Midnight on the Scottish Shore is one of my new favorites from Sarah Sundin! Sarah’s books always teach me something new about WWII; I knew very little about Scotland during this era, and now I can’t wait to learn more.

I was absolutely entranced by Cilla and Lachlan’s story. Both were complex and relatable characters who went through very human struggles during an extraordinary time, yet I felt so connected to them and their emotional turmoil. And when it comes down to it, who can resist a Scotsman in a kilt?

If you’re at all intrigued by WWII fiction, Sarah Sundin’s books are must-reads! 4.5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Midnight on the Scottish Shore is a compelling WWII historical fiction novel with tons of espionage and a dash of romance. Having never read books by Sarah Sundin, I was surprised to find how entertaining, dramatic, and CLEAN this enemy to lovers romance book was. From the moment Cilla van der Zee graced the page with her presence, I knew I would love this main character.

Cilla van der Zee is a Dutch woman living in the German occupation of the Netherlands. After witnessing the heinous treatment by the Nazis, she joins her cousin in working for the Dutch resistance. Planning to escape German oppression, she makes a harrowing decision to work as a double agent, absconding to one of the Allied countries. The moment she sets foot on the shores of Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, she meets Lt. Lachlan Mackenzie who decides to turn her in to the authorities.

Cilla is a bright ray of sunshine! Her sunny personality brought so much light to the darkest situations. The chemistry she has between Lachlan was so enjoyable and was likened to the ebb and flow of the Scottish shores that was set as this book's backdrop. Sprinkled with Christian faith, both of the main characters often refer to scripture or to their faith in God. I enjoyed seeing the progression of the main characters but loved seeing the two work as a team.

There are many many powerful themes at play in this book but at the heart of this novel is the power of forgiveness. This book is very much a clean Christian romance novel, and it is refreshing to read a WWII historical fiction novel without triggering explicit content.

Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary, and all thoughts are my own.

I dove into this book with little knowledge of what to expect, except for, well, the Scottish setting in the title and a vague understanding that it involved espionage. Imagine my delight when I was drawn into a compelling spy story featuring double agents, a lighthouse (my favourite) and a slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance. I loved the compelling moral conflict within each of the characters, the swoony-but-steadfast Scottish hero and the convincing black moment that made the happily ever after that much more satisfying.

The plot revolves around Dutch resistance member Cilla van der Zee, who becomes a Nazi agent as a foolhardy means to escape her occupied home. On her arrival in Britain, she is immediately captured by Royal Navy Lt Lachlan Mackenzie and turned over to MI5. She agrees to work as a double agent, transmitting approved messages about ship movements and other local information back to Germany. Cilla faces a difficult battle to prove to her MI5 handlers her loyalty to the Allies at the same time as protecting her friends and family back home. Amid the duplicity Cilla is drawn to the steady, strong and supremely Scottish Lt Mackenzie, who's been ordered to help her. But this is war and nothing is simple.

Cilla and Lachlan are both essentially good characters to whom deception, disloyalty and duplicity do not come easily. Both are trapped in one way or another. Cilla has no love for the Nazis but cannot convince anyone of that. Lachlan has no desire to work with MI5, but has to face the string of moral compromises that his situation brings on. The complex layers of moral conflict within each of these characters are well drawn and compel the reader through the book for the first quarter.

Goodness is such an underrated quality hero, and Lachlan is a good man forced to help Cilla lie and sabotage the country he loves. Sundin hits all the right Scottish ‘beats’ from Hogmanay to Robbie Burns quotes…and when he wraps her in his plaid I almost swooned.

The promise (and quite, frankly, joy) of a romance is a happily ever after, so of course you expect that despite the obstacles to true love, everything will work out in the wash for the hero and heroine. However, I don’t think I’ve ever been as thoroughly convinced by a “black moment” in a romance story as I was by this one. I honestly didn’t think they were going to make it. To which I say, “Well played, Ms Sundin. Well played.”

This story is unique in that Cilla is pretending to be a spy for the Germans but then runs into trouble when she meets Scotsman Lt. Lachlan and he believes her to be a Nazi spy. Lachlan turns her into the authorities but they decide to have her become a double agent. But can she be trusted? Lachlan isn’t convinced.
This was an amazing book! I was fascinated from beginning to end! I loved Cilla’s character so much. She is so brave and strong, she has some past things she has felt guilt over but learns to heal from that. She is also very funny with her teasing Lachlan. Lachlan is also a great character but he has been betrayed in the past and struggles with forgiveness and trust. But he will do his duty. I loved watching Cilla and Lachlan work together. There is also great Christian content throughout. Overall, a fantastic WW2 story and I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

"Sometimes you have to find freedom inside the trap."

