Sarah Sundin: Anchor in the Storm

By Kelly Bridgewater

One Plucky Female Pharmacist + One High-Society Naval Officer = Romance--and Danger

For plucky Lillian Avery, America's entry into World War II means a chance to prove herself as a pharmacist in Boston. The challenges of her new job energize her. But society boy Ensign Archer Vandenberg's attentions only annoy--even if he is her brother's best friend.

During the darkest days of the war, Arch's destroyer hunts German U-boats in vain as the submarines sink dozens of merchant ships along the East Coast. Still shaken by battles at sea, Arch notices his men also struggle with their nerves--and with drowsiness. Could there be a link to the large prescriptions for sedatives Lillian has filled? The two work together to answer that question, but can Arch ever earn Lillian's trust and affection?

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 My Review:

I'm going to fan gush here for a minute because Sarah Sundin is one of my favorite writers. All of her eight books and one novella have struck gold with me. I missed the opportunity to meet her at the ACFW Conference in Texas last year, but I hope to one day actually meet her and talk over a cup of coffee. It would definitely make my day. With Anchors in the Storm, Sundin doesn't surprise me with another hit out of the park.

Sundin writes with such clarity that I always feel like I have transported back to the 1940's and am walking through the dilemma of World War II. Sundin does so much research before she writes her stories, and it shows in the final product. I wish I could write as well as her. I really couldn't wait to jump right in and read Anchor in the Storm.

In Anchor in the Storm, I really enjoyed watching Arch and Lillian tell their love stories. Lillian is a brave woman pharmasist who suspects there is a perscription drug ring affecting the naval soldiers, so she goes undercover and hunts for the supplier. With danger, Lillian invites Arch to help her hunt down the top commanders in the drug ring. As an avid reader of suspense and mysteries, I really think Sundin handled the situation quite well. I couldn't wait to find out who was behind the trouble. It kept my attention glued to the story.

As for the romance between Arch and Lillian, it was paced quite nicely. Lillian has her reservations about men and for good reason. She has a hard time allowing men or anyone for that matter to come close to her heart. I admired her courage and really enjoyed her as the heroine. As for Arch, I really enjoyed him too. He came from money, but he saw what power money allowed people to hold over others by making them do things they normally wouldn't do. He wanted none of that. He saw the good in Lillian and loved her for her personality. I really enjoyed watching their romance blossom.

With the correct amount of research, Sarah Sundin crafted another hit in the World War II romance genre with enough tension and lovable characters to grab any ones attention.  I anxiously wait for book three where I can learn more about Quintessa and Dan Avery, Lillian and Jim's brother.

I highly recommend Anchors in the Storm to fans of Cara Putnam, Liz Tolsma, and Kristy Cambron. A great addition to the popular genre.

 I received a complimentary copy of Anchors in the Storm from Revell Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5  out of 5 Stars

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