In her fourth novel, Candlemas Bay (1951), Ruth Moore is back with another authentic tale of down-home life on the coast of Maine. Moore tells a universal story of courage, heartbreak, and love through the struggles of the independent and well-respected Ellis family who originally settled Candlemas Bay. Jen Ellis is forced to play hostess to summer borders in order to pay off her late husband's debts. Her son, Jeb, must choose between his schooling and his devotion to the family fishing trade. For Candace Ellis, Jen's sister-in-law, a house full of summer people could not be worse. Could Candice's selfish act cause the family to fall apart, or will it ultimately bring happiness for the rest of the Ellises? As in her previous novels, Moore communicates a place and its people through the detailed day-to-day lives of unique and strong-willed characters. 

Written by Ruth Moore