Sunday, February 18, 2018

Fiction Review: A Song Unheard

Roseanna M. White seems to become a greater author with every book of hers I read. I missed out on the first book in her "Shadows Over England" series, and now I feel compelled to go and buy it.

In "A Song Unheard," the romance is never rushed and the plot development is laid out at a perfect pace. The banter between characters often made me chuckle, and the slight suspense was just enough to bring the story to a satisfying conclusion.

Willa Forsythe is the best of thieves, assigned to find a hidden "key" to breaking cryptic codes during World War I. The key belongs to violinist Lukas De Wilde, left behind by his father, and it does not turn out to be where you expect. Lukas has escaped Belgium, but eagerly seeks to find and save his family from the terrors of the German army. Meanwhile, Willa has another hidden talent that connects her with Lukas: the violin. Of course, with her street smarts, Willa would never fall for a man like Lukas. And Lukas, once a playboy of sorts, finds a change in heart, both from the war and from meeting Willa.

The spiritual themes here feel natural, too. Willa with her self-dependence and Lukas with his fickle past both face a deep need for God and the question of where God is in the midst of suffering. Other minor characters, such as the German commander staying with Lukas' family, give the reader extra perspective on the facets of war and the conscience.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.