Title: Surrender Bay (A Nantucket Love Story #1)

Author: Denise Hunter

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 2007

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 287

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Contemporary Romance

Samantha Owens' estranged stepfather has died, leaving her his cottage in Nantucket—a place she fled years ago, never planning to return. As a single mom, Samantha can't afford to pass up a financial windfall like ocean-front property. So she travels home to fix up the house and sell it . . . never suspecting that Landon Reed still lives two doors down.

As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Samantha must face a past that separated her from the God of her childhood. And she must tell Landon why she fled the island in the first place—a secret that could tear them apart.

Is Landon’s love really as unconditional as he claims? And will Samantha finally realize that the God she found all those years ago never abandoned her?

A heart-tugging tale of shattered trust, growing faith, and love that endures . . . all in a romantic seaside setting.

I have a bit of back story regarding this book.  I knew the author.  Back in middle school, Hunter and her husband went to the same church as my mother and I.  At the time they had two boys that I occasionally babysat.  We let the church when I was in high school and I lost track of them.  A few months ago I was talking to my mom about my reading challenges.  When I started to discuss my issues with Christian fiction, my mom remembered that Denise wrote Christian novels.  I didn't know that at all.  So I ran out to the library to grab one.  I read it in two days.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the book.  I have documented my issues with Christian fiction, but this book wasn't like the others.  It was more like At the Scent of Water; a moving fiction story that happens to have Christian elements and background.  There weren't any multi page sermons or heavy-handed conversions.  I loved the characters.  Sam, the flawed female, and Landon, the caring lifelong friend trying to show her love.  The bringing together of the two people didn't seem contrived or forced.  It was natural.  I could understand Sam's reluctance to get closer to Landon.  I could understand Landon's pain over her refusals. I sped through the story, loving every minute.  I definitely need to read the rest of her books.  Guess I need to make another trip to the library.

Nantucket Love Story

• #1 Surrender Bay
• #2 The Convenient Groom
• #3 Seaside Letters
• #4 Driftwood Lane