Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. My reviews can be read on my GoodReads account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1335387-kelly

Books about summer, settings that include a body of water , an author you know will not disappoint – all reasons that I chose to add this to my summer reading list. Not surprised at all that it checked off each box and earned it’s spot. I enjoyed the storyline of the three sisters who all hold juicy secrets that come bubbling to the surface and discovering how they would resolve the issues at hand.

Summer by The Tides will tug at your heartstrings from the moment the three sisters arrive at their grandmother’s Seahaven cottage to find her missing. Those dynamics continue until the end when generational family secrets are exposed. Each sister has her own problems hiding behind closed doors, but it doesn’t take long for them to come barreling out. The angst between two of the sisters is one I have not yet read in a book, so it was interesting to see how the riff was tackled. “Drawing a line in the sand” brought about many meanings in different chapters. Coastal, boating and ocean themes were brilliantly sprinkled throughout. My coastal loving heart couldn’t have been more smitten with every line I read with a metaphor in it.

And then there is Grams – oh Grams. She doesn’t come on the scene until the last few chapters, but boy does she make a statement. She is in her eighties, spunky and says just what she is thinking. One of her lines is “But things aren’t always as they seem.” and that one line sums up the book!

Love is too big a risk or is it? That is the question that is pondered throughout. Before I even opened the book to read it, I knew it would be a winner. Denise Hunter always has a way of pulling me into her stories. Summer by The Tides is no different.

Grab Summer By The Tides and toss it in your beach or pool bag. It has a great story and touches on family dynamics and everything that comes along with it. Enjoy this coastal read!

NOTE: I received an e-copy of this book for review via NetGalley and Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Maddy had been convinced of several truths in her life. This summer, they would be put to the test. And the truth would indeed set her free.

True to Denise Hunter's signature style, Summer by the Tides takes Maddy on a journey of self-discovery as she and her sisters join together to find out where their Gram had gone. Each one seems to be hiding something...

The source of the drama between the sisters was alluded to in bits and pieces via flashbacks sprinkled throughout the story. While I quickly figured out part of the problem, a big revelation came near the end which surprised me, one that threw quite a wrench into the works and caused the sisters to realize the lies they had believed for so long.

"The truth will set you free" could be considered the theme of the book as the women discover their secrets have only served to imprison them.

I loved Maddy and Conner together. As Maddy was torn between wanting to trust him and the pains of her past, which held her back from doing just that, the tension was just right. I particularly enjoyed the scene when they were sitting outside, drawing lines in the sand with their toes. His strategy to the game of tic-tac-toe she started was incredibly sweet!

Lovers of both Christian Romance and women's fiction will enjoy this poignant story.

Summer by the Tides is the perfect novel to read on a lazy weekend afternoon. It’s fun and engaging, the characters are seriously endearing, and the themes are timely. It’s just an all-around good novel!

Fear is such an ugly thing. It robs people of so much good — good Gods wants us to experience. Maddy, the heroine of Summer by the Tides, has a lot of fear. All of her fear is 100% reasonable, but it really holds her back from true love and loyal relationships. As I was reading, I couldn’t help but ask myself why do we allow fear to stay in our hearts? I know logically that the enemy uses my fears to get me off track and to mess up my walk with God. But I also know that God tells me through His Word time and time again to “fear not.” Isaiah 43:1 is my go-to verse when I’m feeling really fearful in the moment: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine.” Isn’t this Truth so fantastic?! But even knowing this, sometimes fear still gets the best of me. There is a moment in the novel when Maddy ponders fear, secrets, and healing. She states, “Maybe it was painful when people unburdened their secrets. But transparency was necessary for honest relationships, for real intimacy.” Maddy’s point reminded me that to get rid of fear, I have to be 100% transparent with God first and foremost. When I go to God with my issues, my heart accepts and believes that I truly am God’s and the fear I may have been storing up in my heart diminishes. When I am right with God, the fear diminishes from my earthly relationships too. Trust is stronger, intimacy is better, and love is deeper. I enjoyed watching as Maddy realizes this fact, and I really appreciated the reminder for myself. Summer by the Tides is well worth the read for this reminder alone!

