Bookshelf Friday - Yesterday's Tomorrow by Cathy West

I was asked if I'd like to read Yesterday's Tomorrow by the wonderful Casey Herringshaw. Trusting her taste in books, I accepted. I am so glad I did! Here's a blurb, and we'll chat on the other side:)  

She’s after the story that might get her the Pulitzer. He’s determined to keep his secrets to himself. 

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. 

I'll be honest, the thought of reading a book set during the Vietnam era didn't immediately intrigue me. I'm happy, however, that it didn't stop me from reading it. Cathy does an amazing job of placing you into both the jungles and beauty of Vietnam while also treading through the war that occurred there. While we see the deep impact this war creates in the main characters' lives, she never allows the reader too far into the actual horror of it. Her descriptions of what they encounter in certain scenes spaced throughout the story play more with the characters' reaction to it than the actual visual of it, and as a reader I was thankful for that.

I did struggle at times with the last one-third or so of the book which, to me, moved at a slower pace than the beginning and middle. However, I truly loved the natural progression of each character. Both Luke and Kristin had their individual journeys of healing from the time we first meet them, and Cathy doesn't string along these hurts or use them as a stumbling block in their relationships any longer than necessary. She balances their internal conflicts with the external ones driving the story in a fantastic manner, keeping their romance right on track.

Because while Vietnam is the setting of this story, the relationship between Luke and Kristin takes center stage and keeps the light firmly on them. I loved their interactions and banter, timeless regardless of the era they were in. Cathy wraps Luke and Kristin into each others' lives with a love that grounds itself in a friendship first, and as a reader it was a sweet progression that tugged me along. With the twists and turns of the story I begged for them to be together and wondered if, in the end, they would receive their happily-ever-after. If two people ever deserved one, it was Luke and Kristin. Hard earned and such a long time in coming, well, I'll let you read The End yourself:) 

You can pick Yesterday's Tomorrow up here and enjoy a great read this weekend! And don't forget to check out Cathy's Facebook party on the 22nd right here. Go ahead and click on over, she's giving away some pretty snazzy pre-party gifts!

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. You can find her at: www.catherinejwest.com