Beyond the Tides - (Prince Edward Island Shores) by Liz Johnson

Beyond the Tides by Liz Johnson is a wonderful feel-good, romantic story of Meg Whitaker and her family. Meg's family has run a lobster fishing business for years. Her dad has finally decided to pass on the legacy and heritage of his business to her high school nemesis. Meg is infuriated. The last thing she wants is for Oliver to have her legacy. Meg decides she will do what she must to invest in the business. However, she quickly realizes that it’s not all she thought it would be. And she never thought she would forgive Oliver after so many years. Add in to the difficulties that Meg's mother's health is not good. How much longer will she have time to spend with her mother? Liz Johnson writes a fun, romantic, faith based story that readers are sure to enjoy. The entertaining ups and downs of Meg's life will keep you guessing and pressing on to read. I was given a free copy from the publisher for my honest review, which I was happy to do. Beyond the Tides is a delightful story that I throughly enjoyed!

Every time I read a book set on Prince Edward Island I immediately regret not having been there. Beyond the Tides is an immersive, lovely and romantic story full of second chances, grief and new beginnings. This is an enemies to lovers trope where friendship bloom when misconceptions are corrected. When Megs dad announces he is stepping away from Lobstering, not only does Meg feel pressure to step up and take his place, but her dad might be selling the company to her nemesis instead. Whoever proves to be the worthy candidate after a summer together on the boat gets the business. Oliver knows this life like the back of his hand and Meg is a fish out of water. Its a really cute and fun dynamic and ultimately makes for a really sweet romance. Having spent time in Maine, I have learned how important Lobstering is not only to a community for to a livelihood for generations to come. Licenses are hard to come by so the push and pull from Meg seemed real as she wanted to keep her dads legacy alive. A really beautiful story that has be curious about picking up the next book!

Beyond the Tides by Liz Johnson is the first in her new series, Prince Edward Island Shores. Charming and beautifully written,the stunning cover helped to draw me into the story’s wonderful setting on Prince Edward Island. I was so taken with the story of Meg Whitaker and Oliver Ross. They were both such likeable and interesting characters. In Beyond the Tides they both have to work together to decide who will end up owning the lobster fishing business that belongs to Meg’s father. But, the problem is Meg’s father has determined they have to spend a three month fishing season working together. Which is very challenging since they were far from friends in the past, have a rough history, and both have their own baggage. Beyond the Tides tells of two delightfully flawed people as they navigate their past, their present and their future. The author weaves together a delightful story with the redemptive power of forgiveness, loving unconditionally, and the value of living every moment. I highly recommend Beyond the Tides. I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a review.

I was so excited to get my hands on this book! When I got to read the summary on the back of the book, I knew it was going to be good. Johnson has a way of drawing me into whatever adventure the characters are in and I love every minute of it. I easily fell in love with Meg and Oliver’s story. I can understand Meg’s side; not wanting something, but also not wanting to lose the chance at having it. And yet Oliver worked so hard for so long, and deserves the chance to change the future for him and his family. I could not imagine wanting to get up before the crack of dawn and do back breaking work to provide a living. Yet that is exactly what Meg’s dad and Oliver have been doing for years. When Meg’s dad makes a decision to stay home with her mom, Meg is forced to make her own decision. Will she step aside and let Oliver, who knows the buisness almost as good as her dad, take over as her dad wished, or will she fight against him for it? Oliver once cut her deep, and she can’t see past her hurt to see what he could’ve been going through. Will winning the lobster fleet and taking it away from him give her the satisfaction she thinks she deserves? Or will getting to know Oliver again cause her to find a better and lasting satisfaction? I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys clean romance. I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishing and was in no way forced to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Liz Johnson is a new-to-me author. The cover of Beyond the Tides is peaceful and enchanting, drawing you into Prince Edward Island. Meg is a brilliant physics teacher who loves her students. But when her dad decides to sell his business, Meg quits to try and get the business. Her motives are less than ideal and she's never had the desire before. However, she also can't imagine it with someone outside the family. I struggled to like Meg. I found her immature and hard to relate to. I enjoyed the scenes with her mom toward the end, to see a sweeter side of Meg, but felt her character needed greater growth. Oliver is somewhat of a black sheep. His father left town with a scandal and his family has suffered the consequences. He loves working on Meg's father's boat and jumps at the chance to own the license. He does not foresee the obstacles in his way. I admired the way Oliver worked hard and chased his dreams. But, I had a bit of a hard time connecting to him as well. This story is about broken dreams, life not turning out the way you expected, dealing with too many changes at one time, forgiveness, redemption, grief, leaving a legacy, and grace. The side characters are pretty incredible and I enjoyed their addition to the story. Not everything is wrapped up in a nice neat bow, but the main story is resolved and leaves room for the next book in the series. I recommend this story to fans of contemporary romance that enjoy stories that are true to life. Thank you to Revell and the author for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

