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When Twilight Breaks
Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country—or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.
Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party—to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.
As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.
Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party—to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.
As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.
365 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2021
492 people are currently reading
9,002 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Sundin
20Ìýbooks3,407ÌýfollowersSarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling author of Midnight on the Scottish Shore (February 2025) and Embers in the London Sky (2024). Her novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award, The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award, The Sound of Light was a finalist for both the Christy Award and the Carol Award, and When Twilight Breaks and The Land Beneath Us were Christy Award finalists.
A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and teaches Sunday school and women's Bible studies. She enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers' groups. Sarah serves as program director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.
A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and teaches Sunday school and women's Bible studies. She enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers' groups. Sarah serves as program director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 773 reviews
February 23, 2021
I could not read this book fast enough! From the very beginning of the story, I was drawn in and on the edge of my seat, warning the characters to be careful, cheering them on, and madly flipping pages to get them all to safety. Sarah Sundin has outdone herself with this stand-alone novel. I adored the characters and appreciated the up-close look at Munich and Berlin in 1938. The plot was fast-paced without sacrificing depth or those moments of contemplation that readers can join in on. The author bravely shows how a person could admire the order Hitler brought to a chaotic nation, and then shows how that admiration can either dissolve with the increasing brutality of the Nazis, or harden into a blind loyalty to the Fuhrer. Sundin ends the story on a note of sober hope, even on the brink of war. I loved this novel and highly recommend it for anyone who loves World War 2 books, or just solid historical fiction in general.
December 26, 2020
This book was absolutely incredible, and I'm saying right now that it was the best read of 2020 for me (and yes, I finished it on the 26th of December).
This book is simply incredible in every way. The characters, the plot, the themes, the writing ... I adored it. I think this may be my favorite Sundin novel, or at least among them.
Now, it didn't emotionally ruin me like some of Sundin's books, which is the desire result from every book, but it made me think, and it made me eager to read on, and it made me want to reread it almost as soon as I finished.
I wish every American could read this book. Especially now - but also as long as politics exist - it is very needed. It blew me out of the water with how much I was able to relate to the things people were saying, and all the perspectives it gave, and it just ... was great.
Section 1: Talking about Themes (& mostly politics):
I'm going to just ramble about the themes for a bit because they were so, so good.
Peter's perspective was so interesting, because I can 100% see how he would say, in 1938, as the son of a German immigrant to the US, that "too much freedom had flung the nation [USA] into decadence [...] violence [...]" etc. Isn't that what we're saying now?
But in truth, the restrictions were at least half of the problem (though I'd like to research it further) along with the free rides given to the American people by the government
Here's the thing:
A lot of gang violence in the USA started around the time of Prohibition (unfair restrictions that most didn't agree to and that were only passed due to massive propaganda from some very corrupt politicians and particularly that one corrupt speaker whose name I would have to look up).
Then the 1929 crash ... well, that's a bit complicated to attack, but the fact that the government got involved in our economy and continued to get more and more involved is an issue.
The same goes for all of Roosevelt's policies during the Great Depression. So problematic!
Then American writers supporting socialist and communist ideals ... ick. Steinbeck, I'm looking at you and your sick, twisted lack of independent thought. Grapes of Wrath alone is enough to confirm what a nutcase he was. (And then there's books like The Jungle.)
This is not to say that the USA didn't have some serious issues. This book discusses their problems with freedom of speech allowing people to do violent, hateful things (I'm looking at you, communist riots in this era and current riots in this!) - and with immigration (yeah, we've always had problems with immigration) (the Pilgrims had a problem with immigration) - and so on.
Basically, America has issues that need solved. This book showed a lot of the racism inherit in the thoughts of the day toward Jews and POC. (George, you disgust me.)
Anyways, I get Peter's perspective, but I'd argue that, through various factors, it's equally as likely that the tightening of government control, the unity under a common enemy (Great Depression) leading to dependence, and then control over things that are up to the individual's convictions largely led to the issues we were facing in the 30s and continue to face today.
TL;DR - it is always the individual's responsibility to take care of themselves and their people, and the government needs to butt their fat head out.
Anyway, long story short, it was so, so interesting seeing Peter's perspective change and shift as he saw the real evils behind Nazism (which I'll go ahead and remind you readers comes from "National Socialist").
The discussion of what community really means, and how liberty works in tangent with discipline and organization to create a good country was FANTASTIC. Yes, America suffers tons of issues because people abuse freedom. But they also don't suffer any of the billions of other issues a regime like the Third Reich introduces.
To quote Evelyn: "Every day the Germans lost a little more freedom, but they had jobs, and that was all that seemed to matter to them. But freedom mattered to Evelyn."
This book was also a good reminder for ME because sometimes I forget how very easy the Nazi policies were to fall for. Not just because the Germans were war-torn and impoverished for years, not just because Germans are stupid (they're not) ... but because the Nazi party was actually backing up their promises. They were giving jobs. They were taking care of perceived "threats" (and some real threats, too).
Honestly, you almost have to admire the evil, horrible, sickening precision with which they took over Europe and even succeeded in spreading their ideology elsewhere. It was well-done. Someone had been taking hints from Machiavelli (*Hitler smirks in the corner*).
But yes, it was just ... gah. So needed, so timely, so awesome. I enjoyed it thoroughly and am seriously considered buying multiple copies and giving them away or something. I don't know. This book just killed me.
Section 2: Peter and Evelyn:
Peter and Evelyn were also excellent characters. Their story was UNIQUE, their characters were UNIQUE, and it was just so different and original that I pretty much died.
Evelyn's struggles with feminism and living in a male-dominant world aren't necessarily needed for most secular people, but they are needed for Christians, in my opinion.
We need more balanced views of this which allow compromise while still embracing both God's design for womanhood AND the fact that woman are awesome, strong, and totally capable of work (or just about anything God calls them for which can be just about anything).
Look ... feminism isn't all bad. Women really were treated poorly for years in various ways. Every decade seemed to bring a new battle. And there's nothing wrong with a woman wanting a career. *steps off my fruit box and marches off*
*marches back* Okay, but seriously, I enjoyed all the discussion that was brought up from Evelyn's mistreat in the past and present from men who were pretty horrible to her.
The descriptions of the issues she faced in the present were so frustrating - but I enjoyed them because they were realistic and not overblown, and the way Evelyn handled them was realistic without being too "poor me." She didn't just receive the abuse & whine - she stood up and did something about it as best she was able.
I also appreciated how they didn't just brush over Evelyn's consideration of romance as far as it related to her career. There were a couple things I felt they could have discussed more thoroughly (), but I'm sure they talked about those things off-screen. Overall, though, they did a good job letting both Peter and Evelyn think it over.
Peter was also an excellent character. I've mentioned this before, but I so enjoyed his slow comprehension of everything. It was so much fun! I enjoyed him and his thoughts more and more as time passed, and Sundin handled him SO well that I could 100% see his perspective and was never angry or frustrated with him.
They also just had such strong personalities, and I could talk about that and character arcs and so on all day, but instead, I'll attempt to move on.
One thing I really enjoyed about both of these characters is that they were intelligent. I just found that highly enjoyable. When they first met, I was instantly in love with them both separately and as a couple.
Also, let's have three cheers for all the old timey newspaper talk! That's my favorite thing. (Made me want to rewatch His Girl Friday.)
Section 3: The Plot
The plot was really good, too. Just when I thought we might be given a break, nope, another plot twist showed up! There was so much to unpack, and it was really well done so I was never confused or bored. It felt like it moved at a good pace.
One thing I noticed is, I glanced down on my Kindle and realized I was at 60% ... and I felt like I must be at 75%. And I went, "Oh crap, what could possibly happen next if this is only 60% and the third plot point is next to come?" Thankfully, I was not disappointed.
Suffice to say, this book was a lot more adventure-y than I'd anticipated, but I really enjoyed that. I don't get invested in most of these kinds of things, but this one was so complex.
Anyways, that's it for now. I'm going to come back and do a better review and post it everywhere at some point once it's launched. And cry this book's amazingness to the rooftops!
But for now, just ... preorder this book. Now. Pleaassseee!
This book is simply incredible in every way. The characters, the plot, the themes, the writing ... I adored it. I think this may be my favorite Sundin novel, or at least among them.
Now, it didn't emotionally ruin me like some of Sundin's books, which is the desire result from every book, but it made me think, and it made me eager to read on, and it made me want to reread it almost as soon as I finished.
I wish every American could read this book. Especially now - but also as long as politics exist - it is very needed. It blew me out of the water with how much I was able to relate to the things people were saying, and all the perspectives it gave, and it just ... was great.
Section 1: Talking about Themes (& mostly politics):
I'm going to just ramble about the themes for a bit because they were so, so good.
Peter's perspective was so interesting, because I can 100% see how he would say, in 1938, as the son of a German immigrant to the US, that "too much freedom had flung the nation [USA] into decadence [...] violence [...]" etc. Isn't that what we're saying now?
But in truth, the restrictions were at least half of the problem (though I'd like to research it further) along with the free rides given to the American people by the government
Here's the thing:
A lot of gang violence in the USA started around the time of Prohibition (unfair restrictions that most didn't agree to and that were only passed due to massive propaganda from some very corrupt politicians and particularly that one corrupt speaker whose name I would have to look up).
