I've been a fan of Beverly Lewis for years, but haven't read many of her books recently. The Ebb Tide was a refreshing, full of light read for me. Her descriptions of the ocean, and the guest house in which Sallie Riehl stayed, made me wish I was in such a place.
The Ebb Tide explored an unusual side of the typical Amish fiction romance, and that was of an Amish person having questions about their faith, and about remaining in the Amish community for the rest of their life. Mrs. Lewis handled it very well, as if she had interviewed several people who had either left the Plain people, or had struggles about making the permanent commitment.
The relationship between an Amish young woman and a Mennonite young man was interesting, and tastefully done. I liked the devotion both had to God, and that Kevin was a strong male figure who kept the bible and God prominent in his thoughts and actions.
Sallie's first step out was to be a nanny for a sweet little girl named August, whose mother had just had Conner, her baby brother. There was a subplot in the book about Sallie trying to help Autumn adjust to her new role as big sister, not as only child anymore. I thought the way Sallie had insight into the situation was very good, and also that she consulted her Mamm about how to help Autumn get closer to her little brother.
All in all, this was a great book, and I enjoyed picking it up each time, and kind of escaping into this wonderful world of the ocean, happiness, and new, fun discoveries.
Thanks for writing this book, Beverly Lewis.
Romans 10:8-13; John 3:16-21
The Ebb Tide explored an unusual side of the typical Amish fiction romance, and that was of an Amish person having questions about their faith, and about remaining in the Amish community for the rest of their life. Mrs. Lewis handled it very well, as if she had interviewed several people who had either left the Plain people, or had struggles about making the permanent commitment.
The relationship between an Amish young woman and a Mennonite young man was interesting, and tastefully done. I liked the devotion both had to God, and that Kevin was a strong male figure who kept the bible and God prominent in his thoughts and actions.
Sallie's first step out was to be a nanny for a sweet little girl named August, whose mother had just had Conner, her baby brother. There was a subplot in the book about Sallie trying to help Autumn adjust to her new role as big sister, not as only child anymore. I thought the way Sallie had insight into the situation was very good, and also that she consulted her Mamm about how to help Autumn get closer to her little brother.
All in all, this was a great book, and I enjoyed picking it up each time, and kind of escaping into this wonderful world of the ocean, happiness, and new, fun discoveries.
Thanks for writing this book, Beverly Lewis.
Romans 10:8-13; John 3:16-21
Beverly Lewis is a classic writer! Her books always give me spiritual and scriptural inspiration. I truly enjoy reading them.
Twenty year old Sallie Riehl is at that point in her life where she must choose to make a lifetime commitment to the Amish church by joining and being baptized. She even has a beau courting her, Perry, whom she has no attraction to. Sallie is invited by a wealthy family to spend the summer as their nanny at the beach in New Jersey. Her parents agree to let her go but with great reservations. Her strong desire to travel and see the world is a constant conflict with the Amish beliefs. Reasoning that this trip will get it out of her system she more than happily agrees to go.
What fun it was to experience the trip, the ocean and the beach through her eyes! Such a fresh view of so much we take for granted. As if all there was to see and do are not enough she gets a taste of freedom she never before had. Her weekends are open to do as she pleases. On her grand adventure she meets Kevin. He is fun, interesting, shares her dreams to travel and she finds herself having strong feelings toward him.
Upon her return home the trip has not only failed to extinguish her passion for travel, but Sallie finds herself desiring it even more. Her eyes being opened she realizes she is not happy with her Amish life. She must now make the decision to disappoint her family and leave or stay forever living in discontent.
The book's title was so meaningful to the story. The way time and circumstances pulls us forward into the future and back into the past. The book presents a strong testimony of seeking God's will in the face of tough decisions; pleasing Him or others. An excellent book!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated are my own.
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Twenty year old Sallie Riehl is at that point in her life where she must choose to make a lifetime commitment to the Amish church by joining and being baptized. She even has a beau courting her, Perry, whom she has no attraction to. Sallie is invited by a wealthy family to spend the summer as their nanny at the beach in New Jersey. Her parents agree to let her go but with great reservations. Her strong desire to travel and see the world is a constant conflict with the Amish beliefs. Reasoning that this trip will get it out of her system she more than happily agrees to go.
What fun it was to experience the trip, the ocean and the beach through her eyes! Such a fresh view of so much we take for granted. As if all there was to see and do are not enough she gets a taste of freedom she never before had. Her weekends are open to do as she pleases. On her grand adventure she meets Kevin. He is fun, interesting, shares her dreams to travel and she finds herself having strong feelings toward him.
Upon her return home the trip has not only failed to extinguish her passion for travel, but Sallie finds herself desiring it even more. Her eyes being opened she realizes she is not happy with her Amish life. She must now make the decision to disappoint her family and leave or stay forever living in discontent.
The book's title was so meaningful to the story. The way time and circumstances pulls us forward into the future and back into the past. The book presents a strong testimony of seeking God's will in the face of tough decisions; pleasing Him or others. An excellent book!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated are my own.
