Tides of Passion

“You have to make a leap. Both of you. Love is a grand leap off a cliff without anything to soften the fall”

Savannah Conner from New York City is is a passionate justice seeker and suffragette recently come to Pilot Isle North Carolina to teach women to stand up for themselves. Zachariah Garrett, widowed for 2 years is the Constable of the tiny town where he keeps the peace, saves the stranded, and cares for and about his son and brothers . However, his guilt over his first wife is literally a heavy weight he has to deal with since he hasn’t already. Both present as capable, worthy people, but down inside, both are so battered by life it’s a wonder that they can function.

These two clash, and continue to intertwine whether they like it or not. Sparks of attraction ignite the best, and worst of a friendship that could become more, only if they acknowledge what everybody else sees.

This book made me laugh and cry. Author Tracy Sumner can write! I love these characters and can see why the Garrett Brothers are some of the author’s best sellers. I read this one first because there was a teaser at the end of another story. Now, I am compelled to read the others. [N.B.- the sex in this book is not for kids] Highly recommended 5/5

[disclaimer: I received this book as a gift from the author and voluntarily read and reviewed it]

Zach is the oldest Garrett brother, a constable raising his young son on his own since the death of his wife and baby. Everyone knows this grief-stricken man will never marry again, including Savannah. Savannah came to town to take over for Elle, and she spends her days fighting against social injustice. When these two cross paths, sparks fly.

Savannah and Zach are such complex and dynamic characters, and their romance is swoon-tastic!! This is a total opposites-attract love affair, and it totally works. Savannah is a northern city girl, and Zach is a southern country boy. She’s passionate about fighting for the rights of women, even when it gets her in trouble with the law. He’s the town Constable. They have every reason to clash, but instead, they connect on a deep and passionate level. Though they initially agree to have a relationship with no strings attached, it’s pretty clear from the beginning that their relationship is so much more than that.

Savannah is very independent and never saw love in her future until she met Zach. He shows her the promise of a future with him and his family, something she’s never had before. I love how they feel about each other and how they work through their misgivings and fears. Savannah, for example, has never felt part of a loving family, and she is surprised when she is so willingly welcomed into the Garrett family’s folds. She is also not overly comfortable with children and worries because Zach has a young son.

Zach, in turn, struggles so much with his feelings. Grief for the loss of his wife and child, guilt for moving on and finding happiness, fear of losing someone else he loves, as well as feeling unworthy of love. Zach has had a lot of responsibility in his life, and Savannah makes Zach feel like himself. He doesn’t have to be the constable or the calm voice of reason. With her, he can just be himself. Zach comes to realize that moving on doesn’t mean forgetting the past or the love he had for his wife.

The banter between Savannah and Zach is fantastic, as they love to tease and badger each other. Savannah’s teasing and sarcastic wit, as well as Zach’s fantastic comebacks, are some of my favorite parts of the story. I also love that he admires her intellect and passion for gender equality. Though they don’t always see eye-to-eye, they respect each other, and as the story progresses, you can see Zach slowly finding hope and happiness again, and it is wonderful. Plus, their intimate scenes are steamy and totally swoon-worthy!

There are also some great scenes with the rest of the Garrett family. This is such a loving family, and they are always there for each other. I like how the family plays such an important part in all of their lives. They’ve worked hard to reconnect and heal the wounds from the past, and their relationship is repairing beautifully. I love how they advise and tease each other. The Garrett family cares deeply for each other, and their bond is wonderful.

Something else that I really like about this story and the series, in general, is that it brings to light the inequities of society, especially for women, during this time. This story takes place around twenty years before women gained the right to vote in America, and I love that the women, led by Savannah, fight for their rights and for a better future. All of the Garrett brothers’ love interests have strong beliefs and believe they should have the same opportunities as men. The Garrett brothers completely and wholeheartedly support their wives in their endeavors, which I adore!!

This is a great addition to the Seaswept Seduction Series! The characters are fantastic, the setting is wonderful, and the romance is steamy! I definitely recommend the book to lovers of historical romance! Thanks so much to Tracy Sumner for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Of the three books in this series, I’m not sure why this is the one I chose to read last, but I can say without a doubt, this one is my favorite. And it is aptly named. This is the story of Zachariah Garrett and Savannah Connor (Elle’s friend from NYC). I was amused to find that the author was not setting up a future romance between Zach and Savannah when she wrote the end of Tides of Love. It seemed like a clear hint of what was to come. I guess when you allow the characters to tell the story, you end up with serendipitous circumstances like that.

I found myself smiling for every interaction between Savannah and Zach because it was so clear they were enjoying themselves. Zach, unable to forgive himself for the death of his wife during childbirth, feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, while Savannah is a ball of energy and excitement, ushering in hope he thought he’d never feel again. Watching her from afar, Zach decides that “She looked magnificent. Radiant. Like a star thrust into a dark box.” He admires her brains and her passion as much as her beauty and, wisely, knows that he must never try to constrain her. At one point, when she has done something he doesn’t like, he suspects she feels clever and “He imagined she would clap her hands if she thought she could get away with it.” And the banter between them is captivating and wonderful, like when they engage in a bit of negotiation and she says to him, “Fine then, don’t you have another stipulation tucked away in that dusty jar atop your neck?”

