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A review by jackiehorne
Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin
3.0
Another read from BOOKLIST's top 10 romances for 2015. And another Christian romance, which is definitely not up my alley. I can see why this sweet romance would appeal to that audience, but have a hard time picturing it appealing to a broader one.
The heroine is self-effacing to the max, but gradually learns that it's ok to take pride in accomplishments that are for the glory of God, just not for oneself (the traumatic incident from childhood which leads her to fear being prideful is pretty darn laughable, I thought). And the hero, an easygoing guy who has always let himself float along on life's currents, learns that he has to make decisions and take charge. Especially when the women in his life are trying to make his romantic decisions for him. Especially the heroine, who selflessly sacrifices herself so her best friend can find true love with the fellow she really likes. It's the old, sexist "only when a woman self-sacrifices what/who she really wants does she really deserve it/him and win it/him" dynamic, which works for a conservative Christian audience, but probably not for more progressive-minded readers.
The heroine often refers to her reading of Nancy Drew books in junior high school (really? I gave them up in elementary school as too easy), but the mystery plot line here is far less entertaining than a ND book. It's got almost no tension or danger until the last 10% of the story, when the long slog through a saboteur at a Boston shipyard plot finally reaches its climax. One redeeming thing: the hero and heroine both have to take risks ON THEIR OWN to complete their character arc/journey to taking more risks, rather than the hero saving/rescuing the heroine, though. And the climatic love declaration was quite sweet (although with the hero kissing the heroine's nose as many times as he kisses her mouth, I did wonder whether he still regarded her as a friend/sister figure rather than a potential lover...)
The heroine is self-effacing to the max, but gradually learns that it's ok to take pride in accomplishments that are for the glory of God, just not for oneself (the traumatic incident from childhood which leads her to fear being prideful is pretty darn laughable, I thought). And the hero, an easygoing guy who has always let himself float along on life's currents, learns that he has to make decisions and take charge. Especially when the women in his life are trying to make his romantic decisions for him. Especially the heroine, who selflessly sacrifices herself so her best friend can find true love with the fellow she really likes. It's the old, sexist "only when a woman self-sacrifices what/who she really wants does she really deserve it/him and win it/him" dynamic, which works for a conservative Christian audience, but probably not for more progressive-minded readers.
The heroine often refers to her reading of Nancy Drew books in junior high school (really? I gave them up in elementary school as too easy), but the mystery plot line here is far less entertaining than a ND book. It's got almost no tension or danger until the last 10% of the story, when the long slog through a saboteur at a Boston shipyard plot finally reaches its climax. One redeeming thing: the hero and heroine both have to take risks ON THEIR OWN to complete their character arc/journey to taking more risks, rather than the hero saving/rescuing the heroine, though. And the climatic love declaration was quite sweet (although with the hero kissing the heroine's nose as many times as he kisses her mouth, I did wonder whether he still regarded her as a friend/sister figure rather than a potential lover...)