In Love's Time by Kate Breslin

 

Genre: Historical Fiction
Period: WW1 Britain and Russia

In the summer of 1918, Captain Marcus Weatherford arrives in Russia on a secret mission, with a beautiful ballerina posing as his fiancée. Marcus searches for the Romanov Tsarina and her son--who both allegedly survived the murdering Bolsheviks--and the information behind an allied plot to assassinate Lenin. But Marcus's sense of duty battles his desire to return home to Clare--his actual love.

Hospital orderly Clare Danner still suffers from Marcus's betrayal and now fears losing her daughter to the heartless family who took Daisy away from Clare once before, but only Marcus can provide the critical proof needed to save her daughter.

Faced with danger and unexpected circumstances, can Clare trust Marcus, or will he shatter her world yet again?

 

                                                    Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

 This novel got off to a strong start, kind of lagged towards the middle, and ended very well. My main problem was that I could not remember all the characters: which is my bad. Marcus Weatherford has been in several of them, but it has been years since I read Not By Sight, which I understand this is the Follow Up to. I need to re-read that, and then this.

There's plenty of romance and intrigue, and some interesting details about woman working as nurses during WW1, as well as the way battlefield injuries were being dealt with. Not just physical, but also mental injuries: Marcus is suffering from amnesia as well as what we would probably now recognize as PTSD. Understanding of this condition was in its infancy in 1918: which is to say almost non-existent.

The details about spying and the political situation worked well in the background took me ages to realize the copy of Pride and Prejudice was being used as a sort of signal.

I really liked Marcus, Clare, and Marcus’ sister, Frannie. This was a lovely story of second chance romance, love, and forgiveness. I would recommend this to those who like WW1 novels and historical fiction but would recommend starting with the first book as this one doesn't work so well as a standalone since there is a lot of background for the protagonists which the first book explores.

Thanks to Bethany House for approving my request for this title. All opinions are freely given and entirely my own.