It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When … challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges–and dangers–await them.
Sarah Sundin takes readers to the tense months before the US entered WWII. Readers will encounter German U-boats and torpedoes, along with the explosive power of true love, in this hopeful and romantic story.
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This is surprisingly the first Sarah Sundin novel I’ve read, and I really enjoyed this! Why did I wait so long to read one of her books?!
I didn’t realize before reading this that I really enjoy romance novels set in the 1930s and 1940s. It shouldn’t have surprised me since I love Grace Livingston Hill novels, and her books all took place during the time she wrote them, from around 1900 until the 1940s.
This book was just like reading a Grace Livingston Hill novel! I especially liked the naval background of the hero and the parts at sea.
I also liked the mystery aspect a lot—another aspect that was like a Grace Livingston Hill novel, since she wrote a few romantic suspenses. The romance developed very slowly and gently between the characters, and the romantic conflict was just so great! I was actually tense as I read to see how they would finally overcome and get together!
The spiritual parts were done extremely well, making them seem very natural parts of the characters’ dialogue and growth. It was such a joy to read a Christian romance that isn’t preachy, but is still a strong testament of Jesus’s love and His power of transformation in our lives.
I can’t recommend this enough! I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series!
Sarah Sundin
More than once as I read, I imagined the heroine as a sweet version of Marvel’s Agent Peggy Carter, obstinate and determined yet utterly private and reserved. Sarah Sundin has created another remarkable story that lovers of WWII novels will devour.
I have read all the books in the series. Excellent!!
Sarah Sundin has been one of my favorite authors for a long time. I rush to read every new book and am never disappointed. “Through Waters Deep” delivered all the tension of war, love, and human conflict with authentic detail and endearing characters. Another hit!
I enjoyed this book very much – two very different people who were “floating” through life but who were willing to step up and act when it was necessary. I felt that the characters were very well developed even though they experienced hurt and disappointment by not speaking up and or taking action sooner. Would highly recommend this book to others.
This is a well written work that’s great for those who want a good WWII spy/mystery work with some romance included.
This is a well written work that’s great for those who want a good WWII romance with some spy/mystery included.
One of the several great points about this book. It’s written well and evenly so anyone can enjoy it for the things they enjoy and the rest just flows along with it. The characters are quite good and well developed. The story, while made up, is quite feasible and for all we know could have been actual events during the war. Definitely recommended.
Easy read.
I love all of Sarah Sundin’s work. This was a very enjoyable read in this series. I look forward to the next book she offers.
I enjoy historical fiction and even better faith based
Wonderful book!!!
I have read several Sarah Sundin books and they are all wonderful. Great stories with wonderful characters.
Through Waters Deep is set shortly before America’s involvement in WWII. Mary Stirling and Jim Avery went to high school together in Vermillion, Ohio, but now Mary works at the Boston Navy Yard, and Jim is a Navy officer. The two reunite unexpectedly and renew their friendship. As their friendship deepens, a saboteur strikes at the shipyard, and tensions run high as people begin pointing fingers. The mystery deepens when Jim’s ship is in danger, and Mary begins investigating.
The mystery has a resolution I wasn’t expecting, although when I thought back, I saw the hints Sundin had dropped throughout the book. The romance was sweet, although at some moments I began getting a bit frustrated. Jim let things pass him by without taking action, and Mary played a martyr at one point, which I found annoying. I felt like if they were both just honest, the whole mess could’ve been avoided. However, I admit that people in real life rarely take the simple route, and I think the fact that I wanted to shake Jim and Mary before it was all over showed just how well Sundin characterizes them and made them real to me.
(This review was originally posted on my blog at https://justjenniferpurcell.com/2019/05/17/just-read-waves-of-freedom-series-by-sarah-sundin/)
Being a huge fan of Sarah Sundin’s Wings of Glory and Wings of the Nightingale series, I couldn’t wait to jump right into the first book of her new series, Waves of Freedom. Sundin does not disappoint. I enjoy the historical research and setting with characters that I fell in love with. Through Waters Deep is another hit out of the park for Sundin.
Writing a historical novel is a lot of work. But Sundin does a great job at inviting me into 1941 that I feel like I’m on a Navy ship, manning the guns with the salty air teasing my nostrils even though I have never been on a ship in my entire life. I like how Sundin really gets down and dirty with the tension surrounding the United States before we entered World War II. Even though the story does develop during the tension before the Second World War, it really does not have any questionable content. Personally, I really never learned about all the conflict before. It was nice to learn something while taking this journey with Mary and Jim.
