Reviews

Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin

ameserole's review against another edition

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3.0

Interesting with a nice mystery throughout the book. That is about all I can say right now. rtc

library_of_kindredspirits's review against another edition

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5.0

Review: This novel is BEAUTIFUL! I was so in love with the characters that it only took me 24 hours to finish reading it. When I read the Sunrise At Normandy series by Sundin, I knew I had found another gem. Sundin knows how to weave a sweet romance that tugs at your heart and historical fiction that pulls you into the world of our ancestors. Being the great granddaughter of a navy man who served with the Seabees right after WWII ended, the Navy fascinates me, and I feel a connection to it. I loved reading about it even though I may have found myself a bit lost as soon as Sundin started throwing around words like TU 4.1.5, Dry Dock 2, and Convoy HX-160. I will 100% be rereading this and it has been rewarded immediately with a spot on my 'Favorites' shelf. It's already on my wishlist to purchase, so it can live on my physical bookshelf too. I'm dying to get started on the next book in the series since I know Sundin will not disappoint my desire for complex characters, dashing but clean romance and WWII history. It's always an adventure!

I recommend this to WWII history buffs who have a partiality to romance. I think anyone over the age of 14 or 15 can read this novel. Even though there is a lot of lingo related to the navy that most people will struggle with, the story can still be understood.

Update: The second time reading this book was even better than the first. I really took my time with it so I could fully immerse myself in the story. I even took a look at Sundin's website so I could more accurately picture all the real places mentioned in the book. If you're reading it for the first time, I recommend doing this so you get the full experience. Either way, I guarantee you this book will have you glued to a chair flipping pages to reach the swoony and satisfying end of this gorgeous love story.

what_ella_reads's review against another edition

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4.0

This was a good World War II fictional book by Sarah Sundin. It, I believe, is the second book by Sarah Sundin I've read.

Though fictional, I felt like it was educational. I learned about the navy, a subject I am not overly familiar with. I also learned a lot about the time period it was set in. This book takes place when World War II is happening in Europe, but the U.S. hadn't officially joined in yet.

As for the story itself, I liked it. Both Mary and Jim are both likable characters. Mary is painfully shy, but extremely kind and thoughtful. Jim struggles with being decisive, but has a good sense of humor. Their romance was a pretty cute. I am a sucker for the friends turned lovers trope, so that might be why:)
There was plenty of action to keep my attention. The tense moments and plot twists kept the story moving along.

The only thing I didn't care for is something that is common in romance novels. Once Jim realized he liked Mary he constantly noticed her body (almost to the point of oogling). Attraction is natural, of course, but it gets old when guys are always thinking about the girl they like's body.

This book ended on a bit of a cliff hanger. I hope that Jim and Mary will make an appearance in the next book.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

rvoogt's review against another edition

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5.0

Loved this book! Perfect blend of Christian values and influence within a historical romance and crime story. Can’t wait to read more of her books!

juliaisreadingg's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Mary is wonderful. I love her growth. I love Jim encouraging her along to investigate the sabotage, I love Jim encouraging her to do things that scare her. I love the gentleness he displays with her. 

rusticreadingal's review against another edition

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5.0

Through Waters Deep was a step back into time filled with so much intriguing and oft forgotten history. This novel gives a taste as to what America was like right before officially joining the war and is rich with details about the tensions between isolationists and interventionists.

I instantly connected to Mary with her fear of the spotlight and loved watching her try to conquer those fears. Immediately, I fell for Jim. At first, he comes across as a happy-go-lucky, carefree guy, but it quickly becomes apparent that he has a lot of hidden depth.

It feels like I can never come up with the right words to explain how much I absolutely LOVE every single one of Sarah Sundin's novels and I'm in the same boat again this time. So, I'll end this by saying if you love awesome faith-filled and romantic World War II stories... what are you waiting for?... go pick up a copy; you won't regret it!

emmeline7's review against another edition

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5.0

I absolutely loved this story! I enjoyed reading Jim and Mary's story, and the mystery made it even better. I also really liked that it was set prior to Pearl Harbor. I had never really considered the tension between people who thought we should get involved in the war, and those thinking we shouldn't. I also didn't know much about what was going on in the Atlantic at that time. It was really interesting, and Sarah does a wonderful job making you feel like you're really there.

bookishquilter's review against another edition

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5.0

With all the anger and hostility in the world I needed a fluff romance read. And started recognizing the anger and hostility of pre WWII America. Hahaha!

Ultimately I laughed (in a good way) through this book. It was great to read of a somewhat awkward but good military guy as opposed to the tired “special forces” trope of military romance fiction. Jim is the kind of guy you want in your life. Charming, thoughtful, slightly awkward, and loyal. Mary is a sweetheart who doesn’t have to be told twice when she’s being ridiculous and has a great adventure.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book. I read it in one evening because I got sucked in to the suspense and the beautiful love story which complimented each other so well.

caslater83's review against another edition

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4.0

Lovely story.

Jim and Mary are polar opposites, yet they are good for each other. He's outgoing and she's determined not to seek attention. Quintessa and Yvette are very outgoing women. They know what they want and go after it. Mary would rather step aside and make personal sacrifices. While I respect Mary's selfless character, I also wanted her to be honest about her feelings regarding Jim. She was more than willing to let Quintessa have him and just move to another city to start over. It's very cowardly for someone who just made newspaper headlines for her heroic actions.

aj59bizg's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0