Shaped by the Waves

December 13, 2021
Cassie George, a young, single mother, returns to her Oregon hometown to care for her Parkinson’s-afflicted aunt in this saccharine but entertaining inspirational romance from Nelson (The Way It Should Be). Cassie’s aunt Shasta, who raised motherless Cassie like her own child, has been hiding her diagnosis for years and is nearing death. Overwhelmed at the prospect of losing her, Cassie takes a leave from her PhD studies and packs up her four-year-old daughter, Lark, to drive from California to the Pacific Northwest. As Cassie juggles caring for a child and Shasta, she receives an anonymous manuscript in the mail that details a woman’s marriage to an abusive husband and the loss of their only child. Cassie, who knows little about her deceased birth mother, becomes increasingly suspicious that the story’s connected to her own. Meanwhile, a local catches her eye, though she worries she won’t be able to balance romance and her caregiving duties. Things unfold predictably and slowly as Cassie uncovers and accepts her past while also returning to a reliance on God. It’s pleasant enough if clichéd, and should do the trick for readers who don’t prize novelty. Agent: Cynthia Ruchti, Books & Such Literary Management.

January 1, 2022
Cassie George is a single mother drowning in debt with no plan for moving forward, so the last thing she needs is a health crisis. But Cassie's life takes an unexpected turn when her aunt's Parkinson's diagnosis brings her back to the coastal Oregon hometown Cassie left long ago in shame. The strain of unexpected caregiving responsibilities pushes her to the brink, but the Gull's Bay community unconditionally rallies together to support Cassie at every turn. When a mysterious package of letters arrives revealing secrets from her past, Cassie's search for her true identity reveals that she was never truly alone. Shaped by the Waves is a beautiful testament to the love within communities and the impact of sharing life's joys and pains. Nelson (More Than We Remember, 2020) shakes up small town stereotypes and embraces the very best of a village in which people take heartfelt care of each other. As she gently addresses loss and new beginnings, Nelson offers deeply compassionate insights into the challenges, transitions, and grief of caregiving.

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