AUTHOR: Kate Breslin
DATE: 2017
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: ****1/2
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.
INTENSE! High as the Heavens is an amazing story with a tangled plot, compelling characters, and a setting so tense I had to put the book down to catch my breath every few minutes. Eve’s double life is one I could never imagine, as she risks not only her own life but the lives of her loved ones. And Simon is caught between sides, without knowing who is on which side.
Secondary characters are well drawn, also, real enough to recognize on the street—but still not be sure if some are friend or foe. I loved the interpersonal relationships, especially between Eve and Simon, as they struggle to trust one another while not being able to divulge secrets. Faith plays an important part of their journey, inserting brightness into the darkness of war.
Now that I’ve caught my breath again, I award High as the Heavens four and half stars. Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.