When Twilight Breaks is a riveting pre-WWII tale full of secrets, danger, and romance. Sarah Sundin is a historical fiction writer focusing on the WWII era. Her latest novel is one of her best.

The story begins in Germany in 1938 and the world is once again on the brink of war. Hitler is spreading his sinister influence across Germany. Evelyn Brand is a female American foreign correspondent determined to make it in a male-dominated field. She is driven by justice, truth, and independence. Evelyn is determined to let America know what is really happening in Germany, but danger surrounds her. Will she be silenced?

In another part of the city, American grad student Peter Lang is working on his Ph.D. in German. He is impressed with the order and prosperity of Hitler’s Germany and is seen within his circles as a sympathizer to the cause. He is smitten by Evelyn but the two have different ideologies. Until one day, when Peter sees the cost at which such beliefs come. Peter joins Evelyn in her quest for truth using his position to help Evelyn tell the story of what is really happening.

The two get caught up in a dangerous journey worthy of any American spy tale. Sundin is a whiz at historical fiction and I believe When Twilight Breaks is her best novel yet. She brilliantly lays out the factors at play in Germany leading up to World War II and gives us a perspective we do not find in our history books. The story is riveting from the first page.

As a strong female, I relate to Evelyn’s desire to have the same opportunities as her male colleagues. She is quite a brave soul, especially for her time. Yet that bravery and independence bring her danger and keep her from trusting others, especially men. It also prevents her from asking for help.

The story explores strong moral themes around order and justice and freedom, independence, and relying on God and others. Sundin approaches these themes in a way that illustrates the humanity of each character. I could see this book as a movie for sure. It has drama, action, danger, and romance that could be captured on-screen to tell an amazing story.

Check out my review of other Sarah Sudin books:

The Sky Above Us

Through Waters Deep

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION:

I received this book free as part of a Book Review Blogger Program. 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.”