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Customer Reviews for Multnomah Books Shadows on the Sand
Multnomah Books Shadows on the Sand
Carrie's seaside cafe is populated with a motley crew of locals---but she only has eyes for widower Greg Barnes. Unfortunately, he keeps himself at a distance---until one of Carrie's employees is murdered and another disappears. Now Carrie and Greg are united in a race against time. Can they avert another tragedy? 320 pages, softcover from Multnomah.
Average Customer Rating:
(15 Reviews) 15
Rating Snapshot (15 reviews)
5 stars
6
4 stars
7
3 stars
2
2 stars
0
1 star
0
15 out of 15100%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Shadows on the Sand
Review 1 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
An engaging story of faith, with great characters
Date:December 28, 2011
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Love, suspense, secret pasts, real faith versus falsified faith, Shadows on the Sand has it all. Sisters Carrie and Lindsay have run away from their past and made a decent life for themselves in the small tourist town of Seaside. Carrie is just beginning to see signs of returned interest from Greg, a former cop slowly returning to life after living through an unspeakable tragedy. Andi is a teenager working with Carrie, having also run away from a life that she refuses to speak about. Together the characters work together to forge healing relationships and strengthen each others' faith.
I really enjoyed this book. What I loved most was that the main characters were already Christians who were struggling with very real issues. There was no "aha!" moment, there were just people showing their faith through their lives and struggles. They stretched each other to let go of their pasts and trust God for their futures.
The storyline of the murders and the man behind them was a bit dark for my tastes, but it didn't go as far as I feared, and so it didn't ruin the book for me. The love story was sweet, although perhaps a bit abrupt from the "I've barely noticed you," to the "I've fallen for you" phase. There was still some uncertainty, and they both had to resolve some things in their past to make the relationship work. I liked that they were honest with each other, and that they worked at understanding each other.
Overall, I give this book 4 stars. It had enjoyable characters and a sense of real faith; I would recommend it to fiction fans!
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
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Review 2 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
One of the BEST Novels I Have Ever Read!
Date:January 30, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Gayle Roper has given us a story that explores the depths to which evil men can fall while also pointing out the redemption that is available through Christ alone. Through the pages of one of the very best novels I have ever read, Gayle points her readers to a great and mighty God as she takes her characters through the depths of devastating circumstances, grief, despair, bitterness and, ultimately, the joys of forgiveness and wholeness in Christ.
Shadows on the Sand is excellent on every level. The story line is well developed and moves along at a crisp pace, the characters are real and have depth causing the reader to care about them and the writing is as near to flawless as a writer can come. From the very first page, Gayle ropes her readers and pulls them in. She then takes them on a whirlwind of tightly woven events that bring into focus one thing: God's glory.
If you only read one novel in Christian fiction this year, let it be this one. You won't be disappointed.
DISCLAIMER: I was provided with a free kindle book by Blogging for Books for purposes of review. I was not required to give a positive review, only a fair and honest one.
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Review 3 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
It Has It All
Date:December 10, 2011
Steph Blogging for Books
Location:Ontario, Canada
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Each day for the last little while, I looked forward to the time I'd set aside to read Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper. Today I read nine chapters instead of the five I'd planned on. As with most books, the action speeds up toward the end. It became more and more difficult to close the file. And now I'm done.
Action. Suspense. Drama. Romance. It may sound cliche, but Shadows... really does have it all. Several chapters end with dramatic cliffhangers that compelled me to read "just one more chapter."
I very much enjoyed how the author reveals the characters' backstories. It isn't easy, but Ms. Roper does so in a natural way. Plus, she doesn't reveal information unnecessary to the story. Kudos!
And speaking of natural...The characters are real, three-dimensional people. Their struggles, joys, victories, and defeats go beyond believable. They make them people readers can relate to.