Then the 1929 crash ... well, that's a bit complicated to attack, but the fact that the government got involved in our economy and continued to get more and more involved is an issue.
The same goes for all of Roosevelt's policies during the Great Depression. So problematic!
Then American writers supporting socialist and communist ideals ... ick. Steinbeck, I'm looking at you and your sick, twisted lack of independent thought. Grapes of Wrath alone is enough to confirm what a nutcase he was. (And then there's books like The Jungle.)
This is not to say that the USA didn't have some serious issues. This book discusses their problems with freedom of speech allowing people to do violent, hateful things (I'm looking at you, communist riots in this era and current riots in this!) - and with immigration (yeah, we've always had problems with immigration) (the Pilgrims had a problem with immigration) - and so on.
Basically, America has issues that need solved. This book showed a lot of the racism inherit in the thoughts of the day toward Jews and POC. (George, you disgust me.)
Anyways, I get Peter's perspective, but I'd argue that, through various factors, it's equally as likely that the tightening of government control, the unity under a common enemy (Great Depression) leading to dependence, and then control over things that are up to the individual's convictions largely led to the issues we were facing in the 30s and continue to face today.
TL;DR - it is always the individual's responsibility to take care of themselves and their people, and the government needs to butt their fat head out.
Anyway, long story short, it was so, so interesting seeing Peter's perspective change and shift as he saw the real evils behind Nazism (which I'll go ahead and remind you readers comes from "National Socialist").
The discussion of what community really means, and how liberty works in tangent with discipline and organization to create a good country was FANTASTIC. Yes, America suffers tons of issues because people abuse freedom. But they also don't suffer any of the billions of other issues a regime like the Third Reich introduces.
To quote Evelyn: "Every day the Germans lost a little more freedom, but they had jobs, and that was all that seemed to matter to them. But freedom mattered to Evelyn."
This book was also a good reminder for ME because sometimes I forget how very easy the Nazi policies were to fall for. Not just because the Germans were war-torn and impoverished for years, not just because Germans are stupid (they're not) ... but because the Nazi party was actually backing up their promises. They were giving jobs. They were taking care of perceived "threats" (and some real threats, too).
Honestly, you almost have to admire the evil, horrible, sickening precision with which they took over Europe and even succeeded in spreading their ideology elsewhere. It was well-done. Someone had been taking hints from Machiavelli (*Hitler smirks in the corner*).
But yes, it was just ... gah. So needed, so timely, so awesome. I enjoyed it thoroughly and am seriously considered buying multiple copies and giving them away or something. I don't know. This book just killed me.
Section 2: Peter and Evelyn:
Peter and Evelyn were also excellent characters. Their story was UNIQUE, their characters were UNIQUE, and it was just so different and original that I pretty much died.
Evelyn's struggles with feminism and living in a male-dominant world aren't necessarily needed for most secular people, but they are needed for Christians, in my opinion.
We need more balanced views of this which allow compromise while still embracing both God's design for womanhood AND the fact that woman are awesome, strong, and totally capable of work (or just about anything God calls them for which can be just about anything).
Look ... feminism isn't all bad. Women really were treated poorly for years in various ways. Every decade seemed to bring a new battle. And there's nothing wrong with a woman wanting a career. *steps off my fruit box and marches off*
*marches back* Okay, but seriously, I enjoyed all the discussion that was brought up from Evelyn's mistreat in the past and present from men who were pretty horrible to her.
The descriptions of the issues she faced in the present were so frustrating - but I enjoyed them because they were realistic and not overblown, and the way Evelyn handled them was realistic without being too "poor me." She didn't just receive the abuse & whine - she stood up and did something about it as best she was able.
I also appreciated how they didn't just brush over Evelyn's consideration of romance as far as it related to her career. There were a couple things I felt they could have discussed more thoroughly (), but I'm sure they talked about those things off-screen. Overall, though, they did a good job letting both Peter and Evelyn think it over.
Peter was also an excellent character. I've mentioned this before, but I so enjoyed his slow comprehension of everything. It was so much fun! I enjoyed him and his thoughts more and more as time passed, and Sundin handled him SO well that I could 100% see his perspective and was never angry or frustrated with him.
They also just had such strong personalities, and I could talk about that and character arcs and so on all day, but instead, I'll attempt to move on.
One thing I really enjoyed about both of these characters is that they were intelligent. I just found that highly enjoyable. When they first met, I was instantly in love with them both separately and as a couple.
Also, let's have three cheers for all the old timey newspaper talk! That's my favorite thing. (Made me want to rewatch His Girl Friday.)
Section 3: The Plot
The plot was really good, too. Just when I thought we might be given a break, nope, another plot twist showed up! There was so much to unpack, and it was really well done so I was never confused or bored. It felt like it moved at a good pace.
One thing I noticed is, I glanced down on my Kindle and realized I was at 60% ... and I felt like I must be at 75%. And I went, "Oh crap, what could possibly happen next if this is only 60% and the third plot point is next to come?" Thankfully, I was not disappointed.
Suffice to say, this book was a lot more adventure-y than I'd anticipated, but I really enjoyed that. I don't get invested in most of these kinds of things, but this one was so complex.
Anyways, that's it for now. I'm going to come back and do a better review and post it everywhere at some point once it's launched. And cry this book's amazingness to the rooftops!
But for now, just ... preorder this book. Now. Pleaassseee!
May 9, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley and Revell Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Just when I say that I will not read another WWII era historical, here I go again. Technically this book takes place before the outbreak of war and is set in Munich Germany in 1938.
The novel's two characters are Americans working in the country. For journalist Evelyn Brand, she sees the growing policies of the Nazi government as individual freedom being swept away. For American student, Peter Lang, he has nothing but admiration for the order and rules that have proven to be successful especially in terms of the Communists.
This novel has plenty of intrigues and I think it's safe to describe the romance as fairly light. As the author shares in her notes, the viewpoints of both characters at the beginning of the novel were quite prevalent among American and British visitors to Germany in that timeframe. It made for an interesting story.
#erinrossreads2021 #readersofinstagram #goodreads #teachersandbooks #netgalley #revellpublishing @sarahsundinauthor
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review published 08/05/21
Publication Date 02/02/21
Just when I say that I will not read another WWII era historical, here I go again. Technically this book takes place before the outbreak of war and is set in Munich Germany in 1938.
The novel's two characters are Americans working in the country. For journalist Evelyn Brand, she sees the growing policies of the Nazi government as individual freedom being swept away. For American student, Peter Lang, he has nothing but admiration for the order and rules that have proven to be successful especially in terms of the Communists.
This novel has plenty of intrigues and I think it's safe to describe the romance as fairly light. As the author shares in her notes, the viewpoints of both characters at the beginning of the novel were quite prevalent among American and British visitors to Germany in that timeframe. It made for an interesting story.
#erinrossreads2021 #readersofinstagram #goodreads #teachersandbooks #netgalley #revellpublishing @sarahsundinauthor
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review published 08/05/21
Publication Date 02/02/21
February 26, 2022
Evelyn Brand is working in Germany as an American foreign correspondent and she’s desperately trying to make her way in a male dominated occupation. Evelyn’s up to date stories are being forwarded to American newspapers and she discovers her boss is censoring them and he doesn’t want anything negative being published and this infuriates her. Hitler is rising to power, spreading his tyranny and inhumane beliefs. Evelyn’s sure the Gestapo are following her, they could force her leave Germany, and it’s much worse.
Peter Lang a fellow American is teaching at the University of Munich and working on his PhD. Peter seems to agree with the Germans, Evelyn’s not at all impressed by his attitude and she decides to stay away from him. America’s in the grip of the great depression, Germany is doing well economically and at first Peter does find this impressive. When he discovers the Germans are going to target Jewish people, including his friends and of course changes his mind. He decides to use his contacts within German ranks to gather information, it’s extremely risky and dangerous.
As Germany gets ready to start World War Two, Peter and Evelyn need to work out who they can trust and in the end it’s just the two of them. As Evelyn and Peter make their mad dash to safety, they have to use their wits and stay one step ahead of the enemy. Their relationship grows, Evelyn realizes Peter is a good guy, a real gentleman and for some reason he reminds me of Clark Kent.
I received a copy of When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin from NetGalley and Revell publishing in exchange for an honest review, a well written story about life in Germany and Hitler's rise to power in the late 1930’s and it’s full of fast paced action and intrigue. I highly recommend this book, themes of good verses bad, mild romance and religion are included in the narrative and four stars from me.
Peter Lang a fellow American is teaching at the University of Munich and working on his PhD. Peter seems to agree with the Germans, Evelyn’s not at all impressed by his attitude and she decides to stay away from him. America’s in the grip of the great depression, Germany is doing well economically and at first Peter does find this impressive. When he discovers the Germans are going to target Jewish people, including his friends and of course changes his mind. He decides to use his contacts within German ranks to gather information, it’s extremely risky and dangerous.
