High Tide sees Kathryn faced with numerous transitions. For a moment, everything seems to be just fine; Joseph is about to return from Ireland, the homeless project is showing great results and Kathryn’s grandfather establishes contact to her. Even Maggie is with her through her diaries. At some point, everyone starts to fall apart. Upon his return, Joseph startles her with an unexpected offer. It’s on her to decide whether she is ready to leave her newly reclaimed life and her beach. After breaking up with Joseph, she seeks refugee in her beach again, and realizes that five years of absence was more than enough.
Everyone seems to be leaving, and Kathryn starts to feel lonely. Here is one of my favorite quotes:
“I am tired of telling everyone Goodbye as they move on with their life, while I stand still. Maybe, I am ready to move on. Maybe it’s finally my time!” (p 115)
Sometimes it’s difficult to escape the high tide, but eventually, Kathryn takes control over her life, despite some “lawyers and their ability to mess up her life”. She finds her hope again, and decides to “chase after life with the drive of an eight-year-old chasing an ice cream truck!”

Nadine did it again. Her engaging first person present tense makes the story as realistic as it can be. Written in a simple, easy-to-read way, High Tide is a great read and, personally, a source of inspiration through Maggie’s and Kathryn’s diaries. I love the beach descriptions as an instrument to show Kathryn’s sometimes stormy, sometimes nostalgic mood. Through Kathryn, the social worker in Nadine shines through. I was amazed with all those small things Kathryn does to make her clients feel better. Sometimes just a silk scarf is enough to raise someone’s self-esteem.

There were some parts that had me rolling on the floor laughing. Ever gave driving lessons to a nun? No? Maybe you should; nothing will reestablish your connection to God like that experience.

I’m looking forward to reading Storm Surge and learn more about Kathryn’s family.
If they are any like her cousins, Storm Surge will probably be brimming over with intrigues!

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views

The author Nadine Laman does it again!! “High Tide,” the second book in the Kathryn McKenzie story, certainly lives up to the quality of the first book, “Kathryn’s Beach,” I am looking forward to reading the 3rd book in this trilogy called “Atonement.” You can read “High Tide” without reading the first book, but I would highly recommend reading the first book for enjoyment and to catch up on Kathryn’s story.

In “Kathryn’s Beach” Kathryn came home to California and resumed her old life on her special beach. She became reacquainted with old friends, found love and faced tragedy. “High Tide” picks up where “Kathryn’s Beach” leaves off. In “High Tide” she has to face several losses and find new strength to deal with the turmoil in her life. As she moves through these difficult situations, Kathryn finds that strength on her beach and it becomes her lifeline. Once again, Nadine Laman captures the complete realm of human emotions while the story unfolds.

As the story continues, Kathryn is trying to figure out her true feelings for her boyfriend, Ioseph. He returned to his country Ireland for a vacation and decided to move back there. He asks Kathryn to go with him and she must now decide if he is what she really wants in life.

Kathryn is still working as a social worker on the homeless shelter project which she loves. Many of her clients are beginning to find their independence again through work, and Kathryn has a tremendous amount of respect for them. She is also seeing a new depth in the nuns that she works for as the project unfolds.

Mr. Goldstein, Kathryn’s senior friend who lives upstairs, seeks Kathryn’s help in finding his long lost family from World War 2. She helps him, but with mixed feelings because she is afraid if he finds his family she will lose him.

Much to Kathryn’s surprise she is contacted by her paternal grandfather. He had disowned her father for marrying a Catholic and has never had contact with the family. She has spent a lifetime of saying “Not that McKenzie” when people ask her if she is related to the high profile McKenzie’s of California. It comes as a shock to find out “She is that McKenzie”.

Kathryn’s late friend Maggie’s wonderful advice lives on in this book through her journals. “It isn’t how long one lives it is how wide that really matters.” What great insight to begin the New Year with.

Once I’d read Kathryn’s Beach, I just had to read the others. High Tide, the second book, still used the ‘drag you along’ style and the shocking events that happened, and how Kathryn handled them, still felt personal. Though maybe you don’t agree, as a reader, with everything she says or does, you are taken along by the story and follow her life changing encounters with a family that you kind of wish you had, and are very glad you don’t’ have.