Showing posts with label Sarah Sundin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sarah Sundin. Show all posts

Friday, January 11, 2019

February Releases Part 1

  Have you ever has a favorite author or maybe a series you're reading and wonder how long do I have to wait for the next book?  Well, I do all the time.  Then I will see a review and think how did I miss this one.  Today I'm going to post about books that will be released from some publishing houses that I'm looking forward to reading or at least buying to put in my TBR pile.  Remember some of these books come with gifts if you pre-order them.  I know Never Let Go has a link to it, so let me know if you would like it. 
As most who follow my blog know I love suspense, but I also enjoy many other genres.  I love reading, but I want a good, clean read.  I want to be drawn into the story.  Many authors I review do this with ease by just weaving words together that bring both character and setting to life.  Occasionally I will read a book blurb and become interested to only find while reading the author sometimes adds explicit scenes. While I don't particularly like this, by no way does it come into play when I'm writing a review.
 Here are just a few that will be released in February and next Friday I will bring more being released in February.  Can you guess I am going to need a new bookshelf.lol

Okay, here we go.......


When an Open-and-Shut Murder Case Gets Complicated,
Can She Overcome Her Need for Justice?
Corporate litigator Mia Shaw suffers the shock of her life when she finds her colleague and friend brutally murdered. Grief-stricken and furious, Mia vows that she will do anything to make the killer pay.

The man accused of the murder is a friend of security tech guru Noah Ramirez, but the evidence just doesn't add up. To save his former ATF partner, Noah needs to convince Mia that the real killer is still on the loose.

Mia soon has more to worry about than the criminal prosecution. She is tasked with taking over her friend's last case and learns he was hiding dark secrets about his client. She thinks she may have stumbled upon corporate espionage that has turned deadly, but she has no idea of the danger involved. Her only ally is Noah, despite their difference of opinion about the killer's identity. Can Noah win Mia over to his side and protect her from ever-growing threats?

Expected publication: February 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers 


She Has Always Moved Between Worlds,

But Now She Must Choose a Side

The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval would rather remain neutral in a world tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the Seven Years' War against her wishes when her British ex-fiancé, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel claims he has information that could help end the war, and he asks Catherine to help him escape.


Peace appeals to Catherine, even if helping the man who broke her heart does not. But New France is starving, and she and her loved ones may not survive another winter of conflict-induced famine. When the dangers of war arrive on her doorstep, Catherine and Samuel flee by river toward the epicenter of the battle between England and France. She and Samuel may impact history, but she fears the ultimate cost will be higher than she can bear.


Expected publication: February 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers  


Daphne Blakemoor was content living in her own secluded world for the last twelve years. She had everything she needed--loved ones, a true home, and time to indulge her imagination. But when ownership of the estate where she works as a housekeeper passes to a new marquis with an undeniable connection to her past, everything she's come to rely upon is threatened.
William, Marquis of Chemsford's main goal in life is to be the exact opposite of his father. Starting a new life in the peace and quiet of the country sounds perfect . . . until his housekeeper turns his life upside down. 
Both Daphne and William have spent their lives hiding from the past. Can they find the courage to face their deepest wounds and, perhaps, forge a new path for the future together?

Expected publication: February 5th 2019 by Bethany House Publishers  



Baker and pastry chef Melody Johansson has always believed in finding the positive in every situation, but seven years after she moved to Denver, she can’t deny that she’s stuck in a rut. One relationship after another has ended in disaster, and her classical French training is being wasted on her night job in a mediocre chain bakery. Then the charming and handsome private pilot Justin Keller lands on the doorstep of her workplace in a snowstorm, and Melody feels like it’s a sign that her luck is finally turning around.

Justin is intrigued by the lively bohemian baker, but the last thing he’s looking for is a relationship. His own romantic failures have proven that the demands of his job are incompatible with meaningful connections, and he’s already pledged his life savings to a new business venture across the country—an island air charter in Florida with his sister and brother-in-law.

Against their better judgment, Melody and Justin find themselves drawn together by their unconventional career choices and shared love of adventure. But when an unexpected windfall provides Melody with the chance to open her dream bakery-cafĂ© in Denver with her best friend, chef Rachel Bishop, she’s faced with an impossible choice: stay and put down roots with the people and place she’s come to call home . . . or give it all up for the man she loves.

Expected publication: February 5th 2019 by Tyndale House Publishers



Only God can heal our heartsLife is full of twists and turns. Relationships falter, careers fizzle, health fades. We may be faced with choices we never wanted to make or have situations pushed upon us we never expected. Yet in all of it, God is at our side--even when He feels far away.

Drawing on her extensive research into women of the Old Testament, novelist Jill Eileen Smith turns her pen to what we can learn about trusting God from women like Eve, Noah's wife, Sarai, Hagar, Lot's wife, Rebekah, Rachel, and more. You'll discover what these ancient women did right--and what they did wrong--when faced with dashed expectations and deferred dreams. And you'll come away with the confidence that God loves you and is forming you through your trials into the woman He longs for you to be.

Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by Fleming H. Revell Company



The case may be cold, but things are about to heat up
Forensic genealogist Willow Anderson is following in her late grandfather's footsteps in her quest for answers about a baby abducted from a hospital more than twenty years ago. When someone makes an attempt on Willow's life to keep her from discovering the truth, help will come from an unexpected source.

Ex-FBI agent--and Willow's ex-flame--Austin McKade readily offers to protect the woman he never should have let get away. Together they'll follow where the clues lead them, even if it means Austin must face the past he's spent much of his life trying to forget--and put Willow's tender heart at risk.

Expected publication: February 5th 2019 by Fleming H. Revell Company



Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future.
Luke Schrock is a new and improved man after a stint in rehab, though everyone in Stoney Ridge only remembers the old Luke. They might have forgiven him, but nobody trusts him. He has been allowed to live at Windmill Farm under two conditions. First, he must make a sincere apology to each person he's hurt. Second, he must ask each victim of mischief to describe the damage he caused. 
Simple, Luke thinks. Offering apologies is easy. But discovering the lasting effects his careless actions have caused isn't so simple. It's gut-wrenching. 
And his list keeps growing. Izzy Miller, beautiful and frustratingly aloof, also boards at Windmill Farm, and Luke's clumsy efforts to befriend her only insult and annoy her. Eager to impress, Luke sets out to prove himself to her by locating her mother. When he does, her identity sends shock waves through Stoney Ridge. 

Expected publication: February 5th 2019 by Fleming H. Revell Company



Numbed by grief and harboring shameful secrets, Lt. Adler Paxton ships to England with the US 357th Fighter Group in 1943. Determined to become an ace pilot, Adler battles the German Luftwaffe in treacherous dogfights in the skies over France as the Allies struggle for control of the air before the D-day invasion.
Violet Lindstrom wanted to be a missionary, but for now she serves in the American Red Cross, where she arranges entertainment for the men of the 357th in the Aeroclub on base and sets up programs for local children. Drawn to the mysterious Adler, she enlists his help with her work and urges him to reconnect with his family after a long estrangement.
Despite himself, Adler finds his defenses crumbling when it comes to Violet. But D-day draws near. And secrets can't stay buried forever.

Expected publication: February 5th 2019 by Fleming H. Revell Company



Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Sunrise at Normandy

The Sea Before Us

Cover Art
Published February 6th 2018
 by Revell

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.

Available for Purchase:



Meet the Author:

Sarah Sundin


Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the author of The Sea Before Us (February 6, 2018), the Waves of Freedom series (Through Waters DeepAnchor in the StormWhen Tides Turn), the Wings of the Nightingale series, and the Wings of Glory series. Her novels Through Waters Deep and When Tides Turnwere named to Booklist's "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years." Through Waters Deep won the 2016 INSPY Award and was a Carol Award finalist.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in northern California. She works on-call as a hospital pharmacist and teaches Sunday school and women's Bible studies. She enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers' groups.




Connect Online:
WEBSITE  FACEBOOK  TWITTER  PINTEREST


My Thoughts:

I was very excited to see Sarah Sundin was writing a new series, Sunrise at Normandy.  The release of the first book,  The Sea Before Us, she introduces us to the Paxton family from Texas where there are three boys of whom have reunited in celebration of Wyatt's graduation and return to Kerrville to take over as his father's manager of Paxton Trucking.  Wyatt is the oldest and this book follows his tour of duty with the Navy which takes him to Kensington, London, England.  
As Wyatt steps on foreign shores he's determined to put his troubled past behind him and put his training into action as plans are made for the naval bombardment of Normandy.  Wyatt is confronted with learning cultural differences between his upbringing and the English way of life.  Wyatt has a strong faith in God. 
Dorothy Fairfax is another key character in this story.  She and her father live in Kinsington where he runs a small railway shipping company.  Dorothy at present works for the Women's Royal Naval Service, WREN, for short where she pieces together photos from France that people have supplied them with.  It's a job she enjoys and is good at.  With the donation of photos they are looking for areas of weakness to this campaign, both where they could attack or be attacked during the bombardment.   She has known much sorrow in her short life.  She had lost both brothers to the war and her mother during the Blitz, when German bombers had blasted Britain almost every night for a year. With so much sorrow and the emotional distance from her father Dorothy finds herself in a crisis of faith.  
Wyatt and Dorothy work closely together in the maps area of the British Naval Building and a friendship quickly develops.  Dorothy gives him an insight into the life as it's been in London and the culture.  Wyatt truly enjoyed meeting her father and all the sights and knowledge she is giving him.  
This is a spectacular read!  
I was easily draw in from the first page. This is delicious story where characters find things more complicated than they ever imagined.  The wonderful imagery immediately brought the story to life for me.  The characters are complex and engaging.  Their turmoil was raw and real as shown by their emotions.  The secondary characters are well integrated into the story which brings a richness to the story.  There are twists and turns that bring a certain amount of suspense and unexpected mystery. This book brings elements of mystery, suspense, family values, faith, love, and lots of history.  This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves history and romance.  
**I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  


Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Waves of Freedom 2

Cover Art 
Publication: May 3rd 2016
 by Fleming H. Revell Company  

Synopsis:

For plucky Lillian Avery, America’s entry into World War II means a chance to prove herself as a pharmacist in Boston. The challenges of her new job energize her. But society boy Ensign Archer Vandenberg’s attention only annoys her—even if he is her brother’s best friend.
During the darkest days of the war, Arch’s destroyer hunts German U-boats in 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 there be a link to the large prescriptions for sedatives Lillian has filled? The two work together to answer that question, but can Arch ever earn Lillian’s trust and affection?


