Portrait of Love, by Roseanna M. White, brings The Codebreakers series to a conclusion. Lily Blackwell, daughter of Captain Blackwell, has been secretly working with her father at England's Intelligence Division. Zivon Marin, a Russian cryptographer who fled the horrors in his homeland, has also joined the team. As you move forward on the pages of Portrait of Love, you will see all of the former characters of The CodeBreakers series work together in the infamous Room 40 to bring an end to the war!

As Lily works hard using her skills with photography, her feelings toward her new co-worker seem to move her in a direction she never expected. You see Zivon trying to adjust to this new land, as he also must deal with great losses he has left behind in Russia. When you witness Lily also experience an unexpected loss, you see Lily and Zivon drawn together in their mutual pain!

This tale becomes full of action, on the final pages, as you attempt to put all the pieces of this story together!

A blessing. That is what The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano is, a blessing. It is a story of true love, most especially about the truest, the love of and for God. It is also about the power of words, their power to wound and destroy, and their power to heal and restore. It is a story of surrendering one's dreams to God, exchanging good for best. My heart will choose to dwell in this book a while longer even though I've read the last word; my soul clings to the wisdom within its covers.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

What a phenomenal book this is! I love novels that take place in musty, Victorian mansions—bursting with secrets, unrequited and recently discovered love, and a vast array of intriguing characters. The plot is as twisty as the winding staircase at Crestwicke Manor, as a love note written for one person ends up in the hands of each occupant...causing confusion, thrills, hope, and even discouragement to some. And that's the amazing power of words—we must be careful how we use them!

Joanna Davidson Politano is an exquisite wordsmith, whose lovely poetic prose has the capability to evoke powerful emotions in the reader. Especially mine!

"To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement." Saint Augustine of Hippo (Quote taken from 'The Love Note')

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*

I really struggled with this one. I just did not find it to be an engaging read at all. With my historical romances, I need them to be either meticulous and genuine or the absolute cheesiest. Like, a fondu pot of cheese - cheesy. Unfortunately, The Love Note fit neither of these styles. The story premise itself is really interesting, and I'd loved to have read it if it had fallen just a little more towards a discernable style. As is, I think this book would be an enjoyable hour movie - funny with a bit of heartfelt introspection on the side. As a book, though, it's a miss for me.

An enchanting Victorian era tale, with a Gothic mystery feel and a unique plot. Good intentions go awry when a young woman takes a nursing assignment with the motive of solving a mystery surrounding a forgotten love letter.

"I'd come to uncover a single broken love story and encountered a house full of brokenness and unsettled hearts longing for a safe place to land."

This was an intriguing story, with unpredictable twists and turns. I enjoyed trying to figure out along with Willa who had written the note and where it was going to end up. Though her letter ends up in many different hands, causing a sort of tragedy of errors, her good intentions bring interesting results in her own life, as well as others. Her presence in the the dark Crestwicke Manor brings light to the dysfunctional family there--a different sort of healing than what she was anticipating.

Some of the characters were downright loveable--like quirky, wise old Aunt Maisie--and others seemed bitter, sad and lost. There were some beautiful, moving moments, like epiphanies, involving faith and surrender. The romantic thread is present, with a slowly building tension that culminates into a sighworthy scene. Truly worth the wait.
"Matched souls always find their way back to one another, for they seek refuge in the same place."

Recommend for readers who like historical mysteries with inspiration and a thread of romance.
4.5 stars

(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)

A stunningly woven tale of love, faith, and secrets from Joanna Politano! The Love Note is a delightfully tangled web of intersecting stories that made me cry, laugh, gasp, and hope.

From the first pages, I was hooked. Willa is such an interesting, thoughtful narrator, and her perspective is beautifully told. Normally I tend to become exasperated by books with more than two points of view, but with Willa as the grounding narrator, I never felt as though I was being tossed around too much or with no purpose inside the minds of the other characters. In fact, this story would not be as powerful without the occasional glimpses into the minds of the supporting characters. Each character is uniquely affected by the love note, and seeing the havoc and joy it perpetuated in each person’s life was thrilling.

The Love Note is beautifully told. It’s simply breathtaking. Readers must not miss Politano’s latest masterpiece!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a great way to weave a single love note left long ago, tucked in an old desk, into an incredible story. Joanna Politano has woven together a delightful, though at times painful and thought-provoking story. This note that Willa found, she brings with her to Crestwicke estate to try to find the owner of the love note. It continues to get lost and fall into many hands in this great home and little by little begins to change the lives of all who read it. You have to read to the very end to find out who wrote the note. I highly recommend this read!!

A letter cloaked in mystery. A daring student of medicine. And a house full of hurting people in need of love.

This unusual story drew me in with all its mysterious facets. But my biggest question was always: Would the love note ever be delivered to the one for whom it was written?

In a style that reminded me a bit of George MacDonald's novels, The Love Note took some unexpected twists and didn't wrap up all the loose ends for every character. I wanted to re-read it immediately just to see if there were sub-plot hints I'd missed in my haste to find out what happened.

