In the wake of WWII, a grieving fisherman submits a poem to a local newspaper: a rallying cry for hope, purpose . . . and rocks. Send me a rock for the person you lost, and I will build something life-giving. When the poem spreads farther than he ever intended, Robert Bliss’s humble words change the tide of a nation. Boxes of rocks inundate the tiny, coastal Maine town, and he sets his calloused … calloused hands to work, but the building halts when tragedy strikes.
Decades later, Annie Bliss is summoned back to Ansel-by-the-Sea when she learns her Great-Uncle Robert, the man who became her refuge during the hardest summer of her youth, is now the one in need of help. What she didn’t anticipate was finding a wall of heavy boxes hiding in his home. Long-ago memories of stone ruins on a nearby island trigger her curiosity, igniting a fire in her anthropologist soul to uncover answers.
She joins forces with the handsome and mysterious harbor postman, and all her hopes of mending the decades-old chasm in her family seem to point back to the ruins. But with Robert failing fast, her search for answers battles against time, a foe as relentless as the ever-crashing waves upon the sea.more
Some stories you read linger with you long after you have finished the story. Whose Waves These Are is one of those stories. This epic story is one loving told with such achingly beautiful words that it envelopes you in its warm embrace. Spanning generations with the seamless ebb and flow of the tide, and piercing the depths is the matchless love of our creator and savior.
The dynamic characters and the charming town wove its way into my heart. I have long wanted to visit Maine and now even more so! You will want to grab a copy of this story! I eagerly anticipate more stories from Amanda Dykes!
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Wow! If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I totally would! This book touched my heart! I was so wrapped up in the story that I didn’t want it to end! I loved the message that came through this book. This story brought me to tears a few times. I felt all of their pain and loss deeply. I shared in their joy. I absolutely cannot wait to read more from Amanda Dykes! This is going on my list of best books of 2019! I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Whose Waves These Are is the fabulous debut full-length novel by Amanda Dykes. The author is a gifted storyteller who is adept at sharing the stories of her characters. They are well-developed, demonstrated primarily through their actions and conversations. The history and beauty of this coastal Maine setting are described in such a was as to lead the reader into the story – well, both stories, as this is a complex, multigenerational novel that includes the life of a young man during WWII and thereafter and his grandniece in 2001. It is thought-provoking, leading the reader to consider their own lives and priorities.
Emmanuelle “Annie” Bliss works in Chicago and learned that great uncle Bob needed her in an unusual manner, through an ad in Rusty Joe’s Swap and Sell. Second only to his Bible, this is his reading material in Ansel-by-the-Sea. Ann is the only family member Bob has left other than her father, who hasn’t wanted her to write to GrandBob since the men had a falling out. She and Bob communicate through ads in the Swap and Sell, and Ann has copies of every post they have shared.
Annie met Bob when she was an adolescent; her parents were deployed overseas at the same time and she needed a place to stay for the three-month overlap. Annie’s mother knew about Uncle Bob but had never met him. He was their only living blood relative, so her mother took her there to stay. They grew close during those months, and much of Annie’s strength of character, and the abilities to dream as well as pick up the pieces and go on came from Bob’s heart to hers. Now he was in a medically-induced coma, and there was no guarantee he would awaken again.
When Ann went back to Ansel-by-the-Sea, she realized she hadn’t felt at home anywhere for a very long time, possibly not since that long-ago summer. She became reacquainted with some of Bob’s friends, Bess, Ed, and Arthur, and a new friend, Jeremiah “Fletch” Fletcher. Fletch took Annie out to Seaman’s Rest, the family home. When going through the home, she found the most curious thing – a closet full of boxes and wrapped containers that had been mailed to Bob. Opening on that fell, she finds a rock. She could tell from checking a few more parcels that he had an enormous collection of all kinds of rocks, from all around the country. Then a man shows up, Spencer T. Ripley, who arrived to celebrate and give an honorary award to Bob for his most famous poem. Poem? Rocks? What has GrandBob been up to all these years? She realizes she knows little about him.
