"Embers in the London Sky" by Sarah Sundin

 


While fleeing from Nazi-occupied Germany, Aleida Martens is separated from her young son. Desperate to find him, knowing only that he was going to London, Aleida follows and begins working for the Ministry of Health, documenting the placement of children in the English countryside in order to escape the Blitz.

With bombs falling nightly on London, BBC correspondent Hugh Collingwood is charming the nation with his smooth voice and daring reporting. He feels like he must hide his life-threatening asthma in order to be allowed into dangerous scenes, and he faces pressure to step down from his disapproving aristocratic parents.

Hugh's uncle, a prominent MP, is murdered, and a string of other murders follows. Are they connected? Hugh and Aleida track down clues and continue to search for little Theo.

As usual, I enjoyed Sarah Sundin's well-drawn characters and immersive historical setting. My heart ached for Aleida, and I loved seeing her grow from her timid and beaten down beginning to a strong woman unafraid to face her foes by the end. Hugh also has a wonderful character arc, helped along by his growing care toward widowed Aleida.

The plight of Theo and the whodunit complement the character-driven story. I was caught off guard by the revelation of the murderer. If you enjoy WWII stories with strong romance and faith themes, I would recommend this book to you.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.