I have found the last few series of Sundin's to be deeply disappointing (and her The Sea Before Us was so harmful to plus-size people and triggering as a bulimia survivor that I almost gave up reading her altogether), but here, her talents are on full display. Certainly not as gripping or as wonderful as her earlier work, but still a fine book!

When Twilight Breaks
by Sarah Sundin
Back of the Book: “Munich, 1938. Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent as determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession as she is to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she fails to truthfully report on major stories, she'll never be able to give a voice to the oppressed--and wake up the folks back home.
In another part of the city, American graduate student Peter Lang is working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.
This electric standalone novel from fan-favorite Sarah Sundin puts you right at the intersection of pulse-pounding suspense and heart-stopping romance.”
Impressions: Oh, this was a good one! I was pulled in and didn’t want out!
Rated: Murder, violence, racism
Liked: I loved the suspense and intrigue of this story. It was such a unique perspective from other time period books I’ve read about WW11. I would love a sequel of Libby’s perspective and experiences.
Quotes: “…I have forgiven those men for what they did to your father and to you. I have done this out of love for my Lord. Was my sin not also responsible for the blows that rained down on my Saviors precious head? As the Lord has forgiven me, I have forgiven those men. I pray you will too and will rediscover compassion and mercy.” -Forgiveness is a tricky thing sometimes. It can take moments or years to forgive. Ultimately, I always come back to the moment I meet my Lord and Savior, fallen at His feet and have to justify my unforgiveness. It reminds me that I too am a sinner. I too have failed. I liked that Peter was reminded that forgiveness is done out of love for our Heavenly Father too.
“‘Freedom without order, without justice- it leads to chaos and violence’… ‘But order without freedom, without kindness- it makes you hard. Cruel. It leads to chaos…’” – I felt this was very important to keep in mind.
“‘My articles are read by thousands, but only for fifteen minutes or so. Most will forget what I wrote by the end of the day. I rarely change people’s opinions, much less their lives. My influence is broad, but shallow.’ Peter dug his own apple grave. ‘But you, Peter Lang- your influence might be narrow, but it’ll be deep. Deep and profound and for great good. With your character, you can change lives.’” – Being a stay-at-home mom, I often struggle with this thought that I’m not doing anything meaningful. I’m just spinning wheels as I fold laundry for the umpteenth time and make another snack. But I am so much more than this when I look at my role from a different lens. I am training up my children to be men of honor and love. I am teaching them to have manners, to show kindness, to be considerate. I hope that my influence runs deep and meaningful with not only them but with the friends they bring to our lives, to the parents whom we mingle with and so forth. My bubble might be small but I need to focus on making my bubble count. Making relationships meaningful. I appreciated this quote because it encouraged me outside of its context to be not just content with my life but to be proud and fulfilled by my job.
“‘We might fool ourselves into thinking it’s only Europe’s concern, but it isn’t. The way the Nazi’s treat people is a concern to all humanity, and therefore, to us.’” – I find it a struggle to look beyond my own little world into the problems of our great big world. One reason is that it feels overwhelming. There are so many needs. I have found that I can not take on the world but I can find the few things I can do and start there.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

Sarah Sundin is an excellent author when it comes to bringing World War II to life. Her newest focuses on Germany in 1938 just prior to the beginning of World War II. Evelyn Brand is a newspaper journalist in a man's world and is fighting to get news of the Nazi changes back to America. But instead is repeatedly given soft news in which her editor cuts anything derogatory to Germany. American Peter Lang is a professor working on his doctorate using technology that allows students to hear themselves and correct their pronunciation of either English or German. Little do they each know that their paths will cross as they each try to help their Jewish friends and that, in turn, will lead them into major trouble.

This book is so well written and the characters and events place the reader right in the midst of the developing Nazi party, its terrible injustices to the Jews, and the need for those who care to help the Jews. Evelyn's growth, her desire to take whatever risks were needed to get the news back home, and her support of her Jewish friends was so inspirational. She was not afraid to stand up for what was right and condemn that which was evil. Peter also became a risk taker as he realized what was happening and played a double role. When they became a team, it was amazing what they accomplished as well as how they looked out for one another. Their slowly blossoming romance was interesting to watch especially as Evelyn felt she had to continue to be alone to succeed in her journalism career.

