Christina Suzann Nelson

Growing up along the Oregon coast, Cassie George has always been fascinated by the ocean. She's used her studies in marine biology as a convenient excuse for staying away from her small hometown ever since her unplanned pregnancy. But when she receives a call that her aunt has suffered a stroke and has been hiding a Parkinson's diagnosis, she knows she must return. Cassie finds a mostly warm welcome from the quirky community--including her high school nemesis, Nora Milford. But Cassie is confused by the mysterious package that greets her as well, containing typed pages telling a story of an anonymous woman who seems to have ties to Cassie's own life. As she begins to read more and investigate its implications, she'll discover who she thought she was and who she wants to become are both about to change.

Shaped by the Waves

One night changes everything for three women. . . . When Addison Killbourn's husband is involved in a car accident that leaves a woman dead, her perfectly constructed life crumbles apart. With her husband's memory of that night gone and the revelation of a potentially life-altering secret, Addison has to reevaluate all she thought she knew. Emilia Cruz is a deputy bearing a heavy burden far beyond the weight of her job. Her husband is no longer the man she married, and Emilia's determined to prevent others from facing the same hardship. When she's called to the scene of an accident pointing to everything she's fighting against, she's determined to see justice for those wronged. Brianne Demanno is hiding from reality. She was thriving as a counselor, but when tragedy struck a beloved client, she lost faith in herself and her purpose. When her neighbors, the Killbourns, are thrown into crisis, Brianne's solitary life is disrupted and she finds herself needed in a way she hasn't been in a while. As the lives of these women intersect, they can no longer dwell in the memory of who they've been. Can they rise from the wreck of the worst moments of their lives to become who they were meant to be?

More Than We Remember

After years of estrangement, the lives of Zara Mahoney and her twin sister, Eve, are suddenly and completely intertwined again. Eve's troubled lifestyle causes the state to take custody of her two children and contact Zara and her husband, asking them to consider foster care. Newlywed Zara thought she'd finally been given a fresh start and feels wholly unprepared to care for a niece and nephew whose existence she wasn't even aware of. Meanwhile, Eve may have a real chance to start over this time with the help of Tiff Bradley, who's dedicated to helping women everyone else has given up on after facing a heartbreaking tragedy in her own family. Over the course of one summer, all three women's hearts and lives hang in the balance as Eve desperately works toward a new life. Can they redefine their expectations of how life should be to find the hope they--and those they love--so desperately need?

The Way It Should Be

What Happens Next

When four college friends graduated from the University of Northwest Oregon, their lives stretched before them, full of promise and vows to stay connected. But life has a way of derailing well-laid plans. Now they haven't spoken in twenty-five years. But against all odds, three of them have found themselves back in the same place--at their alma mater, wondering how they got there. When they discover their fourth friend, Hope, has died, Jenna, Ireland, and Vicky decide to embark on a wilderness adventure to honor her memory--and for secret reasons of their own. Jenna wants to show her husband that she's more than a helpless, overweight, middle-aged empty nester. Ireland wants to get back to the nature she loves and hide from the charges being pressed against her. And Vicky wants to show she cares for something besides her ministry--and put off the disaster waiting at home for as long as possible. They never bargained for the dangers they face in an unforgiving wilderness. Now they'll have to work together if they hope to make it home alive. While the three women fight to survive the elements, their toughest battles may be with themselves.

A Novel of Faith and Survival in the Oregon Wilderness

If We Make It Home

After a life-altering car accident, one night changes everything for three women. As their lives intersect, they can no longer dwell in the memory of who they've been. Can they rise from the wreck of the worst moments of their lives to become who they were meant to be?

"Cassie George has stayed away from her small hometown ever since her unplanned pregnancy. But when she hears that her aunt suffered a stroke and has been hiding a Parkinson's diagnosis, she must return. Greeted by a mysterious package, Cassie will discover that who she thought she was, and who she wants to become, are all about to change"--

Cassie George is barely staying above water as she works to get her doctorate and raise her daughter. But she stubbornly keeps swimming to prove a few bad decisions haven't ruined her forever. Plus, it's all a great excuse to stay away from the small Oregon town she fled in shame years prior. But when she receives a call that the aunt who raised her has had a major health crisis, she knows it's time to return. Cassie is surprised to be more welcomed by the quirky seaside community than she expected, even if there's still tension between her and her former classmate Nora Milford. But she still can't help feeling unsettled and is mystified by a mysterious package that appears, full of typed pages that tell the story of an anonymous woman's life. As her curiosity sends her on a journey toward truth, Cassie will discover that who she thought she was and what she wants for her life are both about to change. Praise for Christina Suzann Nelson "Nelson's beautifully written tale . . . will have readers considering complex questions long after closing the cover."--LISA WINGATE on The Way It Should Be "Recommended for libraries where Karen Kingsbury and Robin Lee Hatcher are popular."--LIBRARY JOURNAL on The Way It Should Be "Nelson offers pictures of grace, glimpses of beauty, and the hope of redemption."--LAUREN K. DENTON on The Way It Should Be "Readers will be quickly drawn into this powerful novel that is, in turns, both heartbreaking and uplifting."--BOOKLIST starred review on More Than We Remember

Christina Suzann Nelson

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