Driftwood Tides

Sometimes when we hold onto too tightly to our dreams, they can slip between our fingers no matter how tight we try and hold on. In the case of Holton Creary, he can seem to find anything to live for any longer. Since losing his wife Adele, five years ago, he believes he was at fault. He had fixed her brakes in her car and that fateful morning when she left, she died when she hit another car head on. The results of just what caused the crash were inconclusive, but in Holton's heart, he was to blame.

Now struggling to make ends met as a driftwood sculpture, he finds the only way to get through the long nights in look down the inside of any gin bottle he has handy. His assistant Tess, knows from experience, that the only way for an alcoholic to get help is when he is ready. No amount of pressure can make anyone want to get better. For Holton, he has virtually given up. He can only hope one day, he will drink his way into unconsciousness and never wake up.

To make matters worse, a local artist is copying Holton's driftwood sculptures and selling them for a whole lot less and taking his contacts within the local community. But no matter how low Holton offers to sell his original creations, Henry just keeps under cutting his prices to take away any hope that Holton can make a living.

Libby is struggling to find a way to tell her over-bearing mother, Caroline, that the wedding she had dreamed of is vastly becoming the one Caroline never had. She is sparing no expense to ensure that Libby has the finest wedding she can afford. But Libby has news that is bound to rock Caroline's world, yet she doesn't realize it will also rock hers as well. In being tested for genetic abnormalities in preparation for her wedding to Rob, Libby discovers that the woman she believed to be her birth mother has been lying. The test results have confirmed that her mother, Caroline, and her birth father both had O+ blood types and Libby's is an A+. There is no way, she is the product of the parents she has believed up to now and now she has to find a way to confront Caroline. When she learns that she was adopted and her birth mother is Adele Creary, she sets out to find out just why her mother put her up for adoption. But she won't be ready to learn what she discovers in the process.

I received Driftwood Tides by Gina Holmes compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is such a moving story about finding hope in the midst of loss, learning how to find forgiveness and overcoming storms to see new future. Gina does such an exceptional job at bringing the reader down to Holton's level and seeing just how bad things are in his eyes. He has lost all hope despite what lies all around him. He begins to relate to the broken pieces of driftwood he finds abandoned on the beach as if no one wants them any longer. The transformation of what he creates by fashioning them into a work of beauty isn't apparent until Holton can hit rock bottom. Only then will he be able to look up instead of where he has been.

For those that know what the struggle of alcoholism can do not only to the person drinking but to their support system as well, this is an eye opening look at reality at it's bleakest from the eyes of those who have been there. It's not pretty and it's not supposed to be. The writer doesn't attempt to rush this to a conclusion but show you that the path often offered isn't the one that is chosen instead. She makes you care deeply for both Libby and Holton as they both struggle to overcome their pasts and instead look to embrace a future of hope, but it will take blood, sweat and a whole lot of tears to get there. It's truly a beautiful look at restoration and hope and one I give a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Driftwood Tides, Gina Holmes or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Driftwood Tides by Gina Holmes

You can also find Gina Holmes on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Driftwood Tides, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's book tour page.