War is coming. Can love carry them through the rough waters that lie ahead?
It is 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.
Sarah Sundin takes readers to the tense months before the US entered WWII. Readers will encounter German U-boats and torpedoes, along with the explosive power of true love, in this hopeful and romantic story.
My Rating
Spring/Summer
My Review
Sarah Sundin is the name to know when it comes to sweet WWII romance! Through Waters Deep is a wonderful start to her Waves of Freedom series, and I love that she's keeping her books fresh by tackling new angles (like setting her story in the months leading up to the war) and experimenting with new plot elements (in this case, a mystery that adds some intrigue and tension to life onshore).
Can I just say that Jim and Mary are an adorable couple? They're both so thoughtful and lighthearted, while also sharing an interesting combination of selflessness and self-consciousness. Their interactions are very "aww"-inducing! And their respective journeys to freedom and a deeper understanding of both humility and boldness are very well-crafted.
Perhaps this is a bit paradoxical, but one of the things I'd change about this book and other Sundin novels is one of the things that I respect most about her stories. I'd love to have even more time with the hero and heroine together - to have them working side by side more often and experiencing more of each other's tragedies and triumphs. But Sundin's characters feel true to their era and to the themes of each story, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Even if I might have enjoyed having Jim on land for certain parts of Mary's story - and just more often in general - the story would have lost face with me if it waded into the realms of the overly romantic and unrealistic.
And really, their times apart increased the drama, the characters' strength of character, and the sweetness of the ending!
As for the mystery, Mary takes on more of an "observer" role rather than an active role due to her job. Again, I might have been more "on the edge of my seat" if the action and danger had been ratcheted up earlier in the story, but I admire the realism of the scenario. And the danger certainly does kick in, in due time!
I'm not sure how I'd rank this among the Sarah Sundin books I've read, as each one is so well-written and unique in themes and characterization. But I really liked the hero and heroine of Through Waters Deep, and the ending is a perfect blend of satisfaction on the romance level and cliffhanger on the overall series level. Book 2, Anchor in the Storm, sounds like an exciting follow-up to anticipate!
*With thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion, to be shared during the Litfuse Publicity blog tour.*
You can also check out my reviews of some of Sarah's other awesome WWII stories!
A Memory Between Us | Blue Skies Tomorrow |
With Every Letter (possibly my favorite!) | On Distant Shores
Behind the Cover
Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, In Perfect Time, and the Wings of Glory series. In 2014, On Distant Shores was a finalist for the Golden Scroll Awards from both AWSA and the Christian Authors Network. In 2011, 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.
Find out more about Sarah at www.SarahSundin.com.
To Learn More and Find Links to Buy the Book: click HERE
Blog Tour: Check out reviews from other blog tour participants HERE.
Giveaway!
Join Sarah in celebrating the release of Through Waters Deep by entering to win an Anchors Aweigh prize pack!
- A copy of Through Waters Deep
- A nautical tote bag
- A set of compass rose notecards
- A "Hope Anchors the Soul" journal
- A Boston Tea Party earl grey tea set
- A Through Waters Deep apron
- A set of nautical tea towels
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 24th. The winner will be announced August 25th on Sarah's blog.
4 comments:
Oh, I'm so very much looking forward to reading this one! :-)
Thanks for the lovely review, Amber! I'm glad you enjoyed Jim & Mary's story!
Alicia,
It's a great story! Do you have a favorite of Sarah's books? :)
Thanks for checking out my review!
~Amber
Sarah,
You're welcome! It was a pleasure, as always. :) I'm consistently impressed by your level of research and characterization!
~Amber
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