Definitely another World War II home run for Sarah Sundin.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

From a beloved voice in inspirational fiction comes a fresh new story filled with danger and romance.



This book was amazing. I’ve been a long-time fan of Sarah Sundin’s; I love her voice, how well researched her novels are, and her sweet, war-time romances that also feature strong female leads. In her latest release, we are still treated to the hallmarks of Sundin’s writing, yet in a completely different setting.



Let me start with the characters. Evelyn was one of my favorite literary heroines in a while. She was smart, spunky, full of life, and fearless. I cannot imagine being in her position and still having the courage to stay in Nazi Germany to tell the stories of the Jews that were being so miserably mistreated.



While in the very beginning Peter didn’t win me over, he did by the end of the story. I appreciate that the author showed growth for this character, demonstrating that there are two sides to every story, that things are not always what they seem.



This is by far Sundin’s most suspenseful novel. Danger lurks at every corner for Evelyn and Peter and the author proves deft in her ability to write a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You’ll be kept in suspense until the very last page.



Fans of the author and those new to her novels alike with find When Twilight Breaks a captivating read as well as impossible to put down.



I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I've read a few books by this author in the past, and I've enjoyed them. WWII-era books are some of my favorite reads.

Sundin does a wonderful job of showcasing the events that began prior to World War II began, which is something I don't commonly read about in fiction. She shows the reader how citizens and foreigners were impacted. Her characters are well-crafted, and it's obvious that the author did her research, as she's able to bring the storyline to life.

Peter and Evelyn balance each other out, and the romance angle isn't rushed or overdone. I appreciated the fact that the characters were flawed and worked through their struggles. Evelyn was a bit annoying at times, yet her determination won me over. The faith element is woven in so it doesn't feel preachy or overpowering. The ending did feel that it wrapped up a bit too quickly, but it was a satisfactory conclusion.

This book is a nice blend of suspense and romance. The reader has a solid understanding of pre-WWII Germany. The romance angle isn't the main focus, and I appreciated that. The pace is appropriate to keep the reader actively engaged.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, this is a book to add to your TBR pile!

"No matter how dark the world became, there would always be some light, some music, some hope."

Oh, this was such a good book - not a lot of books will make me give up my sleep. From the beginning of the book, there was this imminent danger feeling hanging over Evelyn and Peter, even though the start of the book was a bit slower pace. But oh, around 56% the pace was full out sprinting - there was scenes where I held my breath, wanted to shout at a character to not trust someone and was scared for Evelyn and Peter.

I've read a few WW2 book, and most was during the worst time more towards the end. This was the first book which I've read which was more at the start of Hitler's horrid reign and it was refreshing to see how small changes added to this big war - I always wondered how people could not see what was happening. I feel like the author did a great job with the historical thread.

"Clouds may conceal them, but they're still there. Even in the darkest night, the stars always shine."

Peter and Evelyn - this was probably one of the best romances I've read in a while. I loved them individually, especially Evelyn who had to fight for her own success in a man's world and Peter who saw her and gave her the support she needed. They were great together as well and I loved their friendship.

Highly recommended to fans of Historical romance.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

"When Twilight Breaks" is a Christian romantic suspense set in March through December of 1938 and mostly in Germany. The story was very suspenseful all the way through as Evelyn and Peter were doing things that the Nazis didn't like. They realized there was danger but felt protected by the fact that they were Americans. The reader's more aware of how evil the Nazis were, so the suspense was even higher knowing that they could simply "disappear." There were also relationship tensions. Evelyn felt that all men were trying to cage her, so Peter had to first prove his friendship, support, and admiration for the very characteristics that previous boyfriends had tried to force her to change. They had similar values, though it didn't appear so at first, and they became a good team working for a good cause.

The characters were likable, well-developed, complex, and acted realistically to events. They were better people for having met each other. The historical details were woven into the story and were very interesting. Evelyn had to learn that depending on God and others did not make her weak. Peter came to realize that God was in control even when bad things happened. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this very suspenseful historical.

