When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin 🧠🧠🧠🧠/5

Historical fiction, no matter the time period, always teaches you something. This book was no different. We follow two main characters at the start of WWII: Evelyn Brand, an American foreign correspondent living in Germany, struggling to find her place in a male-dominated world. And Peter Lang, an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. He is impressed with what is perceived as prosperity and order under Nazi rule.
This is a beautiful story with strong characters who learn to trust themselves and each other. They also learn that not everything is what it seems and that people often manipulate things for their own gain/agenda.

Thank you to @netgalley, Revell and the author for a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Sundin puts to much time and effort into her research, and that's what I appreciate most about her novels. That and that fact that they totally touch my heart and give me all the feels. When Twilight Breaks is a stunning novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not many Christian fiction books show us Germany just before the start of WWII. When Twilight Breaks offers a rich, wonderful story showing both sides of the Nazi coin from differing American perspectives until those collide. Peter Lang's sympathies toward the German ideologies make sense at a time when his own country is mired in an overwhelming depression. Evelyn Brand's frustration with him and others who won't see the price people will have to pay for this newfound security--also understandable.

I loved that most of the book doesn't have a huge romantic plot. Yes, we're seeing characters growing in respect and admiration (differing rates, etc), and both have to overcome their own personal demons (isn't the Lord good about that), but when things do start happening, it's not over the top (although I don't get some of her doubts. I think I must have missed some nuance of her character. Some of the romance reminded me a little of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, so that was a lot of fun.

My only real criticism/disappointment was after a big scene near the end. It kind of felt like the rest was just swept along for the ride, which I have to admit isn't fair. Sundin needed to do exactly what she did. But it still fell a little flat at that point. Still, great story, thrilled to have read it, appreciate the publisher for sending me a review copy (and I bought my own so that says a lot).

And all this time I thought I hadn't finished it. I actually had. Who knew?


This one's a 4.5 for me, so I rounded up to five.

This story is a wonderful historical read that focuses a bit on women working in a male dominated field during WWII. I loved the unique characters and history that this story brings to light!

It only took me a month, but I finally finished it. And wow, I really enjoyed this. Every time I read a book by Sarah Sundin it reinforces why I love her writing so much, and this book is no exception. This story has a different feel compared to her past works but carries the same signature Sundin-flair I’ve come to love from her. You can feel the emotion and the tension jump off the pages, but it wasn’t dark. While the first half felt a little slow, the second half really had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. The rise of Hitler's influence and power is written really well here. Seeing it through the eyes of Peter and Evelyn helped to bring in the human emotion to the historical details, making it feel less heavy.

Speaking of the characters, I adored Peter right off the bat. He was always so kind to Evelyn and never pushy, and his character growth was my favorite between the two of them. Evelyn took a little warming up too, but I never disliked her. I just didn’t connect with her as quickly as I usually do with Sundin’s other heroines. They reminded me a lot of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, so if you like relationships like that you’ll really love theirs.

Part of me feels a little nostalgic for her older books, but after this read I am excited to see what direction she’ll take with her stories in the upcoming years. :)

I enjoy reading historical fiction books … especially those set during WWII. This book had a different focus than the typical books I read. While set during the time prior to the beginning of WWII, you get a feel for the tensions developing. The characters were well developed. I especially admired Evelyn. She was brave and stood up for herself and women’s rights. But she was also human and not perfect. Peter’s character was a class act. He cared about his students and his respect for women was admirable. While romance is involved, it doesn’t take away from the premise of the book. This is definitely one for your to-be-read list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Sarah Sundin Is a fantastic writer, period. Why? Because only a fantastic writer can make a reader that is beyond burned-out on a subject pick up her book that deals with that very same subject without question or reservation. And actually enjoy reading it!

Thought provoking. Fresh. Almost unnerving.

Reading When Twilight Breaks was like stepping back into time. I could see and feel every description and emotion that was written, because that’s how real this novel was. The leading characters were unique, sometimes frustrating :), but very engaging. They added an element of enjoyment to the story that balanced the heavy time period this novel is set in. Which made it an easier read for me. As I’ve already pointed out, I was getting weary of reading about WW2 (even though it’s something I love to study). But reading this has given me a new perspective on this subject, and now I want to learn more.

With its striking questions and intense storyline, When Twilight Breaks is a novel that is sure to grip the hearts of readers. With its 1940’s cinema like vibe, how could it not?

A HUGE THANKS TO THE AUTHOR AND REVELL FOR PROVIDING A FREE COPY FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Great Christian historical novel. Highly recommend for all Christian readers out there.

Sarah never disappoints with her stories! It had all elements I enjoy for a WW2 era book - adventure, quick pace and a smidgen of romance. The story kept me at the edge of my seat many times in the last chapters. I appreciated how it was discovering the little known parts of WW2 in Munich.

When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin is another wonderful W.W.II Novel written by Ms. Sundin. I have read all of her books and impatiently wait for her next story to be published.

Evelyn Brand is a journalist in Nazi Germany before the war with the United States broke out. As a woman in a man’s field, she is constantly having to prove herself to her journalist colleagues, her boss, and herself. She is determined to tell of the horrendous tyranny that is taking place in Germany. She is walking a fine line because if the German officials do not like the articles she is sending to America, she could be expelled or even imprisoned or worse.

Peter Lang is in Germany working on his Ph.D. in German, the language. Because of the depression in the United States, he finds the order that seems to come from the Nazi government to his liking. As the tyrannical acts against the Jews and other “undesirables” continue to explode, his thinking is reversed.

He begins to feed information to Evelyn as she continues to try to tell the world what is happening in Germany. They are moving towards danger as the Nazis continue their “German Order”. How will they survive?

I love the characters in Ms. Sundin’s books. I like the fact that the heroine is courageous and smart. The hero in her novels is not always the “pretty boy”, but is classified as intelligent, nice-looking, and usually falls for the heroine. No one can write a W.W.II novel like Ms. Sundin. She is one of my favorite authors.

Evelyn Brand is working in Germany as an American foreign correspondent and she’s desperately trying to make her way in a male dominated occupation. Evelyn’s up to date stories are being forwarded to American newspapers and she discovers her boss is censoring them and he doesn’t want anything negative being published and this infuriates her. Hitler is rising to power, spreading his tyranny and inhumane beliefs. Evelyn’s sure the Gestapo are following her, they could force her leave Germany, and it’s much worse.

Peter Lang a fellow American is teaching at the University of Munich and working on his PhD. Peter seems to agree with the Germans, Evelyn’s not at all impressed by his attitude and she decides to stay away from him. America’s in the grip of the great depression, Germany is doing well economically and at first Peter does find this impressive. When he discovers the Germans are going to target Jewish people, including his friends and of course changes his mind. He decides to use his contacts within German ranks to gather information, it’s extremely risky and dangerous.

As Germany gets ready to start World War Two, Peter and Evelyn need to work out who they can trust and in the end it’s just the two of them. As Evelyn and Peter make their mad dash to safety, they have to use their wits and stay one step ahead of the enemy. Their relationship grows, Evelyn realizes Peter is a good guy, a real gentleman and for some reason he reminds me of Clark Kent.

I received a copy of When Twilight Breaks by Sarah Sundin from NetGalley and Revell publishing in exchange for an honest review, a well written story about life in Germany and Hitler's rise to power in the late 1930’s and it’s full of fast paced action and intrigue. I highly recommend this book, with themes of good verses bad, mild romance and religion are included in the narrative and four stars from me.

Wow!!!!! This book was fantastic!! It had all elements of an excellent read: there were great characters, thriller elements, WW2 historical fiction, and even a tad bit of romance. The story kept me at the edge of my seat many times in the last chapters. I was rooting for the protagonists and wanted to beat the antagonists. I could feel all the feelings Evelyn felt. I absolutely recommend this book. I would even go as far as to say that this would be a great book for non-Christian readers.

When Twilight Breaks is now my favorite Sarah Sundin novel! It explores a lesser-written side of pre-WWII Germany from the perspective of two Americans in Munich during pivotal events of 1938.

Evelyn Brand is a strong heroine in character and determination, and I love how the hero, Peter Lang, matches her will and lets her shine. Theirs is a tumultuous relationship in some ways as the events of the Nazis and their restrictions inhibit normalcy and begin to personally infringe upon their world. Important and endearing secondary characters add meaning, intrigue, and wisdom to the plot as the plight of the Jewish people plays a pivotal part in the novel’s themes of justice, truth, and sacrifice.

The romance is a slow-burn in the best way, with a strong friendship becoming a foundation for sacrificial love. Their match is idyllic and complimentary, with each growing to see the worth in the other and each becoming extremely (and swoonily) protective of the other over time. With his steady determination and almost-handsome looks, Peter Lang has worked his way onto my unofficial “bespectacled book boyfriends” list!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.

It was a great novel. Loved reading it and the writer is great. Would most likely read again and recommend to others.

First sentence: Evelyn Brand had done a crack bit of journalism, and she hadn't even had to dress like a man to do so.

Evelyn Brand, our heroine, is an American correspondent working for the American News Service. Her dream job would have her living in Berlin and covering the biggest stories. It would be ideal if she could phone in her stories WITHOUT having to get the extra-approval of her boss, George Norwood. (The other correspondents--all men--don't have to go through this extra step.) But, no, Brand finds herself "stuck" in Munich covering lesser stories.

Peter Lang is teaching at a university in Munich as part of his dissertation. He's got big ideas on how to help German-speakers learn to speak English with a "better" American accent AND how to help Americans learn to speak German with a "better" German accent. Think of him as Professor Higgins--but younger and cuter.

Evelyn and Peter meet. There's definite attraction, potential for chemistry, but one thing is holding her back--well, two things technically. First and foremost, he seems to be pro-Nazi. He doesn't seem to be "aware" of the bigger pictures and the increasing dangers. The ideology doesn't seem to concern him all that much--after all, he is only there for two semesters, and as an American citizen, it doesn't seem to be anything that would ever effect him personally. The last thing America needs is to get involved in European politics--no matter how melodramatic. Evelyn sees the dangers--not only for the future, but for the present. She wants to have the freedom to write the truth--the whole truth. She's aware that she has to follow certain rules and guidelines--always trying to cover both sides of an issue, seemingly staying neutral, sticking strictly to facts. Unfortunately, Norwood--her boss and editor--changes every story she writes into pro-Germany, pro-Nazi propaganda. She's often shocked to read her story in print because it's been altered so drastically.

The book covers most of 1938 and a little into 1939. Mostly set in Germany.

It is an INTENSE, action-packed, suspenseful, historical romance. It is DRAMATIC in places but rightly so. The pacing is perhaps a little slow at the start. I was interested from the very beginning because this is one of my favorite genres or sub-genres. But the pace definitely picks up during the second half of the novel. The last third, well, I was actively worried. I was turning pages as fast as I possibly could.

When Twilight Breaks is exactly what I would expect from Sarah Sundin. Captivating read. Loved it. Five stars.

When Twilight Breaks is set in 1938 Munich, Germany. Each chapter starts with the day and date, which gave the novel a sense of urgency, as though it was all leading up to some fateful day in history (but which day? I couldn’t remember, and that helped with the suspense).

Evelyn Brand is an American journalist working in Germany as a foreign correspondent.
That was two pluses in her favour: she was a professional woman, and her profession was why she was in Hitler’s Germany.

(This is important, as many years ago I read another novel about an American novel in Hitler’s Germany which made no sense, because the character had no compelling reason to be there. The result was I didn’t much care whether she succeeded in escaping or not).

Evelyn sees the dark underbelly of fascism and wants to report that to her American readers. However, that leaves her having to find the narrow line between telling the truth and not telling so much of the truth that the Germans will find out and expel her from the country … or worse.

Unfortunately, as the sole female in her news office, she’s often given the ‘softball’ assignments. One of these introduces her to Peter Lang, an American professor at the nearby university who is pursuing his PhD.

Peter admires what Hitler has done for the German people. He reduced unemployment and brought prosperity back to a country suffering from the losses of World War I and the subsequent global depression. He wishes America were the same.

In hindsight, we all know Hitler’s Germany was evil. The Nazi regime killed undesirables—the ‘work shy’, the disabled, the Jews, anyone who spoke out against the government. So it’s interesting to see Peter’s early perspective, and see how he has been deceived by outward appearance. At the same time, he’s obviously the hero, which means he has to change his mind …

Peter was not alone in his views. I heard a podcast interview with Sarah Sundin where she commented that those Americans who travelled to Germany in the 1930s expecting to find a successful society found one, and those who expected to find a facade with a sordid underbelly found that. It shows the importance of looking at both sides of an issue, and how politics is often more grey than black and white.

Free speech is an issue Evelyn and Peter debate:

“Free speech had its problems. Free speech could work people into a frenzy, leading to violence. But where did you draw the line? All he knew was that the Germany government had drawn the line in the wrong place.”

This highlights a current issue: where do we draw the line? What is the difference between free speech and hate speech? Do we allow hate speech as part of our effort to protect free speech? And what happens when hateful speech leads to hateful action and people die?

Yes, When Twilight Breaks asks big questions, questions that don’t have easy answers. That made for a fascinating read.

However, I did find he last quarter slow going. I don’t want to give spoilers, but it felt like the story petered (sorry!) out at around the 75% mark. An earlier minor conflict was reintroduced, and it felt like it was added and magnified in an attempt to drag the story out. The last quarter wasn’t bad. It just didn’t match the strength and pace of the first three-quarters of the novel.

But I still recommend When Twilight Breaks, both as an excellent Christian historical romance, and as a thought-provoking metaphor for our modern world. May we learn from the lessons of the past and not repeat them.

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

A smart and thrillingly researched offering from a continued stand out in the genre. Sundin transports readers to a time and circumstance often overlooked in a sea of WWII fiction and does so with wonderful pacing and aplomb.

I will be hosting Sarah for a zoom fb live this fall

Another masterpiece by Sarah Sundin. Beautifully written. Excellent storytelling. Suspenseful. Romantic. Nostalgic. Full of betrayal, loyalty and courage. Five stars.

This book was archived before I was able to download it. I appreciate the opportunity to review though!