This was a unique WWII novel set in 1941-1942 Scotland and I loved the history and espionage. I've read very little historical fiction set in WWII Scotland so it was fascinating to travel to this area at such a pivotal time in world history. The spy world and the works of MI5 and MI6 were intriguing. I loved Lachlan, the stalwart, serious, steadfast hero whose sense of justice and faith drove his words and actions. Cilla was the complete opposite, with her fun-loving ways and flirtatious banter, but equally intelligent and mission-driven as Lachlan. The inner workings of a naval base in Scotland were interesting to learn about; watching Cilla and Lachlan engage in warfare of information and misinformation was really captivating. Cilla's journey of understanding her need for God and accepting the eternal love was a highlight of the story. Fans who have read Embers in the London Sky will recognize some delightful cameo appearances.

Those who enjoy WWII fiction will love this newest by the queen of WWII historicals. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

I have long been intrigued by spy stories set during World War II and this book delivers. The setting in the remote Scottish Islands was eye-opening for me. The characters were brought to life in this captivating tale. Cilla was escaping occupation in the Netherlands and went ashore at Dunnet Head only to be captured by Lieutenant Lachlan MacKenzie. Accused of being a German spy, she turned to spying for the British and proved herself very brave. Even while kept confined in a lighthouse. This many layered story has danger, intrigue, family, drama, and a growing romance. Cilla even found shelter in her faith: “This year I have found walls like never before, but I have found freedom. True freedom-in faith and forgiveness.”
As always, the extensive research lent authenticity to the story. I enjoyed learning about the real events that the story is based on. I also liked the legend of the selkie that was woven throughout.
This was another World War II adventure that impressed and entertained me.
* A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell through Interviews and Reviews and NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

I always look forward to a new book from Sarah Sundin. Nobody does WWII romance quite like her! This story was great! While it took me a little bit to get into, it wasn't long before I was completely invested and wondering what was going to happen next.

To escape the Nazis, Cilla decided to become a Nazi spy. It was quite the bold plan, though things didn’t exactly go the way Cilla expected. I will say that Cilla wasn’t the most likable character in the beginning, but I loved seeing her journey and watching her continual growth, and by the end, I did end up really liking her.

Lachlan was a fastidious and serious rule follower. He was the complete opposite of Cilla. They got off to a very rocky start, but I loved their banter. And, despite their differences, they made a great team.

I didn’t really know much about Scotland during the war, so that was fascinating to read about. I also enjoyed reading about all the spycraft. The invisible ink, the coded messages, the double crosses. It was all so exciting!

If you’re looking for an inspirational WWII romance that’s full of intrigue, grab a copy of this book. I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Midnight on the Scottish Shore was a delightful read. When you think of another WWII story you would assume heartache and raw emotional draw. This story did include that, but from a different perspective. Taking place in the sea, and on the shores of Scotland. I haven't read anything about how this part of the country endured WWII. I definitely appreciate this different perspective. I also appreciated that the romance was clean, honestly comical (they just felt realistic and not some fantasy romance that would never happen in real life) and not the main aspect of the story. It was a great read and I will recommend to all my historical fiction lovers. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another exceptional book by Sarah Sundin! Wow! There are so many books about WWII, but this one offers a new twist. It's mainly based in Scotland ( a place that's on my bucket list). There's spies, lies, subterfuge, double agents, suspense, and intrigue. To balance all of that, there's a sweet love story that touched my heart.

Cilla is one of the most remarkable characters that I've read about. She's brilliant, smart, and incredibly brave. Her gift of creativity saves her own life many times. Lachlan has a lot of rough edges. He has major trust issues, but they're justified. He's loyal to his country and his job. I absolutely LOVE Lachlan's parents! They open their hearts and home to Cilla.

It was interesting to me that Cilla and Lachlan had younger siblings who got into trouble. Unfortunately, Cilla doesn't get the chance to reconcile with her sister. When Lachlan finds out that something devastating happened to Neil, the walls between them are broken.

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Revell through Interviews and Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own. (Lucky me-I also won an e- copy through LibraryThing!!)

Historical fiction readers will enjoy this story set in Scotland during WWII. Having just visited Scapa Flow in Scotland, I could visualize the setting which added to my enjoyment. The author paints a believable picture of spies and sabotaging through Cilla’s eyes. Lachlan was a favorite, so loyal to his country. Lots of research makes this both educational and interesting. Recommended

In order to escape the Nazi’s, Cilla van der Zee agrees to spy for them. Trained as an undercover agent she is sent to the shores of Scotland. She is immediately captured by Lt. Mackenzie, who does not buy her story. She is arrested, and reluctantly agrees to work as a double agent. She is stationed in a lighthouse, where she sends carefully crafted messages back to the Nazi’s.

