Embers in the London Sky

“On this day, our illustrious government banned the spreading of rumors. Are we to fight censorship in occupied lands by practicing it here?”

Air raid sirens. Criss-crossing search beams looking for enemy warcraft. Bombs screaming through the night air, people crying out in terror and loss. Embers in the sky as fires burn. Sarah Sundin knows few, if any, of her readers were alive during WWII, so she brings the war to us. Against this backdrop she recounts the story of a young Dutch widow, Aleida Maartens, and a famous BBC radio announcer, Hugh Collingwood.

Aleida is in England. She is very forthright, in stark contrast to her British compatriots, and very humble. She volunteers for the government department that oversees Londoners and show more refugees sending their children to the country to “safety.”
Aleida volunteers to interview refugees in various areas, hoping to locate her lost 3-1/2 year old son.

Hugh is a daring correspondent who is hiding a secret, who sees the future of reporting being live broadcasting and sets up a live broadcast whenever possible. He makes enemies as he criticizes the English government’s censorship of honest news and pushes for being allowed to report live from the front, as others argue for pre-scripted news from a studio. Yes, some war secrets need to be kept, but how much control should the government of a free land exert over its people during war? “But also sobering was the thought of adopting fascism in order to fight it. Surely a better way could be found.”

Will Aleida and High survive the war between countries? The war between social classes and statuses? The fear the threatens to overtake from within, and the resistance from the fellow Allies with differing views? And will Aleida ever be reunited with her darling son, or is their relationship another casualty of the war?

Sarah Sundin is a new-to-me author and one I will def be following from now on!

I received a copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“What we know and what we believe can be two separate matters. We know what we know, but we don’t always know what we believe.”

“List your fears. Name those monsters, so you can fight them.” show less

She'd found her son, only to have him ripped from her arms again.
Once. Twice. Thrice

As I read this heartbreaking story, I couldn't help wondering how I would have survived the trauma of being separated from my child, but even worse, losing him during wartime. Would I have been as determined as Aleida or would I have spent my life grieving for the three-year-old who was taken from me? Author Sarah Sundin shares Aleida's emotional journey, beginning in The Netherlands in 1940, and leading her to London as she frantically searches for her little boy Theo. The dangers of WWII are always present, and the heartache never subsides, but Embers in the London Sky has so much more. Friendship, romance, and faith renewed; questions, murder, and the show more atrocities suffered during this war!

I can always count on the historical gems and the faith nuggets that Sundin weaves into her books. I wasn't aware of the huge number of children who were separated from their families in World War II, and Sundin reminds us that refugees have always been met with resistance! Embers in the London Sky is a soul-searching combination of history, mystery, and faith; and I highly recommend this engrossing story to all who enjoy historical Christian romance.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Revell Reads. There was no obligation for a positive review. show less

There are a lot of WWII-era novels out there. Believe me I have read a bunch. But I have to say that Sarah Sundin keeps writing fresh and unique stories. Her latest novel, Embers in The London Sky captures the very real fear when faced with an unknown future and outcome. The story revolves around a young mother who has lost her son in the escape from the Netherlands during the German invasion. She ends up in England hoping against hope that her child has been brought there as well. I can’t imagine what the people facing this real-life scenario went through. Themes of trusting God’s plans and goodness, the welcome/rejection of refugees by the Brits, and sacrificing desires for another’s good are all examined. This book really made show more me think. It also really touched me. I cried several times while reading, something that is a rare occurrence for me. The historical details were great — Sundin is a wonderful researcher, and the characters relatable. There’s some romance and a good twisting mystery. This book really has it all!

I can’t say enough about how good Embers in The London Sky is. It truly is highly recommended.

Highly recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

Ahhhhh, Sarah Sundin gets better with every book she writes!

I was sick this past week, and while that part was no fun, I was super grateful for a good read and the time I could dedicate to it, guilt-free. It kept me where I needed to be (on the couch, resting), distracted me from how I was feeling, and proved not only educational but inspiring.

