I really enjoyed this book. This historical book covered the London Blitz, refugees and the children that left the city to avoid the bombs. Probably the first book I’ve read on this part of history. The author did a great job, and I felt like I was right there with them.

I loved the characters, Aleida and Hugh. Not to give anything away, but the choices that Aledia had to make and all she went through was emotional to say the least. Hugh was a great character, he was witty and humorous and I loved him! There’s a great murder mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Actually, the whole book kept me guessing.

This is Christian fiction with no bad language, no sex, and a wonderful faith thread woven throughout. Not overbearing but just perfect.

Sarah Sundin did it again! Another great book! I highly recommend it. ( )

Embers in the London Sky takes place during World War 2. Aleida Martens escapes the Netherlands as the Nazis are invading, and she makes it safely to London. But during the evacuation, she is separated from her young son, Theodoor. She has reason to believe that he, too, made it to England, but she has no idea where he ended up. She manages to find employment with the Ministry of Health in hopes that her position will allow her the opportunity to search for Theo. Hugh Collingwood is a reporter for the BBC, well-known for his on-the-ground, dynamic reports. When Hugh goes to the Ministry of Health to conduct interviews, he is introduced to Aleida, and she has the chance to tell him her plight. Although he can’t report on it, Hugh does take an interest in helping Aleida search for her son. But along the way, they find themselves also searching for clues in a series of murders. Will Aleida find her son, and will they manage to escape murder themselves?

I was drawn to this book, as I really enjoy historical fiction. This book sheds light on the plight of refugees in London during World War 2 and on England’s mission to protect children by sending them to live in the country, far away from the bombings. Starting off, I was drawn into the story, but a few chapters in, it seemed to slow down, and I struggled for several chapters. But it picked back up and became quite exciting. Hugh and Aleida were both likable characters, each having weaknesses and struggles that make them relatable. The story is a clean romance which is important to me, and it does involve the main characters’ faith and trust in God. Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I’ll be looking to read more by this author.

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

A big Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

I honestly wanted to love this book. It seemed like something right up my alley and it started out so good.The book alternates chapters between Aleida, a dutch woman is separated from her child as she escapes to London when the German army invades the Netherlands, and Hugh Collingwood, a reporter for the BBC struggling to report the truth of what is happening vs what his boss wants to to report. What started out as a page turner quickly lulled after the first few chapters. I honestly found it so hard to continue reading. It picked back up around 60% of the way, but I had to skim over paragraphs to make it through.

The main characters are nice but they lack depth and are almost TOO perfect. Aleida is far too calm & rational for someone who has lost her child. Hugh is the perfect gentleman. And on the other end of the spectrum, the antagonists are almost TOO over the top & cartoon like. The romance was like a hallmark movie... sweet, but also cheesy and unrealistic.

There is so much going on in this book as well. A lost child, Nazi Germany, London bombings, budding romance, serial killer murder mystery, domestic abuse, Censorship reporting, etc.... It's doing too much and instead of focusing on a couple of things and really delving into those plot lines we have a story that consist of many things but only at a surface level which makes me feel like the story is lacking.

With all of that being said, I do think it was a nice story. It could have been a lot shorter and the writing was long winded & drawn out. There were lots of unnecessary paragraphs that lacked substance. BUT it was a nice story and the ending did tug at my heart strings which is why I give it 3/5 stars . ( )

Full of interesting history and compelling characters, this novel is well worth the read. I liked the way the author brought the history alive through well written, detailed scenes containing fascinating history that was clearly well researched. I thought the two main characters, Aleida and Hugh, were a great match and their banter was entertaining. The abusive situation at the beginning of the novel as well as Aleida being separated from her son were hard for me to read, but I think the story ended well. The emotions of the characters were easily felt by me, and I think this is a testament to great writing. I loved the faith elements woven in the novel. There was also a bit of action in the novel that kept my attention and made the book hard to put down. Overall, I really liked this historical fiction novel and I recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. ( )

“On this day, our illustrious government banned the spreading of rumors. Are we to fight censorship in occupied lands by practicing it here?”

Air raid sirens. Criss-crossing search beams looking for enemy warcraft. Bombs screaming through the night air, people crying out in terror and loss. Embers in the sky as fires burn. Sarah Sundin knows few, if any, of her readers were alive during WWII, so she brings the war to us. Against this backdrop she recounts the story of a young Dutch widow, Aleida Maartens, and a famous BBC radio announcer, Hugh Collingwood.

Aleida is in England. She is very forthright, in stark contrast to her British compatriots, and very humble. She volunteers for the government department that oversees Londoners and refugees sending their children to the country to “safety.”
Aleida volunteers to interview refugees in various areas, hoping to locate her lost 3-1/2 year old son.

Hugh is a daring correspondent who is hiding a secret, who sees the future of reporting being live broadcasting and sets up a live broadcast whenever possible. He makes enemies as he criticizes the English government’s censorship of honest news and pushes for being allowed to report live from the front, as others argue for pre-scripted news from a studio. Yes, some war secrets need to be kept, but how much control should the government of a free land exert over its people during war? “But also sobering was the thought of adopting fascism in order to fight it. Surely a better way could be found.”

Will Aleida and High survive the war between countries? The war between social classes and statuses? The fear the threatens to overtake from within, and the resistance from the fellow Allies with differing views? And will Aleida ever be reunited with her darling son, or is their relationship another casualty of the war?

Sarah Sundin is a new-to-me author and one I will def be following from now on!

I received a copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“What we know and what we believe can be two separate matters. We know what we know, but we don’t always know what we believe.”

“List your fears. Name those monsters, so you can fight them.” ( )