But The Love Note left me pondering the power of words. Truly, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." (Proverbs 18:21).

(Disclosure: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions are my own.)

Lovely as expected.

The Love Note is set in 1859 England. Willa is an independent young woman and aspires to be a doctor, very rare and difficult to obtain in this time. Her father just wants to see her taken care of through marriage and is incredibly frustrated with Willa after she turns down her fourth marriage proposal.

Willa discovers a beautifully written love note and takes a position in the home referenced in it as a nurse for a cantankerous woman in the later years of life. She hopes to find the intended recipient of the letter. Through this letter, we find broken people and missed opportunities to share feelings.

I especially enjoyed the quotes leading into each chapter such as this one:
"The quickest way to repair a broken heart is to use it." - A scientist's observation on love

The only thing that struck me as disjointed was the beginning chapters show humor that wasn't present in the majority of the novel. Overall, a wonderful novel about love.

The setting for this read is Victorian England, and we are given a smart, strong young woman, Willa Duvall, who dreams of becoming a doctor! Then we meet the Gresham's and end up at Crestwicke Manor, and we try to follow the trail of a lost, but found, love letter.
With a lot and I mean a lot of twists and turns to find whom wrote the letter and to whom it was written, we find out a lot about these characters and their love life.
It took me a bit to really get into this story, but I was glad I stayed, a lot of human nature and assumptions play out, and surprises to abound, maybe there is a lot of love just waiting to be gathered!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

The Love Note was fantastic. It had several twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Things were definitely not as they seemed in several places. I loved that each character seemed to get a full storyline without being too much or too little. As a lover of great stories, I never want them to end as long as they are holding my interest so I wouldn't have minded more but each character got a satisfying ending.
Willa has dreams of becoming a doctor and helping her father build up a facility that would help all people, not just the rich but her father wants her to get married instead. She has turned down several suitors before her exasperated father makes her sign a contract stating that if she doesn't succeed at 1 nursing assignment she would marry whoever he deemed worthy of her. Willa chooses a family that she has known since childhood based on a love letter she found in a desk that was given to her years before. What follows is her quest to heal hearts and bodies that live in the Crestline Manor.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book for my honest opinion.

I was surprised how much I really enjoyed The Love Note . I’m not normally a romance novel enthusiast, however despite its title, this book was about a lot more than romance and I highly recommend it.

Follow the mystery and intrigue of a letter lost and found and how the contents can apply to so many people giving very different responses and interpretations.

And discover, along with Willa, the source and value of love.

I received a free digital galley of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion. I would absolutely purchase this book for myself.

When Willa finds a love note in a desk, she sets out to find it's intended recipient. It gets mislaid along the way and others find it and interpret it differently. It's a great story that shows the power of words to change a life whether for good or bad. I enjoyed the references to Longfellow and his work.

Willa and Gabe are wonderful characters. Gabe's unassuming, protective love and friendship is a thing of beauty. Willa describes him, "There was always something of God in Gabe's words, it seemed--eternal truth leaked out when he opened his mouth" (location 873).
Willa is passionate about becoming a doctor and has a way of bringing hope and life to others. Things change when she's around.

There was so much brokenness in this family. Yet the thread of hope and love pervades. It's a beautiful story that makes you want to go say the things you should have said. I'd highly recommend it.

Thank you to Revell for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Joanna Davidson Politano has written another excellent Christian Fiction novel. It has a good story line, likable characters, and a mystery that makes the reader feel that they must finish the book to find out the ending.

I loved the character of Willa. She is smart, capable, and loyal to those she loves. She is desperate to break into a man's only world and become a doctor. Thwarted at every turn in her plans, she takes a position as a nurse. And that's where the story really begins.

I enjoyed reading The Love Note and I think you will too!

The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano is an exquisite tale that speaks to anyone who has longed for love.

It all begins with an unopened letter found in the corner of a desk by our main character Willa Duvall. Willa wants to be a doctor and has turned down at least four marriage proposals pursuing her goal. The odds are not in her favour considering she lives in the year 1859. Determined to find the note's owner and knowing that the desk came from Crestwicke Manor, Willa takes a job there as a nurse to one Golda Gresham. Her purpose is twofold - prove to her father she could pursue a career in medicine by effectively treating and healing Golda Gresham and find the writer of the love note to let them know how much they were loved. Unfortunately, her plans go awry when she loses the note.


As the note circulates throughout Crestwicke Manor, we are introduced to more characters. Each one is somehow touched by the letter's words, believing it was written for them or about someone else. Chaos quite naturally ensues. But not in a humorous way as you'd expect in a book of this nature. Each person that encounters the note and its exquisite words begins to change for the better. As Willa sees the changes around her, she loathes telling those touched by it that the note is not meant for them.

Words are powerful in this book, and the words of love uttered toward the end seem more directed at the reader than at Willa. I'm willing to bet that was the intent, which makes this love note that changed the lives of the characters in this book, something that could ultimately change the life of the reader.

I highly recommend it!

I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through NetGalley.

The Love Note is a bit of an odd book, but in a good way. I did not know what to expect, really, when I picked this up, except that I had enjoyed one of Politano’s prior books, and the blurb sounded intriguing. So I was excited to have this book take me for a ride.

