The Outer Banks House

This novel, about a young lady coming of age in post-Civil War North Carolina, is much deeper than it appears on the surface. Abigail Sinclair is the oldest daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, but things haven't been going to great since the war ended three years ago. Abby's daddy has built a house right on the beach in Nags Head, one of the first, and the family heads there for the summer to relax.

While in Nags Head, Abby begins to tutor local boy Ben, and soon develops feelings for him. But Ben and Abby really are from two entirely different worlds, and both have a lot still to learn about the world. When they get mixed up with the local freedman's community, and Abby's father's Klan activities, the tragedy that strikes could rip them apart.

I was expecting a sweet little novel about a girl falling in love with an unsuitable boy while on summer vacation - let's face it, who hasn't that happened to? But what I got was a much deeper story about figuring out what's really important in life, and learning to stand up for the things that really matter. It was a really good book.

The Outer Banks House: A Novel