Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden

In the summer of 2011 I reviewed Elizabeth Camden’s debut novel The Lady of Bolton Hill, declaring it a very surprising, atypical, and intriguing offering. When I discovered that one of the villains from that novel was a main character in the more recent Against the Tide, I could not resist snatching it up to review as well.

I was not disappointed.

As expected, Elizabeth Camden, whose debut showed remarkable talent, has matured and grown even more as an author. Against the Tide shows an improved ability to clearly build her characters while still intricately weaving a captivating and unexpected plot. She successfully staves off predictability, even allowing some plans to go off without a hitch until the reader realizes, at the last moment, that an unforeseen problem has arisen. Although romance is strongly present, this romance offers a beauty and intensity that makes it real, not mushy.

Additionally, Camden’s inclusion of faith has improved. While a solid relationship in the Lord is still natural and foundational to at least one character in Against the Tide, that faith is not complete. This character must discover what God truly does and does not expect of him, even while striving to share that faith with a seeking friend.

Even so, if I had to share a negative about Against the Tide, it would be the inconsistency between this character’s faith and his public persona as a cold, calculated manipulator. Although his ultimate quest is for a great, moral good, he justifies his actions with morality rather than learning to glorify God in all he says and does. This offers a conflicting message about how we should live out our faith under difficult circumstances. While we might be faced with a situation in which we must work outside the law, our primary goal still must be to glorify God, not making the ends justify the means.

Still, the circumstances in Against the Tide which lead the main character to make these moral decisions provide a fascinating glimpse into the history of the United States’ opium battles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The systematic and legal measures taken to make opium illegal in the United States are only hinted at; those from both sides who sought to fight the battle outside the law take center stage in this story. Although this approach might not shed light on the above-ground methods of those opposed to opium in those times, it does reveal more of the intensity of the problem, including the frustrations that might have driven opium trade opponents like this main character to step outside the law in their efforts to combat the issue.

Elizabeth Camden has shown her ability to join the likes of Tricia Goyer, Liz Curtis Higgs, and others who have risen above the standard Christian romantic fiction fare, producing books that offer more than just a sappy love story. Against the Tide is definitely fiction worth reading.

This book was sent to me by Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.