This book makes for a fabulous summery beach read! I loved Hunter’s writing style and found that the writing and plot flowed very nicely, allowing me to read it quickly. I loved the character and relationship development in the story too. It had a sweet romance but also focused largely on family and the relationships between Maddy and her sisters. I enjoyed that aspect of the story. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more books from this author.

Maddy Monroe has both a professional and personal tragedy wrapped all in one and when her grandmother is discovered missing, this is the perfect escape from life, so she heads to small town South Carolina to find her grandmother and push a reset button. Maddy's sisters Emma and Nora have had a battle for years about a betrayal from the past and all three sisters are called to find grandma and maybe also to confront the past and to hopefully heal.

I love the dynamics of sisters who have had drama returning to a place of comfort and confronting it, it is a story that I will always love reading. There is something special about sisters where we are required to be friends because we are family, but we probably hurt them the quickest and the easiest.

The other thing that I loved about the book was that the author revealed the reason for the sister feud early in the book. I don't love it when a reader is kept out of the dark and the characters know more than the reader. Denise Hunter flashes back and the reader knows the basics early on into the book and then the details are revealed over time, the way this storyline was done was just on point.

As a warning, Denise Hunter is a Christian fiction author and this one felt a little more infused with a message than other books have. I wasn't offended by it, but I like to advise others in case that isn't something you like to read.

A sweet romance from Denise Hunter, what a surprise--NOT! I've read all of Hunter's books and have yet to be disappointed. Summer by the Tides was a fun, beach-friendly read and I'm grateful for the opportunity to review it!

Two things I love about Hunter's books are a) character development and b) setting. I love it when books have the ability to transport me to a new place. This one just made me want to curl up in a hammock somewhere with a view of the Marina. The big takeaway in this novel, however, was the family of characters that took center stage in this story.

Maddy and Connor's romance was one of the sweetest I've read in a long time. I loved the dialogue between them and the way their relationship developed felt truly genuine. I especially enjoyed their dialogue! But Summer by the Tides was so much more than the romance, as it incorporated a redemption storyline between three sisters, two of which carried years of heartache, betrayal, guilt, and resentment.

Naturally, there was a HEA ending, but it didn't come easily for any of them--something I appreciate in the romances I read, as it's more true-to-life.

Ready for the next Hunter book!!!

I received a copy of this book through #netgalley for review purposes. This book was almost a departure from Hunter's previous inspirational romantic fiction. I would say that there is not quite as much of a spiritual element, but I still enjoyed it. This would definitely be a great beach read and probably would be classified more as chick lit. The characters were strong. What I appreciated was the fact that even though each one had gone through challenging circumstances, they were finding ways to get healthy again and to move on. They were not stuck in the past. And that is definitely inspiring. #summerbythetides

Summer by the Tides is the latest from Denise Hunter. It involves three estranged sisters who come back to their family summer home when their grandmother goes missing. All three have secrets are still harboring resentments from years before. The book mainly focuses on Maddy, who is suffering from a broken heart, and her growing friendship with neighbor Connor. Their romance was very sweet and I loved watching their relationship grow from friends to more. The book is also deals with family secrets and how those secrets can tear a family apart. But it is also about forgiveness and grace. I was rooting for the sisters to find their way back to each other.

This will make a great beach read. I highly recommend this sweet and clean summer romance.

Denise Hunter is an author who writes in a smooth, appealing, easy going style that immediately grabs the reader's attention and keeps it from beginning to end of her tale.

The characters are realistically and so well described that they become your friend as you walk alongside them in their rocky road of life. A seemingly simple romance develops between Connor and Maddy even though challenged by distrust and fears. Both of them have a lot to overcome before they achieve happiness with one another. As in life, the path is not easy, without stumbling blocks.

The problems of betrayal and damaged family relationships are evident throughout the plot. There has to be forgiveness before anyone can once again be happy. There are just enough unexpected twists and turns to keep the reader glued to the page. I let the world pass me by as I experienced this family's challenges and successes.


This is a five star book!! A sweet romance with many deep valleys along the way. Don't miss this tale!!! A great summer beach read!

SUMMER BY THE TIDES is the story of Maddy Monroe who has just discovered her boyfriend is a liar and a cheater and that she has lost the promotion at work to him. Then she gets a phone call saying her grandmother has gone missing. Without thinking, she jumps in the car and returns to her childhood summer house on the beach. Now she has to face her two sisters and the memories of what tore her family apart all those years ago. With the help of her grandmother’s neighbor, Connor, Maddy and her sisters search for their missing grandmother, while getting the house in order, sifting through memories and facing the secrets of the past.



SUMMER BY THE TIDES is filled with family drama, forgiveness, mystery and romance. It is also an emotional rich story, so much so that it is the best novel that I have read by Denise Hunter so far. The missing grandmother, the storm that is rolling in, reliving the past, the sisters who haven’t spoken in twenty years and the secrets that they all have, made it hard to put down. Also, the fact that the setting is the North Carolina coast was an added bonus for me.I



Oh let me tell you, Connor is going to definitely give you all the feels. That’s all I’m saying…….anyway, after some time, things between Connor and Maddie certainly heat up! But it’s also very sweet and I really wanted Maddie to open up to Connor and explain why she is the way she is. She is very guarded and Connor doesn’t think he stands a chance. Hang on people, SUMMER BY THE TIDES is an intense and crazy ride.



SUMMER BY THE TIDES is a quick read that you can easily read in one sitting and love every minute of it. It is one heck of a crazy emotional roller coaster ride. I have never met a Denise Hunter book that I didn’t love and once I started reading I knew I was going on one heck of an emotional journey! Whatever you are reading, put it down, and run and get this book! If you’ve never read a Denise Hunter novel (and you know who you are) this would be a perfect one to hook you!

This book was really a pleasant surprise for me! I had never read anything by Denise, but I am an avid fan now! I was surprised to see that even though this is categorized as women's fiction it fits into the christian fiction genre as well. The family dynamics between the sisters is compelling and really grips you into the story. I enjoyed the romance between Maddie and Conner while also watching Maddie grow so much as a person throughout the novel. It was an easy read that flowed well and also had a lot of depth. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys christian fiction as well as light romances. I listened to this one on audiobook and it was a really entertaining and easy listen as well.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishers for the advanced reader copy through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was the perfect clean summer beach read. Unfortunately I wasn’t at the beach when I read it, but I still really enjoyed it! I was immediately caught up in the family drama and the blossoming love story and couldn’t wait to see if everything would be resolved by the end of the story. This sweet book had elements of grace, forgiveness and faith and I was encouraged and reminded that God can help repair relationships if we open ourselves to his healing power.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Hunter has done a superb job of displaying some of the more complicated sister and family relationships.
Hunter's writing has a mild Christian aspect to it as always, but it contributes to the story in a mild and supportive manor--not in a manor that would feel intrusive if your beliefs were different. Belief is like a balm to the characters' troubled souls.
So in this book, there are family interrelationships, religion and romance (yeah!). Maddy is one of the three sisters who all wind up back at their grandmother's beach house when she goes missing. Connor lives next door and ruffles Maddy's feathers right off the bat. The gradual move to romance between them was just a delight. He ends up being her support when everything she thinks she knows about her family turns out to be lies. In return, she might be his way out of the darkness he's been living in for the last three years.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

The Monroe family turns out to be a living embodiment of the Anna Karenina principle. You know the one, it’s that quote that goes, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

The Monroe sisters are all unhappy, and all of their unhappy leads back, in one way or another, to one summer 20 years ago when their lives were torn apart by betrayal. Actually, that should be betrayals, plural, because there were plenty to go around – including one that the sisters never knew about.

Secrets cast long shadows, and they hide lots and lots of baggage. Although, as one of the characters puts it very well, adult humans all have baggage. As we do.

Nora, Emma and Maddy are drawn back to the place where they spent that last fateful summer, the last time their family was all together, by their grandmother. Or rather, by their grandmother’s absence.

The feisty old lady isn’t dead – she’s just missing – and she’s still sharp as a tack so whatever has happened to her it isn’t Alzheimer’s. But she seems to have left her cottage on an extended outing of some kind without either cancelling her newspaper, taking her car or telling anyone that she planned to take a trip.

Her worried neighbor (and occasional volunteer handyman) calls the sisters when Gran doesn’t turn up after a few days. He’s not her caretaker – she doesn’t need one – but whatever happened is out of character enough to worry him – and in turn, all three of her granddaughters.

