The Number of Love (The Codebreakers Book #1)

The Number of Love is powerful historical novel. Roseanna M. White produced a well-crafted and thoughtful novel with strong, complex characters. Margot De Wilde is a brilliant mathematician whose education was interrupted by the war. She utilizes her talents by breaking the enemy’s codes. Numbers are constantly running through her head and some of them are vitally important. She relies on facts instead of emotions and pours herself into her work. Drake Elton is a naval lieutenant whose background makes him a perfect field agent for the intelligence services. Drake has a big heart and Margot is never far from his thoughts since the moment they met. Drake has an enemy following him who performs missions, but he also has his own agenda. The author did her research for this book. I like how she incorporated the historical information from the Great War along with Room 40 with the codebreakers and the work of the field agents. Faith was an integral part of the story and our character’s lives. I appreciated that Barclay, Willa, Lukas and other characters from Shadows Over England series were included in the story. The vivid and detailed descriptions allowed me to visualize the characters and scenes. I would have liked a little more action which would have added a little more spark to the story. The Number of Love is an intriguing and captivating historical novel with suspense, romance, friendship, mystery, faith and family.

I enjoyed reading this book! It did take me a bit longer than normal though. It is filled with great, complex characters that I needed to take my time getting to know, savoring the words of each page. The action is both intense and subtle, I didn't want to miss even the smallest detail. The heroine, Margot De Wilde loves numbers! She finds comfort in numbers, she speaks to and hears God in numbers. It took me a little while to get used to her way of thinking but once I did, I loved her. She is one of the most unique characters I've ever read. Margot is extremely logical, she is brilliant. She is not like other girls/women and has a difficult time relating to most of them. I loved that she was able to make friends with Dot. They helped each other get along in the world. I thought Margot was very brave after her Mother died and the numbers no longer spoke to her as they once did. She has a certain determination about her that is appealing. The hero, Drake Elton is intrigued by the girl by the witty girl with the "impossibly dark eyes." She invades his thoughts far too often. He is an outstanding agent in the field. I really liked him as a person. I loved how he figured out a way to woo Margot, in the best way she would understand. The cameo appearances by a few beloved characters warmed this readers heart. There is much more to say but I don't want to give spoilers. I can't wait to see who's story will be told next!

Having been introduced to Margot in A Song Unheard, I already knew I loved the heroine and was excited to read her story. I love Margot's quick wit, sarcasm, and her no-nonsense-cut-to-the-heart-of-it attitude towards life. I love the way she sees glimpses of God in the order and precision of mathematics and numbers. She prays using numbers and God speaks to her in numbers. I love the idea that God speaks to us all in ways we are most likely to hear him. For some that may be stories and literature, for others, it may be science and mathematics. Margot's mathematical intelligence and strictly logical way of looking at things make her good at her job of codebreaking, and provide a different perspective to her friends and family. However, they also limit her worldview because she puts up barriers to anything she determines as sentimental and feelings-oriented. Margot doesn't do feelings, she does numbers. She prays in numbers, she makes decisions based on their probability and logic. Feelings are messy and unpredictable. Numbers are orderly and consistent. Everything has to make sense. So when the rug gets pulled out from under her with an unexpected death, she finds herself scrambling to make sense of her world, and trying to keep those messy unpredictable and unfathomable feelings at bay. The romance in this book was very slow moving. I was honestly a little worried for Drake, because Margot was a tough nut to crack. As adamant as she was against relationships and love, I wasn't sure how he was going to crack her shell in a way that would be satisfactory for the reader AND believable for her character. But of course, this is a historical romance, so you KNOW he eventually succeeds, and how he does it is so, so sweet. I enjoyed the unique approach to their relationship. The two of them made a fantastic team. In spite of the fact that she claims to eschew feelings, she has a very loving heart which is revealed in her relationships with her friends and family as well as her enemies. Her detail-oriented mind picks up on things most others would overlook, including pieces of someone's heart and character. Once she sees something of value in a person, she does her best to bring it out, even if they hide behind a mask. Readers who have read the Ladies of the Manor series they will have a nice surprise as they revisit some old friends, and also enjoy a fantastic cast of new supporting characters, my favorite of which is Camden. I enjoyed the scenes where his surly attitude met with Margot's sharp wit and list of threats. I look forward to reading his story in book two. ***I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. ***