Inspired by a true story, Mehitable (Moira, Maria) Brown is the daughter of a fairly prominent conservative family in Massachusetts. The Salem Witch trials were a dozen or so years earlier and so are still fresh in everyone's memory. Moira wants to learn to swim, and wants to learn so badly that she and her sister sneak away to she can practice in the ocean, even though she knows her parents would be horrified by the thought of her breaking the unspoken rules of the colony, and opening herself up to a charge of witchcraft.

Her parents want her to marry the old but wealthy widower, John Hallett. Moira is less than enthused with that idea, especially after meeting Sam Bellamy, an orphaned sailor who saved her life. With her sister's help, she and Sam meet repeatedly and he teaches her to swim. Sam asks Moira's father for her hand in marriage but is, of course, denied. He vows to make his fortune and come back for her quickly. But he doesn't come. She is forced to marry Mr. Hallett.

Sam becomes a pirate, the infamous Sam Bellamy and does become rich. Moira's marriage disintegrates after she is accused of killing her newborn (Sam's child) and she is banished, to live on her own. In addition to being a compelling read, the book is an interesting commentary on social mores and the accepted 'justice' of the time and place. Read the book to find out if the two manage to reunite with one another.

Note: I received an advance audio galley of the book, courtesy of NetGalley.

I revived the audio version of this book via NetGalley, I liked both the story and the narrator.

Taking place in Massachusetts a few decades after the which trials of Salem, this book follows the life of a young women who finds herself if love with a will be pirate, while her parents are trying to arrange a marriage for her to someone else. A sweet closed door romance that talks about some of our darker history as a country.

Maria is the daughter of a gentleman. She is betrothed to an "honorable" ( older) man. Her whole life mapped out for her. She has always known this. She just wants to have an adventure first.

Sam Bellamy is a sailor. His contract is just about up when he finds a drowning Maria. He does his best to be courteous. He doesn't realize his planned destiny is about to change.

My Thoughts

At its core, I felt like this book was about freedom. The difference in the meaning of freedom based on gender, race, and status. Not everyone has the same opportunities for the same freedoms.

"No one can decide what freedom means for someone else."

Set in colonial New England, where women have few freedoms, especially not the freedom to love who they choose, Maria and Sam find each other.

A chaste love story. A brush of the hand and the blush of the cheek. First love between two people of very different social statuses. What spice is alluded to is very fade to black.

This book was heart-wrenching and made me glad to be born in the time period I was. Single women were more or less ostracized, and being a single unwed mother was a punishable offense. I longed to reach through the pages and give Maria a hug, letting her know this would not always be the female fate.

Maria's character strength was awe aspiring. She holds her head high through the worst life has to throw at her. She stays strong for those she loves even when her loved ones turn their backs to her to save face.

I wasn't a huge fan of Bellamy. I understand he was the MMC and the love interest, but his lack of understanding of what Maria faced when he left made him come across a callous. I wanted to shake him as he groaned about his own trouble, when he was having adventures and making friends, while she was cast out to fed for herself in a world that didn't take kindly to women.

The author isn't afraid to touch on hard truths of the time period. The plight of the native Americans and their treatment from the settlers. The way women were more property than people. The lack of ability in society to love the same sex. I greatly admired how she wove in plot with history.

About the Narrator
The Narrator did a good job here. I could feel everything in the story and all the emotions. The characters POVs were clear from the narration. The setting was portrayed so well. Each distinct POV made it interesting and I truly appreciate the narrator’s effort to bring each character and their opinions to life. The inner monologue of Maria,FMC was narrated so well.


Book Review
The story has everything action, adventure, love, sea adventures, strong FMC and Salem Witch trials.

I am deeply touched by the story and I felt so many emotions while reading it. This wasn’t my usual read but the book was so compelling and gripping. The writing is poetic and lyrical. This book has been narrated in dual perspectives and set during the golden age of pirates and aftermath of the Salem Witch trials.

