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Sarah Sundin
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The Sea Before Us (Sunrise at Normandy Book #1) Kindle Edition

by Sarah Sundin (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 1,245 ratings
In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a "Wren" in the Women's Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France--including those of her own family's summer home--in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.

As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.

The tense days leading up to the monumental D-Day landing blaze to life under Sarah Sundin's practiced pen with this powerful new series.
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Sunrise at Normandy
  2. Print length
    378 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Revell
  5. Publication date
    February 6, 2018
  6. File size
    9.1 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sundin's research is fantastic and her historical research is second to none. It's very obvious that she cares about getting details correct, and they add an incredible dimension to the story because it becomes more than just a romantic tale (although the romance is wonderfully portrayed as well). Love triangles abound, and it's not clear until the conclusion exactly who will end up together. The mystery surrounding Dorothy's father's business adds another layer of intrigue to this fantastic novel."

-- "RT Book Reviews (4 stars)"

"Sundin displays her usual knack for weaving historical detail into a rousing war drama in this enjoyable launch of the Sunrise at Normandy series...Faith elements are strong, portrayed as more than mere emotional support; both Dorothy and Wyatt wrestle with and ultimately rely on God during the life-threatening trials they face. Sundin's lively book combines heart-pounding war action with inspirational romance to great effect."

-- "Publishers Weekly"

"The author...kicks off a new wartime series, mixing her usual excellent historical research with fast-paced, breathtaking suspense...This period romance will have wide appeal."

-- "Library Journal"

From the Back Cover

Nothing but love could heal the wounds of war

In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a "Wren" in the Women's Royal Naval Service, who pieces together reconnaissance photographs with holiday snapshots of France--including those of her family's summer home--in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt turns into naval bombardment plans for D-day.

As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn into something more. But both of them have too much to lose to give in to love . . .


"With a pitch-perfect balance between history and the fine-tuned elements of story, The Sea Before Us stands out as superior in WWII fiction. Faith anchors the narrative with realism and sensitivity, while Sundin's meticulous attention to historical research around the massive D-day invasion shines to the level of a master storyteller. It's at once engaging, emotional, and a strong series debut. I couldn't put it down."--Kristy Cambron, bestselling author of The Lost Castle and the Hidden Masterpiece series

"History comes to life through Sundin's characters, who cope with the trials and dangers not only on the fields of combat but also in their personal lives. This great combination of dramatic history and likeable characters will keep you turning pages to find out what happens next."--Ann H. Gabhart, author of These Healing Hills


Sarah Sundin is the author of the Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory series. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal, and her popular Through Waters Deep was a Carol Award finalist and named to Booklist's "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years." A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist. Sarah lives in California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0741F7VN8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Revell (February 6, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 6, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 9.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 378 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 1,245 ratings

About the author

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Sarah Sundin

Sarah Sundin

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Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of Midnight on the Scottish Shore (February 2025), Embers in the London Sky (2024), The Sound of Light (2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and several World War II series.

Sarah's 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 finalists for the Christy Award.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers' groups. Sarah serves as program director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,245 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book engaging with a compelling plot and beautiful love story set against the backdrop of World War II. Moreover, the characters are well-developed, and the pacing is realistic, with one customer noting how it captures the time era well. Additionally, customers appreciate how the story is interwoven with faith, highlighting the power of God's forgiveness, and they praise the author's skill.

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81 customers mention "Story quality"81 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's story compelling and engaging, describing it as a terrific tale that is relatable and fun to read.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed every book I've read by Sarah Sundin and this one was no different...." Read more

"...immediate empathy for Wyatt, and it also secured a swift investment of my emotions into the story...." Read more

"...The characters are multi-layered, realistic, and engaging. This story starred U.S. naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton and British “Wren” Dorothy Fairfax...." Read more

"...Her historical details, characterizations, plot, and descriptions of the characters' emotions and physical reactions are wonderful...." Read more

61 customers mention "Historical detail"61 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical detail in the book, describing it as a WW2 story rich with facts and noting that history is never boring.

"...This story had a great deal of war stories, including practice runs for D-Day and events that truly happened...." Read more

"...This book kept me riveted from beginning to end, and the surprises came often and when I least expected them...." Read more

"...It is a well-researched and informative novel based on an actual slice of history during WWII...." Read more

"...Ms. Sundin is an excellent writer. Her historical details, characterizations, plot, and descriptions of the characters' emotions and physical..." Read more

43 customers mention "Romance"43 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romantic elements of the book, particularly its love story set against the backdrop of war, with one customer noting how East meets West in the narrative.

"...It also has a mystery to solve, a romance (of course) and an abundant amount of character growth...." Read more

"...With plenty of action, suspense, inspiration, and some romance, this is a beautiful tale of forgiveness, healing, faith, and hope." Read more

"...The characters that Sarah Sundin has created are so full of life and emotion. Their struggles become the reader’s struggles...." Read more

"...It has romance, but it has heart-racing sea action that is intertwined with real WWII history that makes her readers - at least this reader - feel..." Read more

37 customers mention "Character development"37 positive0 negative

Customers praise the well-developed characters in the book, with one customer noting how they breathe with life, while another appreciates the differences in their personalities.

