"The Sea Before Us" by Sarah Sundin
Mar. 19th, 2018 01:03 pm
Sarah Sundin's new Sunrise at Normandy series gets off to a wonderful start! The series will feature the stories of the estranged Paxton brothers who all end up storming Normandy on D-Day - one from the sea, one from the air, and one from the ground. Book One is about Wyatt, the oldest, whose actions spurred the breakup of the brothers. Now he's in England in early 1944, helping map out and plan the upcoming attack on the Norman beaches. Still trying to atone for the sins of the past, Wyatt believes that once he reaches a certain goal he will be able to return like the prodigal son to his Texas home.
Dorothy Fairfax grew up being called "Jolly Dolly" as she dashed from one adventure to the next. Now the Blitz and the war have decimated her family, and the only person she has left in the world - her father - is mired in depression and barely able to function. Dorothy's work with the British Wrens is valuable, but she's terrified she'll be transferred away from London. Meanwhile she's also been working to develop an air of sophistication and class in order to catch Lawrence Eaton's eye. Eaton was a classmate of her brothers and Dorothy has had a crush on him for a long time. She's worked hard to shape herself into the kind of woman he will notice, and now that he is working in the same office the time is right to make her dreams come true.
As Wyatt and Dorothy develop a friendship, he's drawn to the fun-loving redhead and her big heart, but he can see she only has eyes for Eaton. She's thankful for a friend in whom to confide her troubles at home and with her father's business. Formerly an accountant, Wyatt agrees to help find a suspected embezzler within the Fairfax & Sons company, but what he uncovers may shatter what little family security Dorothy has.
I really enjoyed both Wyatt and Dorothy's stories. Their faith struggles were well-written and relatable, as Wyatt has to learn to forgive himself and live with his past, and Dorothy grapples over a relationship with a God who has allowed so much loss in her life. I've also never read a story that specifically focused on D-Day preparations, and I felt like I learned new things about this portion of history. I look forward to the rest of the books in this series!