Sweet World War II Love Story

Reviewed by Phee Paradise

A Distant Melody
By Sarah Sundin

My first thought about A Distant Melody, was that it is a sweet love story. The main characters are like the boy and girl next door, and their budding romance is cute, funny and wholesome. They have a few obstacles to overcome, but I was sure they would be resolved and the two would live happily ever after. The book turned out to be so much deeper than that. The themes, plot twists and good writing make it hard to believe that it’s Sundin’s first book.

Allie and Walt connect as soon as they meet, but they have several large obstacles to overcome before their potential romance can blossom. Allie’s parents have already chosen a husband for her and she thinks she has to be an obedient daughter, even though she doesn’t love him. Walt is an Air Force pilot, about to go overseas to fight Nazi Germany. They agree to pray for each other and to write while he is gone. A deep friendship develops through their letters, but neither is honest with the other about their feelings.

Dishonesty is one of the main themes of the book, along with obedience to God. Both characters struggle with these issues and in the end, God blesses them for submitting to Him. Even though the themes are woven into the fabric of the story, you won’t find yourself pondering them. Instead you’ll be rooting for Allie and Walt to do the right thing. You’ll be surprised by some of their actions and you’ll like them more as you see them mature.

Read it for the love story, and enjoy it for the unexpected depth of character.

Pros: Complicated story with compelling characters and an authentic World War II setting.

Cons: I really can’t think of any.

About the book:

In A Distant Melody, readers meet two young Americans, about to be separated by an ocean during World War II: Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval--even marry a man she doesn't love. Lt. Walter Novak--fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women--takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and their love of music draws them together, prompting them to begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

A Distant Melody is the first book in the Wings of Glory series, which follows the three Novak brothers, B-17 bomber pilots with the US Eighth Air Force stationed in England during World
War II.

About the Author:

Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Francisco. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. This is her first novel.

Available March 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.