Claire "Pepper" Patton began her career as a competitive
surfer in Folly Beach, South Carolina, as a teenager. She
dropped out of college and began working at a surf shop,
In
the Curl, when she wasn't riding the waves. Her
boyfriend,
Foster (the son of In the Curl's owner, Ivy), living in
Folly Beach didn't hurt, either. Soon, Claire has a nice
life in Folly Beach. She lives with her best friend Jill,
who dated Shep, Foster's best friend. Everything was
nice,
tidy, and idyllic -- until Jill and Foster fell in love
and
broke Claire's and Shep's hearts.
Claire left Folly Beach nearly immediately, not even
saying
good-bye to Ivy, who had become a motherly figure to her
over the years. Claire had a strained relationship with
her
own parents, so having a nurturing, maternal relationship
in
her life was something she gravitated toward, especially
from the mother of who she assumed would become her
husband.
Even when Foster died in a tragic accident, Claire
couldn't
bring herself to return to Folly Beach, sending only a
brief
card in her stead. Claire now has her own life -- she's
married with her a teenaged daughter, living in Colorado
and
teaching -- a far cry from the life she used to dream of
having.
Now, though, ESPN has called and asked her to participate
in a documentary about female surfers. Since Claire used
to
rule the waves, they want to include her. As reluctant as
she is to return to Folly Beach, she sees this as an
opportunity to introduce her daughter, Lizzie, to her
former
life, which she has never before discussed. Despite her
misgivings about returning to face her past, Claire is
soon
back at Folly Beach.
When Claire tries to see Ivy, she runs into Shep, which
turns into an invitation to supper with Jill (now Shep's
wife) and Luke (Jill and Foster's son). Claire decides to
go, mostly so she can introduce Lizzie to her former
friends, but the evening is just as stiff and awkward as
they all anticipate, especially when Claire discovers that
Jill and Shep have talked Ivy into closing In the Curl.
When Claire is finally able to see Ivy, her suspicions
that
Ivy doesn't want to close are confirmed and she springs
into
action to try to save the store, infuriating Jill and
Shep.
This leads to much conflict as they all discuss what is
who's best interests.
IT COMES IN WAVES is a marvelous exploration of
relationships of
many types -- parent and child, romantic relationships,
and
friendships. I enjoyed the way that it explored
relationships in various stages, as well -- in the
beginning,
when things are falling apart, and when people are
attempting to come back together and figuring out if
forgiveness is possible. I typically don't like books
that
move back and forth in time, but Ms. Marks handles this so
well, it didn't bother me in this book. IT COMES IN WAVES
is an
effortlessly excellent tale of love in all forms.
For competitive surfer Claire "Pepper" Patton, the waves
of
South Carolina’s Folly Beach once held the promise of a
loving future and a bright career—until her fiance,
Foster,
broke the news that he and Claire's best friend, Jill,
were
in love.
Eighteen years later, now forty-two and a struggling
single
parent to a rebellious teenage daughter, Claire has put
miles between that betrayal and that coast. But when ESPN
invites her back to Folly Beach for a documentary on women
in surfing, Claire decides it might be the chance she
needs
to regain control of her life and reacquaint herself with
the unsinkable young woman she once was.
But not everything in Folly Beach is as Claire remembers
it,
most especially her ex-best friend, Jill, who is now
widowed
and raising her and Foster’s teenage son. An unexpected
reunion with Claire will uncover a guilt that Jill has
worked hard to bury—and bring to the surface years of
unspoken blame.
When Claire crosses paths with a sexy pro-surfer who is as
determined to get Claire back on a board as he is to get
her
in his bed, a chance for healing might not be far behind—
or
is it too late for two estranged friends to find
forgiveness
in the place that was once their coastal paradise, where
life was spent barefoot and love was as dizzying as the
perfect wave...
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