The situations could happen in real life, and in fact, they do - some pleasant, others definitely not. Compelling me to read about realistic situations I would prefer not to think about is one mark of good writing. I don't want to read about this. It's too scary, too possible. But I can't not read further. I knew that would be the case when the topic of a cult and it's clever, manipulative leader was introduced.
There are a few problem areas that stood out to me. Some of the vocabulary in the first few chapters seems out of place. I'm all for looking up words I don't know, but not those in a novel I'd take to the beach to read on a lazy summer day. While the author uses only one point of view in each chapter, the bouncing around was a little distracting, as was the fact that only when she is in the female protagonist's head does Ms. Roper use first person. Finally, some of the similes seem unnatural. I doubt they would go through the POV character's mind.
While, in many ways, the book ends as I would expect, not everything is wrapped up nice and neat with a bow on top. Life doesn't happen that way, and neither does this novel.
I would definitely recommend this book to friends and would give it three-and-a-half stars out of five.
I received a free copy of Shadows on the Sand from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review. I love free books - even electronic ones.
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Review 4 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
Date:November 28, 2011
Lindsay
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Shadows on the Sand
Finally!! I have been able to take a little "me" time to finish a book! I am so glad that I chose to finish this book. It is a great book and so easy to read and just get lost in the story. Shadows on the Sand is a murder mystry and a romance all wrapped up in one. How could it get better than that?!
Finally!! I have been able to take a little "me" time to finish a book! I am so glad that I chose to finish this book. It is a great book and so easy to read and just get lost in the story. Shadows on the Sand is a murder mystry and a romance all wrapped up in one. How could it get better than that?!
Carrie is the owner of a cafe and she has a secret crush on one of her customers. The only downfall, she doesn't think that he feels the same. As the story unfolds, we learn about each of the characters dark pasts and the choices they made may just come back to haunt them. The author of this book did a great job of portraying what it means to call scripture to mind in various circumstances. Her charachters also displayed what it means to have a conversation with God. Instead of taking ten minutes of their day to pray for everything they think about, they offer up short little prayers throughout the day. A great example of what our daily lives should look like.
This book was so much fun to read, and the twists and turns keep you wondering exactly what is going to happen up until the last few pages. I would recommend this if you have some free time and are wondering how to fill it up.
I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah for this review.
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Review 5 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
a good romantic suspense story
Date:November 15, 2011
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
MY REVIEW
Gayle Roper has a history of writing novels that in my opinion involve the reader from the first sentence of the book to The End. And Shadows on the Sand is no exception.
Once again Gayle uses the first person point of view for the main character, Carrie in a remarkable way that made me feel i was in the picture, watching and flinching with her as her waitress used her hands to tell the story. The other characters stories are told in third person, except for the villain whose story is also told in first person point of view, but always in italics. This makes it easy for the reader to differentiate between characters. Gayle does a great job of dealing with all manner of issues in a profound way.
It seems Gayle is not afraid to tackle stories that might not be politically correct. In this novel, she deals directly with the issue of cults and how they differ from biblical truths. adultery, dysfunctional families, runaways and forgiveness, all in the perfectly 'real' setting of life.
All this, and the story of salvation clearly explained without sounding preachy and in-your-face.
She has a lot of characters, and at one point i was a little confused about who the one was, and what relationship he had to some others in the story. Very well told, and definitely enough suspense to keep you turning pages rapidly!
i am well able to recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good romantic suspense. Although it is part of the Seaside Mysteries, it is totally able to stand on its own.
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Review 6 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
Shadows on the Sand is a great read.
Date:November 9, 2011
Jenn
Location:Milledegeville, Ga
Age:18-24
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Book Review: Shadows on the Sand
Things are looking fishy in Seaside, New Jersey home of Carrie's Cafe. Owner of Carrie's Cafe, Carrie Carter, is stumped by the recent disappearance of her young dishwasher, Jase. She's not the only one. Carrie's Cafe's regulars have their own suspicions. With fingers pointed at Carrie's own young waitress' boyfriend, suspicions rise when, she too, disappears. Only things change with her reappearance and with the creepy actions of a local drug dealer. Throw in a new relationship taking shape, the past finding it's way into her present, a broken relationship with God and you have a frazzled Carrie Carter. Who will ultimately be to blame for the murder of Jase, and why? Will Carrie's life ever be the same?
