Winter Passing (Winter Passing)

Rating:
Summary: My Wife and I Savored This Together!
Review: "Winter Passing" is a book of one woman's quest to find herself in the midst of finding her past. Darby Evan's grandmother gives her a challenge from her deathbed that sends Darby across the globe on a search for the truth. While in Austria, she runs into Brant Collins, a man with a jaundiced eye and a tired heart. Together, they must overcome suspicions, circumstances, shadowy villians, and their own insecurities. Romance seeps in, but not in a sappy way. Overall, the book moves from historical searching to romantic inklings to mystery delving. Even the last pages contain a secret or two.

My wife and I read this book together, often aloud, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Having travelled together through Austria, we were reminded of many delicious foods, beautiful sights, and memorable people. We savored the story and the characters. We ended it satisfied, but looking forward to the next Martinusen book, "Blue Night," which we've already purchased. Based on this first book, we figure we have another enjoyable set of evenings ahead of us.

Rating:
Summary: The first in the trilogy - great!
Review: It's hard to believe this is Cindy Martinusen's first book. Winter Passing is a well-plotted, nicely written page-turner that gives the reader much more than a good story. It caused me to consider new ways to view those who lived under the influence of Hitler's armies...it gave me a new understanding of the pressures with which they wrestled.

The description of Austria is rich and I felt Darby's excitement as she visited for the first time. I also got caught up in the mystery and was surprised by an intriquing twist at the end.

I actually read Winter Passing when it was first released, but had never written a reader review. Since then, I have so enjoyed Cindy's next book, Blue Night, and then the third in the trilogy, North of Tomorrow, that I wanted to say a good word about it. If you haven't yet read these books, put them on your list!

Rating:
Summary: Just what I was looking for!
Review: This is a novel with some meat. A little history--enough to convey a message and pique some interest in the WWII era, two love stories, the value of friendship, a female role model and a mystery. Circumstances in the book bring Darby to a profession and an awakening of faith.

I try to find books that I can share with my neices who are in Sr. High. Some Christian books geared to a little older audience have a little too much "romance" making me feel uncomfortable sharing them. This book did not cross the line, but still offered an "adult" read.