Blue Skies Tomorrow was a very satisfying conclusion to the “Wings of Glory” WII Christian romance series. I received a copy to review as part of the Litfuse blog tour, so be sure to check out the links at the end of this post to visit other stops on the tour, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway, too!
About Blue Skies Tomorrow: Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit, but atleast his stateside job training B-17 pilots allows him the luxury of a personal life. As he courts Helen Carlisle, a young war widow and mother who conceals her pain under a frenzy of volunteer work, the sparks of their romance set a fire that flings them both into peril. After Ray leaves to fly a combat mission at the peak of the air war over Europe, Helen takes a job in a dangerous munitions yard and confronts an even graver menace in her own home. Will they find the courage to face their challenges? And can their young love survive until blue skies return?
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My review: While I think the storyline of A Distant Melody will always be my favorite of the “Wings of Glory” trilogy, Blue Skies Tomorrow is definitely the strongest of the three. The writing is stronger, the characters are more varied, the emotions intensify, and the suspense keeps you hooked through the very last pages. The author also addresses deeper social issues and personal struggles in the final book than the previous two.
One of those issues is racism. The descriptions of the black dockworkers and the dangerous working conditions they were forced to deal with brought the issue to life for me. I was so angry with how people could treat other human beings just because of their skin color. Sundin doesn’t skirt around the details in this situation, nor in how she depicted the abuse that surrounded Helen. I could feel her pain, her despair, and the utter hopelessness when it seemed everything that could go wrong, did. I also loved watching Ray as he matured, dealing with his father’s unmet expectations and facing his own fears, and especially how he survives and grows stronger when he ends up alone in enemy territory. And of course, it was wonderful to see previous characters again.
Although I wouldn’t peg this book as a suspense novel in any way, the complications that keep popping up, keeping Ray and Helen apart, had me guessing right up until the final pages if everything really would work out in the end. I’m happy to say, the conclusion was very satisfying 
Order Blue Skies Tomorrow at Amazon.com for just $9.05 (paperback). By ordering through the links above, you’re helping support this blog. Thanks!
Although the “Wings of Glory” trilogy is complete, author Sarah Sundin is already at work on a second series! Also set in World War II, the next trilogy is called “Wings of the Nightingale” and each book tells the story of a flight nurse stationed in the Mediterranean. The first book, tentatively titled In Every Letter, is scheduled for September 2012.
Kindle Giveaway!
To celebrate the release of Blue Skies Tomorrow, the final installment of the Wings of Glory series, author Sarah Sundin has teamed up with Litfuse Publicty for a contest and blog tour. One winner will receive a Vintage Kindle Prize Package!
Prize package includes:
* Kindle with Wi-Fi
* Handmade vintage apron for you and a friend (see photo below)
* Blue Skies Tomorrow (for Kindle)
The contest runs now through September 10, 2011. The winner will be announced September 12 on Sarah’s blog. For rules and eligibility, and to enter, please click on the “Giveaway” icon below or visit this contest link.
All images provided by www.sarahsundin.com.
I received a copy of Blue Skies Tomorrow from Litfuse for review purposes. I was not compensated in any other way for my review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. FTC: 16 CFR, Part 255.
Gwenelle – thank you so much for your lovely review! I’m so glad you enjoyed Ray & Helen’s story. I was also appalled when I researched the Port Chicago Mutiny – I thought I understood the incident, but the more I learned, the more I saw how pervasive and nasty racism still was in the 1940s – and not just in the South.
You’re welcome! Looking forward to your next series
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