Far Side of the Sea by Kate Breslin

In spring 1918, Lieutenant Colin Mabry, a British soldier working with MI8 after suffering injuries on the front, receives a message by carrier pigeon. It is from Jewel Reyer, the woman he once loved and who saved his life--a woman he believed to be dead. Traveling to France to answer her urgent summons, he desperately hopes this mission will ease his guilt and restore the courage he lost on the battlefield.

Colin is stunned, however, to discover the message came from Jewel's half sister, Johanna. Johanna, who works at a dovecote for French Army Intelligence, found Jewel's diary and believes her sister is alive in the custody of a German agent. With spies everywhere, Colin is skeptical of Johanna, but as they travel across France and Spain, a tentative trust begins to grow between them.

When their pursuit leads them straight into the midst of a treacherous plot, danger and deception turn their search for answers into a battle for their lives.

I enjoyed reading this book.  It started out rather slow as it was setting the stage for the trip to Paris.  Once they got to Paris the pace picked up considerable.  As the plot unfolded, I had trouble figuring out who was the good guys were.  It kept me guessing for quite a while.  They mystery was well woven throughout the book.  The characters were likeable.  Although Johanna used deceit to get Colin to meet her in Paris, all she wanted to do was find her father.  Colin was still recovering from the trauma he experienced on the war front.  Today we would call it PTDS.  He was still very self conscious of not having a hand.  I would recommend this book to those who like a good mystery.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

The Unexpected Champion by Mary Connealy

City dweller John McCall never expected to be out in the High Sierras of 1868 on a wild-goose chase to find the Chiltons' supposedly lost grandson. But now that he's out here, things have gotten even more complicated, mostly due to wildcat Penny Scott. She's not like any woman he's ever met--comfortable in the woods, with a horse, and with a gun.

When Penny and John are taken against their will by a shadowy figure looking for evidence they don't have, both realize they've stumbled into something dangerous and complicated. With their friends and family desperately searching for them, Penny and John must make a daring escape.

When they emerge back into the real world, they are confronted with a kidnapper who just won't stop. They must bring a powerful, ruthless man to justice, even as this city man and country woman fight a very inconvenient attraction to each other.

What a great book to end the series.  All Penny wants to do is build her cabin on her homestead.  John wants to find the little boy he's been hired to find and get back east. The only problem is that along the way he runs into outlaws who our out to kill Penny and her family.  John kills the outlaw.  Now he is on the hit list of the outlaws brother.   Penny knows her way around the west.  Being a Pinkerton, John has good detective skills.  When the two meet they butt heads.  In typical Ms. Connealy form humor and mystery were interlaced throughout the book.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in anyway. 

A Return of Devotion by Kristi Ann Hunter

Daphne Blakemoor was perfectly happy living in her own secluded world for twelve years. She had everything she needed--loved ones, a true home, and time to indulge her imagination. But when ownership of the estate where she works as a housekeeper passes on, and the new marquis has an undeniable connection to her past, everything she's come to rely upon is threatened.

William, Marquis of Chemsford's main goal in life is to be the exact opposite of his father. Starting a new life in the peace and quiet of the country sounds perfect until his housekeeper turns his life upside down.

They've spent their lives hiding from the past. Can they find the courage to face their deepest wounds and, perhaps, find a new path for the future together?

Daphne is hiding from the world around her.  She made a mistake in her youth that she is still paying for.  William is not your normal Marquis.  He loves peace and quiet.   When he arrives at his new home he is surprised by how it is run and the lack of staff.  Daphne Being the housekeeper makes that very difficult to do.

I liked the book.  But there seem to be a lot of fluff mixed in with the story.  Daphne liked to imagine how life could be and a lot of time was spent on her imaginations.  Sometimes it seemed to go on and on.  The story between Daphne and William was good.   I enjoyed how they worked out their problems.  If William had been a typical Marquis, things would not have worked out well for Daphne. This was the second book in the series.  It isn't necessary to read the first book.  But it would be helpful so you could understand some of the things mentioned in book 2.  I look forward to reading Jess's story.  Hers could be quite interesting.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.