By The Book

Amanda Cox is a must-read author for me. I’ve had Between The Sound And Sea on my NetGalley shelf way too long and was glad that my book club chose it for our November selection. Amanda won the Christy Award for general fiction for this book last week — it is so well-deserved! I loved this book for many reasons. Find out why and all the details about the book below.

Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn’t mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration.  
 
As the work begins, “Joey” discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls–pages torn from a lighthouse keeper’s log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there’s never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.
 
When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story–one that’s not over yet.
 
Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.

Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda Cox spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.

A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 18 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.) You can stay connected with her latest writing updates at http://www.amandacoxwrites.com. You can find her on social media by searching Amanda Cox Writes.

My Impressions:

Between The Sound And Sea by Amanda Cox is a story of regrets and making things right. All of the characters are attempting to do this in a variety of ways, even secondary characters live with regret and the desire to work to fix the past and secure the future. As they all come together to restore a lighthouse and somehow make a broken time whole again, they learn a lot about forgiveness and grace. The setting is the Outer Banks, a place Cox brought to life in her depictions of the isolated islands, the waves of the Atlantic, and the smooth waters of the sound. I felt like I could breathe the salty air and feel the gentle breeze on my face and the sand between my toes. The story revolves around a decommissioned lighthouse that was the site of a tragedy during WWII. (By the way, I learned a lot about how close the war came to American shores.) A lightkeeper and his daughter are lost at sea and legends, rumors, and ghost stories were born. The 3 main characters pursue the mystery as they seek to bring the lighthouse back to its glory. The book takes the reader along a twisting journey that not only solves the mystery, but answers the life questions the characters struggle with. The novel is Christian fiction, yet the faith message is subtle. Yes, God is a big part of the restoration process, but Cox develops that thread naturally without any preachiness.

While my review may be rambling, Between The Sound And Sea is not! It is a well-crafted novel that you will love!

Highly Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: Adults.

(I received a copy of the ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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