For plucky Lillian Avery, America's entry into World War II means a chance to prove herself as a pharmacist in Boston. The challenges of her new job energize her. But society boy Ensign Archer Vandenberg's attentions only annoy--even if he "is" her brother's best friend. During the darkest days of the war, Arch's destroyer hunts German U-boats in vain as the submarines sink dozens of merchant ships along the East Coast. Still shaken by battles at sea, Arch notices his men also struggle with their nerves--and with drowsiness. Could there be a link to the large prescriptions for sedatives Lillian has filled? The two work together to answer that question, but can Arch ever earn Lillian's trust and affection?
My Thoughts:
I was so excited to see Lillian as the main character in this second installment in this series. Lillian is the sister of Jim, whom we met in the first book, and I knew she was going to have a great story. Not only is she a female pharmacist in the 1940s, she also sports a wooden leg after a childhood injury.
Lillian has been deeply hurt by a previous boyfriend. She feels she is unworthy to be loved, but also feels incapable of loving and trusting anyone. She is determined, though, to prover herself as a female pharmacist.
When Arch enters the picture, it is obvious he and Lillian are attracted to each other. However, Lillian’s determination to not love, and Arch’s loyalty to his best friend, Jim, prevent the two of them from forming a relationship. What they do form, though, is a desire to crack the drug ring that appears to be affecting the Navy during the war.
As Lillian and Arch work together to get to the center of the ring, they find themselves falling in love and falling deeper into danger. Each area of their lives has outsiders working against them and trying so hard to deter them in the efforts.
Both their love and their investigation comes to a screeching halt when Lillian and Arch find themselves in near-death, yet separate, events. It is through these events we get to see both of them really turn to God to ask for guidance for the reminder of their lives.
This is a captivating story. These characters will win your heart and will have you on the edge of their seat as they work to discover the guilty, who to love, and how to trust in God.
Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the author of the Waves of Freedom series (Through Waters Deep, 2015, Anchor in the Storm, coming May 2016, When Tides Turn, coming March 2017), the Wings of the Nightingale series (With Every Letter, 2012, On Distant Shores, 2013, and In Perfect Time, 2014), and the Wings of Glory series (A Distant Melody, A Memory Between Us, and Blue Skies Tomorrow). She also has a novella in the WWII Christmas collection Where Treetops Glisten (WaterBrook, 2014).
A mother of three, Sundin lives in northern California. She works on-call as a hospital pharmacist and teaches Sunday school and women's Bible studies. She enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers' groups.