Maddy, at loose ends after discovering that her boyfriend was cheating on her with their boss in order to cheat her out of a promotion, leaves Charleston for the four-hour drive to the North Carolina coast as soon as she comes out of her much-deserved funk. She has nothing to do in Charleston, no idea where she’s going to turn next and welcomes the distraction of her grandmother’s disappearance although certainly not the cause of it.

She arrives at her grandmother’s cottage to discover that both her sisters are on their way – and that neither knows the other is coming. Maddy is stuck in the peacemaker role between her two much older sisters. Sisters who have been at war with each other for 20 years with no letup.

By the time they learn that their Gran is alive and well and set them all up in her cottage for yet one more attempt at family reconciliation, they have all settled into the job of fixing up the cottage and clearing out the attics. And none of them seem to be in any hurry to leave. Maddy knows she has nothing to go back to in Charleston, but has no clue why either of her sisters, both happily married with busy lives and/or careers (at least as far as Maddy knows) seem to be not merely willing but downright eager to stay in Gran’s cottage and fix it up – albeit not with each other – for an infinite amount of time. And neither seems to be calling home.

Very much on Maddy’s other hand, she hasn’t exactly said anything about her sudden lack of either a job or a love life – so who knows what secrets her sisters are hiding?

When all the secrets that all of the Monroe women have been hiding – including Gran! – they pull together to save themselves – and to save each other – as a hurricane rips through Gran’s coastal community – and finally stitches their hearts back together.

Escape Rating B: Fair warning, this is going to be a mixed feelings review. There were a lot of things about this story to love – and one that still makes my blood boil more than a bit.

While the circumstances are different, Summer by the Tides is the kind of story that works well in women’s fiction – and this is more women’s fiction than it is romance although there certainly is more than a touch of romance. There have been several recent books by Susan Mallery that have explored parts or all of this themes, the warring sisters who finally make peace and come together in a crisis, and the family healing that comes after. There’s also been a recent book (whose title I can’t remember and it’s driving me crazy) where three women in a family gather together because all of their love lives and/or careers have gone to hell in a handcart at the same time.

In spite of not having siblings of my own – or perhaps because of it – I generally enjoy these stories. It’s fun to see them putting what’s gone wrong in their relationships with each other behind them, and watching them move forward into a brighter future. Any new romantic relationships they form in the course of the story are icing on the cake and not the actual cake. That’s true in Summer by the Tides as well. Not all of the happy ever afters are romantic, but all finish the book in happier and more fulfilling places than they began it.

I love a good romance as much as the next reader, but particularly for books that feature women in the 21st century I like the story much better when the women find their own fulfillment, whatever it might be, so that any romance they find is an enhancement to that fulfillment rather than the fulfillment itself. People can’t find happiness together unless they have it within themselves.

My 2 cents and I’ll step away from my soapbox for a minute. I’ll be getting back up on it later.

So I liked the story, I enjoyed the relationships between the sisters, and even though I guessed some of what had gone wrong in the past, the revelation was still heartbreaking and there were certainly aspects revealed that I had not previously figured out. The events were devastating, that they left all three sisters with serious trust issues made so much sense. That Maddy first distrusts Gran’s neighbor Connor, and takes hesitant steps towards a relationship fits well into the way the story and characters worked.

Okay, soapbox time, because this seriously affected my enjoyment of the story. Although it doesn’t become blatantly obviously until somewhere close to the halfway point, the characters in this story are explicitly Christian, which shouldn’t have been a surprise to me as the book is published by Thomas Nelson, a noted Christian publisher. That being said, I’ve recently read several books published by Nelson, and those have not been overtly or even covertly religious, so I was lulled and didn’t expect it here.

That some characters are religious is not the issue. People – and characters – do and don’t have belief systems, and those beliefs or lack thereof do affect their lives. What disturbed me greatly occurred in reference to Maddy’s ex, who is an absolute douchecanoe. That’s not a spoiler, it’s his douchecanoe nature that kicks off Maddy’s part of the story. But, and for me it was a huge but, when Maddy talks about her breakup, she says that she should have known he was a douche because he wasn’t a Christian. There’s an implication there that I find disturbing and unnerving, that only Christians can be trusted and that non-Christians by default have no moral or ethical code and should not be trusted.

