On My Nightstand - The Sky Above Us by Sarah Sundin

Violet Lindstrom longs to serve as a missionary, but a broken engagement and WWII put a damper on those plans. The closest she can come to her heart's desire is joining the Red Cross. There's no way she will allow a romance to get in the way of her calling.

Adler Paxton, a brash but hurting pilot, vows never to love again after a tragedy took his sweet fiancee, Oralee. His focus is on becoming an ace and helping the Allied forces defeat Hitler. The only thing he didn't factor into his equation was a pretty, blond Red Cross gal and his fighter pilot friend, Nick.

The author's research on WWII is impeccable. I marvel at the detail put into this story. The characters are realistic and their growth and the development of relationships make you forget this is fiction.

The Sky Above Us is Book 2 of the Sunrise at Normandy series. I've read many of Sarah Sundin's books and each one gets better. I'm looking forward to the third book.

5 Stars all the way!

Writers:  Have you considered writing historical fiction? If so, what kind of research will you do or have you already done?

Readers:  What time periods are you drawn to in historical fiction? Why?

On My Nightstand - The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin

I've read all of Sarah's books, but I think this one is my favorite. The combination of a British and American perspective for planning the Normandy invasion brought a whole new appreciation for the difficulties the allies faced. The cultural nuances and the personal relationships all filtered through the characters' faith and life experiences.

Dorothy Fairfax, daughter of a well-to-do businessman and an officer in the British Wrens, takes her duties seriously. At the same time, she's dealing with the loss of her mother and brothers to the war and her father's depression. She thinks she knows what she wants - Lawrence - and tries to be the kind of woman he would find attractive.

Wyatt Paxton, an American from Texas, has exiled himself from his family due to past sins. He knows God's forgiven him, but he can't forgive himself. When he meets the pretty British officer, he keeps it on a friendship level. Why get involved in another relationship fiasco?

This story had such depth, and the research was impeccable. I was completely engaged with these characters. It was easy to believe they were real people because of the historical facts wrapped around them.

5 Stars! I recommend this book and all of Sarah Sundin's other series.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor the publisher paid me for a positive review. I purchased the book, and all opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Writers and Readers: Do you enjoy books that combine different cultural elements? Please share.

On My Nightstand - Anchor In The Storm by Sarah Sundin

Lillian Avery keeps everyone at arm's length. Whenever people saw she was crippled, they rejected her, so she's learned to protect her heart. She's determined to reach her career goals and manages to land a job as a pharmacist with Dixon's drugstore. When Arch stars flirting, she brushes away his attention like an annoying mosquito.

Arch Vandenburg, a Naval Officer and her brother's best friend, visits the Avery family while on leave. He desperately wants someone to love him for who he is and not his money.

If there were Olympic medals for writers, Sarah Sundin would snag a gold for this book. I loved the addition of mystery and suspense to the romance. The characters grabbed my heart from the first page, and I read the book in record time. There was a strong spiritual thread, and the book was a clean read.

I can't wait for the next one in the series. 5 Stars!

Disclaimer: I did not get paid for this review, and all opinions are mine alone.

Writers: There are a gazillion romances out there. If you write this genre, how do you give your stories that added zip?

Readers: What type of romances do you enjoy? Historical? Contemporary? Romantic Suspense? Other? Please share.

On My Nightstand - In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin

Kay Jobson parties hard and keeps things from getting serious. There's no way she'll ever let a man capture her heart or allow him to control her.

Roger Cooper's been told he'll never amount to much, so he avoids big dreams. Past experience taught him that dames are nothing but trouble, so he steers clear as much as possible.

Against the backdrop of World War II, Sarah Sundin weaves a story of redemption that left me breathless. It starts off slow, but escalates until I could hardly stand to put it down. I loved the secondary characters, who starred in previous books, and the additional tidbits from their lives.

Sarah knows how to keep a reader's attention, and I always look forward to her books. Five stars all the way!

Disclaimer:  Neither the author nor the publisher requested this review. I did not receive any payment for it, and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

Writers:   Do choose a particular setting or time period to aid in building story tension? Please share.

Readers:  Does a particular time period enhance your reading experience? Please share.

On My Nightstand - On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin

Lt. Georgiana Taylor's work as an Army Evacuation Nurse brings out her fears and makes her yearn for the safe, pampered life she'd enjoyed back home. Her family and boyfriend are more than happy to urge her to ditch the Army life.

John "Hutch" Hutchinson has a girlfriend waiting for him back home. He and his father are working hard to convince Congress to form a Pharmacy Corps and commission officers. Officer Training School would get him back to the States. The disrespect he gets from officers and mean comments about his profession feed his discontent.

I loved how these characters developed over the course of the story. The constant danger pushed them to rely on God and realize He was their safety. On Distant Shores provided a generous dose of romance, Christian values, danger, betrayal, and conflict.

Sarah Sundin is one of my favorite authors, and she delivered big time with this book. I was sorry to see it end. The one consolation:  I have the next book in this series. 5 Stars - grab it! It's well worth your precious reading time.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor the publisher requested a favorable review and did not provide any remuneration for it. All opinions expressed here are mine alone.

Writers:  Have you considered writing a series? What are your thoughts on the subject?

Readers:  What do you like about historical romances?

On My Nightstand - With Every Letter by Sarah Sundin

Mellie Blake volunteers for a pioneer position as a medical evacuation nurse during WWII. Raised by her father in some unorthodox settings, she has a unique perspective on the world. Making friends and fitting in with other women make her challenging job look simple.

Tom MacGilliver also has difficulty relating to others but for completely different reasons. He wonders if people will ever accept him for himself rather than judge him by the actions of a close family member.

An Army officer gets her husband to set up an anonymous letter exchange. Most of the participants either quit or decide to meet each other in person. Tom and Mellie continue their correspondence, but fear that meeting will invite rejection.

Author Sarah Sundin gives us another compelling story. Her careful development of the characters and impeccable research made me feel every emotion and jump at every bomb blast. This is my favorite of all her books. Of course, I say that with each new story that comes from her pen.

If I were rating this book, I'd give it five stars. Don't miss this amazing love story.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor the publisher paid for this recommendation.

On My Nightstand - Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin

Lt. Raymond Novak is the eldest of the Novak brothers. He'd much rather occupy a pulpit than fight in a war. When the Army Air Force decides that hero pilots should be training recruits, Ray gets re-assigned to a paper-pushing job. Is he a coward? Could he handle the rigors of combat?

Helen Carlisle, a widow with a young son, carries a dreadful secret. She's allowed others to call the shots in her life since her marriage to hero, Jim Carlisle. Can she escape the twisted logic that holds her captive and prevents her from accepting the love of a Godly man?

This is the final book in the Wings of Glory series. Although it's a stand-alone novel, you'll get more out of it if you read the previous books.

Sarah Sundin has once again captured the essence of her characters' struggles. She knows how to ramp up the tension and get my pulse racing. I loved the story, the setting details, and the people. At times, I related so much to them that it was difficult to separate my feelings from theirs.

If you haven't read any of Sarah's books, you're missing some wonderful writing and heart-stopping action. While the romance element is strong, there's enough war action to satisfy the males in our audience. This would also be a great gift for the older generation, who lived through this time period.

Great job, Sarah!

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor the publisher provided this book. I purchased it, read it, and wrote this recommendation. The opinions expressed are mine.