Gayle Roper is a talented author. Her characters in Shadows on the Sand seem like people that could be found in any town. Their quirks are the same of most small towns and cities a like. It's easy to relate to their "issues". The reader will find they have to work through their own problems as each character confronts the suffocating areas of their past and present. The story line is mysterious in nature, leading the reader to wrestle with the possible outcomes.
I found Shadows on the Sand to be entertaining. There were a of couple deep past issues of the characters that were dealt with, but that did not affect me as a reader. That was different, not bad, but different. Would I recommend it to you? Sure, if you like Christian fiction. I only have one complaint. I thought the twitter references were overboard and unnecessary. They sounded like they were written from an older perspective. It was a minor detail that added little to the story. That being said, I loved Shadows on the Sand and recommend you add it to your reading list.
*I was given a free copy of Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review
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Review 7 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
Shadows on the Sand Rings true
Date:October 18, 2011
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I remember growing up and hearing the bell choir perform at my church. I have to say that I really enjoyed it, especially when they were all synchronized and hit their notes in perfect unison. It made for a beautiful sound and it’s what I think of whenever I hear the phrase “ringing true”, you know that moment when something hits you as pure and sincere. Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper is one of those books that “rings true” in my mind and really did touch me with regards to the storyline, characters and writing. It is told with sincerity and sensitivity.
Carrie Carter is a small café business owner in Seaside, New Jersey, having survived a tough upbringing with a deadbeat mother with no concern for Carrie or her younger sister Lindsay. But Carrie was a fighter and teenage runaway protecting her sister from her mother’s neglect and loser boyfriends who did not have the girl’s best interests in mind. Having survived all that and starting over in Seaside, Carrie made a life for herself and sister and comes to own Carrie’s café where her younger sister also works. Enter Greg Barnes, an ex-cop and wounded man who has lost his wife and children in tragic circumstances. Perhaps it’s his sad background that attracts Carrie to Greg, but Greg doesn’t seem to know that she is alive. Add in a pretty interesting twist with one of Carrie’s waitresses mysteriously disappearing after her dishwasher is found dead and you get a situation where Greg and Carrie are thrown together trying to figure out what is going on.
This story is well told, especially with regards to the complexity of the characters of Greg and Carrie. Both have experienced a whole lot of heartache before knowing the other and make mistakes along the way with regards to their relationship with each other and with God. I appreciated that these characters seemed very real. Carrie didn’t’ really want to face up to some of her past and reconcile a relationship. Greg has a hard time moving forward with all the fear that is holding him back. I love how the author weaved their journeys together with imperfect moments, it makes the characters come alive and gives them reality and depth.
I appreciate a book that has some suspense, little bit of humor, and a little soul searching thrown in as well. Gayle Roper is now on my radar screen as an author and just like I looked forward to hearing the bell choir play at my church with those perfectly hit notes, I will definitely look forward to reading more of Gayle Roper in the future. Keep on ringing true!
A free copy of this book was graciously provided fo me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Review 8 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
a pleasant romance
Date:October 7, 2011
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Gayle Roper became a widow in this last year and that, I think, is much of the basis for this novel.
Greg is a past policeman who lost his wife and children three years ago in a horrible crime. He is still grieving and has not opened his heart to love again.
Carrie,and her sister Lindsey, were runaways when they arrived in Seaside years ago. Now Carrie owns a restaurant and Lindsey is her very popular baker.
When Carrie's dishwasher Jase, goes missing and is then found dead, the action heats up in the east coast town. It turns out Jase had been part of a cult in Arizona. And there's a young gal, Andi, in Seaside who was in the cult as well. Now she fears for her life.
