The Land Beneath Us - A Review

Published: February 2020, Revell

Series: Sunrise at Normandy Book 3

Author: Sarah Sundin

Title: The Land Beneath Us

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About the book:

The Paxton brothers haven’t spoken to each other in years. In 1943, Private Clay Paxton is training with the Army Rangers in Tennessee. He’s determined to do his part to assist the Allied forces in France. Clay feels he has only one thing left to live for – fulfilling the dream of his death – especially since he blames his brothers for his future having been stolen. Civilian Leah Jones is working as a librarian at Camp Forrest when she meets Clay. She longs to rise above her upbringing as an orphan and belong to a community. When she’s brutally attacked, Clay saves her life and then marries her to save her reputation. When he ships out to Europe, the pair write each other and soon find themselves bound together over the distance. But is love between them possible?

My thoughts:

Oh how I loved this book! I literally read it in 2 and a half hours! It’s a great conclusion to the Normandy series. I loved how Clay and Leah both grew through the book. I also loved being able to catch up with the other Paxton brothers. This book had a story of hope in it. And a story of love overcoming. Every book I’ve read by this author has been a delight. They are well researched and full of complex characters. I look forward to seeing where the author takes us next with her next book.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in order to share my honest opinion of it. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of WWII, Sarah Sundin, Laura Frantz, Jody Hedlund

Rating: 5 stars

The Sky Above Us - A Review

Published - February 2019, Revell
Series - Sunrise at Normandy Book 2
Author - Sarah Sundin
Title - The Sky Above Us
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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About the book:
Numbed by grief and harboring shameful secrets, Lt. Adler Paxton ships to England with the US 357th Fighter Group in 1943. Determined to become an ace pilot, Adler battles the German Luftwaffe in treacherous dogfights in the skies over France as the Allies struggle for control of the air before the D-day invasion. Violet Lindstrom wanted to be a missionary, but for now she serves in the American Red Cross, where she arranges entertainment for the men of the 357th in the Aeroclub on base and sets up programs for local children. Drawn to the mysterious Adler, she enlists his help with her work and urges him to reconnect with his family after a long estrangement. Despite himself, Adler finds his defenses crumbling when it comes to Violet. But D-day draws near. And secrets can't stay buried forever.


My Thoughts:
I don't think that there is a Sarah Sundin book that I haven't enjoyed. While there are some books I've liked more than others of hers, I've still enjoyed each of her books. This one was no exception.

In the first book, we met the Paxton brothers and learned what caused the rift between them. This one focuses on Adler, the middle brother. I enjoyed getting to know him. I also really enjoyed learning about D-Day through the air versus the ground. All of the stories I'd heard from my grandfather while growing up focused on the ground invasion at Normandy as that's what he was a part of. WWII books are ones that I do really enjoy. I'm looking forward to the third book in this series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in order to share my opinion. I was not required to like the book, only give my honest opinion.

Recommended to fans of WWII, Sarah Sundin, historical fiction

Rating - 4 stars

Sea Before Us - A Review

Published - February 2018, Revell
Series - Sunrise at Normandy Book 1
Author - Sarah Sundin
Title - The Sea Before Us
Format - ebook, paper
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About the Book:
It's 1944, and the world has been at war for a few years. Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London as part of the men involved in the planned Allied invasion of France. His job is to take maps and turn them in to bombardment plans. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a WREN. Dorothy spends hours piecing together maps of the French coastline based upon vacation photos from people across the nation. Her own family photos are among the submissions. Their friendship turns to love as the war escalates. Both are reluctant due to personal reasons.

My thoughts:
I loved this book! It's the start of a new series. I loved learning about how much effort went into D-Day. I had a grandfather who served in France during WWII and was part of the D-Day invasion.

Wyatt and Dorothy are both pretty complex. I loved how they were each able to see the other's struggle, but not their own. It made for a very real character. The other characters were fun to get to know as well. I hope to see some of the other WRENs in the other books.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of the Revell Reads program. I was not required to like the book, only give my honest opinion.

Recommended to fans of WWII, Sarah Sundin

Rating - 5 stars