Once London’s top thief, Barclay Pearce has turned his back on his life of crime and now uses his skills for a nation at war. But not until he rescues a clockmaker’s daughter from a mugging does he begin to wonder what his future might hold.
Evelina Manning has constantly fought for independence, but she certainly never meant for it to inspire her fiance to end the engagement and enlist in the army. When the intriguing man who saved her returns to the Manning residence to study clockwork repair with her father, she can’t help being interested. But she soon learns that nothing with Barclay Pearce is as simple as it seems.
As 1915 England plunges ever deeper into war, the work of an ingenious clockmaker may give England an unbeatable military edge–and Germany realizes it as well. Evelina’s father soon finds his whole family in danger–and it may just take a reformed thief to steal the time they need to escape.
If you want a break from regency romances, this historical novel takes place in World War 1 and deftly balances the romance with the espionage. Slightly more romance, but that’s okay.
Evelina is a strong protagonist with a clear sense of justice and independence as she advocates for suffrage and for the female factory workers who have taken over since the men signed up, and making sure managers abide by the new workplace. Yet she is also chained by the Edwardian norms of the time in trying to find a respectable marriage, and not showcase her activism (or her limp from polio) because that would scare off her fiance.
I love seeing her come to own her values instead of bowing down to her judgemental, controlling aunt’s expectations. Come to realize she’s not broken but
I enjoyed how White didn’t make the fiance, Basil, obviously evil. Rather his breaking-off of the engagement is a rare role reversal where he breaks it because he wants to marry for love, not just because of respectability. It prompts her arc as she questions whether she is capable of love or if she’s like one of her father’s automatons, too reserved to ever feel passion. The fact she’s aware she’s more disappointed, and concerned with her mother’s reaction than heartbroken doesn’t help.
Enter the thief, Barclay Pearce. As expected for this genre, Barclay is a thief to survive and by the start of this story, he is starting to give up that life to be a spy for the Navy in hopes of transitioning to a real job. Barclay has lots going for him besides his looks. His affectionate annoyance with his adopted sisters, a strong sense of loyalty, observant skills and decisive actions, and so so supportive of Evelina. I admire his depth in regards to his real family, and their shady associations, but I found it predictable. Still, it was a meaningful parallel to Evelina’s journey of learning to cut off contact with toxic family members who’s “advice” isn’t conducive to the life he’d be happy with.
White also brings significant development to the family members like Evelina’s mom who initially appears to be a stuffy, snobby upper-class woman only concerned with reputation but White eventually reveals her heart, and comes to her daughter’s side against her sister. Barclay’s sisters were sweet, fun and I enjoyed the sibling banter they had with Barclay.
The descriptions of early 20th century London were not very immersive, but White made up for it with the war intrigue that was heart-racing.
There are Christian elements but are not preachy, but woven in realistically to the time period as the war comes closer with zeppelin bombs, and serves as a calming force for the protagonist in times of danger, and a guiding force for what they hope their lives will be after.
Although this is the third book in the trilogy, it was easy to get into the story as a stand-alone, and was interesting to learn about the mechanics of clock-making and how it was relevant to war innovations.
4 stars
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