Book Club: Book Review of Whose Waves These Are: A Novel by Amanda Dykes

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

I like finishing a book that makes me feel like I am saying goodbye to friends. Amanda Dykes' new book – Whose Waves These Are – is one such book. In the process of reading this story of the Bliss family, I felt like I had made the acquaintance of several new friends.

From the gorgeous cover to the wonderfully written words, I enjoyed this novel from Bethany House. Whose Waves These Are introduces readers to Ansel-by-the-Sea and takes us back to World War II as we read about Robert and Roy Bliss while in the modern era we read about Annie Bliss and Jeremiah Fletcher. As I implied before, the characters really come to life – how the ocean calls to Robert, the hope Roy provides, the love of Annie and her desire to help others, and finally the quiet, strong nature of Jeremiah.

From the back of the book

"In the wake of WWII, a grieving fisherman submits a poem to a local newspaper: a rallying cry for hope, purpose...and rocks. Its message? Send me a rock for the person you lost, and I will build something life-giving. When the poem spreads farther than he intended, Robert Bliss's humble words change the tide of a nation. Boxes of rocks inundate the harbor village on the coast of Maine, and he sets his callused hands to work."

I love how the tale of Robert Bliss intertwines with that of Annie Bliss. Amanda Dykes does a wonderful job of weaving the story together. The two parts of the tale – those set in the past and those set in 2001 – are integral to the whole lovely story of finding hope and love. Sometimes books that jump back and forth in time are clunky but not this debut novel. These easy transitions help make this book into one that you can't put down. I always wanted to know what happened next. What did Roy do in World War II? Why were those rocks in the boat shed? What was on the letter written to Jeremiah? All of these questions were answered in due course as I completed reading Whose Waves These Are.

We see how characters seek solace and hope in God woven throughout the novel. I believe the following to be the most important words of the entire book: "Life is big. And God is bigger."

I recommend Whose Waves These Are – I thoroughly enjoyed it. I admit to shedding a few tears while reading this novel. The characters and experience were that real to me. I look forward to seeing what else Amanda Dykes will bring to the printed page in the future.

You can learn more Amanda Dykes at her website. You can also find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

If you are looking for more of my book reviews please check out the following: