I didn't get a chance to read the first two books in the series, but I found it okay not to read them. I liked this book for the most part. I was somewhat drawn to it because I lived for some times in my life in the same county as Antioch and Port Costa. I got a little bored at times with all the detail of flying, but otherwise it was a moving book. ( )

I was so excited to read this book. The third in the Wings of Glory Series, it can be read alone, but will be much more enjoyable if you read the two before it.

This book is set around the eldest Novak boy - Raymond. This story opens with Ray being transferred back home for a desk job. While at home he runs into a childhood friend, Helen. From the first sight of her his heart melts and he can think of only having her as his wife. He did not know that there were secrets and demons that Helen would have to face before they could ever develop a lasting relationship.

The story is so filled with up and downs, and twists and turns that it is hard to guess the ending. As Ray signs up for a tour overseas to fly combat missions and Helen steps out to confront the demons and lies from her past will they ever be on the same page.

In one year, while Ray is overseas, both are tested and must learn to lean completely on the Lord for their strength. Each must find out what God has intended for them and who they are in Christ.

I used many tissues as the stories of the Novak boys further unfolds and the depth of their family faith is exposed. The strength of faith of these boys changes and helps the women in their lives.

Absolutely a stunning book. Sarah Sundin has out done herself. I realize that with this book the series is most likely at an end - since all the Novak boys have had their stories told. However, there is still so much to be told about their lives. I would welcome yet another book to see the depth of character, love and faith to be further revealed in the next generation of Novak's.

Thank you Revel for this review copy.
Available August 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group ( )

I usually don’t read Historical Romance, but Blue Skies Tomorrow really grabbed me from the beginning. Set in the time of WW2, it wasn’t so long ago that I couldn’t even picture most of what was being said. Granted, I wasn’t even a thought in anyone’s head, heck my grandmother hadn’t even been born yet (1945). But after hear stories from my great-grandparents, I could somewhat picture what was going on in the book. And although this is the third book in the series it works well as a stand alone, as the previous two are based on different characters. Sundin really does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life on the page. Helen is our lovable main character, though she seems to be over compensating throughout the book, we soon learn exactly why she is the way she is. Ray Novak is our quintessential Knight in Shinning Armor ( though at first he refuses to believe it). There is a lot going on in the book, and though it can be confusing at times; you learn to roll with it and see that everything has something to do with everything else. Blue Skies Tomorrow touches on so many different subjects from the time period, and not just the normal ones, but really sensitive ones also. There is the struggle with domestic violence, discrimination and the ever present troubles of living in a country that is at war. We get to see the side of things that unless we were there we normally wouldn’t know about. You will wonder why Helene does some of the things she does, especially if you weren’t alive during this time, but talk to anyone from then, and you will see that just about everything touched on in this book is true in most ways. Blue Skies Tomorrow, is a faith based book in my opinion, and if you have trouble reading anything that references God, you may not want to pick up the book, but if you can get past that as I did; this is a great read that I am proud to have on my shelves ( )

This is the third installment of Wings of Glory. I read the first, Memory Between Us and found it surprising. Sarah Sundin not only provides a well written Christian fiction story but she also addresses very difficult subjects, including rape. Sundin does not concentrate on the particulars nor does she shock the senses. She simply uses a protagonist who suffers the violence and the reaction from the man she loves (not the perpetrator).

This book finishes the series by giving the reader closure. The first two books were about the younger two Novak boys, Walt and Jack. At last we reach Ray, the most empathetic and lovable of the three. Okay, I can't really judge because I didn't read Walt's story. Ah, well. Ray is dreamy and I am in love with him, myself.

The love interest is Helen Carlisle, war widow of Jim. The expectation I had was that Ray would have to compete with Helen's dead husband's ghost, beatified with his death. As per Sundin's M.O., the expected is not what you get. Helen has secrets about her late husband. She was giddy when he died, leaving her widowed and single parenting his child. Still, times being what they were, women were barely entering the workforce and she found supporting herself and her son to be difficult. She makes difficult choices and sometimes chooses poorly. Burdened with guilt and shame, she feels undeserving of anything good in her life.

Meanwhile, Ray enters Helen's life. Ray helps Helen through friendship but this is not what he really wants. On the other hand, he wants to respect Helen's grieving period, not understanding how over she is her late husband. They fight and Ray joins the Army to fight the Germans. Once again, the story takes twists and turns that are unexpected and add conflict and interest.

Sundin stays constant with her storytelling. The boys do meet back up in England after Jack crashes in the channel. Conversations are recreated and characters introduced with the same traits as the other books. This was a lot of fun for me to remember Ruth and Jack.

Warning: The ending is a little cheesy. I like cheesy. I enjoyed a good, clean read with realistic trials for the characters to overcome - shame, guilt, domestic abuse, racism, corrupt justice system. And I love to read a well written book with hope, faith, and lives changing as they trust God. ( )

Helen Carlisle grieves for her late husband in appearances only. Confronting the truth about their marriage would be too painful, so she forges ahead in life determined to raise her son to be proud of his war-hero daddy. When Lieutenant Ray Novak enters the picture, Helen finds a light to drive out the darkness. As their relationship develops, they are both forced to confront their greatest fears. Will their secrets and fears tear them apart? Can love carry them though the darkest night until the blue skies appear?

Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin is the third and final book in the Wings of Glory Series, but works well as a stand-alone novel. I loved that this book was much more than just a historical romance novel. I was hooked by the romance in the beginning, but the characters and the story gained depth once Ray and Helen started dealing with their personal issues. The theme of confronting personal fears whether in the physical battlefield or the mental battle field resonated with me personally.

I recommend Blue Skies Tomorrow to fans of inspirational historical fiction/romance. It's a keeper for me. I'll definitely read it again in the future.

Available August 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishers. 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." ( )