Denise Hunter's Surrender Bay ~ Reviewed

Surrender Bay-A Nantucket Romance
Denise Hunter
back: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 6, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595542574
ISBN-13: 978-1595542571

Back Cover:

When Sam's estranged step-father dies, she inherits his ocean-front cottage in Nantucket -- not because he kindly bequeathed it to her, but because he neglected to ever create a will. Sam returns to the island she left 11 years ago, with her daughter Caden, to fix up the house and sell it, but she isn't counting on the fact that Landon Reed still lives two doors down from her childhood home. As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Sam must face the fact that Landon still doesn't know why she really left the island. Will the secrets she's hidden all these years tear them apart? Or is Landon's love really as unconditional as he claims?

My Review:

Had I been given the opportunity to pass on Surrender Bay, I likely would have. I've not read Denise Hunter before, but the romance/love story angle wouldn't have appealed to me. Not that I'm against romance and love. But sometimes , well, I tend to like stories that are more than just escapism.

But Surrender Bay replaced another book that I had signed up for. So I read it.

And what I found surprised me. There is a complete lack of Christian lingo in Surrender Bay. Sam, the heroine isn't very heroic at all. As a matter of fact I wanted to throttle her a few times. Landon, as hunky as he came across, should've cut his losses a dozen or so years earlier and moved on. In my book, anyway.

What Denise Hunter has done is paint a picture of screwed up people, their consequences, victimization and slimy pits and she has added undeserved love also known as grace. This is a story of grace and all it overlooks.

Who should pick up this novel? Romance lovers, yeah. Looking for a well plotted tense love story? Sure. Wanting to discover a story published in the CBA that lays life out in all its messiness? Seeking edgy Christian Fiction that includes alcohol abuse, drunkeness and sexual situations? Need a story that shares a portion of God's good heart with just a hint that it's all about God? Then you need to check further into this story.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer
http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com/