Book Review Time!! I hope everyone is having a good summer, I have been able to get a fair amount of reading in over my summer break, so I am excited to share another review!
About the book:
Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn't mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration.
As the work begins, "Joey" discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls--pages torn from a lighthouse keeper's log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there's never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.
When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story--one that's not over yet.
Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.
As the work begins, "Joey" discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls--pages torn from a lighthouse keeper's log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there's never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.
When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story--one that's not over yet.
Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.
About the Author:
Amanda Cox is the author of The Edge of Belonging and The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery, both of which were the Christy Award Book of the Year in 2021 and 2022, respectively. She holds a bachelor's degree in Bible and theology and a master's degree in professional counseling, but her first love is communicating through story. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. She lives in the foothills of Tennesee with her husband and their three children.
My review:
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭒ 3.5 stars!
There are some books that would make good movies, and this would be one of them. As a designer, I first must comment on the aesthetic of the cover design. Well done! *applauds* I love the blues and how the title and elements surrounding it are glossy. I would have liked to see more elements from the story, like a twisted tree, a boat, or tools for lighthouse renovations. But I also feel like this cover has a modern, coastal feel which makes this book something I'd love to be caught reading poolside or by the ocean.
Things I loved: I loved the themes of healing and making amends with family members. I also loved how the main character learned that her ideal plan (starting her event planning business) may not have been the path for her to take in the end. God's plans are often higher even if we think we know what we want our lives to look like. I liked the flashbacks and storytelling from a past generation, this element was probably my favorite. I was super curious as to Cay's story and I was glad all loose ends were tied up in the end! Another thing I liked about this book was the age range. So often in fiction, the age of the the characters is either all young people, or all adults. This book had both young characters, and elderly characters. Which made for lots of life lessons passed down. I also enjoyed learning more about the scenery, location, and history of North Carolina.
Things I didn't care for: The characters. *hides* For some reason, I didn't connect with any of the characters. Because of this, I wasn't invested and it felt like more of a light read or reading the script of a Hallmark movie. At first, I liked reading all the miscommunications of the "enemies to lovers" trope, but then it was a switch and they were friends. Joey seemed nice, and I could relate with her planning tendencies, but other than that, we didn't have much in common. And I didn't care for Finn at all. I liked how Walt was stubborn, this was endearing. But the love story between Joey and Finn fell flat. I was more interested in what occurred with the lighthouse years ago than the current story for Joey and Finn. The storyline also felt like there was no real direction. And the climax was more about finding the truth and closing out loose ends.
Although I wouldn't need to reread this story, I did enjoy it as a summer read. I'd definitely recommend this story to anyone who likes contemporary fiction with a dash of mystery from the past. Oh! And lighthouse renovation projects!
Comment below! What was the last book you read that had a blue cover?
Blessings,
Brooklyne Elysse
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