And now I really will get down off my soapbox.

To sum it up, as I said at the top, there were plenty of things about this story that I liked, elements that I’ve read before and enjoyed, so I was happy to see them again. And there was one element that disturbed the hell out of me and reminded me to be more careful about books from this publisher.

Your reading mileage, of course, may vary.

I found Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter to be a great summer read to start the days of June off with. There are some sisters that get pulled together because their Grandmother comes up missing and that’s where the story begins. It twists and turns and there’s rejoicing and sadness and there is great description of what living on the water can bring to a person. It makes me want to buy a beach house. Life is too short to live with division. As much as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all men. Forgiveness and breaking generational habits are themes as well.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

In Summer by the Tides, Denise Hunter, brings us a cute, funny, and easy beach read for the summer. While this plot is not shocking or particularly original, it's so much fun to read. It's one of those books you can be sure of, that every time you open the cover, you can depend on pure entertainment without a lot of personal, emotional turmoil.

Maddy Monroe is definitely a lead character you can root for, and you absolutely will after the first chapter. Any woman who has ever been burned in love or while trying to advance her career, can empathize with Maddy. When Maddy meets Conner Murphy, her reticence to trust him or even like him is understandable even expected. I love how perfectly the slow burn on this romance was built.

The most interesting aspect of this book, for me, was the sister storyline. Based upon a back story that is slowly revealed to the reader. We see a tumultuous relationship between three women play out as Denise Hunter pits the bonds of family against the pull of romantic love. Reading about the struggles of three women to comes to terms with their own choices and those consequences was extremely intriguing and engaging.


Summer by the Tides is a quick read with a lot of heart. I felt good each time I picked it up and was sad when I turned the last page. This is a perfect book to read by the pool with a cool drink.


What’s Missing...
The only reason this book did not get 5 Eiffel towers (stars) is simple: I wanted more from Maddy. I understand having a crisis of confidence that makes you indecisive and unsure of yourself after what happened to her, but I dislike using an indecisive, judgmental woman as plot device. Maddy makes snap judgments about all sorts of situations. Then creates and defends some pretty strong opinions based on those assumptions. Thus, the conflict between the main characters is entirely derived from misunderstandings of her own making. I wanted a more organic conflict and not just made from easily avoidable mistakes.

SUMMER BY THE TIDES is the newest creation by one of my favorite contemporary romance writers Denise Hunter. This one is fraught with family drama, hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and mistrust but I loved getting acquainted with Maddie and Connor (as well as secondary characters Tessie and Nora). Also, Grandma was sneaky. Gotta love her.


Things are not always as they seem, people hide behind plastic smiles and try to project having it all together even when its all falling apart. Even Connor, though he was honest about losing control with the restaurant, hid behind a facade most of the time. It was nice watching them come to terms with their pain, start to move past them, and begin to heal.


The romance is not as sizzling as some of Ms. Hunter's books, but it is still present. For more conservative readers, there are soft swear words.


I enjoyed reading SUMMER BY THE TIDES and can't wait for more by this author.


I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

This book was amazing! Once I picked it up I didn't want to put it down. I would look forward to reading it again all day.
I loved these characters. They were flawed in all the right ways. I also loved how Maddie' s entire family was prevalent in this book. I found each of them entirely interesting.
This was my first book by Denise Hunter, but it will not be my last. It was so well written and descriptive, I felt like I was there, and since it took place on the beach, I was thrilled to be there. My only disappointment was that it had to end.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys nice cozy romances.

This is my first book by Denise Hunter but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed getting to know Maddy and her sisters and Connor and his sisters. The setup that got Maddy and her sisters to Belle Island was entertaining and made for a bit of a realistic conflict right at the beginning. I loved the contrast of the sibling relationships. While Connor's sisters drive him crazy there's a lot of affection and good intentions while for Maddy there's a lot of resentment and anger and bitterness. Poor Maddy gets stuck in the middle of her two older sisters and tries to make peace in a situation she had nothing to do with.



