Sinking Sand

Sweet Sanctuary #0.5

by Kim Vogel Sawyer

After suffering a devastating loss, Dr. Holden Winters steels his heart against the idea of love and against the God he once served. Army nurse Callie Myers wants to learn as much about medicine as possible so she can help care for the people in her small mountain town of Shyler's Point, Arkansas. Dr. Winters is willing to teach her, but only if she stays quiet about her God. Will the idyllic beauty of Oahu convince Holden that God exists? Or will the horror of the Pearl Harbor attack prove to Callie what Holden tells her: God doesn't care?

148 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2017

About the author

Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer told her kindergarten teacher that someday people would check out her book in the library. The little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer's Return. Kim's titles now exceed 1.5 million copies and are available in six different languages. A former elementary school teacher, she now enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Kim's passion lies in writing stories that point the reader to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. When Kim isn't writing, you'll find her traveling with her retired military hubby, spoiling her granddarlings, petting the cats, quilting, or--as time allows--participating in community theater. You can learn more about Kim's writing and speaking ministries at her website, KimVogelSawyer.com.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for anyone who loves WW2 stories or who wants real Christian faith strongly portrayed in a novel. This story is deep and oh is it good! It's set in Hawaii just before the Pearl Harbor attacks and the descriptions are absolutely delightful. The characters come to life easily and seem to live outside the pages as well as inside...like I could go meet them somewhere!

Minor gripe: as an Arkansan, Callie's got a few inconsistencies...the doctor would be closer than Little Rock unless it were a specialist...and a foot of snow generally happens only in the Ozarks. The last book in the series mentions being close to Searcy, which gets six to twelve inches of snow in an entire season, rarely all at once, and not every year. And the closest good doctor would have been in Searcy (I have a friend who grew up in Searcy back in the day) if the location given in the other book is correct.

I absolutely loved the sense of humor in this story and found myself laughing aloud more than once. If you need to cheer up, to be lost in a good story, or to be encouraged in your faith, grab a copy posthaste. :)

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Kim Vogel Sawyer to be a great storyteller. I enjoyed the Hawaiian setting and the often upbeat storytelling. There were several surprises that kept me reading. This book was a quick read but satisfying.

[Carol Kuehner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so appreciate the gospel message presented clearly numerous times as it is woven into a lovely story.

[T. Rosado · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Although I enjoy historical fiction, I rarely gravitate towards WW2 historical fiction/romance. Yet, this new story is a prequel (or book #0.5) to Sawyer's Sweet Sanctuary. Sweet Sanctuary has been on my tbr for some time, and it only made sense that I begin here before moving on to the story I've been anticipating. While Sinking Sand's romance focuses on Holden and Caliope, Micah and Lydia are important secondary characters that get their own story in Sweet Sanctuary. I love how this story introduces them.

Sinking Sand occurs at Pearl Harbor not long before the U.S. enters the war. The attack on Pearl Harbor will inevitably enter into the storyline. While this is a historical romance, the story heavily concerns Holden's reconciliation with God and Callie's role in his life. This book has a solid and unyielding faith thread that makes so much sense since Callie is on a mission to bring Holden back into the fold. I loved it. Holden's reserve could sometimes be frustrating, but I was excited to see his heart change and how it came about. I'm even more enthusiastic about Sweet Sanctuary now that I've tasted Micah and Lydia. Overall, this was a moving and sweet romance that builds anticipation for the next book. Since Sweet Sanctuary was released before Sinking Sand, those who have already read Sweet Sanctuary will get to see how Micah and Lydia first met.