Saturday, August 29, 2015

Through Waters Deep (By: Sarah Sundin)

Through Waters Deep

By: Sarah Sundin
If you were a fan of Nancy Drew mysteries growing up, you will love this book! Although written for an adult audience, it has the classic feel and innocence of an era gone by. The writing is simple, yet smart, and the pages keep us interested from start to finish.

Storyline
It's 1941 in Boston, Massachusetts and America is just barely remaining neutral in World War II. Threats of danger and mysterious suspects litter the landscape as Naval Officer Jim Ensign and Boston Naval Yard Secretary Mary Stirling work together to uncover an attempted sabotage aboard the USS Atwood. Jim and Mary are actually old friends from high school, where Jim had been secretly in love with Mary's best friend. The two discover a deep friendship - but can it turn into more? 

Author Sarah got us hooked almost right from the beginning and it was easy to get swept away into this sweet and engaging story. The pace of the book was excellent, neither too fast nor too slow. Her knowledge of Naval history and her ability to capture the feel of the WWII era brought the story together beautifully!

Depth
This read was refreshingly light without being shallow. It's rare to find a light-hearted mystery, but this one is! Adding to the depth are some fantastic insights into the human soul, namely Mary's struggle to come out of her shell and boldly live life.


Faith
Faith plays a big role in Mary's character development and growth, and she leans heavily on the Lord to guide her into who He created her to be. It is also worth noting that most of the characters go to church and at least believe in God (even if they don't all have a close relationship with Him), reflective of a time when it was expected and normal for Americans to attend church each Sunday.

Squeal Factor
There are definitely a few swoon-worthy moments in this book as Jim and Mary fall in love and learn how to express their attraction to each other. Complicating matters is the fact that Jim was once in love with Mary's best friend - and still may be. The romance in this book is suspenseful and downright adorable at times!

Overall
This is our first book by Sarah Sundin, and it certainly won't be our last! Her historical knowledge, her easy writing style and her ability to capture emotions and feelings place her in our favorite authors list. Through Waters Deep is a delightful, solid read that will stay in the readers' mind long after they have closed the pages!

Find it on Amazon: Through Waters Deep 


Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review 

Monday, August 10, 2015

Hope Harbor (By: Irene Hannon)

Hope Harbor

By: Irene Hannon

Storyline
Tracy Campbell is trying to do it all - save the cranberry farm that's been in her family for three generations, run a non-profit ministry to the elderly and do accounting work on the side to make ends meet. To all of this, she is fighting loneliness and guarding a tragic secret from her past - but has accepted this will be her life from now on. When widower Michael Hunter comes to town and almost runs her down on her bicycle, Tracy reluctantly begins working with him to ease her load - and starts to believe that maybe God has given her a second chance at happiness after all. 

Author Irene is an excellent writer, delivering solid plot lines with just the right amount of story to keep us engaged. This book lacks the page-turning excitement that would lift it into a five star rating, but has everything else! She transports us to the small coastal Oregon community and makes the reader feel as though they belong there too. These 2 Chicks kept finding themselves craving Charley's fish tacos and wanting to visit the Oregon coast!

Depth
This book is deceptively light-hearted! It reads easily and nothing terribly heavy presents itself, but upon further reflection, author Irene did a fantastic job bringing real life problems into the story - mostly tragic family histories - and dealing with the issues realistically and thoughtfully. There were no easy fixes and she offered redemption in the middle of the problems.

Faith
Some characters have a strong faith in God, some are not on speaking terms with the Almighty, but faith is very real and evident in all the events that take place. God speaks to his people and gently leads his lost sheep back into His care.

Squeal Factor
Since both Michael and Tracy are hesitant to move into a relationship, it takes a while for the chemistry between the two to heat up. But once it does, they share some very tender moments and are themselves surprised to find the courage to love again. As their love grew, our love grew for them too!

Overall
Hope Harbor is an enjoyable, solid read that will stay with the reader long after they've turned the last page. The fictional, quiet town on the Oregon coast is the perfect setting for all the hearts desperately in need of healing in this book.

Find it on Amazon: Hope Harbor


Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review