I was born and raised in middle Georgia. Vacations for my family usually consisted of visiting other family members. This was very easy when you have three grandparents and more than 15 aunts and uncles. One vacation spot was always St. Simons Island where I had my grandmother and usually at least one aunt and uncle and a few cousins living. St. Simons is the main setting for this novel and is a beautiful barrier island on the coast of Georgia. The novel is a dual timeline and multiple POV taking place during WWII time and also 2022. The reason for this is that you have three men who meet on the island at different times during these tumultuous times between 1942 and 1944 and they eventually after the war band together to form a multinational business. In 2022 they are having a reunion and two women, who own an event planning company are called to research a story and put together the reunion. But what goes on during each time period? Well, all I’m going to say is that Hadley and Kitzie, in 2022, are given a photo of a woman with two of the men on the beach and on the back, it says traitor. Who, what, and why? It’s all connected, and they aim to find out.

So, I loved this book! It was nostalgic for me in that I knew many of the specific places mentioned on St. Simons Island. It has so much history involved with what took place during WWII. I learned quite a few new pieces of information. It’s a beautifully written book that spans emotions and time. You are able to connect with it on a historical level, emotional level, and even with some mystery and romance. There is just a little bit for everyone. This book will transport you back in time and then bring you to the present in a magical way.

To put it bluntly, I loved this. It was a tale of bravery, resilience, hardship, and love of family. Well-written and well-researched, the story grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go.

I cried at the end, not from sadness, but from appreciation of the journey I had just taken.

Oh, and I loved the cover.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the author and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

True confession: When I was asked to read an early copy of Echoes of Us on NetGalley, I was torn. I love Joy Jordan-Lake's books (and Joy), but I was reluctant to read yet another World War II novel. Echoes of Us drew me in from the get-go, and the novel takes a different approach to the period, one that had me doing some of my own research even as I was drawn into the characters' stories in both the war years and the contemporary setting. Dual timeline stories can be tricky to sustain, but Jordan-Lake seamlessly blends the two timelines, weaving them together beautifully. The characters were compelling, and the novel manages to highlight aspects of World War II that you don't usually read about without neglecting the more typical elements you usually see in historical novels set in the period. St. Simon's Island came alive in the novel; you get a real sense of place in both time settings and the descriptions really draw you in. I loved the highlighting of the WASP program and its unsung heroines. I also loved how the novel built to an explanation of the bond among the three founders of Boundless, something that initially seemed unbelievable but became convincing. Echoes of Us sheds a light on some "hidden" pieces of history and does so in a wonderfully readable fashion.

I have a lot to say about this book! I liked the plot and the characters. It’s one of the best uses of two time zones that I’ve read. The story flowed so easily from one to the other and both were enjoyable. The mystery left me guessing the whole time. There were times it was but a bit redundant in the retelling of facts - not a big deal but I found it annoying. Also it’s a bit melodramatic. But ignore that as it is still a really good story. And now few random thoughts.

- I must not have listened well in AP US history in high school as I did not remember much of the history shared in this story.

- I highly recommend listening to big band music from the 40s while reading this!!

- I loved the Southern expressions.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest

Great book! Explored so many different points of view, past and present, and managed to tie it all together with a surprise twist! Really enjoyed this book.

“Echoes of Us” by Joy Jordan-Lake is a Historical Fiction and romantic journey into the little known events of the German Uboat attacks on the US Merchant fleet during WWII.

This story and the historical facts of these attacks took place off the coast of Georgia in and around Saint Simons Island. The book spans dual time lines and revolves around two sisters who are event planners hired to create reunion event to honor three unlikely friends, a Tennessee farm boy, a German POW, and a Jewish Cambridge student. These men met during the war became business partners, and were all in love with the same extraordinary woman, who was a WASP during the war.
This epic story, deals with love, loss, secrets and unimaginable sacrifice. It is also highly educational, I for one did not know more Americans were killed on the East Coast of the US by U-boats than those killed in Pearl Harbor!

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys meticulously researched and well written Historical Fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this story. The characters. Everything. A definite recommend.

Thanks Lake Union and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and isn't influenced by anyone else

Echoes of Us, by Joy Jordan-Lake, is a dual-timeline novel set in St. Simon's Island, Georgia, in the 1940s and 2020s. We learn the story of a number of men and women whose lives are intertwined through war, love, and loss. I enjoy historical fiction that you can get lost in and this book doesn't disappoint! Fans of World War II fiction, intergenerational tales, and/or southern stories will love Echoes of Us.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.

Spent my day off reading this gem. Love this authors work.

When I read the authors last book A Bend of Light I was thrilled to receive this one because I loved her last one.

WWII-A connection is formed between several people during the toughest of times.


Beautiful novel with heart and well-developed characters. Friendship, hardships, secrets, with a powerful story-line. One not to be missed.

dnf @ 52%. i’m sorry to report that this was just failing to catch my attention; i did not feel any kind of interest towards the characters or the plot, and so i decided to call it quits. which is a shame, really, because i really did like the premise.

This book synopsis appealed easily to me. The drama, the war, the characters, the lighthouse on the cover, pretty much all of it appealed to me.
And I did care enough for the characters so they would hold my attention. This author's writing style is beautiful and easy to read, so that is another positive point. Multiple POVs and timelines also usually please in books, especially in historical fiction books.
However, I felt something was missing. Probably it's a *me* thing, considering that everyone else seems to be really loving this book.
There were many times that I felt this book was getting a little too long.
I'll be honest: I'm much more of an audiobook consumer, so sometimes I get a little bored with long books. I genuinely believe I could benefit more from this book if I listened to the audio version.
I'll definitely read this book again, with the audiobook format, when it is officially published.
But I do recommend ECHOS OF US to readers who enjoy historical fiction with dramatic stories about love and redemption.

Having been to St. Simon's several times, I was anxious to read this book. Story is set in two time periods (WW II and present) two sisters are hired to coordinate a reunion of the families of three men who were bought together in the past. on this tiny barrier island. I got throught the book but felt like it was slow in parts. . For historical novel readers, this book will probably appeal to them.

As always, Lake Union Publishing doesn't steer me wrong. I realized once I'd started that I'd read the previous book from the author. This is told in different timelines, which I enjoy. Three men, trying to make sense of the past, and three women in current times, linking them together. I loved this book, and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Lake Union and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved the book and the multiple pov’s and timelines. I enjoyed the ups and downs of the plot. I thought the characters really grew in the story. I thought overall the book was a great story.