As Germany gets ready to start World War Two, Peter and Evelyn need to work out who they can trust and in the end it’s just the two of them. As Evelyn and Peter make their mad dash to safety, they have to use their wits and stay one step ahead of the enemy. Their relationship grows, Evelyn realizes Peter is a good guy, a real gentleman and for some reason he reminds me of Clark Kent.
I received a copy of When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin from NetGalley and Revell publishing in exchange for an honest review, a well written story about life in Germany and Hitler's rise to power in the late 1930’s and it’s full of fast paced action and intrigue. I highly recommend this book, themes of good verses bad, mild romance and religion are included in the narrative and four stars from me.
Want to read
August 2, 2020HELLO YES I'M READY FOR A NEW SARAH SUNDIN BOOK.
July 15, 2024
When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin - 4 Stars
For fans of historical WWII fiction, this is a must read. Sarah Sundin's storytelling is top notch, as usual. When Twilight Breaks transports you to the tumultuous world of 1938 Munich, where political tensions are at a boiling point and the shadows of war loom.
We follow Evelyn Brand, an American foreign correspondent determined to uncover and report the truth about the Nazi regime, and Peter Lang, a graduate student working on his Ph.D in German studies. Evelyn's dedication to her work brings her face to face with the harsh realities of life under Nazi rule, while Peter's initial admiration for Germany's apparent resurgence leads him to a gradual, painful awakening about them.
We see Evelyn and Peter work together and ultimately find themselves on a journey to safety.
I really enjoyed the addition of characters from Until Leaves Fall in Paris in this one and seeing the romance between Evelyn and Peter grow. They were going through so much so quickly and seeing their connection in the last half of the book was beautiful.
The first half was a bit slow for me personally, but the last half was intense and I was invested - needing to know what happens next. It was certainly a page turner in the end as the plot gained momentum.
The faith elements were nice to see as they relied on the Lord in many portions of the story.
Overall, highly recommend as a good Christian historical WWII fiction story.
For fans of historical WWII fiction, this is a must read. Sarah Sundin's storytelling is top notch, as usual. When Twilight Breaks transports you to the tumultuous world of 1938 Munich, where political tensions are at a boiling point and the shadows of war loom.
We follow Evelyn Brand, an American foreign correspondent determined to uncover and report the truth about the Nazi regime, and Peter Lang, a graduate student working on his Ph.D in German studies. Evelyn's dedication to her work brings her face to face with the harsh realities of life under Nazi rule, while Peter's initial admiration for Germany's apparent resurgence leads him to a gradual, painful awakening about them.
We see Evelyn and Peter work together and ultimately find themselves on a journey to safety.
I really enjoyed the addition of characters from Until Leaves Fall in Paris in this one and seeing the romance between Evelyn and Peter grow. They were going through so much so quickly and seeing their connection in the last half of the book was beautiful.
The first half was a bit slow for me personally, but the last half was intense and I was invested - needing to know what happens next. It was certainly a page turner in the end as the plot gained momentum.
The faith elements were nice to see as they relied on the Lord in many portions of the story.
Overall, highly recommend as a good Christian historical WWII fiction story.
May 10, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. It took me too many days to get through it as it was a very deep and sad book, plus I kept seeing parallels between the early years of the Nazis and the current day’s Marxist thugs. At least back in Evelyn and Peter’s time, there was still a Western Hemisphere to run to. It was heartbreaking to see the early days of Jewish persecution and realize how few of these people would ultimately make it through the war years.
This was a slow-burn romance focused mostly on the danger Evelyn, as a journalist reporting on Nazi actions, and Peter, as a linguistic professor, faced as Americans in Germany in the late 1930s. This is compounded when Evelyn discovers she is mostly Jewish and becomes a sudden target by Nazi sympathizers in her own circle! Things go from bad to worse in a matter of weeks until she is on the run for her life.
The plot is well-balanced and the characters run away with your sympathies easily. Highly recommended to all readers.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.
This was a slow-burn romance focused mostly on the danger Evelyn, as a journalist reporting on Nazi actions, and Peter, as a linguistic professor, faced as Americans in Germany in the late 1930s. This is compounded when Evelyn discovers she is mostly Jewish and becomes a sudden target by Nazi sympathizers in her own circle! Things go from bad to worse in a matter of weeks until she is on the run for her life.
The plot is well-balanced and the characters run away with your sympathies easily. Highly recommended to all readers.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.
March 13, 2021
Wow. I do not think I have the words to describe this novel. I have to say that this probably was the most difficult Sarah Sundin book I have ever read and that's to say something because she does not write on light topics. This book literally had my heart breaking every other page. I was brought to tears so many times and my heart just ached. This was definitely more a heavy read than a light one, but it is so worth it.
As someone whose family fought against the Nazis in the Netherlands, my great-grandfather was apart of the underground resistance in the Netherlands, I have grown up hearing stories about Nazis and their pure evil motives. I also have been obsessed with learning about anything that has to do with the Holocaust since I was ten, but it honestly has been such a long time since I have read a world war two novel that was set in Germany and it hurts. I think this book hit closer to home for me because rather than it being from a Jew's perspective or a German citizen's perspective, it was an American's citizens perspective. I was able to put myself in both Evelyn's and Peter's shoes throughout this whole book. I questioned myself on how I would have acted or behaved if I was in their position. I only pray that I could be as brave as them.
Speaking of Evelyn and Peter, I want to gush about them for a moment. Although I did not relate to Evelyn in hardly any aspects of her character, I loved her strength and stubbornness. If she was anything like me, I don't think she would have survived all she did and I admire her character because of that. She was such a fun character to follow and though she is not my favorite Sundin lead, she definitely has a special place in my heart.
Now Peter, on the other hand, was such a cinnamon roll. Although he had a little bit of a rocky beginning, I could totally understand where he was coming from. His character development was fabulous!! I cannot begin to tell of how much I loved his character. He was so gentle and so considerate of Evelyn. He never pushed her, he gave her the space she needed even when he was hopelessly in love with her. Ughh, Mrs. Sundin is so good at crafting her male characters, it's unfair!!
I cannot begin to tell you how much I recommend this book. It is a good reminder of why we need to take a stand in our beliefs and not allow a bully of a tyrant to silent us. Leaders and nations will rise and fall but the truth will stand forever because it comes from God. This book was such a great reminder to me that no matter how crazy times get, I need to stand firm in my beliefs and not be afraid to speak the truth into the darkness. Y'all reading books set during this time are so hard but so worth it. They are a great reminder of why we have to take a stand against tyrants and stand for freedom.
I cannot wait to see what Mrs. Sundin has in store for us next, but I am ready. Although my heart may need a day or two to recover, I am ready for whatever story she has next for us!
*FTC: I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own. I was not required to write a postive review.*
As someone whose family fought against the Nazis in the Netherlands, my great-grandfather was apart of the underground resistance in the Netherlands, I have grown up hearing stories about Nazis and their pure evil motives. I also have been obsessed with learning about anything that has to do with the Holocaust since I was ten, but it honestly has been such a long time since I have read a world war two novel that was set in Germany and it hurts. I think this book hit closer to home for me because rather than it being from a Jew's perspective or a German citizen's perspective, it was an American's citizens perspective. I was able to put myself in both Evelyn's and Peter's shoes throughout this whole book. I questioned myself on how I would have acted or behaved if I was in their position. I only pray that I could be as brave as them.
Speaking of Evelyn and Peter, I want to gush about them for a moment. Although I did not relate to Evelyn in hardly any aspects of her character, I loved her strength and stubbornness. If she was anything like me, I don't think she would have survived all she did and I admire her character because of that. She was such a fun character to follow and though she is not my favorite Sundin lead, she definitely has a special place in my heart.
Now Peter, on the other hand, was such a cinnamon roll. Although he had a little bit of a rocky beginning, I could totally understand where he was coming from. His character development was fabulous!! I cannot begin to tell of how much I loved his character. He was so gentle and so considerate of Evelyn. He never pushed her, he gave her the space she needed even when he was hopelessly in love with her. Ughh, Mrs. Sundin is so good at crafting her male characters, it's unfair!!
I cannot begin to tell you how much I recommend this book. It is a good reminder of why we need to take a stand in our beliefs and not allow a bully of a tyrant to silent us. Leaders and nations will rise and fall but the truth will stand forever because it comes from God. This book was such a great reminder to me that no matter how crazy times get, I need to stand firm in my beliefs and not be afraid to speak the truth into the darkness. Y'all reading books set during this time are so hard but so worth it. They are a great reminder of why we have to take a stand against tyrants and stand for freedom.
I cannot wait to see what Mrs. Sundin has in store for us next, but I am ready. Although my heart may need a day or two to recover, I am ready for whatever story she has next for us!
*FTC: I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own. I was not required to write a postive review.*
February 17, 2021
From the first line through to the end, this book is a beautiful weaving of what it was like in Munich as tensions mounted. The characters are the best with real internal conflict that propels the story forward. And the romance is sweet, realistic, and ends with one of the best tropes ever -- I don't want to tell you which one, because I don't want to spoil this beautiful book for you.
February 11, 2021
The leading voice in WWII books has done it again. When you think of reading this genre of book Sarah Sundin is the author you think of.
Her meticulous research makes for an authentically WWII era placed book.
Brilliant writing style had me immersed from the start in this atmospheric historical brought grandly to life by the author.
