Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin
Reviewed by Lori Twichell, Radiant Lit
Genre: romance, historical
Publisher: Revell
Publication Dates: August 1, 2011

Helen Carlisle is a dutiful widow. She volunteers around town, does her utmost to raise her young son on her own, and pays all due respect to her in-laws in the process. Inside though, she’s roiling with confusion and anger. Her husband wasn’t the man everyone around town believes that he was. She wishes she could let it all go and move on, but how when her husband gave his life for his country?

Ray Novak would prefer to spend his life shepherding a flock of believers stateside, but with the war escalating and two brothers who have already sacrificed for the country, it’s hard for Ray to do anything else. When he meets Helen, he remembers her from her gangly childhood years and recognizes immediately what an incredible woman she’s become. The two have an instant connection – much to the dismay of her in-laws and to Helen’s own thoughts about her departed husband.

Ray and Helen’s relationship grows quickly and easily, but when they both run into difficult decisions that require vast amounts of faith, can they do it? And will their decisions work to bring them closer together or further apart?

With this conclusion to the Wings of Glory series, Sarah Sundin explores the story of the third Novak brother and she approaches it from a unique perspective. With two brothers eager to fight, this third one isn’t sure where he should be or what he should be doing. And then Helen Carlisle walks into his life and turns everything even more upside down. Ray has to fight with his feelings of inadequacy in not fighting overseas at the same time he needs to figure out how he feels about Helen.

Rich with historical accuracy and full of page turning adventure, Sarah Sundin has once again given us a journey into not only World War II, but into the human spirit. With heartbreaking details and exploration into how tightly hurt feelings and the past can hold someone, Sundin helps explain how God’s love and grace can set someone free from a horrible and debilitating history.

Occasionally when reading a Christian book, the gospel message can cause the plot and story to stumble, taking the reader out of the action for a ‘preachy moment’ and then dropping us back in unceremoniously. Sarah Sundin delivers the gospel message seamlessly, weaving it through the story without overwhelming preachy moments.

I loved this book. If you’re a reader of Sundin’s previous works, this is a must have. If you love WWII or historical romances, Sundin’s books belong in a place of honor on your shelf.

*Review Copy provided by Litfuse Publicity Group
Rated PG/PG-13: Some serious storylines in this one, but Sundin handles it well. Teens and even some more mature tweens can easily handle this one – but may have some questions for you to answer later.