Review: Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter

Title: Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Contemporary, Christian, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A Summer of Low Tides Could Expose Years of Family Secrets

When her grandmother goes missing from the family beach house, Maddy and her estranged sisters converge in Sea Haven, North Carolina. Being with uptight Nora and free-spirited Emma in the home where their family broke apart is a struggle Maddy is not in the mood to face, especially since she’s recovering from her ex-boyfriend’s betrayal.

As the sisters wait for word of their grandmother, they begin to pack up the family belongings—and unpack memories of the idyllic summers of their childhood. But with those memories come long-buried secrets, and Maddy discovers that all was not as it appeared that last summer in Sea Haven. Meanwhile, Gram’s neighbor, Connor Sullivan, seems overly interested in Gram’s whereabouts. Maddy is drawn in by his quick smile and steady gaze in spite of herself.

Undercurrents of jealousy and resentment threaten to pull the family under again, maybe for good this time. As tensions rise, the sisters must find a way to accept each other for the women they’ve become—and Maddy must decide if falling in love again is worth the potential heartbreak.

Review:

Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter is a heartfelt novel of family secrets, forgiveness and love.

Maddy Monroe is a low point when she learns her beloved grandmother has gone missing. Rushing to Sea Haven, she is joined by her older sisters, Nora and Emma. Their grandmother’s beach house holds a plethora of childhood memories but unfortunately, not all of them are pleasant. Twenty years earlier, their last family gathering at the beach house holds nothing but heartbreaking memories that still reverberate today. Emma and Nora have long been estranged and none of the sisters have much of relationship with their mother.  The cataclysmic events have left Maddy with serious trust issues when it comes to men.  And her latest relationship does nothing but reinforce her beliefs that her mistrust is well-founded.  All of which leaves Maddy extremely skeptical of her grandmother’s neighbor Connor Murphy. Will she change her opinion of the charming widower once she gets to know him? Or will Maddy’s fears prevent her from giving their unexpected romance a chance?

Maddy’s concerns about her grandmother are quickly laid to rest. However, instead of the sisters returning to their regular lives, they decide to stay and take care of some chores around the beach house. Maddy is tired of being in the middle of her sisters who have been unable to heal the rift between them. So when Connor asks her to temporarily fill in at his restaurant, she jumps at the chance to escape the simmering tension. Before long, Maddy realizes she has completely misjudged Connor. But does this mean she will agree to see where their unexpected attraction will lead?

Connor is no stranger to tragedy and until he meets Maddy, he has had not had any interest in dating.  Unlike Maddy, he is willing to risk his heart once he realizes how much she is beginning to mean to him. Connor is patient and understanding once he learns why she is so leery of becoming involved with him.  When Maddy continues to have doubts, will Connor give her up without a fight?

Unbeknownst to Maddy, both Nora and Emma are dealing with problems in their personal lives. Neither is forthcoming about recent developments back home nor are they willing to set aside their animosity over a long ago betrayal. When their grandmother returns home, she finally decides to set the record straight about the truth about their beloved family memories. What, if any, impact will this have on Maddy and her budding romance with Connor?

With a gentle undercurrent of faith,  Summer by the Tides is a poignant yet uplifting novel of family and love.  Each of the characters is well-developed with true to life strengths and shortcomings. The conflict between Nora and Emma is realistic and fraught with the pain of regret and betrayal. Maddy’s kneejerk reaction to protect herself from heartbreak is easy to understand but can she overcome the fears of a lifetime in order to find happiness? Denise Hunter brings the characters and their fears and hurt brilliantly to life as they each try to heal from their emotional wounds.  I truly enjoyed and highly recommend this captivating novel to readers of contemporary Christian fiction.