Children of the Promise- Since You Went Away

The second book in the Children of the Promise series, Since You Went Away, follows the Thomas family as they are thrown into the middle of WWII.  Alex is a paratrooper fighting in Europe, Bobbi is a nurse serving in Pearl Harbor, Wally is a prisoner of war in the Pacific and Gene has now joined the service as a marine. 
This book also focuses on a German family, the Stoltzs.  They were taught by Alex while he was on his mission and were baptized into the church.  Anna, their daughter, fell in love with Alex while he was teaching them.  Since Alex returned from his mission and joined the military, they have promised each other that they will wait until the war is over and they will marry each other.  The Stoltzs are now on the run from the Gestapo after Anna stabbed a Gestapo agent when he tried to rape her.
Not only does this book show the suspense and horrors of war but it now involves a love story between Anna and Alex as they try to survive the war in order to find each other in the end.  Hughes has a way of making these characters come to life, and I noticed myself laughing and then crying with them as they struggle to get through the war.

Book #5- Children of the Promise
                Vol. 3- Far From Home
                By Dean Hughes

Children of the Promise- Rumors of War

Children of the Promise is a series written by Dean Hughes.  The first book, Rumors of War, introduces you to the Thomas family, an LDS family living in Salt Lake City during the late 1930's and early 1940's.  Bea and David are the parents of 6 children- Alex, Bobbi (Barbara), Wally, Gene, Bev and LaRue.  Alex is serving a mission in Germany where he witnesses the rise of Hitler and the beginning of WWII over in Europe.  Back in Salt Lake City, the Thomas family begins to feel the effects of the war when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, and Alex, now home from his mission, Wally and Bobbi all decide to join the military.  This first book ends with just the beginnings of their struggles as their family is torn apart and their 3 children are thrown into the height of the war.
I loved reading this book because of the history found in it.  WWII has always been my favorite part of history to learn about, and in this book I got to read about the war through very personal, although mostly fictional, points of view.

Book #4- Children of the Promise
                Vol. 2- Since You Went Away
                By Dean Hughes