Just the right amount of danger is woven into this romantic suspense taking place in Munich,Germany in 1938.
I eagerly look forward to whatever she publishes next.
This book was provided by Baker Publishing Group, Revell Division, through Interviews & Reviews.
Her meticulous research makes for an authentically WWII era placed book.
Brilliant writing style had me immersed from the start in this atmospheric historical brought grandly to life by the author.
Just the right amount of danger is woven into this romantic suspense taking place in Munich,Germany in 1938.
I eagerly look forward to whatever she publishes next.
This book was provided by Baker Publishing Group, Revell Division, through Interviews & Reviews.
February 24, 2021
A cracking good suspense novel set in Munich, Germany in the tense years before the outbreak of World War II.
Evelyn Brand is one of the few female foreign correspondents stationed in Germany in 1938. She is trying to prove that a woman can do this complicated job of getting the truth to the American people while not antagonizing the Nazi Regime. She meets Peter Lang, also an American citizen, who is doing his dissertation from Harvard on the German language. Having been to Germany a few years prior, he sees much improvement to society in the present climate. Will his eyes be opened to the coming threat?
It was fascinating to see what Ms. Sundin has done with her research into this volatile time in history. It was inspired by facts she found about her grandfather and the role he played during World War II.
This book is full of cloak and dagger moments as Peter and Evelyn walk a fine line as American patriots caught in Germany under an increasingly dangerous despot. They both trust God in a desperate situation. As Evelyn’s friend Libby says: “Don’t you know God makes us strong? He didn’t create us to be completely independent, but interdependent. That’s why He gave us families. That’s why He gave us friends. That’s why He gave us Himself.� Their background brought them to where they are: Running for their lives. A very exciting book. Sarah Sundin always brings her A game to Christian fiction.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the RevelI Reads program. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
Evelyn Brand is one of the few female foreign correspondents stationed in Germany in 1938. She is trying to prove that a woman can do this complicated job of getting the truth to the American people while not antagonizing the Nazi Regime. She meets Peter Lang, also an American citizen, who is doing his dissertation from Harvard on the German language. Having been to Germany a few years prior, he sees much improvement to society in the present climate. Will his eyes be opened to the coming threat?
It was fascinating to see what Ms. Sundin has done with her research into this volatile time in history. It was inspired by facts she found about her grandfather and the role he played during World War II.
This book is full of cloak and dagger moments as Peter and Evelyn walk a fine line as American patriots caught in Germany under an increasingly dangerous despot. They both trust God in a desperate situation. As Evelyn’s friend Libby says: “Don’t you know God makes us strong? He didn’t create us to be completely independent, but interdependent. That’s why He gave us families. That’s why He gave us friends. That’s why He gave us Himself.� Their background brought them to where they are: Running for their lives. A very exciting book. Sarah Sundin always brings her A game to Christian fiction.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the RevelI Reads program. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
January 19, 2021
When Twilight Breaks is a fascinating look inside Germany on the cusp of WWII as two American professionals navigate foreign and personal relations and their circle of who they can trust grows ever smaller.
Sundin captured details about the culture and tensions well, giving the reader an immersive experience. It was interesting to consider views of various Americans and other Europeans as well as dissenting German voices of the time. This novel was suspenseful and shocking without being graphic, and I think Sundin nailed these in the right proportion for my own preferences.
The hero, Peter, is one of my very favorite types: intelligent, hard working, kind, teachable, sacrificial. I do like the bookish sort that wears glasses! His faith grew over the course of the book and he prayed more often as his character arc progressed, depending on the Lord's strength instead of his own to get them out of their pickle, but he has a few good fistfights of his own.
I had more trouble with Evelyn because I do not relate to heroines that are hell bent on being anti-feminine and prize elbowing their way through a predominantly male career above relationships. It's been done so often that it feels tropey to me. With that said, I do think Sundin did a good job with the character and with her relationship with Peter. The way the two of them interacted, learned to rely on each other, and were so instrumental in each other's growth is where this book shone. I don't want to give spoilers but the way Peter respected and treated Evelyn was enough to melt me into a puddle. (And was why she was so frustrating!)
However, because of their personalities, this book was less romantic and had far less kissing than I've come to expect after the Sunrise over Normandy series.
This is a solid Christian historical fiction from Sundin, and I do recommend it to fans of the genre.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review, but I was not compensated and all opinions are my own.
Sundin captured details about the culture and tensions well, giving the reader an immersive experience. It was interesting to consider views of various Americans and other Europeans as well as dissenting German voices of the time. This novel was suspenseful and shocking without being graphic, and I think Sundin nailed these in the right proportion for my own preferences.
The hero, Peter, is one of my very favorite types: intelligent, hard working, kind, teachable, sacrificial. I do like the bookish sort that wears glasses! His faith grew over the course of the book and he prayed more often as his character arc progressed, depending on the Lord's strength instead of his own to get them out of their pickle, but he has a few good fistfights of his own.
I had more trouble with Evelyn because I do not relate to heroines that are hell bent on being anti-feminine and prize elbowing their way through a predominantly male career above relationships. It's been done so often that it feels tropey to me. With that said, I do think Sundin did a good job with the character and with her relationship with Peter. The way the two of them interacted, learned to rely on each other, and were so instrumental in each other's growth is where this book shone. I don't want to give spoilers but the way Peter respected and treated Evelyn was enough to melt me into a puddle. (And was why she was so frustrating!)
However, because of their personalities, this book was less romantic and had far less kissing than I've come to expect after the Sunrise over Normandy series.
This is a solid Christian historical fiction from Sundin, and I do recommend it to fans of the genre.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review, but I was not compensated and all opinions are my own.
February 25, 2021
I've been putting off this review because I just wasn't sure what to say. I have adored pretty much every other book Sundin has written and been personally impacted by some of them. Her books have been companions in some hard places in my life.
I felt like this one fell flat, and I wasn't sure why until other people started writing reviews. So here is my summary:
While the writing, historical research, characterization are still up to Sundin's usual level of brilliance, some of the things that have made her one of my favorite authors just weren't there.
Spiritual ~ While both characters come to some conclusions about political and personal change, it is not deeply rooted in the Christian faith as in the other books. It isn't like faith doesn't play a role, but it's just one of many players. They seem to be more impacted by events and politics, than seeing God using events to change them.
Romance ~ Sundin usually has more kissing and whatnot than I usually like in books, but it's an aspect I'm willing to tolerate because the books are so, so good. This romance was not that way. There were a lot of awkward moments, a lot of tension that felt forced instead of natural, and things got more steamy than I really felt they needed to be.
Healing ~ One of the things that has impacted me the most in the past by Sundin's book is how each of the characters finds emotional and spiritual healing from God often helped by their love interest. Both characters have some insecurity and fears, but they don't push each other toward healing in God, they accommodate each other. Now, I know full well that this can be perfectly healthy and normal. Yet, Evelyn basically is the same person, only without fear of romance and glad she doesn't have to give up anything. Peter changes politically, but other than that also didn't grow a lot.
This isn't a bad book, it just fell short for me.
I felt like this one fell flat, and I wasn't sure why until other people started writing reviews. So here is my summary:
While the writing, historical research, characterization are still up to Sundin's usual level of brilliance, some of the things that have made her one of my favorite authors just weren't there.
Spiritual ~ While both characters come to some conclusions about political and personal change, it is not deeply rooted in the Christian faith as in the other books. It isn't like faith doesn't play a role, but it's just one of many players. They seem to be more impacted by events and politics, than seeing God using events to change them.
Romance ~ Sundin usually has more kissing and whatnot than I usually like in books, but it's an aspect I'm willing to tolerate because the books are so, so good. This romance was not that way. There were a lot of awkward moments, a lot of tension that felt forced instead of natural, and things got more steamy than I really felt they needed to be.
Healing ~ One of the things that has impacted me the most in the past by Sundin's book is how each of the characters finds emotional and spiritual healing from God often helped by their love interest. Both characters have some insecurity and fears, but they don't push each other toward healing in God, they accommodate each other. Now, I know full well that this can be perfectly healthy and normal. Yet, Evelyn basically is the same person, only without fear of romance and glad she doesn't have to give up anything. Peter changes politically, but other than that also didn't grow a lot.
This isn't a bad book, it just fell short for me.
November 19, 2022
I literally have only one word to describe this: AMAZING! It was gripping, exciting, engaging, and Peter and Evelyn were such fun and vivid characters!!! I love it when a book transports you to another time in another life through the eyes of another person like this book does. Simply amazing! I am utterly speechless!
August 22, 2021
"She will not be easily won."
Truer words were never spoken, and American graduate student Peter Lang, working on his PhD while teaching in a German university, took them to heart. Evelyn Brand was every ounce the "firebrand" her reputation indicated, except that instead of being put off, Peter was hopelessly intrigued. Of course, as a female American journalist, Evelyn would have to exhibit a tough persona, especially in the throes of reporting the news coming out of Nazi Germany, but there was more to it than that. Peter couldn't quite put his finger on it, but when he did, her reciprocation of his attention grew a bit frosty.
