Another heartfelt addition to this cozy small-town series... Turning Tide by Melody Carlson (Review & #Giveaway) @Celebrate_Lit



Welcome to my tour stop! Check out my review and enter the tour giveaway below...

Turning Tide
(The Legacy of Sunset Cove #4)
By Melody Carlson

Christian Historical Fiction
Paperback & ebook, 348 Pages
February 15th 2020 by WhiteFire Publishing

Summary

As the Great War rages on, Sunset Cove continues to feel its impact. Running the small town newspaper, Anna McDowell can’t escape the grim reports from the other side of the world, but home-front challenges abound as well. Dr. Daniel is serving the wounded on the front lines. And Katy, expecting her first child, with her husband in the trenches, tries to support the war effort with her Red Cross club. Even as the war winds down the costs are high—and Sunset Cove is not spared.

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My Review

TURNING TIDE is a story set in this cozy small town while the Great War is waging and the people back home are dealing with trying to survive everyday life, many of them without their loved ones who are fighting in the war. Most of it shows the factual lives of these characters with a few climatic moments, interesting tidbits of historical facts, and some heartbreaking realities. There are also plenty of poignant moments of wisdom and faith. Definitely recommended to fans of the series, Christian historical fiction, and women's fiction readers.

I've come to love these characters as I've read this series. This book takes readers back to Anna and her daughter, Katy, being mostly on their own again with Katy's husband fighting and Anna's fiance serving as a doctor oversees. Of course they have their close woman friends and family, Katy has her dress shop to run and a baby to prepare for, and Anna has the newspaper to run. I honestly was bored the first half of the story. It was mostly mundane conversations and everyday life information. However, a little after half-way through things change and I felt more connected to the story as I read these characters' struggles. It was poignant, heartbreaking in places, and sweet. It also made me think about the law that I'd forgotten about that made it illegal to talk against the war. Then there was the similarities between the Spanish Flu and what is going on now with the COVID-19 virus. Just a timely release for what is going on in the world today.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Overall, I enjoyed reading this and felt it was definitely worth picking up. Endearing characters who face regular challenges as well as some very difficult ones as the country fights in WWI were inspiring. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Other Books in the Series

Linked to my reviews and an Amazon affiliate link.

About the Author

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, True Colors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.


More from Melody

Writing about the WW1 era has definitely been a good history lesson for me. Prohibition laws in Oregon (and rum-runners breaking them) combined with a massive war that changed the world and a global epidemic is worth paying attention to. Especially since history sometimes repeats itself. The early 20th century had a lot going on—much that seems nearly forgotten. I’m glad to see the movie 1917 is doing well—and we plan to see it this week. Although I’m not a fan of gruesome war movies, this era continues to intrigue me. Even as I wrapped up my Sunset Cove series with Turning Tide I was left wondering . . . what’s next? But isn’t that the beauty of story?

Tour Schedule

The Avid Reader, March 16
By The Book, March 19
Wishful Endings, March 19
Betti Mace, March 21
Remembrancy, March 21
Mary Hake, March 22
Artistic Nobody, March 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Older & Smarter?, March 26
SPLASHES of Joy, March 28
Vicky Sluiter, March 28
Pause for Tales, March 29

Tour-Wide Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Melody is giving away the grand prize package of a complete set of The Legacy of Sunset Cove series!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.


Have you read any of the books in this series? Will you be adding it to your tbr?

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