A DISTANT MELODY
Wings of Glory, 1
Sundin, Sarah
Revell
March 2010

Allie Miller is set. She has gone to college and come back and is now expected to marry her long-time boyfriend and settle down raising children as her husband takes over her father’s company. But a short trip for a friend’s wedding changes her life: she meets fun-loving Walter Novak. Her week with Walter and his friends forces her to look into the emptiness of her own life. As t they part both of them agree to write.
Walter Novak has always had trouble with women, especially pretty women. He can barely string along words together, flushes red and can’t seem to swallow the big lump in his throat when he meets one. But meeting Allie is different. He is comfortable with her, enjoys talking to her and seeing her green eyes brighten. He is encouraged by the week they spent together. But his hopes for a future with her are dashed when he discovers the Allie is pledged to another. Despite this setback, they agree to write to each other as Walter heads to fight for his country during World War II. The letters fly back and forth filled with hidden meanings and longings. Will be they able to share what is in their hearts before it is too late, or will they let pride and lies rip them apart?
While a fan of historical fiction, I am not a big fan of World War II stories. Even before I read the novel, I can see mental images of devastation and destruction. Hence, when I got this book I pushed it to the back of my TBR (To Be Read) pile. A few days later, while clearing my desk, I came across this book again and decided to give it a chance. And boy am I glad I did! The last time I enjoyed a good World War II novel was a long time ago. Debut author Sarah Sundin knows how to flush her characters out. Initially, I thought Walter was a good-two-shoe, shy and inhibited. But as the novel progresses, you see his fun-loving character, his integrity, and his faults and how he comes to the place where God intended for him. The other aspect of Ms. Sundin’s writing that I enjoyed was the fact that she is not afraid to introduce sadness, heartache and everyday reality to her characters. Many authors, especially inspirational authors, love to tie up all the ends in a neat package with all the answers. But that was not the case with this book. This brings back the point that the characters in this book are extremely human. I am looking forward to the next installment in this series and I have added Ms. Sundin to my personal author watch list. Wings of Glory is a must-read debut novel!