Song of Sugar Sands
Song of Sugar Sands Kick-Off Package
About the Book Song of Sugar Sands
Book: Song of Sugar Sands
Author: Debra Coleman Jeter
Genre: Christian Romance
Release Date: August 21, 2019
An award-winning book that recently earned acclaim from the prestigious 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards!
Acadia Powers knows herself to be too selfish, too sinful, and too sceptical in her faith to marry a preacher. And yet she does. God truly does work in a mysterious way. Acadia nearly lost her faith at an early age due to what she saw as the hypocrisy of her parents’ generation. In college—where the novel begins—she meets and falls in love with Peter O’Neil, who is fervent in his faith and wants to share the good news with the world. Can she reach deep enough inside, or beyond herself, to find what she needs to keep on trying, or has she made too many mistakes already?
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My Thoughts on Song of Sugar Sands:
The first book I’ve read by this author was good. This book is actually the second book in a series but it can be read as a stand-alone. In this book, we meet Acadia and Peter. We first visit them in college and then later after they marry and are adults on their own.
Acadia is very self-centered. She has issues with God and whether he is real and can be trusted. Most of that stems from her childhood and her parent’s lives. Instead of facing that head-on she marries Peter and becomes a pastor’s wife.
While I think this is a well-written book it was not one that I would read again and again. It didn’t capture me like I had hoped it would. I found Acadia to be exactly what you’d hope a pastor’s wife is not. In my opinion, she should have talked with Peter and they should have worked through her issues before he became a pastor.
Book one in the series dealt with hard issues of marriage and second marriage with children. This book takes on the nitty-gritty of questioning faith and then growing in your faith. I think they are both good books but I definitely enjoyed the first book more.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
About the Author of Song of Sugar Sands
Jeter is thrilled her most recent novel, Song of Sugar Sands, has received acclaim as a Finalist in the Christian Fiction category of the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. A Professor Emerita at Vanderbilt University, Debra Coleman Jeter has published in popular magazines, including Working Woman, New Woman, Self, Home Life, Savvy, Christian Woman, and American Baby.
Her first novel, The Ticket, was a finalist in two categories for a Selah Award. Her short story, “Recovery,” won first prize in a competition sponsored by Christian Woman; and her book “Pshaw, It’s Me Grandson” was a finalist in the USA Book News Awards. She is a co-writer of the screenplay for Jess + Moss, a feature film which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, screened at nearly forty film festivals around the world, and captured several international awards.
She loves to be in the water—whether snorkelling, water skiing, boogie boarding, or just floating around—which may explain the setting for her newest series. Her family suspects her of being selkie. The Sugar Sands novels are set in a small beach community in LA (lower Alabama). Each book in the series stands alone.
More from Debra
I’m thrilled that Song of Sugar Sands earned recent acclaim by being named a Finalist in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the category “Christian Fiction.”
Although I’ve always been someone who seeks a higher power (and feels such a presence in my life), I’m also a person who struggles with doubts: doubts about churches, denominations, religion, and myself. So I decided to put a character with these kinds of doubts (Acadia) in a relationship with a man of such a deep faith he feels compelled to share his faith with everyone he encounters (Peter).
Song of Sugar Sands is a novel about—in the words of William Faulkner—the human heart in conflict with itself. Who hasn’t, at least occasionally, struggled with doubts about her faith in God or about God’s personal interest in her life? Also, relationships are difficult at their best, but particularly so when the individuals have differing views on faith. Still, there is hope. Song of Sugar Sands tells the journey of Acadia’s relationship with Peter and of her path toward deeper faith.
Inspiration for characters: My daughter, like Acadia, went to Pepperdine University. She met her husband, Jared, in California. Jared’s father and brother were both ministers, but Jared had no interest in this career path. I decided it would be more interesting to make Peter O’Neil the opposite—the first man of faith in his family, while Acadia struggles with her faith. In the novel, Beatrice Wood is a widow who befriends Acadia and helps her through a difficult time. Beatrice is based loosely on a friend of mine from church, who mourned the passing of her husband even as she became a strong businesswoman. The character Sybil was inspired by one of my former students.
Blog Stops for Song of Sugar Sands
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 27
Batya’s Bits, October 27
Texas Book-aholic, October 28
Inklings and notions, October 29
Captive Dreams Window, October 29
For Him and My Family, October 30
Locks, Hooks and Books, October 31
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 1
Artistic Nobody, November 2 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
lakesidelivingsite, November 2
Ashley’s Bookshelf, November 3
Sara Jane Jacobs, November 4
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 5
Simple Harvest Reads, November 6 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
deb’s Book Review, November 6
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 7
Splashes of Joy, November 8
Godly Book Reviews, November 9
CarpeDiem, November 9
Giveaway for Song of Sugar Sands
To celebrate her tour, Debra is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and a signed copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/102ac/song-of-sugar-sands-celebration-tour-giveaway
Rita Wray
The book sounds great.
Erin S.
It is a good book.
Debra Jeter
Thanks so much for having me on your blog and for your honest review. I knew when I wrote Song of Sugar Sands that not everyone would be able to relate to Acadia. She is a very flawed protagonist, but that allows her a great deal of room to grow and mature throughout this novel and, more importantly, throughout the series. She is very young in Song of Sugar Sands, and not all young people are mature in their faith at that point.
Erin S.
I think this is going to resonate more with people closer to her age. I’ve been married for a long time and have teenage children already so I think I’m looking at it with a bit of a jaded view.
Debra Jeter
By the way, you did review Sugar Sands Book 1, which you liked much better. From your review: This is such a real-life novel. Life is never picture perfect and this book makes sure you know it. The author does a great job of describing the nitty-gritty of second marriages and parenting children that aren’t biologically yours. I haven’t had personal experience with stepchildren but we have adopted so I know some of the special stress that comes with this.
I loved the emotions within the book! You could feel like you were there and experiencing the emotions with the characters. This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I noticed this is the first book in a series so hopefully the rest will be out soon and I can continue to enjoy this author.
Erin S.
For some reason, I didn’t connect the two books as being the same series. Will amend the review. I definitely loved the first book. This one was good but I didn’t feel it the same. Maybe because I’m in the season of life of having babies and teenagers.