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Good story, a little different than most of Beverly Lewis's stories. Most of this book takes place away from Sallie's Lancaster County Amish community and visits Cape May, New Jersey instead. I did find the beginning of the book a little slow, but once she arrived in Cape May, it picked up quite nicely.
Sallie is an unusual Amish woman. From a very young age, she was interested in the wider world around her, not just her community. She was an avid reader, especially of books about faraway places, and she dreamed of having a chance to travel. Much to her parents' displeasure, she saved enough money to take her dream trip to Australia. She was just weeks from leaving when she gave up that trip to help someone else. But as the saying goes, "When God closes a door, sometimes he opens a window." One of the customers at the restaurant where she worked asked Sallie if she would be willing to be their daughter's nanny at the Jersey shore that summer. Naturally, she jumped at the chance.
There were several things that could have worked against her. First, her parents, especially her mother, were not very happy that she would have to put off her baptism into the church for another year. Also, her older sister was getting married, and Sallie's help was needed with the preparations. Others were worried that spending that much time around "Englischers" would tempt Sallie away from her faith. Then there's the disappointment of the young Amish man who wants to court her. Any one of those things could have put an end to her dream, but Sallie was a determined young woman and found a way to make it happen. I especially loved the part her father played in making her trip happen.
There was a lot going on during this summer at the beach. Sallie was there to watch over nine-year-old Autumn while Autumn's mother was recuperating from a difficult pregnancy and dealing with a fussy newborn. Autumn is a pistol of a kid, warm-hearted and friendly, and full of energy. I loved seeing how much fun she had showing Sallie around Cape May. She's not a perfect child, however, and had her moments of grumpiness. She also exhibited some jealousy of her baby brother, with frequent complaints about his crying and how much of their mother's time he takes. I loved Sallie's efforts to bring the two children closer together. I ached for Autumn and her unhappiness and worried that she would remain that way. It took a terrifying experience for Autumn to gain a different perspective on her relationship with her baby brother.
The time away from Lancaster brought some changes to Sallie's outlook. She began to look at her life and her faith and question some of the things she felt. There was guilt over her relief at avoiding joining church for another year. She felt the weight of her parents' expectations and wondered at her own reluctance. Her correspondence with Perry started well but became more of a chore the longer she was away. Even the longed-for visit by her sister Frannie had some tense moments as Frannie noted the changes in Sallie.
Early in the visit, Autumn and Sallie went on a boat tour, where they met marine biology intern Kevin Kreider. Kevin is friendly and knowledgeable and connected quickly with both Autumn and Sallie. Kevin is a Mennonite who also has Amish family that lives near Sallie's home. He and Sallie began spending a lot of time together. I loved their growing friendship and how they were able to talk together about so many different things. Sallie loved hearing about Kevin's travels and soaked up everything he would tell her. Kevin was very interested in learning about Sallie's life with the Amish, as his own family didn't talk about their old lives. Sallie knew that she and Kevin could only be friends, but she couldn't deny that there was more to it. It was pretty clear that Kevin had fallen hard for Sallie. I loved the sweet way he treated her, and his pleasure in making her happy. Their visit to Kevin's church was especially moving, and I loved the effect it had on Sallie. But when Sallie realized her feelings for Kevin had changed, she pulled back. I ached for both of them as she returned home at the end of the summer.
Her time in New Jersey had changed Sallie deeply though, and she spent a lot of time contemplating her future. She also missed Kevin desperately, even as she tried to renew her relationship with Perry. I ached for her as she wrestled with the decisions she had to make. I loved the unexpected visit from Kevin and the renewal of their friendship. It warmed my heart to see how he interacted with her family and their reactions to him. I especially liked that Sallie took her time and thought long and hard about what she wanted for her life. The support and encouragement of her family were unexpected and wonderful to see. I loved how everything worked out. The epilogue was fantastic.
Sallie is an unusual Amish woman. From a very young age, she was interested in the wider world around her, not just her community. She was an avid reader, especially of books about faraway places, and she dreamed of having a chance to travel. Much to her parents' displeasure, she saved enough money to take her dream trip to Australia. She was just weeks from leaving when she gave up that trip to help someone else. But as the saying goes, "When God closes a door, sometimes he opens a window." One of the customers at the restaurant where she worked asked Sallie if she would be willing to be their daughter's nanny at the Jersey shore that summer. Naturally, she jumped at the chance.
There were several things that could have worked against her. First, her parents, especially her mother, were not very happy that she would have to put off her baptism into the church for another year. Also, her older sister was getting married, and Sallie's help was needed with the preparations. Others were worried that spending that much time around "Englischers" would tempt Sallie away from her faith. Then there's the disappointment of the young Amish man who wants to court her. Any one of those things could have put an end to her dream, but Sallie was a determined young woman and found a way to make it happen. I especially loved the part her father played in making her trip happen.