Everyone knows that Zach will never marry again, never love another. Elle, knowing Savannah never wishes to marry, tries to convince her to partake in carnal pleasures with Zach, telling her, “Do it once, and you’ll never be able to think of anything else. Every time he walks into the room, boom, like a bolt of lightning, there goes your mind right out the door.” Savannah doesn’t need much convincing, and as it turns out, neither does Zach. Thus, begins their secret trysts, both committed to never marrying and never falling in love. Of course, it’s never really possible to prevent love, and times being what they were, it wasn’t always possible to prevent marriage either. As Zach observed to himself, “Didn’t God just have a fun time up there, throwing huge boulders in a man’s path?” Indeed.

Aside from the scenes involving Savannah and Zach, of which there were many and they were intense, there are also some really fun scenes with Zach and his brothers—horsing around, pushing one another (literally and figuratively), and demonstrating what it means to be a family. It’s an enlightening thing for Savannah to experience, and for someone who has always felt like she was on the outside looking in, “It almost felt as if she had lifted her nose from the glass pane and come inside. For the first time ever.”

Zach, big brother to Caleb and Noah, and protector to everyone else, is surprisingly in need of guidance and his brothers are there to help him. Noah, in particular, helps Zach to see a few things that have been staring him in the face for a while. Asked a probing question, “Zach couldn’t have predicted his answer, so the one that popped out had all the earmarks of truth he should have known but didn’t.” Pushed further, he felt “thought seeping from his brain like water from a leaky bucket.” There is never really any doubt that they will fall in love with one another, but when Zach says, “I was lost until you came into my life,” it is the truest thing he could have said.

An American historical romance set in the late 1800s. It was an enjoyable story. I thought Savannah, an activist from New York was a passionate heroine and equal to Zach, the constable in the small town of Pilot Isle. Lots of sparks fly between the two that kept me turning the pages.

Tides of Passion: Zach, the oldest of the Garrett brothers, is a widower with a seven-year-old son. He has not dated since his wife died two years ago. His forbidden desire and greatest temptation is Savannah, one of Elle’s friends and a women’s freedom activist. A battle of wills leads to love. – I loved the interactions between Zach and Savannah. She is feisty and stirs up things. As the town constable, he has to calm and settle maters. This is an entertaining love story.

I read the first book in the series and only gave it 3 stars, this was such a great improvement.

I liked both the main character’s. Even though at times, it was repetitive over the deceased wife his feelings.

The backbone the h had added to the story. She had a tough side to push for rights of women in the late 1898. The year was the year my grandma was born and to see how women had to fight for things we take for granted today. But, the h had a soft side that slowly was peeled like an onion – slow and so worthwhile.

This is a stand alone story, even though book 2 of the series. The same character’s cross over to this one and it was nice to see how they’ve grown in their relationships.

There is a lot of lovemaking, outside and within marriage, heat level 4.75 out of 5. Since I felt a connection to them it was filled with passion.

The reaction the h had over hearing several times the H state something was spot on. I felt I would react the same way and my heart ached for her.

No cheating, no cliffhanger, HEA, romance builds slowly, loved the last chapter and epilogue – fantastic and steam. (ljb)

At the turn of the century, Savannah Connor travels from New York City to Pilot Isle, NC., in her crusade for equality for woman. At her first protest she meets the handsome Constable Zachariah Garrett. From then on the pull between them can’t be denied. And so their very passionate affair begins. Humor, guilt, pain and something unexpected keep this affair on an unsteady ship. Pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.

ONE EXCELLENT ADVENTURE!!!
Move ’em out! Tracy bestows all the sensual, sexy, heat and magic, mixing it up and laying it out with such perfection, fervor, ingenuity and a unique insight for detail, welding this gem together sleek, shiny and tight. Sparks fly as drama, intrigue, misgivings, confusion and sticky situations along with a boatload of humor while dodging calamity, you have one block busting adventure. A tumultuous wild ride full of fevrent events and surprising circumstances, blow this little fella wide open. Anarchy, escapades and havoc run amuck, kicking this bad boy into a raging tempest, blasting it into a tailspin with a mind-blowing culmination. The attraction and chemistry sizzles from the pages and suck you in so deeply until you feel the heat and electricity thrumming through your veins. Treading the trials and tribulations, noting the shocking twists and wicked turns, testing our characters in ways they could have never envisioned. The dynamics and countenance in layer upon layer that you peel back with each page your drawn into this web so deep until everything else ceases to exist. You feel everything the characters feel, you become a part of the adventure instead of on the sideline. The characters are complex and authentic with depth and traits that blend and flow, transforming into genuinely relatable personalities. The scenes are strikingly sharp with abundant details and descriptions creating a colorful backdrop that makes the storyline pop. Remarkable job Tracy, thanks for sharing this little treasure with us.

Five-plus stars!
I love this author’s sense of humour! Not only that, but she writes well and knows how to tell a great story.
The two main characters in this story, Savannah and Constable Zachariah Garrett actually sizzle on the pages! What a hellion she is and he is such a cool, level headed man except when passion takes over.
I’m so happy to have read this story and because I’ve enjoyed it so much am recommending it to you as worth the while to read! Well done, Tracy!
I read an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) and my voluntary and unbiased review is recorded above.

I enjoyed this book and would like to read others by this author.