Elsa May Malone was only five years old when her father, an experienced fisherman, got caught out into a storm and perished. Elsa had been turned away from the only family she has ever know. Traumatized, angry, and forced to leave her home she becomes hostile and withdrawn.

Elsa arrives at the foster home, a kindhearted boy, Bryn Evans, befriends her. Bryn, who like the others in the Foster home, has also experienced some sort of loss. With Bryn as her only friend, Elsa begins to very slowly let down her barriers, until Bryn is sent to another foster home. Alone again, Elsa is sure that if she shows someone how much she truly feels, or how much she cares for them, they will eventually leave her.

As Elsa and Bryn grow up through the foster system, not much changes with the exception of their relationship. Bryn wants more than friendship. Although Elsa truly does love and care for him, she is too afraid to show her true feelings to him. When Bryn sends her a painting of her home, she feels like it is time to revisit the past. While there, she runs into some neighbors from her childhood, and also finds out that she is set to inherit her childhood home and some money to live on.

As the pair begin their life together, Elsa's barriers put a strain on their relationship. Elsa no doubt loves Bryn with all her heart, but she just can't get her feeling past her lips. As a storm comes in and takes her Bryn out to sea, Elsa can't help but feel her heart break all over again. Since his body is never found, Elsa holds on to the hope that he could still be alive, but just can't get back home. When a new addition to the family arrives, it has Elsa rethinking everything she has ever know. When a familiar stranger emerges from the shadows, it turns Elsa's world upside down.

I really enjoyed FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND. Elsa was so young when she lost everything and was placed into the Foster Care system. Being turned away from everyone that you have every known and cared for is sure to leave lasting effects on a person. In this book the reader travels on this journey with Elsa to discover that our feelings are meant to be shared with those they are meant for...and not kept bottled up in fear that we will be hurt.

Eleanor Jones is a new author for me. Her characters were easily likeable, and their struggles real. In FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND you can truly relate with the emotions of the main characters. I will certainly be looking for more titles from Eleanor Jones.