I was drawn into this unique story immediately! It checked all the boxes: Mystery, humor, romance, inspiration, and faith! Oliver had been helping Meg’s father in his lobster business for many years. Both men had love, respect and close working relationship. The unusual thing is that Meg had a deep seated resentment and bitterness against Oliver for something that happened 10 years ago in high school. You could even say she loathed him. She had moved away and had a teaching job she loved. Her mother’s health takes a frightening turn for the worse. This forces her father to sell his business so he can take care of his wife. The logical one to buy it is Oliver, who desperately needs income. Meg has never worked the business and get violently sea sick even standing on a boat. Her grudge spurs her to tell her father she wants it. Oliver has the skills and loyalty and it is Meg’s legacy. Which should he choose and how? To resolve the problem, he decides Oliver and Meg work side by side on the boat for the fishing season and then he will pick one of them to own his business. Talk about pouring gas on the fire! With gritty determination they both take the challenge. What transpires is beautiful. The constant act of working together brings about miraculous changes in both their lives. God begins to work in both their lives in unexpected ways and does what is seemingly impossible. There are lots of surprises along the way for the reader and so many really funny moments. I so enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read the next one in this series 2 I received this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated are my own.

Beyond the Tides starts off Liz Johnson’s Prince Edward Island Shores series. I thought it was a really good start. It was a pleasure to take a visit to the beautiful Prince Edward Island. I was intrigued by Oliver and Meg’s story. Even though they had their differences, they have great chemistry together. It was wonderful spending a few hours with them. It was fun and a delight to read. I did find it somewhat predictable but still so good to read and not to be missed. I am giving Beyond the Tides four stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean romantic fiction. I look forward to the next installment from the Prince Edward Island Shores series. I received a paperback copy of Beyond the Tides from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

This book was given to me through Revell Reads program, this review is completely my own and freely given I enjoyed the book but did not find anything particularly exciting about it. It is a typical love story. The twist was the setting, I have not read a book with a Canadian lobster fishing background. I found that interesting and unique. This is a Christian book but by no means preachy. In fact, it is barely Christian with only a few mentions of attending church. Otherwise, it's mainly a good, clean read. I did not enjoy the part where they brought up a brother a few times. I guess the author felt it was needed to continue the series, but I felt it left too much unsaid or too much said that was not needed. I give this a 3 out of 5-star review.

"That's the thing about forgiveness - it's a renewable resource. The act of giving it fills you up to give it again. The more you practice forgiveness, the more you have to give." Liz Johnson's contemporary romance books are a must-read for me and this book, her newest, showcases exactly why. From the opening chapter, the characters and the plot are captivating and the plot has a nice smooth flow with easy-to-read writing. There is great humor peppered throughout the book that you won't be able to help the wide grins and occasional laugh-out-loud moments. There is plenty of heartache and grief seen through Meg and her father as they care for a rapidly deteriorating loved one. Oliver has a difficult, painful, and shameful past to overcome but his gentle, tender, hard-working humility shows what God can do when we put ourselves at His feet. How brokenness can become redeemed and forgiveness can conquer fear really struck home through this book. And I learned quite a bit about lobstering in the beautiful Prince Edward Island. I can't wait for the next two books where we'll get to know Oliver's brothers better! I received the book from Baker Publishing Group via Interviews & Reviews and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

This was an interesting story of two people who have hard feelings towards one another due to an event that happened in high school. When Meg's father decides to sell the family business, Meg hears of her father planning to sell it to the one person she can't stand, Oliver Ross. As the book continues, a contest to see who buys the fishing business, brings Meg together with Oliver and they have to work together for a season in a contest to see who will be chosen as the new owner. There are lots of ups and downs in the both the lives of the two trying to be the one chosen and in the business itself. They go through personal growth as they learn of one another's lives and past that brought them to this point. And Meg gives up her position at school as a teacher to work on the fishing boat. I enjoyed the story and thought it was interesting and set in a beautiful place. I received a copy of this book from Revell Publishers. All thoughts are my own.

