Beyond the Tides

 Title: Beyond the Tides

Series: Prince Edward Island Shores #1

Author: Liz Johnson

Publisher: Revell

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance

My Review:

Liz Johnson is a new-to-me author. The cover of Beyond the Tides is peaceful and enchanting, drawing you into Prince Edward Island. 

Meg is a brilliant physics teacher who loves her students. But when her dad decides to sell his business, Meg quits to try and get the business. Her motives are less than ideal and she's never had the desire before. However, she also can't imagine it with someone outside the family. I struggled to like Meg. I found her immature and hard to relate to. I enjoyed the scenes with her mom toward the end, to see a sweeter side of Meg, but felt her character needed greater growth.

Oliver is somewhat of a black sheep. His father left town with a scandal and his family has suffered the consequences. He loves working on Meg's father's boat and jumps at the chance to own the license. He does not foresee the obstacles in his way. I admired the way Oliver worked hard and chased his dreams. But, I had a bit of a hard time connecting to him as well.

This story is about broken dreams, life not turning out the way you expected, dealing with too many changes at one time, forgiveness, redemption, grief, leaving a legacy, and grace.  The side characters are pretty incredible and I enjoyed their addition to the story. 

Not everything is wrapped up in a nice neat bow, but the main story is resolved and leaves room for the next book in the series. I recommend this story to fans of contemporary romance that enjoy stories that are true to life.

Thank you to Revell and the author for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. 

★★★/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

When Meg Whitaker's father decides to sell the family's lobster-fishing business to her high school nemesis, she sets out to prove she should inherit it instead. Though she's never had any interest in running the small fleet--or even getting on a boat due to her persistent seasickness--she can't stand to see Oliver Ross take over. Not when he ruined her dreams for a science scholarship and an Ivy League education ten years ago.

Oliver isn't proud of what he did back then. Angry and broken by his father walking out on his family, he lashed out at Meg--an innocent bystander. But owning a respected fishing fleet on Prince Edward Island is the opportunity of a lifetime, and he's not about to walk away just because Meg wants him to.

Meg's father has the perfect solution: Oliver and Meg must work the business together, and at the end of the season, he'll decide who gets it. Along the way, they may discover that their stories are more similar than they thought . . . and their dreams aren't what they expected.

Bestselling author Liz Johnson invites you back to Prince Edward Island for a brand-new series about family, forgiveness, and the kind of love that heals all wounds.