Shaped by the Waves

GIVEAWAY

NELSON, CHRISTINA SUZANN

SHAPED BY THE WAVES

Cassie George is barely staying above water as she works to get her doctorate and raise her daughter. But she stubbornly keeps swimming to prove a few bad decisions haven't ruined her forever. Plus, it's all a great excuse to stay away from the small Oregon town she fled in shame years prior. But when she receives a call that the aunt who raised her has had a major health crisis, she knows it's time to return.

Cassie is surprised to be more welcomed by the quirky seaside community than she expected even if there's still tension between her and her former classmate Nora Milford. But she still can't help feeling unsettled and is mystified by a mysterious package that appears, full of typed pages that tell the story of an anonymous woman's life. As her curiosity sends her on a journey toward truth, Cassie will discover that who she thought she was and what she wants for her life are both about to change.

My Review:

A story within a story and both kept me riveted.

An emotional tale of loss and grief and the power of sacrificial love. Of learning to embrace what you have while letting go of the past. Cassie is on a journey back to her God and it takes her home...to finally face the ghosts she never really left behind.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I can say about this novel except it's thrilling and compelling and richly layered with faith and wisdom. Love Cassie who unnecessarily struggles to carry a full load when there are so many willing hands to help her. Letting go of pride and shame is a huge part of her journey and makes for a tumultuous and poignant tale. And when she reconnects with 'her people' and starts to trust them with her brokenness, well, magic happens.

And her daughter, Lark, is a bedazzled gem of sunshine and hope and lightens even the darkest scenes. As does a certain barista who brings a spark of love and the hope of happily ever afters into Cassie's life. But there's lots to work through before that can happen and that involves the kind of emotional roller coaster ride I love to read.

Some of those highs and lows come courtesy of a mysterious manuscript addressed to Cassie. She's fascinated...but is it fact or fiction? A little bit of mystery that adds even more layers to this enthralling tale.

Side note: There's a secondary story interlaced with Cassie's but they never really connect and I found myself puzzling over exactly why snippets of Nora's POV were added in. I thought maybe it was a set up for the next book, but Shaped by the Waves isn't marked as part of series so I'm a little befuddled. Not enough to dim my reading enjoyment, but still, I wonder....

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Shaped by the Waves, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 5 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck