A Name Unknown

"Rosemary Gresham may have been a thief, but she was a thief who preferred to work in broad daylight."

I love reading the first sentence in any novel. Most of the time it gives the reader some insight into how this novel will evolve and A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White is no exception. This is the first novel in the Shadows Over England series and one that I am sure most Edwardian Romance fans will absolutely LOVE! Rosemary Gresham is definitely a professional in her trade, that being one of many thieves that prey upon those in the upper class, in order to not only make a living, but so they can put food on the table of a group of similar young thieves that work London's streets. Most of the time, they are hired out by those looking to gain some advantage or to resolve some slight that they feel needs to be recompensed and her group of wayward thieves is more than happy to assist.

Her latest assignment is to prove Peter Holstein is not what he appears as he has the King's ear and many believe his ties with German began when his mother married his father and secured a place and a notoriety among the upper class in London. Now with the threat of war on the horizon with Germany playing a pivotal role, there are some that want to prove Peter's alliances, however innocent, do not lie with London. So Rosemary has been tasked to uncover proof that Peter is loyal to Germany and the price to be paid is so great, she would be a complete fool to pass it up.

She blends into Peter's household under the guise of being a librarian hired out by one of Peter's contacts to help restore his former library to its glory again. As of yet, it simply remains a hoarder's paradise with more books on the floor and every available space than is on the overly full shelves. Peter needs her assistance to locate documentation about his family, but doesn't share the real reason why he needs that documentation. Is Peter truly a German spy living in the midst of London or is he simply an innocent man looking to prove his loyalty to London before war sets in?

I received A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. I absolutely love Rosemary's character because she can justify her shady dealings to help the local street urchins who are orphans and in need of help. She can read people perfectly and knows more about them than they initially share with her. She finds herself at odds the more she grows to know Peter and understands why his stuttering makes him a bit of a recluse in his small town. It gives way to suspicions by the local townspeople that Peter is truly hiding something and thus the need to prove where his loyalties stand in the face of a war on the horizon. I easily give this a 4 out of 5 stars and shows that sometimes our name is not all what people might be willing to believe.

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A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

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