Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on – responsible, intelligent, and loving. But the person who’s come back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam’s experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand…but that everyone is learning to fear.
Tongues start wagging after Sam nearly kills his own brother. now when he claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has seen them, Annie isn’t the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence beyond his claims. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts?
Annie desperately wants to believe her husband. But between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she’s terrified he’s going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam’s mental wounds – or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life?
*I received a free copy of this book as part of the I Read with Audra promotional group for Shadows in the Mind’s Eye. The review below is from my personal opinion.
Janyre Tromp takes two relatively unknown aspects of American history and blends them into one. The Pacific theater of World War II is well known, however, the emotional toil held by those who fought has long been hidden from the general public. I found her use of Sam’s emotional state and the mystery behind his sightings an interesting way to present the story.
From the very beginning, the story takes us through the emotions of Sam and his wife, Annie. I generally read books based in the third person perspective, so her use of first person was interesting reading for me.
Favorite Characters
Sam Mattas: From my limited knowledge and experience, Sam’s character seems to bring a true veteran into the story. Love for his family, uncertainty of his place back home, and many other factors are apparent in the building of his character as the story progresses.
Annie Mattas: Annie’s view of Sam twists and turns, as would anyone’s view of their spouse after a traumatic event of the nature he experienced. Her questions concerning him, herself, and their relationship are heartfelt and raw, making her a lovable character.
Rosemary “Rosie” Mattas: Rosie is Sam and Annie’s young daughter. While a minor character, her innocence and complete love and trust of those she views as close to her is so sweet. Even having never met her dad prior to the story, she sees the good in him as well.
Dovie May Mattas: Dovie is Sam’s mother. Her no nonsense to her children and daughter-in-law allows the story more stability in the midst of all the questions coming to the surface. She had a lot of great advice for them (and for me as a reader).
Who Would Like This Book?
Those who want to see what the World War II veterans may have been experiencing upon their return home from the war. Those interested in the history of the Arkansas Mountain areas.
Audra Jennings is offering a Rafflecopter giveaway for this book. You can find the giveaway here.
https://www.audrajennings.com/2022/04/shadows-in-minds-eye-giveaway.html
Janyre Tromp is a historical novelist whose loves spinning tales that, at their core, hunt for beauty, even when it isn’t pretty. She’s the author of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye and coauthor of It’s a Wonderful Christmas.
She’s also a book editor, published children’s book author, and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her family, two crazy cats, and a slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog. And if you ever meet in person, you pronounce that first name Jan-ear.
You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and her website, www.JanyreTromp.com (where you can grab a free copy of her novella Wide Open).