Shadows on the Sand + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-Read

She serves him breakfast at her cafe every morning…but he never seems to notice her.

Carrie Carter’s small cafe in Seaside New Jersey, is populated with a motley crew of locals…although Carrie only has eyes for Greg Barnes. He’s recovering from a vicious crime that three years ago took the lives of his wife and children — and from the year he tried to drink his reality away.  While her heart does a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of him, he never seems to notice her.

When Carrie’s a dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries…and into her life. But when Carrie’s own painful past becomes all too present, her carefully constructed world begins to sink.

Will the fragile relationship she’s building with Greg implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry?

My Review:

published in 2011

I was organizing my bookshelves (translation — trying to fit more books into an already crammed bookcase) and came upon this gem from twelve years ago. I started reading and couldn’t stop. My original review is below, but I just wanted to mention…or muse over…how much the mystery/suspense genre has changed over the years. This one is almost cozy — in the way we’re given a glimpse into the lives of the people who frequent Carrie’s cafe — as well as her own personal backstory. The mystery is there, gradually building as the story progresses, but sometimes it’s in the background in order to allow these characters to shine. I really enjoyed the different pacing and the way it all balances out so beautifully by the end. 🙂

—–

I completely and utterly adored this book! I mean how can you resist a heroine who describes her heart doing a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of the hero? And when things heat up she declares, “No way could Snoopy move his feet fast enough to keep up with my tap-dancing heart.” (pg 186) I could totally relate to Carrie on that point alone. But of course there is much more to this complex character, including a gnarly past that she hasn’t quite left behind.

Greg has his own issues too but he finds himself surprised by his sudden desire to enter the land of the living again. Carrie has a lot to do with his change of heart and that scares him. His emotional struggle is a strong thread in the story — achingly touching and I had a real wow factor once I’d finished the book and read the author’s note at the end.

The mystery/suspense is incredibly well developed — the kind where the reader is handed the clues at the same time as the hero and heroine. We try to solve the mystery together and it totally surprised me…multiple times. A really riveting read, which is what you want in a suspense. 

Roper’s writing style is unique in that she mixes POV. Carrie’s is in first person, but all the other characters are written in third person. You’d think it would make for a disjointed read, but somehow Roper makes it work. The story flows into the page-turning kind that you want to devour in one sitting. Highly recommended for lovers of mystery/suspense.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and open to any reader, anywhere in the world — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Shadows on the Sand, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easier for me to spot. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 11 2023. Offer open to International Readers.

20 thoughts on “Shadows on the Sand + Giveaway”

  1. “Shadows on the Sand” sounds absolutely like a fabulous read and one I just know I would enjoy diving into. Love the intriguing look to the cover too.

    Thank you for the review and the update as well as the chance to win a copy!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Just a note about a weird quirk I had while posting replies…not sure if it will happen to a new comment but when I got to hit reply the button fades and nothing happens so I spent a while trying to figure out how to make a reply stick. Turns out all I had to do was hit the refresh button and, voila, my reply immediately appeared. So, just in case it looks like your reply isn’t going to go through, give refresh a try.

    Like

    Reply

  4. You just posted one of my favorite authors from the past. I’ve read most of Gayle’s books and have loved them all. Is she still writing her stories? I’m going to have to look her up. I’ve missed them. Thanks for bringing this one to our attention.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I just discovered she wrote for Love Inspired Suspense back in the day! My introduction to Gayle Roper’s writing was through her Amish stories and now I see she’s written quite a few mysteries as well. This is the only one I’ve read so far, but I’m on the hunt now. It looks like her most recent books were published in 2020. Not sure if they are new or repackaged older books — the Amish series I read has a new look and a more recent publication date but the same stories. I’m with you — I need find more of her books.

      Oh — are you in for the draw, Becky? Or do you have this one already?

      Like

      Reply

  6. Good morning, Kav. I hope you are doing well. I sure understand about the organizing your books activity! Thank you for offering this book by Gayle Roper. I don’t think I ever read one of her books, but I think I would enjoy this one. I certainly enjoyed your reviews.
    Blessings,
    may_dayzee AT yahoo DOT com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Boy can I ever relate to “trying to fit more books into an already crammed bookcase”! 😀

    I like the slower paced suspense books because it helps me breathe between the intense action on the pages. So many of them now are all about constant danger, tension, and running from bad guys. I think it’s partly why I haven’t read too many of that genre for the past two years or so. Shadows on the Sand sounds perfect for me….and it’s a new-to-me author to boot! Win/win all the way around!

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes, the slower pacing in this book is really refreshing. Almost like a cozy mystery with edge since you get a real feel for the cafe’s regulars and the slow burn romance. I really enjoyed it and will be hunting down more of this seres. Good luck, Trixi!

      Like

      Reply

Leave a reply to KayM Cancel reply