I always learn something new/more about the WWII era with Sundin's books. I'd heard about people who were separated from their children (whether intentionally or otherwise) while trying to escape Germany during that time, and this book captured that in a new and different way. Sundin did amazingly at creating vivid characters and a believable storyline, showing empathy and her prodigious research show more skills all the while. I had no idea how the story would resolve, and it proved so, so satisfying.

The book is standalone/not part of a series; I didn't recall seeing any crossover characters, as with other books, but will blame any I missed on being sick. ;)

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. show less

Wow! What a great story set in WWII London.

Widowed Aleida van der Zee Martens flees German occupied Netherlands in 1940 and is separated from her three-year old son during that flight. She gets a job with with the British agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside as the German war machine pummels the cities and industrial centers of England. Aleida is ever hopeful that she'll get a lead on her son's whereabouts while making her rounds of the evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, news correspondent, Hugh Collingwood has struggles of his own, not the least of which is being young and unfit for duty, no matter how hard he tried. So he does the next best thing and reports the war as it rains down on London - well at least as show more much as he is permitted to report under the censorship rules. Then on top of it all, there's a murderer afoot, who appears to be targeting those sensitive to the refugees' plight.

Eventually, Aleida and Hugh combine forces to aid each other in their respective challenges. A spark is lit and the duo is invincible. But will Aleida find her son and will Hugh get to the bottom of the murderous plot?

The writing is well-crafted. The research which went into the story's telling is herculean and spot on. The setting of scene is cinematic in scope and at times horrific in the telling. The characters are so well developed that their stories tug at the readers' heartstrings. All in all, this was a beautifully written story. I just wish the ending were a little less campy.

I am grateful to Revell Books for having provided an uncorrected digital galley of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers and Netgalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Revell (division of Baker Publishing Group)
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
No. of Pages: 400
ISBN No.: 978-0800741853 show less

In this novel, Sarah Sundin continues her latest trend in WWII set novels, featuring non-military characters caught up in the war in Great Britain and Europe. In this story, Aleida is a young mother fleeing the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands with her abusive husband and toddler son. Her husband steals their son (who he despises due to a minor deformity of the hand) and hands him off to a British couple "for his safety" and refuses to divulge what happened to him to Aleida before his own death from a Nazi strafing. Aleida then escapes to relatives in England and begins a desperate search for her lost boy. Through her story, we become acquainted with the story of refugees in WWII Britain, and of British children evacuated to the show more countryside for safety.

We also learn of the role of radio news in WWII both the from the BBC, where the hero, Hugh works as a correspondent and from American correspondents such as Edward R. Murrow who kept Americans aware of the crisis in Europe before we became directly involved.

Hugh and Aleida are drawn together through her search, her war work, and through a puzzling murder investigation they both are caught up in.

It's a fascinating tale on many levels, with personal growth, pathos, suspense and heartfelt emotion. The love story is touching, but not overdone. It's a satisfying story and well worth reading.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. show less

Sarah Sundin has become one of my new favorite authors. I’ve only read two of her books so far, but they were both excellent—and this one knocked it out of the park for me!

I’ve always loved books that have a family element in them, and this book’s central plot about a mother’s search for her son hit all the right notes for me. As soon as I started chapter one, I was able to connect with Aleida, and as she took her journey (literally and figuratively), I quickly became even more invested in her. Then there’s Hugh, and his journey…quite different, in many ways, but still relatable and gripping.

One of the biggest things I loved about this book, besides the characters, was the way history shone through these pages. Seeing the show more devastation and evacuation of Dunkirk and, later, the Blitz through the eyes of someone working for the BBC was fascinating. It was also fascinating to learn a little about the evacuation of children from London (and what they may have experienced)—having read a little about it in C.S. Lewis’ works, it was fun to get another perspective in another book.

History, a dash of mystery, some sweet romance…I adored this story, and can’t wait to see what Sundin comes out with next! To be fair, I did think part of the ending was slightly unrealistic, but it was sweet, all the same. Overall, it was a fast, heartwarming read. Recommended to anyone who likes a good dose of history along with a gripping story.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it. show less