As Carrie and Greg begin to reveal their hurts and explore a relationship, the cult leaders come to down bent on finding Andi and the evidence she holds against them.
Greg is a past policeman who lost his wife and children three years ago in a horrible crime. He is still grieving and has not opened his heart to love again.
Carrie,and her sister Lindsey, were runaways when they arrived in Seaside years ago. Now Carrie owns a restaurant and Lindsey is her very popular baker.
When Carrie's dishwasher Jase, goes missing and is then found dead, the action heats up in the east coast town. It turns out Jase had been part of a cult in Arizona. And there's a young gal, Andi, in Seaside who was in the cult as well. Now she fears for her life.
As Carrie and Greg begin to reveal their hurts and explore a relationship, the cult leaders come to down bent on finding Andi and the evidence she holds against them.
Roper's book is a pleasant romance. She explores the pain of losing a spouse and the grieving process. An added aspect to the plot is the cult, including the character of those leading it and the harm caused to those who had gotten involved. Greg and Carrie are Christians and it was fun to read how they explored opening up to each other within the contest of their faith. This was a quick read, but a very satisfying one.
There's a Reader's Guide in the back for group discussion.
There's a Reader's Guide in the back for group discussion.
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Review 9 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
An Enjoyable Return to Seaside, New Jersey
Date:September 29, 2011
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I loved the first four books in Gayle Roper’s Seaside series. Although all five books are based in Seaside, New Jersey, they can be read in any order or as stand-alones, as the main characters in each book are different, with only a few references to recurring minor characters. If you want to know my absolute favourite, it’s always the one I read last – whichever one that was. Each has its own appeal. So when I found out that Roper had written another book in the series, I was keen to read it. So, does this measure up? Certainly. It is now my favourite – at least, until I re-read one of the other books (or the entire series).
Carrie Carter runs Carrie’s Café, helped by her sister, Lindsay, Ricky (their cook, who is in love with Lindsay), Adie, a teenage waitress, and Jace, her part-time dishwasher. Adie is madly in love with Bill, who apparently knocked Jace out at a party for spending too much time talking to Adie - but now Jace is missing again, having only recently returned to Seaside after several years with The Pathway, a cult in Arizona. Carrie is concerned for Adie and her relationship with Bill, as Adie reminds her of the motherless teenage runaway she once was.
Greg Barnes (the Police Chief in previous books) lost his wife and children three years ago in a car bomb attack. Having resigned from the police force, Greg now works as a property manager for some of the summer rentals around Seaside, eating at Carrie’s every day as he slowly recovers from his losses. Carrie has been secretly in love with Greg for ages, but he never notices her.
Meanwhile, Seaside has discovered Twitter, with all the happenings of the town promptly tweeted by an elderly café customer who manages to be wherever something of interest is happening. This provides both a unique plot device and some amusing moments.
Shadows in the Sand follows the same successful romantic suspense formula as the previous Seaside novels. The main story is told in the first person from Carrie’s point of view, and in the third person (which allows us to see the situation from the point of view of Greg and Adie), with both interspersed with brief insights into the mind of the (unnamed) villain. Underneath, Roper explores recovery from grief, cults and forgiveness in a novel that is amusing, suspenseful and romantic in turns.
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Review 10 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
Great book! Loved it!
Date:September 7, 2011
Mother of Teens
Location:Geneva,Oh
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
I love Gayle Roper's books and this is another great one! I loved it and couldn't put it down.
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Review 11 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
Not your typical romance!
Date:August 23, 2011
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Carrie Carter has finally come to terms with her life. Running away from an alcoholic mom and her abusive boyfriends as a teen, she took her young sister with her and made a home for them both. Now seventeen years later, she's a business owner and ready to move on to the next phase of her life: love, hopefully involving her favorite customer, Greg Barnes. Greg begins to move out of a long period of personal trial when Carrie's dishwasher is found murdered and her favorite waitress disappears. Can this former runaway and former cop work together to solve the mystery - and find their own personal happy ever after?
