A Distant Shore

A Novel

By: Karen Kingsbury

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne, January LaVoy

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

The number one New York Times best-selling author and “inspirational fiction superstar” (Publishers Weekly) presents this high stakes love story of danger, passion, and faith.

She was a child caught in a riptide in the Caribbean Sea. He was a teenager from the East Coast on vacation with his family. He dove in to save her, and that single terrifying moment changed both of their lives forever.

Ten years later Jack Ryder is a daring undercover agent with the FBI and Eliza Lawrence still lives on that pristine island. She’s an untainted princess in a kingdom of darkness and evil, on the brink of a forced marriage with a dangerous neighboring drug lord, a marriage arranged by her father. This time when Jack and Eliza meet, there’s a connection neither of them can explain. Both of their lives are on the line, and once again, the stakes are deadly high.

Can they join forces in a complicated and dangerous mission, pretending to have a breathtaking love…without really falling? Sometimes miracles happen not once, but twice…along a distant shore.

©2021 Karen Kingsbury (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Kept me interested...but I have some questions.

The story is well-told and kept me reading. I love the verses and message of God's love.

However, a few things I noted that trouble me:

*One major setting is Belize but there is a lot of emphasis on the heroine's blonde hair/blue eyes. I get it. She was part of a Mennonite village, but still. Why the emphasis on her European looks? And no Spanish speakers to speak of. In BELIZE.

*The heroine is also untouched and remains a virgin until (presumably) her wedding. How perfect for her, despite being trafficked and raised in a brothel. The hero, of course, is said to have had multiple encounters but it is okay because he repents. (Note: it IS okay, but why (again) the necessity for her to be "pure"? Lovely to think but sadly not realistic and it does send such a double standard.

**Major Spoiler* Why does his commander tell HIM about the possibility of her family being alive but not HER?! And to make matters worse, he keeps this from her and surprises her.

The book is enjoyable and draws attention to a horrific reality in our society. But I couldn't help but notice some undertones of what I perceive to be antiquated views of what is desirable and acceptable in society.

Shocking and heartwarming

Karen Kingsberry has been one of my favorite authors for a long time but she has outdone herself with this book. it takes on a very tragic area of our society, sex trafficking. KAREN shows the that God and faithfulness to Him “all things work together for good to them that I love the Lord.” Would highly recommend this book.

Clean Bible Story

The story was good but it was like reading a story out of the bible. That is not what I want when I am reading a romance, I had to listen to the whole book because I felt guilty for wanting to stop because there was way too much reference to GOD. AUDIBLE please label this clean.

A Distance Shore

I related deeply to this book and especially the girls upstairs. My story is not something I like to share. I carry a lot of scars and still have open wounds. however the great side is God took me out of that, gave me a life and a partner which I am proud to say have been married for 35 years.

Thanks to Karen Kingsbury and those who handle this subject with tact and mercy for those still fighting the terrible life. a jungle of tight webs those who are still in cannot see anything but a minute at a time. Fear trauma and guilt hold them fast and hard to the life until they are no longer fit for any price then they are put to sleep like a sick dog.
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One of Ms. Kingsbury’s beat

This one is, yes, fiction but oh, so real! The love story was quite predictable, but I’m ok with that. I enjoyed the story of the couple finding love after traumatic childhoods for both.

An Amazing Story

This was hard for me to listen to. The topic is so scary but is real. Karen did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life and ending it in such a beautiful way.

Amazing teaching

This book is a love story with unexpected twist but moreover it teachers a much deeper and important truth. We can plan and pray, but God has our milestones and direction ordained.

Proverbs 16:9: In their hearts man plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

This is the best book I’ve ready in a very long time. Well worth the time and consideration. So so so good!

This book…is absolutely breathtaking!

I love just how moving this book was with using the words of god and showing new life to two souls that were lost. Absolutely one of my favorite books. Karen Kingsbury never disappoints and her books always tug on my heartstrings.

What a beautiful story

Thank you Karen Kingsbury for the awesome story and for the research you had to do to open the eyes of people who don’t know the truth of child trading, and the horrific life they live, I pray that your book will have a huge driving force to rescue as many of these girls (and boys) as possible in every part of the world! May God bless you in abundance!

A mystery, love story and inspiring

The story was so captivating with suspense I couldn’t stop listening. I loved how it ended giving us hope for any situation in life. It was inspiring. Thank you Karen Kingsbury.

A hard one

This was a hard one to listen to, but we’ll worth it. It’s given me a glimpse of the suffering of the girls in the sex trade. More to pray into, and seek out ways of helping.

Loved it

Absolutely loved it! This was deep and engaging. Showing how God alone can turn a situation around.

Amazing, powerful.

I have been a big fan of this author for a number of years now, I first got introduced to her when I read when Joy came to stay, although I was a believer in god I was not really a practicing christian but Proverbs chapter 3 verses 5 and 6 remained in my heart ever since I first heard them from that book.

Since then Karen Kingsbury has been one of my favourite authors and there is not one book I've read by her that I've not liked. As a practicing christian now it's clear to me that she's doing the job that god gave her the gift to do and that's telling a good story. God's presents is clear in everything she writes and it's clear that her faith is central to her writing. It proves that even when your telling a story filled with suspense or evil deeds the fact she can tell it without needing to use excessive bad language proves that it's what is in the heart of the story that matters. Anyone who has not picked up a Karen Kingsbury book please do and I can 100 percent guarantee that if you are a Christian your faith will be improved massively and if your not then you'll want to start asking questions.

A distant shaw was no exception it is a story filled with Faith, hope, love, joy, sadness, second chances and pure courage. This was a story of two characters who had both lost something dear to them in there lives however the way they were brought together and given a second chance was amazing. This story is extremely god centred and the way the two characters grow is amazing to read. It is a heart warming story and when you pick it up and read it it's not lightly to be one you'll forget in a hurry. The narrators of the Audio book were Curby Hayborn and January Lavoy and this team have narrated a number of Karen Kingsbury books both as a double narration team but also as solo narrators as well. They are fantastic for these types of books and read them very well. What I also love about Karen Kingsbury books is that a lot of the time the chapters begin with a verse of scripture which is always lovely. I loved Jack and Eliza as characters, they were both lovely and easy to connect with and love. Both had bad things in there pasts to overcome but by god's grace they were determined and very strong. That is why I am a huge fan of this authors writing, the faithful presents of god is clear with everything she writes. When I read a Karen Kingsbury book I'm always touched and at some point in the book I do shed a tear. What a brilliant story and if I could give it more than 5 stars I would.