The word that keeps running through my head to describe this book is "nice" which sounds a bit lackluster but it really isn't. This was a nice read that had me invested in the characters and enjoying the plot without being overly dramatic or angsty. I enjoyed getting to know Maddy and Connor and seeing the relationship between the two of them was sweet without being saccharine. I really appreciated their honesty with each other both in their own first impressions of each other (some wrong, some right) and in dealing with old baggage. After reading so many books where the characters never actually talk to each other this was a delightful change. This was a book I enjoyed reading after I got snuggled into bed and it was nice in the nicest sense of the word.

I can always count on Denise Hunter to provide me with a great easy-to-read book that is not only entertaining but usually holds a few life lessons as well. Summer is all of that and more.

Grandma is missing and her neighbor calls all three of the Monroe sisters to her home in Sea Haven, North Carolina. The problem is that the two oldest sisters have not spoken to each other in years due to something that took place in their past and younger Maddie is not too sure she wants to be the mediator. Reeling from a major betrayal that cost her boyfriend and her job, Maddie doesn’t trust men and neighbor Connor falls into that category. Nevertheless, after learning where their grandmother is, the three sisters agree to stay until she decides to come home and help make much needed repairs on her home.

Summer by the Tides was a wonderful tale that delved deeply into what made each character tick behind the carefully controlled public faces. It was encouraging to observe how the sisters got to know each other again and slowly begin to let down their defenses and allow the others to see the pain behind their smiles. The relationship between Maddie and Connor was also fun to watch develop. Hunter skillfully blends just the right amount of faith, forgiveness, and reconciliation into the narrative to make Summer by the Tides the perfect beach read.

I loved this book . It was a sweet love story. And also had wonderful themes of forgiveness and grace. My favorite line "our mistake's do not define us ". Connnor is smart ,witty and wonderful listener. Maddy is strong she has had run of bad luck and has hard time believing in herself. They are attracted to each other but started off on shaky ground. I loved all secondary characters and family dynamics. I loved how sisters came together after they really talked about their lives. Connor makes Maddy feel too much. Maddy realizes she will never find happiness if she let's fear stand in her way. She realizes Connor is worth the risk. I really hope that Emma and Nora get their own stories.

Another contemporary Christian romance from Denise Hunter. Her books have been ones that I've liked, and turn to when I'm looking for something that is a bit more 'easy reading', on the lighter side.

This story has a beautiful setting and an intriguing heroine.

The opening sucked me right in. We find Maddy in the midst of an awful heartbreak-betrayed by her boyfriend.

And then, she receives a call that her grandmother is missing, so she's off to Sea Haven to find out what is going on...

On top of that, she is thrust back into a relationship with her two sisters, and both of them prefer not to be in each other's company, which puts Maddy into the hard position of keeping the peace.

As the sisters unite forces to find their grandma, uncover secrets, and learn to love each other as sisters again...the story grabs you and won't let you go.

This is a perfect summertime read.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Denise Hunter is the author I go to when I’m kind of burnt out from reading. Her stories are dependably good and typically on the lighter side. I love that about her stories. They don’t disappoint. Summer By the Tides fell right into my expectations. A great story, written in an interesting location, with interesting characters and a storyline that has depth but doesn’t leave you feel weighed down when you’re done. I love how she brings back bits from other stories. I believe the Crab Shack, now renamed, was in one of her other series? I love it when authors do that. It’s like a little present for fans who have read a lot of an authors books.

The issues and challenges the characters deal with are real. They aren’t carbon copies of other books I’ve read. They are unique and well thought through. I love the slow budding romance between Maddy & Connor. It’s so sweet. I really love the grandma even though she’s not a huge character in the book. I love how she cares for her granddaughters. I never had a close grandma so anytime there are grandma/granddaughter relationships in books I really love them.

That being said, I did struggle a little bit with the way the 3 sisters were written. I loved the storyline behind their animosity towards one another but I found some of the ways it was written was a little catty and whiny. I was rather annoyed at them. I don’t know if this was intentional but I just felt like it could have been much better had they been written a little differently. But on the other hand, sisters are like that. So it’s normal. It’s natural. I’m just not a fan of seemingly petty drama-filled interactions in books.

Otherwise the story was great. I loved it. I can’t wait for Ms. Hunter’s next book. She is my go to author! Love her writing. I received a copy of this book from CelebrateLit. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.