Beautifully written and rich with historical detail, this book will not disappoint. I enjoyed how the characters were presented and the way they pressed on despite every obstacle in their way. The backstories were quite arresting, and I worried over what might happen next as the chapters flowed with poetic grace. The author manages to take moments in history that might feel hopeless and give them light and hope. A great read.

The Sky Above Us is the second book in Sundin's Sunrise at Normandy series and it was SO good. After finishing the first book I couldn't wait to start this one and continue the brothers' journey - this time through Adler's perspective.

I thought I knew all the details on a certain event from the first book, but I was wrong. The Sky Above Us showcased there was more to that day than first thought. The book told a powerful story of redemption and grace. I absolutely loved that aspect. I also loved the transformation in both Adler AND Violet.

All in all, The Sky Above Us was a wonderful read and I highly recommend it...just be sure to read the series in order.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Lt Adler Paxton arrives in England as pert of the 357th Fighter Group in 1943. He is determined to become a top ace, but he cannot outfly the blackness of his past.
Meanwhile, Violet Lindstrom didn't have East Anglia in England in mind when she planned to work abroad, but she ends up serving in the American Red Cross, meeting Adler at the Aeroclub where she works on the base.
Will they have a 'happy ever after'? Well, we're pretty sure they will, but D-day is drawing near, and secrets rarely stay secrets forever.
I always enjoy Sarah Sundin's books, and this is an excellent one. The characters are really well described, and their hopes and fears make them nicely complex. Violet has her own worries, but fighter pilot Adler has a HUGE and dark secret. It's not only the key characters who are well rounded, either. Other less central characters are also interesting and far from the sketchy 'asides' seen in some other novels.
An enjoyable book, with a gripping story. Recommended.

Absolutely amazing read! As always Sarah Sundin weaves a beautiful story that draws you in and surrounds you so you have no choice but to keep turning the pages forsake all else until the last page has been read. Wonderful characters, great storyline, and a wonderful picture into the past.

Thank you to Revell and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. Sarah Sundin is one of the best Christian Historical Fiction authors, and I really like to read her stories. This one is so well-written, and I really liked the subject. I highly recommend this book to all Historical Fiction lovers!

This book is the second in the Sunrise at Normandy series and is best read after book one.
Adler Paxton is running from a heartbreaking accident in his past, and he finds a new job in the Air Force during World War II. While in England flying on missions, he meets Violet Lindstrom, a young woman in the Red Cross who runs the local Aeroclub that cares for the servicemen. As they draw closer, both Adler and Violet must overcome difficult obstacles and work out their own spiritual struggles. Between Adler's secrets and the Normandy invasion, Violet will have many decisions to make.
I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one. The characters and the historical details leapt off the page, and during the battle scenes I was reminded of old war movies like The Longest Day. I was so glad that I went back and read The Sea Before Us first because everything made so much more sense than it did when I first started reading this book. It was easy for me to sympathize with the characters, and I have seldom seen an author do so well with immersing the reader in history to the point where they feel like they are there in the story. The biblical focus was so encouraging to me, and I highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to reading the last book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and I purchased a copy from Amazon. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Title: The Sky Above Us

Author: Sarah Sundin

Series: Sunrise at Normandy

Chapters: 50

Pages: 356

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction/ WWII

Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher: Revell



The Sky Above Us by Sarah Sundin is the second book in the Sunrise at Normandy. This one focuses on the Sky with the army air corps with Lt. Alder Paxton he’s a flyboy. And Violet Lindstrom a Red Cross volunteer.

I have to say Adler messed up big time but God’s Grace is bigger than our mistakes all we have to do is repent and ask forgiveness and turn away. To me he is the most changed by the end of the novel. But Violet has to learn and change to.

Before reading this book I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t know anything about the army air Corp in Involvement in D-Day my high school world history and US history was lacking to say the least. So I’m glad I finally learned a bit about it with this book.

I am looking forward to finishing the series with The Land Beneath Us Clays story. And again I have to stress that these books need to be read in order otherwise you miss things and I love that in order to get the whole story you’ve got to read each brothers story in order.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

(See all of my Book Reviews) - “The Sky Above” eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Sarah Sundin (https://www.sarahsundin.com). Ms. Sundin has published a dozen Drama/Romance novels with the stories taking place during WWII. This is the second of her “Sunrise at Normandy” series.

