Book Review: Making Waves by Lorna Seilstad

I love going to the beach, especially when the sky is a little cloudy and the temperature is in the low to mid 90's. An ideal afternoon for me would be on the beach with my family, soaking up the sun with a nice, cool drink beside me and a book in my hand!

I am from Texas, and Galveston Beach was the place where I first had a "taste" of the ocean. I remember walking along the shore, looking for seashells and watching the seagulls soaring overhead. I have also experienced the beach at Destin, Florida. I think it was one of the best vacations I have ever had! I have great memories of the few times I have been to the beach. 

I remembered those times as I read Making Waves. I felt the breeze in my face and heard the waves hitting the shore as the characters made their way across the sand. Transported to another time and place, I wanted to join them in their sailboat rides and sleep in the tents that sat along the path not far from the water.

The year 1895 saw women struggling to find their place in this world. Many of them, like Marguerite, the book's main character, wanted to do things that others thought improper for females to be doing. While other girls were content with cooking, cleaning, taking care of babies and needlework, Marguerite longed for a more adventurous life. And this is what got her into trouble.

When Marguerite and her family spend a summer at Lake Manawa, Iowa, she meets a man who introduces her to sailing and a whole new world of freedom and adventure. Suddenly, her world is expanded and she longs to escape the narrow confines of the life her parents have crafted for her. However, she soon finds herself having to make a hard choice: marry a man she doesn't love to save her family's fortune, or follow her heart and, for the first time, live the life she has always dreamed about?

From parasols to pantaloons, this story is a fun ride through the late 19th century. The descriptive language and enjoyable plot carries the reader through to a satisfying, though quite predictable, end. A light, clean read and somewhat impressive debut novel. This is the first of a series that is sure to be a success.     

I give Making Waves 4 out of 5 stars.

Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

(I received this book from Revell Books for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)