The Number of Love
Series: The Codebreakers #1
Author: Roseanna M. White
Year: 2019
My Rating: ★★
Official Synopsis
Three years into the Great War, England's greatest asset is their intelligence network--field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren't enough.
Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy who just won't give up. He's smitten quickly by the intelligent Margot, but how can he convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life's answers lie in the heart?
Amid biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save themselves from the very secrets that brought them together.
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Unfortunately, The Number of Love failed. I loved the first half and then spent the last half in deep-rooted confusion and frustration. The heroine, Margot, is presented as an asexual character who values academia but ends up falling in love. I know an asexual woman and that's not how it works so that aspect of the character troubled me. She should have either been designed differently or allowed to not fall in love. It's not that I disliked the hero, Drake. I do like him, quite a lot, but their romance felt awkward the moment it began heating up and I just could not force myself to believe it. There was no suspension of disbelief whatsoever.
There is also a serious character age issue. Apparently, Margot is seventeen, but she has the personality of a much older woman, at least in her mid-twenties. Having her be a teenager did not work, not even for a WWI era novel.
And finally, the use of Catholic characters but accidental (or intentional) misrepresentation of the rosary frustrated not only me but also a Catholic Goodreads friend of mine who was deeply upset.
On a positive note, the romance between Drake's sister Dot and Red is darling. I'm so proud of Dot for forcing herself outside her comfort zone. That can be a challenge for people who suffer from anxiety. Red is a very sweet and kind war veteran missing one of his feet. I appreciated his introduction and then how he became a secondary character when I wasn't actually expecting that of him. He and Dot are an ideal match, and I wish the book had focused on their relationship instead of on Drake and Margot.
The faith elements are also strong. Margot undergoes a bit of a crisis of faith due to the death of a loved one. God has always spoken to her in patterns of numbers, and she finds His voice has gone silent. So she has to work through her own rage and resentment before she's able to reconnect with God. Drake also spends quite a bit of time praying, although I did experience more of a disconnect with his faith when his romantic interest in Margot triggered and the topic of his prayers began changing.
In the end, I rated the book two stars, one for the character of Margot who I love when she's not implausibly in love, and one for the writing style, which continues to be exemplary.
I may or may not read book two in The Codebreaker series since I disliked Philip Camden in this book and he will be the male lead in the sequel.
I can see why you it made you furious, it's just too bad if you love her other books but clearly, the author hasn't done her homework here...
ReplyDeleteYes, there was a definite lacking in this one. Her first series is brilliant, imo, but this is her third series and it just did not click and I'm not hopeful for book two since I already loathe the male lead she'll be using. It might just be that she's done so much with WWI that she needs to move on to a different era.
DeleteI think I just hit the wrong review here! But on the other hand, love your honesty and thorough descriptions. I am going to have a look at a few of your other reviews as well!
ReplyDeleteElza Reads
I know, believe me. I think part of my problem with this book is that I've really enjoyed all of her other books so I hold her to a higher standard. She's a good writer, I just don't know how she went so wrong with this one. One of the things I didn't mention and should have (will probably go back and edit the review) is that she incorporates Christian faith beautifully into this book. I appreciate that aspect of her writing, very, very much. I wish I wasn't so reluctant to try the second book in the series. I just cannot stand that male lead. He was introduced in this book and he is not a nice man. I'm sure he must undergo some transformation, but yikes. Oh well.
DeleteYou made me realize that I need to add some positive thoughts to my review, because there were a few things that I deeply liked and appreciated. So I've done a little bit of editing and I think it's a tad kinder than my first draft.
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