When Tides Turn Book Review

Waves of Freedom Series

Book Three

SUMMARY:  In a time of war, sometimes battles take place in the heart.

     Tess Beaumont is tired of being thought of as just a pretty face.  Eager to do her part for the war effort, she joins the Navy's newly established WAVES program for women.  Perhaps there she can convince people that there is more to her than meets the eye.

     Lt. Dan Avery has been using his skills in the fight against German U-boats and hoping to admiral.  The last things he wants to see on his radar is a girl like Tess.  Convinced that romance will interfere with his goals.  Dan is determined to stay the course, no matter how intriguing a distraction Tess is.

    But love, like war, is unpredictable.  When Dan is shipped out at the peak of the Battle of the Atlantic, he finds himself torn between his lifelong career goals and his desire to help the beguiling Tess root out a possible spy on shore.  Could this fun-loving glamour girl really be the one?

REVIEW:  The author had her main characters face many different trials, where various facets of their character and personality were cut, smoothed, and polished.  Tess, trying to show others, as well as herself, that she was something more than just a pretty face.  She was intelligent, quick thinking and could make even working late fun. I like how she reached out to others and helped others realize their hidden potential.  When faced with difficult tasks, she faced them head-on, even risking her life to safe a friend.  

     Dan was determined to follow the same path his mentor had taken.  When difficult circumstances arose, I like how he realized he needed to make changes and head in a different direction or he was going to fail.  When faced with impossible circumstances, I like how, at first, Dan reacted like we all do, with anger and frustration.  But, then he realized that he needed to respond in a godly manner, events worked themselves out and justice was served.

     This was a great conclusion to a wonderful series.  Since this is the third book, it is very helpful to read the others to understand different references made and the relationships all the characters to each other.  I always look forward to this author's books and this book, and series, just added to it.

This book was provided by Revell for review without any compensation.

Sarah Sundin is the author of Through Waters Deep and Anchor in the Storm, as well as the WINGS OF THE NIGHTINGALE and the WINGS OF GLORY series.  A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist.  During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy, and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force.  Sarah lives in California.  Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

Anchor in the Storm Book Review

Waves of Freedom Series

Book Two

SUMMARY:  In the time of sacrifice, what price can one put on true love?

     Nothing slows Lillian Avery down - not her personal challenges and certainly not America's entry into World War II.  She finally has a chance to prove herself as a pharmacist in Boston.  The demands of her new job energize her.  But society boy Ensign Archer Vanderberg's attentions only annoy - even if he is her brother's best friend.

     During the darkest days of the war, Arch's destroyer hunts German U-Boasts on vain as the submarines sink dozens of merchant ships along the East Coast.  Still shaken by battles at sea, Arch notices his men also struggle with their nerves - and with drowsiness.  Could their be a link to the large prescriptions Lillian has been filling?

     As the danger rises on both land and sea, the two must work together to answer that question.  But can Arch ever earn Lillian's trust and affections?

REVIEW:  This book tackles some difficult subjects - physical disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and women working in traditionally men's roles.  Lillian wears a prosthesis on her left leg after a childhood accident.  That, along with being a woman, makes it very difficult for her to find a job, much less one as a pharmacist, since those positions were held by men.  After the sinking of his previous ship, Arch deals with PTSD.  He observes men on his new destroyer having the same issues coping by taking strong medication that starts to interfere with their job performances.
     Lillian's determination to break through the barriers is admirable.  She does the best she can and doesn't back down from adversity.  Along the way, she starts to win people over and their attitudes start to change as they see her instead of just her sex.  She uses a painful episode in her past to help her in a very difficult situation to bring criminals to justice.
     Arch finds out that he is not along in struggling with the death and destruction he's witnessed on the sea.  I like how he works to find another way besides drugs to help the men under his command and breaks up the prescription drug ring causing the damage.  Even though he hates the wealth and status he was brought up with, I was impressed with how he uses it to help others with PTSD and other wounded warriors.
     The author kept me guessing as to how the drug ring would be captured and how all the relationships that were hurt and wounded would mend in the end.  
     This is the second book in the Waves of Freedom series.  It stands well on its own but reading the first book will fill in the gaps around some of the other characters.  This is a remarkable book and a wonderful series.

