The Sea Before Us is a riveting start to the Sunrise at Normandy series by talented author Sarah Sundin. It is a well-researched and informative novel based on an actual slice of history during WWII. The characters are multi-layered, realistic, and engaging. This story starred U.S. naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton and British “Wren” Dorothy Fairfax. They both have tragic backstories and things they need to resolve in their lives. I liked how they were able to help each other and worked together to solve problems. With plenty of action, suspense, inspiration, and some romance, this is a beautiful tale of forgiveness, healing, faith, and hope.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

1944, some time before the Omaha Beach Landing. The American kind of prodigal son, naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton is being located in London and falling in love with a fellow British servicewoman Dorothy Fairfax. He is a quiet type, she wants excitement.

This novel unfortunately does not work for me. The historical picture of the war liberation effort is interesting, but the characters are clichey and they feel unrealistic, two-dimensional. I think that the authoress is molding her characters to follow some patterns of seemingly ideal type (mostly in men), including that some character traits are contradictory (like supposedly quiet Wyatt can express himself very well and can be chatty, even wordy; also he behaves quite like a pushover for a strong and morally upright character).
The “prodigal son” story has potential, but we meet the character only when he is “fully recovered” of it, healed. I would love to see the messy, real way to healing. Same goes for Dorothy’s healing from the family situation.

When I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I loved reading the interactions between Wyatt and Dorothy. I do admit that there were a few times that I wanted to slap her because of how naive she was about Lieutenant Paxton. He was such a womanizer but she couldn't seem to get over her longtime crush, even though he clearly wasn't treating her right. Wyatt was such a gentleman and so patient and my heart really broke over his backstory. I learned a lot about the Wrens and really found Dorothy's work to be interesting. I loved reading about Wyatt's work, as well, and seeing him start to stand up for himself. I could really relate to how difficult he found it to forgive himself. I really thought this book would be predictable but there were a few plot twists that surprised me and kept me enthralled. I really hope that Wyatt and his family reconcile in the upcoming books and I will be starting book two immediately.

Loved this book! This was my first read by Sarah Sundin, and I enjoyed it. It's heavy on the historical facts, which slowed the story down some. The idea of the series being sea, earth, and sky and the connection of three brothers is very appealing to me. I look forward to reading the others. I felt for the characters and wanted to help them heal from the wounds of their past. If you love WWII books, you're going to engulf The Sea Before Us. It's every history buff's delight!

I've had this book on my tbr pile for years and it was an even better read than I had anticipated. The story started out with such an emotional and gripping scene, so my attention was definitely hooked right away.

I didn't realize going in that this series was about a group of brothers that had a falling out. I love stories about families and this one was SO good. I loved reading Wyatt's story and I cannot wait to start the next book.

All in all, The Sea Before Us was an amazing read and I definitely recommend it. Written very well with great characters, a believable storyline, and rich with history. I loved it!

*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/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and 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 absolutely love Sarah Sundin's writing!! This series was particularly special to me as I have 3 boys. The idea that they could all be at the Normandy landing from 3 different angles is amazing and the love story that is woven into the time of war really appeals to all genders. I know, my older boys love these books too!

The Paxton brothers are separated from each other by anger, pain, and selfishness. Can they even gain healing and become brothers again. The journey each one takes is written in this powerful series and is not to be missed. The story of grace, forgiveness, love, and healing is complex and worth your time. The addition of the story of Dorothy Fairfax in this book brings a riveting plot of who-dunnit to the story. This book is worth your time and effort. Read it!!

I loved this book! I especially loved the relationship between Wyatt and Dorothy's father. I appreciated how hard Wyatt fought to help Dorothy and her father. I really liked the parts with Dorothy's best friend Johanna. I thought it was hilarious when Wyatt and Dorothy were trying and failing to copy each other's accents while still using their own. I definitely recommend this book, and I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series, The Sky Above Us, when I have a chance.

Title: The Sea Before Us

Author: Sarah Sundin

Series: Sunrise at Normandy book 1

Chapters:48 plus Prologue

Pages: 377

Genre: Christian Historical fiction with a hint of romance

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Revell

I'm not going to lie I basically read this one because I read the synopsis of the third book in the series and couldn't wait to read it. So since I have to read series in order and in the case of this series you need to read them in order because these three books timeline is parallel they pretty much happen at the same time. But I normally don't read WWII fiction because I'm afraid that the author's going to get something wrong or not do their research. That wasn't the case here.

The Sea Before is the first book in the Sunrise at Normandy series by Sarah Sundin. A fictional series about three brothers who all play a part in the D-Day invasion. Sea, air, and Land the three different forces that made D-Day possible. In the first book, we focus on the sea with Naval Officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton who damaged the relationship he had with his brothers and is trying to make amends. And Second officer Dorothy Fairfax a Wren in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) who also has to deal with a broken family but for different reasons. They work together to help with the Naval part of D-Day.

