The CFBA presents Gina Holmes' new release Driftwood Tides, published by Tyndale Fiction (free for review).
I love Gina Holmes' voice. It's that down-home, occasionally snarky, often lovely prose, and excellent heartfelt characterization that epitomize her novels. She writes honest and uses the need for forgiveness as a predominant theme in her work. Driftwood Tides is no exception.
Elizabeth "Libby" Slater learns of her origins in a most unexpected way and it rocks her world in Casings, North Carolina, like nothing she's ever experienced. Confronting her mother, who she addresses by her first name of Caroline, Libby's shock wave continues.
Caroline is in the process of planning Libby's wedding to her fiancé Rob, completely and intentionally oblivious to Libby's and Rob's desires for a simple, small wedding, when she confirms Libby's shocking news. The momentarily paralyzing truth accentuates the differences she's always shared with her mother and sends her on a journey to Nags Head to explore the possibility of who she truly is.
Arriving at a beat-down "cabin" on the beach, she views the prone gifted driftwood sculptor Holton Creary through the window and realizes upon entering the unlocked door that the man seems to be in dire straights from drunkenness. Attempting to help him amidst a legion of empty gin bottles, she realizes the woman she's looking for isn't there and yearns to know why.
This begins the story of each interlaced character in the novel Driftwood Tides. All needy of separate things, but also in need of figuring out who they are and what they want to do with their lives which have suddenly become incorporated, each one's approach to satisfying their needs is sometimes in polar opposition to the other's.
Rob is the clingy fiancé, Caroline the controlling mother, Holton, the alcoholic and gifted sculptor, Tess, Holton's lovestruck assistant, Adele, the absent but prominent wife to Holton and object of Libby's search and affection, Libby, the lost and confused daughter seeking a real family who can love her and include her in their lives, and the peripheral feisty Elsie who appears conveniently to fill in the blanks.
The focus of this story varies according to the emphasized point of view (POV). Each one's weakness and need surface and determine the reactions of the other characters. Selfishness and unforgiveness, of either others or oneself, dominate each character's pursuits as gradually hearts soften after crisis situations erupt in their lives.
Although Libby's search and goals seem to be the primary focus of this story, there's a bit of a herky-jerky feel in the telling of this tale because of all the character's POVs. Although the characters are well-defined, they're only moderately likable. To me, occasionally the story seemed to veer off track but regained enough control to conclude with a clever and satisfactory ending.
Faith elements ride the ever present waves in the distance and alcoholism is accurately penned.
Like I said, I love Gina Holmes' work and the cover of Driftwood Tides is lovely, but this one isn't my favorite of hers.
Father, you know Gina's beautiful heart. I pray you would continue to fill it with stories just for her to tell. Bless and protect her. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Into the Fire 
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