Footsteps In The Sands

Back Blurb:

 One Christmas Eve, five years ago, James Lorde lost the love of his life in a freak drowning accident. His wife’s body was never recovered, and since that night, he’s been in a depression, both grieving and clinging to the hope that she lives. It’s Christmas Eve, and the depression is especially hard this time of year. He gets only a small measure of relief when he’s near the water that stole her away from him because, somehow, he feels her presence on the beach. His family thinks he’s losing his mind when he tells them he feels her out there, but that is the reason he bought the home where he currently resides. He wants to give her a way home. On this Christmas day, it feels as if his wife is in the home with him. In a fit of desperation, unable to remain in the house, he takes off running toward the beach. As he starts to run, he feels someone running alongside him, but there is no one there when he looks. Thinking he has definitely gone over the edge, he begins running backward, hoping to catch evidence of whomever is following him. And there they were, two footsteps next to his in the sand. He is so shocked by this that he keeps running, looking for the footsteps, but before he can focus on them, the waves wash them away. Running backward, he trips over an obstacle in his path. Turning around, he is not prepared for the sight that greets him, as he is now left to wonder, can even loved ones find their way home, at Christmas....?

 Five Star Review

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/footsteps-in-the-sand

Footsteps In The Sand by Ju Ephraime is a contemporary romance with hints of a paranormal and ghost story centered around the holiday period of Christmas. Five years ago, James' wife and love of his life drowned. He's never gotten over her, and since her body was never recovered, has never found a way to grieve properly. A part of him still believes that she is out there, and he sees signs of her around the house that he bought on the beach for her to come home to. He also sees her in Shelly, a mysterious woman who washes up on shore and has many of the qualities of James' wife. Shelly seems like the perfect person to rid James of his pain, but can he really let go of the love of his live? Is he ready to move on or does he want to hang on to the past forever, even if it means missing a chance to be with someone that he could truly love...?

Footsteps In The Sand is a nice seasonal love story that will make you think about the miracles that happen during the Christmas season. It is heavy on the sizzle in the romance department, which I enjoyed. It is also about true love and overcoming those debilitating emotions of fear and loss and pain. I loved having a main male character that was suffering and wasn't afraid to show his emotions. Hats off to Ju Ephraime for depicting that so well.