Speaking of Mary and Jim, I really liked getting to know Mary Stirling, the shy Boston Navy Yard Secretary who enjoys being invisible. Mary and Jim Avery, the Naval Officer, grew up together in Vermilion, Ohio, but Jim was fascinated with Quintessa, Mary’s friend instead of her. The tension between Mary and Jim stems from them not communicating with each other about their true feelings. Overall, I really enjoyed how Sundin allow the characters to have a second chance at a relationship and dilemma’s from their pasts, which affected their present situation. Sundin uses the book of Nehemiah to strengthen Jim and the other Navy soldiers. None of the spiritual content was overwhelming; it reinforced the characters’ decisions.
Through Waters Deep was Sundin’s first attempt at including a mystery in her historical romance. As an avid fan of mysteries, I believe Sundin did a good job. I followed the clues just like Mary did with her shorthand notes and tried to figure out who the saboteur was before Mary figured it out. I enjoy the mystery element and hope Sundin does another one.
I love how each of Sundin’s story begins during peace time where the couple gets to know each other and start falling in love. This allows me to get to know and understand each individual character at the same time. After they fully are enraptured with each other, Sundin sends him/her or both off to fight in the war where the battle for their love is mirrored by the fighting surrounding them. Sundin also draws me into the struggles, thoughts, and emotions of each character that by the time the book is finished, I feel like I’m losing contact with a couple of close friends. Makes me want to read the book again, which I will definitely do.
Through Waters Deep is an original and unpredictable story that will please fans of Kate Breslin, Liz Tolsma, Cara Putnam, Cathy Gohlke, and Melanie Dobson. I truly lost track of time as I embraced the romantic issues between Mary and Jim that mirrored the conflict in the Atlantic Ocean months before the bombing at Pearl Harbor.
Always thrilling, Sarah Sundin’s Through Waters Deep is a deeply moving story filled with a heart pounding mystery, memorable characters, and research so real it invited me to experience life in 1941.
I received an ARC copy of Sarah Sundin’s Through Waters Deep from Revell Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.
I liked this romance story, but I would have liked it more if I hadn’t of read “With Every Letter” first. They seemed too similar. This is about a woman who is a secretary for a naval base. She has a past that has made her very timid and shy (like With Every Letter) and she meets a man who has a problem asserting himself (again, like With Every Letter).
There are some differences of course. This is based right before World War 2, and it’s Navy, not Air Force. She is also trying to sleuth out a saboteur on the ship who is causing problems. Its is more of a mystery – although predictable.
It was a good story. It just seemed unoriginal to me after reading the other book first (which I liked more).
Clean level: There is a little bit of heavy kissing. His thoughts are suggestive. No sex or bad language.
Love everything Sarah writes!
Through Waters Deep #1 Waves of Freedom by Sarah Sundin
Through Waters Deep is a gripping, historical story that takes us back to March 1941 and the months leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I enjoyed the two main characters, Mary Stirling and Naval officer Ensign Jim Avery, and many of the secondary characters. My husband was in the Navy for four years so I am rather fond of stories involving the Navy and found this story to be especially interesting. The sabotage adds mounting suspense as Jim and Mary investigate who the culprits are and I enjoyed trying to figure out from all the many possible suspects who the actual saboteur is. With so many possible suspects it was not an easy task for me or for Mary and Jim. The anger, intense tension and increasing conflict between those who wanted war and those who did not was a key part of the story-line. Their feelings were clearly felt in their attitudes and actions. I could almost feel the tension as split-second decisions were made with lives being placed on the line as a result of those decisions. I especially appreciate the spiritual elements woven throughout the story-line and how Mary and Jim grew in their faith and their trust in God in all areas of their lives. A truly gripping, drama filled with sabotage, prejudices, hope, past guilt, twists and turns, surprises, trust, love, strong faith and historical detail for an amazing story.
I loved it! After finishing it, I read the next two books in the series. All had some romance and some mystery. The characters in the three books were all interconnected. I will definitely read more from this author.
This is a truly great Christian author. I have downloaded and read almost all of her books that are available on Kindle. Very good stories all set in the World War II era. I definitely recommend this author.
I HAVE READ THER THREE-BOOK SERIES AND ENJOYED THEM VERY MUCH.
Good history and interesting to learn more about the Navy’s activities during WWII.