World War II stories are becoming more and more popular everyday. Having already written one
historical romance myself that’s set in 1933, I’ve become intrigued with both
the 30s and 40s, and for that reason, I excitedly opened author Sarah Sundin’s
Blue Skies Tomorrow. I did not read the first two books in her three-book Wings
of Glory series, but the story presented well as a stand alone, and anyone who
enjoys WWII romance stories will love this story.
Evidence of Sundin’s extensive research into setting and
WWII, both at war and on the home front, is very evident in this book. From
detailed descriptions of hero, Ray Novak’s war experience as a bomber pilot to
the home front where heroine, Helen Carlisle, lives in Antioch, California, the
entire time period and the characters come alive to the reader.
The only drawback I found with this novel, is that the pacing of approximately the first third of the book to be a
bit slow. During this time, Ray’s army assignment is at nearby Port Chicago, and
even though he and Helen, a war widow with a toddler son, knew each other
growing up, they've gone their separate ways. They become reacquainted toy with the idea of pursuing romance, but the emotional baggage they both carry prevents them from a
committed relationship before Ray ships out to England.
At that point the pacing picks up and the story seamlessly
moves forward at a fast clip between Ray’s war experiences and Helen’s
struggles at home during which they both grow in their faith walks and overcome
many obstacles. So much so, I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it!
I highly recommend this book, for the complex
characterizations and the realistic depictions of life during WWII. For those
who read the first two books in this series, you will especially want to read
this as the storyline includes Ray’s two brothers, Walt and Jack, who were the heroes
in books one and two, to catch up
on their lives.
You can find Blue Skies Tomorrow on line and at your
favorite brick and mortar bookstore.
I will definitely be looking for more from Sarah Sundin.
About the Author: 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.
Note:
I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review from Revell Publishing. All
opinions expressed in this review are my own and no one else’s.