A Song Unheard (Shadows Over England Book #2)

Roseanna M. White

Jan 2018 · Shadows Over England Book 2 · Baker Books

About this eBook

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I--to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won--until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't--that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

Ratings and reviews

*ROMANCE, SPIES, & THIEVES* London 1914 I really enjoyed book 2. The vimeo video is a lovely 1 minute place to start before opening the book. Search A SONG UNHEARD ~ BOOK TRAILER posted by WhiteFire TV. Willa is a big “sister” in a gang of orphan thieves. There is nothing more important than family, and they will do anything to survive and protect each other. Including, taking jobs from the mysterious Mr. V. Willa is a talented violin player, thanks to a violin she retrieved from the garbage, and a guarded woman with a chip on her shoulder. Lukas is a well-known and gifted violin player in his own right, who has recently arrived in London to escape the Germans who invaded his home town in Belgium. He is desperate to find his mother and sister, and protect his family code breaking key. When Mr. V approaches him, Lukas turns him away. So instead, the intriguing Willa is sent undercover to gain the key. Lukas is so taken with her abilities, he offers to tutor her, giving her the perfect entry into his world. But that world quickly turns far more dangerous than any job she has accepted before, and it might just cost her everything. Neither of them has any real use for God, so their faith journeys were enjoyable to watch unfold. I especially loved the way God’s voice was unique to Willa, as well as Margot. Margot: little sister to Lukas and stuck in Belgium with her mother. She is brilliant and wise, but currently under the same roof as a German Generalleutnant trying her best to survive and go unnoticed. Barclay Pearce is Willa’s older “brother”. I really like this character. He is everything you want a big brother to be, and I hope we learn more of his story in book three. Note: The Author’s Dedication is lovely: To my childhood piano teacher, Joanne Peto, who taught me that a D# could weep, an E* could sing and a melody could be Jesus to a hurting heart that would never listen to words. Tea Quote: Ch. 17 Will you have dinner with me?... Or tea – you English love your tea, n’est’ce pas? I have seen tearooms, with young couples coming and going without chaperones. This is appropriate here, I assume? I recommend using Google Translate for some of the words in the book. I found it useful for pronunciation as well. It is my privilege to be included in Roseanna M. White’s Influencer List and I received this copy for no compensation from BETHANY HOUSE PUBL. My opinion is my own. © 01-02-2018 Pages: 398 SERIES: Shadows Over England A Name Unknown – Book #1 July 2017 A Song Unheard – Book #2 January 2018 An Hour Unspent – Book #3 September 2018

My must-have in any story is multi-dimensional characters that undergo serious character development throughout the events of the story. This story did not disappoint. A Song Unheard was full of all the classic elements of a Roseanna White book: deep characters, beautiful descriptive language, humor, drama, and relationships that earn their happy ending. Willa and Lukas both start out as flawed and hurt characters. Willa, who was abandoned by both of her parents as a child, does not trust anyone outside of her adopted family of thieves. Lukas, by contrast, comes from a loving family who has always been there for him but has not fully appreciated their influence before. He struggles with guilt, Willa struggles with trust. Both of them find refuge in music and it was interesting to see the way it played into their personal journeys of faith. This book had a great cast of supporting characters as well. I enjoyed getting to read more about Barclay, the leader of Willa’s family band of thieves. He wore the roles of Big Brother and Protector very well. I look forward to reading more of his story in Book 3! I hope to see more of Margot in future books as well. I absolutely LOVED her character. Some of the most hilarious and profound quotes in the book came from her. I hope she gets her own book someday. I appreciated the way the author illustrated the way God speaks to us in ways which are uniquely meaningful to us. In the case of the main characters, it was through music. I am not what many would call a “musical person” in the sense that it is not something I live and breathe like many musicians. Even so, I was able to appreciate the parallels she drew between the creation of music and a Creator God who cares about His people. The writing contains beautiful storytelling, intriguing characters, and a profound message of God’s love. Thank you, Roseanna White, for another great read! ***I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.***

A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White is the second book in Shadows Over England series. Willa Forsythe is a thief in London in 1914. Her skills are an asset to the government. Her latest assignment is to obtain a cypher key from Lukas De Wilde, a Belgian immigrant and violinist. Lukas is currently with other Belgian refugees making up the Belgian Symphony Orchestra which is raising money for the Belgium Relief Fund. Lukas is worried about his mother and sister who are still in Belgium. Lukas was shot when he escaped because the German’s want details on his father’s work in the field of cryptography. It is rumored that his father had a device that would revolutionize the field. He needs to get them out of Belgium before they are captured. Lukas is intrigued by Willa and her natural ability with the violin. Willa is attracted to Lukas, but she knows she must betray his trust. Then Willa notices someone following Lukas. She must find that key, but what will it cost her? A Song Unheard has great characters that are well developed. The book contains good writing, but the pace is slow in the first half. A Song Unheard can be read alone. You do not need to read A Name Unknown (which tells Rosemary’s story). The author captured the time-period and area (Wales, London, Belgium). Cryptography is fascinating, and many new developments were made during World War II. Ms. White described cyphers and how they created/used in terms that a layman can understand (and did not make it boring). I did have trouble getting into the novel. The first half of the book could have used some fine tuning. The pace, flow and action pick up during the second half. It held my attention, and I was curious to discover what would happen next. The POV switched between Willa, Lukas and Margot (Lukas’ sister). We get to see how each character feels and what they are thinking. I liked the spunky and intelligent Margot. The Christian elements are incorporated nicely into the story (finding God, being a good Christian, having faith, trusting God). Readers of historical fiction will be delighted with Willa’s story in A Song Unheard.

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, designing book covers, editing, 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.