This was a very predictable book. The characters immediately despised each other, slowly fell in love, and by the end could not do without one another. I found the double agent aspect of the story extremely intriguing. This kept me reading despite the predictability and stereotypical characters. Fans of romance will love this story, it just wasn’t for me. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Revell Fiction for the ARC of Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin. All opinions are my own.

This was my first time reading from this author, so I didn’t know what to expect. I do like WWII stories, but sometimes I find them too similar to other books I’ve read. This wasn’t the case at all with this story. I found this book to be unique, and I loved learning so much new information about WWII.

Before reading this book, I knew very little about military intelligence during the war. I found the double agents and the whole military agency so fascinating. I never really knew how they went about spying, so I loved learning their tactics and codes.

The setting for this story was a special highlight of the story with the beautiful Scottish landscape and sea views. I thought it was interesting to see how much the war impacted a small community.

Cilla and Lachlan were such wonderful characters that I was rooting for from the very beginning. I loved how they balanced each other out with their personalities, and how they encouraged each other to grow personally and spiritually.

I also appreciated the Christian faith elements throughout the story. It was so nice to see the characters’ spiritual journeys even though that wasn’t the main focus of this book.

Overall, I would recommend this book! I’m excited to read more books by this author in the future.

I have been a fan of Sarah Sundin's books for quite awhile. I think this is my favorite of all of her books. With an intriguing plot and wonderful main characters, Sundin has penned a captivating tale of intrigue and espionage. The author has set a high standard in her attention to historical detail. I love learning as I am entertained by a good story. The details about MI5's Double Cross program were just a few of the interesting tidbits I picked up.

With a multi-layered plot, the author explores the inner turmoil and moral decisions of wartime espionage. The main characters also struggle with decisions on a more personal level. The plot steadily builds so that I was sitting in the edge of my seat the last quarter of the book.

Ms. Sundin's poetic prose appeals to the senses, to the point that I felt as if I had landed on the Orkney islands. The vivid setting almost acts as a character itself, providing an integral component to the plot. I am ready to pack my bags and visit the islands in person. Highly recommend!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I always enjoy Sundin's books. She treats us to parts of history most of know little about. Some of the facts that come out in the story are ones that I wish they had taught in history class in school.
In her gentle way, Sundin takes you along for a ride through a part of WWII that is part of the human story. She reminds us that not only did these things happen, they happened to fellow humans. They are part of our stories also.
Do yourself a favor, get this book, plop down and disappear for a while into the past. Your present will be all the richer for it.

I am a fan of Sarah Sundin's WWII set fiction, and I don't believe she could write a bad novel. This one is very good, though not, in my opinion, her best. The main difficulty lies in the set up for the story. In order to establish Cilla as a reluctant Nazi spy, her behavior at the start of the story is monumentally stupid. She is described as a very intelligent, if overly impulsive, young woman. There is no intelligence involved in deciding your easiest ticket to an English escape is to pretend to be a Nazi spy and then desert once you hit the shores of Great Britain. I could buy a panicked and impulsive move to volunteer, but continuing all the way through the Abwehr spy training without bailing on the idea goes way beyond an impulse. I just did not find that believable.

However, once Cilla lands in Scotland and encounters Lachlan and becomes a double agent, if we set that all aside, it becomes a very good story indeed. Lachlan is a wonderful, stalwart character, Cilla-in-Scotland is relatable, and both the spy story and the personal story of Cilla and Lachlan dealing with past injuries from damaged siblings and theme of forgiveness and mercy are excellent. And after the action climax, the resolution of Lachlan and Cilla's love story is quite lovely, if perhaps unlikely. So overall, a fine story, and well worth reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Best read so far this year! A captivating historical fiction story set in the Orkney Islands during World War II.

Dutch Resistance fighter, Cilla van der Zee, infiltrates the Dutch Nazis to gather intel on their actions. As the noose on her efforts tightens, Cilla makes the bold decision to offer up her services to the unsuspecting Germans to act as an agent. She'd do anything to get off the continent and seek refuge at her aunt's place in England to wait out the war. Upon her arrival in the Orkneys, she's immediately captured and turned in order to aid the British in their MI5 "Operation Double-cross". Although a fictional account, this book draws on the historic record and delivers a harrowing story of great courage and ingenuity.

