Category: book review

In Through Waters Deep, it is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war.

About Through Waters Deep

Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery job is to escort British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. On shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently. She is happy to be out of the limelight. Yet despite her reserved nature she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges and danger awaits them.

My Thoughts

I love a good historical novel and this is another huge hit set in World War II just prior to America entering the war. Sarah does an amazing job capturing the emotions, stress, tension and fear that arose in America prior to the country entering the war.

Mary, the most unlikely hero, personally challenges herself to step out of her comfort zone to help solve a mysterious case before tensions crack and disaster strikes. Everything that makes her the perfect secretary is what makes her the perfect ‘spy’ (I use spy in a loose term). Mary transforms in this novel and it is beautiful to witness as she struggles on her journey and the freedom she finds at the end. The mix in of a little bit of romance by Jim’s character tops off a completely heart warming, exciting and beautiful story. A story that reminds us that there is always much more to a person then the outer features or the fears that people hold against others.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, In Perfect Time, and the Wings of Glory series. In 2014, On Distant Shores was a finalist for the Golden Scroll Awards from both AWSA and the Christian Authors Network. In 2011, Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on call as a hospital pharmacist. During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist’s mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

In the most turbulent decade of our nation’s history, four Southern women whose destinies are forged by birth, hearts steeled by war and who face near impossible choices on their journeys in life and in love.

About Among the Fair Magnolias

Four books in one make up Among the Fair Magnolias: To Mend a Dream, An Outlaw’s Heart, A Heart So True and Love Beyond Limits.

To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander

Savannah Darby would do almost anything to revisit her family home. So when the new owner, Aidan Bedford (a Boston attorney and former Union soldier) seeks help to redecorate the house for his fiancée, she jumps at the opportunity. But the clock is ticking – can she find the box her father supposedly hid there during the war (and may hold the key to her financial security) before her assignment is completed? And before she sees yet another battle lost on the home front. This time the battle will be one of the heart.

An Outlaw’s Heart by Shelley Gray

When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he is determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother’s homestead, he discovers she’s very ill and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and as sweet as he remembered. With time running out for him, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.

A Heart So True by Dorothy Love

Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another man. A terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.

Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser

Emily has a secret: She is in love with one of the freedmen on her family’s plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not always as they seem and that secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.

My Thoughts

I always worry when I read a novel that contains more than one story, that the story will not be developed enough or will feel too rushed. This was definitely not the case in Among the Fair Magnolias. Each of the four stories brings its own unique writing skills (that also complement each other) and story. At the root of each story is a difficult decision each main character has to make – accepting the past and present in order to find love, forgiveness and hope. It is a novel that explores love and forgiveness in many different forms, that will not leave you disappointed (but maybe craving for some more!).

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour Page. You can purchase a copy here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Authors

Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of numerous books including A Lasting Impression and The Inheritance. Tamera is a two-time Christy Award winner, two-time RITA winner, and a recipient of the prestigious Library Journal Award. A native of west Tennessee.

Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their golden retriever. An award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, Dorothy made her adult debut with the Hickory Ridge novels.

Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list.

Elizabeth Musser, a native of Atlanta, Georgia now living in France, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’ For over 25 years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in mission work with International Teams.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.