Debby Lee

Title: Beneath a Peaceful Moon
Author: Debby Lee
Pages: 256
Year: 2023
Publisher: Barbour
My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.
John Painted Horse is a U.S. Marine during WWII. He has been selected to train to become a Navajo Code Talker. At first he is reluctant as he knows he will be sent to the front lines and facing death. He has a mother and two younger sisters to support. What will happen to them if he dies? He receives assurances that his family will be looked after, so he agrees to become part of the program. What he hasn’t counted on is meeting Mary Wishram, a young woman who is also enlisted in the military. She currently works delivering supplies all over Camp Pendleton where they are both stationed. They quickly develop feelings for one another. However, John’s mission is top secret. He can’t share anything about it with anyone, and he could be shipped out at any time. He wonders if this is really the right time to pursue a romance.
Mary Wishram is a Native American serving her country in the U.S. Military. She receives a message that her brother, who also serves as a U.S. Marine, has been captured by the Japanese military in the Philippines. She is chosen to be trained as a spy as she knows Japanese. She is frantic to discover any information she can on where he is being held. He is her only living relative as her parents are deceased. When she is chosen to join a mission to the Philippines as a spy, she eagerly accepts. She has plans to discover her brother’s whereabouts and somehow help him escape. She can share none of this with John, a man who has become an increasingly important part of her life.
I really wanted to love this book, but the first half of the story was slow going for me. I didn’t really connect with the two main characters. I would have liked to have learned more about the training of the Navajo Code Talkers and the training Mary underwent for her mission. I thought the premise was unique, and I liked how John was not afraid to share his faith. His reliance on God’s provision and knowing that God would never leave him were great reminders of living a faith-filled life.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.… (meer)

Beneath a Peaceful Moon by Debby Lee is the tenth book in the multi-author Heroines of WWll series. Mary Wishram is looking for information about her brother, who is a POW in the Philippine Islands. Working at Camp Pendleton and training to become a spy will hopefully help. John Painted Horse is asked to join the Code Talkers at Camp Pendleton. Together they will use their language skills to help end the war. This story had so much potential. I was very disappointed that there wasn’t much information on the Code Talker program. Mary wasn’t very convincing as a spy. The whole story just didn’t seem to blend very well. I did enjoy John’s spiritual input and his encouragement of Mary.

I received this book from Celebrate-Lit for my honest review.… (meer)

Beneath a Peaceful Moon is a work of Christian Historical fiction by Debby Lee. Containing spies, prisoners of war, danger, romance, and more, I could not put this book down. Mary Wishram attempts to hang onto those she loves, including her brother, a prisoner of war, and friends being held in a relocation camp. As a Yakama tribe member, she has language skills that set her up to be a spy.

John Painted Horse struggles with losing his father in World War I. He wants to bring honor to their family. As a marine, he finds himself tasked with becoming a code talker. I loved how the author allowed him to share God’s love with Mary. The way the author allowed the relationship to develop between Mary and John kept my interest.

The storyline developed at an excellent pace, as did the characters in this story. SoiIf you enjoy books about the World Wars and what some groups of people endured, you will definitely want to check out this book. So if you enjoy Christian Historical fiction books, check out Beneath a Peaceful Moon by Debby Lee.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.… (meer)

Another great addition to the Heroines of WWII series. This one was especially close to my heart as my papa served in the Philippines at this time. He spoke of the code talkers a few times and I was anxious to learn more. Visualizing this time from Native Americans viewpoint added depth to the story. This book brought to life this historical time and the words wrapped around my heart and I became invested in the story. The story contains a lot of information and keeps you on your toes digesting it all. The characters are relatable and I loved the Faith thread woven in with the light of the moon as a reminder of the Light of Christ. One of my favorite quotes, “ Sometimes it feels like the moon is so close, I could reach out and touch it, touch Him, with my fingertips.”
This was an interesting and engaging story from a new author to me that I would enjoy reading more of. This goes on my keeper shelf with the rest of this series.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.… (meer)