Peter Lang was handsome, witty, and perseverant, but they were an ocean apart when it came to their ideology about the Third Reich; whereas Peter saw order in the place of chaos, Evelyn saw a dictatorship that would stop at nothing to achieve world power, including genocide. She walked a fine line, writing the stories that were assigned to her, while carefully finding a way to script the truth between the lines, using well placed interjections of human interest, carefully confiscated from a trickle of confidential informants. She and Peter were heading for a head-on collision; the outcome wouldn't be pretty, more than likely it could prove fatal for one, if not both of them. Evelyn was about to experience, "Small. Alone. Vulnerable. And hunted." Would anyone come for her?
Riveting from beginning to end, this is the kind of story that grips you fiercely, tightly, and possessively, so much so that it is hard to breathe at times, for fear you will negatively affect the outcome. The perspective is brilliant; merging an attractive female journalist with an American graduate student embedded within German academia. Both have a lot to lose, but will leaning on each other make them stronger or weaker? "Sometimes a reed much choose to become a rod and risk the breaking in the storm".
In my opinion, this well known author, who has written many good stories, has penned her very best novel to date. And it is this one.
Truer words were never spoken, and American graduate student Peter Lang, working on his PhD while teaching in a German university, took them to heart. Evelyn Brand was every ounce the "firebrand" her reputation indicated, except that instead of being put off, Peter was hopelessly intrigued. Of course, as a female American journalist, Evelyn would have to exhibit a tough persona, especially in the throes of reporting the news coming out of Nazi Germany, but there was more to it than that. Peter couldn't quite put his finger on it, but when he did, her reciprocation of his attention grew a bit frosty.
Peter Lang was handsome, witty, and perseverant, but they were an ocean apart when it came to their ideology about the Third Reich; whereas Peter saw order in the place of chaos, Evelyn saw a dictatorship that would stop at nothing to achieve world power, including genocide. She walked a fine line, writing the stories that were assigned to her, while carefully finding a way to script the truth between the lines, using well placed interjections of human interest, carefully confiscated from a trickle of confidential informants. She and Peter were heading for a head-on collision; the outcome wouldn't be pretty, more than likely it could prove fatal for one, if not both of them. Evelyn was about to experience, "Small. Alone. Vulnerable. And hunted." Would anyone come for her?
Riveting from beginning to end, this is the kind of story that grips you fiercely, tightly, and possessively, so much so that it is hard to breathe at times, for fear you will negatively affect the outcome. The perspective is brilliant; merging an attractive female journalist with an American graduate student embedded within German academia. Both have a lot to lose, but will leaning on each other make them stronger or weaker? "Sometimes a reed much choose to become a rod and risk the breaking in the storm".
In my opinion, this well known author, who has written many good stories, has penned her very best novel to date. And it is this one.
November 19, 2021
A smart and thrillingly researched offering from a continued stand out in the genre. Sundin transports readers to a time and circumstance often overlooked in a sea of WWII fiction and does so with wonderful pacing and aplomb.
I will be hosting Sarah for a zoom fb live this fall
I will be hosting Sarah for a zoom fb live this fall
March 5, 2021
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This book would have been guzzled in a scant number of days if I hadn’t had broken water pipes to deal with in my house.
What a zinger! I adored this story overall. Once again, Mrs. Sarah Sundin melded history with fiction in a seamless way that brought the past to life for me. Her treatment of a female reporter when men ruled the newspaper business was superb. It touched on women’s rights issues yet respected the men in the book at the same time. That’s a delicate touch on a tough subject, if you ask me.
Evelyn Brand was a heroine I could root for. She was spunky and brave, but she had flaws and fears that sometimes got in her way. As a reporter, she knew her stuff and dared to be different. She was courage on display.
The professor-teaching-accents angle was very reminiscent of My Fair Lady (Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn), one of my favorite vintage films (of which there are many). Peter Lang, the lead in this book, was definitely his own man, though. He was strong and capable and well educated. He treated women with respect and chivalry and didn’t overstep the boundaries they set before him. He cared about his students and friends and country, and it was wonderful seeing him take risks that had potential to make a difference in the coming war.
The plot was fantastic. I don’t often read books set just prior to World War II � usually they’re set right in the thick of it. WWII fiction is my favorite genre, and it’s great to have a book show the lead-up into the Second Great War. I rather liked the approach, as it broadened my mental picture of the Second World War overall, and the pre-war tensions in particular.
As usual, Mrs. Sundin’s author voice drew me into the story directly and tugged me along for the duration. My emotions were evoked and involved, which helped in making the book feel personal. The danger and tension were palpable. The storyline was well thought out and excellently delivered.
The cover is absolutely stunning and one of my favorites of 2021. The stars, the handwritten letter in the background, the German architecture, the plane, and the woman walking away from the reader� They all work in conjunction to make an interesting snapshot of what might have really and truly taken place on the streets of Munich just prior to and during the war. (I’m not sure why there was a plane on the cover, though, because I don’t recall one being featured in the story.)
One of the very few disappointments for me was the faith thread. There were pockets of depth of faith in the story; I cherished those moments, which felt very much like the rich faith threads of this author’s previous books. However, the vast majority of the book found the leads relying on each other or themselves rather than God, which made the faith aspect of this book � when it showed up � feel quite shallow and unimportant at times. What really irritated me was the profanity toward the end. Shock is no excuse for using “Lord� in a disrespectful way, as a person is still able to control their tongue even when emotions run high, if they’ve properly tamed it (with the Lord’s help), as the Bible instructs. This portion of the book, as well as the sexual innuendo that cropped up off and on, dropped my rating from five stars to three, unfortunately. I hope the faith thread is much richer in Mrs. Sundin’s next book, as it has been in the vast majority of her collection of stories.
The finale made me cry tears of joy. When my heart get that involved, the rating bumps up another star, if one’s available.
Oh, how I wish the profanity and innuendo were omitted! I so wanted to give this book five stars.
Content: gambling, tobacco, alcohol, an expletive, profanity, sexual innuendo
This book would have been guzzled in a scant number of days if I hadn’t had broken water pipes to deal with in my house.
What a zinger! I adored this story overall. Once again, Mrs. Sarah Sundin melded history with fiction in a seamless way that brought the past to life for me. Her treatment of a female reporter when men ruled the newspaper business was superb. It touched on women’s rights issues yet respected the men in the book at the same time. That’s a delicate touch on a tough subject, if you ask me.
Evelyn Brand was a heroine I could root for. She was spunky and brave, but she had flaws and fears that sometimes got in her way. As a reporter, she knew her stuff and dared to be different. She was courage on display.
The professor-teaching-accents angle was very reminiscent of My Fair Lady (Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn), one of my favorite vintage films (of which there are many). Peter Lang, the lead in this book, was definitely his own man, though. He was strong and capable and well educated. He treated women with respect and chivalry and didn’t overstep the boundaries they set before him. He cared about his students and friends and country, and it was wonderful seeing him take risks that had potential to make a difference in the coming war.
The plot was fantastic. I don’t often read books set just prior to World War II � usually they’re set right in the thick of it. WWII fiction is my favorite genre, and it’s great to have a book show the lead-up into the Second Great War. I rather liked the approach, as it broadened my mental picture of the Second World War overall, and the pre-war tensions in particular.
As usual, Mrs. Sundin’s author voice drew me into the story directly and tugged me along for the duration. My emotions were evoked and involved, which helped in making the book feel personal. The danger and tension were palpable. The storyline was well thought out and excellently delivered.
The cover is absolutely stunning and one of my favorites of 2021. The stars, the handwritten letter in the background, the German architecture, the plane, and the woman walking away from the reader� They all work in conjunction to make an interesting snapshot of what might have really and truly taken place on the streets of Munich just prior to and during the war. (I’m not sure why there was a plane on the cover, though, because I don’t recall one being featured in the story.)
One of the very few disappointments for me was the faith thread. There were pockets of depth of faith in the story; I cherished those moments, which felt very much like the rich faith threads of this author’s previous books. However, the vast majority of the book found the leads relying on each other or themselves rather than God, which made the faith aspect of this book � when it showed up � feel quite shallow and unimportant at times. What really irritated me was the profanity toward the end. Shock is no excuse for using “Lord� in a disrespectful way, as a person is still able to control their tongue even when emotions run high, if they’ve properly tamed it (with the Lord’s help), as the Bible instructs. This portion of the book, as well as the sexual innuendo that cropped up off and on, dropped my rating from five stars to three, unfortunately. I hope the faith thread is much richer in Mrs. Sundin’s next book, as it has been in the vast majority of her collection of stories.
The finale made me cry tears of joy. When my heart get that involved, the rating bumps up another star, if one’s available.
Oh, how I wish the profanity and innuendo were omitted! I so wanted to give this book five stars.
Content: gambling, tobacco, alcohol, an expletive, profanity, sexual innuendo
January 8, 2023
1938, Munich, Germany
What a book!
So, I’m not one to bite my nails, but I realized a few times throughout the nail-biting moments in this book that I had succumbed. Whew! Intense.
This book was fascinating way beyond the edge-of-your-seat moments. There was a well written friendship-relationship between Evelyn Brand, a journalist and Peter Lang, a professor. It was primarily one sided for weeks as Peter was intrigued by her, but independent Evelyn wanted nothing to do with a relationship that might restrict her.
