Shaped by the Waves by Christina Suzann Nelson

 

Cassie George is barely staying above water as she works to get her doctorate and raise her daughter. But she stubbornly keeps swimming to prove a few bad decisions haven't ruined her forever. Plus, it's all a great excuse to stay away from the small Oregon town she fled in shame years prior. But when she receives a call that the aunt who raised her has had a major health crisis, she knows it's time to return.

Cassie is surprised to be more welcomed by the quirky seaside community than she expected, even if there's still tension between her and her former classmate Nora Milford. But she still can't help feeling unsettled and is mystified by a mysterious package that appears, full of typed pages that tell the story of an anonymous woman's life. As her curiosity sends her on a journey toward truth, Cassie will discover that who she thought she was and what she wants for her life are both about to change.

Amazon

 

About The Author

 

Christina Suzann Nelson in an inspirational speaker and the award-winning author. Her first novel, If We Make It Home, was honored as one of Library Journal’s top five inspirational novels of 2017.

In 2017, Christina was named the OCW Cascade’s Writer of Promise and received a Cascade award for her novel, Swimming in the Deep End.

Her stories have been published in the Cup of Comfort for a Better World, Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Families, as well as other publications.

Christina is over the top about her passions, including the stories created somewhere in the twists and turns of her less-than-focused brain. When she’s not writing, Christina serves on the board of the non-profit, Every Child Linn-Benton, where she has the opportunity to influence the lives of families and children in the foster care system.

On a typical day, she chases escaped farm animals, reads, hikes with her dog, and enjoys her husband and six kids.

 

My Review

This is my first read by this author, and quickly became a page turner. The setting is a small coastal community in Oregon, Gull's Bay, having left her doctorate program in San Diego, Cassie George and her little Lark are heading home to take care of the Aunt that raised her.
The old term of a community to raise a child applies here with the "love" shown to Cassie, Lark and Shasta, but we dig deeper and facts unfold, and shows that kindness is repaid with kindness.
Did I figure out how this all meshed together ahead of time, no, I was surprised, but kept looking for answers, and feeling compassion for those that give the ultimate for the love of others.
I will now be looking for more books by this author.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House and was not required to give a positive review.