Riptide Rumors
By Melody Carlson
The Legacy of Sunset Cove, Book 2
Back Cover Copy
If the Tide Doesn’t Change, Who Will Pay the Price?
As autumn of 1916 descends upon the once-peaceful town of Sunset Cove, Anna McDowell has great hopes that the excitement of the summer will be over, now that a few of the key players in the rum-running ring have been arrested. But with a daring jailbreak getting the town in a dither again, she knows that the danger hasn’t passed for anyone in her coastal hometown.
With a mayoral election keeping tensions high and the authorities busy searching for those behind the jailbreak, Anna has plenty to keep the newspaper busy. But when her sixteen-year-old daughter begins making noises about leaving high school and abandoning dreams of college, Anna realizes that prohibition isn’t the only thing she needs to be worrying about.
How deep does the root of corruption run in their town? As she digs deeper, Anna is forced to put the concerns of her own heart on hold in an effort to save some of the people dearest to her.
My Thoughts
Melody Carlson has long been a favorite author of mine, but I hadn’t read anything by her in this genre (historical fiction) before.
I found this to be an intriguing, if somewhat unusual story. I’ve yet to read the first book in this series, so in reading this one, I found myself jumping right into the middle of everything, and trying to figure things out as I went. There wasn’t much explanation given as to who the characters were (I assume I should’ve already known that from reading book #1), so it took me just a bit to catch on… 🙂
A lady in charge at a newspaper office. What makes this so unusual is the year. It’s the early 1900s, those Prohibition era days.
Anna is quite capable at her job. A murder in her town leaves her investigating and looking for her next story. She’s warned to stay safe.
Her daughter Katy decides she wants to stop going to school and start designing dresses, which is what she really loves. This is directly opposed to what her mother wants for her. Anna, who never had the option of going to college had always intended her daughter have all the educational advantages.
I enjoyed seeing the mother/daughter interaction. Their relationship is well written.
Then there’s also all their suitors.
Anna has…well, at one point, at least three men vying for her attention.
Katy. Yes, at sixteen, she also had her share.
And then there’s also the complicated matter of Anna’s parents, Mac and Lucille. They’ve been separated, and only recently started spending some time together again.
So there’s that relationship to watch, too.
Ms. Carlson has a way of showing us life truths in a story like this one. (mostly what I’d consider to be a light read)
I loved the mystery element that added a bit of action to this story.
In spite of the fact that this story is not full of action and all of that, I found myself captivated. It drew me in from the beginning, and I wanted to read it all as quickly as possible.
Yes, this is historical fiction done right. Details of that time, setting, fashions, and more are included to give you a good feel of what was going on in our country at that time.
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
About the Author 
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, True Colors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.
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All-of-a-kind Mom 