Barclay Pearce has given up stealing, except when it’s for his job as a secret agent for the British government. His current project is to infiltrate the household of a clockmaker, ensure that he finishes his plan to upgrade the guns on England’s World War I aircraft, and then turn that plan over to the British government. But when Barclay meets the clockmaker’s daughter, Evelina Manning, his job becomes more intriguing…and more difficult.
Evelina’s fiance Basil has just called off the engagement. As much as he admires Evelina’s determination to fight for women’s suffrage and better conditions for factory workers, he finds her incapable of any real romantic feeling. Horrified to be thought an automaton, Evelina throws herself at Barclay Pearce, the new neighbor who has been befriending her father. But as she learns more about Barclay’s criminal past, she begins to doubt his intentions as much as she doubts her own capabilities for love. When a mysterious foreign agent steals something they both need, Barclay and Evelina must band together to get it back.
This book concludes the Shadows over England series and tells the much-anticipated story of Barclay. As the head of the family of street orphans, Barclay has always sacrificed to take care of the others. Now, he must struggle to find his own happiness with a girl who might not fit into his world. Along the way, the story of Barclay’s long lost family emerges, and Barclay must learn to trust Jesus enough to wholly abandon his old ways.
This book was a satisfying finale to a great series. Barclay has always been my favorite character of the bunch, and it was delightful to see more of his protective and honorable heart. I loved the historical details, such as the zeppelin bomb run over London, the rationing of sugar, and the trench warfare in France. The heroine, who is new to the reader, takes a little getting to used to, but her lameness from childhood polio helps one develop a sympathy for her, and her determination ends up impressing the reader as much as it does her admirers. Recommended.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rosanne E. Lortz 
So… the main protagonist in these books is a man, and the book is written by a woman. Okay. Thanks!
It’s a romance so it also has Evelina’s point of view, but I would say that for this book Barclay is more of a main character. The other two books in the series center around Barclay’s “sisters”, Rosie and Wilma and the men they fall in love with.