“On a Summer Tide”, by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the first book I’ve read by this author.  Although this book is in the Contemporary Romance genre, I would consider the romance in this book to be a more secondary storyline.  The largest portion of “On a Summer Tide” is devoted to following the story of a father, his three grown daughters, and his grandson, as they struggle to reconnect after years of discord among their family following a terrible tragedy.

While the description above may sound very serious, “On a Summer Tide” is certainly not without humour.  Actually quite the contrary, as it is full of quirky characters sure to bring a smile to your face.  Perhaps the biggest moral of the story is the importance of family connections, and treating each other with respect, understanding, and compassion.

Another wonderful characteristic of “On a Summer Tide” is how it demonstrates the need to slow down and enjoy the time we’re given, rather than always rushing to finish our to-do list.  In fact, the pace of this book as a whole is gentle and meandering – until near the end when we’re given a shocking, I repeat, shocking surprise that I for one had no clue was coming.  This surprise is not particularly pleasant, and certainly not something I would recommend to younger readers, but it does open the door for a great reminder of redemption and forgiveness.

I will certainly anticipate more stories about “Three Sisters Island”, hopefully a book for each sister.  Until then, I certainly enjoyed “On a Summer Tide” as a light read, ideal for summer and escaping to a beautiful island where a family will find healing, rest, and love.

I received this book courtesy of Revell Publishing, in participation with a Revell Reads Blog Tour.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own.