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Book Review: “The Sound of Light” by Sarah Sundin

Sundin is outstanding at her craft. The attention to the historical detail, much of it factual, and the weaving of such strong themes of self-discovery, self-sacrifice and forgiveness through the lives of two tremendous characters was excellent. I looked forward to picking this story up each time and really didn’t want it to end.

Henrik (or Henning or Hemming) and Else are wonderfully crafted. Henrik, the rich playboy, who is challenged by his best friend to be more than he’s been and realise his potential, is developed brilliantly through the story. He joins the resistance using his rowing talent to transfer secrets across countries. This forces him to go undercover, so to speak, and assume a different persona which makes his transformation through the story even more significant.

Else is a Doctor of Physics and suffers from misogyny in her laboratory. To her immense credit she courageously challenges it and fortunately, we see some men who acknowledge her scientific talents irrespective of her gender.

The love story between these is beautiful to read. Full of tension and longing, our two lovers are drawn to each, even though Henrik carries a huge secret.

I loved the fact this story was set in Denmark. A first for me. Sundin demonstrates her significant research in sharing details of the German occupation and Danish resistance. I am now a little wiser on the impact WWII had on the Danish. We also get to see the uniqueness of the Danish coast and Copenhagen through the eyes of Sundin’s characters.

I feel very blessed having received an early ebook copy from Revell via NetGalley with no expectation of a favourable review.

Book Review: The Songs that Could Have Been by Amanda Wen

Wen’s debut was a surprising delight and I was eager to read her follow-up. This one can be read stand alone, however, don’t miss the first one as it’s fabulous. This story revolves around Lauren Anderson and her Grandma Rosie and the loves of their lives. Lauren is early 30s and Grandma Rosie is 85 and living with dementia.

Rosie’s story really grabbed my heart. She fell in love with a black man, Ephraim James, in the last year of school. It was the mid-1950s and in Wichita, Kansas a mixed relationship was unheard of and in fact frowned upon on both sides. Wen’s powerful story telling combined with her empathy and grace plus some great research really shone when we saw Rosie’s world back then. I also loved how Wen gave us an insight into Rosie’s 85 year old dementia-muddled mind. It was brilliant and eye-opening giving the reader a much better insight into the mind of one who has dementia.

Lauren’s love was local weatherman, Carter Douglas. They’d had a crazy 10 week courtship when they were late teens both starring in a local production of Fiddler on the Roof. Their breakup left some deep wounds for both of them. But Wen also explores other wounds and how addiction can manifest itself as a consequence. She also explores identity and God’s grace in helping us heal and recover.

Lauren and Carter’s romance didn’t grab me like Rosie and Ephraim’s did. It felt a bit immature and a little forced for the purposes of story. Certainly, Wen’s portrayal of brokenness, of acceptance and loving wisdom from others (take a bow Garrett and Jim Ford) were well presented.

There is heartbreak, some great questions asked about love and reflections on God’s grace and His ability to help us with our brokenness. Once again, Wen delivers a beautiful story that will linger for days after finishing it.

I was very fortunate to receive an early ebook copy from Kregel via Audra’s Jennings PR with no expectation of a favourable review.

Book Review: Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin







This is my first Sundin novel and wow, I realise I’ve been missing out on a wonderful story teller. Set in 1941 in German-occupied Paris, we meet Lucie Girard and Paul Aubrey, two Americans who choose to stay in Paris to serve the war effort in different ways. Lucie, a ballerina at the esteemed Paris Opera Ballet, retires from her great love to purchase a bookshop of her much loved friends, the Greenblatts. They are Jewish and sensibly choose to return to America.

Paul, a widower, elects to convert his successful automobile factory into one that builds civilian trucks for the Germans. Or so he believes. But in so doing, he also elects to use his esteemed position in Parisian society to spy on the Germans and feed the information back to his American comrades.

On first meeting, Lucie and Paul have an immediate attraction but she is opposed to the fact he is a German collaborator. Gradually, circumstances change and she too becomes a willing member of the resistance using her bookshop as a front for the distribution of messages. Paul’s daughter, Josie, plays a pivotal role in capturing Lucie’s heart and in so doing forcing the two of them to keep meeting. But how can Lucie let down her strong stance against Paul being a collaborator?

Sundin writes beautifully and brings the Paris of 1941 alive. It’s definitely a bit more grim than one comes to typically expect from the City of Lights. I learnt much about the German occupation of this wonderful city that I wasn’t previously aware and its impact on its residents and society in general.

The romance is very special. Sundin brings the passion and beauty of new love and the hope and wonder that goes with it. It was wonderfully portrayed on the page.

There is suspense, some good conflict, and plenty of twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing as to what the outcome will be. Will our two lovers finally be able to declare their love and be united?

I must now read some of Sundin’s early works.

I was very fortunate to receive an early ebook copy of the novel from the publisher via NetGalley with no expectation of a favourable review.

Book Review: “Never Leave Me” by Jody Hedlund

I was pleasantly surprised by the first in this series: time travel, holy water that could heal, medieval England, and a dastardly chase to find the source of this special cure. I was looking forward to the sequel to see what Hedlund would do to and particularly how Ellen and Harrison would tackle the obstacles in their way.

