When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin - A Book Review

     The United States is fully engaged in World War II as Lieutenant Daniel Avery’s and Quintessa Beaumont’s story gets underway in the third installment of the Waves of Freedom series. Their story is driven by the strength of their character as well as their character flaws. A major theme in the book alerts readers to the danger of judging people by outward appearances and using those judgments to predict their motivations and desires. The lesson here goes far beyond the old adage of not judging a book by its cover, and touches tender places within the heart. We are reminded as well of the value of leaving vengeance to the Lord, choosing rather to take the high road, surrendering to God’s sovereignty. While all of this may make this book sound preachy; far from it, Sundin offers her readers action on land and at sea, mystery, spies, and romance. Fully entertaining, but not mindless entertainment.

     Daniel Avery is brother to Jim and Lillian from previous books in this series. Quintessa is best friend to Mary, the Nancy Drew of book one. Readers will enjoy encountering these and other friends and family members again. They will also appreciate Sarah Sundin’s continued portrayal of actual historic events within the context of the story. Her attention to accurate detail makes her books come alive. When Tides Turn places the reader alongside Daniel during battles at sea and celebrates the 1942 establishment and success of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) as Quintessa, now known as Tess, finds a sense of purpose in serving her country.

     I thank the publisher for making When Tides Turn available to me in exchange for my honest opinion. I received no monetary compensation for this review. 

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

Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin - A Book Review

     

     A look at the book list on Sarah Sundin’s website indicates that Through Waters Deep is her eighth published book. In her acknowledgments section in the book she mentions that she is new to mystery writing. Well, I never would have guessed that while reading this book, and am glad that she has another mystery in this Waves of Freedom series in the works. While Ms Sundin is described as a World War II author, this was also her first book about the Navy. She was quite brave to take on a new genre and a new area of research simultaneously, and she pulled it off marvelously.

     Through Waters Deep is set in 1941, as America struggles in its decision as to whether to enter another war or to refrain unless directly attacked. Emotions run high on both sides of the argument. There are some who might take matters into their own hands, arranging circumstances to sway public opinion.  Mary Sterling, a secretary in the Boston Navy Yard, an unlikely detective, is pulled into the intrigue of identifying a saboteur who might be trying to do just that. Ensign Jim Avery, a high school friend of Mary’s, supports her investigation even though he is anxious about her safety, and wonders about the possibility of a budding romance; that is until the vibrant Quintessa , Mary’s best friend and Jim’s high school crush, arrives on the scene. Sabotage, mystery, and romance, all ingredients for a great read, are included in just the right combination.  

      I loved that the mystery is introduced on the first page of the story. Sundin’s pool of suspects is like the ripples from tossing a stone into a pond, every growing circles, with a bulls-eye forming in the center. The circumstances surrounding the mystery and the events that unfold are plausible, and there is no magically pulling out new facts or characters at the end in order to solve the mystery. Red herrings are seamlessly woven into the story. Sundin followswhat P.D. James refers to as the fair play rule. The information that is available to the detective is also available to the reader, but clues are provided with “deceptive cunning.”  

     The research that went into writing Through Waters Deep is well evident. Sundin’s care to use era appropriate vocabulary, especially in naming places in Boston, demonstrates her detailed research, as does her knowledge  and use of naval terminology. The feel she got from exploring ships, climbing inside naval gun mounts, and touring Boston, including historical Charlestown, comes through, heightening the reader’s senses as they are immersed in the story’s setting.

     Sundin’s protagonist, Mary Sterling, deals with the issue of pride; the reader will cheer her on as she learns to differentiate between using one’s God given gifts and talents to draw attention to self and using them to glorify the Giver. Ensign Jim Avery floats through life, fearful of making waves that might bring about undesired consequences. The reader will share his heartache and struggle alongside him as he learns to find balance in his life. Sundin develops the readers’ attachment to even her secondary characters by focusing on the underlying motivations for their actions, motivations that readers can identify with.  This novel, and others like it, make it clear why recent research has found evidence that literary fiction increases the readers ability to empathize.

     I thank Revell Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for providing Through Waters Deep for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.