Lighthouses, legends, and love
921527
Dead Man Talking is the first in a new collaborative series (by a few of my favorite authors) set in the fictional town of Everlasting, Maine.
Zoe left Everlasting as soon as she could for her career as a meteorolgist, leaving her favorite aunt and her sexy boyfriend, Dane, behind. Fast forward a few years a Zoe's aunt takes a bad fall and Zoe leaves the big city to head back home to take care of her aunt. She's barely back in town before someone is robbing her aunt's house and she finds out that Dane is remodeling her aunt's house.
Now she's got a mystery on her hands, on old flame to possibly rekindle, and a ghost roaming around with no pants... what, I didn't mention that? Guess you'll have to read Dead Man talking to find out more!
4758647
Wealthy socialite Anna and crippled outcast Liam find an unlikely friendship on the tiny island of Dorcas, off the coast of Maine. At the same time, both realize they need to find answers to a couple of mysterious deaths from the past. But the Otherworld beckons, and time is short for the two lovers. Is it possible to outrun a curse? Or for love to triumph over death?
"Ashes on the Waves" is a gripping story of love and mystery infused with old-world folk tales, all based on Edgar Allan Poe's sad and haunting poem "Annabel Lee." I really enjoyed how the author built a novel on the scaffolding of that poem and led each chapter with quotes from Poe's writings. - Read more at [...]
4973248
Traveling to that legendary romantic spot on the globe, the author has woven a love story around the steamy,lush background of turquiose waters and sparkling beaches of French Polynesia. Here Angie touches the realities of her life revealed by feelings for the handsome solo sailor who crosses her path. These feelings, delicately and hauntingly brushed on the canvas of this manuscript portray to the reader a sensuous journey easy to identify with. A great read.
4244608
I love that I am learning so much U.S. history which I am just beginning to become interested in. We are lighthouse aficionados and our daughter's wedding showers were lighthouse themed. Easy read and a pleasure to read at any time of day.
4652810
Twists and turns are quite numerous in the latest installmant of T.L. Higley's Seven Wonders series. The book is Historical Fiction and has a heavy dose of romance. I am not a romance reader but Higley doesn't allow the romantic aspects to bog down the story. Some of the conflicts are far fetched but fun. The research and attention to detail make the book a worthwhile read. I must begrudgingly admit that the author has won me over and I am now looking for her other books in the series.

The story is quite compelling. Learning about the importance of the lighthouse and the coalition of Caesar and Cleopatra is fascinating. The story revolves around Sophia who is the keeper of the lighthouse. Higley brings to life ancient Egypt all while weaving an incredible mystery with some romance thrown in for good measure.
4751895
The setting is interesting; a lighthouse on Janus Island someway off the coast of the South West corner of Western Australia.  Tom Sherbourne is the lighthouse keeper, scarred by WW1 and recently married to Isabelle.  One day they find a baby and a dead man adrift in a boat and they have to decide what to do.  This story is based on the decisions they make and the consequences of their choices and the moral dilemma they are in.  The reader is emotionally pulled from one position of empathy for the two main characters to empathising with the other characters in the book.  A good read although a little slow at times and then a very abrupt ending.
4308251
I ALWAYS love it when a novel shines light on a lesser-known historical fact, era, or event. Often, there is nothing more fascinating that real life. In this case, the time period is 1850s New York to Illinois, during a challenging economic downturn. This was especially hard on immigrant families, and subsequently children AND women were sent west to find a better life, on what is now known as the Orphan Train. With You Alwaysby Jody Hedlund tells a fictional story based on the journeys many women took to provide a better life for their families.

Author Jody Hedlund dependably pens characters with well-establishedpersonalities. I loved the nurturing tendencies of Elise and the gentlemanly determination of Thornton. It *did* take mea few chapters to really settle into the plot and the direction the story was taking, but I empathized with the characters immediately, especially concerning theplight of Elise and her family.

I liked that the challenges both Elise and Thornton face are not only tactile and physical but also challenges to their very hearts. Elise, for instance, faces finding a place for her family AND coming to terms with her faith that God is constant, and for her. Thornton deals with the manner of proving himself; whether choosing to set aside his pride is worth a greater, selfless task he can accomplish in the wake of his dreams.

Through the ups and downs of Elise and Thornton's intersecting journeys, a sweetly natural romance emerges. Jody handles this with her signature style (read: era-appropriate swooniness) and realistic conflicts. The romance combines with the threads of faith, a story of finding a "true home", and the belonging found with friends in a close community to makeWith You Alwaysa rich story AND a lovely introduction to a new series.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishersfor the complimentary review copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion.
3599837
Our family lives on the coast nearest pigeon point, so naturally I had to pick this book up! It gives a great story on many of the more famous lighthouses of which are so cool to look at, and learn about. My daughter loves looking at the colors and shapes. Great resource.
3841555
Susan Donovan releases her first book in the new Bayberry Island contemporary romance series, Sea of Love. Set against the backdrop of local legend involving a bronze mermaid statue that can grant true love, Sea of Love is a captivating novel with dynamic storytelling and heartfelt emotions. Donovan's warm sense of humor and memorable characters are sure to ease their way into the hearts and minds of readers. A delightful beginning to a new series!

