Whose Waves These Are

In the wake of WWII, a grieving fisherman submits a poem to a local newspaper: a rallying cry for hope, purpose . . . and rocks. Its message? Send me a rock for the person you lost, and I will build something life-giving. When the poem spreads farther than he ever intended, Robert Bliss's humble words change the tide of a nation. Boxes of rocks inundate the harbor village on the coast of Maine, and he sets his callused hands to work.

Decades later, Annie Bliss is summoned back to Ansel-by-the-Sea when GrandBob, the man who gave her refuge during the hardest summer of her youth, is the one in need of help. But what greets her is a mystery: a wall of heavy boxes hiding in his home. Memories of stone ruins on a nearby island ignite a fire in her anthropologist soul to uncover answers.

Together with the handsome and enigmatic town postman, Annie uncovers the story layer by layer, yearning to resurrect the hope GrandBob once held so dear and to know the truth behind the chasm in her family's past. But mending what has been broken for so long may require more of her and those she loves than they are prepared to give.

I really enjoyed this debut novel from Amanda Dykes. I liked the mixed of past and present time line, a WWII story that wasn't all about spies and that there was bit of romance, but it wasn't too much. Her characters were interesting and complex. The each slowly reveal layer after layer of themselves and seem true and genuine. And I loved the little town of Ansel-by-the-Sea. Its small town and maritime charm resonated with this PEI resident. This was a story of hope, healing and restoration, and I really enjoyed it.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

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