Author Sarah Sundin has meticulously crafted an engaging and evocative story about this time and place in history. Her writing is superb. Her characters are very well developed and are true to their convictions. Cilla, the protagonist, demonstrates bravery, cleverness, and tremendous insight and ingenuity. The mise-en-scène spectacularly describes the barrenness and loneliness of the northern Scottish Isles. The descriptions exude the penetrating chill of an Orknian winter's night or the gentle sea breeze of a summer's day. The research put into the story is rich and well described. The author's research notes, upon conclusion of the book, are equally worthy of reading. Although this was my first foray into Ms. Sundin's writing, I assure you, it will not be my last. This is an excellent read for fans of historic fiction that hold a bit of chaste romance.


I am grateful to author Sarah Sundin and her publisher, Revell, for having provided a complimentary copy of this book. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.


Publisher: ‎Revell
Publication Date: February 4, 2025
Number of Pages: 384
ISBN:‎ 978-0800741860

Sarah Sundin is an autoread author for me. Midnight on the Scottish Shore was a little different to me than her other novels. While other Sundin novels are fairly serious, this one had a lighter air about it. This was most likely due to the banter between Cilla and Lachlan. It was just perfection, had me chuckling.

Cilla is a lighthearted, almost carefree, but a lot of it is an act. She is complex, and has depth to her that was appreciated. Stoic Lachlan struggles with perfection, regret, and forgiveness, but is also passionate and strong in his convictions. So there are strengths and weaknesses in each character. The secondary characters in this novel are imperative to the plot. Some authors will throw in additional characters and you wonder why because they seem unnecessary, but the secondary ones in Midnight on the Scottish Shore were integral to the plot.

While there is romance, I didn't feel like it distracted from the double agent portion of the novel. And the ending... delightful.

Special thanks to Revell and NetGalley for this complimentary ARC. All thoughts are my own.

1941: Dutch spy Cilla van der Zee and Scottish naval lieutenant, Lachlan McKenzie, have differing missions. Hers is betrayal. His is survival. Can they shape the course of history for good?

Dunnet Head Lighthouse is an active lighthouse that stands on the cliff top of Easter Head on Dunnet Head. The lighthouse was built in 1831 by Robert Stevenson, grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson. The lighthouse was automated in 1989.It is managed by the Northern Lighthouse Board.Dunnet Head is a headland in Highland, on the north coast of Scotland.Dunnet Head includes the most northerly point of both mainland Scotland and the island of Great Britain.Near the Dunnet Head lighthouse are minor WWII fortifications built to protect the naval base at Scapa Flow, including a Chain Home Low radar station.

Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands controlled the entrances to the North Sea, and it was distant from German airfields. It was the main British naval base during both World Wars. Following the German defeat in WWI, 74 ships of the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet were interned in Gutter Sound at Scapa Flow pending a decision on their future in the peace Treaty of Versailles. On 21 June 1919, after seven months of waiting, German Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter made the decision to scuttle the fleet because the negotiation period for the treaty had lapsed with no word of a settlement. After waiting for the bulk of the British fleet to leave on exercises, he gave the order to scuttle the ships to prevent their falling into British hands. The Royal Navy made desperate efforts to board the ships to prevent the sinkings, but the German crews had spent the idle months preparing for the order, welding bulkhead doors open, laying charges in vulnerable parts of the ships, and quietly dropping important keys and tools overboard so valves could not be shut.

These ships posed a severe hazard to navigation, and small boats, trawlers and drifters, moving around the Flow regularly became snagged on them with the rise and fall of the tides. The Admiralty initially declared that there would be no attempt at salvage, that the sunken hulks would remain where they were, to 'rest and rust.' In the first few years after the war, there was abundant scrap metal as a result of the huge quantities of leftover tanks, artillery and ordnance. By the early 1920s, the situation had changed. In 1922, the Admiralty invited tenders from interested parties for the salvage of the sunken ships, although at the time few believed that it would be possible to raise the deeper wrecks. The contract went to a wealthy engineer and scrap metal merchant, Ernest Cox, who created a new company, a division of Cox & Danks Ltd, for the venture, and so began what is often called the greatest maritime salvage operation of all time. During the next eight years, Cox and his workforce of divers, engineers, and labourers engaged in the complex task of raising the sunken fleet.

