Beyond The Tides by Liz Johnson ~ a book review

 

This is a contemporary, clean romance. It is categorized as Christian, but I would have liked to have seen more dependance on faith than is written.

The characters are very believable, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.  Meg Whitaker grew up in her family’s successful lobster business.  She never took much interest in it except for what it provided for her.  The story opens with her returning home because her mother is ill and her father has made a big decision that he wants to tell her.  He informs her that he is thinking of selling the business but not to her.  She isn’t too upset about that since she never took much interest in it anyway.  That is, until she hears who her father wants to sell to.  He wants to sell it to the boy in high school, who she thinks spoiled her chances at an important college scholarship, Oliver Ross.  Now, as a grown, successful woman, she is still holding a high school grudge against him and vows to stop him from buying.

This is from the publisher's website:

When Meg Whitaker's father decides to sell the family's lobster fishing business to her high school nemesis, she sets out to prove she should take it over instead. Though she's never had any interest in running the small fleet--or even getting on a boat due to her persistent seasickness--she can't stand to see Oliver Ross in charge. Not when he ruined her dreams for a science scholarship and an Ivy League education ten years ago.

Oliver isn't proud of what he did back then. Angry and broken by his father walking out on his family, he lashed out at Meg--an innocent bystander. But owning a respected fishing fleet on Prince Edward Island is the opportunity of a lifetime, as well as a way to provide for his mother, and he's not about to walk away just because Meg wants him to.

Meg's father has the perfect solution: Oliver and Meg will work the business together, and at the end of the season, he'll decide who gets it. Along the way, they may discover that their stories are more similar than they thought . . . and their dreams aren't what they expected.
 

This is a clean, heartwarming story of two people who have to overcome their pasts in order to find happiness.  .  It’s a story about maturing and dealing with life’s ups and downs.

 

I must admit, I wasn’t overly interested in the lobster hauling industry,  but I never realized how cut-throat it could be.

There is a bit of mystery in the story with a twist in the end.

 

I will look forward to reading more from this author.

Go HERE to read an excerpt 

Go HERE to learn more about Liz Johnson 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and Baker
Publishing Group through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson - a book reiew

This novel is not what I’d call Christian fiction.  While it is certainly not “un-Christian”, I would prefer to call it ‘clean’ fiction.  Christianity is more of an undertone in this book, rather than a prevailing theme.  As I said, I would consider this more of a ‘clean’ fiction.  In my opinion, there were no inappropriate intimate situations or foul language that would have made this just another contemporary novel.  While there is no real strong thread of personal faith, this novel does deal with what I call ‘soul’ issues.  Topics such as self esteem, addiction, PTSD and disfunctional families. 

The main characters are not the usual perfect cookie cutter characters.  They are delightfully imperfect. Caden, the main female character is described  like this…”what she lacked in height, she made up for in breadth.”  The main male character, Adam, is often rumpled and disheveled.  Both very human, likable and relateable.

The story is set on Prince Edward Island at a quaint island inn.  The author does a very good job of describing the landscape, customs and local attractions.

This is from the publisher’s website…

“In her kitchen at Rose's Red Door Inn, executive chef Caden Holt is calm, collected, and competent. But when her boss asks her to show off their beautiful island to impress a visiting travel writer and save the inn, Caden is forced to face a world much bigger than her kitchen--and a man who makes her wish she was beautiful.

Journalist Adam Jacobs is on a forced sabbatical on Prince Edward Island. He's also on assignment to uncover a story. Instead he's falling in love with the island's red shores and Caden's sweets. 

When Caden discovers Adam isn't who she thought he was, she realizes that the article he's writing could do more than ruin the inn's chances for survival--it might also break her heart.”

This was a very easy to read, enjoyable book.  A ‘feel good’  story  If you’re a fan of contemporary , clean fiction, you won’t be disappointed with this one.

Take a look for yourself, read an excerpt HERE.

To learn more about the author, click HERE.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and Baker
Publishing Group through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”