I love the subplots and current issues included in this book. While this book definitely falls into the 'romance' category, it does not read like your typical romantic novel; the plot is far deeper and more complex. Issues relevant to today's society are woven seamlessly throughout the story, making the characters more believable and adding layers to the plot. Alcoholism, forgiveness, cults, grief, and teen runaways are all dealt with in a real and knowledgeable manner. It would be easy to make this another surface issue who-likes-whom story, but Roper goes deeper, and that alone makes this story stand out. The smooth flow and colorful word choice only makes it better.
I've read several of Roper's novels, and this is by far my favorite. I will be seeking out the rest of the Seaside Series - soon!
I received a free copy of this book from Waterbook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.
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Review 12 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
great book not just a beach book!
Date:August 8, 2011
ginnie
Location:nj
Age:Over 65
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Gayle Roper did a wonderful job on this book. It is a mystery with cult type activity that is informative. All good values are upheld
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Review 13 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
Kind of Like a Game of Popcorn
Date:August 6, 2011
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
"Shadows on the Sand" is a mystery set in Seaside, New Jersey, a small island just off the coast. The dishwasher from Carrie’s Café has been murdered. No one seems to know why. When a waitress disappears, everyone becomes concerned to find her before she meets the same fate.
This novel has a unique style. The author changes voices from chapter to chapter. In the first, Carrie is telling the story. Next the narrator talks. Then we hear from the mystery villain. And so on throughout the book. It took some getting used to, but it reminded me of a game of popcorn where one person tells part of the story, then another and another until the whole tale is told. But, as I couldn’t see their faces, I had to figure out who was talking at the start of each chapter. Author Gayle Roper quickly made this clear.
Though the story is a mystery, its focus is more on the developing characters than on the suspense. Each has a tragic past to overcome. They must learn to forgive, to trust, to live. Roper skillfully weaves subtle messages about relying on God and obeying His voice throughout the story. She also slips in some beautiful thoughts on what a great marriage looks like.
I enjoyed this story and hope there will be more set in this fun, little tourist town. Thank you, Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers, for sending a complimentary copy of "Shadows on the Sand" for my honest review.
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Review 14 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
A Contemporary Romance with Sand, Sun and Mystery!
Date:July 20, 2011
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
Carrie Carter's crush on ex-cop Greg Barnes is no secret to anyone except the object of her affection. As she serves him coffee every day, she yearns for him to notice her. After the untimely death of his family, Greg quit his job and closed himself off from the world around him. Hence, Carrie is no stranger to his indifference. When Jase, the dishwasher at Carrie's café, goes missing, Greg and Carrie are drawn into the case and into each other's lives. As they grow closer, secrets buried in their pasts threaten their new found friendship. Will the emotional baggage of their lives prevent them from finding love? Can they both lay the past aside and step into a new time of life?
Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper combines sand, sun, and mystery as the backdrop for a contemporary love story. While I loved the small-town, homey feel of the story, the plot never really hooked me. I started reading and then put it down without returning to it for several days. This is unusual for me. I love to read and usually once a story hooks me, I return to it whenever I have a spare moment. In the beginning Carrie seemed kinda pathetic. However, I liked her more as she progressed and developed through the book. Supporting characters such as Mary P and Mr. Perkins added a wonderful depth. I recommend this book to fans of Christian fiction.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Multnomah Publishers via FIRST Wild Card Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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Review 15 for Shadows on the Sand
Overall Rating:
Good Summer Mystery
Date:July 20, 2011
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
I enjoyed this book. It has romance and mystery...along with a murder. Things keep changing and keeps you guessing. Most of the Characters have a strong faith in God..it's what keeps them facing life challenges. There is also a Cult thrown in...and you see how easy it is to be deceived.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery!
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