Book Review: Nightingale by Susan May Warren (AND a CONTEST!)

A synopsis of Nightingale from the author's website:

Nightingale Esther Lange doesn’t love her fiancé—she’s trapped in an engagement after a mistaken night of passion. Still, she grieves him when he’s lost in battle, the letters sent to her by the medic at his side giving her a strange comfort, so much that she strikes up a correspondence with Peter Hess, an Iowa farmboy. Or is he? Peter Hess is not who he seems. Indeed, he’s hiding a secret, something that could cost them both their lives, especially when the past comes back to life. A bittersweet love song of the home front war between duty and the heart...a battle where only one will survive.

I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again: I love books that are set during World War II. There's just something appealing about that era that draws my attention and when I see a new book with that setting I want to know more about it. I often find myself wishing I could have lived during the 1940's so that I could be a part of the "bonding" that our country experienced during that time. It seems war binds a country's peoples together like nothing else can. I wouldn't want to live in a war, however, so that's what actually stops me from wishing it too much. But wouldn't it be nice if we could have one without the other?

I like the way this author presented the story of Esther and Peter. She had made mistakes, but Peter understood the grace of redemption and told Esther of it while she struggled with her guilt.

The secret that Peter had was quite surprising. I learned a lot about some of the aspects of WWII I didn't know before. I also enjoyed the relationship that Esther had with her daughter, Sadie, and the sacrifices she made for her. 

There were times that the story did not flow as well as I like, but it did not take away from the overall satisfaction of reading a sweet tale of love and deliverance. I saw real characters with real problems and even though this may be considered by some as a "fluffy" book, I recommend it to all.

I give Nightingale 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

(I received this book from LitFuse for review purposes. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review. All opiniions expressed are completely my own,)

Now.....for the CONTEST! Susan is giving away a Flip HD Camcorder! Here's how to enter:

The Letters From Home Giveaway!

Enter the Contest: Nightingale is about letters, the power of written correspondence to convey thoughts and emotions to those far away. And sometimes near. Letters are forever, they are something we savor and pull out to read again and again. They are often cherished and kept in a special place.

To celebrate the release of Nightingale, Susan would like you to write a letter. One grand prize winner will receive a Flip HD Camcorder. 5 runner's up winners will win a signed copy of Nightingale. There are two ways to enter the contest by writing letters.

1. Write a letter to a soldier. At the end of the contest we’ll print out and mail your letter for you.

2. Write a letter to a friend, loved one, family member, enemy. Tell them something you wished you’d told them before. Tell them you love them, or maybe how they touched your life. Perhaps an apology is in order or a thank you. Or perhaps you'd like to relate a funny tale or just share life. Whatever it is, submit it here along with your email address and we’ll send it for you.

Enter here or at the SHARE page on the Brothers in Arms website.
 
(Contest ends December 2nd. Winner announced December 6th.)

Book Review: A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman (and a CONTEST - WIN A KINDLE!)

(Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see how you can have a chance to win a free KINDLE!)

I haven't read very many books set in the 1920's. I tend to gravitate toward books set in the Civil War, World War II, or present day. So it was a different experience for me to read A Hope Undaunted, which is set in 1929-1931. As I was reading, I began to understand the challenges Christians faced in this period of time in our history. This was a time when society's ideas of morality changed and our culture experienced a shift in men/women relationships. Women struggled with their roles while the men continued to be challenged with shifts in the economy. Add to all this the impending war, and one can see how trying these times were.

Julie Lessman illustrates all of these difficulties well in her new book. The characters, although Christian, are far from perfect (which is the opposite of what many other authors try to make us believe). But they do demonstrate the grace of God in how they deal with their trials. I think we can learn a lot from these fictional people, whether it be the men who have pasts that were far from pure, the pregnant woman who wrestles with the fact that her husband works with one of his former lovers, or the couple who disagrees over whether the wife should be working out of the home. And the main characters, Katie and Luke, who are facing their own idols of pride, lust, and greed, to mention only a few.

There are some parts of the novel that became a little steamy, or "edgy", as some would say. There are some readers who would not like this, and, I must admit, these places in the book made me a little nervous. But I know we all have our limits. Here is an example of one from the book:

"In a catch of her breath, he took her mouth by force, his late-day beard rough against her skin. A faint moan escaped her lips and all resistance fled, burned away by the heat of his touch, leaving her weak and wanting. His mouth roamed at will, no longer gentle as he devoured her, ravenous against the smooth curve of her throat, the soft flesh of her ear. With a gutteral groan, he jerked her close with powerful arms, consuming her mouth with a kiss surely driven by the sheer will to ravage."

So, take that for what it's worth, and decide for yourself whether you might like this book. As a whole, I enjoyed it. It needs to be read slowly in order to keep up with all the many characters. Also, at a whopping 505 pages, it is not a short read, but, I think, worth it.

I give A Hope Undaunted 4 out of 5 stars.

Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Also, check out Julie's other books, The Daughters of Boston series:

  

Now, for the KINDLE CONTEST!

Would you like to win a Kindle from Julie Lessman? Of course you would! Then head on over to Julie's website and enter. The winner receives:

* A brand new KINDLE, with Wi-Fi

* A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman
 
This prize pack is valued at over $150.00! So go over there today and enter to win!

(I received this book from Revell Books for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)