Song of Sugar Sands
by Debra Coleman Jeter
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GENRE: Romance
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BLURB:
A deeply committed young man falls in love with the beautiful but troubled Acadia, who knows herself too selfish, too sinful, and too skeptical in her faith to marry a preacher.
Acadia Powers nearly lost her faith at an early age due to what she saw as the hypocrisy of her parents’ generation. In college—where the novel begins—she meets and falls in love with Peter O’Neil, who is fervent in his faith and wants to share the good news with the world. Despite serious doubts about her ability to survive as a preacher’s wife, Acadia finally agrees to marry Peter. The two embark with high hopes on a new life in Sugar Sands, Alabama, where Acadia takes a position as a high school teacher while Peter becomes pastor of a small church. SONG OF SUGAR SANDS recounts Acadia’s struggle to come to terms with issues of faith, while also telling the story of Peter and Acadia’s falling in love and the traumatic first year of their marriage. When one of her students attempts suicide after confiding her problems in Acadia, and a new friend and mentor, Beatrice Wood, reveals that she has terminal cancer, Acadia almost quits. Can she reach deep enough inside, or beyond herself, to find what she needs to keep on trying, or has she made too many mistakes already?
Acadia Powers nearly lost her faith at an early age due to what she saw as the hypocrisy of her parents’ generation. In college—where the novel begins—she meets and falls in love with Peter O’Neil, who is fervent in his faith and wants to share the good news with the world. Despite serious doubts about her ability to survive as a preacher’s wife, Acadia finally agrees to marry Peter. The two embark with high hopes on a new life in Sugar Sands, Alabama, where Acadia takes a position as a high school teacher while Peter becomes pastor of a small church. SONG OF SUGAR SANDS recounts Acadia’s struggle to come to terms with issues of faith, while also telling the story of Peter and Acadia’s falling in love and the traumatic first year of their marriage. When one of her students attempts suicide after confiding her problems in Acadia, and a new friend and mentor, Beatrice Wood, reveals that she has terminal cancer, Acadia almost quits. Can she reach deep enough inside, or beyond herself, to find what she needs to keep on trying, or has she made too many mistakes already?
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Excerpt:
The next person to cross the yard was a grown man—a parent, perhaps. He wore a plain black mask covering only his eyes and nose. A sparse, scraggly growth of a reddish blonde hue adorned a weak chin. I glanced past him in search of his child, but none was in sight.
I shivered with foreboding, then scoffed at my fear. His kid was probably just lagging behind. A group of children in the next yard laughed and chased after each other, the contents of a small witch’s bag tumbling onto the lawn. None of them appeared to be connected to the masked man.
I shook off my premonition. Surely the general eeriness of the holiday was working on my imagination. When he showed no sign of slowing his pace, I took a step backward and started to close the door. The man caught the door with his foot and shoved it open.
A scream froze in my throat as he pushed inside. He was broad-shouldered and strong. My heart banged in terror. I found a voice, though it didn’t sound much like my own. “What do you want—who are you?”
“I just want to talk to you. Give me a little cooperation and you won’t get hurt.”
Like a nightmare where my feet felt glued to the floor, I found myself unable to move or even scream. The din of happy children sounded farther away.
“All right.” My voice came out in a raspy squeak. “I’ll cooperate. Do you want money? We don’t have much, but—"
“I don’t want your money. I just want you to stay out of my life.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
A Professor Emerita at Vanderbilt University, Debra Coleman Jeter has published in popular magazines, including Working Woman, New Woman, Self, Home Life, Savvy, Christian Woman, and American Baby. Her first novel, The Ticket, was a finalist in two categories for a Selah Award. Her short story, “Recovery,” won first prize in a competition sponsored by Christian Woman; and her book “Pshaw, It’s Me Grandson” was a finalist in the USA Book News Awards. She is a co-writer of the screenplay for Jess + Moss, a feature film which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, screened at nearly forty film festivals around the world, and captured several international awards.
She loves to be in the water—whether snorkeling, water skiing, boogie boarding, or just floating around—which may explain the setting for her newest series. Her family suspects her of being selkie. The Sugar Sands novels are set in a small beach community in LA (lower Alabama). Each book in the series stands alone.
The Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1941103863/
Author website: www.debracolemanjeter.com
Author blog: http://www.debracolemanjeter.com/blog
Guest Blog on Pushing Boundaries: http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=7259
Info on Song of Sugar Sands http://askdavid.com/reviews/book/christian-romance/17332
links to info on all Jeter’s books http://askdavid.com/books/18723
My Review:
After reading the blurb to this book, I wanted to read and review it.
I thought the main female character would be a little on the broody side. Even though the main male character is a preacher/priest, he definitely has his doubts. This, to me, made Peter more real and possibly even relatable.
What stopped me from a rating of five was the historical event that was referenced. The date of the event was slightly off.
Rating: 😃😃😃😃
Giveaway: Debra Coleman Jetter will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your book with us. I always look forward to finding out about another great read.
ReplyDeleteYour book sounds like alot of fun. I hope that it is a success.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the release. I hope that your book is a success.
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