Against the Tide

By: Elizabeth Camden

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

RITA Award Winner, Best Inspirational Romance, 2013    

As a child, Lydia Pallas became all too familiar with uncertainty when it came to the future. Now, she's finally carved out a perfect life for herself - a life of stability and order with no changes, surprises, or chaos of any kind. She adores her apartment overlooking the bustling Boston Harbor, and her skill with languages has landed her a secure position as a translator for the U.S. Navy. However, it is her talent for translation that brings her into contact with Alexander Banebridge, or "Bane", a man who equally attracts and aggravates her. When Bane hires Lydia to translate a seemingly innocuous collection of European documents, she hesitantly agrees, only to discover she is in over her head. 

Just as Bane's charm begins to win her over, Lydia learns he is driven by a secret campaign against some of the most dangerous criminals on the East Coast, compelled by his faith and his past. Bane forbids any involvement on Lydia's part, but when the criminals gain the upper hand, it is Lydia on whom he must depend.

©2012 Elizabeth Camden (P)2012 Recorded Books

A story well worth your time...

This is just my second Elizabeth Camden book. My first was "The Rose at Winslow Street", which I loved. I hesitated in buying "Against the Tide" because of one or two reviews, but I'm really glad I did. I love Elizabeth's writing because she takes such care in creating memorable, distinctive characters. In "Against the Tide" she tells an engrossing story woven out of family ties, pride in work, intrigue and courage. The dry humor between the characters is witty and engaging. And the suspense and despair are very real. Some reviewers have been put off by the religious overtones, but Camden keeps everything within the context of the story, so the characters' belief feels natural for them and not at all preachy. Above all, I love the intelligence and courage of the heroine, Lydia. From the first moment we meet her, and throughout the story, she embraces life and deserves every moment of love and security she gains by the end.

Boston Late 1800s, Brave Young Woman & Opium

Orphaned at age nine, Lydia was at school, when her parents' ship was lost at sea, and they and her little brother were swept away, never to be seen again . . . taken to a local orphanage, she excelled at learning, and never forgot her Greek and Turkish heritage . . . growing up to become a translator at the navy shipyard, an unusual accomplishment for a woman. With a past of uncertainty, Lydia loves order in her life, right down to her very organized desk, and when she is in danger of losing her apartment that she has felt safe and secure in for several years, she's in a panic. Until she meets Bane . . . who offers her some extra work, translating documents for him . . . working hard to earn enough to buy her apartment, she finds that Bane is elusive and mysterious . . . yet she grows more and more interested in the strange, handsome man . . . Against the Tide is an excellent story, with many layers.I learned a lot about the late 1800s and early 1900s in respect to medications and opium use. I had to research Mrs. Winslow's soothing syrup after I listened to the book, and I was horrified to learn that it was indeed used routinely in the US and UK. I highly recommend Against the Tide . . . you won't be disappointed.

Great Read

A great read. Not at all preachy at all. The characters are likeable enough. The story moves pretty quickly. The narrator is very good, even though she sounds very old for performing the voice of a 24yr old woman. But all in all she did a great job.
I will definitely listen to more of this author's work.

Very Interesting Historical Fiction on Addiciton

I kept seeing this book pop up for me so I finally went for it. At first I thought I was going to be disappointed, but then the layers kept building. The book turned out to be satisfying, with good characters who had believable dillemas, plus a fun thriller aspect. It was also a subtle inspirational book, which was a pleasant surprise.

Lydia's traumatic childhood leaves her with lasting needs, yet she is surprisingly resilient. She overcomes great odds to make a life for herself, a life with seemingly great order. Then she meets a man at work who likes to subtly throw chaos into her order, and off we go. This book explores the themes of drug abuse and addiction, redemption, love, and recovery. The historical setting makes the addiction and recovery theme safe, so that we can really experience that reality without our modern day prejudices. It also explores the human need for connecting with God and our tendency to try to do it all on our own, killing ourselves in the process. Thumbs up!


NOTE: I think there are some historical inaccuracies, but being from the south I wasn't positively sure so I was able to look past them. In the end the drug addiction theme was very well explored, and not commonly found, so I think the book is a worthy offer. Also the historical aspect is pretty minor so not terribly distracting unless maybe you live in the area.

Are You Kidding Me?

Any additional comments?

Honestly, I'd scrap a third of this book, and that's because I stopped a third of the way through. The whole, I sold dope, now I owe the world retribution, didn't work well. I kept thinking, yeah I know it's back in the day, but opium? Seriously? He has devoted his life to this? Aren't there more important High horses to crusade for, like poverty? Also the story lacked warmth and seemed sophomoric. It was like the author had no life experience, so the story seemed flat and the conflicts seemed forced. The hero was a jerk in monotone, who, having found his calling, made constant, but casual mention of the heroine's sins. The heroine was lackluster, as was her big housing problem. I could not care about either of them. I was getting wrinkles from yawning, but I kept listening, while thinking, what, God? This better not be a religious/spiritual book. Audible didn't mention religion. Wait! Are you kidding me? OMG, did he say he found God? No need to read on, is there? We all know how this is going to end. I'm not knocking people who like this sort of thing. It is what it is, and serves a purpose, but if I wanted to read one long boring parable, I'd read the Bible, for free.

Simplistic and predictable

I did not enjoy listening to this book. It did not really touch me. It is amazing how many villains are called "Professor". I found this story to be hard to believe, simplistic and predictable, with a hefty dose of Christian preaching. I seem to forget that "Recorded Books spirituals" stands for "beware, this book is going to ram some religion down your throat". In Elizabeth Camden's books there is no premarital sex and every one just enjoys gentle embraces... I am sure they are all blessed with an iron will...The characters are not fully developed, seem to resemble marionettes and not real people.
I love Barbara Rosenblat. Listening to this book would not be bearable without her talent.
I did listen to "The house on Winslow street" by the same author and found it to be better.

Good story, but told way too slowly....

This story is a mystery and romance combination with a bit of religious belief thrown in. Barbara Rosenblat is always an excellent narrator, but the story is way too wordy and the reader can get bored waiting for the next course of action. Worth the credit, but you'll need to be patient throughout the book.

enjoyed the book

I thought the narrator did a terrific job in presenting each persona. The storyline was good and I enjoyed the historical and nautical aspects included.

All around good read!

What made the experience of listening to Against the Tide the most enjoyable?

I really enjoyed the main character and her courage to continue on through all of the tough times in her life.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Against the Tide?

When she was fired from her job as a translator. It rocked her world so profoundly.

What does Barbara Rosenblat bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I am a big Barbara Rosenblat fan and have been for years. I have found many good books by searching for her name as the audio reader instead of the author! She lends such truth to the stories. She is a truly engaging storyteller.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I very much enjoyed it - it was good company for many knitting evenings!

More Christian Romance than I expected

but still good story. Just not as much spy and history as I thought. The narrator has a graveling voice which I didn't feel fit the story well.