Window dressing and a witty one liner are attention grabbers meant to make a shopper purchase a product based on visual aesthetics. Sometimes, we regret our purchase; others, we are pleasantly surprised.

Shadows on the Sand, billed as ”the perfect summer read" by Multnomah Books, appeared to be a light romantic suspense story. Girl likes boy….boy doesn’t reciprocate…a tragic situation draws them together and…boom…romance. The beginning of the book opened with a childish—and slightly boring—conversation between a sixteen year old waitress and her thirty three year old boss.

I’m not sure at what point it all changed. I found myself drawn into the story. As events began to unfold, what appeared to have been trite was actually relevant and part of the character development….something with which Gayle Roper is definitely gifted. Without giving a wordy or drawn out accounting of a character’s life, she is able to make a reader feel her character’s emotions and empathize with them. While reading, you begin to imagine parallels with your own life as you reflect on the situations they are enduring. In the midst of plot development, she sprinkles relevant references to scripture…sometimes blatant; at other times, veiled.

Deeper than the promised romantic mystery, Shadows on the Sand is a story about brokenness, abuse, cult involvement and the healing power of Christ. Roper’s characters are damaged by life’s events. By the end of the story; however, each has faced his or her personal demon and grown stronger through a biblical answer. Pertinent study questions employ scriptural references to guide the reader to a biblical answer.

This book is available from online retailers such as www.amazon.com



Disclaimer: This book was provided by Multnomah Books in exchange for a fair review. Compensation was not offered to influence the outcome.