"An Ocean Away" by Lisa Harris

About this book:

  “Dateline: 1921--Northern Rhodesia and New York. Lizzie MacTavis is determined to remain with the people among whom God called her to work along the banks of the rugged Zambezi River in southern Africa. Andrew Styles, an anthropologist and explorer, has been commission to bring Lizzie back to New York City at any cost. With a fortune at stake, Lizzie is caught between two worlds when she is finally forced to return to the United States and discovers her life is in danger. Will Andrew turn out to be Lizzie's nemesis or hero?”


Series: It’s a stand-alone.

Spiritual Content- 1 John 2:17 at the beginning; Many prayers; Witnessing; Scriptures are mentioned; Many, many talks about God, mission work, creation, Good News & those in the Bible; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Lizzie is & her parents were missionaries; Andrew thinks that God ignores him, though he used to have a faith (*Spoiler* He prays about 2/3s in. *End of Spoiler*); Many mentions of those in the Bible; Many mentions of missionaries; Mentions of Bibles; Mentions of heathens; Mentions of religions;

*Note: Mentions of superstitions, witch doctors, sorcerers, curses, ghosts, gods, & idols.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: A fire (semi-detailed); Pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of pain, blood & deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of beasts, spears, hunting & killing them (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of tribal tattoos & teeth pulling (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of war (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of slavery; Mentions of savages & cannibals; Mentions of the Mafia & hitmen; Mentions of gambling & a gambler; Mentions of cigars; Mentions of divorce; Many mentions of murders, killing & slitting throats (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of illegal liquor, drinkers & drinking.

Sexual Content- three boarder-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses; Touches & Embraces (up to semi-detailed); Noticing; a ‘babe’ and a ‘baby’; A couple mentions of prostitutes; A couple mentions of nursing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of births & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a womanizer & his affairs (no details); Mentions of embracing; Mentions of kisses & kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of falling in love; Love, falling in love & the emotions;

            *Note: Mentions of scandalous clothing & “short skirts” (which are mid-calf length); A mention of an African woman wearing a long skirt, but nothing above the waist.

-Lizzie MacTavis, age 25

-Andrew Styles
                                P.O.V. switches between them

                                              Set in 1921
                                                        319 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

Ooooh! Another good Lisa Harris book! While technically published before her other books I’ve reviewed (1, 2, 3), it’s different since it’s a historical. This author writes what she knows and it shows. The Harris family is currently living in African as missionaries and I always look forward to their newsletters. The writing was great—like normal! The banter between Lizzie & Andrew was enjoyable. The Spiritual Content and missionary plot was excellent!

See y’all on Monday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.