Sea Before Us

Fantastic. I am not a huge WWII fan and prefer reading books that are set before the 1900's, but I immensely enjoyed this book. The characters were strong and relatable. The plot was well thought out, and scripture was carefully ,but not overwhelmingly, scattered throughout the book. Also, the romance between Dorothy and Wyatt was sweet and interesting to follow. What a great couple? The history about D-Day was woven in the novel expertly. Overall, I found this a very satisfying read, and I will look forward to finding out what happens with the rest of the Paxton boys.

The main characters are fantastic! They are so well developed that I felt like I was their friend and just sitting down with them for a cup of tea. The heartaches that both Wyatt and Dorothy were carrying around were deep and very easy to understand.

I have one favorite quote that grabbed my attention and held me fast on one page for a good 5 minutes. “At least God had forgiven him. Thank you, Lord. Your forgiveness is all I need, but you know it isn’t all I want.” There have been many times and situations in my life that I have felt that way. I was just never able to put it into words so clearly.

The way that Wyatt and Dorothy slowly built a solid friendship was wonderful. They supported and encouraged each other so much.

I loved seeing what was involved in the planning of D-Day! It was also a lot of fun to get a look at how the U.S. Navy and the British Navy worked together and some of the differences in their terms and procedures. I had heard about the Blitz in London. This book really helped me to understand more fully how terrifying that had to have been.

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 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.*

Oh, what a delightful read! I won't deny that I didn't wish to slap Dorothy a few times for her naïve attitude toward the guy who had too many women in his life, but even then the character roused some caring attitude in me. She believed his words because she wanted to believe them, and she didn't want to believe the opposite. And, given that she had staked every hope in her battered life on what he said was true, I can even forgive her the willful blindness. Not saying it was right to accept his kisses when she knew she wasn't the only girl getting them, though!

I did love her work and found it very interesting. The whole idea of making a map for the invasion based on pictures was something I wasn't aware of and was fascinating.

Wyatt was a neat hero. His good humor and his strong faith put me on his side right away, and it was a delight to watch him encourage all the best qualities in Dorothy. He's determined to be a man of honor, and when Dorothy challenges him on things like his decision not to contact family, he's humble about it.

The plot...oh, my! There were a couple of epic twists that had me on the edge of my seat. Who knew a little poking after an embezzler could lead to such a discovery? Whew!

Highly recommended, especially to lovers of WW2.

Thanks to Revell for a free review copy. A positive review was not required.