A Distant Melody
In 1942, plain Allie Miller travels to northern California for her best friend’s wedding. There, she meets pilot Lt. Walter Novak on his last furlough home before being shipped overseas. The two, usually both social misfits, hit it off and quickly form a deep bond, prompting them to correspond after the weekend is over.
As letters fly between Walt’s bomber base in England and Allie’s upper-class home, their friendship binds them together, but lies soon tear them apart. Walt falls in love with Allie only to discover that she already has a boyfriend. And Allie has agreed to marry J. Baxter Hicks just to please her parents. In reality her deepest desire is to obey God, who is telling her to follow a much different path. Allie must choose between her faith and her family, and Walt must come to grips with the pain and sorrow of war.
Debut novelist Sundin delivers an impressive World War II romance full of courage, sacrifice, and lessons learned. The time Sundin has put into researching aviation during the war is evident, and she does an excellent job weaving these details into the story. Walt’s relationships with his crewmen and his struggles to fit it in are as intriguing as Allie’s fights against her parents for freedom and independence.
Perfectly plotted, dramatic and full of tension, this is an excellent start to the new Wings of Glory series, which will feature each of the Novak brothers. Highly recommended.
