"The Sea Before Us" by Sarah Sundin--a wonderful start to the series!

When Wyatt Paxton and his two brothers were party to a devastating accident years ago, he fled and hasn't contacted his family since, wanting to make things right when the prodigal son returns. In the meantime, he's a naval lieutenant working as a liaison with British Intelligence to plan D-Day. Dorothy Fairfax, a Wren in the Women's Royal Naval Service whose intimate knowledge of Normandy is key to planning the invasion, is surprised by her developing friendship with the American. In the coming days, both could lose everything they most hold dear--yet their fears threaten to steal it away before battle has its chance.

I've consistently enjoyed every book by Sarah Sundin that I've ever read. But as I read each new release, I am enjoying it even more than the previous ones; the stories just keep getting better and better. How can this be when they've always been so consistently good?  This series has the promise to be heartbreakingly beautiful and redemptive--not just each individual book, but the series as a whole. I am excited for the books to come!

Wyatt is perfect--oh, he makes mistakes and is conflicted as anyone else, but he's a wonderful hero. Real men could take lessons from him in how to treat a woman! He's always genuine, an all or nothing kind of guy--either he'll give his whole heart or he won't give any; he won't trifle with a girl's affections (unlike certain others we could name . . . ). And in spite of his mistakes, he has clung to God, knowing that God is the only one who can see him through. Dolly is more flawed for not realizing her flaws. She's very real--maybe more so than many of us would like, because in the book it's easy to see where she's setting herself up for failure, while in real life when it's happening to us, it's easy to fall for the exact same trap as Dolly. But in spite of her insecurities and moments of self-delusion, she's very likable.

Even with the focus on such a well-known event as D-Day--where the outcome is clear--the author still manages to work some significant surprises into the story, which pleased me. They were more story-driven surprises rather than historical, but I enjoyed the twists. And as always, Sundin's attention to historical detail is superb.

Thank you Revell for the free book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Sunrise At Normandy
1. The Sea Before Us
2. The Sky Above Us
3. The Land Beneath Us