Published by Revell on July 2, 2024
Genres: Fiction, Christian, Historical, Romance
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American horse trainer Adia Kensington is living her dream of working at the famous Janów Podlaski stables in Poland, where they breed the best Arabian horses in the world. But her plans to bring the priceless stallion Lubor to the US are derailed when the German army storms into her adopted country in 1939. Little does she know this is just the beginning of six long years of occupation that will threaten her beloved horses at every turn.
Major Bret Conway is at Janów Podlaski under the guise of a news reporter, but his true mission is intelligence gathering for the British. That and keeping Adia safe, which is harder and harder to do as she insists they must evacuate 250 horses to save them from being stolen, sold, or eaten by the invading forces. What follows will test their physical, mental, and emotional strength, as well as their faith in God, humankind, and each other.
Drawn from true events of World War II, this epic story of escape, capture, resistance, and love from debut novelist Nicole M. Miller will thunder into your heart like a herd of beautiful horses across a raging river.
Put a horse on a book cover, and you immediately have my attention. Sometimes, this does not work in my favor. Until Our Time Comes by Nicole M. Miller did. I read Elizabeth Letts’ The Perfect Horse a number of years ago, which chronicles the rescue of the famous horses from Vienna’s Spanish Riding School. Until I read Miller’s novel, I had no idea a similar mission occurred at the Janów Podlaski Stud Farm in Poland with Polish Arabians. For being such a horse lover and a WWII history nerd, it surprised me to find that Until Our Time Comes was based on a true story. Though the book had its fault, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Nicole M. Miller produces next.
I could tell from the start that Miller knew horses. So many novels get things wrong, which often eliminates all credibility for me. I can’t read it without questioning every word. Terminology is incorrect, or horse behavior is inaccurately portrayed. Not the case with Until Our Time Comes. I never rolled my eyes, angered, or laughed at any horse-related error. If you’re a horse person like I am, you can dive into Miller’s novel without that worry over your head. I don’t often get to say books with horses get things right, so I must mention and highlight it now.
Adia Kensington has a heart for horses, and she is determined to save the equines of Janów Podlaski from the invading Nazis. Bret Conway is a British spy, working as a war correspondent. He finds Adia intriguing, but tragedy strikes before he can share a meal with her. When they are later reunited, Adia has not forgiven him. But as they work together to save the Polish Arabians Adia adores, love takes root between them and blossoms and grows over the span of Until Our Time Comes by Nicole M. Miller. It is never forced. Miller nurtures the relationship and lets it cultivate slowly. Never did I think Adia and Bret’s affection for each other moved too quickly.
Until Our Time Comes is more than just a romance. While easy to read with a steady flow, the book dives into the tension and high stakes the characters face. Nothing Adia, Bret, and their friends encounter is easy. They experience death, injury, questions, and loss. But they support each other, even when everything seems bleak. Miller breaks up the pressure with well-timed moments of humor and romance, and readers won’t be disappointed. With relatable, lovable characters and an attention-grabbing story, Until Our Time Comes by Nicole M. Miller is a stellar debut novel. I loved it. If you’re a fan of WWII historical fiction, horses, and romance, so will you.