Sherri H. (mamadoodle) -
One of the best books I've read this year!
Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
This was a fascinating book that sucked me in from the first page and kept me hooked to the end. World War Two is a rare setting for a category romance, making this book doubly appealing. Here, we have an American man and a Russian woman teaming up to acquire vital intelligence for the British.
Katia is the daughter of a murdered Russian prince. She and her mother fled to Germany years ago, and Katia grew up to become a celebrated actress. She puts those skills to work as a spy for the British to defeat the Nazis and protect her mother. Their secret Jewish heritage would mean their deaths if it were discovered. The story opens as she is about to meet her latest contact. Jack is deep undercover as an SS officer working directly for Himmler. The things he has done because of it have taken a toll on him, and he is deeply cynical about human nature.
The initial meeting between Katia and Jack is difficult. Neither trusts the other, yet they must work together to secure the information they seek. Matters become complicated when Katia's mother shows up with her Nazi naval officer fiancé, and Jack's suspicions are further aroused. However, time is short, and Jack and Katia must find a way to work together to accomplish their mission. It isn't easy. Katia is confident in her abilities and adamant in her need to be hands-on during their mission. Jack is accustomed to working primarily alone. Their power struggle was intriguing, and I enjoyed watching them work out the details.
Of course, things rarely go to plan during something like this. The twists and turns of this story kept me glued to the pages as Jack and Katia dealt with one issue after another. The complications felt realistic, and I enjoyed seeing them work through them. As the deadline drew nearer, the escalating tension kept me reading long past my bedtime as I had to know how it turned out. The conclusion was a nail-biter that had me truly worried for Katia's safety.
I enjoyed watching the development of Jack and Katia's relationship. Though initially distrustful and antagonistic, there were also sparks of attraction and fascination. As much as they irritated each other, there was also a great deal of respect for each other's abilities. That respect quickly turned to caring despite obstacles to doing anything about it. The manner of the resolution was unexpected but made sense under the circumstances. I liked the author's note at the end, which replaced an epilogue.
As this was a Love Inspired novel, Katia and Jack's faith was also a large part of the story. Each of them believed that they had been abandoned by their god. Katia blamed him for her father's death. Jack believed that the terrible things he'd done put him beyond redemption. Opening their hearts to each other also opened their hearts to a renewal of faith.
Katia is the daughter of a murdered Russian prince. She and her mother fled to Germany years ago, and Katia grew up to become a celebrated actress. She puts those skills to work as a spy for the British to defeat the Nazis and protect her mother. Their secret Jewish heritage would mean their deaths if it were discovered. The story opens as she is about to meet her latest contact. Jack is deep undercover as an SS officer working directly for Himmler. The things he has done because of it have taken a toll on him, and he is deeply cynical about human nature.
The initial meeting between Katia and Jack is difficult. Neither trusts the other, yet they must work together to secure the information they seek. Matters become complicated when Katia's mother shows up with her Nazi naval officer fiancé, and Jack's suspicions are further aroused. However, time is short, and Jack and Katia must find a way to work together to accomplish their mission. It isn't easy. Katia is confident in her abilities and adamant in her need to be hands-on during their mission. Jack is accustomed to working primarily alone. Their power struggle was intriguing, and I enjoyed watching them work out the details.
Of course, things rarely go to plan during something like this. The twists and turns of this story kept me glued to the pages as Jack and Katia dealt with one issue after another. The complications felt realistic, and I enjoyed seeing them work through them. As the deadline drew nearer, the escalating tension kept me reading long past my bedtime as I had to know how it turned out. The conclusion was a nail-biter that had me truly worried for Katia's safety.
I enjoyed watching the development of Jack and Katia's relationship. Though initially distrustful and antagonistic, there were also sparks of attraction and fascination. As much as they irritated each other, there was also a great deal of respect for each other's abilities. That respect quickly turned to caring despite obstacles to doing anything about it. The manner of the resolution was unexpected but made sense under the circumstances. I liked the author's note at the end, which replaced an epilogue.
As this was a Love Inspired novel, Katia and Jack's faith was also a large part of the story. Each of them believed that they had been abandoned by their god. Katia blamed him for her father's death. Jack believed that the terrible things he'd done put him beyond redemption. Opening their hearts to each other also opened their hearts to a renewal of faith.
The time period in which this book is set, Nazi Germany during the time of WWII, was an interesting choice for the author, who included bits of information that I had never read before in history books. This book combines mystery/suspense and historical elements; however, I don't enjoy suspense as much as I do historical, so I had a difficult time truly immersing myself into the plot and connecting with the characters. I was dissatisfied with the ending, although the author does provide a very satisfying closure in her Author's Note at the end. I didn't feel there was much of a spiritual journey, but elements of one are intertwined throughout the plot. Although I didn't truly enjoy this book, you might if you enjoy reading history, suspense, and romance.
