Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

About the Book

As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.

Master of WWII-era fiction Sarah Sundin invites you onto the streets of occupied Paris to discover whether love or duty will prevail.

My Thoughts

Sarah Sundin is one of the many reasons that WWII is my favorite historical time period, no one writes this genre quite like she does!

Sometimes I forget just how long WWII was brewing in Europe before the US joined and I’ve been really appreciating the way Sundin has been highlighting what things were like in those early days in this book and her last novel.

Paris isn’t my favorite city for books to be set in (don’t come at me) but it was also fascinating to see how things progressed in the city of love as the Germans invaded.

Lucie was such a bright soul, seeing beauty wherever she went. But she also had a strength and resilience to her.

Paul was much more on the serious side, seeing life through rules and order, but had a good heart and a desire to see good prevail.

Paul and Lucie fell for each other hard and fast, they were like puzzle pieces fitting together, each having what the other needed to balance them out. They didn’t have an easy road though and they had to fight countless battles to be together.

I greatly admired the way both of them did their part to help the Allies even at great risk to themselves and their livelihoods. They stood strong under pressure and thought quickly on their feet in ways that I just don’t think I could.

This book had me on the edge of my seat, anxiously turning pages to see what would happen but also had many sweet and romantic moments to balance it out.

Overall this was another hit from Sundin and I cannot wait for her next one!

Meet the Author

Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks and several popular WWII series, including Sunrise at Normandy, Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory. She is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award winner, and her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, and have appeared on Booklist's "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years." Sarah lives in Northern California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information

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

When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin

About 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.

My Thoughts

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!

Meet the Author

Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of several popular WWII series, including Sunrise at Normandy, Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. The Sky Above Us received the Carol Award, her bestselling The Sea Before Us received the FHL Reader's Choice Award, and both Through Waters Deep and When Tides Turn were named on Booklist's "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years." Sarah lives in Northern California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Covers I'd Hang On My Wall

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Today's actual topic was Books I Decided to DNF too quickly but honestly I stand by my DNF choices. So when I saw the lovely Carrie from Reading is My Superpower did her post on book covers she'd hang on her wall, I decided to copy her brilliant idea! There are so many lovely covers out there and these ones are some of my favorites and I would pay good money to be able to hang these beauties somewhere in my house!

Keep Holding On by Melissa Tagg

A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin

Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin

Close to You by Kara Isaac

Just Let Go by Courtney Walsh

Hometown Girl by Courtney Walsh

This Quiet Sky by Joanne Bischof

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden

A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

Okay so I may have a bit of a type-lol! What are your thoughts on these covers? What are some covers that you'd hang on your walls?

Top Ten Series I Could Reread Forever

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

#1. The O'Conner Family Saga by Julie Lessman
I adore every book in this series and I've already reread them and honestly don't think I would ever get tired of them!

#2. The O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson
I used to reread this series about once every six months and I still love them all!

#3. The Walker Family Series by Melissa Tagg
Cannot love this family more and I'm desperate to have the chance to reread them and love them even more!

#4. The Christiansen Family Series by Susan May Warren
Another family I absolutely love and wish I had the chance to revisit!

#5. The Californians by Lori Wick
I've read this series a few times but I never got tired of them and I often wanted to reread them the second I finished!

#6. Love Comes Softly Series by Janette Oke 
My first introduction to romance and I love going back time and time again!

#7. Lassoed in Texas/Montana Marriages/Sophie's Daughters by Mary Connealy
All three of these series were so good and I've wanted to reread them so many times!

#8. Hawthorne House Series Kristi Ann Hunter
Loved this regency set family series and I can imagine reading them again and again!

#9. The Wings of Glory Series by Sarah Sundin
Brothers and WWII-couldn't be a more perfect match and I would love to read them again!

#10. Ladies of the Manor and Shadows Over England by Roseanna M. White
Both of these series are brilliant and beautiful and I know they'd be just as good each time I read them!

The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin

About the Book
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.