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Revell 

for review without compensation.

Sarah Sundin is the award-winning author of the Wings of Glory and Wings of the Nightingale series, as well as Through Waters Deep.  During WWII, her grandfather serves as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England.  Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.  Learn more at www.sarahsundin.com. 

Through Waters Deep Book Review

Waves of Freedom Series

Book One

SUMMARY:  War is coming.  Can love carry them through the rough waters that lie ahead?

     It's 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war.  Handsome and outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand new destroyer, the USS Atwood.  On shore, Jim encounters Mary Stirling, a childhood friend who is now an astute and beautiful Boston Navy Yard secretary.

     When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is discovered, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit.  A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion.  With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges - and dangers - await them. 

REVIEW:  Sarah Sundin's latest novel introduces her readers to a mindset most people nowadays have little knowledge of: the moods and opinions of the American people before the U.S. entered the Second World War.  Misunderstanding and wrong assumptions were prevalent against anything German, British or Jewish.  So, when problems start occurring in the ship building yard, fingers start pointing at the possible culprits.  I love how the author places her reader in the midst of the turmoil of the sailors and crewmen aboard the escort ships and among the workers on the docks and offices in the Navy Yard. 
    Mary's gumption to try and figure out who was sabotaging the ships was admirable.  Even though the FBI discouraged her from helping, her boss had faith that she would be an asset and encouraged her.  She found a way she could help the investigation, which in the end, was invaluable.  Also, I liked how Mary started stepping out and faced her fears of singing in front of a crowd.  This small action helped her step out of her comfort zone in others ways.  Jim's decision to defy orders to help men trapped in below deck on a sinking ship was exemplary.  His actions could have cost him his life but ended up saving the sailors' lives.  He was also Mary's cheerleader, encouraging her to face her fears and live life to the fullest.
     If this book is a sign as to the rest of this series, it will be one to watch for.  I really enjoyed this novel, as I have all of Susan Sundin's other publications, and look forward with great expectation for the other two books.

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Revell 

for review without compensation.

Sarah Sundin is the award-winning author of the Wings of Glory and Wings of the Nightingale series.  During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England.  Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.  Learn more at www.sarahsundin.com.

Where Treetops Glisten Book Review

Three Stories of Heartwarming Courage

and Christmas Romance During World War II

SUMMARY:  The crunch of newly fallen snow, the weight of wartime.  Siblings forging new paths and finding love in three stories, filled with the wonder of Christmas.

     Turn back the clock to a different time, listen to Bing Crosby sing of sleigh bells in the snow, as the realities of America's involvement in the Second World War change the lives of the Turner family in Lafayette, Indiana.

     In Cara Putnam's White Christmas, Abigail Turner is holding down the Home Front as a college student and a part-time employee at a one-of-a-kind candy shop.  Loss of a beau to the war has Abigail skittish about romantic entanglements - until a hard-working young man with a serious problem needs her help.

     Abigail's brother Pete is a fighter pilot hero returned from the European Theatre in Sarah Sundin's I'll Be Home for Christmas, trying to recapture the hope and peace his time at war has eroded.  But when he encounters a precocious little girl in need of Pete's friendship, can he convince her widowed mother that he's no longer the bully she once knew?

     In Tricia Goyer's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Meredith Turner, "Merry" to those who know her best, is using her skills as a combat nurse on the frontline in the Netherlands.  Halfway around the world from home, Merry never expects to face her deepest betrayal head on, but that's precisely what God has in mind to redeem her broken heart.

     The Turner family believes in God's providence during such a tumultuous time.  Can they absorb the miracle of Christ's birth and His plan for the future?

REVIEW:  The authors' of these stories did a wonderful job!  The stories moved from one to another seamlessly and, seemingly, without much effort.  All three grabbed my attention from the very beginning and held it until the very end.  In fact, when I finished them, I was disappointed because I was carried away to Lafayette, Indiana every time I opened up the pages.  The only concern I had was that two of the couples became engaged very quickly but was relieved to see that they both waited until the next year to get married.  Other than that small item, I was very pleased with these books and highly recommend them!!

