It's Release Day For Yesterday's Tides by Roseanna M. White // Book Review & All The Fun Things

 

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 man 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 the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, but he doesn’t count on falling in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper’s daughter. When war breaks out in Europe, and their relationship is put in jeopardy, will their love survive?

As Evie and Sterling work to track down an elusive German agent, they unravel mysteries that go back a generation. The ripples from the Great War are still rocking their lives, and it seems yesterday’s tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

Bestselling and award-winning author Roseanna M. White whisks you away to two periods fraught with peril in this sweeping and romantic dual-time tale.

 

 My Review

Where do I start this review?

Do I start with the fact that I don't normally do time-slips but I have to read a new Roseanna M. White book set in BOTH world wars? How about the fact that I was going to give this four stars until about the 80% mark of the book? Or maybe I should talk about how heart-rending this book was to read. Because all of those things are flying through my mind.

This is an unusual time-slip because the two time periods are so close together and the people from the earlier time are still around. Most time-slips that I've read, (granted, I haven't read many), are decades, if not centuries, apart. So that was something that I thought was really cool. I love Roseanna's work and reading about these time periods, so I was totally going to give this one a chance.

I was trying to guess the people and connections from Evie's time back to the Great War and I did well with some and totally struck out with others. It was a fun little mystery, my own way of playing along with Sterling, I guess. While this is not a mystery book in that our characters are trying to solve a mystery, it rather is like one for the reader as pieces are revealed. Because of that, much of this book was really, really sad. There were several plot twists that I did not see coming - some that were good and some that were not so good. Like I said, until close to the end, I was so sad that I just didn't know how I could give this five stars. I mean, it's amazingly well written, but I don't love sad books. However, some things managed to change my mind.

I really enjoyed the portrayal of ASL in this book. I thought it was a neat element and added a sweetness to the story. I also really like how White portrays prayer. The first time she introduced her unique ideas of praying was in "The Number of Love" but it continues here with the coded messages and the sea glass. I just think it a cool perspective and I appreciate how she is including it in her books.

What I can't believe is that I didn't make the connection of WWI in England means CAMEOS!!!! A few were just a name mentioned, but several people from Shadows Over England and The Codebreakers are actual characters and we even see an event from The Number of Love from a new perspective in this book. I just can't recall this character being in that book and I'm wondering if I just missed them? And apparently there are cameos from her Culper Ring series (which I'm going to have to figure out a way to read) and The Lost Isles. I just love how she tied this stand-alone book into all her other books.

Roseanna does an incredible job weaving this story together. The ties are astounding - I almost need a chart to make sense of it all - and the redemption... all I can say is WOW! And I absolutely LOVED the parts with the little kids. They were so cute and the little girl's perception was precious. If only it had changed things.

This is a book of choices. Of intense love. Of family - born and found. This is a book that shows how decisions and actions have a ripple effect and how God can work good out of horrible, horrible things. This is a book that felt a lot different from the other books I've read by White but was somehow still totally her. I ended up loving it, I will read it again, and I will definitely be getting a physical copy to own. Roseanna M. White has done it again!

I received a copy of this book from the author and Netgalley as a part of the launch team. This does not affect my review and all of this is my own opinion. A favorable review was not required.  

 

Are you intrigued yet? Want to get your own copy of the book? Well, you will want to check out the Release Day post! There's all kinds of fun stuff going on over there today.

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book | Roseanna’s Shop (signed)

For a full list of retailers visit Bethany House Publishers

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

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