Shaped by the Waves, (Paperback)

Ms. Nelson pens stories that make you think. Her characters are flawed, strong and well represented. Cassie has always wondered who her real mother was even though she was raised by a loving relative, her Aunt Shasta. Coming home to care for Shasta who has health issues, Cassie again begins to search for answers. She brings her delightful four year old daughter, Lark, back to Oregon. Lark is a bright spot in this book of deep subjects. The author has captured the actions of this tiny girl. Ms. Nelson portrays Cassie as very caring of Shasta and Lark as she tries to juggle life. “Caregiving was a maze that surprised Cassie with new obstacles at every turn.” But Cassie finds strength in her friends and returns to her childhood faith. She begins to hope for a better future. “ Cassie, you are who God designed you to be, you are growing and changing all the time, and it may seem like you are lost in all the mess of life sometimes, but your identity is not in your name, your hair color, your job or your academic achievements. It is in your heart.” With a touch of mystery and a touch of romance you will want to follow along on the journey of Cassie, Lark and Shasta. *I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

"Lacing her fingers around Shasta's hand, Cassie was all to aware of the changes taking place, the shifting of roles. They hadn't practiced for this. There wasn't time or warning. Yet here they were anyway, bracing for the tsunami that roared toward them, and Cassie was the one in charge of their survival. In "Shaped by the Waves" by Christina Suzanne Nelson, Cassie George had been raised by her Aunt Shasta in the small town of Gull's Bay, Oregon. When she finds out that Shasta has Parkinson's disease, she returns home to care for her. Going back was hard because she felt like she left in disgrace. Her plan was not to be a single mom. But rather than finding condemnation, she finds support in unlikely places. Although her tribe may not be perfect, their love is there to support her through the letting go process. This book is full of sentimental and sad moments as well full of hope. And Lark, the precocious four-year-old daughter adds so much joy to this one. This book is also about how our faith grows and changes. No in-your-face sermons can be found in this one, but plenty of inspirational messages that encourage contemplating God's presence. What else adds another dimension to this book is letters left for Cassie to read. In the packet of papers, she discovers a story that seems to intersect with her own. This layer of mystery adds interest and depth to the story as well. A side character also plays a role in this one. Nora also finds out there is more to her family once she discovers her DNA results. Can she learn that letting go of perfect may help her to be free? Christina Suzann Nelson weaves together beautiful fictional books for women. There were a few surprises in this one, and I absolutely loved the storyline which is all about finding faith in the hard times. A big thank you, to Christina, for providing me with an early copy to read. I wanted to review here and on other sites, and these thoughts express my own opinions