“The world may still look dark, but if photography had taught her anything, it was that there was always more light to be found.”

Series: The Codebreakers (Book 3)
Paperback: 377 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 8, 2020)


He sees patterns in what she deems chaos.
She sees beauty in a world he thought destroyed.

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.

My Thoughts

Roseanna hits another story out of the park with this tale of forgiveness, mercy, and joy during the darkest of days. She also does an excellent job of showing how in war, there are often mixed motivations and that people on each side are doing the best they can with what the have/know. There are no real winners in war.

“Look for the beauty in a thousand silent moments.”

I enjoyed getting to know Zivon. Roseanna introduced his exacting ways in On Wings of Devotion and I wasn’t sure what to think of him. We learn why he’s so neat, some of his cultural oddities, and the pain of his past. He is a different kind of hero, but honorable to the core.

Lily has been a fun character since the beginning of the series. I have been wondering how she goes about “Photoshopping” her photos, and I finally learned how! Seeing a glimpse into her world of struggles and skills was fascinating; photographers see the world differently and that comes across well on the page.

“A reminder that He had been Lord long before she entered the world, and He would be Lord long after. That history would always march on, humanity living and dying, loving and losing, praising and cursing, but that He was unchanging.”

This quote! I love it. It’s a timely reminder in the midst 2020. Never did I think I’d still be working from home when the leaves are starting to change, but here I am. And God is still the same.

I encourage you to pick up a copy now; escape from laundry woes for a while. While you can read this story as a stand alone, I’d encourage you to read The Number of Love and On Wings of Devotion first as it’ll give you a deeper connection to some of the characters. We also get to revisit characters from her last two series: Shadows Over England and Ladies of the Manor.

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are honestly my own.

About the Author

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.
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