Maria is a highly spirited person and she always followed her heart until one day, destiny became just too cruel for her. But in the hardest times, we actually find ourselves. The story is inspired by the real-life pirate Samuel Bellamy. Maria is from a wealthy family while Samuel is an orphaned sailor. The two of them forms an unbreakable bond and soon they begin to see future together but life is unpredictable. When he asks for Maria’s hand to her father, her father refuse him because he is not wealthy enough to provide her financial freedom. And in an order to give Maria financial freedom, he falls into piracy and a promise of returning in a month turns into months.

While so many things happen with Maria. She had to fight for herself. She unveils the real meaning behind the term sacred and how their religious beliefs has restricted women. Maria gets tangled in wrong accusations, injustice and the fight for her freedom. While the perilous sea adventures kept me on the edge. This is a story of courage and resilience with a woman determined to fight for her freedom.

I didn't re-read the publisher's blurb on this book before I started listening to it. So about halfway into it, I found myself checking to see whether this book was based on real people, because it definitely sounded as though it was. And sure enough, Captain Samuel "Black Jack" Bellamy and Maria "Goody" Hallett are both actual historical figures, whose paths cross in 1715 on Cape Cod. Sam has just lost his job on a British sailing vessel, Maria's family is negotiating her marriage to an older businessman that will be advantageous to her family financially. When Sam and Maria fall in love, he goes to her parents to ask to marry her. Unemployed and with no visible prospects, they chase him away. He vows to make his fortune and return for her, and sets off on a treasure-hunting expedition. But instead, he ends up living and loving the freedom of the pirate life, and becoming the commander of his own vessel. But always, he's anxious to return to Maria.
Meanwhile, Maria longs for Sam's return. She sees reports that he's become a pirate, but has difficulty believe the loving man she knew is now living that life. Her life becomes increasingly unbearable, and the one hope she clings to is that her Sam will return to her.
Rachel Rueckert does an excellent job of combining known facts and speculation in this story of two star-crossed lovers who both long for a life in a different, better world than the one they know.
The audiobook is narrated by Pilar Witherspoon, who does an excellent job with voicing multiple characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media/Recorded Books for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

This book was a great historical fiction read. It was fun and somewhat easy to read - would be a great vacation read or something to read at bedtime. There were a few spots where I couldn't put it down but for the most part it wasn't overly capturing which is why it's perfect for bedtime. I loved the point of view shift from one character to another between chapters. This also helped to be able to put it down. The story was also well written and really interesting because of the time period and also how these two outcasts survived in the world. I enjoyed listening to this book because the narrator did a wonderful job. I would recommend!

I found myself transported to the 1700s Colonial America in
Rachel Rueckert's "If the Tide Turns". This story is very well written, and the characters were well rounded and interesting. The Narrator did a phenomenal job bringing each individual character to life.

Calling all pirate story lovers! And lovers of stories about early colonial America too. If The Tide Turns will satisfy both with this fictionalized version of the life of Samuel Bellamy and his reputed love interest Maria/Mehitable Brown. So if you’re a fan of star-crossed lover stories, this will also appeal to you!

I was sucked into the story right from the start. The time is 1715 to 1717, when despite decades having passed since the Salem Witch Trials, there was still widespread belief in witches and very strict religious and societal pressures to conform in the Massachusetts Bay colony. Maria’s parents want her to marry a much older widower, a wealthy and influential man in their town. Maria absolutely does not want to do this! She was a wonderfully independent spirit, which was not an easy road for a woman in that place and time. (She wants to learn to swim, GASP!) A lot of the story takes place on Cape Cod, in the area in around Eastham and Wellfleet. Once Sam sets out as a pirate, we get to travel with him to various Caribbean locations. Life aboard ship and daily life in Eastham are described so well that I had no trouble picturing them.

Many real historical figures show up in these pages, including famous names like Cotton Mather and Edward Teach (“Blackbeard”), as well as less widely known ones. We get a bit of information about how the indigenous people were treated and how the colonists destroyed the environment on the Cape, turning meadows into farms with methods that depleted the soil and turned many areas into sand. I enjoyed having the perspective of the fictional Abiah, and appreciated learning about the Wampanoag people. While we follow Sam’s travels, we come across the evils of slavery.

