Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin - A Book Review

       

     Sarah Sundin’s second installment of the Waves of Freedom series brings minor characters from the first book, Through Waters Deep, into the forefront and into another mystery centered in the city of Boston as our country enters the Second World War. Jim Avery’s best friend, Ensign Archer Vandenberg, and sister, Lillian, both have trust issues that interfere with the progress of their relationship, but working to bust a drug ring that provides prescription sedatives to sailors draws them closer together. The relationship is bolstered by the fact that Lillian is totally unimpressed by Archer’s wealth, and Archer challenges Lillian to try new experiences in spite of her prosthesis.

     While I enjoyed the well developed mystery and the romance in this book, it was the way the author captured the attitude and reaction of the American people of the 1940s toward those with disabilities, both civilian and military that captured my interest. This stood out in such stark contrast to today’s support of our wounded warriors and others with disabilities. The book also allows the reader to see the difference in how the military and civilian business community viewed those with combat fatigue versus how we view our active duty personnel and veterans suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome. Our society has come a long way in the past seventy-five years.

      Anchor in the Storm is a really good read. Historical fiction fans will enjoy it as will mystery and romance readers. Even though it is set in another time, I believe military spouses will find insight in Archer and Lillian’s story as they deal with the emotional side of the war effort. I thank Revell Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for providing Anchor in the Storm for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own