Meet the Author:


Sarah-Sundin-green-1Sarah 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.

Connect Online:
WEBSITE 
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Available for Purchase:

Anchor Print:  



My Thoughts:

Sarah Sundin takes us back to Boston during 1941 for this wonderful novel.  This is the second installment in her Waves of Freedom series.  This story is full of intrigue, mystery, suspense and a budding romance.  I was really excited to read this  book after I had read the first one.  
The author swept me back to the beginning of World War II immediately. Her setting is very detailed and perceptive.  I could close my eyes and just picture the events taking place.  She pulled me into the story and made me feel a part of the story.  
We are introduced to Lillian Avery who is a beautiful, young woman who grew up in Vermilion, Ohio.  She comes from a big, loving family.  Lillian was in a childhood accident and lost her leg.  She didn't let that stop her dreams though.  She finished college 6 months ago with a degree as a pharmacist, which is a male dominated profession.  Her brother Jim, who lives in Boston, has found a job for her and she starts after the first of the year.  She's excited and looking forward to the move. 

Ensign Archer Vandenberg grew up a privileged, only child in Connecticut.  Archer's best friend, Jim Avery, was also on the Atwood with Archer when it went down.  Being trapped has left him with the inability to sleep, nightmares and the shakes since the rescue.   He agrees to travel home with Jim for some rest and relaxation and to meet  his family. The one thing that puzzles him is that Lillian has an instant dislike to him and since they have never met it's not something he's experienced.

As Lillian moves to Boston and begins her job at Dixon Drugs she finds things are not exactly what she expected.  To begin with Dixon Drugs, founded in 1889, has really not been updatedIt is dark and dreary.  Mr. Dixon himself is not the nicest person she's ever met, in fact he has basically told her if anyone one else was available then she would not have been hired.  Lillian decides if she proves herself capable then Mr. Dixon will change his mind, but when she notices some irregularities in prescriptions and questions it Mr. Dixon get highly agitated about her inquiries and tells her that she needs to not question the doctor's order.
Archer is assigned along with Jim to the USS Ettinger.  Archer is assigned as first lieutenant to the deck gangTheir arrival on ship brought Archer's nerves to the surface so he sought out the doctor for advice.  He feels keeping busy is the answer to overcoming his nervous condition while Jim is assigned below deck.  After several occasions of finding  crew members sleepy or sluggish in their duties prompts Archer to start searching for answers.  As he starts to investigate the medication phenobarbital is mentioned several times so he decides to ask Lillian about the drug since she is more knowledgeable
When important factors are brought to light both Archer and Lillian discover there's a link in both their investigations.  As they draw closer trying to solve riddles their friendship develops into something more.  As both are trying to navigate their change in relationship they are also delving into the possibility that something sinister is occurring that could put both their lives in jeopardy.  
Wow, what a story line!
There are twists and turns that kept me turning the pages.  It was the best night of insomnia I've experienced in a long time.  
The author brings well developed characters that are both endearing and engaging.  I loved how Lillian didn't let her disability define her as a person and she was willing to fight for her job.  She was most importantly a kind person to everyone. Archer is going through a change and as we know change doesn't always come easy. With that being said I loved this character.  So many people look at him and just see his family connections and money, but he want to be seen as the person he is.  When push comes to shove he will always do what he thinks is best.  Both characters have a softer side to their tough exteriors.  Their feelings are both raw and real.  
   This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves history, romance or suspense.  
*I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program for a honest review without bias or outside influence.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

 Coming March 2017  

When Tides Turn  

The last thing naval officer Dan Avery wants to see on his radar is glamour girl Quintessa Beaumont—even if she has joined the WAVES.

When Quintessa Beaumont learns the Navy has established the WAVES program for women, she enlists, determined to throw off her frivolous ways and truly contribute to the US effort in World War II. Determined to make admiral, Lt. Dan Avery employs his skills to fight U-boats, and the last thing he wants to see on his radar is fun-loving Tess. When Tess is assigned to work with Dan at the Anti-Submarine Warfare Unit in Boston, she finds her affections drawn by the no-nonsense officer, realizing he sees her as the greatest nonsense of all. As she works hard to prove her worth as a Wave, she also investigates strange happenings in her friend Yvette Lafontaine’s group of French expatriates. Is there a spy in their midst? And has that spy infiltrated the anti-submarine research group? When Dan is assigned to a new escort carrier at the peak of the Battle of the Atlantic, he is torn between his lifelong career goals and his desire to help Tess on shore. While the German Navy challenges Dan’s skills, the changes in Tess challenge his notions—and his heart.