The chapters alternate between Maria’s POV and Sam’s.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen. The audiobook is beautifully narrated by Pilar Witherspoon.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book and to Recorded Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

If the Tide Turns by Rachel Rueckert is a book about a young woman coming of age after the Salem Witch Trials. Mariah is strong and independent, but society just isn’t ready to accept women like that, so she has to keep her true self hidden from almost everybody. She meets Samuel Bellamy by chance and the two fall in love. The problem is, Sam is from a different social class and Mariah’s parents have dreams that revolve around her taking a different path. Mariah and Sam are forced apart, but true love never dies…the question is, what sacrifices will they each have to make in order to be together?

If the Tide Turns is the perfect book for readers that love historical romance (especially the low steam/slow-burn variety). Personally, I would have loved a book where events happened a little differently as I prefer something with more action and adventure. At first, I really enjoyed Sam and Mariah, but there were several times where their decisions were questionable to me. I would have loved a book that had more action and adventure as I had high hopes for the piracy part of the book. Overall, I feel like there was some of that, but I really would have liked to see more of it.

The audio production was good and I really enjoyed the narrator. I would absolutely listen to other audiobooks with this narrator in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and Recorded Books for the opportunity to review this digital audiobook.

Thank you @bibliolifestyle #rbmedia @rachelrueckert @kensingtonbooks #partner for the gifted audiobook and book!

Pirates, historical fiction, a love story and a mix of Salem Witch Trials…do I need to say more?! First…I am blown away by the writing by Ms. Rueckert. In my opinion, her writing is what stood out to me by far! You can tell this book was extremely well researched and I love that this is inspired by true events! Of course the setting and pirates are what drew me to this book because who doesn’t love pirates? Arrrrrrrrggghhh this girl does! The push and pull between Sam and Maria emotions I was completely invested in. Sam had some tough decisions to make and Maria had to deal with the fallout of being in love with him back home. Simply put, this book is such a well rounded book between love, betrayal, myths and adventure and I really enjoyed it!

PS The author is about as sweet as pie and that to me a double bonus!

If the Tide Turns is a classic, ill-fated love story and the trials people are willing to overcome to be with the one they love. It was heartbreaking and hopeful. 3 stars from me... there were parts that seemed to drag but overall I was interested to see what would happen next!

I liked the idea of this book although I found it a bit slow and lacking. Overall it was entertaining enough but it didn’t capture me like I would have liked. I did like the narrator though.

An historical fiction, this story opens up the tales of Witches and Pirates, giving a more probable and nuanced reality of the romanticized caricatures.

This was a fascinating story that really dove into the ways society has framed a "good" woman and what happens when we don't comply. Historical fiction often makes me angry on this point, especially when other women cement those norms. What I am always impressed by, however, is the women who overcome and resist, inspiring us all to embrace our deeper strengths, especially together. The pirate narrative gave a glimpse into another set of "others" who found purpose and family outside the societal norms, which I also really enjoyed.

The cover is gorgeous, but it does seem to evoke a more fantastical tale, where the story within is a much more realistic narrative. A solid historical fiction, which I enjoyed and recommend! Thank you to @recordedbooks & @netgalley for the audio, which was really wonderful!

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC of If the Tide Turns!

1715, Eastham, Massachusetts: Maria Brown has no desire to marry the aging, mean-spirited John Hallett, regardless of his fortune and her parents’ wishes. As for what Maria does want—only one person has ever even asked her that question. Samuel Bellamy, an orphaned sailor searching for work, meets Maria by chance, enthralling her with talk of far-flung places and blasphemous ideals. When Sam is banished from Maria’s parents’ home after asking for her hand, he vows to return a wealthy man, and Maria promises to keep the faith until then. Sam is drawn into piracy and discovers a brotherhood more equal and fulfilling than any on land, despite its dangers. Beguiled by the chance to both fight for justice and make a fortune to bring home to Maria, Sam is torn between duty to his crew and his desire to return. Maria is determined to stay strong in her conviction in Sam, but as rumors swirl and her position in Eastham turns perilous, Maria is forced into an impossible decision. Now, on a journey no less treacherous and eventful than Sam’s, Maria draws on every shred of her courage and resilience not merely to survive, but to honor her own yearning for freedom . . .

