A Portrait of Loyalty

Author: Roseanna M. White
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: The Codebreakers #3

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.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White is a fitting end to the the final book in The Codebreakers series. I will miss these characters.

Zivon Marin used to be one of the top cryptographers in Russia, until he had to flee during the Revolution after speaking out against Lenin. He is angry at what the Bolsheviks took from him and offers his services to the British. He has lost his family and he has no idea what happened to his brother after they were in a train crash together. He is alone in a strange land and trying desperately to get people to trust him and then he meets Lily Blackwell. I loved how they met and how they had to learn to trust each other.

This book was filled with amazing details of what happens behind the scenes during war. I had no idea there were people like Lily who basically did what Photoshop can do for us now (alter pictures). It was intriguing to read about the process and how something as simple as taking a picture and altering it to tell a different story, could affect the outcome of the war. What impressed me most was that this wasn't during WWII, but WWI. I had no idea they even had the capabilities for things like that. As with all of Ms. White's books I always learn something. She is great when it comes to research and details.

There were a few different storylines with different characters (Clarke and Ivy, Evengi and Nadya) that were central to the plot and kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning. With lots of intrigue, heartache and action this was a book hard to put down.

I especially loved how the author manages to weave in gems that would or could help someone in their relationship with God. Several times her words leapt off the page and brought comfort to my soul.

"Something I am realizing anew is that this life isn't ours to begin with. We don't own it as we do a shoe.  It is always His - His gift to us. Our purpose out to be in giving it back to Him moment by moment. In knowing that losing this life isn't defeat. It's victory."

"But we also know that under the cloud of persecution, His truth shines all the brighter. We know that it was in captivity that His people called on Him again. We can trust that His promises are always true, because they have always been true. He is still God. And when He leads us through the valley of shadows, we can know it is so that we are made into sons and daughters of light, capable of redeeming these evil days for Him."

If you haven't read any of the books in this series I encourage you to do so. Each one can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading them all. I look forward to whatever Roseanna has coming out next!

I received this book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley.

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