What I liked:

The legend of Bayberry Island mermaid was both intriguing and made of all the things good legends are made of. The people native to the island have passed down the story of the bronze statue for years and years and it has become a part of the culture of the place. It was a wonder idea for a theme and Donovan does it justice with this novel.

I liked the setting a lot as well. Donovan's descriptions of Bayberry Island make readers want to visit it's shores and stay in little bed and breakfast. A place to get away from it all and maybe even fall in love. Donovan's attention to detail in even the smallest of things makes the setting stand out and take on a life of it's own.

Ash and Rowan make the perfect couple. Not only have they both loved and lost but they have seen what there was to see and now they know what they want, it's just a matter of getting it. Rowan's family has taken a beating and even some of the locals are against them. She is facing a lot and Ash knows he needs a change. His life was going in a direction he wasn't sure he liked. Meeting each other changed their lives... isn't that how love's supposed to be?

I liked the set up for the series and thought Donovan did a great job showing some pretty complex relationships. The relationship between Rowan and Ash is only one. Her relationship with her family. Her families relationship with the other people of Bayberry Island etc. It took a bit of set up, but I'm looking forward to where the next book goes with these ideas and relationships.

What I didn't like:

There were a few parts that felt a bit rushed. Not just in the pacing but the overall idea of the novel. Yes, I think true love is possible. Yes, I think love at first sight is possible. I think instant attraction certainly happens. But building a relationship on a sexual experience that happens only a few chapters and hours into meeting someone is a bit far fetched. Usually that ends in a one night stand not a lasting romance.

Bottom Line:

I could suspend my belief in what it takes to make love work, because of all the humor and just overall good feeling this book produced in me. It's a feel good romance with some great characters and lots of local color and intrigue. A good place to start!
128193
The mythology and history combine to create a world ripe for love stories. I enjoyed how the stories intertwined. I would have liked more but I am happy to have made the discovery of the MacLauchlans and MacKays.
2828387
The author grabbed you.  It almost was like a mystery, and I was guessing ahead as to this fact and that fact.  Someimes I was correct and sometimes I wasn't correct.  Having visited three lighthouses in northern Michigan this year, in reading the book I had an appreciation of what life was like for the lightkeeper.  It is a good read.
557221
"The Cheesemaker's House" by Jane Cable, is a haunting love story that spans nearly three centuries. After divorcing her husband, Alice decides to move from Reading to Yorkshire in an attempt to make a fresh start in New Cottage, an 18th century building that had originally been the home of the village cheese maker.

Soon after her arrival in the North East, Alice meets Owen. He is the joint owner of a coffee shop in nearby Northallerton, but lives in the same village as Alice. A strong mutual attraction develops, but their path to a deep relationship is fraught with misunderstanding and difficulty.

Alice becomes increasingly aware that all is not as it seems in New Cottage. There is one particular room which is cold and makes her feel strange; she hears someone weeping throughout several nights, but is unable to find the source. There are a number of episodes when she has glimpses into the past - are these ghosts that she sees?

There are also many unanswered questions about Owen. Alice learns that he is a trained pharmacist, but she wonders why he no longer follows his profession, choosing to help people with the herbs that grow in his grandmother's garden instead. As their relationship develops, his behaviour becomes increasingly erratic. Eventually, Alice feels that she must find the answers to the mysteries in her life and Owen's if they are to have a chance together.

There is much to like about "The Cheesemaker's House". It is an easy read, well written, with some interesting characters. There is a strong paranormal aspect, which is an integral part of the plot. However, I am left feeling slightly dissatisfied. I think that this is connected to the pace and tone - there were times when it seemed to drag and lack intensity. On the whole, I'm glad I read the book and I feel sure that it will please many who enjoy gentle paranormal stories.

I would like to thank NetGalley for this book, free in return for my honest review.
2452775
Salt of the Earth is a book with multiple love stories including one with a fabulous dog. The story highlights progressive Christian values from multiple points of view. It is heartening to observe a variety of complex characters solving a multiplicity of life questions and dilemmas through a lens that is unabashedly both Christian and progressive. The story mostly takes place in the Portland metropolitan area, and accurately reflects the beauty of the region. The parts of the story that take place in the Pacific are at times riveting and devastating. The book's richly drawn characters and story lines coalesce in an ending that describes the grace that is available to us when we share in community and celebrate both our unity and diversity. Read this book for it's sense of place, it's romantic nature or it's clear example of progressive Christian values. It is both eye-opening and entertaining.
2639705
Because of my love for the ocean and all things mermaid related, Erika Marks' The Mermaid Collector was a must read for me-as soon as I could possibly get my hands on a copy. I fell in love with everything about The Mermaid Collector, but especially the fictional mermaid legend of Cradle Harbor, which inspired the entire town to celebrate a mermaid festival year after year. The town of Cradle Harbor is so vividly written that I am ready to pack my bags and move right in.

