Grace at Low Tide

by Beth Webb Hart

A haunting tale of stumbling faith, hard-won hope, white-knuckled love and a mysterious mercy.

Fifteen-year-old DeVeaux is now fifty miles form the place where she used to live--only fifty miles and five months since her blue-blood father declared bankruptcy. "Used to" was a graceful home in a historic Charleston neighborhood. Country clubs, cotillions, childhood friends, and a close-knit church group. "Now" is a run-down cottage on an island estate that is no longer in the family. A restaurant job, a cantankerous old truck, and mud on just about everything.

But something is wearing DeVeaux down. It's not living on the island, which is actually kind of interesting. And it's not missing her old friends, who have developed an annoying fixation on boys. What really bothers DeVeaux is that being "ruined" has changed her dad into an ill-tempered jerk, and her mother just tiptoes around him. If the good Lord has a plan for saving them, now might be a good time to start.

A gritty but gentle drawl of a story, Grace at Low Tide is a tender and evocative portrait of a young girl embracing womanhood. With southern society as her backdrop, Beth Webb Hart paints for us a hard-luck family scrabbling to find its heart again. It is a testimony to the small miracles of love and loyalty--the gifts of grace that manage to keep us all afloat, even at our lowest ebb.

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Southern, Audiobook, Contemporary, Modern

304 pages, Paperback

First published July 12, 2005

About the author

Beth Webb Hart holds a B.A. in English Literature from Hollins College and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. Her first novel, Grace at Low Tide, was one of three finalists for the 2006 Christy Awards in the general/contemporary fiction category. She lectures on a variety of topics and has taught creative writing on the college and high school level. She serves as a writer-in-residence at Ashley Hall in Charleston, SC.

Reviews

[Deedee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars...

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riches to Rags with God

I liked this book! For me, it was a comparison of the wealthy verses the poor. Yes, the well to do have things; does that give them integrity or honesty. On top of that, it was about the main character's growth in God. The characters were well developed and for the most part, I liked them. This read will make you think.

[Peggy Hess Greenawalt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice fiction Christian read.

[Cindy Feigert · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing this book I understand the title. DeVeaux, the main character, is a 15 year old who has more grit and grace than any adult in this novel. DeVeaux,through her faith, navigates the many trials and tribulations of a 15 year old. She has to adapt to a whole new way of life. The thing that I think the author has done best in this book is creating the sense of place. For anyone who has traveled to the Low Country you will feel the beauty of this place coming through the pages.

[MaryAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been a better read. The story was good enough, but the author's attempts to work Bible verses and morality lessons into everything seemed contrived, and I ended up skipping over most of those parts. I knew it was billed as Christian fiction, but there must be a better way to get the point across. Having said that, I enjoyed the descriptions of the Lowcountry areas I have visited.

[Katie Krombein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the books on my end table at the Airbnb on Hilton head island and I’m so glad I could picture this whole area bc of that trip!!
Nothing was particularly easy in this plot line but the main character wrestled with her doubts of faith and life choices in a realistic way, punctuated by prayers that I resonated with. I would definitely pick up other books from this author.

[sally Hutcheson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Breathtaking!

Unbelievable that this is a first novel Definitely Southern Literature at its best You will thoroughly enjoy having the pleasure of reading Grace at Low Tide

[Laraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice southern read. If you live in the Lowcountry it’s your love language. I look forward to reading another of her novels. The story has a bit of a depressing undertone which is why I didn’t give it five stars.

[Jane Pettitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent afternoon read kick back and enjoy

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars ⭐️ Actually 4 stars ⭐️ after thinking a bit more about this book.

[Molly Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely backdrop in Savannah with all the traditions and ambiance plus lots of family troubles. It was, however, a little overly exaggerated and self righteous for me.

[Courtney Niederer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace at Low Tide is the story of a family down on its luck. They used to live in the large plantation house and now they live in the carriage house. They used to take their boat out and now they take their neighbors out in their boat (they’re new to the area and it was part of the agreement - they’d stay on and help the new family). This book was just ok for me, not too much action and something always seemed to be wrong. I was ready for this family to catch a break. 3 stars

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot Summary: What happens, When & Where, Central Characters, Major Conflicts[return]DeVeaux at fifteen should be enjoying all the comforts and concerns of a young women descended from blue-blood in the south. But her father has squandered their money in shaky business deals and now they have been forced to move from their Charleston home to the caretaker's cottage on the family plantation. DeVeaux is only fifty miles away from her former life, but can hardly stand to go back and endure the looks from her former classmates when they wheel into town in their beat up, muddy truck. But she does have good friends in town though, especially at her church. And she needs all the support she can get, since her father is not taking his humiliation well at all. He is prone to bursts of temper that result in scenes where things get thrown into the nearby river--even Christmas trees. DeVeaux desperately needs God's help to love her family, but how long will it take for the Lord to work things out for them?[return][return][return][return][return][return][return]Style Characteristics: Pacing, clarity, structure, narrative devices, etc.[return]The slow pace of this story allows the reader to experience the life of DeVeaux and her family in depth. DeVeaux's struggles with faith and her emotions are strong and her character is painted in very realistic colors. She has spiritual advisors and talks to God throughout the book, but the spiritual issues don't seem forced by the author at all. The setting also comes across very vividly, the details about southern society and the landscape effectively transport the reader to another place. It almost seems like another time as well, with the traditions of debutant balls and Maum Bess's talk about spirits. [return][return][return][return][return][return][return]How Good is it?[return]This book has depth and is one of those to be savored. Read it slowly to take in the lush southern setting and experience the pains of a young girl growing up in a family situation that forces her to be wise beyond her years.

[Tin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book my sister borrowed that I read for a day. I can say, I put my life in there - I mean, viewing the life like the main character DeVeaux did. I don’t know. But most of the time, when I was reading this book, I can feel the way she feels - because I feel like I’m in such a situation as hers. And, this book made me feel a Christian again. Not that I’m such, but because this book reminds me of the old days I spent with my Uncle’s family years back. He’s a pastor, and he made me feel like I was a Christian too. I actually embraced that thought and had even attended church with them. And I miss that. I miss how my life was with them.

Anyways, I listed some of my favorite lines in this book - as well as some of the verses in the Bible that was also written in here. And my favorite is on the last part - which is this:

"Thing is, every place has its limitations and its benefits. And some children don’t or can’t follow the path of their siblings or the generations that came before them. Some traditions die, and that’s okay. In the end, the only thing that counts is our relationship with God."

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story. Our main character is a 15/16 year old girl named DeVeaux. She is from one of the "blue blood" families of Charleston, SC. However, her family has fallen on hard times. The plantation and city home have been sold and the family is now living in the care taker's cottage on the plantation and the father is now working for the Japanese family that has purchased the historic home. I really liked DeVeaux. She has a level head on her shoulders and is pursuing true faith while dealing with her family's fall, the new life style and the added teen angst that comes with coming of age. I liked this character, but she didn't really ring true to me. She was mature, both emotionally and spiritually in a way that didn't seem to fit with the age.....or maybe I'm jaded? I won't be a spoiler, but the end with the father left me a bit confused. I guess I needed to be told more explicitly what the change was in him. This is definitely a Christian read.

[J.Elle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could give this a one and half star. It was different. I think it was a Christian book, but the way it was done, it was hard to tell whether the author was kind of making fun of faith or embracing it. After I finished it and realized there wasn't any mockery of faith, I had to conclude that the author meant it seriously. Don't get me wrong, I whole-heartedly support that sort of thing, but it was awkwardly done in this book. The book is about one family's fall from social and monetary graces as seen through the eyes of the sixteen-year-old daughter. I had a hard time with the way she was supposed to have been born to privilege yet she spoke like someone who was very uneducated. I also felt like there was no real resolution to their problems. It was more a hint that things would get better rather than any actual improvement.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. It was close to my heart for several reasons:

1. It's about a fifteen year old southern girl, which is what I am.
2. It's set in the Low Country/Charleston area, my favorite place on the planet
3. It tells the story of a family going through a rough financial time, something I can definitely relate to.

I could relate so well to this books, the characters, the settings, the interactions, everything!

Beth Webb Hart wrote a great coming-of-age story that really hit close to home with me.

Definitely a must read for teenage girls!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a frustrating book for me. The story idea was good. The characters were interesting and well written, but the conclusion was highly unsatisfying. Reading the story, you are following the main character...her family problems...her personal conflicts...and her hopes that things will get better in her life. By the end of the book, the author has her believing that things *are* better and getting back to normal--but they really aren't much different that when the book started. I'd be more detailed (especially regarding her father), but I don't want to give any plot away.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend summed up the synopsis of this book perfectly. It's basically a rite of passage story. Wonderful story of what happens when you lose it all...family, money, lifestyle, self respect. DeVeaux is an amazing young lady and her faith in God and how she tries to rely on Him in every part of her life is amazing. This book does a great job of showing how young people all face the same temptations and struggles, no matter what side of the tracks they live.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun story to read about a girl in the South and her life after her father goes bankrupt and how their lifestyle does a 180. I really enjoyed how the author portrayed DeVeaux's beliefs and her struggles with those due to her circumstances. I was proud of her when she didn't follow the crowd.

[Flash Mitchell English]

This is a good coming-of-spiritual-age story set in the Charleston and Edisto areas of S.C. I had trouble getting into the book at first, and there were times I thought that DeVeaux was way too with-it to only be 15... I guess the spiritual struggle DeVeaux is going through in the book is one I didn't experience until my early 20s. But Hart's characters are well-developed, and I like the ending.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this thought provoking book. It explores the realistic fears of a teenage girl when her wealthy family loses everything as a result of an unwise business deal by her father. She is faced with her own doubts about God's love as she watches her family begin to fall apart and some of her wealthy friends begin to distance themselves from her.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book - Christian fiction with complex characters and a realistic storyline. I especially liked the author's depiction of the protagonist's faith, and her choice to remain faithful, despite a family crisis that changed her world.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having lived in SC for 14 years I was reminded of many aspects of the Low Country life. I'm not sure why but it reminded of the Newbery winner Across Five Aprils which I liked.Maybe it was the coming of age type story. Beth Webb Hart addresses issues of faith in a non preachy, down to earth manner.

[Keightley8 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my second Beth Webb Hart book, and, likely, my last. Just as she captures the reader with an appropriate Southern nuance, she loses credibility by injecting a poorly integrated religious message.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting characters, a unique setting. It was good to read about Christians who struggle with real life situations and rely on their faith. The writing was a little uneven at times, but all in all a good read.

[Kshappert]

A good read about a well to do Charleston family who lose everything in a development scheme gone bad. 16 year old DeVeaux struggles to keep her sanity and faith amidst her father's bitterness and her mother's submissiveness. Good visual imagery of Charleston and the surrounding islands.

[Ann Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hart's writing is delicious, deep, lyrical. I've been reading a lot of Southern fiction this year, and Hart is top of the heap. She's one of those authors I plan to read as long as she writes. 5+ Stars

[Mardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in beautiful Chatleston and the lowcountry, this is a nice story and a quick read. Not a lot of excitement, but often God works in our lives subtly and without a lot of fanfare. That, and life tends to move a little slower and quieter down here.