By The Book

In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a “Wren” in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France–including those of her own family’s summer home–in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.

As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.

The tense days leading up to the monumental D-Day landing blaze to life under Sarah Sundin’s practiced pen with this powerful new series.

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the author of ten novels, including the The Sea Before Us (February 2018) and the Waves of Freedom series (Through Waters Deep, Anchor in the Storm, and When Tides Turn).

A mother of three, Sundin lives in northern California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Her novels When Tides Turn and Through Waters Deep were both named to Booklist’s 101 Best Romance Novels of the Past 10 Years. Through Waters Deep was a 2016 Carol Award Finalist and won the INSPY Award, and her novella in Where Treetops Glisten was a finalist in the 2015 Carol Awards. In 2011 she received the Writer of the Year Award from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Please visit Sarah at http://www.sarahsundin.com, on Facebook at SarahSundinAuthor, and on Twitter at @sarahsundin.

My Impressions:

My book club gives its unanimous approval to The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin. This WWII-era romance has everything we look for in a book — great relatable characters, realistic story line, and a setting that captures our imagination. We also had plenty to talk about! Most of us didn’t know much about the planning of the D-Day invasion or the sea support of the campaign, and this novel was a wonderful glimpse into the strategy and sheer determination of the participants. This one is a recommended read from By The Book.

The Sea Before Us is set in the months leading up to the D-Day invasion. Main characters Dorothy, a WREN, and Wyatt, a US Naval officer, are both involved in the planning stages. I loved the detail Sundin shares in the meticulous mapping of the Normandy coast in a time way before Google Earth. In addition, the complexity of the naval operation is told in a way even those with no military background can understand. But this novel also gives a glimpse into the wartime psyche of the people of England. The famous stiff upper lip hid a multitude of fears but served as a means for civilians and military alike to defeat the evil that took over Europe. Dorothy and Wyatt, both dedicated to their jobs, were influenced by their past mistakes and sense of unworthiness. While it helped get the job done, both needed to put aside failures and rejections in order to discover their worth in God’s eyes. This aspect of the novel made both characters realistic. As for the romance, sparks ignite for the Texas cowboy and the vivacious red-headed English girl. For Dorothy a family secret is revealed, but Wyatt’s family issues remain — the story will continue in the next two books.

We all loved The Sea Before Us, but are not satisfied that we will have to wait so long for the next two books! But we are definitely putting them on our 2019 and 2020 reading list.

Recommended.

Book Club Approved.

Audience: adults.

To purchase, click HERE.

(I received an ARC from Library Thing and purchased a copy from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Tags: historical romance fiction, Sarah Sundin, WWII

When fun-loving glamour girl Quintessa Beaumont learns the Navy has established the WAVES program for women, she enlists, determined to throw off her frivolous ways and contribute to the war effort. No-nonsense and hoping to make admiral, Lt. Dan Avery has been using his skills to fight German U-boats. The last thing he wants to see on his radar is a girl like Tess. For her part, Tess works hard to prove her worth in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Unit in Boston–both to her commanding officers and to the man with whom she is smitten. When Dan is assigned to a new escort carrier at the peak of the Battle of the Atlantic, he’s torn between his lifelong career goals and his desire to help Tess root out a possible spy on shore. The Germans put up quite a fight, but he wages a deeper battle within his heart. Could Tess be the one for him?

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the author of nine novels, including the Waves of Freedom series (Through Waters Deep, Anchor in the Storm, and When Tides Turn.)

A mother of three, Sundin lives in northern California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Her novel Through Waters Deep was a 2016 Carol Award Finalist, won the INSPY Award, and Booklist named it to the 101 Best Romance Novels of the Past 10 Years and the Top 10 Inspirational Fiction: 2015. Her novella in Where Treetops Glisten was a finalist in the 2015 Carol Awards, and in 2011 she received the Writer of the Year Award from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Authors Network, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. Please visit Sarah at http://www.sarahsundin.com, on Facebook at SarahSundinAuthor, and on Twitter at @sarahsundin.

My Impressions:

When Tides Turn is the perfect ending for the fabulous Waves of Freedom series. With just the right blend of history, romance and intrigue, Sarah Sundin has done it again — characters that will steal your heart and a story that will keep you turning the pages long after everyone else has headed to bed. This one is a highly recommended read!

Quintessa “Tess” Beaumont and Daniel Avery are the focus of When Tides Turn. The two seem opposite in many ways, except perhaps their commitment to serving their country to the best of their abilities. The no-nonsence Navy man and the vivacious and beautiful WAVE are determined to stay the course and not become involved, but no one really believes that will happen! Sundin does a great job of creating two characters who compliment each other. Tess brings perspective and color into the flat black and white world Dan sees, and Dan offers the needed encouragement that Tess needs to find her purpose. Their developing relationship was a joy to behold.

As always it is evident that Sundin has done her research —  naval operations, the creation of the WAVES, and the efforts of French patriots and Nazi collaborators. The era really did come alive to this reader. I visited Boston last Fall and it was fun to revisit the city along with Tess, Dan, and their friends. Spiritual themes of judging appearances and the need for rest were insightful and convicting. The faith of the characters was lived out naturally without need for preachiness. Although When Tides Turn is the last book of a series, it is not necessary to read the first two, however, I recommend you begin at the beginning. You don’t want to miss anything!

For fans of Sundin, When Tides Turn is a must-read. It is also a great book for those who love historical romance with a bit of mystery, especially that of the WWII era.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

To purchase this book, click HERE.

(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Tags: historical romance fiction, Sarah Sundin, WWII