Tom Grace, the newest resident of Cradle Harbor, becomes the talk of the town after he inherits the lightkeeper's house and refuses to cooperate with the historical society's desire to open his new home to public tours. The whole town is curious to know why the house was left to a couple of brothers they'd never heard of before, and what their relation to the previous owner, Frank Hammond, might have been. Tom sets out on the wrong foot with almost everyone in Cradle Harbor, with the exception of Buzz Patterson, Frank Hammond's grieving best friend. Like Tom, Buzz and his stepdaughter, Tess, know what it is like to be the subject of gossip in Cradle Harbor.

Though Tess gives Tom an icy reception, he is attracted to her. She wants nothing to do with him at first, but soon finds herself returning his affection. Conflict brews for Tess and Tom with the arrival of Tom's troubled younger brother, Dean, who does not know the whole story behind their mysterious inheritance.

Through alternating sections set in different time periods (1887 and present day), Erika Marks gives her readers a fully fleshed out understanding of Cradle Harbor, its residents, and the historical events that inspired Cradle Harbor's Mermaid Festival. In 1887, Linus Harris and his wife Lydia move into the lightkeeper's house, and Linus becomes caretaker of the lighthouse. Linus was once a sailor, but gave up the position he so loved because of his wife's fear of the ocean. However, Linus goes back out on the ocean with a few other Cradle Harbor men, and they become lost. When all of the men are found, they are not the same people they were when they left. Through Linus's logs, the town learns that they believe they were seduced by mermaids, and that they eventually returned to the sea to be with them. (Note: The reader will have to decide for him- or herself if the men really were lured to the ocean by mermaids, or if they suffered from too much exposure to mercury.) In the present day, residents and tourists alike celebrate the Mermaid Festival to honor the memory of the men lost, and the tragic fate of Lydia, Linus's wife.

Each of Marks's characters is beautiful and flawed, though not every reader might find them relatable. It was hard for me to understand Tess's hardness due to her mother's drowning; her relationship with her mother was very different than the one I have with my own mother. However, like most of the characters, I have grieved for the passing of loved friends and family members, so I relate to them in that way. The attraction between Tom and Tess made total sense to me; they are opposites in so many ways, but each needs more of the strong qualities that the other possesses. Though he's not present for most of the book, Dean (Tom's younger brother) is very influential over every single decision that Tom makes, dating back to their tragic teen years. The only character whose presence puzzled me was Beverly; she is an outsider who has come to Cradle Harbor in search of answers about Frank Hammond that I felt were not explored to their fullest potential.

The Mermaid Collector doesn't tie everything up neatly in a bow, leaving all of its characters problem free and resolving their hardships. It does offer a sense of hope and peace, though I was left pondering where these characters might be in their lives and their personal conflicts within the next few years. Perhaps one day Erika Marks will revisit these characters and the mysterious, haunting setting of Cradle Harbor.

*A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
3187091
Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down.  Author Chris Shanley Dillman's historical fiction novel based on a true story involving her ancestors was a great read! The story centers on 16-year-old Emma Truckey, the daughter of the Lighthouse Keeper responsible for the Marquette Lighthouse in Marquette, located on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  The year is 1863, and the Civil War is raging on.  Emma's father was called to serve for the Union, and the care of the lighthouse was left to Emma's mother, Anastasia, known by the local Native Americans as "Mother of the Light".  Like in all wars, when the men left for duty, the women assumed the jobs that men would normally do, and they did it well.  When the war was over, however, almost all the women lost their jobs in favor of the returning soldiers. This isn't in the story, but Emma's father returns with a musketball in his leg and is able to resume taking care of the lighthouse.

When Anastasia leaves to take care of her ailing sister in Canada, it is up to Emma and her siblings to fend for themselves and run the lighthouse in her absence.  During a bad storm, a ship crashed on the rocks due to the fury of Lake Superior, and Emma and her good friend, Bobby, row out to rescue any survivors.  One man, Alex, did survive. When Emma goes to dry out the items in Alex's satchel, she discovers a secret that puts her entire family in jeopardy!

Besides the fascinating backdrop of the historical portion of this novel, this story is also all about Emma's epic struggle with herself. She has no self-esteem, thinks she's ugly and a klutz, and has no idea what others really think of her.  Her new friend, Bobby, is a girl that flaunts convention and dresses as a boy.  Emma is awed by Bobby's confidence in herself.  Throughout the story, Bobby makes inroads into helping Emma see what a valuable and loveable person she really is.  This is a must-read for any age group over 12 to learn something about history, running a lighthouse, and finding one's way through life and becoming a confident person.  A thoroughly enjoyable book!  Perhaps because she was writing about her relatives, or perhaps it is just because Chris is an excellent writer, I found Emma's "voice" in this book coming through loud and clear.  Great job, Chris! Your relatives must be looking down on you quite proudly, I'd say!
3176414
I really enjoyed this book. The history, the pictures and the travel plan at the end of the book made me want to drive to Texas and see everything the coast has to offer.  I now see lighthouses and am curious about all of their history's and great stories that are behind all of them. Well done!!
1818746
I am a descendent of a lighthouse keeper, The Hatteras Light, so even the title intrigued me. The story and descriptions of the lighthouse kept me interested to no end. I actually didn't want to finish the book because its like losing touch with a good friend.