Angela Hunt is so versatile as an author. I love every genre that she writes and this is no exception. This was a book that pulled me in from the beginning and i thoroughly enjoyed getting to read it. The message was one I needed to hear and I will definitely be telling my friends about this book. Definitely recommend.

Maddie, who has just lost her father to suicide, goes to live with her paternal grandparents in Florida. Her mother is consumed by her job and feels ill-equipped to stop work and concentrate on Maddie.
Although she likes her new Florida high school, Maddie is challenged by the despair of her friend group. All of this compounds her recovery.
Susan and Frank are reeling from the loss of their only son. They also are unsure about how to guide Maddie through this tidal wave. Everyone is overwhelmed.
This is a powerful story which steps right into the grief process from the points of view of Maddie, Susan and Frank, to some degree.
I have to admit that the story challenged me with so much loss and how to survive from day to day. The "wave" reference was very appropriate.

Angela Hunt does a wonderful job of crafting characters in her books. What a Wave Must Be addresses a complex subject: suicide. Recognizing that suicide has many layers, this book opens the door to more thought and discussion about an important topic. I struggled with the plausibility of some of the events in this book, which the author addresses in the note to the reader at the end. While it wasn't my favorite book by Hunt, I appreciate the effort to craft a story on this delicate topic.

Thank you Netgalley. This was a difficult read. The story and characters were very well done. The subject matter was hard to read but the author did a wonderful job. This book will not be for everyone but for those who can handle it I highly recommend

Trigger warning: Suicide. I knew this story would handle the topic of suicide, but I didn’t realize the depth this author would go into discussing this topic. The story opens with a teenage girl named Maddie who finds her father in an unimaginable state. The family tries to handle things the best they can until other situations happen at Maddie’s school. Things spin out of control in Maddie and her family’s lives.

Through Maddie and her family, the author shows readers that there is always, hope, even in the worst of circumstances. Angela tackles a number of extremely difficult subjects and questions about suicide, such as whether the person who commits suicide goes to hell. Where is God when misfortunes strike? What are some compassionate ways to interact with the family of a suicide victim in church and at school.

The novel ends in a generally positive and hopeful manner. I have to be honest I was a little bit overwhelmed as I read about the multiple suicide situations Maddie and her family faced in such a short time. This book isn’t for everyone. Even though this is clearly difficult to read the author does a great job of skillfully addressing the big issues. There are discussion questions in the back of the book to be used in a group or your immediate family.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher. 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”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

I never saw a moor, I never saw the sea; Yet I know how the heather looks, and what a wave must be.

I never spoke with God, nor visited in heaven; Yet certain am I of the spot as if the chart was given.

Angela Hunt is a talented story teller in any genre. She is a Christian writer that mostly authors historical fiction. She does have such as this in current time regarding the culture and joy and pain of life. She writes with heart and the realities of the heart. What a wave must be is the waves of grief that we experience when we experience loss. This loss in the advent of a suicide for those left behind is difficult and painful.

The narration is done in 2 voices - the first is of Maddie a 17 year old that has a great relationship with her father. And the 2nd is Susan, Maddie's grandmother - her father's mother. Two relationships that tell a different side of suicide. A daughter's view that left many questions. Why did my dad want to leave. Didn't he love me enough? Why couldn't see his pain. A mother's view is just as powerful. As a parent, you still see your son the day he was born. What could you have done? Why didn't he let me share in his pain? Because Maddie's mother is dealing with pressures from work and is not in the right frame of mind, she asks her in laws to take Maddie for 6 months. Maddie moves to Florida and together they go thru the mine field of grief. In life, sometimes grief adds more grief and Maddie in particular deals with the powerful pull of suicide with her new friends and the loss of hope.

Their journey is a tool to minister to their readers of who God is and what He is not. In knowing God, we can know our weakness and put our hope in him. It also deals with the many variables of suicide. It is not judgmental but it is meant to give hope in a hopeless world. Life is precious and each of us has something to offer. Your family needs you and God loves you.

A special thank you to Tyndale Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

It's been a while since I read an Angela Hunt book, and I was excited to see this one pop up on NetGalley!

It's certainly heavy hitting, with several suicides throughout--something to be aware of when deciding to read it (or even what time of day to read). Scripture and theology are woven throughout (and I'd expect nothing less from a Hunt novel), which I appreciated--especially as, like most any reader would, I imagined how I'd react in a similar circumstance.