It’s hard to believe, the huge historical fiction fan that I am, that this is the first book I’ve read of Sarah Sundin. The author’s name keeps popping up in various reading groups as an author to read.
When Twilight Breaks is part of a series, I’m not sure where it falls – perhaps book two. There are quite a few references to the previous novel, but a reader can still enjoy this novel without having read the other one. At any rate, the heroine from this novel apparently had quite the adventure in Paris before she arrives in Germany.
Our story takes place pre-WW2 in a changing Germany. The focus is on Americans visiting Munich and Berlin right before Kristaalnacht – when Jewish businesses were looted and owners taken from the premesis. Evelyn, an American Correspondent witnesses the utter horror of the event and finds herself being pursued by the Gestapo. Peter, an American PHD student studying linguistics at the University finds himself entangled in espionage. Evelyn and Peter work together to reveal the truth and to escape Germany before it’s too late to get out.
It took me a long while to get into the story. I’m not quite sure why, but I suspect it might have to do with reader fatigue. I’ve read several books in the last month that have focused on WW2 events. However, by mid-way through (during the events of Kristaalnacht) I wanted to keep reading to find out how Peter and Evelyn would escape a seemingly impossible situation.
There was plenty of action and a smooth narrative that pulls readers into Peter and Evelyn’s world.
It was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Munich, 1938. Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent as determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession as she is to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she fails to truthfully report on major stories, she'll never be able to give a voice to the oppressed--and wake up the folks back home.
In another part of the city, American graduate student Peter Lang is working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.

Wow!! What a great book. I found myself reading when I should have been doing other things. I believe everyone should read this book to see what happened in Germany in the late 1930's. It's quite the eyeopener to what is happening right now in the US. Politics aside, Evelyn and Peter started out on opposite sides of the spectrum. Evelyn has a hard being taken seriously because she is a woman. Woman in the 1930's were thought to belong in the kitchen and no where else. Here nickname is Firebrand and it is an apt name. All Peter wants to do is finish his research for his doctorate. Again, I say this is a great book.

I was given this book by Revell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

More than 5 Stars! Another masterpiece from Sarah Sundin. Christian historical. Germany 1938. Peter is teaching in Munich, Americans to speak German fluently. Evelyn is a reporter who would prefer to be reporting from Berlin. She's fiercely independent, wanting to be taken seriously, a serious writer. And she's good, but the editor keeps censoring out content to make her articles more pro German. They are just beginning to see Hitler for what he is, and she wants her readers to know and realize. At first Peter only sees what the Germans who welcome Hitler's leadership see. Little by little things are revealed to him. With his contacts he can help get inside information to Evelyn. She had been treated badly before, and doesn't trust men. Little by little both have their eyes opened. It gets very hold-your-breath dangerous and I guarantee you won't want to put it down. Many gems of wisdom.
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I believe this is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Sundin, though I’ve noticed for years she writes WWII historical fiction.

I really enjoyed the pacing and the characters and the plot. After about halfway through the book, I truly didn’t want to stop reading! The book is set in 1938 in Germany as Hitler has already annexed Austria and then takes possession of Sudetenland, the German-speaking part of Czechoslovakia. The couple who are main characters are Evelyn, an American reporter for fictional ANS (American News Service) and Peter, an American Ph.D candidate teaching German in Munich,nowhere they both live.

When things become untenable for not only the Jews but also our two main characters, they are forced to flee to France. Their story continues as they eventually make their way back home to the United States. It’s a great read!

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

Another great story from Sarah Sundin. I always appreciate her attention to historical details. I highly recommend this book!

I have read and enjoyed many of her books. I feel this is one of her best. Not only that, but I was blown away by how the story was told through the eyes of Evelyn Branch, a journalist with the American News Service in Berlin, Germany. She is there when the world goes mad. She tries to write about it, but her stories are tampered with before going to print, (I felt the similarities of that time period with their being a slant on news and turmoil — never quite knowing what is real or not) kind of eerie it reminded me of what we have been dealing with in current time. While this is going on Evelyn fights extra hard to write important stories. She knows where to get the scoop, but it’s almost impossible for her to get a lead working in a male dominated field.

Then Evelyn crosses paths with Harvard grad Peter Lang who is working on his doctorate. Peter Lang’s work was fascinating to learn about. It became more interesting when the enemy wanted to use his studies and skills and to what end? Peter gets worried about that. Evelyn and Peter form an unlikely friendship and work together for the greater good and a way of staying alive. This friendship is hard for Evelyn because of the abusive men she trusted in the past, she comes at cross-roads only her faith can get her through.