Summer by the Tides is a great story that I highly recommend. I enjoyed my time with the characters, and I’m quite sad this story is over for me. If you are looking for an entertaining, sweet romance that honestly deals with some of life’s issues, then this is definitely the book for you!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via NetGalley and Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Summer by the Tides was written by Denise Hunter, and is a modern-day fictional novel. The book follows the story of three estranged sisters, and how they cope when a potential tragedy is staring them in the face.
Summary: Maddy, Nora, and Emma barely speak any more. Too much pain from the past, combined with an unwillingness to forgive, has fractured the family into pieces.
But when each sister gets a call that their beloved Grandmother has gone missing, they are forced to join forces (albeit reluctantly), and come up with a search and rescue plan.
Can the sisters work through the pain of the past and the present? And what has happened to their Grandmother?
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. If you are looking for a perfect summer-time read, pick this one up-it’s worth it. It might not look like it from my summary, but this book is actually quite the romantic read as well, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story line as it wove through the sisters’ past, their present, and some new beginnings for each of them.
The book is well-written, the characters are interesting and believable, and the storyline is wonderful.
I highly recommend this book, and encourage you to pick it up. I don’t often say a book is buy-worthy, but this one definitely falls into that category.
I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Summer by the Tides was a wonderful story full of forgiveness, second chances, new beginnings, love, faith and family. I read this one in one day, taking every spare moment to see what was going to happen next. All three of the Monroe sisters end up at their grandmother's beach house at the same time. Her neighbour Connor, called them all when their grandmother had not been seen for three days and none of her friends knew where she might be. They all had different reasons for running to the beach house, but the family has always done a good job of keeping secrets from one another. What the reader knows is that Maddy lost her boyfriend, her promotion and her job all in one instant and came to the beach to lick her wounds. What we find out about her sisters and parents comes out over the story in a well-paced and interesting way.

I enjoyed the dynamics of this family, as dysfunctional as it was in the beginning. There had been a betrayal in the past and forgiveness had never been given. Maddy was the buffer between Emma and Nora and when she left them to their own devices, they began to heal, slowly and painfully. Maddy is afraid to trust a man and when she and Connor begin to have feelings for one another, she tries to pull back, but it is so hard. As Connor quietly and unobtrusively speaks to her about her faith, love and trust of God, she begins to pray and gradually turns things over to him. Connor has his own baggage that he has to deal with as well. When their grandmother returns home, more secrets come to light as Maddy and her sisters discover that all was not as it seemed that last summer in Sea Haven. As well, they all have secrets in their present day lives that they finally share with each other. Can they forgive one another, as well as those who are no longer with them in order to move forward in the new lives that God has planned for them? This is not a story that solved all the problems quickly and easily, but one where everyone has to give a little, share a little, forgive a lot and remember to trust God. It all comes together well and the conclusion worked for me. I will definitely look for more books by Denise Hunter. I recommend this one to those who enjoy Christian Fiction, Second Chance Stories, Family Relationship stories and Sweet Romances.

I LOVE Denise Hunter!!!!! Let's get that out of the way. Once again she didn't disappoint except for the fact this is a stand alone so no following the other characters to other books.
A story line that flowed well. Check. Characters that captured you, had you invested, worrying, wondering, cheering and chastising. Check. A plot that held you to the end. Check. This book was so good it was really hard to put down.
The relationships of siblings was brilliantly handled. I loved the little glimpses of the past, it really helped to understand the present. I loved that reconciliation and forgiveness are not rushed but worked through and recognized as a process and journey.
You will love the characters of Maddy, Nora and Emma along with their grandmother as well as Connor and his sisters (even if they were mostly minor).

In Denise Hunter's Summer by the Tides, this heart-warming inspirational contemporary romance will have you believe in God and in second chances to fall in love. When Maddy Monroe receives a call from Connor Sullivan about her grandmother's strange disappearance, she returned to Seahaven to help look for her. She was also reunited with her two sisters, Nora and Emma, who had been estranged for many years. As they helped put her grandmother's house together, they look for clues about her grandmother and old hurtful memories resurface that summer. For Connor, he's a widower and a restaurant and marina owner, who has his eyes set only for Maddy, and also a handy man. During that summer, Maddy learns the truth about what happened that summer that split her family apart, and what's happening now with her sister Emma's pregnancy and Nora's strange behavior. During a hurricane, things come to ahead when her sister goes missing and Connor gets hurt in the process. For Maddy, she had been hurt and betrayed from a man she had thought she loved and lost the promotion she wanted. After the calm of the storm, things were alright with Maddy and her sisters when they were set for a fresh start for new beginnings.

Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter is the latest novel by a favorite author of mine.

This story of familial redemption is set in a quaint seaside town. When Maddy Monroe is betrayed by her boyfriend, loses her job, and then gets a call that her grandmother has gone missing, her life is upside-down. She rushes out to her grandmother’s home and is surprised to find her elder sisters there too. Despite their great differences and tension, the sisters decide to stay and search for their grandmother. Will they be able to reconcile their differences and become a family once again?

This was somewhat of a different sort of novel for Hunter, with more of a focus on family and reconciliation and forgiveness and less on romance, yet it was still a sweet and moving story. The themes of love and prejudice, forgiveness and family are strong and inspiring throughout the novel. I would recommend it.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for providing me with an electronic copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and were not required to be positive.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I’ve done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Secrets can harm family relationships and Hunter portrays that in this novel. Sisters maintain successful images, forsaking the deep sibling friendships possible. Parents and grandparents maintained secrets too, much to the harm of their children. We see forgiveness as essential to family harmony but so hard in being given.