During WWII, the strong defences built during WWI had fallen into disrepair. Defence against air attack was inadequate and blockships sunk to stop U-boats from penetrating had largely collapsed. While there were anti-submarine nets in place over the three main entrances, they were made only of single-stranded looped wire; there was also a severe lack of the patrolling destroyers and other anti-submarine craft that had previously been available. Efforts began belatedly to repair peacetime neglect, but were not completed in time to prevent a successful penetration by enemy forces. On 14 October 1939, under the command of Günther Prien, U-47 penetrated Scapa Flow and sank the First World War-era battleship HMS Royal Oak anchored in Scapa Bay.[11] After firing its first torpedo salvo, the submarine turned to make its escape; but, upon realising that there was no immediate threat from surface vessels, it returned for another attack. The second torpedo salvo blew ahole in the Royal Oak, which flooded and quickly capsized. Of the 1,400-man crew, 833 were lost.

Three days after the submarine attack, four Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 88 bombers of Kampfgeschwader 1/30 led by group commander Hauptmann Fritz Doench raided Scapa Flow on 17 October in one of the first bombing attacks on Britain during the war. The attack badly damaged an old base ship, the decommissioned battleship HMS Iron Duke, which was then beached at Ore Bay by a tug. One man died and 25 were injured. One of the bombers was shot down by No 1 gun of 226 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery on Hoy. Three of the crew died, while the radio operator Fritz Ambrosius was badly burned but managed to parachute down.
New blockships were sunk, booms and mines were placed over the main entrances, coast defence and anti-aircraft batteries were installed at crucial points, and Winston Churchill ordered the construction of a series of causeways to block the eastern approaches to Scapa Flow.

The XX System was a counter-espionage and deception operation of MI5.Many Nazi agents in Britain were captured or turned themselves to authorities and were then used by the British to broadcast mainly disinformation to their Nazi handlers.Some of the agents from the German intelligence services,Abwehr and Sicherheitsdienst(SD),were apprehended after they made basic mistakes during their operations.Some were false agents who had tricked the Germans into believing they would spy for them if they helped them reach England such as Nathalie Sergueiew and Roger Grosjean.The Abwehr and SD sent agents over by parachute drop, submarine, or travel via neutral countries.The last route was common, with agents often impersonating refugees. Once caught, the spies were deposited in the care of Lieutenant Colonel Robin Stephens at Camp 020 (Latchmere House, Richmond). After Stephens, a notorious and brilliant interrogator, had picked apart their life history, the agents were either spirited away (to be imprisoned or killed or if judged acceptable, offered the chance to turn double agent on the Germans. Control of the new double agents fell to Thomas Argyll Robertson (usually called Tar, from his initials), a charismatic MI5 agent. A Scot and something of a playboy, Robertson had some early experience with double agents; just prior to the war he had been case officer to Arthur Owens (code name Snow).

The Weerbaarheidsafdeling (WA; "Resilience Department") was the paramilitary arm of the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands (NSB), the fascist political party that collaborated with the German occupiers of the Netherlands during World War II. The organisation, roughly equivalent to the German SA, was founded in 1932 by Anton Mussert, co-founder of the NSB in 1931 and its leader until the end of the war. Members wore and marched in black uniforms and were thus called "blackshirts". In 1933 the Dutch government banned the wearing of uniforms (by civilians), and the WA was disbanded in 1935 in order to forestall the Dutch government's banning it. In 1940, after the German invasion, the WA became openly active again, and more ruthless than before. They specialised in violent attacks, particularly on the Dutch Jewish population.

Selkies are mythological creatures that can shapeshift between seal and human forms by removing or donning their seal skin. Selkies symbolise the fluid and transformative nature of identity. They represent freedom and adaptability, echoing the deep, mysterious connections between humans and the natural world. Their stories often reflect themes of love, longing, and the duality of existence.

This book was phenomenal! This was my first book by this author but it will definitely NOT be my last! I wish I co go back and reread it again for the first time. This is a Christian historical romance set during World War 2 in Scotland. Our heroine is a supposed spy coming over from the Nazis and our hero is working for the Allies. In this forbidden, slow burn romance, our characters must work together, with our heroine as a double agent, to send missives across the waters. There is faith, family, forgiveness, spies, wartime, and so much more. This was an incredible read that I’m sure I’ll reread at some point.

Midnight on the Scottish Shore
by Sarah Sundin
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
From one of my favorite writers this book does not disappoint!!
Sarah Sundin has done it again, bringing WWII alive. This time we begin in the Netherlands, and through the eyes of Cilla van der Zee, as she personally witnesses the brutality of the German War Machine. She wants out and love the twist she develops, as she gets to Scotland, with the German's help.
I highly recommend this book! What a story the author weaves, spies, counter spies, espionage, and then the family drama. You will be quickly page turning for answers, and they do come, but with a lot of surprises.