Have you ever read a book that is hauntingly beautiful?  It is emotional, unbelievable yet believable, and has a multitude of twists and turns in it.  These types of books are ones that keep you reading and provide food for thought.  As the Tide Comes In by authors Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall is a Christian novel unlike any I have read.  It is a contemporary Southern tale that softly took my hand to lead me into its story.  Within a few pages its grip tightened until I was unable to turn loose of this powerful book until I had finished it.  It held me tightly.  I experienced this book which is much better than merely reading it.

In this exceptionally well written, well thought, and well planned book, the characters are so artfully crafted that they come alive on the pages.  The same with the scenes.  It felt like I was watching a movie play out before my eyes.  Yes, this book would make a wonderful movie!  The sights and sounds were spot on.  The authors did not over elaborate or bore, but they gave just the right amount.  Perfect wording to pick a reader up from a chair and magically transport her (in my case) in to her pages.  Dialog between characters flowed smoothly which is crucial for me in books.  Not only did I make new friends, but I could put myself in the place of the book’s heroine, Tara.  I felt her entire gambit of emotions and at times I was in tears.  Only an expertly written book could make that happen.

Opening with an eighteen year old Tara, As the Tide Comes In tells her story.  She is contacted by her younger half-brothers’ grandmother, a favorite secondary character for me.  Things quickly move ahead twelve years in the future.  It is also the story of Firefighter Gavin and his four mothers.  Yes, I said four mothers.  There are twists and turns, heartbreaking moments, inspiration, encouragement, mystery, and intrigue.  No more details.  You really must read this fabulous book.

It would be a disservice to disclose much about this amazing book in a review.  It should be savored and relished on its own.  Trust me when I tell you the authors do a great job writing a story that captivates, teaches, and inspires.  It brings glory to God.  This is a tale of faith, hope, trust, love, forgiveness, struggle, and triumph.  Character, overcoming crisis, family, and loss are topics tackled with finesse.  There are so many life lessons in this 339 page book.

If you or your book club are looking for a great book, this is it.  You will want to discuss it with someone because of how stirring it is.  I highly recommend it and can only hope to see it on the big screen or television one day.  Five out of five stars are gladly given.  Don’t miss this experience.