"through waters deep" by sarah sundin

To say my experience reading Sarah Sundin's newest novel, Through Waters Deep, was interactive would be an understatement. I actually spoke to certain characters as the book progressed because their actions, while noble, were also incredibly frustrating! And the fact that I cared so much is a testament to just how engaging Sundin's novels are.

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It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war.

Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges---and dangers---await them.

Sarah Sundin takes readers to the tense months before the US entered WWII. Readers will encounter German U-boats and torpedoes, along with the explosive power of true love, in this hopeful and romantic story.

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While I enjoy reading a wide variety of books, I only really keep up with a handful of authors, eagerly anticipating their next release. Sarah Sundin is one of those authors, and I've been looking forward to Through Waters Deep for the past year.

It did not disappoint.

I loved Jim and Mary, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them fall in love. Their romance was a bit frustrating, though, as they both did a great job of keeping their emotions hidden. In fact, their romance (or lack therof) caused me to do something I haven't done in years—I actually flipped to the back of the book and read the last few pages when I was only about halfway finished with the book because I just had to be sure everything would turn out well!

From the moment Mary's friend Quintessa was mentioned, I figured I knew where the story was headed--and I did have it figured out for the most part. What I didn't count on was the depth of Jim's character, and he took the story in a bit of a different direction than I expected.

Mary has to be one of my favorite heroines in recent memory. She reminds me a bit of myself--like Mary, I hate being the center of attention, an incident in my childhood caused me to withdraw from the limelight, I've never been a guy magnet, and I would probably respond like Mary did if I was in a situation like she found herself in with Jim! So while her actions were at times frustrating, I understood--and I was thrilled for her when she faced her fears and went after what she wanted!

In addition to the romance between Mary and Jim, Through Waters Deep contains a fascinating mystery about a saboteur at the Navy Yard. The mystery unravelled slowly, and it was fun to watch Mary put the pieces together.

Overall, Through Waters Deep fits perfectly into Sundin's brand, and I can't wait to get my hands on next year's novel! 5 stars.

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Sundin's With Every Letter (5 stars), On Distant Shores (5 stars), In Perfect Time (5 stars), and Blue Skies Tomorrow (5 stars).

Note: Shoutout to my friend Jen, who commented that she thought the guy on the cover looked like Ryan Reynolds. Now when I look at the cover, all I can see is Ryan. (It's all in the top half of his head--the mouth isn't quite right.)

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Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, In Perfect Time, and the Wings of Glory series. In 2014,On Distant Shores was a finalist for the Golden Scroll Awards from both AWSA and the Christian Authors Network. In 2011, Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on call as a hospital pharmacist. During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.

Find Sarah online: website, Facebook, Twitter


Dive into Sarah Sundin's explosive new series, Waves of Freedom, with book one, Through Waters Deep. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges–and dangers–await them in the midst of their budding romance.

Join Sarah in celebrating the release of Through Waters Deep by entering to win an Anchors Aweigh prize pack!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Through Waters Deep
• A nautical tote bag
• A set of compass rose notecards
• A "Hope Anchors the Soul" journal
• A Boston Tea Party earl grey tea set
• A Through Waters Deep apron
• A set of nautical tea towels

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 24th. The winner will be announced August 25th on Sarah's blog.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."