Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: Can a promise made as kids bring them back together as adults? In this Nantucket-set beach read, “master of the genre” (Midwest Book Review) Courtney Walsh delivers a sparkling inspirational romance about first love and second chances.

Twelve years ago, Cody Boggs and Louisa Chambers made a pact that no matter where their lives took them, they’d return to Nantucket Island’s Brant Point Lighthouse on July 30, their shared golden birthday, and continue their tradition of exchanging birthday wishes. But that was before a tragic accident upended both of their lives, irrevocably pulling them apart.

Their worlds collide just months before that particular day when Louisa’s fledgling event planning company is hired by the local Coast Guard station, where she discovers Cody has recently returned to the island as the second in command. As they plan a regatta fundraiser, hoping to promote positive PR in the community, neither can deny the fireworks each encounter ignites. But working together also brings up memories of the day Cody’s father died, revealing secrets that have Cody and Louisa questioning everything they thought they knew and felt about their families and each other.

Ope’s Opinion: In my opinion this is how Christian fiction should be written. It has a message of forgiveness from God and each other, but it is not preachy at all. It has characters that have flaws that make them feel real and relatable.

The beginning drew me in and had me wanting to route for Cody and Louisa. The middle drug on and was very repetitive. I just wanted them to each say what they were thinking and feeling instead they kept walking away from each other. A little of that is okay to read, but after a while it gets tedious.

The end was what you want and expect in a romance.