This was a charming love story about enemies who become friends and then develop a romantic relationship. Meg Whitaker and Oliver Ross are the central characters, both of whom are delightfully quirky. Meg is a physics teacher and the daughter of a lobster fisherman. When her dad decides to sell his business in order to focus on her mom’s failing health, Meg is distraught to find out that her dad is selling the business to Oliver, the guy who ruined her science project and ruined her chances to attend an Ivy League college. Her father, desperate to sell but also unwilling to anger Meg, comes up with the solution to have the two share the business and see who does the best work with it. The humor in this book is outstanding as the two enemies gradually begin to accept each other, let go of a decades old grudge and forgive. I enjoyed the subtle Christian themes that ran throughout the book and the fact that it is definitely a clean read. The theme of letting go of old dreams and embracing new ones is a good lesson to learn for everyone. There is also a small mystery involved when their lobster boat keeps getting sabotaged and the revelation of who was the culprit was a surprise. Although I was not sure at first that I would enjoy a book about lobster fishing, I really did. The setting of Prince Edward Island and the small town life there was perfect for the story, a story that was not complicated and was somewhat predictable, but it was thoroughly enjoyable. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

“Winning over Meg Whitaker was his challenge. He didn’t need her to like him. He just needed her to stop hating him,” Oliver determines in Liz Johnson’s novel, Beyond the Tides. ~ What ~ The first in the Prince Edward Island Shores series, this three-hundred-and-thirty-six-page book targets those who enjoy contemporary Christian romance, uncovering family secrets, and forgiveness. With no profanity, topics of illness may not be appropriate for immature readers. The ending includes an excerpt of the next book in the series, acknowledgments, and the author’s biography. Set on Prince Edward Island in Canada, twenty-seven-year olds Oliver and Meg are opposites who are still negatively dealing with an incident that happened between them over sixteen years ago. While Meg refuses to forgive and forget, Oliver wants to move on in life, especially when her father agrees to let the two compete to own the family lobster boat business. As the two are forced to work with each other during the fishing season, they must not only become a team, but they need to turn bitterness into forgiveness to accomplish their goal. ~Why ~ This romantic story of grace and mercy shows how love can conquer the past and tragedies suffered and heal the pain and sorrow, especially when it involves family members who have illnesses or abandon others. I appreciated how Oliver was portrayed as a salty seaman who was a tender teddy bear under his rough, large frame. The characters were believable and well written. ~ Why Not ~ Those who do not like Christian romances will pass on this story that promotes God’s love and forgiveness while learning to accept others as they are. Although no eternal plan of salvation is discussed, it does have references to the Bible and prayers to God. The idea of holding a grudge since middle school seems a bit childish, and the romance is predictable. ~ Wish ~ I found several loose ends in the story, but I am sure they will tie together in future books in the series. I wish all pronouns of God were capitalized for reverence. ~ Want ~ If you like reading about a relationship that was broken for over a decade and slowly washed clean by the tides of forgiveness, this is an engaging light read. Thanks to Revell for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.

In 'Beyond the Tides' author Liz Johnson once again sweeps the reader back to magical Prince Edward Island—with its tall lighthouse glowing across the shimmering waves, colorful shanties at the end of the dock lighting the inky sky, and the smell of fried fish wafting through the air! Frankly I couldn't wait to return PEI, but wasn't sure I would be interested in a novel about a lobster fishing fleet. Ha! I didn't realize I was setting sail on an emotional, heart-tugging, turbulent journey with two of the most stubborn characters ever, Meg Whitaker and her nemesis, Oliver Ross. It took awhile for Meg to grow on me as she initially appears bitter and super ungracious, and Oliver comes off as a self-serving louse—until he doesn't. What a guy...I even fell in love with his ears! lol Everyone has their story and both characters realize they have more in common than they thought. Will love, understanding, and forgiveness help to heal their wounds? Another beautifully written book I had been so looking forward to and Liz Johnson certainly doesn't disappoint! Beautifully descriptive with colorful characters 'Beyond the Tides' is one novel you don't want to miss! *I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Revell via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own. I received no monetary compensation.*