HIGH AS THE HEAVENS book review

I finally was able to get to this book that has been awaiting my attention during a busy summer!

Publisher's Description

In 1917, Evelyn Marche is just one of many women who has been widowed by the war. A British nurse trapped in German-occupied Brussels, she spends her days working at a hospital and her nights as a waitress in her aunt and uncle's café. Eve also has a carefully guarded secret keeping her in constant danger: She's a spy working for a Belgian resistance group in league with the British Secret Service.

When a British plane crashes in Brussels Park, Eve is the first to reach the downed plane and is shocked to discover she recognizes the badly injured pilot. British RFC Captain Simon Forrester is now a prisoner of war, and Eve knows he could be shot as a spy at any time. She risks her own life to hide him from the Germans, but as the danger mounts and the secrets between them grow, their chance of survival looks grim. And even if they do make it out alive, the truth of what lies between them may be more than any love can overcome.

My Thoughts

This story is filled with intrigue and takes place during WWI.  It focuses on the Marche family and how war has torn them apart and turned their worlds into something inside a bad dream.  It is a very real look at what it must have been like to live during those times and cling desperately to hope, faith, and your loved ones, never knowing what the next moment might hold.   There is a gentle romance, but it takes a back seat to the reality of living, operating and SPYING within a small, German occupied town. The horrors the people faced are unimaginable, and yet, where our world seems to be headed today, it is a good reminder of how to survive and what may await us in the days ahead.  Eve March is beyond brave, as are her brother and sister who now survive far from their family.  Even her own frail mother, who weaves secret messages into lace collars blew me away. There are multiple daring rescues that kept my stomach in knots. In many instances, the book jumps back and forth between flashbacks and the present, and also gives you a look at multiple characters point of view.  I thought it all worked well. The story is well written, albeit a heavy topic.  The descriptions and attention to detail are extensive. I received an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. 

4 stars

© 2017 Bethany House

386 pages + Author’s Notes and Discussion Questions

Read: 07/13-15/2017 - Reviewed: 07/16/2017

Opening Scripture: “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:11-12

Author Bio

A Florida girl who migrated to the Pacific Northwest, Kate Breslin was a bookseller for many years. She is a Carol Award winner and a RITA and Christy Award finalist and lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington. Find her online at www.katebreslin.com.

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