I enjoyed If the Tide Turns! Maria's fierce independence and resilience is so impressive in the face of all of the struggles she encounters. Sam's journey is interesting but I didn't enjoy his character as much. I really enjoyed Maria's interactions with Abiah. At times the pacing of the novel was a bit slow or uneven. I didn't enjoy Sam's POV chapters as much as Maria's but that is probably more to personal preference than due to the writing. I cannot believe this is a debut novel! It is so well written!

The narration was excellent.

A big thank you to RB Media and Netgalley for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of the audio book!

This book was really good!

I had always found books about the settlers of America hard to read. The way they treat women like property, treat native people like they are less than, and blame everything on God, it hurts my soul. This book does start out that way but it does get better.

Most historical fiction I read is just based in that time period and the characters are fiction but this story is completely different. This story is based after people that actually existed. I was looking into the lore while listening to the book and it is fascinating. Unfortunately, the story ends pretty badly for Maria and Sam. I was hoping Rachel would give us a heart felt ending and she delivered.

The last 20% of the book was my favorite part. It took the book form 3 stars to 4 stars instantly

Rachel tells this story so well! I am looking forward to seeing other books she will write!

For some reason, this book is not what I thought it would be. It was good and well written, however, I thought that this would be more of the the female main character, joining a life of piracy. Which come to the end in a sense could have been? A lot of this felt long and drawn out to me. It took me a while to get through. Just felt boring at times and a struggle to get through. Overall though it was a good historical clean romance.

I listened to the audiobook version of If the Tide Turns written by debut author Rachel Rueckert, and narrated by Pilar Witherspoon. This book intrigued me because while I love historical fiction, it was not set during WWII or the Regency era. Instead, it is set in the Cape Cod area of Massachusetts in 1715, As the book's summary reflects, it is a tale of high seas adventure, with honorable pirate Sam Bellamy trying to earn a fortune so he could marry his sweetheart Maria Brown. It's about star-crossed longing between Sam and Maria who hold steadfast and true to their faith in each other as they experience many of life's trials while apart for 18 months. And finally, it is about social justice and freedom as Maria lives in a town near Salem where women were murdered as witches and townsfolk were suspicious of anyone who refused to conform to the puritan narrative. I also really appreciated how the author weaved in both Native Americans and Black characters into the narrative and the atrocities that these people experienced and survived from that time in history. This story is truly compelling and beautifully written. I highly recommend it!

All thoughts are my own.

For the most part, I am not a historical fiction reader, so I do not have much to compare this book to, but I absolutely adored it.

Set in the 1700's, Maria is unwillingly betrothed to a crusty old man when she meets and falls in love with Sam Bellamy, an orphaned sailor. Sam sets off in search of work and promises to return a wealthy man and for Maria's hand in marriage.

The book is told from both the POV of Maria, who faces unspeakable hardship while Sam is gone, and Sam, who stays away longer than expected after accidentally becoming a pirate.

I thought that the author did a great job capturing the time frame. It was set around the time of the Salem Witch Trials and was reminiscent of that time period.

I alternated between reading and listening to this story, and sometimes doing both at the same time. I thought the narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life,

This debut historical fiction based on true events does not read like a first novel. The character motivations are genuine and pull the reader through the plot. There's meaningful growth through difficult choices and circumstances. The time and setting are carefully researched, though, once in a while, the dialogue feels uncomfortably modern. I appreciate that the love story stays PG-13. I listened to the audiobook which is performed very well.

I loved this book! I am a huge fan of pirate history, and Maria “Goody” Hallett has always been an area of interest for me. Her story with Black Sam Bellamy has so much intrigue behind it, and I loved, loved, loved seeing it brought to light in this story. The author stayed authentic to the real people in history, while taking liberties to create an engaging, fleshed out story. I loved her version of the ending, and I definitely love this author now!