On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin
Book two in the Wings of the Nightingale series
Baker Publishing Group
c. August, 2013
ISBN: 9780800720827
$14.99 print and $14.99 ebook
Historical Romance
Sarah Sundin is a favorite author, I admit. Her attention to
detail is always amazing. Her latest novel which takes place during World War
II features a flight nurse, Georgie Taylor, who signed up on a lark with her
best friend while she was waiting to get hitched, and pharmacist John
Hutchinson, who was drafted before he could enlist in officer’s training school
and carries a medium-sized chip on his shoulder for being a medical professional
who’s treated like a roadie.
Both the American soldiers face their worst fears under
dangerous combat situations. Will they buckle or overcome? When the pair meet,
she’s engaged and longing for home, unsure she’s really cut out for wartime
service, yet reluctant to simply quit. He’s engaged as well, a practical
situation, although he regretted not tying the knot before he shipped out. Georgie
and Hutch encourage each other to be more than what they’ve been told they are,
to reach for loftier goals, but for the right reasons.
When, through tragedy and adverse situations, they meet
again, they are unencumbered by their intendeds and they are free to give in to
their feelings for each other. The mechanisms of others, misunderstandings and
more tragedy cause them to wonder if their feelings are the sum of their fears.
I could hear the music to South Pacific in the background
while I read, though of course this story takes place on the western front: gorgeous
European settings, Sicily, Greece, Italy, and so forth. The camaraderie, the
fun, the dark places and self-discovery each soldier must face were well-drawn.
Although I appreciate the depth of research, sometimes it felt as though Sundin
stuck in facts simply because she’d discovered a cool detail. I personally like
that because I’m a history nerd, but others may skim over it.
I like characters who have to grow, reach out for help, and
learn to trust, no matter the setting. Those who enjoy detailed historical
situations, particularly World War Two-era medical corps stories, will find a
great story in On Distant Shores.
“Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
