Making Waves

Lake Manawa Summers: Making Waves
Lorna Seilstad
Revell
Baker Publishing Group
2010
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3445-9
$14.99
368 pages
Christian –Romance - Historical

How many people have been conflicted between doing what their mother wants for them or following
their inner voice? That is the problem Marguerite Westing is troubled with daily.

Marguerite’s mother wants her to marry well, even if it isn’t for love. However, Marguerite really
dislikes Roger Gordon, her fiancé. He is boring, does not love her, and simply wants her to be a wife
because of her family status and her beauty. True, she would never have to worry about money, but is
that worth a lifetime with him?

What Marguerite did not plan on was to meet Trip Andrews, the son of a sailboat maker. Somehow
though, she finds herself strangely attracted to this man, a laborer and not someone from her social
class.

Added to this, Marguerite discovers that her father has a secret. When she follows him during the night
to a building built on a county line, she discovers why this is an advantage to those in this establishment.

When you have to choose between what is right for your family and it is opposing what is right for you,
how do you make the decision?

The historical aspect of Making Waves was well written and documented with real events. The story of
Lake Manawa in Council Bluffs, Iowa is unusual and definitely deserves to be the setting of many novels.
Another wonderful perspective was the use of the hog farm building which the author moved from its
real location. The history of this building is unique and the illegal activities with the inhabitants moving
from one side to the other to avoid the law enforcement from that particular county, was perfect for
this novel.

The strength of this novel was the Christian aspect in allowing God into their personal lives and their
choices. Particularly noticeable was the characters need to lean on God in times of trial and
indecisiveness.

The weakness in my opinion, was the predictable romance. Fortunately, the story was rich in events,
missteps, and conflicts, that even though predictable, Making Waves was an enjoyable read.

Lorna Seilstad is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Making Waves is her first
novel. She is masterful at using the history from her home in Iowa and turning that into an enthralling
story.

I definitely look forward to the next book in this series.