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War of Loyalties
April, 1917. A ring of German spies threatens the coastal town of Folkestone, England. Newly-recruited agent Ben Dorroll must uncover which British citizens are traitors to their country. When his first attempt at espionage falls prey to a trap laid by German sympathizers, the security of the British Secret Service is threatened. Feeling lost in a strange country and aching for a steady place to call home, he wants to resign and go back to his medical practice in America. But success means his first chance at winning the respect of the father he’s never met. And when he learns that his family identity holds the key to capturing the spy ring, Ben has no choice but to unite with the mysterious Jaeryn Graham so that the truth can be discovered.
In the aftermath of the Irish Rebellion, Jaeryn Graham's British colleagues look warily on his Irish background. Always up for a challenge, he thinks his a new mission in the Secret Service should be an opportunity to prove his prowess. But after an encounter with death and alienating two agents, he finds the road to victory isn't as easy as he thought. Unless he can win the loyalties of his newest assistant, Ben Dorroll, his secret ambitions and his perfect success record will be destroyed.
In the aftermath of the Irish Rebellion, Jaeryn Graham's British colleagues look warily on his Irish background. Always up for a challenge, he thinks his a new mission in the Secret Service should be an opportunity to prove his prowess. But after an encounter with death and alienating two agents, he finds the road to victory isn't as easy as he thought. Unless he can win the loyalties of his newest assistant, Ben Dorroll, his secret ambitions and his perfect success record will be destroyed.
750 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2017
1 person is currently reading
105 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 25, 2019
What a scrumptious epic of a spy story! It’s set in WW1 in small-town England, and the scenery is lush and raw—you can practically feel the dark nights and the fogs. The unique take on a spy story in a small town during war is really neat; young agent Ben is a new doctor and a married man whose wife craves a stable life with children. His mysterious colleague Jaeryn, Irish and conflicted, is at his own crossroads while he decides how to deal with the new young spy assigned to him. Does Jaeryn have the conscience to do the right thing? Does Ben have the nerve to follow through as a spy?
The intrigues and murders come thick and heavy and there are major plot twists in just about every chapter. You’ll be rooting hard for both men even while wondering which of them will survive and if either of them have what it takes to succeed. I think my favorite character was Ben’s wife Charlotte and I really wanted her to find her happiness despite everything going on.
I can’t wait for book number two and hope it comes out very soon (and also has as many delicious pages as this one does!)
The intrigues and murders come thick and heavy and there are major plot twists in just about every chapter. You’ll be rooting hard for both men even while wondering which of them will survive and if either of them have what it takes to succeed. I think my favorite character was Ben’s wife Charlotte and I really wanted her to find her happiness despite everything going on.
I can’t wait for book number two and hope it comes out very soon (and also has as many delicious pages as this one does!)
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December 6, 2017 Ooohhh...
June 22, 2018
I started this book in February while sick with the flu. It was engaging at first and then as I reached the middle to end of part one, I started getting bogged down. I felt like there wasn't a clear goal or plot (or if there was, I couldn't follow it) and that I was missing some of the nuances or subtext in a lot of the characters’ interactions. I ended up setting it aside for the time. While I do think there are some pacing/plot problems in the middle of part one, I do want to highlight that I was really sick while I was reading it and I think that definitely affected my ability to follow the plot and engage with the characters. This has happened with other books when I'm sick.
Moral of the story: if you have a bad case of the flu, only read fluff books or books you don't mind getting ruined. xD
ANYWAY. Thankfully, I stopped reading it when I was sick so the whole thing wasn't ruined for me. I decided to pick it up again last week, and I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed part two immensely—I honestly couldn't put the book down once I started reading it again. I felt like there was a clear goal (not that it was simplistic, far from it, but just that I could understand overall what the characters needed to accomplish), and I became really invested in the characters. I loved the suspense and the twists and turns—for me it was the perfect combination of complex and intriguing without totally losing me. Even more, I loved how the ethical dilemmas each character faces were woven into the fast-paced plot.