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Waterbrook Multnomah for review without compensation.

Cara Putman is the author of twenty books including Shadowed by Grace.  She is the winner of the 2008 Carol Award for historical fiction.  Sarah Sundin is the critically-acclaimed author of the Wings of the Nightingale series, the Wings of Glory series, and the forthcoming Waves of Freedom novels.  Tricia Goyer is a prolific author of nearly forty books, including Chasing Mona Lisa, and a speaker and blogger.

In Perfect Time Book Review

Wings of the Nightingale Series

Book Three

SUMMARY:  Two hearts are about to learn the rhythm of love.

     Bold, sophisticated, and coy, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe.  So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms?  In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.

     Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer.  Can they overcome the fears and misunderstandings of the past in order to take hold of the future?

     Sarah Sundin seamlessly weaves together emotion, action, and sweet romance into a tale that transcends time and calls us to believe in the power of love.

REVIEW: Sarah Sundin's finishes the Wings of the Nightingale series on a good note.  This book shows that Kay is more than a pretty face and heart-breaker.  When she finally gives her life to the LORD, I like how she tries to change how men (and women) perceive her by changing how she relates to each.  I also love how she really steps up to become a leader when she and some of her fellow servicemen and women face some very difficult obstacles. There were incidences when I would get frustrated with the timing between Roger and Kay but, like the title says, everything happens "in perfect time."
     While the ending could be considered a little cheesy, I thought it was a great ending to a wonderful series.  I love how each of the books overlap but doesn't lose it's individuality.  In Perfect Time is a delightful book.

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Revell Publishers for review without compensation.

Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, and the Wings of Glory series.  In 2011, A Memory Between Us was a finalist in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards, and Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.  Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.  Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

On Distant Shores Book Review and Give Away

Wings of the Nightingale Series

Book Two

SUMMARY:  Caught between the war raging around them and the battles within, two souls long for peace - and a love that remains true.

     Lt. Georgiana Taylor has everything she could want.  A boyfriend back home, a loving family, and a challenging job as a flight nurse.  But in July 1943, Georgie's cozy life gets more complicated when she meets pharmacist Sgt. John Hutchinson.

     Hutch resents the lack of respect he gets as a noncommissioned serviceman and hates how the war keeps him from his fiancee'.  While Georgie and Hutch share a love of the starry night skies over Sicily, their lives back home are falling apart.  Can they weather the hurt and betrayal?  Or will the pressures of war destroy the fragile connection they've made?

     With her signature attention to detail and her talent for bringing characters together, Sarah Sundin weaves an exciting tale of emotion, action, and romance that will leave you wanting more.

REVIEW:   Georgie's character is great.  I love how her character and strength grows and she becomes more confident in who she is and in her abilities.  She learns to stand up on her own two feet and stand up to her family and her fiance' when they try to make decisions for her instead of listening to what she wants.  After making a career-ending mistake, Georgie learns what she did wrong and does everything in her power to keep it from happening again.  She comes out stronger in her faith in her abilities, decision-making capabilities and in her faith in God.
      I like what happens with Hutch after he realizes his desire/obsession to become an officer is wrecking his life and the changes in his life that occur when he finally lets it go.  Also, I love how he takes care Lucia, a little Italian orphan who is run over by an Army jeep, and how he provides for her after she is put in an orphanage.
     A side note - I like how this book overlaps the first one in this series, With Every Letter, and gives you glimpses of Mellie and Tom's relationship from the night Tom discovers Mellie is his pen pal to where they are when this book ends. 
     This is a great book and I'm expecting great things from book three when it comes out.  If it is anything like the first two, it will be awesome!

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

 

Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter and the Wings of Glory series.  In 2011, A Memory Between Us was a finalist in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards, and Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.  A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on call as a hospital pharmacist.  During World War II, her grandfather serves as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US  Eighth Air Force in England.  Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.  Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

GIVE AWAY INFORMATION!!

I have a copy of On Distant Shores to give away.  To enter, leave a comment on my blog or Facebook post.  A winner will be drawn on Saturday, August 31st.  Good luck!!

