This story picks up where book one, 'A Valley of Betrayal' leaves off. I definately recommend reading this series in order as there is so much background from book one that you need to fully understand book two. This takes place during the Spanish Civil War, a war I knew nothing about until reading these books. As the author states, in this war "there was no clear line between right and wrong, good and evil. Both sides committed atrocities. Both sides had deep convictions they felt were worth fighting and dying for".

Sophie is asked to help rescue the Spanish Republican army by trying to find out where the lost gold shipment is hidden. To do that she must be willing to meet her former fiancee, Michael, again. He betrayed her by faking his death in hopes that she would leave the country and be safe. Now she learns he has the stolen gold and wants it for himself and to fight against the cause she is fighting for. Can she make him believe that she still loves him (when her heart has learned to love another). This is a story with a lot of deceit and not knowing who is watching over who. Danger is everywhere, the war is killing people and love is hard to hold on to. There are many other characters in this story and the more I read, the more this story captures my interest. Looking forward to seeing how this will all end in book three, "A Whisper of Freedom". ( )

NCLA Review -This historical novel of the 1930’s Spanish Civil War begins with bombing victims and a budding romance. The story develops into a spy thriller as priceless Spanish gold, desperately needed to finance the freedom fighters, has been stolen. Sophie, the artist heroine, is sucked into the search. Through her faith Sophie finds strength despite her fears. The storyline is somewhat disjointed; a kaleidoscope of poor Spanish peasants and idealistic American volunteers fighting for Spanish freedom against Franco’s fascists. A Nazi bomber pilot, a Catholic priest, wealthy Spanish landowners, and Lipizzaner horses fill in the background for this picture of a complex conflict. The conditions of the poor and the ideologies behind the war are depicted in ways which help the reader understand that the causes of war are often not black and white. The practical, sustaining power of faith in God in dark times runs through the picture like a thread of gold. Rating: 3—MS ( )