Peter's view on how Germany had been changing was completely different from Evelyn's. He saw order and unity as a plus in Germany. She saw Germany as subverting the individual to the will of the community which inhibited freedom. This put a damper on their friendship. But so much of Peter was charming that Evelyn could see herself being worn down little by little.
This is the first book I’ve read where Americans lived and worked in Germany pre-WWII while the Nazi party became more and more anti-Semitic. It was a fascinating view of that history with opposing views all around! Some views lead to danger and life threatening scenes.
Except for a few interactions bordering on hokey in the later chapters I was quite pleased and entertained by this book. Wonderful story.
What a book!
So, I’m not one to bite my nails, but I realized a few times throughout the nail-biting moments in this book that I had succumbed. Whew! Intense.
This book was fascinating way beyond the edge-of-your-seat moments. There was a well written friendship-relationship between Evelyn Brand, a journalist and Peter Lang, a professor. It was primarily one sided for weeks as Peter was intrigued by her, but independent Evelyn wanted nothing to do with a relationship that might restrict her.
Peter's view on how Germany had been changing was completely different from Evelyn's. He saw order and unity as a plus in Germany. She saw Germany as subverting the individual to the will of the community which inhibited freedom. This put a damper on their friendship. But so much of Peter was charming that Evelyn could see herself being worn down little by little.
This is the first book I’ve read where Americans lived and worked in Germany pre-WWII while the Nazi party became more and more anti-Semitic. It was a fascinating view of that history with opposing views all around! Some views lead to danger and life threatening scenes.
Except for a few interactions bordering on hokey in the later chapters I was quite pleased and entertained by this book. Wonderful story.
May 16, 2021
1938 Germany
This standalone novel provides insight into what life was like for Jews living in Germany in 1938 culminating with Kristalnacht.
American Evelyn Brand is fully focused on convincing others that a female reporter is no less than her male counterparts. It's an uphill battle and she shows great persistence and intelligence.
American Peter Lang is a graduate student working on his PhD through work at the University of Munich. He is initially a little blind to the plight of German Jews.
Definitely an engaging novel and the final chapters were suspenseful. Loved all the history and atmosphere included in the pages.
This standalone novel provides insight into what life was like for Jews living in Germany in 1938 culminating with Kristalnacht.
American Evelyn Brand is fully focused on convincing others that a female reporter is no less than her male counterparts. It's an uphill battle and she shows great persistence and intelligence.
American Peter Lang is a graduate student working on his PhD through work at the University of Munich. He is initially a little blind to the plight of German Jews.
Definitely an engaging novel and the final chapters were suspenseful. Loved all the history and atmosphere included in the pages.
February 25, 2021
About this book:
“Munich, 1938.
Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.
Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.
As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.�
Series: No, a standalone.
Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; Prayers, Thanking God, & Blessings over food; Talks about God; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; For the first part of the book, Evelyn says she loves God but doesn’t need Him for strength, only when she’s in a pinch; Church going & hymns; A Christmas service; Mentions of God & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & books of the Bible; Mentions of Christians, Jews, converting, & persecution; Mentions of churches, church going, hymns, sermons, & pastors/priests; Mentions of synagogues & rabbis; Mentions of a cross necklace; A couple mentions of sins;
*Note: Mentions of the official German church rejecting the Old Testament and Apostle Paul while preaching about an Aryan Jesus; Mentions of a synagogue being demolished; A mention of a hairstyle like a Grecian goddess would wear.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘damning�, three ‘idiot’s, six ‘shut up’s, and eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Sarcasm & eye rolling; All about Nazis, communists, persecution, treason, pogroms, violence, fighting, weapons, deaths/murders, & concentration camps; Being held at gunpoint & threatened (up to semi-detailed); An attack, pain, fighting, killing someone (in self-defense), injuries, & blood/bleeding (semi-detailed); Recalling pain & seeing someone die (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing people being beat up & blood/bleeding (semi-detailed); Threats & Riots (semi-detailed); Lying & Deceiving for the sake of safety; Mentions of dead bodies & how they were killed (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of orders to kill Jews (including women); Mentions of executions & guillotines; Mentions of wars, fighting, & deaths; Mentions of arrests, injuries, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of beatings, injuries, pain, & watching someone be murdered (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of weapons (guns & knives); Mentions of violence, mobs, gangsters, & thugs; Mentions of prisons/jails; Mentions of Evelyn’s old boyfriends slapping her & locking her in a car trunk; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deception; Mentions of rumors; Mentions of alcohol & drunks; Mentions of cigarettes/cigars, smoking, & tobacco; A few mentions of bombs & air raids; A couple mentions of torture; A mention of divorce.
Sexual Content- a hand kiss, two nose kisses, a chin kiss, two cheek kisses, five forehead kisses, an almost kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, two semi-detailed kisses, and two border-line semi-detailed // detailed kisses; Wanting to kiss & Staring at someone’s lips (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Nearness, Dancing, and Remembering all of this (semi-detailed); Sleeping next to each other (cuddling) for warmth; The Main characters have to sleep in the same room a few times; Sitting in a man’s lap (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Smelling (including a shirtless man’s muscles & legs, semi-detailed); A man offers Evelyn to sit in his lap (which she refuses), tries to touch her bottom with his knee, comments on her time of the month, & also fondles her bottom; Mentions of a honeymoon & the couple staying in each other’s presence; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of flirting & flirts; Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends & dates; A few mentions of seducing a man; A few mentions of affairs & mistresses; A few mentions of crushes; ; A mention of loose morals; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of women’s curves, hips, & bust lines; A few mentions of negligees; A few mentions of painting of people wearing no clothes at all or very little; A couple mentions of shirtless men; A mention of a knee to the groin; A man comments that others don’t think Evelyn is making “little Nazis� with a higher power man.
-Evelyn Brand, age 26
-Peter Lang, age 27
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1938
348 pages
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
I haven’t read many books by this author and to be frankly honest, I don’t know how many more I’ll end up reading. I found the first third not able to grab my attention, the next third interesting, and then the final third a little too kissy and suggestive. It wasn’t over the top compared to some other books I’ve read recently, but it still made me uncomfortable and I found those scenes to be unnecessary.
The main characters were fine, I suppose, but I thought Evelyn did a major switch after falling in love with Peter. Faith content was pretty decent, a bit more would have been nice, but what was there wasn’t a bad amount. It was interesting (? I don’t like using that word when it comes to brutal parts of history, but I’m at a loss for what else to call it) to see Germany just before World War II as I haven’t read much about that time. The foreign language aspects were neat and I liked seeing that, but overall this book was only okay to me.
Link:
Coming soon.
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.
“Munich, 1938.
Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.
Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.
As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.�
Series: No, a standalone.
Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; Prayers, Thanking God, & Blessings over food; Talks about God; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; For the first part of the book, Evelyn says she loves God but doesn’t need Him for strength, only when she’s in a pinch; Church going & hymns; A Christmas service; Mentions of God & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & books of the Bible; Mentions of Christians, Jews, converting, & persecution; Mentions of churches, church going, hymns, sermons, & pastors/priests; Mentions of synagogues & rabbis; Mentions of a cross necklace; A couple mentions of sins;
*Note: Mentions of the official German church rejecting the Old Testament and Apostle Paul while preaching about an Aryan Jesus; Mentions of a synagogue being demolished; A mention of a hairstyle like a Grecian goddess would wear.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘damning�, three ‘idiot’s, six ‘shut up’s, and eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Sarcasm & eye rolling; All about Nazis, communists, persecution, treason, pogroms, violence, fighting, weapons, deaths/murders, & concentration camps; Being held at gunpoint & threatened (up to semi-detailed); An attack, pain, fighting, killing someone (in self-defense), injuries, & blood/bleeding (semi-detailed); Recalling pain & seeing someone die (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing people being beat up & blood/bleeding (semi-detailed); Threats & Riots (semi-detailed); Lying & Deceiving for the sake of safety; Mentions of dead bodies & how they were killed (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of orders to kill Jews (including women); Mentions of executions & guillotines; Mentions of wars, fighting, & deaths; Mentions of arrests, injuries, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of beatings, injuries, pain, & watching someone be murdered (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of weapons (guns & knives); Mentions of violence, mobs, gangsters, & thugs; Mentions of prisons/jails; Mentions of Evelyn’s old boyfriends slapping her & locking her in a car trunk; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deception; Mentions of rumors; Mentions of alcohol & drunks; Mentions of cigarettes/cigars, smoking, & tobacco; A few mentions of bombs & air raids; A couple mentions of torture; A mention of divorce.
Sexual Content- a hand kiss, two nose kisses, a chin kiss, two cheek kisses, five forehead kisses, an almost kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, two semi-detailed kisses, and two border-line semi-detailed // detailed kisses; Wanting to kiss & Staring at someone’s lips (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Nearness, Dancing, and Remembering all of this (semi-detailed); Sleeping next to each other (cuddling) for warmth; The Main characters have to sleep in the same room a few times; Sitting in a man’s lap (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Smelling (including a shirtless man’s muscles & legs, semi-detailed); A man offers Evelyn to sit in his lap (which she refuses), tries to touch her bottom with his knee, comments on her time of the month, & also fondles her bottom; Mentions of a honeymoon & the couple staying in each other’s presence; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of flirting & flirts; Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends & dates; A few mentions of seducing a man; A few mentions of affairs & mistresses; A few mentions of crushes; ; A mention of loose morals; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of women’s curves, hips, & bust lines; A few mentions of negligees; A few mentions of painting of people wearing no clothes at all or very little; A couple mentions of shirtless men; A mention of a knee to the groin; A man comments that others don’t think Evelyn is making “little Nazis� with a higher power man.
