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In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a "Wren" in the Women's Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France--including those of her own family's summer home--in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans. As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.… (more)
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Wyatt Paxton is suffering severe pangs of guilt and inadequacy. A sudden
Dorothy Fairfax, on the other hand, is dealing with family tragedies of her own. Her mother has died in an air raid, and her two brothers have died in the fighting. Only her father remains, and he has turned in upon himself, ignoring his daughter, his business and his own health. Convinced that she is fundamentally unlovable, Dorothy is turning herself inside out to become a different woman, with the kind of looks an personality that would attract the childhood friend of her brothers, a British naval officer and ladies man of considerable repute. Even if this woman bears almost no resemblance to the real Dorothy.
Reluctantly, these two lost souls are drawn to each other, despite their reservations. Dorothy encourages Wyatt to reconcile with his family while he still has them, and Wyatt tries to help Dorothy see that her natural self is lovable to her father, to Wyatt and to God. But there may be no time for anything deeper to blossom, as D-Day is looming just ahead.
I greatly enjoyed this book. The characters were likable, without being unrealistically wonderful. The religious content flowed as a natural part of the story and the characters rather than reading as inserted sermons. And the historical background, especially how the beaches at Normandy were mapped out in incredible detail ahead of the invasion based on vacation snapshots collected from British holiday makers. A wonderful read all around.
I received a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a historical fiction book. The author did a lot of checking on historical back round for the book
I enjoyed the historical parts of the book. They gave you a look at the time heading up to D Day.
I found the story sort of slow going and was not
The story is of Wyatt and American naval officer. He is estranged from his family after a accident that
he blames himself for. He turns to his faith and believes in forgiveness but can seem to not find it for
himself. He is assigned to a unit in England before D Day. Wyatt meet a young Wren officer there.
Dorothy also is fighting her demons. As they work together they become friends and try to help each
other to find a way to except there lives and make amends they feel are their fault
If you like history and a good clean book, this is for you.
The author has given us two
With these characters, we walk the streets of London, and visit Scotland, and then we are bombing the beach at Normandy, and we can almost feel the vibrations of those guns. Through it all we hope for survival and God’s Graces as broken lives are put back together.
Now I see another brother has a book coming with a teasing few pages at the end of this wonderful read, and I will be waiting for that one!
I received this book through LibraryThing as a gift and was not required to give a positive review.
Author: Sarah Sundin
Pages: 384
Year: 2018
Publisher: Revell
My rating 5 out of 5 stars!
The new series by Sarah Sundin is a heart-touching tale of events leading up to D-Day through fictional characters. There are three brothers from Texas who are torn
The story encapsulates the hard times of war, the love stories, battles and yes even death as those were parts of the reality young men dealt with who were barely out of their teens. Wyatt is a Navy Lt. Commander in the U. S. Navy who, though trained as an accountant and was to pick up the leadership of his father’s business, is now planning methodically with others the Navy’s plans for D-Day.
Wyatt begins to develop feelings for a WREN Officer named Dorothy who has suffered so much personal loss in her family. What Sarah Sundin wove into the book was interesting as it included a mystery aspect of Dorothy’s father’s business losing money. Plus, Dorothy is flailing in her walk with the Lord until Wyatt challenges her to return to church as she has challenged him to contact his family after three years of silence.
Having read the other wartime stories Sarah has offered, this new series outshines other novels set in the WWII era. I found it easy to become enraptured with the characters and the many subplots. Wait till you see the twist in the main plot line in the book! I don’t know when the next book is due out, but I sure cannot wait. The series is once again a reminder of a brave generation who endured more than we can really grasp. I thank all vets who serve today.
When you are done reading the book, please consider reading Sarah Sundin’s other wonderful novels that are bold and invigorating!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I received a copy of the book from the publisher, the review is my own,
My book club gives its unanimous approval to The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin. This WWII-era romance has everything we look for in a book — great relatable characters, realistic story line, and a setting that captures our imagination. We also had plenty to talk about! Most of us
The Sea Before Us is set in the months leading up to the D-Day invasion. Main characters Dorothy, a WREN, and Wyatt, a US Naval officer, are both involved in the planning stages. I loved the detail Sundin shares in the meticulous mapping of the Normandy coast in a time way before Google Earth. In addition, the complexity of the naval operation is told in a way even those with no military background can understand. But this novel also gives a glimpse into the wartime psyche of the people of England. The famous stiff upper lip hid a multitude of fears but served as a means for civilians and military alike to defeat the evil that took over Europe. Dorothy and Wyatt, both dedicated to their jobs, were influenced by their past mistakes and sense of unworthiness. While it helped get the job done, both needed to put aside failures and rejections in order to discover their worth in God’s eyes. This aspect of the novel made both characters realistic. As for the romance, sparks ignite for the Texas cowboy and the vivacious red-headed English girl. For Dorothy a family secret is revealed, but Wyatt’s family issues remain — the story will continue in the next two books.
We all loved The Sea Before Us, but are not satisfied that we will have to wait so long for the next two books! But we are definitely putting them on our 2019 and 2020 reading list.
Recommended.
Book Club Approved.
Audience: adults.
This was a GREAT book! My mother, grandmother, and myself all give it a 5-star rating! We cannot wait until the other 2 books in the series come out to find out about rest of the characters in the series and what happens to everyone involved. A great book Ms. Sarah Sundin!!!
First, I have to say, that the research and authenticity of the story are astounding.
As you read, you are transported back to a different era and three different countries, England, France and Scotland. It’s not hard to picture yourself right in the middle of everything going on-from the urgency of preparing for a military invasion to the freneticism of trying to squeeze the last drop of normalcy from a life that seems as if it will never be normal again.
Both Dorothy and Wyatt have some significant issues in their lives and need to learn to rely more fully on the Lord. The spiritual thread is woven seamlessly into the book, with most of the truths applicable to anyone’s life.
I have always loved historical fiction, and The Sea Before Us doesn’t disappoint.
I received this book from Library Thing. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.
I posted this on my blog January 28, 2018. (I don't know how I missed posting it here!)