Hope to see you on March 27 at the Harvard Book Store. I'm thrilled to talk about IF THE TIDE TURNS with the brilliant Mariya Manzhos, who is also throwing an afterparty.
Event:
Location - Harvard Book Store
1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138
Time - 7:00 - 8:00
No tickets are required
As is the case with all my upcoming events, dressing up as a pirate or a witch will be rewarded.
Friend Afterparty:
Location - 31 Vinal Ave, Apt. 3, Somerville, MA
Time - 8:30
More Info:
Harvard Book Store welcomes RACHEL RUECKERT—award-winning writer, editor, and teacher—for a discussion of her debut novel If the Tide Turns. She will be joined in conversation by MARIYA MANZHOS—features writer for Deseret and co-founder of Kleio.
About If the Tide Turns
1715, Eastham, Massachusetts: As the daughter of a wealthy family, Maria Brown has a secure future mapped out for her, yet it is not the future she wants. Young, headstrong, and restless, Maria has no desire to marry the aging, mean-spirited John Hallett, regardless of his fortune and her parents’ wishes. As for what Maria does want—only one person has ever even asked her that question.
Samuel Bellamy, an orphaned sailor searching for work, meets Maria by chance, enthralling her with talk of far-flung places and blasphemous ideals. But neither is free from the social order into which they were born. When Sam is banished from Maria’s parents’ home after asking for her hand, he vows to return a wealthy man, and Maria promises to keep the faith until then.
Sam is drawn into piracy and discovers a brotherhood more equal and fulfilling than any on land, despite its dangers. Beguiled by the chance to both fight for justice and make a fortune to bring home to Maria, Sam is torn between duty to his crew and his desire to return. Separated by more than just the ocean, time slips by as Sam and Maria cling to their love for each other. Maria is determined to stay strong in her conviction in Sam, but as rumors swirl and her position in Eastham turns perilous, Maria is forced into an impossible decision.
Now, on a journey no less treacherous and eventful than Sam’s, Maria draws on every shred of her courage and resilience not merely to survive, but to honor her own yearning for freedom...
Praise for If the Tide Turns
"If the Tide Turns weaves together two fascinating worlds in a page-turning story of love, friendship, and self-discovery. It transports the reader to the time of witch trials and piracy, shrugging off popular caricatures and exploring real-life people—the hardships they faced and the hope that sustained them. A stirring and luminous read!" —Amanda Skenandore, author of The Nurse's Secret
"A delicious debut awash in lore and amazing historical detail, as wild and characteristically unpredictable as the sea that gives it life. Rachel Rueckert is a writer to be reckoned with. Maria and Sam's romantic travails grab you like a riptide and won't let go!" —V. S. Alexander, author of The Novelist from Berlin