortitude to finish the book. Having said that, I loved it. It is a story of redemption, courage and faith. This book is not for the faint of heart. But if you love a great thriller this is the book for you!

The Jack and Ivy books have been a journey that really captured my imagination. I loved the secret society angle and the devotion that Jack and Ivy had for each other was just.....all the heart eyes!
You absolutely must read book one first!
This book is a genre all its own, a romantic spy adventure with a strong gothic element.
For me the undying devotion between the main characters is really what I loved about this series. It built up over book one and had me fully invested.
I will say not much about this series was much of a surprise. I was really nervous to read this book because of what I was expecting to happen to the couple. The author handled the twists well for this type of story. It is entertaining and I loved the characters. So it was a win for me.
I recieved a complementary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally. All opinions in this review are my own and honest.
...

Great conclusion to this duology. There is a slight feeling of Captain America: Winter Soldier to parts of it but that didn't bother me. There were a couple twists to the story that I didn't see coming. It is a story about faith, love, overcoming odds, fears (and how much do they control us), believing for the good in others despite logic and what others say. Also forgiveness despite the harm and lies to us. A well told story.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This is a review of "To Free the Stars" book 2 of the Jack & Ivy series by J'nell Ciesielski, which comes out on Aug 8,  for NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.  Ok so this book was not at all what I expected!  I read book 1, The Brilliance of the Stars, and loved it, so I was excited to read book 2.  You must read book 1 to understand book 2.  I don't want to give a synopsis like normal because doing that will give spoilers for book 1, so not going to do that.  I am just going to post my thoughts of the book here.

This was totally unexpected!  I love J'Nell's books, and book 1 was fast paced and great, but this book was mind-blowing!  This is not your typical Christian story, but is a book about assassins and evil, but also incredible love, grace and forgiveness that ends up saving some characters but destroying others!  It is a book where evil is real and horrible, but love really conquers all in the end!  I literally read this book in 1 day because I literally couldn't put it down!  My heart was racing, and I was engrossed from beginning to end!  There is violence in it because of the assassins, so prepare yourself, but it was also a great story of love and friendship that triumphs over evil!  I highly recommend it, but just go into it knowing those things, and I believe you will enjoy it!  It kind of has a Jason Bourne vibe to it, but in a clean way that makes a great and exciting story!!!  So I give it 4 out 5 stars only because since it was from a Christian author, I would've like to have seen something about the Lord in the story as the author of ultimate forgiveness and grace, but it didn't mention Him, but I still really enjoyed the story, and would recommend it!

I adored this story! I wish it could have gone on and on. I didn’t want it to end. Ivy and Jack’s love story is beautiful and hopeful and exciting and intense and wonderful. To Free the Stars will keep you enchanted and waiting on the edge of your seat as you hope for the happiest of endings. Thanks to J’nell Ciesielski and #NetGalley for this chance.

First of all, I want to say I have seen some mixed reviews of this book and I feel that the negative ones are unwarranted. I believe that they base their reviews on their preferences, not to the actual merit of the book itself. (Which is well within their rights.) They have taken their preconceived notions of what to expect and not appreciated the beauty of this story. Is it perfect? No. Does it deviate from J’nell’s previous works? Yes. Is it too much? Maybe for some, but not for most. Is it deep and raw and intense? Yes! While it could have been presented safer or toned down, it wouldn’t have depicted the great suffering of their journey or the true testament of the kind of connection between the two main characters. Their love is an all consuming, all encompassing, all enduring, undying love that deserved a moment of freedom and release. I don’t want all my ramblings to be interpreted as this being “spicy”, so let me offer some context hopefully without spoiling the story. Chapter 27 has a scene between a married couple, some would call it “closed door”, some would say “fade to black”. If you have read a lot of historical romantic fiction I would place it between Mimi Matthews and Amy Harmon. It isn’t explicit, it isn’t gaudy, it is a culmination of acceptance, longing, of walls coming down; of love conquering fear, self doubt, and regret; of a healing intimacy. It is uninhibited and fierce and frenzied. The scene is descriptive of feelings and removal of clothing and all that leads up to the “inevitable”. Some people wouldn’t be comfortable with it. It is easily skipped. But it is definitely a true (albeit this is a fictional world and premise) representation of the moments between a husband and wife who have overcome many horrible experiences to finally be together again.

The other criticism I’d like to address is the originality. Like countless other stories in the big wide world of fictional writing, the author watched a movie and the wheels started turning. She took that seed of inspiration and created what I consider to be an outstanding duology. Full of history, action, suspense, romance, good vs. evil, spies, betrayals, survival.

Now that I got all that off my chest here’s my review.

To Free the Stars is book 2 in the Jack and Ivy duology. Technically you could read it as stand alone, but that would be a disservice to the efforts of the author, to the journey of Jack and Ivy, and to yourself. The Brilliance of Stars is an amazing story that jumped to the top of my all time favorites. It was fast paced and intense, with outstanding characters. At the conclusion of book 1, we are given the hints of what is to come next. Although, it is not what you want, it is what makes the next book so spectacular.

It would be too hard to discuss at length without giving away anything for either book. But I’ll make some observations and comments to give you the feel of what to expect. Jack and Ivy are highly skilled trained assassins. They spar, they test their mettle against each other, they respect one another, and love grows deep and wide. It takes awhile before they admit those feelings, but once they do their love and passion rivals that of Claire and Jamie Fraser or even Noah and Allie. It is intense. They have epic chemistry.

The plot from book 1 is carried over into book 2 with some dire complications and stinging betrayal. Jack and Ivy are both pushed to the edge of humanity. Evil is increasing its chokehold on them and the world they know. Friendship is tested, trust is shattered, and love is put through the refiner’s fire to either turn to ash or come out in its purest form.

With nods to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and some hints of The Hunger Games and Mission: Impossible you are in for a wild ride of fight scenes, some torture, romantic tension, harried escapes, hard won battles and hard to except losses.

I think this book is the bomb! J’Nell is a terrific writer and is spreading her wings to fly with this duology.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

#jnellciesielski #tofreethestars #historicalfiction #historicalromance #netgalley