‘Blue Skies Tomorrow’ by Sarah Sundin – Book Review

I have been blogging and reviewing long enough now (about a year and a half) that I have had the pleasure of reading entire book series. Such is the case with the Wings of Glory series by the lovely Sarah Sundin. The last book in the series is ‘Blue Skies Tomorrow.’

Here is the synopsis of this book:

In a time of peril, can they find the courage to confront their fears and embrace a love that lasts?

When her husband becomes a casualty of war in the Pacific, Helen Carlisle throws herself into volunteering for the war effort to conceal her feelings. But keeping up appearances as the grieving widow of a hometown hero is taking its toll. Soon something is going to give.

Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit. His stateside job training B-17 pilots allow him the luxury of a personal life – and a conventional excuse to ignore her deepest fear. When the beautiful Helen catches his eye and captures his heart, he is determined to win her hand.

But when Ray and Helen are called upon to step out in faith and put their reputations and their lives on the line, can they meet the challenges that face them? And can their young love survive until blue skies return?

Filled with drama, daring, and all the romance of the WWII era, Blue Skies Tomorrow is the captivating final book in the popular Wings of Glory series.

Here is the biography of this author:

Sarah Sundin is the author of A Distant Melody and A Memory Between Us. She lives in northern California with her husband, three children, a cat, and a yellow lab prone to eating pens and manuscripts. She works on-call as a hospital pharmacist and teaches Sunday school and women’s Bible studies. Her grand-uncle flew with the U.S. Eighth Air Force in England. Please visit her online at www.sarahsundin.com, www.facebook.com/SarahSundinAuthor, or www.twitter.com/sarahsundin.

I’ve had the pleasure to read the other books in this series (you can read my review of ‘A Distant Melody’ here and ‘A Memory Between Us’ here. According to Sarah’s website, “I’m currently editing In Every letter, the first book in the Wings of the Nightingale series.” So glad to hear that this talented author – and wonderful lady – has another series on its way!

As with the other books in the series, this book is superb! Sarah has such a talent for writing; it shines through on every page.

Here is one example of a fine piece of writing; her word picture is vivid:

She shifted two-year-old Jay-Jay higher on her hip and inhaled the Delta breeze, flowing fresh from the San Francisco Bay into the Sacramento River Delta, rain-scrubbed and scented by new grass on the hills. (p. 9)

Mrs. Sundin always does a fine job in bringing Jesus into her stories. Here’s an example of the main character Helen’s outreach to the Lord:

        “Lord, help me, I can’t bear it.”

A whisper. The softest whisper in her ear. He knew. Jesus knew what she had endured. He’d endured it too. He was beaten and scarred. He understood.

For the first time, she yielded to his comfort. Jesus didn’t take away her tear, he received them. He didn’t take away the memories, he shared them. He didn’t take away the hurts, he felt them. Somehow, with the Lord, she could bear it. (pp. 142-143)

Sarah’s books in this series bring history to life. She has done a lot of research on life during World War II, on both sides of the pond (in the United States and in Europe). One can learn a lot about the history of our country, and what those in the ‘Greatest Generation’ endured.

The ending was very sweet! I was happy to spend some time with the courageous and amazing Novak brothers, and the lovely women in their lives! And I thank the lovely Mrs. Sundin for sharing these stories with us.

You can order this book here.

This book is published by Revell Publishers and was provided by them for review purposes.

12 Pearls of Christmas: Gifts of Purpose

For the 12 Days of Christmas, I am pleased to be participating with other bloggers to present the '12 Pearls of Christmas.'  Here is a bonus entry (the 12 Days officially start tomorrow!) from new author Sarah Sundin sharing her story:


Too Precious to Wear
by Sarah Sundin

One Christmas when my mother was a girl, she received a string of pearls from her father. Since her parents were divorced-an unusual situation in the 1950s-she treasured the pearls as a sign of her father's love. When he passed away her senior year in high school, the pearls took on even greater significance.

When I was growing up, my mother talked often about the pearls, but my sister and I never saw them. Mom kept them safe in their silk-lined velvet box tucked in her jewelry box. For dressy occasions, she wore other nice jewelry, but never the pearls.

The pearls were too precious to wear.

What if the strand broke and even a single pearl was lost? What if the clasp broke and she lost them forever? She couldn't risk it. Better to keep them cocooned in silky security.

When my mother offered to let me wear her pearls on my wedding day, I was deeply touched. This was more than "something old" or "something borrowed," but a sign that she trusted me and loved me.

A few days before the wedding, my mother pulled the box from seclusion. My sister and I watched with curiosity and awe.

The pearls had turned a deep grayish-yellow, they were flaking, and some had fallen apart.

They were fake.

For over thirty years, my mother nurtured a piece of costume jewelry. All that time she could have worn them and enjoyed them without worry. Her father gave them to her for a purpose-to wear them and feel lovely and ladylike and special. He didn't mean for her to hide them away.

On our wedding day, my husband gave me a strand of real pearls. They symbolize my husband's sacrificial love for me-they were expensive for a graduate student with half-Scottish blood.

I vowed never to tuck them away but to wear them often. Yes, I'm careful. I inspect the cord and knots and clasp, and I plan to have them restrung when necessary. But I wear them and enjoy them. That's why my husband gave them to me.

Our heavenly Father gives us gifts too-brilliant and costly. We should cherish them, but we should use them. Whether our individual gifts involve serving, teaching, encouragement, evangelism, or even money-they have a purpose. The Lord wants us to use our gifts to bless others and to spread the message of His love.

While pearls make women look lovely, using our God-given gifts for His kingdom makes us even lovelier. And just as pearls grow more lustrous with frequent wear, our gifts from God grow in beauty and strength the more we use them.

This Christmas I plan to wear my string of pearls, a sign of my husband's love-and to display my pearls from heaven, a sign of my Father's love.

Have a lustrous Christmas!

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Sarah Sundin lives in northern California with her husband and three children. She works on-call as a hospital pharmacist. Her first novel, A Distant Melody, historical fiction set during World War II, will be published by Revell in March 2010. Please visit her at http://www.sarahsundin.com or her blog or find her on Facebook.

You can preview - and pre-order - Sarah's first novel here.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info