DISCLAIMER:

These are the ramblings of a wanna-be writer and enamored reader. They promise to be raw, enthusiastic and probably repetitive and ramble-y. But they are a true representation of my word-filled mind trying desperately to sort out the feelings and thoughts that consume me as I read. Enjoy?

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Surrender Bay

**I've changed my review format a little bit. Just 'cause.

Author:
Denise Hunter

Pages: 281

Preview: When Samantha Owens's estranged stepfather dies, she inherits his cottage in Nantucket - a place she left years before, never planning to return. As a single mom, Sam can't afford to pass up a financial windfall like ocean-front property. So she travels home to fix up the house and sell it...never suspecting that Landon Reed still lives two doors down. As their long dormant romance begins to bud again, Sam must face the fact that Landon still doesn't know why she left the island. Will the secrets hidden all these years tear them apart...or is Landon's love really unconditional as he claims?

Thoughts: Wow, wow, wow! I L.O.V.E. this book. Good stories about best friends falling in love are sadly few and far between (unless I'm looking in the wrong places - if you have a recommendation, please let me know!), but they are my absolute favorite. I love the depth and connection it gives the love between them - it just makes it seem so much more real to me. Not to mention that I've always dreamed of falling in love with my best friend. I am so glad to have found this story about BFF love. It is by far the best I have ever read. It's everything I look for in a love story, or any book. It's wonderfully thought-provoking, deeply emotional and achingly romantic. I fell in love with every single character, and I hated to see them go. I love that it's an allegory of Christ's love for us, and His relentless pursuit of us. It was clean, without any actual mention of God or church, making it appealing to non-Christians as well, and still getting the message across very clearly. It also explains why Landon was so completely flawless. :) It's the kind of book you can't stop thinking about long after The End.

I loved: Everything, from the overall story to the littlest details about the cottage. I loved characters, and I loved their names, too. I have always loved Sam for a girl. Caden Elaine is totally on my favorites list now - my middle name is Elaine, and I want to pass it down to my daughter someday. My previous favorite was actually Kadence "Kady" Elaine, but I think Caden "Cady" Elaine is even better! LOVE IT. Landon has been my absolute favorite name for years, and I am determined to name my son Landon one day. I also have Jonathan Reid on my favorites list. Awesome!

I didn't love: I honestly don't know if there was anything I disliked about Surrender Bay. Except the fact that they experienced so much pain, which is the whole point, and the fact that I felt bad for fictional people is a testament to what a great story it was.

The Cover Story: I really like it! Before I read it, I didn't pay lot of attention, and thought she was sitting on the edge of a canyon or something. But it's her's and Landon's dock. Aww. I love how she's looking out into the blurry blueness of the water. It isn't clearly defined, making it look endless and intimidating - like the future. Yet, she dangles her feet over the edge, and Landon is by her side.
...
Maybe I'm reading way too much into the cover, but I'm loving this whole symbolism theme going on here.

More than Words: I kept coming back to this section on page 140, because it was just so beautiful. I literally read it like four times during the course of the book.

He was Landon, her trusted friend, but in that moment he was so much more. He was passion, he was affection, he was mercy.
I want that. In my relationship with God, and the man he created for me one day, I long for passion, affection and mercy. Woah.