'A Portrait of Loyalty' -- book review

 

  What a smashing conclusion to this fantastic series!!  I’ve enjoyed every part of #TheCodebreakers, and each of the very distinct, very different characters that carry us through each of the three interlinked stories.  A Portrait of Loyalty was no exception!

  One of my favorite things Roseanna does so well, is introducing us early on to the POV of the antagonist, in such a way as to both drive up the tension with every snippet from their angle, and make you almost somehow sympathize with them, though you're not sure you should.

  I rarely feel like authors do this switch back and forth well, without either justifying or monster-izing (is that a word?) the antagonist.  Roseanna doesn't have that problem.  I love that she allows them to be human, even sympathetic, without excusing or glossing over their warped perspective or bent motives.  Plus she uses these scenes not to tell information, but to raise the stakes and our nerves over all the mounting complications and dangers.  Seriously SO well done.

  Zivon and Lily were fascinating characters.  I've loved seeing things through Lily's eyes, and her camera.  And as she and Zivon struggle with seeing their world in the throws of The Great War, so many perspectives and powerful things come up that really have a baring on our lives today.

  Once again, I love the codebreaking room mystery, tension, and undercover-ness (heh, did I make up another word?) that flows throughout the story.  Zivon's background is a fantastic mesh with this intriguing world.  Of course I love all the cameos from other beloved characters as they interact with or bump into our new leads.

  I struggle with 'reviews' on new books like this to know how much to tell...  But I'd rather err on the side of just telling you to definitely get into this series if you haven't already.  And if you have, you won't be disappointed with this final installment!  Here's the link to get one for yourself:

        Get your copy of 'A Portrait of Loyalty' 

Disclaimer:  I received a complimentary copy of A Portrait of Loyalty from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

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About the Book

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.

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