I categorize this novel as ‘G’. The story is set primarily in England in 1944. The primary characters are Red Cross volunteer Violet Lindstrom and US Army fighter pilot Lt. Adler Paxton.

Paxton has fled from home because of a dispute with his family. Eventually he enlists in the Army. Lindstrom wants to be a Missionary and serve in Africa like her aunt. She goes to England with the Red Cross expecting to help children, but is posted to a US Air base. Neither wants to find a relationship, but they are drawn together.
Paxton flies many dangerous missions, engaging German aircraft and loosing close friends. Lindstrom is in charge of the Red Cross Aeroclub at the airfield where the 357th, Paxton's unit, is based. She faces not only the ongoing relationship with Paxton, but the responsibility of running the Aeroclub. 
I enjoyed the 7.5+ hours I spent reading this 383-page christian romance. This book is pretty far outside my normal reading scope. I added it to my reading list because I follow Ms. Sundin on Twitter. She Tweets nearly daily about WWII and I wanted to give her novel a chance. It was well written with bits about WWII history injected here and there in the novel. I doubt I will read any further of her novels as Romance is not my genre, but if you do like romance, then I would certainly recommend her writing. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Sarah Sundin didn't disappoint me in this story. I love her WW2 books.
WW2 is special to me because my grandfather fought in Germany. He brought some pretty neat stuff back with him. Of course I didn't know all of this until after Grandma passed away and we started going through their things. My grandparents were living history. They even lived through the Dust Bowl years.
I always like to mention the cover of the books. This particular one especially. It makes you wonder what she is thinking about or looking at.
I like how Sarah brings her characters to life and takes us on roller coaster rides with them. I really enjoyed this book.
I look forward to each and every book she will be putting out in the future!
My thanks to Netgalley. NO compensations were received. All opinions are my own.

Sarah Sundin has done it again. She’s written an heroic story and casted it with characters that stick. I feel bad that I didn’t write my review as soon as I finished reading the book, yet in not doing that, I’ve found that the characters are unforgettable. She also did something else that makes her one of my favorite authors. Yes, she is attentive to historical detail. Yes, she brings to life the era with finesse. But what always astounds me is that Ms. Sundin tends to write about themes that appear simple at first, then she slowly unfolds them in deeper layers as the story progresses and makes me think long about them after the story ends. I’m looking forward to the third book in this series.

These Paxton brothers are stealing their way into my heart! Admittedly, I have a soft spot for Texans and great respect for our servicemen and women so it only took a little nudge. Adler’s reckless abandon and deep regrets are evidence of his good character and tender heart. Violet’s perceptions and motivations challenged me to examine my own heart.

This series has a wonderful balance of love and war, faith and strife, and Americans and Brits. The stories of Sunrise at Normandy would be a perfect date night movie for my husband and me! I definitely recommend this series and I’m eagerly anticipating the final installment.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

As the wife of a fighter pilot who has amazed extensive knowledge about WW2, I can honestly say this was a great book. It's very clear to me that Sarah Sundin not only knows how to touch hearts and weave plots, but also has significant research skills.

I'd highly recommend this novel. Engaging and touching.

With this book, Sarah Sundin has given us another excellent story in this series set in World War II. This book follows Adler Paxton, the second of the three estranged Paxton brothers. Adler and Violet’s story is compelling, but their road to romance has many obstacles to overcome. Adler needs to find peace with God and reconcile with his brothers; Violet needs to determine exactly whether or not God wants her to serve on a mission field or is calling her to another, unexpected area of service. There’s a lot of spiritual growth in the characters of Violet and Paxton as the story progresses and it makes for interesting reading.

The thing that I enjoyed the most, however, was the research that the author incorporated into this story. The battle scenes are intense and realistic. I always learn something new from her books, and in this one I learned more the role of the brave women of the Red Cross as they served overseas in the airmen’s camps. You don’t have to have read the first book in this series to enjoy this one, but you’ll love both the books in this series. I’m looking forward to reading Clay’s story in the third book of the series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I have waited for this book to come out, and was not disappointed! I love the WWII history and how Sarah brings unique bits of history into her stories.

"The Sky Above Us " Sarah Sundin takes place during the second World War. It is the second book in the Sunrise at Normandy series . The reader gets an amazing picture of what the war was like in this book. Lt. Adler Paxton ships to England in 1943 with the US 357 fighter group. He wants to make an ace and be a significant part of the wars efforts. He entered some very difficult battles during World War 11. His plane even ended up burning during the Dday invasion. Violet Lindstrom was a part of the Red Cross there helping the 357 flight group. She set up entertainment for the 357 flight group and the children . Violet and Adler were attracted to each other. What will be come of Violet and Adler? What will happen to the flighter group during the war? The scenes are so well described and the reader feels like they can get a real taste of what the war was like. The author has done an amazing job at researching the history and helping the reader relive the war. The reader can easily feel the emotion of all the loss of lives during the war. There are Christian messages and verses weaved into the story. Thank you so much to Revell and the author for allowing me to read and review this book. I am not obligated by the publisher , the author, netgalley to give a positive review.

Really loved this second installment of the series. It was great to get another brother's perspective, and I'm very much looking forward to Clay's book after the way this one ended!
This author is supremely gifted at including accurate historical detail that puts the reader right in the middle of the action. I was fascinated at all of the scenes involving flying and the various battles.
Violet verged on being annoying to me, but just as she started to grate on my last nerve with self-righteousness, she was always reminded about how no one is righteous in God's eyes. The spiritual message has some great insights for every reader, not just those thinking too highly of themselves. I appreciated the author's gentle handling with Adler's failings and what he learned about forgiveness and Violet's learning about how God would work through her even if she wasn't where she thought she would be or hoped she would be.
Highly recommend this series.

The Sky Above Us is the second installment in Sarah Sundin’s series that follows the Paxton family. Tragedy sends them all their separate ways, however the impending Normandy invasion finds the three brothers fighting for their country in different branches of the American armed forces. This installment follows middle brother Adler and an American Red Cross worker named Violet.

Once again I was impressed by the authors knowledge of the invasion as well as the armed forces and Red Cross. I found the American relations with their British hosts to be especially interesting to me.

Adler was a more complex character than Violet. He had a tragic past that he was trying to avoid. I found his attitude in the early pages of this book to be terrible. Violet was more dull in comparison and I often found myself annoyed by her contradicting emotions. I didn’t enjoy their romance as much as I did with the couple in the first book. However they both showed good character growth.

Although I enjoyed The Sea Before Us, more than The Sky Above Us, I still loved the setting as well as learning about the Normandy Invasion from an Air Force perspective. I look forward to reading the third installment in the Sunrise at Normandy series, which is due to be released next year.


The Sky Above Us by Sarah Sundin is the second book in a new series by this fantastic author.  Somehow I missed the first book in this series, but this book worked fine as a stand-alone.Lt. Adler Paxton is a troubled Army pilot in the process of being stationed for D-day.  Along the way, he meets Red Cross nurse/missionary wannabe Violet Lindstrom, and they learn what it means to put others first and serve well.  (That sounds so cheesy LOL but I promise it’s a fantastic book!)
I love Sundin’s books because they seem so well-researched and detailed, and I feel like I’m learning history, being entertained, and learning spiritual lessons all at once.  The characters were relatable, although I was internally screaming at them at a couple of points ;), and there were just some great lessons about forgiveness, redemption, and love taught throughout the story.  Since it’s set in WWII and there are some adult themes, I would recommend this to older teenagers on up.  I will definitely be looking up the first book in this series as well as looking forward to the next one!
Thank you to Revell publishers and Net Galley for providing me with an electronic copy of this book to read and review.
I received a copy of this book for free. I was not required to post a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

I haven't read a book recently that I enjoyed as much as The Sky Above Us, by Sarah Sundin. This story takes place in England just before D-day. I am interested in that time in history and the author did an excellent job of telling the characters stories while also filling in the historical occurrences at that time. I didn't feel like I was reading a textbook, but rather watching history unfold through the eyes of the characters. Excellent book! It was one of those "I don't want it to end" type of books.

I love Sarah Sundin's writing and it has taken me a few days to decide how I wanted to write this review. The Sky Above Us is the second novel in her Normandy series, and her factual information that is woven into the book is flawlessly researched as always. (Sarah, I am sorry about this next part, but you can tell there is a big BUT coming up here.)

Adler Paxton is a pilot in the Army Air Corps, and Violet Lindstrom is a Red Cross lady. It is obvious from the first time they meet in the novel, they will end up together, but their relationship has to go through the "romance novel formula" to get there. I know Sarah has written many novels without this trite formula, but I found it off-putting in this particular novel. I am just going to count this as a one-off type happening and I will keep on reading her novels. I just can only give this book 3 stars.

My thanks to Revell and NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read.