On a Summer Tide - Suzanne Woods Fisher - A Short Summary & Review

 On a Summer Tide - Suzanne Woods Fisher - A Short Summary & Review

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

How a case of laryngitis healed an entire town and everyone in it.

A short summary:

When a busy, accomplished woman loses her voice to a sudden case of laryngitis, she is forced, quite literally, into silence. What begins as an inconvenience becomes an unexpected pause that draws her into a small coastal town and the quiet lives of its inhabitants.

As conversations slow and listening takes center stage, long-simmering hurts surface, relationships soften, and healing ripples outward through the community. On a Summer Tide explores how stillness, faith, and attentiveness can restore not only an individual but an entire town quietly longing for reconciliation.

My favorite quote from the book:

"Life presents you with important choices. You can lash out, become bitter. Or draw closer to God, become better."

-Suzanne Woods Fisher, On a Summer Tide

Questions to ponder while reading:

Have you ever done something irrational?

Who is the glue that holds your family together?

My review:

This is an easy, comforting read, perfect for a slow Sunday afternoon when you want a story that reassures more than it challenges. Suzanne Woods Fisher has a gift for crafting warm, approachable narratives rooted in grace, kindness, and the belief that people can change when given space and time.

The town itself functions almost as a character, with interconnected lives gently nudged toward healing through small acts of patience and compassion. While the novel leans heavily into coincidence at times—tying resolutions together a bit too neatly, it does so with sincerity rather than manipulation.

The themes are familiar but effective: listening instead of reacting, choosing humility over bitterness, and allowing faith to guide response rather than resentment. Readers looking for quiet encouragement rather than high drama will find this novel particularly satisfying.

On a Summer Tide doesn’t strive for realism so much as reassurance, and for the right reader, that’s exactly what makes it work.

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

✨ #TakeTheBackRoads

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