Swept away with "Against the Tide"

*I received this book for free from Bethany House publishers to provide and unbiased review*
"Against the Tide" by Elizabeth Camden

The first book I read by Elizabeth Camden was "The Lady of Bolton Hill"...which I loved!  One of the mysterious background characters in this novel is now one of the principle characters in "Against the Tide".  And oh yeah...I was excited about that!

First of all, isn't the cover gorgeous?!  It definitely piqued my interest as most good book covers do.  From the beginning I was drawn to the character of Lydia Pallas, a native of Greece and a gifted speaker of several languages.  Her past is a sad one, left alone at a young age and forced to grow up in an orphanage.  But once she is on her own, she is able to use her language skills as a translator for the Navy.  That is how she crosses paths with Alexander Banebridge...a mysterious man with unworldly angelic features...and she becomes curious as to who exactly "Bane" is.  When Bane hires her to do some translation work for him, their interactions frustrate, yet intrigue, Lydia.  You see, Lydia likes order and stability and Bane is the exact opposite.  Lydia is challenged in ways she never thought she could and Bane is right in the middle of it all. 

One thing I love about Elizabeth Camden's books that I've read so far is that they give you more than you expect.  My expectation with this book was that it would be an interesting love story with maybe a little excitement thrown in, but I was glad that my expectations weren't met...they were exceeded!  This book is filled with romantic tension, suspense, excitement, and growth of characters that is not just realistic, but relatable.  I haven't faced the things that Lydia or Bane have, but I felt swept away by their story and I found it very believable.  I was so excited to get more insight into Bane.  His story was just a sidenote in The Lady of Bolton Hill, so some of the mystery of his character was revealed.  If you're looking for a novel that will keep you turning pages with excitement, this is one I would definitely recommend.  It also has a wonderful message of redemption, victory over addiction, and courage.