Evelyn then finds out a family secret that could compromise her, and everything she has worked for. If this information gets in the wrong hands, who knows what would happen to her. She becomes unsettled as things start happening. Things in her apartment seem to be moved and/or rifled through, and she feels she is being followed.

I was glued to this story through the characters, their flight and for the fact I saw many similarities in our current political environment with its rioting and destruction of businesses properties. This would make a great book club pick there is so much to discuss. The author includes sixteen questions to help create lively discussions at your book club meeting.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

She sees freedom as the most important thing in life. He thinks freedom is equivalent to anarchy and considers order essential. Can they each accept that both are necessary?

Evelyn Brand is an American reporter working in Munich just before WW2, walking the fine line of trying to tell the truth to the American public without getting herself kicked out of the country - or worse. When she meets Peter Lang, an American professor who is working on his dissertation at a university in Munich, she is attracted to him but finds that their ideologies are too different. Peter has been anti-Communist since the death of his father and is therefore pro-Nazi - but the more he sees of Evelyn and of what the Nazis are doing to Jews, the more he doubts himself, to the point where he agrees to pass on any information he obtains from Nazi friends to Evelyn. She has made powerful enemies through her news work, and suddenly discovers that she is three-quarters Jewish. As the Nazis clamp down harder and harder on the Jews, Peter is forced to decide what is most important to him: the dissertation he's been working on for years or the woman he loves but can never have. And if they escape Germany and her enemies, Evelyn herself will have to decide whether to give up the freedom she prizes for the man she loves...

With the perfect mix of action, suspense, romance and conversation, this was both an enjoyable and a memorable read - though not a light one. While it does deal with Nazi atrocities, it does so without gratuitous or overly graphic violence, which I appreciated. I have read several books by this author before and therefore had high expectations, but I think this might actually be my favourite so far. The history is presented interestingly as a background to the story rather than a lesson, and the people felt real - bringing home still more strongly the way that Hitler and his myrmidons impacted on the everyday life of normal people. I particularly liked the way in which the author presented Evelyn and Peter as having opposing but overly extreme views that were gradually softened to more sensible views by their discussions. All in all, highly recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

You might think that the dark heaviness that this book caused to hang over me as I read was a bad thing, but in actuality it speaks to the author's skill in placing her reader in the middle of her story. Set in Germany in the year 1938 as atrocities began to multiply, as oppression was not only tolerated but encouraged, as other countries looked on, hoping to avoid war and thus ignoring the treatment of people, how could that not bring on a dark heaviness? I have to consider too, as I write this and have to avoid certain words to keep my review from being rejected on some sites, if we are in danger of forgetting, of denying what took place. I am grateful to writers such as Sarah Sundin who keep the memory alive, lest we stand back and allow something similar to ever occur again. The protagonists in this book certainly did not ignore what was happening around them, but rather risked their careers and their very lives to do what was right, as did so many real heroes.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of When Twilight Breaks from Revell via netgally without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved this book. I love learning about history--especially through stories. This one gives such a great glimpse into how the German people could be so blind to Hitler’s evil. I also gained a greater understanding of how all the other countries wanted to preserve world peace even if it meant sacrificing people groups and parts of countries. Through this book, the atrocities of the Nazi party become personal.

Sarah Sundin always weaves a great storyline. Her characters have depth. The plots are not cookie-cutter. The characters in this book face major challenges and help the reader to ponder how s/he would have reacted in Nazi Germany.

I absoluely devoured this book. I seriously could not put it down.

It's been several weeks since I finished it, and honestly I'm still thinking about it from time to time. When Twilight Breaks is frankly a timely book, and it made me evaluate what is happening in our world today.

In Evelyn Brand and Peter Lang, readers are presented with what could very well be considered the two sides of opinion on Germany in the 1930's. Evelyn represents those who saw the evil in Nazi Germany, while Peter represents those who were blinded by the minor things and the improvements over the Weimar Republic. Their stories, both together and individually, take twists and turns which will leave the reader anxious for me.

This is a book I will not soon forget, and one that is on my favorites shelf.

Thank you to the publisher Revell and NetGalley for the ARC I was given in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve reread Sarah Sundin’s first novel (A Distant Melody) so often that there are parts of it I could quote by heart. What I love about that story, and many of her books since, is that they remind me of the 1950s era WWII movies my parent’s loved. They are sweet, innocent, romantic and revolve around a simple, unabashed patriotism that is a soothing balm in these troubled times. When Twilight Breaks captures the spirit of some of the more adventurous of those films, highlighting that patriotism which puts the state before God is a dangerous form of idolatry.