Prior to reading this book, I knew the Navy played a part in D-Day because how else were they going to get men to the beaches without a ship, but I didn't realize how big of a role the Navy played until I read this book, but I should have as someone who comes from a Navy and Marine family. I enjoyed the brother aspect of this series and I can't wait to read the stories of the other two brothers and get the background story from their point of view. The brother aspect intrigues me as in my own family history we had our own set of brothers who fought in WWII, but in the Army, Navy, and Marines and only the solider show European combat the sailor and Marine were in the South Pacific. I can't wait to read the other two in this series as well as read some of Sarah's previous books.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Definitely 4.5 stars for me. This was a great story of the behind the scenes making of D-Day.

This is the story of Dorothy Fairfax, a WREN in the Royal Navy, and Wyatt Paxton, a sailor with the US Navy, who work together through maps and photographs to get a better look at how the beaches of Normandy look to make their D-Day attack. Though both are running from different life events, Dorothy running towards what she thinks she wants in life, and Wyatt from his family. They meet planning the attack, each with their own faults, but both with the ability to bring each out of those faults. Dorothy thought she needed fun and spontaneous Lawrence Eaton, a friend of her brothers from childhood, to make up for the love she lost from her mother, brothers, and father, to make up for the kind of marriage she saw her parents have, and because girlhood crushes are so blinding. What she really needed was the acceptance for who she was, to accept that she was beautiful in her own, and that fun and spontaneous is not always what you need. Wyatt Paxton ran after tragedy, didn't keep in touch with his family afterwards, and thought he needed to payback his deceits before he could ask for forgiveness. He knew he had God's forgiveness, but self-forgiveness is much more difficult to accept.

I loved these characters and how much they needed each other to show that they did have faults, but those faults were only in their eyes, that in the eyes of the Lord they were perfect. Dorothy didn't need fun and exciting and to cover up God's perfection, she needed stability, support, and love for who she was. Wyatt knew he had God's forgiveness, but it was Dorothy who told him he needed to at least make amends with this family, that maybe they have also forgiven him and that punishing himself was not the way to get it.

This was a great beginning to the build-up to the Battle of Normandy, a time I knew and have heard about, but not so much what went on behind the scenes to prepare for this invasion. It was fascinating to learn how the WRENS took pictures and maps to build new battle plans, and how much influence they really had to this epic time. I cannot wait to read the rest of the trilogy.

I received this from Netgalley and Revell for my honest review.

Loved!! Sarah has a way of making you feel you are there night with the characters and her book are perfect!

I'm a huge fan of author Sarah Sundin! I adore her WWII stories and was excited to begin reading this latest book. I will admit, at first, I was a tiny bit disappointed. The story was really hard to get into for me, but only in the beginning. I felt like Wyatt's background story was somewhat immature and unrealistic. I find it hard to believe a young man would want to kill his own brother over an accident. Maybe the author didn't make it quite real enough for me. However, I understand why the author used this event as the premise for the rest of the story and did like to see how Wyatt corrected the mistakes he made as a young man and grew in his personal relationship with the Lord because of it. About 1/3 of the way through the story, I began really enjoying the book. I loved Dorothy and her story, seeing her find her faith and grow in it was rewarding. I also highly enjoyed the historical events and battles that took place toward the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys WWII fiction. it was a light read, sometimes lacking in depth, but good just the same. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in this series when it is available.

*I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin is the first book in her Sunrise at Normandy series. Readers who love historical fiction and readers who love World War II will love this book. This book is obviously well researched and Ms Sundin does a wonderful job at bringing a well textured setting to life. However, there are parts of the book that can move a bit slowly. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful book and I would recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own.

Sarah continues to write wonderful, engaging stories. Not only does she write wonderful characters, but she fives you a it or a history lesson with it. Always love reading her books.

Sarah Sundin is a WWII expert! Her research into this era shines through in her writing and attention to details in the story she writes. The Sea Before Us is a fantastic beginning to her Sunrise at Normandy Series!

Dorothy's character is strong and capable yet naive and vulnerable all at the same time. When it comes to her work she knows exactly what she doing. She does her job well and knows it. On the other hand, her relationships struggle. She's been through a lot and is insecure. She grows leaps and bounds throughout the story and it's beautiful to watch.

Wyatt is incredibly charming. He has a strong faith, but struggles to forgive himself of his past. As his story unfolds it's easy to see why he's so wonderfully likeable. Wyatt trusts God and continues to lean into Him as he works through his struggles.

Dorothy and Wyatt have a beautiful friendship as they help each other process the trials their each working through. That relationship deepens as they confide in one another and discover things they never expected.

This story is extremely well written, well researched, and well thought out! I cannot wait to read Book #2!

