The Ebb Tide: A Book Review

It was summer of 1997.  From my beach chair on the shores of Destin, Florida, I read my very first Beverly Lewis novel, The Shunning.  Twelve-year-old me was physically present as the sun beat down and the waves crashed near my feet, but my mind was in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Amish country.

Author Beverly Lewis recently posted a Throwback Thursday tribute to the 20th anniversary of The Shunning.  Click the cover below the see what she had to say.

Twenty years later, and Lewis is still producing exciting and inspirational Christian fiction with Amish ties.  Her latest novel is The Ebb Tide, and its ocean side setting makes it the perfect inspirational summer read.

Oh, to see the ocean, Sallie thought.  And to spend the summer as a nanny.  She shook her head in amazement.  This seemed too good to be true, but she really must talk it over with Dat and Mamm, especially since she'd be gone so long.  And after I promised Mamm I'd take baptism classes this summer... 

Nineteen-year-old Sallie Riehl has big dreams of travelling at least once before joining the church and settling down.  She has been working and saving up for a big trip to Australia, but when she learns of her nephew's heart condition, she believes God had other plans for her Australia money.  Setting her dreams aside, she settles for a calm summer at home.  Unexpectedly, a well-to-do family offers her a nanny job at their summer home in Cape May, New Jersey.  While it might not be Australia, Sallie's summer in Cape May turns out to be an unforgettable and life-changing experience.

Sallie meets a young marine biology intern (who happens to be a Mennonite) whose family left the Amish church.  They strike up a friendship that leaves her questioning her future and her Amish lifestyle.  As a dutiful daughter and a devout Amishwoman, Sallie does whatever she can to remain faithful to her family and her faith.  She wonders if she can find a way to both honor God and follow her heart...

Kevin nodded toward the ocean.  "Only three more hours until ebb tide." 

"When the sea level falls," she said softly.

"Yes, and the foreshore or intertidal zone is revealed," Kevin said, turning back toward her.  "I love seeing what the high tide leaves behind...There's so much life below the surface; we should appreciate the chances we get to see it."

"Amazing how the sea always turns itself round again while we just sit idly by and wait."  She shrugged.

"I've learned some interesting spiritual lessons from marine biology."  He began to reference the many types of marine life he was studying.  "I enjoy seeing the patterns in their life cycles and behavior.  Things are predictable in nature, of course.  Other creatures seem to display a contentment and patience that people just don't have.  We tend to bombard heaven with questions, impatient for answers."  He paused, shaking his head.  "Well, more accurately...I do."

Sallie nodded, touched by his candor and sincerity.  No man she'd ever met spoke with such an open heart.

"I really believe that God is there in the midst of our questions, but being patient remains a constant challenge.  There are times when life is a waiting game...like waiting for a falling or rising tide."

"We tend to forget that the tide turns four times a day," Sallie said.  "Sometimes we're afraid it won't." 

Kevin nodded, grinning as though impressed with her knowledge.  "Faith is the substance of things hoped for."

"Words to lean on," she murmured, thinking of what Dat had always said of the Good Book.

My Thoughts
 I have never been disappointed with a Beverly Lewis novel, so I knew this one would be no different.  However, I feel that this one is a step above the rest.  She captures the summer atmosphere, allowing the reader to feel the sea spray and imagine the pounding heart of the main character as she walks on the beach with a handsome, and somewhat forbidden, man.

It is romance with depth; their relationship builds through their shared love of seeing the world and through their love of the Lord.  Sallie is not defiant in her desire to travel; She looks for a way to reconcile her love for her family and her own dreams.

They say, "Never judge a book by its cover," but this is a beautiful one.  A young Amishwoman walks along the beach as the tide rolls in, her shadow on the sand.  The colors reflect the sand and sea.  If that's the kind of thing that matters to you (like it does to me), you'll appreciate the beautiful cover.

One of the very best thing about this novel is that it is appropriate for younger readers.  I read The Shunning at 12, and I think that age would be a good place to start for this type of Christian fiction.

Click the cover below to order your copy!