Thankfully for me, the read was far enough removed from the few situations where people I knew (or knew of) committed suicide--only two that I can think of (thanks be to God).

The read was surprisingly quick; I completed it in ~two days, and expected it to take longer simply because it's an Angela Hunt book! But as stated, it's been a while, long enough to even predate my Goodreads account. I especially enjoyed the grandmother/granddaughter alternating POVs, and their relationship dynamics through tumultuous times. We don't see that represented often in fiction, and I felt Hunt did a really good job with both characters--and the supporting cast.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

What a Wave Must Be by Angela Hunt
Angela Hunt is one of those “must read” authors for me. I absolutely love her writing style and the fact that each of her books is so unique. This book is also unique, but not for the faint of heart. She delves into the weighty subject of suicide. Why does a person commit suicide? Could anyone have stopped them? What are the ripples that spread outward from the suicide?
I kept hoping for a departure from the topic, but it colored every page of this novel. No doubt, this is a subject that can be easily passed over due to the difficulty of it, but the author does not shy away from it. It would be my hope that an adult considering this option would read this book and discover the devastating effects his decision might have. That being said, I do not think this book would be best for younger readers, those not having enough life experience to be able to think maturely about this subject.
This is a dark book but not without the hope that is found in Jesus. The characters in it seem to find their way forward and to value their own lives and that of their family. I am grateful to the publisher and netgalley for this complimentary copy in exchange for this, my honest review.

The author handled this hard topic of suicide in a heartfelt, respectable manner. The thoughts that ran through Maddie and Susan's mines were authentic. Having lost a family member to suicide and another who attempted several times, this novel felt so real. No one knows what goes through another person's mind. Powerful story! Highly recommended!

This is a powerful and emotional novel that will reach many readers. I have been a longtime fan of stories like this and I have enjoyed other books by Angela Hunt. WHAT A WAVE MUST BE is unflinching in terms of how it tackles the tragedy that can strike a seemingly ordinary life. This is a powerful story, skillfully presenting the points of view of a mother and daughter of a suicide victim. I especially enjoyed Maddie's journey as she goes to live on her grandparents' property in Florida. The author's message is woven throughout the story: God will not desert us. We can count on our faith to see us through even the most difficult of times. Ultimately this is a heartfelt story about grief and hope.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary e-galley; all opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

I had an inkling before I started reading What a Wave Must Be that it might be a sad story. I was not prepared for how much shock and grief was in this book. There was also, however, a lot of hope. As I have experienced myself, God can use horrific events in our lives to teach us the lessons we need to learn and bring us to where he wants us to be. 
Susan and Frank were looking forward to spending some time with their son’s family after Christmas. When, instead, the unthinkable happened, their lives were thrown into turmoil and shock. With his unexpected death, their son Daniel made the whole family feel like he had betrayed them. Their granddaughter, Maddie, especially, was sent into a maelstrom of grief.
Thinking that it might help her daughter to get away, Maddie’s mother sent her to live for a few months with her grandparents in Florida. She quickly made friends and seemed to be settling in and starting to adjust, and then more tragedy sent all their lives into turmoil again. How could all of them cope? Was there any possibility of healing, or are would they all be broken for the rest of our lives?
 Even though this was a very hard book for me to read because of memories it brought back of a similar tragedy in my own life, it reminded me again of why I like Angela Hunt‘s books so well. She has tackled a very hard, subject, grief in What a Wave Must Be, and has illustrated the possibility of hope for believers in God, even when things happen that cannot be understood humanly. I really appreciated the way she pointed her readers to God through the conversations between characters in this book as they attempted to heal and to make sense out of what happened.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Three suicides are pictured, and two attempted suicides.

What a Wave Must Be, by Angela Hunt is such a powerful Christian contemporary fiction story. This is at times a hard story to read. It gives the point of view of the mother and daughter of a suicide victim. Maddie’s mother is working a time consuming case and feels she can not be there of Maddie. She has Maddie’s grandparents take her back to Florida with them. She does not move in with them, but rather lives in another structure on their property.

The author has done a fantastic job of writing such a touching story on such a tough topic. Even though it’s hard to read about suicide, the author blends in other aspects of normal life to make it an enjoyable story. I especially appreciate the story also points out that Jesus is always there. Life may not be easy and we may be alone, but Jesus is always there. This story is helpful as it points out the different stages of grief and the long road to healing that takes place. While this story is of a teen age girl, I really would not recommend it for that age group, unless a responsible adult reads it with them.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this story, this is my honest review.

What a Wave Must Be by Angela Hunt is a novel about clinging to God and hoping in Him in the midst of agonizing tragedy. Trigger warning: this book deals explicitly with suicide and grief. It was really hard to read sometimes. Ms. Hunt has a talent for creating vivid characters brimming with emotion. In this case, the characters make the book heavy at times. The message of this book is clear, rooted in God and His nature. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Heart wrenching novel! The content of this story was heavy, but it was done well.

Thanks to netgally and publishers for arc

Well written Christian fiction but this one is HEAVY. prevalent themes of suicide.
I love Angela Hunt's writing, but this book was a bit too much for me. I feel like it will be overwhelming for many people, to the point where they will miss the hopeful and helpful faith message. Because don't we all struggle with the concept of where God is when bad things happen? Don't we all want to know that there is hope, not just in heaven but here on earth too?

Maddie is seventeen when her father commits suicide. Her mother is a busy attorney and decides that it would be the best thing for Maddie to move in with Susan and Frank, Maddie's paternal grandparents. Maddie agrees to give it a try and the three of them struggle through their grief and other issues.

Basically, although this book ends on a bit of a positive note, I just felt weighed down throughout and the suicide theming was too heavy and raw. There are some readers who might appreciate this approach, but it just didn't work for me.
I will still read future books by this author because her books are superbly written.

From the author's note: "Once society eradicates the idea of an eternal God who loves and cares, what's left? Only man, sitting alone at the apex of the animal kingdom, just another mammal who life matters little except to those in his limited circle of friends and family... It's crucial that we give children, adolescents, and adults a reason for living."

Wow ... when I began reading this, I thought it was going to be a difficult, yet tender faith-filled family drama but it took a very sad turn and the grief just kept on coming. If you are looking for a cheerfully comforting read to escape the difficulties in the world, this is not the book to pick up. If you or someone you love feels like life is just too hard and needs some faith, purpose and hope, this may provide it but I would proceed with caution if death, illness, self harm or suicide are triggers for you.


Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Trigger warning: this book surrounds the topic of suicide. There are several suicides that happen in the book and one character's mental track regarding that decision is spelled out. For that reason, this book was heavy. Heavier than I typically like. But Angela Hunt is an auto-read author for me, so I didn't even read the book description when I requested it. Because I do love Hunt's writing, I will state that this book was very well written. It was infused with hope in spite of the subject matter and it ended in a positive tone. The faith thread in this book was solid throughout and though I'm not sure if I agree with all of the theology in it (I don't "not agree", but I'm not sure such a firm stance should be taken on an issue that is not spelled out so firmly biblically), it was still spiritually sound. This book alternated between 2 first person perspectives - Maddie, a 17 year old whose father committed suicide and Susan, Maddie's grandmother (the mother of the man who committed suicide). The book starts in the days leading up to his death and their subsequent thoughts and reactions to it, as well as subsequent events in their lives and how those were colored by the difficult death of their loved one.

I did enjoy the character development in this one. I appreciated the different perspectives and how they coped with the massive loss. I appreciated the faith of Susan and her husband Frank and how that helped them even though they questioned it at times. The characters were very "human" in their responses and I appreciated the author not minimizing or over-dramatizing their loss. All in all, this was a well-written book that shines a glimmer of hope on a very difficult topic. It's one I recommend to those who enjoy reading the heavier books or those who want to better understand a person who has committed suicide (though I would not read while feelings are raw). This is not one I recommend to all readers as it is definitely a difficult read, but it covers an important topic and does it well. Special thanks to Tyndale and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

This book was not necessarily an easy read, but it was a very good one. I really enjoyed the author’s change of characters‘ perspectives throughout the story. Other reviewers didn’t like it, but I thought it clarified whose thoughts we were reading.

The book deals with suicide, both in a family and a friend, and I thought it was very well dealt with from a Christian perspective. At the end of the book a pastor sums it up very well. Everyone should read this book.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review, five stars!

This book was heart breaking. (I don't normally add trigger warnings but this book is centered around suicide). The story was very well written, and handled the topic realistically. The ending isn't a full happily ever after, but does give glimmers of hope.
I read it in one day, but mainly because it was so hard I wanted to get through it.
Well written but hard to read book.

I have enjoyed past releases from Angela Hunt and What a Wave Must Be is no different. I loved the powerful message of love, faith, hope and healing. I highly recommend it for other readers and am giving it five stars.