"...has a mystery to solve, a romance (of course) and an abundant amount of character growth. When we first meet Wyatt, he is full of self-loathing...." Read more

"...The characters are multi-layered, realistic, and engaging. This story starred U.S. naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton and British “Wren” Dorothy Fairfax...." Read more

"...I love how she describes each character's struggle with himself - struggles from which I have learned myself how to cope with spiritual and..." Read more

"...Through the strength of her characters, as well as her in-depth research, Sarah Sundin brings history to life...." Read more

26 customers mention "Pacing"23 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, finding it realistic and believable, with one customer noting how well it captures the time era.

"...that, though obvious in how the reader should root, felt organic, realistic, and done well...." Read more

"...The characters are multi-layered, realistic, and engaging. This story starred U.S. naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton and British “Wren” Dorothy Fairfax...." Read more

"As are all of Ms. Sundin's books, The Sea before Us is splendid...." Read more

"...relatable characters, realistic story line, and a setting that captures our imagination. We also had plenty to talk about!..." Read more

22 customers mention "Faith"22 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the faith elements in the book, which are interwoven throughout the narrative, with one customer noting how it provides encouraging reminders of God's grace and love.

"...characters grow to the point of loving themselves and giving everything to God by the end. Such a beautiful story of healing and forgiveness...." Read more

"...With plenty of action, suspense, inspiration, and some romance, this is a beautiful tale of forgiveness, healing, faith, and hope." Read more

"...But, both characters prove their resilience and tenacity as they put their personal demons aside to help the war effort...." Read more

"...The faith she shares is not overwhelming and adds to the characters and the times in which they lived...." Read more

20 customers mention "Forgiveness"20 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's themes of forgiveness and healing, with several noting the power of God's forgiveness, and one customer highlighting how the gut-wrenching opening scene creates immediate empathy for the main character Wyatt.

"...Such a beautiful story of healing and forgiveness. If you are a fan of historical fiction, I would strongly recommend this one!" Read more

"...The gut-wrenching opening scene created immediate empathy for Wyatt, and it also secured a swift investment of my emotions into the story...." Read more

"...action, suspense, inspiration, and some romance, this is a beautiful tale of forgiveness, healing, faith, and hope." Read more

"...I loved reading the interactions between Wyatt and Dorothy...." Read more

15 customers mention "Writer quality"15 positive0 negative

Customers praise the author's writing style.

"...This is a difficult “trope” for me to enjoy, yet this book was so well written that it soared to the top of my list of favorites by Sarah Sundin,..." Read more

"...Ms. Sundin is an excellent writer...." Read more

"...Very. very interesting book. If you like a well written, fictional, history book, this one will not disappoint you!" Read more

"...The start of this series was well written, and I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series...." Read more

Sweet Romance with Historical Richness
5 out of 5 stars
Sweet Romance with Historical Richness
I was looking forward to reading this book from the moment I heard about it. Her last few series have been centered around B-19 pilots, the Nightingales, the WAVES, and now, three brothers, estranged before the war and brought together by an event: D-Day. And so begins the first book, The Sea Before Us, from the Naval perspective of the oldest brother, Wyatt. The following two books will be titles The Sky Above Us 2019 (Air Force), and The Land Beneath Us 2020 (Army Rangers). Sarah’s books are always a good mix of “I learned something” and “That was such an amazing story.” In this case, she really gets into the details of planning for D-Day. Particularly the use of family photos to help plot out the beach, which is both historically fascinating and poignant to the character as it’s a photograph of her own family vacation spot that seems to keep coming up. I loved Wyatt and Dorothy. Sarah’s characters always seem to carry the upbeat sensibilities and humor that we associate with the 1940s, but they have their own distinctiveness and struggles that I think readers will find relevant as Dorothy wrestles with her tense relationship with her father, and Wyatt deals with the guilt over what happened all those years ago with his brothers. Birth order and sibling relationships play out so classically in their characters, I found myself both chuckling and crying. Filled with captivating descriptions, historical detail and endearing characters, Sundin’s newest novel has yet to steer from the charm of her first. Sarah’s books always make me think, “If this were a movie, it’s the sort of thing I would watch with both my parents.” Enough sentiment and romance for my mom, and the kind of military history that would intrigue my dad. I’m very much looking forward to reading The Sky Above Us when it releases in the spring.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Erin L
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical fiction!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I have thoroughly enjoyed every book I've read by Sarah Sundin and this one was no different. I love how she brings every day life during WWII to light. Those of us looking back think of the war in terms of battles won and lost, events like the Blitz - and she incorporates those as well.... but she brings to light the day in and day out for the soldiers and other personnel. I also love how she brings to light those other strong contributors to the war effort - the nurses, the engineers, the pharmacists - in this book, it's the wrens. The ladies in England who studied photographs and maps to give the best possible information to the strategists planning things like D-Day. I don't know if I'd heard of them before this book, so it was very interesting to learn more!

