Water's Edge by Robert Whitlow

Tom Crane is working for a large Atlanta law firm hoping that he will make partner. His hopes are dashed though when he is "consolidated" instead. Finding himself without a job and girlfriendless(his girlfriend breaks up with him in a letter), Tom heads to his hometown to settle the affairs of his father who recently died in a drowning accident.

While Tom closes his father's law firm he stays with his uncle Elias. At first Tom doesn't want to hear anything from Elias about spiritual things. But when Tom has a spiritual encounter of his own in his father's law office he becomes more open and accepting of heavenly things.

Tom soon uncovers what looks to be an embezzlement scheme involving a client of his father's and an employee at the local Pelham company. Considering that he is best friends with Arthur Pelham's son Rick, Tom fully believes that his father's client was involved in the embezzlement. 

When Rick's wife Tiffany starts flirting with Tom he is flattered and tries to rationalize his attraction to her. After all she assures him that their marriage is on the rocks and she is willing to leave it all behind to be with Tom. Tom soon realizes his rationalization as sin and repents of it. He soon becomes attracted to Rose Addington. Rose refuses to believe that her father was involved in any way in the embezzlement scheme. She challenges Tom to do further research into the events that led up to their fathers deaths.

That research soon lands both Tom and Rose in jail and in serious danger. With his life seeming to fall apart before his eyes, Tom has a hard time calling out to the God that he so recently trusted.

First off the positive: Water's Edge reminded me of reading one of John Grisham's novels, but add in a more spiritual content. I was engaged in the story and characters from the beginning through to the end. The writing flowed and the story remained fairly consistent.

The negative: For me the spiritual content was a bit too mystical mixed with charasmatic. When Rose talked about Tom's office being a "thin" place(a place where there is less separation between heaven and earth) I was thinking, "WHAT?!" Another time Tom asked his uncle if he was a mystic. He described a mystic as being "someone who withdraws from the world and spends time having weird spiritual experiences." Tom's whole relationship with the Lord was based on emotionalism and when the emotion wasn't there then he easily fell away into despair. At one point when everything seemed to come crashing down on him he contemplated suicide. To the point of getting the gun out and having it under his chin to do the job. I understand that we all have our mountaintop experiences, but to crash so low to want to end it all did not seem consistent with Tom's character.

Truffles By The Sea by Julie Carobini-KINDLE

This is the sequel/companion to Chocolate Beach. In Truffles by the Sea we read about Gabrielle's story. Everything seems to be falling apart in Gaby's life. Her employee robbed her business, her apartment burned down. She has miraculously been offered a loft apartment to live in. It is in a more upscale part of town, but the rent is amazingly low. From the day she moves in though her nosy neighbor Iris plants in her head that her landlord is a philandering Lotherio that she needs to steer clear of.

Problems continue to assail Gaby. With all of her overhead stolen from her she has very little money to keep her in her floral business. Top that off with being sued by a disgruntled bride, her best friend Bri being too busy to sit on the beach and eat brownies, and two men vying for her attention and Gaby's world seems to be falling apart.

At first Gaby feels attracted to Max. After all he owns property, he's established, and he's extremely attractive. Gaby's new landlord Jake on the other hand confuses her with his kindness. She is wary of him because of Iris's warning, yet there is an attraction between the two.

Gaby has never given up, but she doesn't know where to turn when her life seems to be falling apart. While out driving to find perspective and clear her head she happens upon a group of women having a Bible Study at the foot of a cross. Gaby is reminded of the Lord in her life and determines to live for Him from here on.

I thought this was a fun read. In Chocolate Beach I loved Bri's sarcasm and Gaby's feisty-ness. I missed Gaby's personality at the beginning of Truffles by the Sea, but was happy to see it back once she found her confidence in who she was in the Lord.

I read this on my Kindle. Which reminds me that I am going to make August my READ ON MY KINDLE month. I have so many books that I have downloaded but have been unable to get to. So I am devoting August to that task.

Re-Reading Books in July-#8

THE RESCUER by Dee Henderson

Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer(Big Sky Novel #2)

In the sequel to Beside Still Waters Marianna is still confused about her feelings for Ben. With Marianna being Amish and Ben being English a romantic relationship would not be allowed.

Aaron has tried to put Marianna out of his mind. He even tried to focus his attention on Naomi for a while. Being unable to forget Marianna he decides to travel to Montana and try and win her heart.

After an accident keeps Aaron in Montana and in Marianna's family home for weeks, Marianna becomes even more confused. How can she have feelings for both Ben and Aaron?

The community in which Marianna and her family are now living is a mixture of Amish and English. Whereas before in Indiana The Amish did not mix with the English here in Montana Marianna finds herself working for them and caring for them in a way she never thought possible. Marianna is also discovering a more personal relationship with the Lord and struggling to make that relationship mesh with the Amish way of life she has been taught since her birth.

I am thoroughly wrapped up in this series! At the end of Along Wooded Paths is a sample chapter for the next book in the series entitled Beyond Hopes Valley which just whetted my appetite and caused me to hope it will come out soon. But since Along Wooded Paths will not be released until October 2011, I doubt that my desire will be satisfied!

Re-Reading Books in July-#7

THE HEALER by Dee Henderson

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Sam no longer turns into a wolf, but now Grace does. While Sam waits for warmer weather and Grace's return a girls body is found in the woods. This sets in motion Isabel's father's attempts to get the ban on hunting wolves lifted.

Since the girl was found near the Boundary Woods and close to Sam's house he is instantly a suspect. Especially since Grace too has seemed to have disappeared.

With the looming threat of the wolves being hunted and Grace being out there with them Sam and Cole must find a place to move the wolves.

In order to save the lives of the wolves and Grace Sam must do something he hoped he would never have to do again.

Although Forever is not always filled with action the ability of Maggie Stiefvater to keep a person engaged in the characters provides a fascinating page-turner. She has a way of explaining the thoughts and actions of the characters that makes you feel their emotional trauma right along with them. The love between Sam and Grace tugs at your heart. When you read about Sam's struggle to get his thoughts out into words you feel empathy for him. The relationship between Cole and Isabel was filled with tension. And the drama of the wolves' peril kept me holding my breath wondering which ones would survive. Great job Maggie Stiefvater! I will miss Sam and Grace, but I do have one complaint: I wish there were a different ending!

WORD DEFINITION: I have looked this word up and cannot find it in the dictionary. I am wondering if it is a typo, or if it is actually a word.
"I saw now that the kitchen floor was covered with dirt, the dull yellow lights illuminating where Cole's pacing had painted an OUROBOROS  of filthy footprints in front of the cabinets." pg. 32 of Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

I love to read and find new words and their definitions. But this one is not find-able. If you know what it means let me know!

Re-Reading Books in July-#6

THE PROTECTOR by Dee Henderson