Assessment:
Plot/Idea: While Wonders in the Waves is a sequel, the novel successfully stands alone.
Larissa's calm demeanor as she grapples with the painful circumstances of her loss and interacts with the universe around her, will pull at reader’s heartstrings.
Prose: Collins writes with a clear sense of purpose. Her lyrical writing will inspire and comfort others, even as the text confronts weighty topics.
Originality: Collin’s novel uniquely integrates elements of mystery into a story of working through grief.
Character/Execution: Initially it is confusing as to who the male characters are, but as the story unfolds, it becomes more clear. Overall, the male characters come across as more stiff in nature than the leading female characters, who are realistic, authentic, and relatable.
Date Submitted: April 17, 2023
In this outstanding tale of love, loss, and redemption, a sequel to her debut novel, Comfort in the Waves, Collins grabs readers by the heartstrings and doesn’t let go until the final page is turned. After the loss of her 21-year-old daughter Emma to an accidental drug overdose, Larissa Whitcomb is hanging on for her son, Eric, and searching for Everett, the child she was forced to give up for adoption at age 16. Larissa’s grief over Emma’s death is only complicated by the unresolved pain of having to give up her first child, which shifted her focus on finding her firstborn to new heights. To give themselves a brief respite from the crushing pain, Larissa and Eric rent a beachside home in Hutchinson Island, Florida, for several months—a few months that will change the lives of everyone involved.The beach is a beautiful backdrop to Larissa’s often-painful but ultimately joyous journey, and also that of her son Eric. Collins’s lyrical prose and touching insights are as comforting as waves hitting the shore, even as the story takes readers places they might not expect, such as a surprisingly cathartic visit to a tattoo parlor. Well-drawn characters reveal surprising, but ultimately believable plot twists—especially search angel Terry’s motivations and neighbor Emery and his daughter Beth’s backgrounds. While a sequel, this story can easily be read as a standalone novel.
Collins’s empathetic take on adoption will be a comforting balm to those who have also had the same type of experience and will help others who haven’t understood that often-painful journey. A child’s death is a wrenching experience, one that Collins handles with grace. It will be impossible for readers not to shed a tear or two while taking this journey with Collins and her luminous characters. Beautifully written and heartbreakingly real, this is a first-rate novel women’s fiction lovers will quickly devour.
Takeaway: This emotional tour-de-force will captivate women’s fiction readers from the first page to the last.
Great for fans of: Debbie Macomber, Jill Shalvis, RaeAnne Thayne.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
