"Could it really be true that when God saw her, he didn't dwell on all the hurt she'd caused? He didn't see the black stain on her heart. He saw grace. And it covered all her sins." - Anne Norris
Description:
Anne Norris moved to Savannah, Georgia, for a fresh start. Now her pirate-tour business is flagging, and paying the rent requires more than wishful thinking. When she discovers evidence of a shipwreck off the coast of Tybee Island, she knows it could be just the boon she needs to stay afloat. She takes her findings to local museum director Carter Hale for confirmation, but she runs after a disastrous first meeting.
Carter has been searching for the location of the wreck detailed in the worn pages of an 18th-century diary, the discovery of which could open the door to his dream job at a prestigious museum. But convincing Anne to help him fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle is no easy task. And working with Carter means that Anne will have to do the one thing she swore she'd never do again: trust a man.
Finding a monetary backer and sticking with a search that's turning up nothing will take all their dedication--and every secret they've tried to hide. If they can find the lost ship, they may discover a treasure worth more than all the pirate gold in the world--love.
Carter has been searching for the location of the wreck detailed in the worn pages of an 18th-century diary, the discovery of which could open the door to his dream job at a prestigious museum. But convincing Anne to help him fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle is no easy task. And working with Carter means that Anne will have to do the one thing she swore she'd never do again: trust a man.
Finding a monetary backer and sticking with a search that's turning up nothing will take all their dedication--and every secret they've tried to hide. If they can find the lost ship, they may discover a treasure worth more than all the pirate gold in the world--love.
About the Author:
By day Liz Johnson works in marketing. She finds time to write late at night and is a Christy Award finalist and a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. Liz makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona where she enjoys theater, exploring local history, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She loves stories of true love with happy endings. Find out more about Liz at LizJohnsonBooks.com.
My thoughts:
Quite frankly, I had absolutely no idea what to think of this book when I first started it. Not in a bad way at all! I’ve read almost all of Liz Johnson’s books and have always really enjoyed them. From suspense to romance to everything in between, if she’s writing it, I’d like to read it. But having not yet read the first book in the series, I was entirely unprepared for what I might find between the covers. What I found was a dual-storyline romance that tugged on my heart and almost brought me to tears more than once. I found a story about shame, regret, fear, hope, justice, grace, and treasure. And a beautiful definition of what treasure really is.
"Anne Norris knew two things for certain.
Some things could be forgiven.
And some things most certainly could not."
My favorite thing about any fiction novel, regardless of genre, is always the characters and Ms. Johnson’s are some of the best! I connected with Anne very quickly and her story broke my heart. For the fear and shame she lived with and the quest for freedom that was coming up empty again and again. I wanted her to find everything she was searching for and so much more! I didn’t connect quite as quickly with Carter, though I did come to really like him, too. He was struggling to prove that everything he had worked for, all he had done, was worth everything he had left behind. And the dual-storyline had me turning pages, for the mystery it held kept me as intrigued as Anne and Carter! Though I loved the main characters, my favorite secondary character was unquestionably Aunt Tessie. Her kind spirit and honesty made me wish she was my aunt, too! And I loved how her character was given space to share truth and give the others a good kick in the pants when needed.
". . . God's grace isn't just forgiveness. It's also strength to face the hard times. It's the thing that prompts you to get back up when you've been pushed down. Shame never did anything for anyone but make them feel lower than low. Grace refuses to leave you there."
My only mildly negative comment is that it did take me a couple chapters to really get into the story and find it to be a page turner. I actually put it aside and read something else, before coming back to finish it. Though I’m very confident that had more to do with where my mind was, than the story itself.
I also very much enjoyed how the author wove in the topics of grace, truth, shame, and letting go of the past. The story didn’t come across as “preachy” or anything like that, but rather, I thought it was handled very well and with a grace such subjects don’t always find in fiction. It wasn’t glossed over with pretty words, nor did it slow down the story for a sermon. An excellent balance.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and am looking forward to tracking down a copy of the first one!
*My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book! I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise, and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
If you track my review down on a website, you'll find I gave it 4 stars . . . despite that, I would have to say that this one will probably be ending up on my "favorite reads from 2019" list here in a few months. :)
As always, thank you so much for stopping by! Links are at the bottom of the page and stay tuned - I'm thinking it's way past time for a giveaway! So I may get inspired when I have a few days off next month and share a book or two. If I can find any I'm willing to part with. ;)
Have a ducky day!
Great review! Now I'm intrigued and eager to check this book out too, especially if it's projected to be one of your best reads of the year.
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