Celebrate Lit / August 19, 2026

Shetland Sunset

About the Book Shetland Sunset

Book: Shetland Sunset

Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Christian Suspense

Release Date: January 18, 2026

Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war?

After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fishermen who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety.

Will he ever see her again?

Distraught when the Germans overrun her beloved Norway, Tonje Bondevik refuses to take the occupation sitting down. She joins the fledgling resistance movement, deriving great satisfaction distributing the underground newspaper and performing acts of sabotage…until the day the Nazis come looking for her, and she must flee for her life. Perhaps she should have listened to the handsome Norwegian American when he offered to take her to Shetland.

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My Thoughts on Shetland Sunset

Shetland Sunset is a wonderful historical fiction novel set during WWII in Norway and the Shetland Islands. This author is one of the good ones. I always know that any historical fiction novel written by Linda Shenton Matchett is going to have been researched and contain truth about the time period. I’m a history geek. And I never find any inaccuracies in her novels. Never. And I’ve read all of them, I think. This means a lot to me that she takes the time to thoroughly research and represent the time period and the people she’s portraying.

In this novel, we travel to Norway. An American is there when war breaks out. He’s been helping his cousins with their fishing business. So when war comes, he wants to help fight back. To do that for him is to go to the Shetland Islands and help to ferry things both to and from. It’s dangerous. It’s dark. And it’s cold. But he’s an amazing man.

Now then, there is also Tonje. She’s Norwegian, and Askel wants her to go to the Shetlands with him. He wants to save her. But she has other plans. She joins the resistance and helps with the underground newspaper. But when she faces capture, can Askel still save her?

Such a fun novel, and I was very much invested. I could not put it down. I did know a little bit about this type of war because a few years ago I had the unique opportunity to tour a museum in Liverpool, England. It talked about the brave men and women who fought in the darkness by sea. This novel really made that come to life and gave it another thought for me. Now I want to go back and tour that section of the museum again.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

About the Author of Shetland Sunset

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state, immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors, and drinks copious amounts of tea.

More from Linda

Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago of about one hundred islands, with fewer than twenty being inhabited. Originally a base for Norwegian Vikings, Shetland came under Scottish rule when King Christian I pledged the island as part of his daughter’s dowry when she was betrothed to James III of Scotland. The island continues to feature an intriguing mix of Norwegian and Scottish heritage in customs, language, and celebrations. Interestingly, Shetland is geographically closer to Norway than Scotland.

The Shetland Bus is the nickname for a World War II clandestine operation during which fishermen smuggled supplies, weapons, radio operators, and agents into occupied Norway and ferried refugees out of Norway to Shetland and England. From 1941-1945, two hundred missions were carried out in winter because of the nearly twenty-four hours of darkness that occurred during those months, but that meant crossing in rough, unforgiving seas. Additionally, the risk of being caught by German aircraft or patrol boats was high, and forty-four members lost their lives.

Authors get their ideas and inspiration from many sources, and I learned about the Shetland Bus from an episode of Shetland, a modern-day BBC mystery show that featured a fictional cold case associated with the “bus.” I was able to read multiple memoirs and autobiographies and watch oral history interviews with Shetland Bus participants. It is my hope that Shetland Sunset honors the brave ordinary men who did extraordinary things.