Yesterday's Tides

 

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In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same - until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper's daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.

As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling's lives in World War II, it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

Review

Yesterdays' Tides, is the newest historical novel by Roseanna M. White, and is also a time-slip story. It took me a few chapters to really capture my attention as it starts slowly and builds page by page, incrementally increasing the tension, and thereby multiplying the questions. The plotlines really picked up steam by the time I hit the middle of the book, and from there, it was hard to stop reading. I did struggle at times with distinguishing between some of the supporting characters (there were many!), and the portrayal of Catholic faith as Christian faith (including praying the rosary) did not sit well with me as those beliefs are not one and the same.

One thing that I was extremely excited to see, were all the connections to the author's previous books. I loved that aspect! Be sure to read the author's note at the end (after reading the book, of course, as there are a numbers of spoilers!) as the story behind the creation of Yesterday's Tides was really neat. Here's one juicy tidbit: this book was first written as a contemporary romance!

Overall, as a historical romance novel, this was a slow-burn, intriguing story with a satisfying ending. 

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

When the Day Comes

 

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Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she's the same person at her core in both times, she's leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives - and any hope of love - are put in jeopardy.

Libby's life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about - women's suffrage - is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she's not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other - but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

Review

Brilliant. Amazing. My brain is tripping over how to express how much I adored this book! From the strikingly unique premise, to the cliff-hanging conflicted, and strong message of resting in God's sovereignty, When the Day Comes has sky-rocketed itself to my favourite read of 2022 (and my top-ten list of all time). It's THAT good! With a story jam-packed with TWO thrilling adventures and more than a few surprises, this is far from your typical historical romance. The two timelines the author chose encapsulated countries on the cusp of war, cultivating a tense plot that made this book so hard to put down. I was growing rather unsatisfied with only being able to read snatches of the story at a time in my busy schedule, so I made a date with this book and parked myself in the patio chair one night, determined to not put it down until I finished the last page! Of course, finishing this incredible story brought rather turbulent emotions and my only consolation to my sadness was knowing this is the birth of a new series. I cannot wait to continue this time-travel journey! 

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

Paint and Nectar

 

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In 1929, a spark forms between Eliza, a talented watercolorist, and William, a charming young man with a secret that could ruin her career. Their families forbid their romance because of a long-standing feud over missing heirloom silver. Still, Eliza and William's passion grows despite the barriers, causing William to deeply regret the secret he's keeping...but setting things right will come at a cost.

In present-day Charleston, a mysterious benefactor gifts Lucy Legare an old house, along with all the secrets it holds - including enigmatic letters about an antique silver heirloom. Declan Pinckney, whom Lucy's been avoiding since their disastrous first date, is set on buying her house for his family's development company. As Lucy uncovers secrets about the house, its garden, and the silver, she becomes more determined than ever to preserve the historic Charleston property, not only for history's sake but also for her own.

Review

Paint and Nectar is a beautifully written time-slip novel with several stories artfully woven together. I loved the little mysteries, the peeling back of layers of timelines and secrets to the answers within. It reminded me a little of the Nancy Drew mysteries whereby the heroine discovers the truth one little clue at a time, creating many delightful "Aha!" moments. I didn't realize at first that Paint and Nectar was book two in the "Heirloom Secrets" series, but not having read the first novel, The Dress Shop on King Street, didn't detract from my full enjoyment of this story. Ashley Clark has crafted a wonderful historical romance with strong themes of faith and restoration that has easily become one of my favourite reads of 2021. 

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