Other things I enjoyed about it: the lovely writing; the perfect balance of dialogue, description, and action; and most of all, how it presented various moral dilemmas and made me ponder how I would have acted in that situation without being preachy at all. (I hate preachiness and this book wasn't that way at all THANK YOU.)
Characters and themes are my favorite parts of stories, which is probably why I liked this book so much. They both were handled well. The characters felt alive and true to themselves (particularly in part two; they didn't feel quite as fleshed out in part one to me). I never felt like any of them did something just to advance the author’s agenda or the themes. The themes flowed out of the characters struggling in honest ways with tough problems, instead of the characters serving a set theme, if that makes sense.
Conclusion: whether it was my sickness or some actual issues with the book, part one was tough to get through in places but once I did, I fell in love with the story and characters. If you want real, complex characters, adventure and suspense, and a fascinating historical setting, this book is for you. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment and can't wait to see these characters again.
Moral of the story: if you have a bad case of the flu, only read fluff books or books you don't mind getting ruined. xD
ANYWAY. Thankfully, I stopped reading it when I was sick so the whole thing wasn't ruined for me. I decided to pick it up again last week, and I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed part two immensely—I honestly couldn't put the book down once I started reading it again. I felt like there was a clear goal (not that it was simplistic, far from it, but just that I could understand overall what the characters needed to accomplish), and I became really invested in the characters. I loved the suspense and the twists and turns—for me it was the perfect combination of complex and intriguing without totally losing me. Even more, I loved how the ethical dilemmas each character faces were woven into the fast-paced plot.
Other things I enjoyed about it: the lovely writing; the perfect balance of dialogue, description, and action; and most of all, how it presented various moral dilemmas and made me ponder how I would have acted in that situation without being preachy at all. (I hate preachiness and this book wasn't that way at all THANK YOU.)
Characters and themes are my favorite parts of stories, which is probably why I liked this book so much. They both were handled well. The characters felt alive and true to themselves (particularly in part two; they didn't feel quite as fleshed out in part one to me). I never felt like any of them did something just to advance the author’s agenda or the themes. The themes flowed out of the characters struggling in honest ways with tough problems, instead of the characters serving a set theme, if that makes sense.
Conclusion: whether it was my sickness or some actual issues with the book, part one was tough to get through in places but once I did, I fell in love with the story and characters. If you want real, complex characters, adventure and suspense, and a fascinating historical setting, this book is for you. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment and can't wait to see these characters again.
May 16, 2024
He had been reluctant to come in the first place because it delayed his plans, but what he had come to had proved to be not so very different, and perhaps a little better, than what he had left behind.
Summary
Two spies--one experienced, the other inexperienced; one ambitious, the other principled; one secretive, the other forthcoming; one wealthy, the other struggling to keep up financially; one Irish, the other American--are forced to work together to expose German sympathizers in a small British town during WWI. The task may ruin both of them.
My Thoughts
This was quite a change of pace from my usual reading. For starters, this book is massive--at 700+ pages long, it might be the longest non-Bible/non-Sanderson book I've ever tackled. It was also a bit slower paced that the books I typically prefer, but I didn't mind. Somehow it kept me interested and wanting to continue reading ... but without a great sense of urgency. In many ways, it had a similar voice and pacing to books written in the early 1900s.
The WWI setting was a fun change of pace from the more prevalent WWII fiction saturating the market. Even with the WWI setting, the story was set in the home front and focused more on the challenges--ethical and practical--of spying, double agents, precarious frienships, and complicated family relations. I also enjoyed the context of the Irish Easter rebellion being woven into the narrative and want to learn more of that history now.
Content
Romance: Minimal. One main character is single and remains so for the duration of the story (though there's a very vague few hints that maybe he has someone back in Ireland). The other main character is happily married, and I appreciated the fictional representation of a loving and stable marriage that is not without struggles. Other than this, two minor characters have a somewhat frowned upon falling-in-love and the guy steals a kiss in a cringy way. That is all of the "romance" content in this story.
Language: None. There may have been a few mentions of characters swearing, but even those are minimal if any.
Violence: There is a moderate amount of violence--altercations, murder attempts, murder, etc--but none are overly graphic and, as mentioned above, all described in a someone early 20th Century writing style.
Religion: Characters attend church and have a moral code shaped by Judeo-Christian values. It is implied that the American characters prioritize their faith a bit more than others but this is not a focal point of the story.
March 18, 2018
This mystery weaves together lovely, intricate and complicated characters (which I like) who are friends, enemies and frenemies too. I enjoyed this mystery and it's twists and turns. Schuyler has a gift for making even the "baddies" likeable. What a fun read!
December 22, 2017
Wow, this book is something else, and I don’t know where to start.
The characters were real, and I like how their different personalities and traits came through. Ben was my favourite main character, with his firm integrity and desire to do what was right. The title is the perfect description of his struggles. Mrs O’Sean was my other favourite character; I like the wisdom she shared, and her part in Ben’s life.
The plot is intricate and must’ve taken some incredible brainstorming! There were a lot of parts of it that caught me by surprise, especially how things end up fitting together and concluding. I’m in awe of all the research that went into this book – there are so many details. I enjoyed it being set in a quaint little town where everybody knew everybody too.
War of Loyalties actually challenged me deeply. It’s not an overly religious story, although some of the characters have strong faith, but it deals with ethical themes. I realized my conscience would never allow me to do what Ben did, and I question if it would ever be right to be involved in that type of thing. It also reinforced to me if people come before loyalty to a country, there’s no way to participate in war (with the exception of a medic, nurse, etc, maybe), because there are genuine people on both sides.
My thoughts aren’t coherent yet, because parts of it are still sinking in, but overall: I’m happy for the author, and I know her hard work will pay off. It’s a very professional book. I’m glad to have read it, and it’s given me plenty to think about. And yes, I did read this book in just over a day. :)
The characters were real, and I like how their different personalities and traits came through. Ben was my favourite main character, with his firm integrity and desire to do what was right. The title is the perfect description of his struggles. Mrs O’Sean was my other favourite character; I like the wisdom she shared, and her part in Ben’s life.
The plot is intricate and must’ve taken some incredible brainstorming! There were a lot of parts of it that caught me by surprise, especially how things end up fitting together and concluding. I’m in awe of all the research that went into this book – there are so many details. I enjoyed it being set in a quaint little town where everybody knew everybody too.
War of Loyalties actually challenged me deeply. It’s not an overly religious story, although some of the characters have strong faith, but it deals with ethical themes. I realized my conscience would never allow me to do what Ben did, and I question if it would ever be right to be involved in that type of thing. It also reinforced to me if people come before loyalty to a country, there’s no way to participate in war (with the exception of a medic, nurse, etc, maybe), because there are genuine people on both sides.
My thoughts aren’t coherent yet, because parts of it are still sinking in, but overall: I’m happy for the author, and I know her hard work will pay off. It’s a very professional book. I’m glad to have read it, and it’s given me plenty to think about. And yes, I did read this book in just over a day. :)
December 14, 2017
What makes this book so amazing is the characters. You can tell just from the first few pages that Schuyler has put an incredible amount of thought and energy into their development. From Ben, the principled American doctor-turned-spy, to Jaeryn the mysterious Irishman, to sweet, strong-willed Charlotte these characters live and breathe on the page, defying all kinds of stereotypes. Even very minor characters are given a life and personality. More than anything else, the characters were what kept me turning pages (virtually. Not real pages. I was reading an ebook).
The plot was complex and very unpredictable. It actually got a little confusing toward the end; that may just have been because I was reading too fast, though. It seems like every character has their own agenda and their own secrets. The tension and the stakes just kept getting higher as I kept reading.
What I loved about this book is that it dealt with very real issues in a very honest way, without sacrificing either a high view of right and wrong or the integrity of the story. Evil isn't accepted or normalized, but neither are trite answers or unrealistic plot devices used to deal with it. It's a real, gritty, honest look at evil, honor, and integrity, and I appreciated how Schuyler dealt with those themes.
If you're looking for a good, solid read to keep you company over Christmas break, I highly recommend this book!
