The Ebb Tide by Bevely Lewis

BOOK DESCRIPTION:::

When a well-to-do family asks Sallie Riehl to be their daughter's nanny for the summer at their Cape May, New Jersey, vacation home, she jumps at the chance to broaden her horizons beyond the Lancaster County Amish community where she grew up. Sallie has long dreamed of seeing more of the world, but her parents are reluctant for her to put off baptism yet another summer, and the timing is unfortunate for Perry Zook, who has renewed interest in courting her.

Though she loves nannying, Sallie has free time on the weekends to enjoy the shore. It is there that she meets Kevin Kreider, a marine biology student who talks freely about all he's learning and asks about her interests, unlike most of the guys she grew up with. Time with Kevin is invigorating, and Sallie realizes she's never felt quite this alive around Perry. Then again, Kevin is Mennonite, not Amish.

Sallie tries to brush aside her growing feelings for Kevin, but she fears what her parents would think about her new friendship. Just as concerning, however, is Sallie's realization that her time in Cape May is increasing her desire to see the world, challenging her plans for the future. Has she been too hasty with her promises, or will Sallie only find what her heart is longing for back home in Paradise Township?

MY THOUGHTS:::

I love any books that take place near the ocean. I was looking for a good read that I could get lost into and The Ebb Tide by Beverly Lewis did not disappoint. This was a wonderful story about the ebb and flows of life and the decisions that we make, no matter how hard those decisions are.

I highly enjoyed following Sallie Riehl's life and her thought processes as she had to figure out what God's path was for her life, even if that meant that it went against what her family's wishes were for her life. I also enjoyed following along as her friendship with Kevin goes from being a friendship to something more.

I believe that this is a story we can all relate to, as we all have encountered times in our life where our heart is telling us one thing, our head is telling us another, and our communities may be telling us something completely different. There are times of great confusion, followed by great peace. Life is like the tide; it comes and goes sometimes with great intensity and sometimes with lesser.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more of Beverly Lewis' works.

DISCLAIMER:: I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers and the Bakers Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.