It’s 1938 and Evelyn Brand is in Munich writing stories for the American News Service. As a woman in a man’s field she finds herself constantly fighting both offensive and defensive battles. She endlessly defends her right to be a correspondent and battles tirelessly to be given decent assignments and not just fluff pieces about how wonderful Germany is. Still, she makes the most of the opportunities she is given, and one of those opportunities is to interview Peter Lang, a grad student working on his PhD in German, for an article about Americans studying abroad.

Peter has been impressed with what he has seen in the first few months he has been in Germany. The streets are clean and orderly, the economy is thriving, the people are encouraged to be lean, strong and healthy (a personal passion of his) and best of all, the government has dealt harshly with the communist problem. Peter’s own father was killed by communists in Chicago and he can’t help but think that Germany’s devotion to law and order would have prevented such a tragedy from happening. He is delighted to meet with Evelyn, speak to her of his love of the country and ask the cute, feisty reporter on a date.

Evelyn likes Peter as a person but after a few outings, realizes that his view of Germany and hers not only don’t align, but are polar opposites. She sees what lies below the surface of Germany’s so-called law and order – repressed people, silenced dissidents and persecution of minorities. While she is determined not to date Peter, she does introduce him to Herr Gold, a Jewish café owner whose baked goods are little slices of heaven. It is Herr Gold who is slowly able to awaken Peter to the tragedies happening right under his nose.

Once Peter is aware of what is occurring, he begins to pass information to Evelyn about issues being discussed at Nazi Party meetings and student union gatherings. He has been invited to attend these events since the people at the university appreciated his initial approval of their culture. But Peter and Evelyn are now involved in a dangerous game. It is important to Hitler that America not know about the cruelty of his regime – and it is important to Peter and Evelyn that everyone back home knows to fight against this horrible new power.

The tale breaks down into two different portions. Prior to Kristallnacht, it revolves around Peter and Evelyn getting to know each other as they live out their lives in the Germany of 1938. For Evelyn, that means fighting to receive decent assignments and also over how her boss edits her work. When he is called away unexpectedly and a different man temporarily fills his spot, Evelyn finally gets to write the kind of articles she wants. It makes her a rising star in the American journalistic world but the Gestapo takes a new and frightening interest in her work. It also means spending time with Peter, although she keeps him firmly in the friend zone. It’s not just because of their differing opinions about the Nazis. The men she’s dated in the past have all encouraged her to quit her job and be more “feminine” and she’s fought too hard and come too far in her career to give it all up for love. Peter hasn’t intimated that’s what he would want but she’s convinced it’s just a matter of time.

For his part, Peter spends his time spying on ‘friends’ he increasingly finds repugnant. The author does a nice job of using these characters to show the multifaceted nature of the Nazis. They were kind to each other, cordial and welcoming to folks like them, and had a deep love of and loyalty to their families and country. It wasn’t until you heard about how they treated the Jewish people or people that disagreed with them that you learned about the ugliness that lay beneath their polished exteriors. At first Peter also spends a lot of his time gently pursuing Evelyn. He isn’t pushy but he is persistent, letting her know he’s available if she ever changes her mind. Once he begins passing her information, they are careful to spend less and less time together since her pieces contain information he has provided and they want to keep the Gestapo guessing as to her possible source. All that changes after Kristallnacht, when the story becomes an adventure tale as our intrepid hero and heroine try to outwit their enemies and escape the nightmare Germany has become.

This is an inspirational novel, so God and faith are interwoven into the text. For Evelyn this subject is explored through her grappling with her deep desire to be independent and her need to learn to depend upon and trust in God. Peter has to come to terms with God’s mercy and how that supersedes law and order. Their growth in their faith plays an important part of their growth as people and as a couple.

Evelyn’s background contains what might be a hot button issue for some – in order to escape persecution her Jewish grandparents had converted to Christianity. The family moved to America from Germany, where it seemed they only tepidly followed their new faith. Her heritage was a non-issue in Evelyn’s life until she found herself in Germany, observing first-hand the consequences of the Nuremberg Race Laws, which concentrated not on belief but lineage. The book does deal with numerous other Jewish people – namely the Golds and members of their synagogue – without any mention of them converting to Christianity or Evelyn or Peter trying to evangelize them in any way.

This novel revolves around the relationship between Peter and Evelyn; all the action, and most of the conversations impact how these two relate to each other. That should have led to a rather romantic tale, but thinking back on the book, I couldn’t remember any truly swoony moments. Their connection lacked romantic spark, and given how the book was about them falling in love, that was a pretty big glitch for an otherwise fascinating novel.

Quibbles aside, When Twilight Breaks is an enjoyable, fast paced read that captures an important moment in WWII history. This richly detailed historical adventure romance will be sure to thrill fans of Sundin’s work and be a hit with any fan of Inspirational WWII novels.

When it comes to historical fiction, those stories taking place during or around WWII are certainly a favorite of mine... and within that genre, Sarah Sundin has quite quickly become a favorite, thanks in large part to her newest standalone novel, When Twilight Breaks.

In this novel, we meet Evelyn- an American foreign correspondent and Peter- an American graduate student working at the rise of Nazi Germany. Evelyn wants to do everything she can to expose the true goings on without offending her host country. When violence hits a little too close to home, Peter finds himself doing what he never expected--- feeding her information from the Nazi party. Taking place as tensions against the Jewish in Germany are rising, this is an emotional story filled with a perfect balance of romance, suspense and historical content.

I must admit that most of my WWII knowledge comes from the American perspective and what was found in my high school history books. And from that perspective, it's hard to imagine how things in Germany were able to escalate to such a point, or how Germans didn't see Hitler for the monster that he was. In this book, we initially meet Peter as he is impressed with how things are going in Germany. Watching his perspective changing as the story progresses really puts an interesting perspective on things that I don't believe I had ever seen in a novel before. While I've read many fictional books taking place during this time, I found this one to be truly unique. Not an easy read, by any means, as no stories in this time and place are, but a beautiful one for certain.

**I received a complimentary copy from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Sarah Sundin is the absolute queen on WWII era fiction and I will forever be one of her biggest fans!
I was admittedly a little bit disappointed when I heard that this book was a stand-alone and while the plot sounded a little bit different than Sundin’s normal fare I was still intrigued. And honestly, this book blew me away! One of the things that most impressed me was the way that the author took a lot of elements I don’t love in books and somehow perfectly balanced them so that I loved how every piece fit together.
I was poised to not love Evelyn’s character because typically female reporters trying to prove themselves in a “man’s world” always rub me the wrong way in fiction. But, while she was definitely a bold, no-nonsense type, she also had a soft side and she was rational about things to the point that I was fully on her side instead of rolling my eyes and wanting her to calm down. She was fiercely independent out of necessity but I loved seeing her walls come down and watching her learn that it’s okay to lean on someone else’s strength sometimes.
Peter was also a wild card. Starting off as he did with his thoughts on how things were going in Germany I wasn’t sure he’d get to hero status, but boy did he prove me wrong! We don’t often think about how Nazi Germany came to be the awful place it was with no one standing up against it. But the truth of the matter is that while countries like America were struggling in the 1930’s Germany was thriving and on the surface you can see how it would look appealing. Especially for someone in Peter’s shoes who had watched his father die because of a mob incited by their poverty. So while I didn’t agree with his stance, Sundin painted a clear picture of how he arrived there that didn’t make him an awful person. Though I was very happy when he started to see the truth of the dark side of a controlled country. His journey from admiration, to disbelief, to outrage, to fighting back was awesome to watch and I’m not gonna lie, I was legitimately proud of this fictional character! I also loved the way he not only accepted Evelyn’s, as she called them, sharp points, but admired her for them and loved the way they made her who she was. It was beautiful to watch her blossom under his unwavering appreciation for every part of her. Their romance was pretty much the sweetest and I was melting when they finally admitted their feelings!
Another amazing part of this book was the suspense level! I was on the edge of my seat and tense with worry more in this book than any suspense I’ve read in recent years! Both Evelyn and Peter were taking enormous risks over and over again and each time I swear my heart was going to pound out of my chest! I actually had to set the book down several times to take a breath before I could continue!
So if this excessively long review hasn’t convinced you already, let me just say it plainly, I absolutely adored this book and lovers of WWII fiction or just exceptional historicals absolutely need to read this book! You won’t be sorry!