I love the author’s writing style. Her characters are unique and three-dimensional, people we grow closer to throughout the novel. Bob’s wisdom came at a high price; his scars are not visible for most to see. Annie learns more about Bob than she ever imagined possible as he is not an average lobsterman. Reflections on faith of each character show how each person grows and changes, and just how much Ann left behind in Ansel-by-the-Sea is evident. Watching how the town looks out for Bob during this crisis just as they had many years ago is refreshing. This novel is full of surprises, there is very little that could be considered predictable. It is full of faith, love, grace, and ultimately, the triumph of a man who had suffered much and had a wealth of experience to share with others.
From a thankful heart: I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley; this is my honest opinion.
How do you describe perfection when you are finished……PERFECTION. When you read this you will scratch your head and say that this can’t be a debut novel as it reads like a seasoned author. I found myself immersed in this story and being pulled under the waves of a beautiful ocean to emerge on a sunset beach. The timing and characterization reads like a poem whose prose leaves you weeping and your soul bared. This book has such depth that you will unfold the layers like an onion. Absolutely a phenomenal read that deserves 10 stars and multiple tissues. What a beautiful gift that has been given to us in the form of a book. It leaves you speechless and feeling like any words you use to describe it are inadequate. Definitely will read again…a keeper.
I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
My! Oh. My! Whose Waves These Are has moved me. Profoundly. I can’t begin to count how many times it made me cry—from sadness, joy, beauty.
I adore time-slip novels. Especially when both time periods pull me in equally. As I began reading, I sank into Robert’s story during WWII and its aftermath. I didn’t want to leave this side of the story. I was certain the contemporary layers couldn’t possibly be as intriguing. I was wrong. Annie’s story equally drew me in.
Every single character adds to the fullness of this story. Each one grabbed firmly to my heart and became unforgettable. I truly can’t pick a favorite. I love every last one.
This is the first book I’ve read by Amanda Dykes, and she just became my must-read author. I am so drawn in by her writer’s voice. She effortlessly submerged me into the past and made me feel part of this wonderful Ansel-By-The-Sea community. Ayuh!
I wonder if I’ve ever read a novel that spoke to my soul so deeply. This story displays fathomless love in so many forms—beautiful, yearning, searching, pure, complete, and eternal.
My tears are spent. My soul is full. And I am changed.
#whosewavestheseare
#awholelottalight
#booklove
#2019favorite
Source: I was blessed to receive an advanced copy of this book from the publisher.
“He said he loves you, that it’ll be all right, that life is big . . . and God is bigger.”
“Whose Waves These Are” clears generational speed bumps with the ease of a stallion; its poetic prose is enchanting, the spiritual depth and metaphorical descriptions compelling the most seasoned of readers to take pause.
Using the lives of twin brothers as a foundation stone, the author builds her story; and it’s a story like none other, for Robert and Roy Bliss are unparalleled. Their lives diverge from the tiny town of Ansel by the Sea when the call for war beckons one and not the other. In the end, or it could be viewed as the beginning, it’s grief that completes what life could not accomplish.
Years later, a granddaughter reappears in the tiny Maine town, apparently her beloved GrandBob needs her. As Annie Bliss uncovers the fascinating layers of her family history, she learns that “every wave . . . is a story” and “there’s a whole lotta light . .. when the Lord makes His face to shine upon Thee”; yet, Annie can only wonder what kind of stories the waves will write for her.
“Build”.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
Amanda Dykes’ debut novel, Whose Waves These Are, is a time slip (dual timeline) story that takes place during WWII and shares how deeply the war affected the family of Robert Bliss when his identical twin brother was drafted and sent off to fight in the war. The contemporary storyline begins in 2001 with Robert’s great-niece Annie returning to his coastal town when she receives word that something is wrong.
