In 1943, Private Clay Paxton trains hard with the U.S. Army Rangers at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, determined to do his best in the upcoming Allied invasion of France. With his future stolen by his brothers' betrayal, Clay has only one thing to live for—fulfilling the recurring dream of his death. Leah Jones, a sweet girl who becomes a friend, works as a librarian at Camp Forrest. After Clay saves her life from a brutal attack, he saves her virtue with a marriage of convenience. When he ships out to train in England for D-Day, their letters bind them together over the distance. But can a love strong enough to overcome death grow between them before Clay's recurring dream comes true?It was great to finally see how the three Paxton brothers finally meet over D-Day and reconcile after years of hurt and unforgiveness. It was every bit as hard and rewarding as I anticipated! (Though I'd highly recommend reading books 1 and 2 before this one to get the most out of this story).
I really like how the characters related to biblical counterparts. Though Leah Jones doesn't have a Rachel in her life, she still feels like the unloved Leah: her adoptive parents dropped her off at the nearest orphanage once they ran out of use for her; she has only ever received out of charity, not love; and even her marriage exists not because she is loved, but rather because it's something good Clay can do before he goes off to die in war. And Clay sees himself as Joseph, despised by his brothers and thrown into a pit. Yet he comes to realize that though he is the youngest of the family, he holds a bit too much in common with the older brother of the prodigal son. Both analogies are surprisingly applicable.
As always, the author is unparalleled in conveying the details of WWII, even down to which Army Ranger Battalion and Airforce Fighter Group sailed together from the US to England. And if you want a story about the rough road to forgiveness, this is the one for you!
Thank you Revell for the complimentary 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
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