Review: The Ocean Between Us
Grace and Steve Bennett have been married for twenty years and they have three children in high school. Steve is a career Naval officer and his career has taken precedence over everything else in the family’s life. They’ve just moved to Washington state and Grace starts to feel the need to put down roots and begins to question all the sacrifices the family has made for Steve’s career.
On the eve of Steve’s deployment, the family finds out some shocking news, so the relationship between Steve and Grace is strained as he leaves. Several things happen while Steve is gone that test their strength, their love and their resolve as a family.
Deep down inside, The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs is a love story. It’s not the story of a new romantic love, but rather the story of a deep, abiding love, and I thought it was just wonderful. The book was a quick read, because I found myself so engrossed in the story.
I could relate to Grace so much. Even though Carl’s not in the service, we have moved a lot for his career, and I know what it’s like to pack up, leave friends behind and start all over in a new place. I know what it’s like to set aside your own needs to try to get your family settled and happy in a new place. I also know what it’s like to appreciate all the opportunities those moves afford you – meeting new people and experiencing new places and things. I totally got it when Grace wondered whether giving up her own dreams to pursue her husband’s had been too much of a sacrifice.
I could also relate to the Bennetts’ three children, since my own father served in the Navy. My father retired when I was fairly young and he mostly had shore duty after I was born, but I do remember picking him up after a long deployment on an aircraft carrier, and wondering if I would recognize him when I saw him again. The children also made me think of Vance and the moves he’s had to make throughout his life.
Overall, I liked The Ocean Between Us a lot and what I liked the most about it was the deep sense of love and respect the Bennetts had for each other and the way they learned to appreciate each other. I think Susan Wiggs did a fantastic job of portraying the life of a service family. This book was an emotional read for me – it made me cry several times, especially at the end. It serves as a reminder that when someone is enlisted in the military, their whole family serves and makes sacrifices.
Challenges: What’s in a Name? 3 Challenge
Review copy provided by Big Honcho Media. I am an Indiebound Affliate.
kathy,
thanks so much for this review–i want to buy the book for my two friends–their husbands are in the navy.
i met the girls when they were stationed in new jersey and couldn’t get over the fact that the guys would be deployed for over 9+ months at a stretch!!
i spent a ton of time with the girls while their hubbys were serving our country–one was from oregon and the other from wisconsin. i was so sad when they left after 3 years but still see them both once every year or two.
this book sounds like the perfect read for them.
I can tell how much you appreciated this book. I’m looking forward to reading it.
WOW – this sounds fabulous and very applicable to my life at the moment.
This books sounds great! And it sounds like the perfect book for my friend Patty (her husband’s in the army and they are always having to deal with his deployments). Thanks!!
I can’t imagine how all that moving around affects a family. I have only moved once from my home town and that was traumatic enough.
Oh wow, this does look good. I didn’t move much in my childhood, but I did move a lot in my young adulthood. I like the opportunities moving brings and I also can relate to the negatives.
I like the sound of this book, Kathy. I have enjoyed other books by Susan Wiggs. She has a very heartwarming touch I think.
I’ve never read one of her books but have heard nothing but good things about them.
I haven’t moved much in my life, and am not related to anyone in the military, but I do stay home and my life is centered on my kids and my husband’s career. I’m OK with that, but sometimes I do have to remind myself about the greater good! You’ve convinced me that this is worthy of my time!
sounds like a deeper book than the cover would lead you to believe. Nice review.
I just read another review of this the other day and thought it sounded interesting. I like the fact that it deals with a military family, and since I have little knowledge of what it must be like to live in one, I think this would make a really enlightening read for me. Great review, Kathy! I am so glad that you liked the book. After reading your review I will definitely be picking it up! Thanks!
I read a few of Susan Wiggs historical romances several years ago and liked them a lot. Sounds like this novel really resonated with you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
This sounds like an excellent read. I’m a retired Navy wife so I know all too well the sacrifices and separations. I’ll have to put this on my wish list for sure! Thanks for the great review!
Great review, Kathy, as clear and concise as always. This book sounds too good to pass up.
I do love Susan Wigg’s books and have not read any in a long time. But your lovely review makes me want to read her again.
It’s so great that this book hit such a personal note for you. I love it when that happens!
I like Susan Wiggs when I want something easy to read, and enjoyed this one because, like so many commenters here, I’ve been a Navy wife and it brought a lot of that back.
What a nice prize, I would love to read the book too.
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This sounds really good. I’m more of a “nester” and can’t imagine the difficulty of picking up and moving for any reason on a regular basis. I can believe that this would cause a lot of strains on relationships as well as resentment of the partner who is sacrificing to further the other partner’s career whether it be military or business. You make a good point about how valuable moving can be too with all of the new places and people you get to know.
This sounds like a great read. I had one big move in my life and that was when I was 4 years old. I’ve always been around my family, and couldn’t imagine packing up and leaving them behind. Of course, if we had to do it for our careers, it would have to be done.
Adding to my wishlist…
You had a huge influence on my tbr list…lol
That was a great review. I sounds like a great book. I will be sure to put that on my list.
This book seems so beautiful! I like it when books can arouse strong emotions in you without being passive.
This book made me cry a lot too, haha! I agree it was a great book.
I love to find books that explore the relationship between people that have been married a long time. It’s such a different kind of love than you normally find in books.
I’ve never read a Susan Wiggs book and this sounds like it is a wonderful story.
a wonderful posting/review…thanks for the chance to read this novel.
Sounds like one right up my alley! I’m glad those days are behind my own family but still see it every day since I work for the Navy! Great review, Kathy!
Thanks for the great review. Every time I stop by I have to add another book to my wish list! Since I was an army brat and an army wife I am like you and relate to these kinds of stories so much. I am off to enter your giveaway.
I could pick the book up just based on the title alone, so glad you loved it.
I’m glad you could personally identify with this book. It makes it more meaningful that way, doesn’t it. I do like the way Susan Wiggs writes.
It does sound like this book resonates a lot with you. We moved a lot too but I think you adjust to the life you are used to … you don’t miss what you never knew (at least as a child).
Thank you for the wonderful review, Kathy! I have special interest for military-related books at the moment and I’m very interested in this one. I am definitely getting this one. Thanks for sharing!
What a great review! I’ve been wanting to read something of Susan Wiggs for a while now, and this sounds like a good place to begin with.