The theme of forgiveness is the strong point in this novel. Flashbacks help us understand the deep seated tension between the sisters. I do wish the characters had been developed a bit more. I would have liked more conversation between the offended sisters, grappling with the huge elephant in the room in relation to their faith. Restoration comes through self sacrifice during a serious event rather than working through the hurtful issues.

There is a good romance between two hurt and flawed people. The obstacles to their relationship are mostly self inflicted. I did feel the storm was a bit convenient to the plot and there sure were lots of unfaithful men.

This is a good novel of strained family relationships and the necessity of forgiveness. The importance of Christian faith is present even though it could have been more essential to the plot.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review.

This was an enjoyable romance and a quick read. I didn't realize it was a Hallmark movie but I can imagine it completely. It was a quick read and made for a nice afternoon escape. The plot was a little thin but the characters were well-drawn, and I would read more books by this author.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An amazing novel! The characters are well-drawn and truly pull at your heart strings. I couldn't put the book down till I reached the final chapter. Highly recommended.

This was an enjoyable summer beach read by Denise Hunter. It has a little bit of everything - strained family relations, romance and a setting at the beach. This is an easy-going light beach read, perfect for summer. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is THE beachiest beach novel I've read! From the cover to the setting details to the summer storm, I can't think of a more perfect book to read while lounging poolside or in the sand.

There's just the right mix of romance and the slow revelation of family secrets. (It reminded me a lot of Catherine West's The Things We Knew.)

I thought the author did a good job at developing the heroine (and her sisters). Resistance to falling in love for fear of being hurt is an overused conflict in my opinion, but Denise Hunter really builds a solid back story that made that fear real and reasonable in Maddy's case.

Denise has penned a nearly perfect summer beach read in Summer By The Tides. A great blend of of romance and humor with a dash of mystery kept me intrigued by the book throughout. This story would make a GREAT Hallmark movie! A great summer read!

I received this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

4.5 stars

I am never disappointed with a book written by Denise Hunter. Seriously, how does she crank out winner after winner like she does?

Summer by the Tides brings three sisters, who are not that close to each other, together at the North Carolina coast. Through their time cleaning out their grandmother’s home, secrets are shared, truths revealed, and relationships healed.

I really enjoyed the sisters’ relationships in this one. All three of them are well-developed. You know from the get-go there’s tension and discord between them, but as more is revealed throughout the book, I found myself taking a side with one sister only to find some sympathy for the other as well.

And of course, there’s Connor. He and Maddy may have a rough start, but boy, oh boy, does he make up for it.

A perfect summer or beach read, Summer by the Tides will delight readers with it’s themes of family, faith, and forgiving the wrongs done you in the past.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

My heavens! What a jam packed wonderful book. There was romance, sunsets on the beach, an idyllic southern town and fabulous characters. In reading this, I became immediately invested in their lives. This book dealt with family secrets, love between mother’s and daughters, love between husbands and wives and that bond between sisters. This is my first book by Denise Hunter of which I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I like to judge books on whether they play like a movie in my mind. With that being said, I could move to Sea Haven, North Carolina tomorrow. Wouldn’t be too far to drive as I already live in NC. Perfect description of our coastal towns!

Denise Hunter’s Summer by the Tides draws you in like the ocean of Maddy’s (the protagonist) life and roll and crash just such as Maddy’s emotional journey of forgiveness and love. This book is well written and one that I was addicted to reading.

If you love Nicholas Sparks, you’ll love this story. With an underlying Christian mentality, Maddy meets Connor, the local marina owner at her grandmother’s hometown of Seahaven. Faced with a phone call from the mysterious Connor notifying her of her grandmother’s disappearance, she goes back to the place where her family was torn apart several years prior. With the help of her estranged sisters, Emma and Nora, they band together to find their grandmother and to finally fix up her home that was long overdue.

After their grandmother is found, Maddy begins to wonder who the handsome neighbour, Connor truly is. Maddy goes on an internal search that lets her guard down with the help of her family and Connor to discover her true strength but to also know that her vulnerability makes her human.

A love story that you cannot put down, Summer by the Tides was a breath of fresh air wanting me to read more of Hunter’s other stories. I’m now a superfan.

I love that this book was a stand-alone. I could pick it up and delve right in and know that I wouldn’t be missing anything from previous storylines. And there was just SO MUCH TO LOVE about this novel. The beach setting, the complicated relationship between the sisters, and the handsome neighbor with his own issues. The elements of faith were PERFECTION. Not preachy, but not lacking either. Denise Hunter is one of the few authors I trust with my precious reading time, and Summer by the Tides has taken the spot of her #1 book in my heart. The details in each scene were crafted masterfully, to where I felt like I was watching a movie. This was the perfect book to escape into.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Summer By the Tides! Denise Hunter has been a favorite author for a long time and her books always satisfy this reader!