My review: In Perfect Time

In Perfect Time is the third and final book in Sarah Sundin's Wings of the Nightingale series!  It follows the story of Kay Jobson and Roger Cooper - as excited as I was to finally read their story, I was equally disappointed to see the series end! 

Description:
Bold, sophisticated, and flirtatious, Army Air Force flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, leaving men pining in airfields all across Europe. So how can ruggedly handsome C-47 pilot Lt. Roger Cooper be all but immune to her considerable charms? In fact, he seems to do everything he can to avoid her.

Still, as they cross the skies between Italy and southern France, evacuating the wounded and delivering paratroopers and supplies, every beat of their hearts draws them closer to where they don't want to go. Can they confront the fears and misunderstandings in their pasts?

About the Author:
Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, On Distant Shores, and the Wings of Glory series. In 2011, A Memory Between Us was a finalist in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards, and Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on call as a hospital pharmacist. During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England. Sarah lives in California, with her husband and three children. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.
(Book description - italics mine - and about the author copied from Amazon.  Cover photo from Deeper Shopping)

My review: 4.5 stars
Great finale! 
In Perfect Time is the final book in Sarah Sundin’s, Wings of the Nightingale series.  The series follows a group of WWII flight nurses as they face the uncertain times of war, along with the trials that come their way.
One of my favorite things about Ms. Sundin’s books is that they all tie together very neatly and with this series, they also overlap each other a bit.  I highly recommend reading them in order, if possible, but they can also standalone, though it may be a tad confusing until you catch up.  The historical detail is great, as usual, and the descriptions bring the story to life.  With a novel such as this one, that obviously involved a great amount of research and detail, it would be easy for the story to become bogged down with facts, but I believe Ms. Sundin found a great balance between the two.
Kay Jobson is heroine in this book.  After following Kay through both Mellie and Georgie’s books, I thought I knew her pretty well, but I learned very quickly that those had only scratched the surface of who she is.  I loved Kay’s character.  She is so strong and determined, but under that façade, she is so broken.  She has heard for years that she isn’t good enough, or lovable, and that she is unredeemable.  I really wanted someone to correct that mistaken belief and when they did, I was cheering for her.  The story follows Kay’s transformation, as she learns who God is, what it means to be loved, and how to love in return.  I loved seeing her grow and change into the person God intended her to be.
Roger Cooper is also a character we know fairly well from the previous books, though he isn’t in them as much as Kay is.  I really liked Roger, too.  He is strong, kind, compassionate, and determined to follow God.  I loved seeing Kay though his eyes and I also appreciated his struggle with following God’s leading at times.  Roger also contends with the belief that he isn’t good enough and will never amount to anything.  I enjoyed seeing him grow in confidence and discover what his dreams really were.
I found their romance to be very realistic and sweet, if a little drawn out at times.  There were a couple instances toward the end when it seemed as through Ms. Sundin had a word count to meet, so she threw in another conflict to drag it out a few more pages.  I did enjoy their relationship and the honesty in it.  I also liked watching them overcome their differences and the misunderstandings that seemed determined to keep them apart.
I believe the main spiritual theme of this book is redemption, though there may be another I‘m missing.  Both Kay and Roger struggle with believing they are truly forgiven.  I loved this quote from Roger: “Stop thinking your sins are so big, so much worse than anyone else’s that even the almighty God who created the universe isn’t capable of taking them away. . . .  His mercy is a gift.  Not something you earn, not something you deserve.  But like any gift, it isn’t yours until you take it.” - Roger Cooper, page 145  (Quotation used with permission from the publisher.)  I love the truth in those words, the honesty.  Like everyone, they stumbled and fell, but they got back up again and continued holding onto the Lord.

The novel is titled In Perfect Time which is theme throughout.  Kay and Roger learn that God’s will is always perfect and good, and that everything happens “in perfect time.”  I really appreciated how Ms. Sundin incorporated it, without it seeming cheesy or overdone.

I always hate reading the last book in a series, because I can’t stand knowing it’s the end.  Despite that, I was able to appreciate how Ms. Sundin ended the book.  It was wonderful - sweet, maybe a smidge sappy, but it also ties everything together.  It’s the kind of ending that makes you sigh and smile, while fighting a couple tears. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys WWII fiction with delightful characters who tug at your heart.  

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given.  I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by!  I hope you enjoyed my review!  If you are interested in checking out other reviews or perhaps purchasing a copy of the book, here are a few links to help you out!  :)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Christian Book