Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin - REVEIEWED

Through Waters Deep (Revell, August 2015)

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 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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My Thoughts:

“How many good things in her life had she missed due to fear?”  (p. 335)

Mary Stirling’s fear has a head on collision with faith and selfless bravery in Sarah Sundin’s latest novel, Through Waters Deep.  Working as a secretary in a Navy ship yard on the brink of the Second World War, Mary faces unexpected danger and an unexpected chance at romance!  Quite a combination when those two elements are intertwined with the imagination and writing of a skillful wordsmith!  If you enjoy the WWII era like I do, you will totally enjoy this novel!

Mary tends to bumble into a lot of her information even when she is purposefully trying to collect information for the FBI.  Sleuthing is not her strong suit, but the selfless way she pours herself into the task reveals a far greater strength than even she recognizes in herself.   Ensign Jim Avery begins to notice Mary’s strength and inner beauty, but not before both of them find themselves in imminent danger!

I wouldn’t have thought that saboteurs would be busy prior to a major World War, but in the context of this novel, the overall sensitivity and suspicion of one group of people toward another serves as the perfect catalyst for the mystery at hand!  The motives are also realistic for the time period, and the entire plot line is filled with realistic relationship struggles set against a backdrop of mystery and intrigue that is driven by fear.

Fear is something that Mary recognizes in herself, and it is brilliant to watch her character grow and change as she struggles to overcome the emotion that keeps her bound.  This is a finely written novel that begins the Waves of Freedom series! If you enjoy historical romances – this is the novel you have been searching for! 

About the Author:

Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, In Perfect Time, and the Wings of Glory series. In 2014, On Distant Shores was a finalist for the Golden Scroll Awards from both AWSA and the Christian Authors Network. In 2011, Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on call as a hospital pharmacist. During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.