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When a well-to-do family asks Sallie Riehl to be their daughter's nanny for the summer at their Cape May, New Jersey, vacation home, she jumps at the chance to broaden her horizons beyond the Lancaster County Amish community where she grew up. Curious by nature, Sallie loves reading and learning, and she fears that her chances of making a good match with an Amish farmer will be hampered because of it. Though she loves taking care of nine-year-old Autumn Weaver during the week, Sallie has free time on the weekends to enjoy the shore. It is there that she meets Edward Kreider, a young marine biology student who talks freely about all he's learning and asks about her interests, unlike the guys she grew up with. Sallie wonders if this is the kind of relationship she's been longing for. Then again, Ed isn't from her community--and he's Mennonite, not Amish. Sallie is afraid of what her parents would think about her new friendship. But that's not all she's fearful of. When unexpected danger threatens Autumn, Sallie will have to put her fears aside. Will this be a summer to remember, or one to forget?… (more)
User reviews
I love this book.
While she does forgo one trip another seems to fall in her lap, and a life change is about to happen. She is going
After all of this will she be able to come home and bend her knee, and maybe join the young man who seems to want to court her. Or will the adventure be the catalysis to leave her faith, one would hope not. We do meet her family and extended family, and she is mightily blessed to have so much support.
A fun read that is full of interesting information, it made me want to head to New Jersey. Enjoy your stay with Riehl family and friends.
I received this book through Net Galley and Bethany House Publishing and was not required to give a positive review.
The Ebb Tide is a well-written and engaging novel. I liked the characters and the setting. Cape May sounds just beautiful. I felt that the book had a good flow and was well-paced. The religious aspect of the novel is not as light as in other Amish novels, but it is not dominant or overwhelming. We are shown how prayer, love, faith and reflection can help (benefit) a person’s life and those around them. I appreciated that the author included an epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. I give The Ebb Tide 4 out of 5 stars. I found The Ebb Tide to be a lovely novel. It is a nice break from what is going on in the world. I did feel that it was a little too long, but, otherwise, I liked it. I look forward to reading the next Beverly Lewis novel when it releases.
Twenty year old Sallie Riehl is at that point in her life where she must choose to make a lifetime commitment to the Amish church by joining and being baptized. She even has
What fun it was to experience the trip, the ocean and the beach through her eyes! Such a fresh view of so much we take for granted. As if all there was to see and do are not enough she gets a taste of freedom she never before had. Her weekends are open to do as she pleases. On her grand adventure she meets Kevin. He is fun, interesting, shares her dreams to travel and she finds herself having strong feelings toward him.
Upon her return home the trip has not only failed to extinguish her passion for travel, but Sallie finds herself desiring it even more. Her eyes being opened she realizes she is not happy with her Amish life. She must now make the decision to disappoint her family and leave or stay forever living in discontent.
The book’s title was so meaningful to the story. The way time and circumstances pulls us forward into the future and back into the past. The book presents a strong testimony of seeking God’s will in the face of tough decisions; pleasing Him or others. An excellent book!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated are my own.
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Sallie is an unusual Amish woman. From a very young age, she was interested in the wider world around her, not just her community. She was an avid reader, especially of books about faraway places, and she dreamed of having a chance to travel. Much to her parents' displeasure, she saved enough money to take her dream trip to Australia. She was just weeks from leaving when she gave up that trip to help someone else. But as the saying goes, "When God closes a door, sometimes he opens a window." One of the customers at the restaurant where she worked asked Sallie if she would be willing to be their daughter's nanny at the Jersey shore that summer. Naturally, she jumped at the chance.
There were several things that could have worked against her. First, her parents, especially her mother, were not very happy that she would have to put off her baptism into the church for another year. Also, her older sister was getting married, and Sallie's help was needed with the preparations. Others were worried that spending that much time around "Englischers" would tempt Sallie away from her faith. Then there's the disappointment of the young Amish man who wants to court her. Any one of those things could have put an end to her dream, but Sallie was a determined young woman and found a way to make it happen. I especially loved the part her father played in making her trip happen.
There was a lot going on during this summer at the beach. Sallie was there to watch over nine-year-old Autumn while Autumn's mother was recuperating from a difficult pregnancy and dealing with a fussy newborn. Autumn is a pistol of a kid, warm-hearted and friendly, and full of energy. I loved seeing how much fun she had showing Sallie around Cape May. She's not a perfect child, however, and had her moments of grumpiness. She also exhibited some jealousy of her baby brother, with frequent complaints about his crying and how much of their mother's time he takes. I loved Sallie's efforts to bring the two children closer together. I ached for Autumn and her unhappiness and worried that she would remain that way. It took a terrifying experience for Autumn to gain a different perspective on her relationship with her baby brother.
The time away from Lancaster brought some changes to Sallie's outlook. She began to look at her life and her faith and question some of the things she felt. There was guilt over her relief at avoiding joining church for another year. She felt the weight of her parents' expectations and wondered at her own reluctance. Her correspondence with Perry started well but became more of a chore the longer she was away. Even the longed-for visit by her sister Frannie had some tense moments as Frannie noted the changes in Sallie.
Early in the visit, Autumn and Sallie went on a boat tour, where they met marine biology intern Kevin Kreider. Kevin is friendly and knowledgeable and connected quickly with both Autumn and Sallie. Kevin is a Mennonite who also has Amish family that lives near Sallie's home. He and Sallie began spending a lot of time together. I loved their growing friendship and how they were able to talk together about so many different things. Sallie loved hearing about Kevin's travels and soaked up everything he would tell her. Kevin was very interested in learning about Sallie's life with the Amish, as his own family didn't talk about their old lives. Sallie knew that she and Kevin could only be friends, but she couldn't deny that there was more to it. It was pretty clear that Kevin had fallen hard for Sallie. I loved the sweet way he treated her, and his pleasure in making her happy. Their visit to Kevin's church was especially moving, and I loved the effect it had on Sallie. But when Sallie realized her feelings for Kevin had changed, she pulled back. I ached for both of them as she returned home at the end of the summer.
Her time in New Jersey had changed Sallie deeply though, and she spent a lot of time contemplating her future. She also missed Kevin desperately, even as she tried to renew her relationship with Perry. I ached for her as she wrestled with the decisions she had to make. I loved the unexpected visit from Kevin and the renewal of their friendship. It warmed my heart to see how he interacted with her family and their reactions to him. I especially liked that Sallie took her time and thought long and hard about what she wanted for her life. The support and encouragement of her family were unexpected and wonderful to see. I loved how everything worked out. The epilogue was fantastic.
Sallie is a young Amish woman, who has always had the desire to travel and see more of the world. She is given an opportunity to be a
I also loved the beautiful imagery of a not-so-Amish place, the seaside. I've got the travelin' bug, just like Sallie, and I understand how easy it is to get caught up in dreams of visiting far-off places. I also know how easy it is to visit far-off places and am so glad my family gives me the freedom to do so.