-Evelyn Brand, age 26
-Peter Lang, age 27
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1938
348 pages
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
I haven’t read many books by this author and to be frankly honest, I don’t know how many more I’ll end up reading. I found the first third not able to grab my attention, the next third interesting, and then the final third a little too kissy and suggestive. It wasn’t over the top compared to some other books I’ve read recently, but it still made me uncomfortable and I found those scenes to be unnecessary.
The main characters were fine, I suppose, but I thought Evelyn did a major switch after falling in love with Peter. Faith content was pretty decent, a bit more would have been nice, but what was there wasn’t a bad amount. It was interesting (? I don’t like using that word when it comes to brutal parts of history, but I’m at a loss for what else to call it) to see Germany just before World War II as I haven’t read much about that time. The foreign language aspects were neat and I liked seeing that, but overall this book was only okay to me.
Link:
Coming soon.
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.
March 1, 2021
A captivating Pre-WWII novel, that wrapped me up in its spell as Sarah Sundin brings to life the conflicts, ideologies, and injustices going on in Germany just a year before the world's deadliest war.
Evelyn Brand is a foreign reporter with the American News Service, stationed in Munich. She is a woman working in a man's world, fighting hard to make her words heard. Her words must be measured carefully, as speaking against the government not only puts her job at risk, but her very life.
Peter Lang is working to put together his dissertation for his PhD in German language, he admires the orderliness of German culture, praising its accomplishments until his eyes are opened to the injustice lurking beneath the surface.
Ms. Sundin skillfully brings to life the dangers of living in Germany in the tumultuous year before the official start of WWII, with characters who represent a variety of positions and ideas. I admired Evelyn for her courage and compassion for others, though she is independent and sees leaning on others as a weakness. Peter is a brilliant man, dedicated to his realm of study, Evelyn opens his eyes to what is going on in the broader world around him, and I loved how he lives out his faith and we see his understanding of the issues change over the course of the book.
Overall, a gripping read, with a powerful storyline, and courageous characters willing to sacrifice for the freedom of others. This book is a bit different from other books by this author, as the previous books tended to focus on different branches of the US military in the thick of the war, while this one shows a different perspective I that enjoyed just as much if not more for its compelling, high stakes storytelling. This book will not disappoint! Highly recommend!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Evelyn Brand is a foreign reporter with the American News Service, stationed in Munich. She is a woman working in a man's world, fighting hard to make her words heard. Her words must be measured carefully, as speaking against the government not only puts her job at risk, but her very life.
Peter Lang is working to put together his dissertation for his PhD in German language, he admires the orderliness of German culture, praising its accomplishments until his eyes are opened to the injustice lurking beneath the surface.
Ms. Sundin skillfully brings to life the dangers of living in Germany in the tumultuous year before the official start of WWII, with characters who represent a variety of positions and ideas. I admired Evelyn for her courage and compassion for others, though she is independent and sees leaning on others as a weakness. Peter is a brilliant man, dedicated to his realm of study, Evelyn opens his eyes to what is going on in the broader world around him, and I loved how he lives out his faith and we see his understanding of the issues change over the course of the book.
Overall, a gripping read, with a powerful storyline, and courageous characters willing to sacrifice for the freedom of others. This book is a bit different from other books by this author, as the previous books tended to focus on different branches of the US military in the thick of the war, while this one shows a different perspective I that enjoyed just as much if not more for its compelling, high stakes storytelling. This book will not disappoint! Highly recommend!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 29, 2021
Hurray for a historical novel in which the characters don't behave, think, or talk like the twenty-first century! This is such a great book. The plot is well fleshed-out; the characters' decisions make sense; there are no stupid miscommunications keeping the couple apart; the historical detail is impressive; the character detail is impressive; the romance progresses at a realistic pace. I mean, really. Hurray for this book.
About that hero and heroine... I wish they had a sequel. I love Peter's love for languages and his love for an orderly room. His sympathy for Nazi propaganda (until he learns the truth behind it) makes real sense because of who he is and what he's been through, and Sundin facilitates his understanding early enough for the reader to see his true goodness. I also love his determination never to make Evelyn feel trapped, even if that means he can never pursue her at all. What a realistically broken, noble guy.
And I love Evelyn's love for her work and her desire for self-sufficiency. She's so much deeper and more serious than the stock "spunky heroine" who goes around making dumb choices out of stubbornness, proclaiming to the world that she's strong and independent. (Apparently that's what I've come to expect from this genre [historical Christian romance] and I'm maybe a little too delighted/surprised to find an author whose heroine I could take seriously. Wow. I'm jaded.) I truly love the way Sundin drew this character, proving on the page that a woman in this genre can be assertive and sensible, successful in a mostly male vocation and wholly feminine, guarded for real, mature reasons.
Any Sundin fans out there want to tell me which of her titles to read next?
About that hero and heroine... I wish they had a sequel. I love Peter's love for languages and his love for an orderly room. His sympathy for Nazi propaganda (until he learns the truth behind it) makes real sense because of who he is and what he's been through, and Sundin facilitates his understanding early enough for the reader to see his true goodness. I also love his determination never to make Evelyn feel trapped, even if that means he can never pursue her at all. What a realistically broken, noble guy.
And I love Evelyn's love for her work and her desire for self-sufficiency. She's so much deeper and more serious than the stock "spunky heroine" who goes around making dumb choices out of stubbornness, proclaiming to the world that she's strong and independent. (Apparently that's what I've come to expect from this genre [historical Christian romance] and I'm maybe a little too delighted/surprised to find an author whose heroine I could take seriously. Wow. I'm jaded.) I truly love the way Sundin drew this character, proving on the page that a woman in this genre can be assertive and sensible, successful in a mostly male vocation and wholly feminine, guarded for real, mature reasons.
Any Sundin fans out there want to tell me which of her titles to read next?
November 19, 2022
It only took me a month, but I finally finished it. And wow, I really enjoyed this. Every time I read a book by Sarah Sundin it reinforces why I love her writing so much, and this book is no exception. This story has a different feel compared to her past works but carries the same signature Sundin-flair I’ve come to love from her. You can feel the emotion and the tension jump off the pages, but it wasn’t dark. While the first half felt a little slow, the second half really had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. The rise of Hitler's influence and power is written really well here. Seeing it through the eyes of Peter and Evelyn helped to bring in the human emotion to the historical details, making it feel less heavy.
Speaking of the characters, I adored Peter right off the bat. He was always so kind to Evelyn and never pushy, and his character growth was my favorite between the two of them. Evelyn took a little warming up too, but I never disliked her. I just didn’t connect with her as quickly as I usually do with Sundin’s other heroines. They reminded me a lot of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, so if you like relationships like that you’ll really love theirs.
Part of me feels a little nostalgic for her older books, but after this read I am excited to see what direction she’ll take with her stories in the upcoming years. :)
Speaking of the characters, I adored Peter right off the bat. He was always so kind to Evelyn and never pushy, and his character growth was my favorite between the two of them. Evelyn took a little warming up too, but I never disliked her. I just didn’t connect with her as quickly as I usually do with Sundin’s other heroines. They reminded me a lot of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, so if you like relationships like that you’ll really love theirs.
Part of me feels a little nostalgic for her older books, but after this read I am excited to see what direction she’ll take with her stories in the upcoming years. :)
February 28, 2021
Atmosphere and history collide in this intricate WWII novel full of dangerous possibilities and a sprinkling of romance in Sarah Sundin’s historical fiction masterpiece.
STORY: Working as an American correspondent in Germany 1938 is Evelyn Brand's passion. She loves the work, and is passionate about doing good even if it may sometimes lead to danger. Despite her talent, she finds her articles are being censored, and the truth is being hidden from Americans. Her latest assignment leads her to meet Peter Lang, an American PhD student working on a dissertation specializing in German and American dictation.
Peter becomes instantly intrigued by the fierce Evelyn, but their different viewpoints seem destined to keep them at a distance.
WHEN TWILIGHT BREAKS, SARAH SUNDIN | BOOK REVIEW
REVIEW: Any of the novels I’ve read by Sarah Sundin have had this unique and well written in such a way that balances out the accuracy of its era (she always writes WWII) and keeps things on the “lighter� side of things. When Twilight Breaks is completely different. It’s still written with skill and great care (perhaps even more so), but this one also has a dangerous precedent that’s striking if nothing else. Read the review in its entirety on .
Sincere thanks to the publishers for providing a complementary review copy of this novel; ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.
February 9, 2022
What a read! I was on the verge of tears multiple times while reading/listening to this one. Knowing what was coming for the Jews after this story ends coupled with what this book showing they were already facing in 1938 and realizing this existed outside of the fictional story that this is, was heartbreaking to me. This is a beautiful story and will definitely be a favorite for me. Excellent read!