Hedlund writes with great pace which allows you to easily turn pages. There was always something going on which made the reading experience fun and interesting. I liked Ellen and Harrison. Yes, there were some frustrating moments through the story and perhaps too many will I/won't I's, however, having such a strong caring friendship makes taking the next step a scary prospect as you don't want to lose what you already have.

I was thoroughly entertained and appreciated that neither Ellen nor Harrison were perfect creations as no good fictional characters are. The ongoing chase for one more bottle of holy water did get a little tiresome especially as it kept being used by one of our leads plus the kidnapping was surprising since it was used in the first story. It was fun going back in time and seeing Marian and Will again plus meeting Nicholas and some medieval scoundrels like Simon Worth.

It's a 3.5 for me.

I was fortunate to receive an early ebook copy from Revell via NetGalley as part of their Readers Program. However, this had no bearing on my opinion of the story.

Book Review: ‘Under the Bayou Moon’ by Valerie Fraser Luesse

This was a charming story of Ellie Fields who leaves her Alabama home to take up a solo teaching position in Bernadette, a small town situated on one of many bayous of the Atchafalaya Delta Basin in Louisiana. Ellie is a fish out of water and perhaps settles in a little too easily for someone who is new to the mixed culture of the area.

I delighted in reading the Cajun history and sampling a small element of its unique and varied culture through Ellie’s eyes. And the bayou, its sounds, smells and sights were a joy to behold. At times, Luesse took my breath away. And then there was the white alligator – the piece de resistance. Oh what a gorgeous creature and what a beautiful connection it had with Raphe who seemed to be the only human it dared to be seen by.

There is so much to like about this story and it was such an easy read even though Luesse often led us in the Cajun dialect and French as well. The plot was quite simple and as another reviewer stated, there were a number of threads that just fizzled out. The romance between Ellie and Raphe was a little unrealistic – full of sweetness but for two who came from such diverse backgrounds didn’t seem to struggle as a couple.

There were some good themes explored: racism, the clashing of multiple cultures, the hardship of poverty but the trauma both Ellie and Raphe experienced either before this story or during it were superficially handled when there was a lot more that could have been explored.

It was a good read and I’m thoroughly pleased to have spent some time Under the Bayou Moon.

I received an early ebook copy from Revell as part of their Revell Reads Program via NetGalley with no expectation of a favourable review.

Book Review: Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund

This is my first Hedlund novel and judging by other reviewers this is a bit of a step away from her usual stories. Well, I certainly enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the sequel.

Time travel is always fun to read and Hedlund did a good job outlining how one travels from one era to another: modern England back to 1381 England. Hedlund gives us a fabulous view of the 1300s and the Peasant Revolt which Marian Creighton arrived in the middle of. As Marian, like us, is familiar with the current times, we’re all given a great education into the vast differences of medieval Canterbury. It was captivating to read.

The story actually has a great deal of suspense too which kept me turning pages. Will Marian find the source of the holy water and sufficient ampullae so she can both return to current times and heal her sister? The Peasant Revolt adds another layer of suspense plus a good dollop of fear with the cruelty of the leaders being ever present.

But perhaps what I reflect most on is the romance between Marian and Will Burnham. It’s really delightful to read. His chivalry, her strength of character and his willingness to allow Marian to be herself was good to read. The sensuality between the two is well written too. I suspect there’ll be some readers who’ll think it too much but I actually thought it added to the realism of the story and to its suspense. Will Marian and Will’s love be allowed to flourish or will Marian return to the future and be forever wondering what if?

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I’m keen to read the followup to see what happens next.

I received an early complimentary ebook copy as part of the Revell Reads blogger program via NetGalley with no expectation of a positive review.

Book Review: Roots of Wood & Stone by Amanda Wen

This is a simply stunning time slip story with a wonderful sense of God’s grace and love threading through it.

Sloane Kelley was abandoned by her mom three days after she was born. She’s now 30 and has no clue who her birth mom is. Sloane has been lovingly raised by her adopted parents, however, continues to struggle with a sense of abandonment which continues to raise its ugly head in many of her relationships.

Annabelle Collins, half a century earlier in the 1860s, lost her parents when she was very young and joined her aunt and uncle on settling in the prairies in Sedgwick County, Kansas. Annabelle marries soon after to a local, Jack Brennan, who builds her a dream home where they raise their seven children. Annabelle is a mad diary writer and she documents all of her life in these diaries.

Sloane is an historian by profession and she inadvertently finds one of Annabelle’s diaries. This starts Sloane on her own adventure of discovering the history behind Annabelle’s life. To do this she needs to spend time in Garrett and Lauren Anderson’s grandma’s house and she becomes firm friends with the brother and sister as she heads deeper into the story of Annabelle.

Wen writes a beautiful story of love and loss, abandonment and reclamation, creating a wonderful assemble of characters whom its’ easy to fall in love with. It’s a really clever time slip story in how Wen brings the two life stories together without it being forced or unnatural.

It staggers me that this is a debut novel. There are so many wonderful descriptions of the county, the grand Brennan household that serves as the backdrop for much of the story, and the little tidbits like Sloane and Garrett’s passion for jazz. I frequently found myself with a contented smile on my face as I turned the pages.

If you’re looking for a delightful surprise, then Roots of Wood and Stone will certainly do that for you.

I received an early ebook copy via NetGalley as part of Audra Jennings PR Blog Tour with no expectation of a favourable review.