This was an emotional story, and I found myself in tears several times throughout the novel. Both storylines were well written, but I preferred the historical storyline in the novel. I look forward to reading more from Amanda Dykes in the future. Well done!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
It is hard to believe that this book is Amanda Dyke’s debut novel. This novel is breathtaking! From the opening line I was hooked. The eloquent prose of this stirring tale will haunt readers long after the final page has been read.
When Annie is summoned back to Ansel-by-the Sea to help GrandBob, she finds that she will need to uncover secrets from her family’s past in order to mend the chasm that is felt through three generations. This is a wonderful story of the ties that bind us: that of a parent, a child, a sibling and a spouse. It is a story of grief and brokenness, but also one of courage, love and hope. In my humble opinion, it also has one of the most romantic ‘first kisses’ I have read in awhile.
This is a story filled with stories, ones that tugged at my heart. Amanda Dykes skillfully pens the separate stories of Robert, Roy, Willliam, Annie, Arthur, Ed and Jeremiah and weaves them into a unforgettable masterpiece. As I read this book, I kept thinking this would make an excellent movie. But immediately, I realized the screen could never capture Ms. Dykes beautiful and fresh voice she brings to fiction. This is a book for the keeper shelf! It is definitely one of my top reads of the year!
A few of my favorite quotes:
“Every wave in that big old blue sea is a story.”
“Sometimes the past has a whole lot of treasure to mine.”
“…he can’t deny that something beyond himself was leading, guiding. He was nothing more than an instrument.”
” A thing redeemed from a place of brokenness is a humbling honor.”
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
“Every wave in that big old blue sea is a story.”
A wonderful quote from this amazing book and this book is full of these nuggets.
From the very first page to the end, this book had me captivated and wanting to read more. I didn’t want to put it down. It really was a book I kept thinking, “just one more page!” and hours later realizing I needed to go to bed.
My heart was touched deeply with the story of Roy, Robert, and Jenny. The wonderful fun young lives, and yet, the deep pain of how war interrupted those lives. Then also the story of William, Annie, and Jeremiah, and the struggles they each dealt with as well as how so much of their stories all link together.
This story brought many fresh thoughts regarding WWII to my mind. You may have someone in your life who was touched by that war. For me personally, it’s my in-laws. They also have their own stories. When I think of all they lost and all the struggles they went through, I can see how it has shaped them and made them who they are today.
Amanda Dykes has written a beautiful story of many peoples lives all intertwined and deeply touched by loss and the waves of life.
One last quote I want to leave you with is one which touched my heart:
“Lift your head, brave one. This life is a storm, no doubt about it. But oh, the One who holds those waves, who holds our hearts. What it is, to think of facing this storm in His hands, wrapped in a love that is fathoms – infinite fathoms – deep.” WOW! Thank you, Amanda Dykes, for sharing this deep love of God with us!
I highly recommend you pick this book up. It is Beautiful and deeply touching.
I was given this book by the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
These aren’t simple five stars.
I mean them with all my heart.
I never doubted Amanda Dykes was going to tug my heart big time with this book. Her novella is one of my favorite stories ever and I still get teary when reading it (ie: I basically became a waterfall reading her first full-length novel).
There is a scene in this book in which a character has to tell a story. And it’s not a small one. Kind of straight forward but not really because there’s so much then what seems obvious on the surface. I can only echo this character’s thoughts at the moment:
“How does one explain something so… so unexplainable?”
Amanda is a wonderful storyteller and she gave me all the feels with her debut. “Whose Wave These Are” is a book full of stories. And though this might seem obvious, don’t be fooled by shallow judgments until you’ve seen the intricate web this author has created. You will discover these are beautiful stories, treasured, every single one. Therefore, I can’t write a review like I usually do, mentioning the main characters and how the story will develop around them. I’ll leave it for you to discover and savor each one.
Let me tell you one thing. We are all given gifts, and they are to be shared and nurtured to bless others. This book talks about said gifts and said sharing and community.
That messy, beautiful, wonderful place to be <3