Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jerjen

The Wishing Tide by Barbara Davis is a story about life, love, mistakes, forgiveness and fighting for what one wants.

Lane Kramer has moved to Starry Point, North Carolina, to make a fresh start with her life.  She has a failed marriage, a miscarriage and a meddling mother that she’s left behind.  She has opened a bed and breakfast in Starry Point and she has been successful.  During the winter months, when she has no customers, she writes magazine articles.  She really wants to write a novel but does not believe she has the talent to be successful.  And she is afraid of rejection, in both the literary world and in her personal life.

Lane befriends Dirty Mary, or Crazy Mary,  a bag lady that sits on the dunes near the bed and breakfast.  Lane sees her almost daily when taking her morning walk, and eventually Lane starts bringing her food and beverage.  The two begin talking and soon Lane realizes that Mary is not dirty or crazy, she is just hurting and misunderstood.  Mary begins to reveal bits and pieces about her past life and the heartache she has been through.   Lane wants to help her in anyway that she can.

Michael Forrester appears on Lane’s doorstep right before a hurricane is due to hit, looking for a place to stay.  He claims that he needs a quiet place to work on his research for a book he is writing.  Lane agrees to let him stay and the two become friends.  But Michael seems to know more about the area then he should.  Is Michael there for the reason that he said or does he have a hidden agenda?

The plot is well written, well thought out and engaging.  I had figured out some of the things that happened in the book, but there are a few twists and turns that I never saw coming.  I think my jaw dropped open at one point.  That’s one of the things I like about this book.

The writing style flows easily and this is an easy read.  Descriptive writing took me to the Outer Banks and the wind and rain that accompanies a hurricane.  I was able to feel the tension and sadness in some parts and the happiness at other parts.  I felt like I was right there watching everything unfold before my eyes.  That’s another thing I like about the book.

The characters are well developed, well crafted and very human.  They experience all of the emotions that we all experience during the course of our lives.  The characters seem three-dimensional and not phony or plastic.  It was very easy to begin to care about them and root for them.  There were a few times I wanted to scream at them and ask “what is wrong with you?”  At other times I shook my head yes and thought “way to go”.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a novel about love, forgiveness, loss and recovery.  It was suspenseful and heartwarming and very well written.  Whether you are a young adult or a seasoned reader, you will enjoy this book.  I cannot recommend it enough.  This is the first book I’ve read by Barbara Davis but I know it won’t be my last.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*