    Wyatt Paxton is the eldest Paxton brother and ran from home after being blamed for the death of his brother's fiancee. After other events forced his hand, he joined the navy and went to war rather than facing his family and his past. While stationed in England, he befriends (and falls for) Dorothy Fairfax, one of London's wrens. Dorothy is smitten with another man, who had been good friends with her brothers when they were younger. She has held him up as the ideal man since her teenage crush years, even though her father does not approve of him.

    This story had a great deal of war stories, including practice runs for D-Day and events that truly happened. It also has a mystery to solve, a romance (of course) and an abundant amount of character growth. When we first meet Wyatt, he is full of self-loathing. He knows that God has forgiven him, but he can't seem to forgive himself. When we first meet Dorothy, she is doing everything she can to do things on her own and make a way for herself in both life and love. It was amazing to watch the characters grow to the point of loving themselves and giving everything to God by the end. Such a beautiful story of healing and forgiveness. If you are a fan of historical fiction, I would strongly recommend this one!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Andrea Renee Cox
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Wow…

    Just… wow.

    The whole story was brilliant. From a love triangle done right to deep faith journeys to familial estrangements and deaths to the fight for healing and reunion… This novel really had it all.

    And that finale! Goodness, I could gush… if I were willing to spoil the story.

    But I’m not.

    Just trust me: You will not regret reading this book when you experience the final few chapters, and particularly the final few paragraphs.

    *happy sigh*

    The only two things I took issue with were not enough to dock any stars at all. First, there was some betting among friends. This encourages gambling, which is a huge and problematic vice in society right now. Second, the hat on the cover is not the “tricorn hat” described within the story. I’m a stickler for covers matching the details of the story. However, the hat on the cover is cute… just not accurate.

    Speaking of the cover, I must say that I absolutely adore the fact that Dorothy’s freckles were featured on the cover! You may have to look close to see them (check near her hairline), but the cover designer and/or makeup artist really nailed that detail perfectly! Somebody gets brownie points for that.

    The gut-wrenching opening scene created immediate empathy for Wyatt, and it also secured a swift investment of my emotions into the story. The stakes were kept high and even raised throughout, which kept me on pins and needles and sometimes pacing my living room because I was too anxious for the characters to sit still.

    This line touched my Texan heart: “Most of us Texans don’t take kindly to being called Yankees. We prefer to be called rebels.” Yes. Yes, we do, Wyatt Paxton. *wink*

    This book kept me riveted from beginning to end, and the surprises came often and when I least expected them. I admired how the Mrs. Sundin created a love triangle that, though obvious in how the reader should root, felt organic, realistic, and done well. This is a difficult “trope” for me to enjoy, yet this book was so well written that it soared to the top of my list of favorites by Sarah Sundin, nudging In Perfect Time down a spot.

    Readers who have enjoyed WWII fiction by Cara Putman, Cathy Gohlke, and Tricia Goyer will love this first story in the Sunrise at Normandy trilogy.

    Now to read book two!
    One person found this helpful
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  • SwissMiss
    4.0 out of 5 stars Tale of forgiveness, healing, and hope
    Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The Sea Before Us is a riveting start to the Sunrise at Normandy series by talented author Sarah Sundin. It is a well-researched and informative novel based on an actual slice of history during WWII. The characters are multi-layered, realistic, and engaging. This story starred U.S. naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton and British “Wren” Dorothy Fairfax. They both have tragic backstories and things they need to resolve in their lives. I liked how they were able to help each other and worked together to solve problems. With plenty of action, suspense, inspiration, and some romance, this is a beautiful tale of forgiveness, healing, faith, and hope.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Rickey Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars She said veryinteresting
    Reviewed in Canada on October 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    For my wife
    Report
  • TamiR
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is as good a book as it gets. I couldn't put it down and read it all in one seating.

    I usually shy away from war fiction. Ever since I read A Farewell to Arms, I generally associate wartime stories with a sort of cloudy depression I felt while reading Hemingway's book. However, the synopsis of this story piqued my interest and I decided to give it a go, and it was worth it.

    Reading this book has done two things for me: re-introduced me to potency and importance of (historical) war fiction, and introduced me to Sarah Sundin's work. Two things that have enriched my 'book life'. Ms Sundin manages (very well, I might add) to weave together the sensitivities and nuance of delicate times of conflict, the big picture of as well as the up-close-and-personal struggles of the characters into a beautiful story that is engaging from beginning to end.

    This book has wonderful characters, a great plot and resolution, excellent writing and a powerful message. This combination makes me want to pick up the second in the series. No regrets about this purchase and I highly recommend.
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  • janet fulton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great author,great book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Great 1st book in a 3 book series good military romance good storyline great characters can,t wait for book 2 next year.I would highly recommend this authors books I have the previous books by this author trust me you will enjoy them.
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  • Meredith Jacobs
    3.0 out of 5 stars loved the storyline
    Reviewed in Australia on February 19, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    A lovely story, but a bit too much religion and the racial segregation in the US Navy at the time.
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