Enjoyable! 'As the Tide Comes In' - by Cindy Woodsmall & Erin Woodsmall

About the book:

When an unthinkable loss sends Tara Abbott's life spiraling out of control, she journeys from North Carolina to Georgia's St. Simons Island. Although confused and scared, she hopes to find answers about her past - her life before the years of foster care and raising her two half-brothers as a young adult. Will she find steady ground on the island, surrounded by an eccentric-but-kindhearted group of older women called The Glynn Girls and a determined firefighter? Or will the truth splinter what's left of her identity into pieces?

My review:

I really enjoyed this quirky story set on a charming southern isand.  I have enjoyed every Cindy Woodsmall book I've read in the past and this was no exception!  I loved Tara, who I met in the Woodsmalls' previous book together called "The Gift of Christmas Past."  I was glad we got to know her better here as I really admired her for raising her half-brothers and for the person she became after all of the loss and hardship she'd endured from childhood.  She seemed like a fun person in normal life, however for much of the book she's grieving and confused.  I really felt for what she was going through.  I also liked going on the journey with Tara as she tried to understand why God let the tragedy happen and what her purpose is now.  There were some great spiritual truths to digest.  Gavin was amazing as he was so understanding and patient as she tried to figure things out.  He was another great character who really took care of the people he loved.  A really cool element you don't see often in fiction is a glimpse into Heaven and that was a very cool part in this book.   One thing I thought was odd was that Luella, one of the Glynn Girls, did ghost tours, yet apparently didn't really believe in ghosts.  It just seemed like doing those would feed the whole misconception that ghosts are real.  I did really like Luella because of her love of history and travel and for her humor.  There were some sweet romantic moments for two couples.  I would recommend this story if you're looking for a book with a little more meat to it, yet still has humor, romance and charm.

I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.