April 17, 2021
OMG this book is so good! Sarah Sundin has done it again!
I absolutely loved this book. Sarah Sundin is one of my favorite authors, so I'm always battling between the desire to 1) read her books immediately or 2) wait to read her books so I can savor them. Waiting for her next book is always so hard!
Let me tell you, I was not fully prepared for the emotional journey this book took me on. Set in pre-WWII Germany, Evelyn Brand is a spitfire American journalist who is always looking for a good story. When assigned to a story, she meets Peter, an American teaching at a German university and working towards becoming a professor. From there, the novel really takes off at a fast pace with high stakes.
This novel is truly compelling. The descriptions of the cruelties inflicted on Jews and the increasingly horrific nature of how they were treated was heartbreaking and unsettling. Evelyn seeks to report a truthful perspective of what is happening in Germany, while Peter's eyes are unveiled to the violence and chaos going on around them.
The tension in this novel is pitch-perfect, both in the romance and the danger. Between the captivating characters, a thrilling plot, and expert story-telling, I was on the edge of my seat reading this. I was caught up in the urgency to escape the violence and worried about the danger all around the characters. I worried for how they were going to survive, and if they'd be able to escape with the odds against them. I stayed up late reading because I just couldn't put the book down. I had to know the fates of Evelyn and Peter, and WOW was it worth it!
This book is obviously a new favorite of mine, and it will have permanent place on my shelves. I highly recommend this to fans of WWII fiction. You won't regret it!
I absolutely loved this book. Sarah Sundin is one of my favorite authors, so I'm always battling between the desire to 1) read her books immediately or 2) wait to read her books so I can savor them. Waiting for her next book is always so hard!
Let me tell you, I was not fully prepared for the emotional journey this book took me on. Set in pre-WWII Germany, Evelyn Brand is a spitfire American journalist who is always looking for a good story. When assigned to a story, she meets Peter, an American teaching at a German university and working towards becoming a professor. From there, the novel really takes off at a fast pace with high stakes.
This novel is truly compelling. The descriptions of the cruelties inflicted on Jews and the increasingly horrific nature of how they were treated was heartbreaking and unsettling. Evelyn seeks to report a truthful perspective of what is happening in Germany, while Peter's eyes are unveiled to the violence and chaos going on around them.
The tension in this novel is pitch-perfect, both in the romance and the danger. Between the captivating characters, a thrilling plot, and expert story-telling, I was on the edge of my seat reading this. I was caught up in the urgency to escape the violence and worried about the danger all around the characters. I worried for how they were going to survive, and if they'd be able to escape with the odds against them. I stayed up late reading because I just couldn't put the book down. I had to know the fates of Evelyn and Peter, and WOW was it worth it!
This book is obviously a new favorite of mine, and it will have permanent place on my shelves. I highly recommend this to fans of WWII fiction. You won't regret it!
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September 18, 2021By definition, I should not have liked this book...
BUT I GOT NEWS FOR YOU, PEOPLE! I HAVE A NEW SUNDIN FAVORITE!!!
Don't listen to the haters...this novel is GOLD.
Review to come!
BUT I GOT NEWS FOR YOU, PEOPLE! I HAVE A NEW SUNDIN FAVORITE!!!
Don't listen to the haters...this novel is GOLD.
Review to come!
March 6, 2021
Characters: I could tell Sarah Sundin put a lot of time into developing Peter and Evelyn. Both had circumstances in their pasts that motivated their actions--not always for their own good. I appreciated seeing Peter change from supporting the Nazis to realizing what they were doing was wrong. I don't think I've ever read a book like that before. But apart from his wrong views at the beginning, he was a little too perfect, a little too selfless to be relatable. Probably because I'm an imperfect, selfish person. :) Yep, that's it. As for Evelyn, I liked that she was tough and didn't put up with people bothering her. I did get kind of annoyed by how often she complained about men treating her badly because she was a woman reporter.
Language: Clean.
Morals: The main moral was that God gives us strength. I wish this had been developed more, but this book seemed kind of light on Christian content. Which I didn't like... There was also a theme about Evelyn needing to learn how to ask for help. She wanted to do everything on her own and had to learn otherwise. This kind of tied into needing to depend on God, but it was more about depending on other people. Which I have a problem with. Yes, it's good to ask other people for help, but people can't be your ultimate Help. That's God. And I guess you could call Peter's change from almost-Nazi to not-Nazi a theme. Maybe??
Romance: Clean (for the most part). A few kisses. The "for the most part" is because of a few suggestive comments that were totally unnecessary. I wish Christian authors would remember that a lot of young teens read these books. Please, keep it clean. The suggestive comments added nothing. Also, the author kept putting the characters in weird, compromising situations (sleeping snuggled together in the woods to keep warm, pretending to be married and having to share a room to keep up the deception, etc.). Again, it just seemed really unnecessary. But for how many weird situations the author put the characters in, nothing all that weird happened. I've read authors who would've taken full advantage of the weirdness, and I'm glad Sundin didn't do that.
Random Comments: I would've liked to have seen some discussion of why the Nazis were getting rid of everyone they thought was inferior to them. Showing how the lie of evolution influenced Nazi beliefs would've made this book really interesting to me.
Writing: I thought this book was really well written. My only problem was the time skipping. I felt like I lost some story during those skipped periods.
Overall: I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy Christian fiction and WWII stories.
Note: Due to those suggestive comments, I wouldn't recommend this book to young teens.
Language: Clean.
Morals: The main moral was that God gives us strength. I wish this had been developed more, but this book seemed kind of light on Christian content. Which I didn't like... There was also a theme about Evelyn needing to learn how to ask for help. She wanted to do everything on her own and had to learn otherwise. This kind of tied into needing to depend on God, but it was more about depending on other people. Which I have a problem with. Yes, it's good to ask other people for help, but people can't be your ultimate Help. That's God. And I guess you could call Peter's change from almost-Nazi to not-Nazi a theme. Maybe??
Romance: Clean (for the most part). A few kisses. The "for the most part" is because of a few suggestive comments that were totally unnecessary. I wish Christian authors would remember that a lot of young teens read these books. Please, keep it clean. The suggestive comments added nothing. Also, the author kept putting the characters in weird, compromising situations (sleeping snuggled together in the woods to keep warm, pretending to be married and having to share a room to keep up the deception, etc.). Again, it just seemed really unnecessary. But for how many weird situations the author put the characters in, nothing all that weird happened. I've read authors who would've taken full advantage of the weirdness, and I'm glad Sundin didn't do that.
Random Comments: I would've liked to have seen some discussion of why the Nazis were getting rid of everyone they thought was inferior to them. Showing how the lie of evolution influenced Nazi beliefs would've made this book really interesting to me.
Writing: I thought this book was really well written. My only problem was the time skipping. I felt like I lost some story during those skipped periods.
Overall: I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy Christian fiction and WWII stories.
Note: Due to those suggestive comments, I wouldn't recommend this book to young teens.
August 13, 2023
Not many Christian fiction books show us Germany just before the start of WWII. When Twilight Breaks offers a rich, wonderful story showing both sides of the Nazi coin from differing American perspectives until those collide. Peter Lang's sympathies toward the German ideologies make sense at a time when his own country is mired in an overwhelming depression. Evelyn Brand's frustration with him and others who won't see the price people will have to pay for this newfound security--also understandable.
I loved that most of the book doesn't have a huge romantic plot. Yes, we're seeing characters growing in respect and admiration (differing rates, etc), and both have to overcome their own personal demons (isn't the Lord good about that), but when things do start happening, it's not over the top (although I don't get some of her doubts. I think I must have missed some nuance of her character. Some of the romance reminded me a little of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, so that was a lot of fun.
My only real criticism/disappointment was after a big scene near the end. It kind of felt like the rest was just swept along for the ride, which I have to admit isn't fair. Sundin needed to do exactly what she did. But it still fell a little flat at that point. Still, great story, thrilled to have read it, appreciate the publisher for sending me a review copy (and I bought my own so that says a lot).
And all this time I thought I hadn't finished it. I actually had. Who knew?
This one's a 4.5 for me, so I rounded up to five.
I loved that most of the book doesn't have a huge romantic plot. Yes, we're seeing characters growing in respect and admiration (differing rates, etc), and both have to overcome their own personal demons (isn't the Lord good about that), but when things do start happening, it's not over the top (although I don't get some of her doubts. I think I must have missed some nuance of her character. Some of the romance reminded me a little of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, so that was a lot of fun.
My only real criticism/disappointment was after a big scene near the end. It kind of felt like the rest was just swept along for the ride, which I have to admit isn't fair. Sundin needed to do exactly what she did. But it still fell a little flat at that point. Still, great story, thrilled to have read it, appreciate the publisher for sending me a review copy (and I bought my own so that says a lot).
And all this time I thought I hadn't finished it. I actually had. Who knew?
This one's a 4.5 for me, so I rounded up to five.
March 25, 2021
A thought-provoking, enthralling page-turner. Sundin made me dig deep into the question of what it really means to be free. I couldn't put it down!
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