With Every Letter Book Review

Wings of the Nightingale Series

Book One

SUMMARY:  They know everything about each other - except their real names

     Lt. Mellie Blake is looking forward to beginning her training as a flight nurse.  She is not looking forward to writing a letter to a man she's never met - even if it is anonymous and part of a morale-building program.  Lt. Tom McGilliver, an officer stationed in North Africa, welcomes the idea of an anonymous correspondence - he's been trying to escape his infamous name for years.

     As their letters crisscross the Atlantic, Tom and Mellie develop a unique friendship despite not knowing the other's true identity.  When both are transferred to Algeria, the two are poised to meet face-to-face for the first time.  Will they overcome their fears and reveal who they are, or will their future be held hostage by their pasts?

      Combining a flair for romance with excellent research and attention to detail, Sarah Sundin vividly brings to life the perilous challenges of WWII aviation, nursing - and true love.

REVIEW:  Mellie and Tom both have difficult pasts they prefer stay hidden.  Tom's father murdered two famous people and was executed for it; his crimes following Tom wherever he goes.  When people hear his last name, they automatically assume Tom has the same killer nature as his father.  As the child of an American father and a half Asian/half American mother, Mellie grew up in both Asia and America, but always felt like she never fit in in either place.  Never having any childhood friends due to her father's work, Mellie is finding it difficult to make friends as an adult.
     This is a great book.  I like how Mellie and Tom were honest with each other, even though they had never met and how they they keep writing when everyone else in their group stops.  They both overcome many obstacles and change in a positive way through each other's support and encouragement.  I like how when Mellie really screwed up and almost ruins some friendships, she admits her mistakes and lets her friends take their time to heal.  This says a lot of someone who never had a friend before.  The author did an excellent job and has done a TON of research.  I would highly recommend this book and can't wait for the other two books in this series to come out.

This book was provided by the author for review without compensation.  I am also reviewing it for the publisher, Revell, without compensation.

Sarah Sundin is the author of A Distant Melody, A Memory Between Us, and Blue Skies Tomorrow.  In 2011, A Memory Between Us was a finalist in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards, and Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.  A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist.  During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England.  Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.

Blue Skies Tomorrow Book Review

SUMMARY:  In a time of peril, can they find the courage to confront their fears and embrace a love that lasts?

     When her husband becomes a casualty of the war in the Pacific, Helen Carlisle throws herself into volunteering for the war effort to conceal her feelings.  But keeping up appearances as the grieving widow of a hometown hero is taking its toll.  Soon something is going to give.
     Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit.  His stateside job training B-17 pilots allows him the luxury of a personal life - and a convenient excuse to ignore his deepest fear.  When the beautiful Helen catches his eye and captures his heart, he is determined to win her hand.
     But when Ray and Helen are called upon to step out in faith and put their reputations and their lives on the line, can they meet the challenges that face them?  And can their young love survive until blue skies return?
     Filled with drama, daring, and all the romance of the WWII era, Blue Skies Tomorrow is the captivating final book in the popular Wings of Glory series.

REVIEW:  The time during World War II has always captured my attention.  The way everyone pulled together, sacrificed what they had to help the fighting men and women overseas, and the obvious love of country is something that is so fascinating.  But, you often do not hear about the fear and conflict going on in the soldiers' lives and the horrible things that go on behind closed doors at home.  Sarah Sundin explores those concepts in this book.  Ray Novak does not want to go into battle because he doesn't know how he feels about killing someone made in God's image, even if it is a hated Nazi.  Helen has kept a horrible secret all of her married life and even after her husband's death.  If the town was to find out how she was treated, would they turn against her, especially since her father-in-law is so well respected?  But Helen and Ray both come to realize that they need to step out and stand up on their own and fight for what they believe in.  Blue Skies Tomorrow is the third in the Wings of Glory series but stands very well on its own.  My heart ached as the author describes what Helen goes through and cheered as she found her way.  I waited anxiously to see what would happen to Ray as he trusts God to show him the way.  This is an awesome book and I can't wait to find the others to read them.

Available in August 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Sarah Sundin is the author of A Distant Melody and A Memory Between Us.  Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during World War II.  Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.  Read her blog, more interesting facts about her books, and the history behind them at www.SarahSundin.com.  She can also be found on Facebook at Sarah Sundin.