My Thoughts
I first have to talk about how much I love this whole series idea, three brothers, one in the navy, one in the air force, and one in the army, each taking part in a different facet of the D-Day invasion. Giving us three different looks at the same historic event. I could not love the genius of this more, it's completely brilliant.
Wyatt is the oldest of the three brothers, but after an unfortunate accident and a wrong committed in fear, he hasn't spoken to any of his family memebers for years. He deeply regrets his actions and is driven by a desire to make things right and one day beg his family's forgiveness. I really admired the way he was honest about his sins and ran to God, clinging to his faith. Honestly there was so much I loved about Wyatt, his quiet strength, his desire to do the right thing regardless of personal cost, and the gentle way he loved without pushing. Really I could go on for days about just how amazing this hero was!
And then there was Dorothy. I loved her a lot too and my heart broke for her. She faced so much loss and lived life feeling unlovable but that never stopped her from loving others. Whether it was caring for a father who seemed to be checked out from life or making sure a friend had enough to eat she was always looking out for others. It was a bit frustrating to watch as she hid her true self just to please a guy who didn't deserve her, especially since it blinded her to the amazing guy right in front of her.
Wyatt and Dorothy's strengths and weakness complimented each other and it was beautiful to watch as they encouraged the other and helped them see their best selves. Dorothy learned to stop seeing herself as unable to be loved and to accept the love of God and Wyatt. And Wyatt realized he had to stop working for the forgiveness God had already given and to forgive himself for the mistakes of his past.
All of the historical details that were woven into this story were absolutely facinating and I was loving them as much as the characters. Many of the behind the scenes actions that made D-Day happen I'd never really learned at it was so cool to read about.
So in case you couldn't tell I absolutely adored every second of this book and I cannot wait to read Adler and Clay's stories!

Meet the Author
Sarah Sundin is the author of Through Waters Deep, Anchor in the Storm, and When Tides Turn in the Waves of Freedom series, as well as Wings of the Nightingale and the Wings of Glory series. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal. Her popular Through Waters Deep was a Carol Award finalist and named to Booklist's "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years." A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist. Sarah lives in California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

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

Top Ten (New) Heroes to Love

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

I wanted to feature some swoon-worthy heroes for the V-day freebie but there are just too many that I love! So I narrowed it down to heroes from books that I've read in the last year(ish) and limited myself to one per author. So without further ado, here are some heroes that had me melting more than a little bit!

#1. Lawry Hampton from The Bound Heart by Dawn Crandall

#2. Trent Hawthorne from An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

#3. Peter Holstein from A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

#4. Ryan Brooks from Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh

#5. Wyatt Paxton from The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin

#6. Seb Pierce from One Enchanted Noel by Melissa Tagg

#7. Wes Harrison from Just the Way You Are by Pepper Basham

#8. Chase Griffin from His Steadfast Love by Julie Lessman

#9. Noble Rynallt from The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz

#10. Parker Mitchell from Still Life by Dani Pettrey

So if you've read these books do you agree with me? Who are some heroes you've been loving lately?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Sea Before Us

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin

Sunrise at Normandy #1

Feburary 6, 2018-Revell 

About the Book

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.

Why I Want It
I absolutely adore all of Sarah's WWII stories, it's my favorite time-period and no one writes it quite like she does! I love the idea behind this series and cannot wait!

Top Ten 2018 Releases I'm Excited About

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

2018 promises to be an amazing book year and these are just a few of the books I can't wait to read! These authors are all favorites of mine and I'm excited to see how some series end, some continue, and some begin! Which books are you most looking forward to reading this year!

#1. Dead Drift by Dani Pettrey

#2. Storm Front by Susan May Warren

#3. A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White

#4. Thirst of Steel by Ronie Kendig

#5. The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin

#6. Just Let Go by Courtney Walsh

#7. A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter

#8. Falling For You by Becky Wade

#9. Keturah by Lisa T. Bergren

#10. More Than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer

17 Best Books/Series I Read in 2017

I made an attempt to just pick 10 favorites but that was impossible so I tried to do 17. That too was extremely hard so I decided to cheat a little and count series as one and to list my favorite novellas as a bit of an add-on. The reason choosing was so difficult was because I read some amazing books this year! I only managed to finish 65 books but of those, 45 were 5-star and 15 were 4-star so you can see why picking favorites was hard! But without further ado, here are my favorite books I read in 2017 (in no particular order)! 

#1. Never Forget by Jody Hedlund

#2. An Uncommon Courtship and An Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann Hunter

#3. Rescue Me, A Matter of Trust, and Troubled Waters by Susan May Warren

#4. Still Life and Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey

#5.  Where There's Smoke, Playing With Fire,  & Burnin' For You by Susan May Warren

#6. When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin

#7. I'll Be There by Susan May Warren

#8. His Steadfast Love by Julie Lessman

#9. Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

#10. A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

#11. Crown of Souls by Ronie Kendig

#12. All This Time by Melissa Tagg

#13. Hometown Girl by Courtney Walsh

#14. Vanishing Point by Lisa Harris

#15. Four Winds by Lisa T. Bergren

#16. Just the Way You Are by Pepper Basham

#17. Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter

Novella Honorable Mentions

You Don't Have to Be a Star by Susan May Warren

Worth the Wait by Karen Witemeyer

Titanis by Ronie Kendig

Then Came You by Becky Wade

A Maple Valley Romance by Melissa Tagg

A Sweethaven Romance by Courtney Walsh

Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful by Susan May Warren

Lygos by Ronie Kendig

One Enchanted Noel by Melissa Tagg

One Christmas in Winter by Bell Renshaw

What were your favorite books you read this year? Did any of my favorites make your list?