There was a lot going on during this summer at the beach. Sallie was there to watch over nine-year-old Autumn while Autumn's mother was recuperating from a difficult pregnancy and dealing with a fussy newborn. Autumn is a pistol of a kid, warm-hearted and friendly, and full of energy. I loved seeing how much fun she had showing Sallie around Cape May. She's not a perfect child, however, and had her moments of grumpiness. She also exhibited some jealousy of her baby brother, with frequent complaints about his crying and how much of their mother's time he takes. I loved Sallie's efforts to bring the two children closer together. I ached for Autumn and her unhappiness and worried that she would remain that way. It took a terrifying experience for Autumn to gain a different perspective on her relationship with her baby brother.
The time away from Lancaster brought some changes to Sallie's outlook. She began to look at her life and her faith and question some of the things she felt. There was guilt over her relief at avoiding joining church for another year. She felt the weight of her parents' expectations and wondered at her own reluctance. Her correspondence with Perry started well but became more of a chore the longer she was away. Even the longed-for visit by her sister Frannie had some tense moments as Frannie noted the changes in Sallie.
Early in the visit, Autumn and Sallie went on a boat tour, where they met marine biology intern Kevin Kreider. Kevin is friendly and knowledgeable and connected quickly with both Autumn and Sallie. Kevin is a Mennonite who also has Amish family that lives near Sallie's home. He and Sallie began spending a lot of time together. I loved their growing friendship and how they were able to talk together about so many different things. Sallie loved hearing about Kevin's travels and soaked up everything he would tell her. Kevin was very interested in learning about Sallie's life with the Amish, as his own family didn't talk about their old lives. Sallie knew that she and Kevin could only be friends, but she couldn't deny that there was more to it. It was pretty clear that Kevin had fallen hard for Sallie. I loved the sweet way he treated her, and his pleasure in making her happy. Their visit to Kevin's church was especially moving, and I loved the effect it had on Sallie. But when Sallie realized her feelings for Kevin had changed, she pulled back. I ached for both of them as she returned home at the end of the summer.
Her time in New Jersey had changed Sallie deeply though, and she spent a lot of time contemplating her future. She also missed Kevin desperately, even as she tried to renew her relationship with Perry. I ached for her as she wrestled with the decisions she had to make. I loved the unexpected visit from Kevin and the renewal of their friendship. It warmed my heart to see how he interacted with her family and their reactions to him. I especially liked that Sallie took her time and thought long and hard about what she wanted for her life. The support and encouragement of her family were unexpected and wonderful to see. I loved how everything worked out. The epilogue was fantastic.
The Ebb Tide is a new Amish novel by author Beverly Lewis. Sallie Riehl is just shy of twenty years old and lives with her family in Paradise Township, Pennsylvania. Sallie has yet to join the Old Order Amish community, because she has dreamed of traveling for years. Her goal is a trip to Australia, and she has finally saved up enough money. Sallie purchases her trip and announces to her family that she will be leaving in two weeks. The Riehl family receives news that Aaron, Sallie's four years old newphew, has a heart murmurer. He needs tests and possibly surgery. Vernon, Aaron's father and Sallie's brother, is worried about the costs. Sallie knows what she most due and cancels her trip. The money is put towards Aaron's tests. But when God closes a door, he opens a window. Sallie is asked to be a nanny for the summer for young Autumn Logan in Cape May, New Jersey. This will be Sallie's chance to travel. It would mean, though, putting off her baptism instruction classes for another year (much to her mother's dismay). Sallie's parents agree, and she is quickly off to the seashore. Sallie takes Autumn to visit the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center and meets intern, Kevin Kreider. Kevin is studying to be a marine biologist and is a Mennonite. Kevin and Sallie start spending time together. Sallie knows she can only be friends with Kevin, but she greatly enjoys his company. At the end of the summer, Sallie returns home. But she is not content upon her return. Sallie needs to reflect and decide what she wants for her future.
The Ebb Tide is a well-written and engaging novel. I liked the characters and the setting. Cape May sounds just beautiful. I felt that the book had a good flow and was well-paced. The religious aspect of the novel is not as light as in other Amish novels, but it is not dominant or overwhelming. We are shown how prayer, love, faith and reflection can help (benefit) a person's life and those around them. I appreciated that the author included an epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. I give The Ebb Tide 4 out of 5 stars. I found The Ebb Tide to be a lovely novel. It is a nice break from what is going on in the world. I did feel that it was a little too long, but, otherwise, I liked it. I look forward to reading the next Beverly Lewis novel when it releases.
The Ebb Tide is a well-written and engaging novel. I liked the characters and the setting. Cape May sounds just beautiful. I felt that the book had a good flow and was well-paced. The religious aspect of the novel is not as light as in other Amish novels, but it is not dominant or overwhelming. We are shown how prayer, love, faith and reflection can help (benefit) a person's life and those around them. I appreciated that the author included an epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. I give The Ebb Tide 4 out of 5 stars. I found The Ebb Tide to be a lovely novel. It is a nice break from what is going on in the world. I did feel that it was a little too long, but, otherwise, I liked it. I look forward to reading the next Beverly Lewis novel when it releases.
