No one’s life was particularly easy in the European theater during World War II, and it certainly is the case for the two heroes of “Midnight on the Scottish Shore”—the latest book from bestselling romance author Sarah Sundin.
Sundin has delighted readers with her stories of star-crossed couples who must overcome incredible difficulties during those war-torn years. Some of her hit titles include “Until Leaves Fall in Paris,” “When Twilight Breaks,” and “A Distant Melody,” the first in the “Wings of Glory” series. She’s received several accolades, including the 2022 Christy Award for excellence in Christian fiction for “Twilight” (not the vampire twilight; that’s by Stephanie Meyer).
“Midnight on the Scottish Shore” begins on the streets of Amsterdam, where the battle for the soul of the Netherlands is being fought.
Fleeing to the Allies
Then disaster strikes, and Cilla finds she can no longer stomach pretending to celebrate the deaths of the people she’s trying to help. In her desperation to escape, she volunteers to spy for the Nazis in the UK. She plans betray them and disappear as soon as she’s on the island.Ferried by submarine to Dunnet Bay along the northern coast of Scotland, her hopes to fade into the UK populace are dashed almost immediately. While taking a walk with his faithful collie, Lt. Lachlan Mackenzie stumbles onto an exhausted Cilla trying to bury her rubber dingy on the shore. Despite her pleas and any mixed feelings he might have about her, he does his duty and turns her over to the local constable, knowing full well she’ll be executed as a spy.
Black Marks
Meanwhile, Lt. Lachlan is caught up in his own difficulties; two scandals are making his life almost unbearable. The first is an accusation of plagiarism, which resulted in his expulsion from the Royal Navy College. The second comes from his brother, Neil, an ardent member of a Scottish separatist movement that openly sides with Germany. Even though Lachlan does all he can to prove his loyalty as a volunteer in the Royal Navy, his honor and character are always in question.
Later, he’s pulled off of his regular duties and mysteriously stationed at a lighthouse near Brough, England. There, he discovers that he’s assigned to help caretake a new asset for British Intelligence: the Nazi spy named Cilla, whom he found on the beach a few weeks before.
For her part, Cilla is even more disheartened by Lachlan’s appearance. Already treated with contempt and without a way to prove she’s truly loyal to the Allies, she’s now guarded by a man she believes wants her dead.
The Challenges of Unusual WWII Locations
Compared to most of her previous stories, Sundin gives herself a bit of a challenge for this stand-alone book. Many of us may be familiar with the major centers of the European war, like Paris, Germany, and London. However, setting her story in lesser-known corners of the war—The Netherlands and the Orkney Islands—doesn’t always jive with Sundin’s storytelling style.Sweeping Scottish Locales That Inspire
Luckily, these problems only occur early in the story. Once we reach the eponymous Scottish shores, Sundin dispenses with most of those elements and gets down to the main story arc, which is well-told and highly satisfying.Furthermore, since she’s written a romance novel during a global conflict, readers couldn’t ask for a better setting than these beautiful islands. Surrounding a body of water called Scapa Flow, the entire area features a bevy of dramatic cliffs, windswept moors, and a rich maritime legacy that a talented writer can mine for endless possibilities.
Though a bit rocky at the start, “Midnight on the Scottish Shore” is an engaging romance novel with well-considered characters who you hope can find their way through the gloom of war to find love and lasting peace.