I love that the focus is so much on the note and finding out both about the writer and its intended recipient. While the story focuses largely on Willa’s perspective and her journey to love, it also dips into others’ heads and you see the impact the letter has on them. POV switching can be jarring, especially if not done with great care, so I like that Politano did take the time to flesh out all her characters and make it so the story flowed well in spite of these shifts. While I did still find it a bit odd at times, I wasn’t ever lost.

And I really liked Willa and Gabe‘s own journey toward finding happiness with one another. Both are very compelling characters. I liked Willa’s ambition for a career over marriage, and Gabe has a sort of quiet, understated affection that I really appreciate, given the tendency toward big, bold, and brooding.

This was a delightfully original sweet historical romance, and one I think will delight many fans of the genre.

💌☆WOW☆💌

Set in England 1859

¤ Gabe is quiet and strong in character; especially likable.

¤ Willa is finding her way, determined to better herself and become a doctor in an age where it's practically unheard of.

This book is fantastic. I believe it's my 1st time reading this author & I could not be more pleased. I read it straight through in 1 day and I highly recommend it.

I had suspicions about who wrote the mysterious love note, but I was wrong which is a nice surprise. I enjoyed getting to know these characters on a deep level and the author does a wonderful job painting a picture both with rich detail and similes told in first person. Faith is warm and enriching to the story as well.

¤ "To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement. Saint Augustine of Hippo"

¤ "Sovereignty— The sovereignty of God is a thing of utter beauty. But like any good piece of art, to fully appreciate its magnitude, one must step back and drink it in as a whole, seeing how the brushstrokes of little everyday occurrences all combine to create a larger picture. Blessed are those who have the opportunity to do so this side of heaven." - from the delightful and wise Aunt Maisie.

¤ In reference to Aunt Maisie, "She reminded me of an aged fairy that flitted about, never truly having to land her feet in the real world. Not anymore, at least. That was the beauty of age, it seemed, if there was any."

¤ "My words . . . they’re still wrong, Aunt Maisie.”“Because they’re yours.”She hobbled close and rested a crooked hand on my arm. “Make your heart a deep well of the Almighty by saturating yourself in his presence, and your words will come out drenched in him no matter what you say. I can promise you, no matter how many brilliant things you have to say, he has better ones.” I really liked that. Good advice for us all.

TEA QUOTE: “You’ll find your patient takes tea at half past three, two sugars and the red-and-gold filigree cup. She loves red, by the way, and if you don’t care for the color, you’d best develop a speedy appreciation for it."

HIGHLY RECOMMEND
I was gifted an eVersion of the book by NetGalley & the publisher. All opinions are my own without compensation or expectation.

(5 🌟) HIGHLY RECOMMEND
© 10/20/2020

If not already done, reviews will be posted closer to the release date to my blog, AMZN, B&N, BAM, CBD, Goodreads, Google Play Books, KOBO, & Pinterest.

This story is captivating! Ms. Politano has written a very unusual love story. While Willa is pursuing her dream of a medical career, which was unknown in the mid 1800's, she finds herself on another journey of self-discovery, one that involves the discovery of a real, lasting authentic love. A letter and its message of love takes her to Crestwicke Manor where she finds the letter inadvertently touches the residents in varied ways, exposing vulnerabilities and broken relationships.

Ms. Politano skillfully weaves several subplots within a masterpiece of friendship, family and love. Her unique voice and beautiful prose quietly present a story that provokes deep thought, leaving the reader to ponder the legacy our spoken and written words leave behind.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Revell and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book.
I liked this story, but did not love it. It is a Victorian Mystery set in 1865. Willa Duvall, who has her heart set on being a doctor instead of getting married, finds an unopened love letter in the crack of an old writing desk. She gets a job as a nurse at Crestwicke Manor to try to find out who wrote the mysterious letter. Along the way, things go wrong and the secondary characters become involved in finding the owner of the letter. At times, this story dragged a little for me. I found it hard to connect to the characters, especially Willa-she seemed a little stuck on herself and seemed to have trouble finding love when it was right in her face. Recommend if you like Gothic Mysteries..

I really enjoyed reading The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano!
There are tips/quotes at the top of each chapter by "a scientist's observation on love." They made me giggle and also take a moment to think about it!
Willa just wants to be understood and valued for being her. This includes her scientific knowledge, love for learning and desire to help people. She finds a mysterious note in her desk and goes on a life changing mission to find the people involved in the letter. I love her spunk and determination throughout the whole book! The anticipation and excitement as she is headed off on her journey is so cute. The author always does a great job of making things mysterious without being creepy. Building suspense and getting you on board with wanting to know the answers right along with the characters is the author's specialty!
Each person's reaction to the letter is intriguing and how they get a hold of it is different. Who knew one letter could make such a mess! Aunt Maise makes me laugh... I just love funny older people that have quick wit in books!
Overall The Love Note is such a great book! I love all of Joanna Davidson Politano's books and this is no exception! Mysterious and adorable story!