Faith over fear

I am on a bit of a “beach theme” kick right now, so when I picked up this book from an author I had never read before, I had high hopes. Though it wasn’t a five star rad for me, let me fist share what I liked.

Stories with a strong threads of faith that is lived out in a real way are ones I can respect. There was a real “faith over fear” theme in On A Coastal Breeze and I thought it was very fitting. Many of the characters had their fears brought to the forefront of their lives and where forced to make decisions that helped them face that fear. Fear of getting it right, fear of death, fear of the unseen – we all deal with them. I truly appreciated Rick’s approach though—living in fear is not living at all. I don’t think I would be as bold and daring as he is, but I can definitely get behind the thought.

The relationships were real and messy. I enjoyed the lack of cookie-cutter relationships that made me nod a couple times in understanding the struggle for some of the situations. And when I say “relationships” I don’t mean just the romantic ones. The way the daughters interacted with each other was definitely like many other families. They fought, they were bold in delivering advice, and they showed genuine love for each other. I felt like the dad was detached, but I think that was the point as he was a bit of an absent father.

Now, though I could appreciate and enjoy the individual story lines, I felt like there was too much going on. The author wrote with four different POV’s that I think their stories would have been better served in separate books. The description of On A Coastal Breeze indicates just the story between Rick and Madison but it wasn’t. I wanted more from them and less from all the other POV’s. Because of that, I couldn’t connect to any one story line and that was disappointing to me.

**I was given a copy of this book from the publisher through CelebrateLit Publicity. A favorable review was not required. Only an honest one.

About the Book

Book: On A Coastal Breeze

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Amish Romance

Release Date: May 5, 2020

For Madison Grayson, life is good. Newly licensed as a marriage and family therapist, she can’t wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate shortage of eligible bachelors on the island–they’re all too young, too old, or too weird–Maddie feels like she’s finally found her sweet spot. Not even one panic attack in the last year. Not one.

And then Ricky O’Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again–the one who’d been her archnemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance–parachutes into town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky O’Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island.

Time to panic.

With wit and a bit of whimsy, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Three Sisters Island where family, forgiveness, and a second chance at love await.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including On a Summer Tide, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, The Deacon’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.

More from Suzanne

Dear Reader,

The minute you step off the ferry and onto Three Sister Island, magic begins. Crisp ocean air acts like an elixir. Stress starts to evaporate, like a wisp of steam from a cup of hot tea. Happiness moves in, and you’ll feel more cheerful, more positive about the future.

And then there’s time! Somehow, there seems to be plenty of it.

Little things will catch your notice—finding seashells on the beach, watching waves crash against the rocks, gazing at the star-studded night sky.

Life just starts to slow down…and you wonder if you really want to ever leave Three Sisters Island.

Nor do you have to! That’s the beauty of books—they are the perfect escape. Always available, just waiting to be picked up. Always ready to transport you to a fresh and new state of mind.

On a Coastal Breeze is that kind of a read. The Grayson Family saga continues as they move to Three Sisters Island off the coast of Maine for a fresh start. Maddie Grayson takes center stage in this story. Life is finally coming together for Maddie. On the very day she opens her counseling practice, she spots a billowing skydiver. Parachuting in is Ricky O’ Shea—the one person on earth Maddie hoped she’d never see again. But Rick’s the new pastor for the island’s only church and he’s not about to leave. That’s when sparks start to fly.

Join me for a getaway by the sea that will leave you in a happy, relaxed, vacation-y state of mind…without leaving your home. Once you board the Never Late Ferry, even in your imagination, the island will take it from there.

Warmly, Suzanne