My great grandfather served in the British Army during WW1. He suffered injuries in France. He was sent home to recuperate but shortly thereafter he returned to fight. He lost his life in Egypt in 1917 from dysentery. His name is on the War Monument in the town square in Maulden, England. This monument is to remember the men who didn't return. I thought of him while reading this book. How can I not? I think of how he felt saying goodbye to his wife and children to return to the front. My grandmother was only 2. She only remembered his shiny buttons on his uniform.

I have his picture sitting in my cabinet. I look at him and think of what he suffered. I think of how his family must have felt when they received the terrible news.

I was a little lost at first as it appears this was part of a series. By Chapter 4, the characters and how they were related started to click. I enjoyed their closeness in their community. They looked out for each other.

This story illustrates that things can change in a fraction of a moment. The tide can turn in either direction. How we handle this change is what is important.

I received this book free from Celebrate Lit to review.

About the Book

Book: Turning Tide

Author: Melody Carlson

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: Feb 15, 2020

As the Great War rages on, Sunset Cove continues to feel its impact. Running the small town newspaper, Anna McDowell can’t escape the grim reports from the other side of the world, but home-front challenges abound as well. Dr. Daniel is serving the wounded on the front lines. And Katy, expecting her first child, with her husband in the trenches, tries to support the war effort with her Red Cross club. Even as the war winds down the costs are high—and Sunset Cove is not spared.

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About the Author

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, True Colors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.

More from Melody

Writing about the WW1 era has definitely been a good history lesson for me. Prohibition laws in Oregon (and rum-runners breaking them) combined with a massive war that changed the world and a global epidemic is worth paying attention to. Especially since history sometimes repeats itself. The early 20th century had a lot going on—much that seems nearly forgotten. I’m glad to see the movie 1917 is doing well—and we plan to see it this week. Although I’m not a fan of gruesome war movies, this era continues to intrigue me. Even as I wrapped up my Sunset Cove series with Turning Tide I was left wondering . . . what’s next? But isn’t that the beauty of story?