Fabulous! This one may just be my favorite (and I've love every single book Ms. Sundin has written). You are going to fall in love with these characters and lose yourself in the storyline. The Land Beneath Us is truly a masterpiece.

The Land Beneath Us
by Sarah Sundin


Revell
Christian
Pub Date 04 Feb 2020


I am reviewing a copy of The Land Beneath Us through Revell and Netgalley:



Sarah Sundin has a way of transporting you back in time, making you feel as if you can have a conversation with her Characters, she writes in such a vivid and beautiful way.



The year is 1943 Private Clay Paxton is training
hard with the US Army Rangers at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. He is determined to do his best in the upcoming Allied invasion of France. With his future stolen by his brothers betrayal. Clay has only one thing to live for that is to fulfill the recurring dream of his death.



Leah Jones is working as a librarian at Camp Forrest she is determined to rise above her Orphanage upbringing and belong to the community, even as she uses her spare time to search for her real family--the baby sisters she was separated from so long ago.



After Clay saves Leah's life from a brutal attack, Clay saves her reputation with a marriage of convince. After he ships out to train in England for D-day, they become bound together by over the distance. But can a love strong enough to overcome death grow between them before Clay's recurring dream comes true?


If you are looking for a World War Two era book, that draws you in and doesn't let you go, I highly recommend The Land Beneath Us.


I give The Land Beneath Us five out of five stars.



Happy Reading!

This is the third and final in a series about three brothers who fought in World War II, one in the air, one on the sea, and one on the ground. This book was about Clay Paxton, an Army Ranger, and in my opinion, this was the best of the three. There was just a lot more depth to this book.

Clay has lost a lot, thanks to his brothers. It has turned him bitter, even though he believes he has forgiven them. Leah has lost everything and is trying to make a go of it as an 18-year-old orphan, alone in the world. Their worlds collide and I can't really say what happens because that's a spoiler. You know what happens, but not in the way you would expect and I think that is what makes the book so good.

Leah has so many amazing qualities, but her courage and determination to see the good in every situation shine the brightest. Clay is also extremely courageous and caring and determined to do be the best Ranger he can be.

Sarah weaves together a story of hope and forgiveness, of reconciliation and love. She ties up the loose ends from the other books nicely in this one. I want to say "aww", in a truly awed way because you can see how God worked in hearts in this book. I just really enjoyed it.

One quote I want to share because I think it can be applied to more of life than just family: "Oh, Lord. I've been searching for the family I lost, and I didn't see the family you gave me." So often I can get caught up looking for the next best thing that I miss the beauty and the joy right in front of me.

I received this book from Revell via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book and series are excellent! I love that it ends with a marriage of convenience and that the heroine is a librarian. This is another excellent book by Sarah Sundin!

The Land Beneath Us is the concluding novel in Sarah Sundin’s Sunrise at Normandy series. The books feature the three Paxton brothers — men impacted by the actions of a single night back at their home in Texas. Lots of mistakes, poor decisions, and, yes, sins took place on that tragic day, and all three men have to deal with the repercussions. In The Land Beneath Us, youngest brother Clay takes center stage. He trains to be a Ranger to fulfill what he believes to be his destiny. On his way he meets a remarkable young woman whose own life has been marked by tragedy and violence. Her example of forgiveness impacts Clay, changing how he sees his life, his brothers, and God. An excellent finale to this series, this book gets a highly recommended rating from me.

There are so many things to love about The Land Beneath Us. I love how Sundin brings the day-to-day activities of WWII-era America to life. Small details such as fashion, baby care, scrap drives show just how life has changed in the modern world. Yet there is much to be learned — unity of purpose and watching out for our neighbors. There were definitely some dark aspects — prejudices of many kinds — that shine a light on the shortcomings of modern day America as well. Sundin’s research is remarkable. I really felt I was in those Ranger training sessions and on the streets of small town Tennessee. And Clay’s experiences on D Day spotlight the courage and determination of our Greatest Generation. Spiritual themes abound and are naturally woven into the narrative. Forgiveness, feelings of unworthiness, and clinging to what others have done to us are just a few. The two main characters’ developing relationship was special as well. Through letters they go from a marriage of convenience to a deep love. The book includes an epilogue wrapping up all of the books — I loved that too!

For fans of historical fiction set during WWII, this series cannot be beat! If you haven’t read any of the books in this series, you need to. Start at book 1 and get ready for a great reading experience.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

The Land Beneath Us tells the story of Leah Jones, a small town librarian at Camp Forrest, Tennessee in 1943. When she meets Clay Paxton, a private at the camp who is estranged from his brothers and training to be a Ranger, their lives change. This novel tells their stories - both individually and together, as Leah faces challenges at home while Clay ships overseas to Normandy (where his brothers are also serving).

I wanted to read this novel because Sarah Sundin is my favorite historical fiction author who writes books set during World War II. I absolutely love her books and have recommended them many times to friends! Sunrise at Normandy may be my favorite of her series. I love the sweep of this series - America, Britain, and very diverse characters with the Paxton brothers, their parents, their servicemen buddies, and of course the women they love.

I found a lot of hope and inspiration in this book, which made it particularly nice to read during this time. I loved the characters of Leah and Clay. They were both vulnerable, sweet-natured, and very authentic.

As always with Sarah Sundin's books, the historical details in this novel are exceptional. I found myself learning so many interesting details about life in the American home front during World War II.

Very highly recommended -- but do start with the first book in the series (The Sea Before Us), as the books interconnect and the stories of these characters are resolved in this novel.

Another great book from Sarah Sundin and the third in this series. This was the first book in this series that I’ve read and there was no lack of understanding and I can’t wait to read the others. The book goes between the life of Clay an American Ranger during WW2 and Leah an orphan who loves books and crosses paths with Clay during an unfortunate event. Sarah always delivers great storylines and wonderful characters. Thanks Sarah and NetGalley.

Ah, The Land Beneath Us! The book that (almost) snapped me out of a reading slump. (It didn’t cause me to start reading other books, but I read this one in less than a day nonetheless!)

All that aside, this is one of my favorite Sundin books now! It’s not my absolute favorite (the romance wasn’t as swoony as With Every Letter, Blue Skies Tomorrow, or A Distant Melody to me), but it’s up there!

Let’s dive into why this is such a great read (even though I’m sure I’ll get across more inarticulate mumblings than anything – it’s hard to talk legibly about a book you just loved!).

Honestly, I didn’t really get so much into the romance as into the plot & themes of the book. Oh, and the characters! Those were what really carried the novel for me.

I liked Leah a lot. She was a noble character who I admired, thought was a nice twist on your typical “bookworm main character” (and she seemed more realistic to me than most), had a strong faith, and always remained true to what the author presented her as. (Most fictional dreamers with a soft heart really don’t.)

I was really disappointed with the conclusion to her family’s story, and I couldn’t agree with it (I’m sorry, but … I would want to know even if I was happy, mmkay? I’d rather be miserable and know the truth!), but I understand why the author chose to make it that way.

Clay was also pretty great! I went into this book thinking I wouldn’t care about him, but his dream, and his peace with it, and just that whole plotline was SO. GOOD. You don’t see authors doing that kind of thing in books nowadays, but it’s both feasible and really cool (in a … kinda sad way …). I adored the way the author put it back on Clay, making it his choice how it ended even though he liked to pretend it was fated, sort of.

Also … everything about Helen. Gahhhh!

I was a bit concerned that the author underplayed certain elements of PTSD which might have been stronger in real life. However, given the main character, perhaps that’s feasible. I’m really not sure. I mean, with God, it’s possible, but …? I don’t know.

I also loved that Leah was Greek, all the talk about the muses, the truth about her family (yes, I wasn’t happy with the conclusion, but the fact behind it was great!), and just … all of that. Sundin is marvelous at culture. I loved seeing her exploring some different settings and different groups of people!

p.s. we need more mother-in-laws like Mrs. Paxton!

For these elements, and some little-discussed ones in Christian fiction that just added marvelously to the story, I adored the book.

I was never really as convinced of Leah and Clay’s relationship as in Sundin’s other books, however. I think it was because there wasn’t really time or space for “chemistry” between them. Sundin is a master of this, but … not so much space in this one.

However, since I know in any other circumstance it would’ve been swoonworthy, well, I’ll just let it go. 😉

Overall, this was another win! I’d give it more than 5 stars if I could, but since that’s all that I have to offer …

5/5 stars

Content Warnings: multiple murder/rapes are alluded to, a child is conceived from rape, blood/wounds from a violent attack are mentioned, past sins from the brothers are alluded to (cheating, fornication, stealing). Basically, something like 16+. Sundin is quite tasteful, though, and like I said, so excited about how she handled the whole “marriage of convenience” trope.

No words...this story is too rich to describe without spoilers. My best attempt is to say that the characters are as palpable as if they really lived and that I feel like I could walk back in time and be friends with them.

I read it in under 24 hours and was immediately ready to read it all over again. (Lacking time, I just went over some favorites scenes again)

You definitely need to read this series in order, to get the full panoramic experience of the brothers’ saga. The wait between books was excruciating, really! But I’m sorry it’s over now...aren’t I contrary?! This family of brothers and the ladies they fall in love with are such strong characters, and this is my favorite couple of all of them! Aw, and the brother meeting....but here I’m about to start spouting spoilers. I’ll stop. :)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

This book was definitely one of my most highly anticipated reads of this year. My thoughts:

What I liked

Clay. I’ve been looking forward to meeting Clay since the first book in this series. I was definitely curious about his mindset considering what we learned about him in the previous books from his brothers. Clay does not disappoint. He’s clearly battling what forgiveness looks like while getting past his own hurts. I love that the author doesn’t shy away from how he would have felt as a person of mixed race. Much of Clay’s storyline takes time to knit together the loose threads between him and his brothers and I thought it was done well.

Leah. Leah’s overall personality was unique. She was not one to let bad circumstances dictate her future. I’m not going to say I always related to her, but because she felt very fleshed out, I did understand where she was coming from. She was a very upbeat, resilient, and a kind heroine.

Marriage of Convenience. I love a romance that starts with a marriage. Clay and Leah have different reasons for getting married, but ultimately they want the best for each other. The fact that they are married to each other for most of the book adds a fun layer.

Spiritually, the novel deals with forgiveness and what that really looks like. Further, it deals with trusting God in difficult times.

What I didn’t like

The romance. Let me start off by saying that when Clay and Leah were together, it was lovely. I enjoyed seeing them interact. The problem was, it felt like much of their romance happened offscreen. When they were in the same place at the same time, often we, the reader, would learn that they had done this or that, but were not able to see it. Then, Clay goes to war and while we see a few of their letters to each other, again, most of the interesting tidbits seemed to occur in letters we weren’t shown. I understood the romance, I just would have liked to see it played out a bit more.

Leah’s circumstances. Leah and Clay each have something they are dealing with outside of each other. For me personally, the “thing” Leah is dealing with was sort of…boring. I understood her search and her love for her real family, but the issues she had with the community around her failed to draw me in.

Also, I must admit that the war itself didn’t quite draw me in. I love war fiction, but watching Clay go through training was boring (he trained a lot). I found myself skimming those parts. And then, when Clay was at war, there was an element of removal there. He was so focused on a particular goal that mentally, it was almost like he wasn’t at one of the most dangerous battles ever fought. I imagine that being on the ground for D-Day was traumatic, goal-oriented or not, but Clay didn’t seem to be largely affected by the sights and smells going on around him–and that felt really odd to me.

Romantic scale: 6

Overall, I will admit to some slight disappointment. I love how much time the author took to resolve the issues presented from the start of the series, but it felt like Clay and Leah’s romance took a bit of a hit because of it. Still, love Sarah Sundin and I’m looking forward to what is coming next!

**I received a copy from Revell via Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

Wow. I did not want this story to end! This was my first book by Sarah Sundin, but it will not be my last. I can’t get my hands on the first two in this series fast enough. I must know Wyatt and Adler’s stories!

I love stories told during World War II to begin with, but the research going into and resulting authenticity “The Land Beneath Us” was given was impressive. I felt as if I was right there alongside Leah and Clay.

Leah was a remarkable young women. Even through unspeakable tragedy and a lifetime of heartbreak and abandonment, her faith in Christ remained the same.

Clay - what an amazingly kind, heroic and honorable man! I just loved him! The world needs more Clays!

The character development and weighty biblical parallels were masterfully written.

This story was a delight!

My review was also posted on Goodreads

Even though this was book three in the Sunrise at Normandy series I didn’t feel lost. The author does a great job of catching up the reader while not bogging the story down. Readers are introduced to Private Clay Paxton US Army Rangers at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, preparing for the Allied invasion of France. He’s determined to fulfill a dream he keeps having. The one where he knows he’ll die.

Leah Jones meets Private Clay on her first day of work at Camp Forrest Library. I liked that Leah worked in a library and loved books. She’s a light in the darkness. She hopes to find her baby twin sisters who had gotten adopted, without her when she was four. She is old enough now to take care of herself and is grateful for the library position.

I enjoyed Leah Jones and her outlook on life as war broke out and things got crazier and incredibly difficult for her personally. But to her surprise Private Clay comes to her rescue in more ways than one. She’s not sure about the arrangement he’s setup but he’s convinced he’s not long for this world and he wants to help her.

In the middle of war and chaos I found it interesting the author showed how people had book drives for the military and that publishers printed smaller lighter books that cost less money to mail to soldiers. I enjoyed the fun facts woven into this compelling story line along with the mystery villain who needs to be caught. He’s up to doing terrible deeds.

I enjoyed this inspirational story of love against the odds, struggle with forgiveness of self and family, and faith in a time where tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed, especially for Private Clay; who has a recurring dream. He’s convinced it’s God’s way of preparing him for his final battle.

The author has included 16 discussion questions in this book. If you haven’t read a novel by this author, I recommend this book for a fun read and one that would work well for your book club.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com

The Land Beneath Us is the latest from Sarah Sundin. This tale takes place in the days of WWII. Leah Jones, only eighteen years old, takes a job as a librarian at Camp Forrest, a military base in Tennessee. Clay Paxton is also on the base training to be a Army Ranger. Clay and Leah briefly meet through their duties on the base; however, one evening their acquaintance turns into something much greater, when Clay saves Leah's life after she is brutally attacked!

While Leah is dealing with the after-affects of this violation, she learns that she is pregnant. Leah has no idea how she can afford to keep her child; however, Clay steps in and offers to marry her. Clay has been dreaming for months that he will die in the war, so he wants to offer Leah a way to keep her baby!

Leah and Clay are both dealing with feelings of emptiness. Leah having been separated from her younger twin sisters and having no idea where they are; and Clay having been separated from his two older brothers, after they stole his girlfriend and his savings for college. Leah longs for a feeling of home and Clay longs for his brothers to right the wrongs they brought into his life!

Watch as Clay travels to Europe for D-day and Leah seeks the location of her sisters after her baby is born. Will they both trust in their God to bring them the peace that they seek?

I loved everything about this story! There were moments that I gasped out-loud in surprise, yelled out warnings to characters that could not hear me, and gripped the book tightly holding my breath to see what would happen next. I both cried with Leah and cheered for her successes. More than once I wished I could reach in and hug these characters. I didn't just simply read the story, I felt like I was right there in the story with them.

The struggles these characters faced felt real. I enjoyed watching their growth throughout the story. I felt like the author invited us to walk the trials with them as they struggle with self-image and forgiveness. Things that I think we all struggle with at one time or another. We watched them struggle to let go of past hurts and give their future to God.

This marriage of convenience story is one that you won't want to miss. I loved how the relationship built over time and how they came to love each other. The dialogue and banter are superb. Sarah Sundin's ability to bring the details and nuances of history to life is exceptional.

This is the third, and final book in the Sunrise at Normandy series. While you could read The Land Beneath Us as a stand-alone, my recommendation would be to read the stories in order. There are details mentioned in the course of this story that would spoil a few surprises for you in the earlier books. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy to enjoy. I highly recommend this entire series!

(I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)

Private Clay Paxton has a dream … of how he’s going to die. Oddly enough, that gives him confidence to push through his training as a US Army Ranger, because he knows none of these dangerous activities are going to kill him. And if death is what God has called him to, then death is a sacrifice he will willingly make—even if that means denying his other dream, of being a doctor.

Leah Jones was raised in an orphanage, and works in the library at the Camp Forrest Army Base where Clay is training. The two become friends, bonding over a shared love of God and books (in that order). But when Leah is brutally attacked in the library, Clay saves her life and they enter into a marriage of convenience.

The Land Beneath Us impressed me. Clay and Leah are both downtrodden characters—Clay because of his race, and Leah because she was an orphan, and “nice” children didn’t end up in orphanages. Both are estranged from their families—Leah knows she has twin sisters, but has no idea where they might live. Clay has two older brothers, one of whom stole his girlfriend, while the other stole his life savings and dream of medical school.

But both have a strong faith in God even in the dark times, and neither are bitter. Clay’s story is based on the story of the Prodigal Son, except Clay is the youngest and stayed home, where his older brothers both left. Despite the circumstances, Clay has forgiven both his brothers, but has no way to reconcile with them because he has no idea where they are. As such, it’s the Prodigal Son(s) with a twist, because Clay isn’t resentful.

The Land Beneath Us is the third book in Sarah Sundin’s Sunrise at Normandy series. I haven’t read any of the others, and I don’t think I missed anything (although those who have read The Sea Before Us or The Sky Above Us will definitely want to read The Land Beneath Us to conclude the story of the three brothers).

Recommended for fans of historical Christian romance.

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

In 1943, Private Clay Paxton trains hard with the US Army Rangers at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, determined to do his best in the upcoming Allied invasion of France. With his future stolen by his brothers' betrayal, Clay has only one thing to live for--fulfilling the recurring dream of his death.

Leah Jones works as a librarian at Camp Forrest, longing to rise above her orphanage upbringing and belong to the community, even as she uses her spare time to search for her real family--the baby sisters she was separated from so long ago.

After Clay saves Leah's life from a brutal attack, he saves her virtue with a marriage of convenience. When he ships out to train in England for D-day, their letters bind them together over the distance. But can a love strong enough to overcome death grow between them before Clay's recurring dream comes true?

This was a great ending to the Sunrise at Normandy series. This is Clay's story. He has a recurring dream where he sees himself dying during battle. He meets Leah and saves her life during a vicious attack. He marries her to give her respectable after the attack and so that she will have some income from his allotment. This story also tells of the reunion of the three brothers who fought and haven't seen each other for three years. If you haven't read the first two books in the series, it would be beneficial to do so. Its not necessary, but it would give you a better understanding of Wyatt and Adler and why Clay has trouble forgiving his brothers.

I highly recommend this book and the other two in the series.

I was given this book by Revell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

Clay Paxton knows how he's going to die. He's had the recurring dream for years. It will be in Europe during a big battle. The sights and sounds of it are embedded in his brain, and he's at peace with this. He lost his future a long time ago, when his brothers stole everything that was important to him. Now in Ranger training, Clay can finally complete his life's purpose.

When his young friend Leah is attacked and faces losing her own future, Clay sees another purpose added into the rest of his brief life. He can give Leah his name and some security. They won't even have to pretend they have a real marriage all that long before he ships out.

After a lifetime marked by loss and abandonment, Leah thought she'd never have to take charity again once she moved out of the orphanage. However, when faced with losing the only thing she's ever really hoped for, she agrees to accept Clay's marriage proposal. He insists that helping her is one of the reasons for his dream. It's not charity, it's purpose for his short time left on earth.

As Clay heads to Europe and D-Day approaches, letters fly between Clay and Leah. He wrestles with truly forgiving his brothers, while she continues to face and fight prejudice on the home front.

There's so much to love in this story. Leah is a wonderful heroine. She reminded me of Pollyanna in the fact that she's faced incredible hardship but always wants to find the bright side and cling to the good even if awful situations. Clay's story brings full circle the tale of the Paxton brothers (which we already know about through Book 1 and Book 2 of the series), and he understands that he is the key to reunite the family at long last. This is a winning conclusion to Sundin's Sunrise at Normandy series, one that should not be missed by any fans of WWII fiction.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.

It has been quite a while since I've read a WWII novel told primarily from a stateside perspective. The author did a masterful job of transporting me to a time in which so many of our young men sacrificed their lives. Though I have not yet read the previous books in the Sunrise at Normandy trilogy, I thoroughly enjoyed this story of forgiveness and look forward to reading the previous two. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Revell for introducing me to this historical fiction author.

I loved this book! Author Sarah Sundin has once again brought her story to life with incredible characters and descriptions of events and places. Well researched, the facts only add to the “meatiness” of the story.

Clay and Leah are both well developed characters who enter into a marriage of convenience. It’s not as easy as it sounds as both are struggling with personal issues. To “watch” them grow as the story goes along is very satisfying. Knowing it is only through God that this happens is very heartwarming.

If you enjoy historical fiction that includes danger, drama, romance, and personal growth then I can highly recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review. All thoughts are my own.

Title: The Land Beneath Us

Author: Sarah Sundin

Series: Sunrise at Normandy book 3

Chapters: 50 Plus Epilogue

Pages:371

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction with a hint of romance/ WWWII fiction

Rating: 5 Stars

Publisher: Revell

I’m not going to lie it was the tag of “When an Army Ranger and a librarian are bound together by a marriage of convenience, neither suspects it might lead to love.” I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience stories and heroines that are Librarians and I love a military hero.

The Land Beneath Us was my favorite book in the Sunrise at Normandy series. Since the first book, I couldn’t wait to read Clay's story and I loved Leah a petit young woman who dreams of being a librarian who was easy to relate to. I have to say that Clay and Leah are a good match and brings out the good in each other. Clay being in the “pit” ended up being a God thing and God used for good.

This series was the first WWII fiction that I’ve read as an adult and I enjoyed the whole series but The Land Beneath Us was my favorite. I loved how this series focused on the brother aspect and the Land air and sea forces who made D-day possible. A 2 great uncle while not a ranger was part of the Land invasion at Normandy and I loved that this book brought to light the scarifies those brave man-made that day.

I plan on picking up the rest of Sarah’s backlist of books as well as any future books she’s now my go-to author for WWII fiction. As the daughter of a Marine and the granddaughter of a sailor whose real-life heroes are our military it’s no wonder that those are my favorite fictional heroes.


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