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I enjoyed this book that took place during WWI, but did not describe the actual fighting. Uses of spies, secret codes, and carrier pigeons brought excitement to this romance, that also had a touch of the faith of Colin Mabry. ( )

This is a lovely book. The characters, setting, and time period was wonderful. I felt connected to the characters and felt their disappointments and joys as they searched for Johanna's sister and father.

This book has intrigue and romance. The characters do not know who to trust as they journey. They are not even sure if they can trust each other. The story takes us from England, through France, and then to Spain during WWI.

This is a wonderful book. I give it a high recommendation. It is Christian fiction. I found it to be clean with kissing, and non-descriptive violence. ( )

I have enjoyed all the books by Kate Breslin and this book is no exception!

This book is set in war torn Europe during WWI and it is about a woman, Johanna, who is trying to find her family. In her journey's, she meets an old friend of her sisters, Colin. Immediately, we see the sparks flying as they navigate this difficult season of life for both of them.

I really loved the mystery and suspense woven through this novel. It kept me intrigued throughout and I was anxious to see what would happen next. There are a lot of twists and turns to this story that keep the reader guessing.

I also enjoyed the historical facts that the author wove into this story. I could tell that there was a lot of research done for this story and I really enjoyed the information about how the carrier pigeon was used in war.

My favorite part of this book is how beautifully the faith of these people is woven through. Kate Breslin always does this in her book and I just love how she makes faith such an integral part of her books. I enjoyed this book so much and give it 5 stars.

*This book was provided to me by Bethany House. I received a copy of this book to review but I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations while reading this book. ( )

I haven’t read many books set in WWI so my frame of reference for Kate Breslin’s newest novel, Far Side of The Sea, was very much limited. But the author’s meticulous research filled the gaps and opened my imagination to the turbulent time. Set in England, France, and Spain, this romantic historical novel is all about spies! With agents and double agents, the main characters (and the reader) don’t know whom to trust. It is an adventure back to a time of romance, danger, and courage. Recommended.

The two main characters, Colin and Johanna, struggle with the circumstances life has handed them. Colin’s war wounds are both physical and emotional, and Johanna’s past impacts her present identity. I loved how the two together learned to face their demons, as they banded together to search for Johanna’s sister and father. Their romance begins tentatively, yet strengthens as they face adversity. The historical setting is very interesting, and I found myself saying I didn’t know that! over and over. This book sent me to Google for info on carrier pigeons and Mata Hari, two fascinating rabbit trails. The book certainly made me want to broaden my scant knowledge of WWI. The book started somewhat slowly for me, but as Colin and Johanna’s search heated up, so did my reading pace. I found myself unwilling to put the book down until I found out just what was going on. As you can guess with a book heavily populated with spies there was plenty of mystery and intrigue woven throughout. Faith is also an important part of the characters’ lives and growth and was presented naturally.

Far Side of The Sea is a good choice for fans of historical romance. And if you like an adventure fraught with danger, you’ll enjoy this novel even more.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )