Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 381
June 30, 2014
Yankee in Atlanta by Jocelyn Green – and Book Giveaway!
Caitlin McKae has disguised herself as a man to fight for the Union, but when she’s injured in battle, she ends up in Atlanta – believed to be a Confederate hero. Concealing her Yankee identity is vital to her survival.
German immigrant Noah Becker feels compelled to fight for the Confederacy, and hires Caitlin to care for his beloved motherless little girl. Both Caitlin and Noah deny their mutual attraction due to the necessities of war. As the battle pushes closer and closer to Atlanta, starvation runs rampant and Caitlin struggles to keep Noah’s daughter and several war refugees alive.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Ruby O’Flannery works at the Waverly home and watches her young son grow, and enjoys her friendship with kind-natured pastor Edward Goodrich. As Edward’s interest becomes romantic, Ruby’s anxiety grows – can she ever be worthy of the love of a good man? Wartime tensions grow into riots in New York, and Ruby’s past comes back to threaten her future.
Yankee in Atlanta is the third book in Jocelyn Green‘s excellent Heroines Behind the Lines series. You don’t need to read them in order, but don’t miss any of these stories!
Once again Jocelyn Green weaves together the intensity of war with the impact on human lives. In Yankee in Atlanta, we see two women on opposite sides of the battle lines, each experiencing the deprivations of wartime, each reeling from historical events, and each struggling with personal problems. This is Civil War fiction at its best.
I ended up with two copies of Yankee in Atlanta, so I’m giving one away!! To enter the drawing, please leave a comment and include your email in the following format: sarah [at] sarahsundin [dot] com. I’ll announce the winner on Thursday, July 3, 2014.
Today in World War II History—June 30, 1944
70 Years Ago—June 30, 1944: US P-47 Thunderbolt in Air-Sea Rescue shoots down a German V-1 buzz bomb over the English Channel. US secures island of Biak off New Guinea.
June 29, 2014
Today in World War II History—June 29, 1944
70 Years Ago—June 29, 1944: Soviets capture Bobruysk in Byelorussia, capturing 70,000 German prisoners. In Nazi campaign against Italian partisans, Germans execute all 73 men in San Pancrazio, Tuscany.
June 28, 2014
Today in World War II History—June 28, 1944
Thomas Dewey, 1948 (US Library of Congress)
70 Years Ago—June 28, 1944: At the Republican convention in Chicago, Thomas Dewey is nominated for president. Last Japanese planes leave New Guinea as Allies advance.
June 27, 2014
Today in World War II History—June 27, 1944
US infantry captain with German prisoner in Cherbourg, France, June 1944 (US Army Center of Military History)
70 Years Ago—June 27, 1944: US First Army liberates the vital port of Cherbourg, France.
June 26, 2014
Today in World War II History—June 26, 1944
WASPs and a B-17 (US National Archives)
70 Years Ago—June 26, 1944: Germans institute curfew in Copenhagen, Denmark after a wave of sabotage; citizens begin massive civil strike. US Army Air Force orders WASP (Women’s Airforce Service Pilots) program dissolved in December; women won’t be notified until October.
June 25, 2014
Book Beat – One More Last Chance by Cathleen Armstrong
Coming out of a bad relationship, Sarah Cooley comes home to teach second grade in her beloved Last Chance, New Mexico, comforted by the fact that the quirky little town never changes.
Chris Reed buys the Dip ‘n’ Dine in Last Chance, determined to use his culinary skills to transform the place into a destination restaurant. However, the locals aren’t keen on the idea of this newcomer upending all they hold dear. Sarah, in particular, is not pleased with this big, handsome, bumbling oaf. Chris, however, finds Sarah quite appealing.
When Chris’s flaky sister abandons her seven-year-old daughter, Olivia, at his place, he has his hands full with the hurting, bitter little girl. As Olivia’s teacher, Sarah is able to reach her like no one else, and Chris’s care for the child softens Sarah’s heart to Chris. As their friendship grows, so does their attraction. But will they be able to find balance between innovation and tradition?
In One More Last Chance, Cathleen Armstrong returns us to the intriguing little town she introduced in Welcome to Last Chance. Characterization is one of the many strengths of her writing – Chris, Sarah, and Olivia have vulnerabilities and hurts and strengths that fully drew me in to the story. And the side characters! Oh my! Just fabulous! The humor relaxes you, but then the message hits your heart. Please don’t miss this book. You don’t need to read Welcome to Last Chance first – but you won’t want to miss it either! I can’t wait for the third book.
Today in World War II History—June 25, 1944
French Maquis receiving supplies from US B-17s (US Air Force photo)
70 Years Ago—June 25, 1944: US Eighth Air Force B-17s fly first mission to drop supplies and arms to French resistance fighters. On Saipan, US Marines take Mt. Tapotchau, which dominates the island.
June 24, 2014
Today in World War II History—June 24, 1944
French partisans, August 1944 (US Army Center of Military History)
70 Years Ago—June 24, 1944: French Resistance blows up hydroelectric plant near Limoges. French forces begin to leave Italy to prepare for Operation Anvil, the invasion of Southern France.
June 23, 2014
Book Beat – The Hatmaker’s Heart by Carla Stewart
In the 1920s, a woman wasn’t properly dressed without a good hat. Nell Marchwold is a talented hat designer working for a high-class milliner in New York City. Her artistic talent combined with her inherent ability to bring out the best in a woman’s looks and personality wins her greater attention. But a lifelong stutter holds her back, and her boss keeps her in the background. When Nell’s designs make waves at a fashion show, she’s thrust into the limelight. Will she be able to balance her boss’s plans, her own career dreams, and the desires of her heart?
Deep and delightful! The Hatmaker’s Heart takes us to New York and London in the 1920s, into the fascinating world of fashion and millinery, and more importantly we join Nell Marchwold’s journey as she overcomes her challenges, faces her past, follows her dreams—and finds her true voice. Carla Stewart’s beautiful language, intriguing characters, and thought-provoking story are treats to savor. I loved this book!
