Catherine West and Yesterday's Tomorrow

Happy weekend, friends. I hope you are enjoying this blog series so far. A few readers have asked how I selected these authors and their novels. Some I discovered through Brenda Anderson’s recent debut author series, while others were mentioned in Book Fun magazine. A handful of the novels I’m featuring this month were Advanced Reader Copies that I received so I could participate in blog tours and help promote the release of the novel. Yesterday’s Tomorrow falls under that third umbrella and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it. This award-winning debut is equal parts heart-wrenching and beautiful and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that cover design. Isn’t it phenomenal?

“This compelling love story set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War transported me through recent history. Cathy West’s debut novel is beautifully crafted and thoroughly engaging!”
––Deborah Raney, author of the Clayburn Novels and Almost Forever

“A beautifully told story, crisp and accurate in its detail, filled with emotion and deftly handled by a writer who understands the hope of prayers asked and the beauty of prayers answered, Yesterday’s Tomorrow is a story to savor.” Lisa Wingate, national bestselling author of Larkspur Cove and Dandelion Summer

Book Blurb:

Vietnam 1967
Independent, career-driven journalist Kristin Taylor wants two things: to honor her father’s memory by becoming an award-winning overseas correspondent and to keep tabs on her only brother, Teddy, who signed up for the war against their mother’s wishes. Brilliant photographer Luke Maddox, silent and brooding, exudes mystery. Kristin is convinced he’s hiding something.

Willing to risk it all for what they believe in, Kristin and Luke engage in their own tumultuous battle until, in an unexpected twist, they’re forced to work together. Ambushed by love, they must decide whether or not to set aside their own private agendas for the hope of tomorrow that has captured their hearts.

Heidi’s Review:

A gritty, haunting read that drew me right into a period of history that I admittedly know little about. While family members and some of my parents’ friends served, I never devoted much time to understanding the conflict or the impact the Vietnam war had on our nation and our troops. I applaud the author’s ability to paint a story world that puts us in the middle of it all: I experienced the heat and the dirt and the heartache, not to mention Kristin’s (the protagonist) determination to finish the story her father never had a chance to write.
The horrors of war contrasted sharply with the presence of children in the story, which I thought added another rich layer to the plot and made the circumstances more vivid.
Miss West creates a hero in Luke Maddox that captured me from his first appearance in the novel. Handsome, wounded, mysterious, equal parts funny and witty … I rooted for him all the way through to the finale.
No spoilers here, but the tension builds throughout the novel to a climax that made me question how this was all going to pan out. To me, that’s a mark of a talented author and a must-read novel.
Full disclosure: I received a complimentary digital edition of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review. The opinions stated in this review are my own.

Cathy’s Bio:

Catherine West is an award-winning author who writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America, and is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such Literary. Catherine loves to connect with her readers and can be reached at catherinecatherinejwest.com