The plot was complex and very unpredictable. It actually got a little confusing toward the end; that may just have been because I was reading too fast, though. It seems like every character has their own agenda and their own secrets. The tension and the stakes just kept getting higher as I kept reading.
What I loved about this book is that it dealt with very real issues in a very honest way, without sacrificing either a high view of right and wrong or the integrity of the story. Evil isn't accepted or normalized, but neither are trite answers or unrealistic plot devices used to deal with it. It's a real, gritty, honest look at evil, honor, and integrity, and I appreciated how Schuyler dealt with those themes.
If you're looking for a good, solid read to keep you company over Christmas break, I highly recommend this book!
September 7, 2018
I wrote a previous review of this novel on Amazon, but it has since been taken down. (Apparently, loving a friend's book is having a biased opinion. Boo!)
All I can say is, after waiting for the release of this book for a couple of years, it lived up to all my expectations. It has a slow beginning, which I don't mind at all in a good book, as it provides a solid foundation for the story, a must with a book so large and sweeping. (And besides, I would hate to have a book I wrote judged for not rushing into the fray of the story.) And yet, once the action has begun, it doesn't stop until the last page, which is a remarkable feat in a book that is several hundred pages long.
It's packed with multi-faceted characters, hidden agendas, and shocking twists.
The author brought the horrible realities of war close to home in the story, even though it's set in an English town hundreds of miles from the front. It had the depth and thoughtfulness I love in a novel, yet had none of the horrible, gritty things that spoil a book by going too far in order to be purely realistic. In the end, I think there's something to be said for the author's worldview and how it shapes the story through the characters' perspectives and experiences. There are a few novels I have read in the past, a couple of them classics, that left me unsatisfied and heavy-hearted because of badly resolved issues in the story that left no hope for the character. One in particular devolved completely, and the ensuing wrap-up was a half-hearted attempt to make amends for the awful suffering of the characters. The characters in War of Loyalties suffer to no end, grappling with the struggles that they face, but they meet them with fortitude and a sort of grace that comes through a proper view of the world and the meaning of our existence. Tough issues are tackled with honor and thought that I really appreciate.
In short, I was finished with it all too soon and I can't wait for the second installment.
All I can say is, after waiting for the release of this book for a couple of years, it lived up to all my expectations. It has a slow beginning, which I don't mind at all in a good book, as it provides a solid foundation for the story, a must with a book so large and sweeping. (And besides, I would hate to have a book I wrote judged for not rushing into the fray of the story.) And yet, once the action has begun, it doesn't stop until the last page, which is a remarkable feat in a book that is several hundred pages long.
It's packed with multi-faceted characters, hidden agendas, and shocking twists.
The author brought the horrible realities of war close to home in the story, even though it's set in an English town hundreds of miles from the front. It had the depth and thoughtfulness I love in a novel, yet had none of the horrible, gritty things that spoil a book by going too far in order to be purely realistic. In the end, I think there's something to be said for the author's worldview and how it shapes the story through the characters' perspectives and experiences. There are a few novels I have read in the past, a couple of them classics, that left me unsatisfied and heavy-hearted because of badly resolved issues in the story that left no hope for the character. One in particular devolved completely, and the ensuing wrap-up was a half-hearted attempt to make amends for the awful suffering of the characters. The characters in War of Loyalties suffer to no end, grappling with the struggles that they face, but they meet them with fortitude and a sort of grace that comes through a proper view of the world and the meaning of our existence. Tough issues are tackled with honor and thought that I really appreciate.
In short, I was finished with it all too soon and I can't wait for the second installment.
September 14, 2020
An intriguing and engaging work of historical fiction. I was never entirely sure who could be trusted as new facts and suspicions began to come to light!
I really enjoyed how close-knit the characters were, even though they all had their secrets and motives. I'm eager to see more of them!
(Especially Jaeryn. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.)
I really enjoyed how close-knit the characters were, even though they all had their secrets and motives. I'm eager to see more of them!
(Especially Jaeryn. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.)
May 3, 2020
Wonderful book. Has enough political intrigue to keep it interesting. Loved the characters and there was so much personality added to each person to keep anyone interested in finding the net one.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews