Tides of Renewal: New Beginnings is a work of fiction penned by author Mayra Barry in the historical fiction, Christian writing, and romance genres. It is suitable for the general adult reading audience. In this grand and sweeping narrative, Ruben Smith survives a catastrophic disaster on his father's land and embarks on a perilous voyage to find new opportunities. His journey leads him to Sophie, a captivating Frenchwoman, but their budding romance faces a major obstacle: her father, who intends to marry her off to a wealthy suitor. Determined to win Sophie’s heart and prove his worth, Ruben relies on faith and perseverance. As they navigate their challenges and trust in God's plan, Ruben must convince her father that he is a worthy partner despite his recent losses.

Author Mayra Barry puts heart and soul into crafting a refreshing and uplifting novel that beautifully blends romance, adventure, and faith, creating an engaging narrative that held my interest from start to finish. Ruben’s journey of redemption and determination, alongside Sophie’s quiet strength, made their love story compelling and heartfelt, and I especially enjoyed the detailed narration and character work that brought them to life. The obstacles they faced, particularly the challenge of winning Sophie’s father’s approval, gave some great ongoing tension and drama to the plot, keeping readers on the hook for the next discovery or twist. It felt suitably realistic to see the characters challenged by these unexpected struggles and made me want to root for them all the more when they rose to the occasion. The emphasis on faith and trust in God provided a profound and inspirational backdrop, gently reinforcing the theme of overcoming adversity through divine guidance and offering some great thoughts to take away about our own relationships with faith. Overall, Tides of Renewal is a truly satisfying historical romance that I would definitely recommend.

Tides of Renewal: New Beginnings by Mayra Barry takes the reader back to the days of early European exploration and colonization of the Americas in the early seventeenth century. Ruben Smith, his brother Blake, and their father James, along with their entire team of plantation workers are forced to evacuate their island after a horrific wildfire destroys their livelihood as well as their home. They must search for a new place to settle. While stopping at a trading island to top up their supplies, they are stunned and shocked to discover their long-lost brother Joe who had been kidnapped by pirates some years before. Joe and his new father-in-law Alexander invite Ruben and James to settle on their island of Kemet, where they assure the pair there is plenty of unused land ripe for cultivation. Blake, however, had deserted the pair at an earlier supply stop, seeking to strike out on his own and make his fortune. He had quickly fallen in with his old pirate friends and joined their plundering sorties across the islands. As the Smiths begin their new lives on Kemet Island, many adventures, as well as romance, will await them, including a possible reunion with the prodigal Blake and his bunch of cut-throat pirates.  

Tides of Renewal is essentially an adventure romance. Although it is described by Mayra Barry as historical Christian fiction, I wouldn’t let that limit the potential readership. Yes, the Smith family’s faith is important and does play a leading part in their decision-making but it in no way detracts from the adventure and romance inherent in the story. The author has seamlessly woven the faith aspects into the greater narrative. The characterizations are strong and well-defined. Readers are left in little doubt of the strong morality of two of the three Smith brothers and their commitment to the women in their lives, as well as their overriding faith. It is always fascinating to realize how little authority and power young women had over their lives during this time. In many situations, they were viewed as mere chattels by their fathers and brothers, to be used as bargaining chips in marriage to a wealthy or powerful suitor. This story is the second of a bigger series but for readers who haven’t read the first book, it will not detract from their enjoyment of this story, which is self-contained within its plot. There is undoubtedly more for this family to explore in the future. This was a fun and exciting adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed and I highly recommend it.