Genre
Audience
Adult
Author’s Worldview
Catholic
Year Published
2016
Themes
Reviewed by
M.S. Ocampo
Katherine “Kate” Middleton (not to be mistaken for the Duchess of Cambridge)’s life changes with a single phone call from a woman she has never met. The man she thought was her husband has a whole different life apart from her, including another wife and kids. Her marriage is not even valid.
Subscribe to our Newsletter & Get Weekly Catholic Books for as little as $1
Longing to escape this false life and start fresh, Kate leases a house on Chincoteague Island, off the coast of Virginia. She takes on a new job writing for the local paper, a step up from selling advertisement space for a Washington D.C. magazine. Kate quickly makes friends within the Chincoteague community. Sparks start flying between her and Aaron Kelly, a member of the Coast Guard.
Unfortunately, Kate quickly discovers that she’s pregnant with her ex-husband’s baby. She never considers abortion as an option, in spite of not being religious. However, she avoids the responsibility of telling her former husband about it until well into the pregnancy.
Motherhood brings on many new responsibilities. Lucky for Kate, the people of Chincoteague Bay as well as her family are ready to help her. Even her brother, who has been on tour with the Army, eventually arrives to help her out. But Kate still has to face the responsibility of telling her former husband and dealing with whatever consequences come from it.
A few interesting subplots revolve around the burdens other characters are carrying. One of Kate’s friends deals with single motherhood and the stigma of being married to a man who ended up murdered. Kate’s brother and Aaron Kelly are both processing major trauma from the time they served in the military. The story has an overall theme of everyone having skeletons in their closets, but being able to overcome their pasts with the help of a supportive community.
Subscribe to our Newsletter & Get Weekly Catholic Books for as little as $1
I would recommend this novel for fans of Lifetime movie dramas as well as Hallmark Channel’s romantic comedies. Kate starts out not being a religious person, but finds comfort in the local Catholic community. This novel also handles themes of past trauma in a very relatable way.
Join Here for FREE to Never Miss a Deal
Find new favorites & Support Catholic Authors
Ghosts of the Faithful by Kaye Park Hinckley
The O’Murphy family gets help from beyond the grave as they deal with long held secrets.
Playing by Heart by Carmela Martino
In this historical drama, Emilia longs for a love as beautiful as her sonata, but the ambitions of her father put her and her sister in great danger. Winner of our 2018 Best of the Year Awards.
August & September New Book Releases
Step into Fall with a Good Book
Someday by Corinna Turner
Ordinary schoolgirls face a terrible fate: abuse, forced marriages, and even death at the hands of Islamic extremists.
The Book of Jotham by Arthur Powers
Experience Christ through the eyes of Jotham, his disabled disciple.
Bread from Home by Fr. Stephen Siniari
We all hunger for the same food from heaven. A collection of short stories exploring an Albanian Orthodox church community, their Catholic and Evangelical neighbors, and the hunger for heaven that unites them all.
Live and Let Bite Review by Declan Finn
The battle with the demons of San Francisco left Marco broken and now Amanda isn’t answering his messages.
Anna Lucia: Book 2, The Casa Bella Chronicles By Liz Galvano
Can Lucinda heal from her past and learn to love again?
Zeal & Zest: Where to Begin with Hillaire Belloc
Belloc was known as a Catholic polemicist with a vicious talent for skewering his opponents. Anyone struggling to persevere as a Christian in the fields of journalism or media should read him. His children’s books have an acerbic humor that will appeal to bored veterans of political correctness, especially teens.
The Reluctant Queen: The Story of Esther by Lin Wilder
Chosen by Xerxes to be queen, chosen by God to be savior of His people: the story of Esther.
Blink and We’ll Miss It by Ginny Kochis
Back amongst her estranged best friends and former love, Mae tries to hide her time-hopping secret.
Julia’s Gifts by Ellen Gable
A story of love and God’s providence in times of war.
The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas
Would you die for a flower? Would you kill for one? Providence, romance, and danger rule in this tense, heart-warming prison romance.
Brave Water by Sarah Robsdottir
What if you had to risk your life for a simple cup of water?
Infinite Regress by Joshua Hren
Poetic justice when the victim of a predator priest finds freedom from his seducer.
The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch by T.M. Gaouette
A foster kid learns that sometimes the scariest part of life is accepting love.
In Pieces by Rhonda Ortiz
Is a marriage without love the only way to save Molly Chase’s reputation?
Four Catholic Philosophers: Rejoicing in the Truth By: Richard A. Spinello
The rigors of philosophical thought can inspire remarkable physical courage.
The Boy Who Knew (Friends in High Places: Carlo Acutis) by Corinna Turner
Faced with his death, a fifteen-year-old learns how to live through the wisdom of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Everything Old: Love in Anadauk Book 1 by Amanda Hamm
Two youth group leaders rekindle their friendship and find love with each other along the way.
