Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin Review

 Happy Friday Sweet Friends :)

I pray today finds you all doing well, and I'm so thankful you've taken the time to join me (Kirby) here on The Preppy Book Princess today for another book review.

Life can be pretty tough as of late, and other than spending time in Bible study and prayer, one of my favorite things to do to help lift my spirits is to indulge in fiction that honors our Heavenly Father.

I know I can expect great things whenever I choose to pick up a Sarah Sundin novel, and I was highly anticipating reading her new release.

Today I can't wait to tell you guys all about it, so I hope you'll keep reading below and join me for today's full review.

Embers in the London Sky by Sarah Sundin:

Source: Complimentary Copy Provided by the Publisher as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program

Publisher: Revell 

Publication Date: February 6th, 2024

Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction/World War Two Fiction

Synopsis:

As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.

When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.

The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

Sarah Sundin is truly one of the queens of World War Two Fiction, and I know to expect great things whenever I choose to pick up one of her books. I was intrigued by the synopsis of this one, but wow was I ill prepared for the amazing story that was going to be contained within these pages. A blossoming romance, a mother's desperate search for her son, a man who has never been able to live up to his family's unreasonable expectations, a murder mystery that had me reeling, and an extremely well researched historical fiction novel that tells the story of some lesser known events during World War Two, Embers in the London Sky is truly a creative masterpiece that I can't possibly recommend enough.

It's 1940, and Aleida is trying desperately to escape the Nazi occupation of her beloved Netherlands. She manages to escape both the occupation and her abusive husband, but at an unimaginable cost at the separation of her young son who her husband sent off with strangers amidst the refugees fleeing. When she makes it London her top priority is finding Theo, and she manages to find a volunteer position helping London families evacuate their children which she's hoping will aid her in her quest. BBC correspondent Hugh is trying to make the best of the life he's been given, which has its fair share of limitations thanks to his health condition that he tries to keep secret from everyone. When he meets Aleida, he's instantly drawn to the fierce love she has for her missing son, and for all the children she's desperately trying to help. A friendship seems to be on the verge of turning into something more when disaster strikes and a murderer seems to be running rampant amongst them. It'll take everything they have and a strong faith in the One who holds the world in His hands to get through everything coming their way. 

A heartwarming tale that's made even better by the inclusion of a well plotted murder mystery, this may just be my favorite Sarah Sundin novel to date. The story is engrossing, the characters were wonderful, and I can't say enough about how much I adored Hugh's character and the way he thinks the best of everyone he comes into contact with. This was truly the author at her best, and I can't possibly recommend it enough.

Final Rating: 4/5.

The only thing that kept this one from being five stars for me was the fact that I thought there were too many characters, and it was often hard to keep the various side characters straight. Not a huge deal, but it did hinder my enjoyment a little bit.

Thanks so much to Revell publishing for allowing me to read and review this title!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell) as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Thanks so much for reading guys! I pray you all have a great rest of your weekend :)