I don’t read a lot of novels set during the Second World War (less than I could count on one hand, probably), but I saw that this one was very popular. Also, one major attraction was that unlike a lot of novels and movies set in this period is that it didn’t just involve on US Army. Sorry everyone, but there is a bit of an American centric focus in a lot of these things.
I can be a slow reader when it comes to books from Netgalley, so I confess, I cheated and finished this one on audio. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised: the relationship between Dorothy and Wyatt developed slowly from friendship, so it was not instalove. What’s more the protagonists had lives outside the romance. We could read about what they were up to when they weren’t together, which was nice.
Also, the story didn’t get bogged down with details about the Normandy landings and the events of the war. Which is not to say the historical details were ignored, they were just worked well into the story, and all seemed authentic to me. I also liked he treatment of the central themes with two flawed characters who were struggling with personal tragedy and duty. For one, in increased his faith, and for the other, drove her away. Wyatt was patient and genuine with Dorothy, not preaching at or bashing her, but rather making her think, and allowing for her religious doubts.
My only complaints were the usual Americanisms coming from the British characters. One said ‘gotten’ and another said ‘sidewalk’ at one point. Which was unfortunate but kind of expected.
Overall though, I really enjoyed the book, and would recommend to all lovers of Historical Fiction and WW2 novels.
I requested a copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley/Revell Reads. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

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.

The tense days leading up to the monumental D-Day landing blaze to life under Sarah Sundin's practiced pen with this powerful new series.
The Sea Before Us is a great start to the Sunrise at Normandy series! It is the perfect blend of history, faith, and romance. Sarah’s books leave you feeling like you know the characters personally and you want to learn as much about them as you can. All of her novels are set during WWII, but she manages to make each unique and fantastic! With rising anticipation as D-day draws near, possible scandal in the business world, and the loss and renewal of family relations on the home front are all part of the plot in this book.

This is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves history and romance. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

**I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Special thanks to the Revell Reads Blog Tour program for the advanced copy of The Sea Before Us!

I have read several books by Sarah Sundin and this one is my favorite so far. It moved at a decent pace, The Sea before us has a good Christian message throughout. The main characters are not perfect and thus very believable as they struggle with their imperfections.
I am a big fan of historical fiction and this book did not disappoint. It was fascinating to read about the behind the scenes people of WWII. Sarah Sundin did a great job capturing what it must have been like to have lived in England with bombs dropping and preparation necessary for the Allied invasion of France. Sarah Sundin describes in great detail all the work necessary to prepare accurate maps. The reader learns a lot about the Women’s Royal Navy Service and military reconnaissance prior to the technology that is now available.
What also made The Sea Before Us a great read was the story line of Wyatt Paxton and Dorothy Fairfax. Wyatt had a strong Christian faith and was learning the consequences of jealousy along with how bad choices impact those around us. It was interesting to follow his development as he grew in his faith and experienced the beauty of God’s forgiveness. Dorothy had her own journey. She had a lack of self confidence. Dorothy thought she needed to change in order to be loved. She too had some growing to do and self-acceptance.
This was a good story line and while it wasn’t necessarily a fast paced book, it was enjoyable. I received a copy from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

Posted on Amazon, CBD and Good reads

"The Sea Before Us" is book #1 in Sarah Sundin's newest World War II series Sunrise at Normandy and it is an excellent start to the series!
Wyatt and Dorothy both have their roles that they are filling in the midst of war and fulfilling their duties to their country and their team. They find themselves working together and spending a lot of time together and becoming closer. However, each of them has a past and have been hurt in the past and not looking for love and the possible hurt that can go along with it.
Sarah is an amazing author! I have read every single one of her previous World War II series and she continues to amaze me with the "newness" of the stories and characters and her ability to tie in historical detail and really make the setting and the time period come alive. I felt as if I became a part of the story and really was transported back in time and the tension and hardships of this time. The characters felt so real and they were all so likeable and easy to empathize with. Ending the book with a sneak peak of book #2 has me looking forward to it's release and getting to read more in this series!

Another winner by Sarah Sundin...She is a master storyteller...And this is quite the story. THE SEA BEFORE US is classic Sundin. Treat yourself to spending time w/ it.

This is a compelling exciting work of historical fiction that captured this reader from page one. This is the first book in Sunrise at Normandy Series. This is a very promising series .
The setting is France in the time of WWII before the Normandy invasion. A young women in the Royal Navy Service is assisting a American Naval officer with photos of her home area of Normandy . Her assistance with the war effort is invaluable and as their professional relationship grows their attraction begins. This is not a romance, the focus here is on the time period,, what the troops were facing and how much planning worked to the troops advantage. in the battle of Normandy. I loved this story and the author is masterful at writing historical fiction. I found myself immersed in the story. of troops, preparation for invasion and the stories of each strong charchter. This is a pivotal time in the history of WWII and the author creates it with heart and details that place the reader in the battle. . This is a very well written, beautifully crafted story of the war effort. I look forward to further works by this author.
Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review.