Title: When Tides Turn

Series: Waves of Freedom #3

Author: Sarah Sundin

Publish Date: March 14, 2017

Publisher: Revell Company

Format: Trade Paperback

Page Count: 385 pages

Source: Library

Date Read: February 8-11, 2020

Review

A wonderful end to the Waves of Freedom trilogy. I wasn't really into Tess or Dan in the prior books, but their story was so engrossing just like the two books prior. 

Tess Beaumont is tired of being a pretty face and being used by men. So she decides to join the WAVES to find a better version of herself she can respect and garner respect from others. Tess is not one for conspiracy theories, but she finds herself trying to solve a possible spy case that is putting her friend Yvette in danger. All the while fighting her attraction to straight laced-buttoned up Navy man and brother of her friend Lily (heroine in book 2) Lt Dan.

 Lt Dan Avery has had to shoulder family obligations since he was young due to a misinterpretation of a situation from childhood. He has no time for dames, okay? He is trying to work his way up the career ladder while holding onto his principles, he has a ogre of boss, figure out how to better the radar equipment on ships, and he loses his mentor to a heart attack - all the while fighting his attraction to Tess.

There is respect between the two as military members serving in a time of war, but there is also friendship that deepens into love, and that is where the attraction comes into play. Longing and lust and love - feed it into my veins! And neither loses sight of their respective careers or friendships with others - their lives are full and fleshed out. 

The French resistance sub plotline kept me turning pages when the love story wasn't the focus. I honestly didn't know how the players worked out, who was double crossing who - and isn't that realistic in resistance groups, much less one that is fighting the Nazis from the US soil? It made an existing end to the plotline right before the HEA scene.

I love this series and it was fun to spend time with these characters. 

First time I am doing this challenge and decided to go with two "classes". 

Beginner Professor Author Luv is to commit to reading one book per month (January-April) by one author. I chose Deeanne Gist because I have seven of her books on my NOOK and they are all stand-alone. 

1. Courting Trouble

2. The Measure of a Lady

3. Maid to Match

4. Love on the Line

Beginner Professor Genre/Theme is to commit to reading one book per month (January-April) from the same genre or theme. I chose WWII historical romance genre so I can knock out Sarah Sundin's books off my TBR.

1. Anchor in the Storm (Waves of Freedom #2) 

2. When Tides Turn (Waves of Freedom #3)

3. A Distant Melody (Wings of Glory #1)

4. A Memory Between Us (Wings of Glory #2)

5. Blue Skies Tomorrow (Wings of Glory #3)

"Rising Tides" is Ethan Quinn's story and the strongest in the Chesapeake Bay series. I have to say though that the whole thing with Seth's biological mother has gotten beyond stupid at this point. There's a lot of things going on that I wonder why the police haven't become involved. We still have the magical realism elements popping up in this book that don't really work with everything else going on. Cameron is now married in this one and he and Anna are only in the last half of the book. Phillip barely feels real in this one and even when he is the subject of his own book still feels fake to me. 

Ethan Quinn is quiet and loyal. He loves being on the water and now is turning his hand at helping his brothers with their hand made boating business. That said, this book is pretty hard to read since it deals with child rape. Though Phillip and Cameron's childhood stories are tough to read about, Ethan's definitely affected me. Ethan feels as if what happened to him as a child now makes him unclean and unworthy of love as an adult. When childhood friend Grace Monroe finally makes her feelings for Ethan known, they stumble along to something, though Ethan is reluctant to have things become permanent.

I did like Ethan for most of this book, and then I didn't at times. His talking down to Grace after she is almost assaulted was definitely one of those times. I really got tired of the men in this series and how they supposedly talked to women they cared about. At least he apologized though so that was something. Ethan is probably the brother that gets Seth the most so it was great to see the scenes involving them together. And Ethan telling Seth about his past has Seth opening up even more about things. 

Grace was great and I felt for her. A young woman who had dreams of dancing that were taken away by her parents, she married a man she didn't really love who left her when she was about to give birth. She is now raising her 18 month old daughter on her own while working several jobs. I hated how Ethan and even other people acted like Grace was acting too prideful when her father treated her like dirt because she was pregnant before marrying, and is now divorced. 

The writing was strong in this one, though the flow was off here and there. I think there were too many things going on with Seth's mother, the insurance company still, rumors about Ray Quinn, etc. When the book just focused on Ethan and Grace and their budding romance it really works.

The ending did make me laugh and sigh at times though. Ethan finally gets told about himself and it finally starts to sink in that what was done to him as a child doesn't have to shape the rest of his life. 

With a prologue set in 1945, the rest of the action is split between 1911 and 2011. We are treated to two stories, connected by place and family, about two women, dominated by men they are afraid to leave, featuring two love affairs and the tale of a troubled artist and his paintings.

We see how land clearances remain politically volatile in modern Scotland. I enjoyed the descriptive pieces, especially descriptions of place, which were particularly effective. However, the love stories were full of cliches and the mystery wasn't exactly compelling. It was still an enjoyable read. It has an atmosphere that wraps around you like the westerlies Maine describes.

In order to download free, you do need to subscribe your email address.  They don't flood you with other marketing emails.  You do have to act lightning fast when you get the email because these stay available free almost no time.  Download = http://ebookclub.tor.com .

Publisher info on the books is at https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250305923 

There's a bookclub on booklikes for these at http://booklikes.com/book-clubs/88/tor-monthly-free-ebook-science-fiction-and-fantasy   (TOR publishes mainly science fiction and fantasy genre books).