Lady Lightkeeper by Nikki Leigh

This is a review that was just posted for one of my novels. It is the second novel in the historic Misty Cove series and it is set along the Cape Ann coast of Massachusetts…

Lady Lightkeeper by Nikki Leigh
http://historicalromanceclub.com/index-R.html

Published: March 2007
Publisher: Write Words, Inc.
ISBN: 1594314098
Review Rating: 3.5 stars

Reviewer: Sandra Marlow

Tragedy has struck Lizbeth again. She hasn’t heard from her husband William in so many months. Sailing as captain of the Misty Pride II with his fishing crew, there has been no recent news about them at all. Lizbeth lost her father to the sea years ago when the keeper let the lighthouse that guards Misty Cove’s coastline go dark, and now going to that stalwart beacon makes her feel close to William. But she also has to take care of their children, Aiden and Marta. They’re so young and they don’t really understand why daddy has been away for so very long. And Lizbeth just can’t tell herself that William is never coming home. Not yet.

Trying to go on with life is difficult at times, but raising children alone, although with the help of friends, and being an active member of the community when needed at least gives Lizbeth a sense of family and accomplishment when she needs it most. People tell her that William would want her to move on, to find love again if possible. Even her surrogate mother, Sarah, knows Lizbeth must find a way to live again, but convincing her of that is nearly impossible right now. Putting aside eleven wonderful years of marriage with the love of her life is something Lizbeth just can’t do.

But when Lizbeth is selected to become the town’s lightkeeper when their current one must step down from his duties, her life starts on a new course, and even Lizbeth herself doesn’t realize how things are about to change. Taking her duties as the lady lightkeeper very seriously, she learns under the tutelage of Duncan Jones, the assistant keeper. Duncan is a stranger to the townsfolk of Misty Cove, but through his hard work and friendship with Lizbeth, he becomes important to their neighbors and to her heart. But it is not until a storm ravages the coast and she and Duncan must work together to save a boatful of fisherman that Lizbeth suddenly realizes what the man means to her.

But is she too late to let Duncan know what she feels for him? He is hurt during their rescue of the boat’s crew and Lizbeth is not sure she can withstand another loss of love. She now realizes that she must move on with her life; William will never be coming home, but is it a betrayal to her husband to love another? Will Duncan want to raise another man’s children? Will he understand that William will always have a place in heart? Is it too late for Lizbeth to be happy again?

Nikki Leigh’s Lady Lightkeeper is a heartwarming story of love, loss, and love regained amid terrible heartache and relevant issues of the time. Interesting tidbits about lighthouses and their keepers gives the story an added bonus. Ms. Leigh has done her homework well and you feel as though you are right there at the lighthouse during a storm. Secondary characters from Lizbeth’s children to the town shrew give the story depth. Second chance at love is always a wonderful read and Ms. Leigh does it justice.

Rhett Butler’s People

I’ve read a bunch of the reviews complaining about this book. But, I have to tell you, I really enjoyed it. I love to read things which are (for the most part) historically correct. I like to learn about a specific time and place when I read a historic novel and I learned quite a bit in Rhett Butler’s People. One of my future novels will have a blockade runner and I learned some interesting details while I was being entertained.

I really enjoyed Gone With the Wind, but Rhett was my favorite character and there were so many unanswered questions about him. Certainly, there are a million possibilities for his story, but I enjoyed this take on the story. I think the author did a wonderful job of tying the stories together and maintaining the characters and setting.

It was nice to get to know Rhett’s family and Bell’s family. I did have a little trouble with the story jumping around in the first few chapters, but once I got into it — I really enjoyed it. It was also nice how the author tied pieces of the story to Gone With the Wind, but it was redundant.

All in all, I think the book was very well done and I am now digging Jacob’s Ladder off my shelf to read soon.