Book Review: "The Lightkeeper's Bride" by Colleen Coble

Summary from BN.com: Katie Russell loves working as a telephone operator in Mercy Falls, California. But since childhood she has been expected to marry well. Her family presses for an engagement to wealthy bachelor Bartholomew Foster and though he doesn't stir her heart, their engagement promises a secure financial future.

Working the phone lines one evening, Katie overhears a chilling exchange between her friend Eliza and a familiar male voice. Katie soon learns that Eliza has diappeared, and the crime may be linked to another investigation by handsome new lighthouse keeper, Will Jasperson. Katie and Will soon form an alliance. An alliance that slowly blossoms into something more.

Despite the danger surrounding her, Katie is powerfully drawn to Will. But she is not at liberty to marry for love. And though society forbids their growing affection, Katie can't help but notice Will's sense of peace. It's a peace that rests on his trust in God--a trust that Katie has never had to depend on, with her future so clearly mapped out before her.

But the more Katie uncovers of the mystery, the more she discovers about herself, her past, and the brilliant future that could be hers if only she has the courage to trust in God and follow where her heart so fearlessly leads.

I didn't like this book as much as I did the first book in the series The Lightkeeper's Daughter. I didn't feel the suspense to be as scary nor did I find the characters that likable (at least to me). You don't' need to read the first book before starting this one but I will say that I missed Gideon the dog as well as other characters from the first story.

While the overall story is intriguing, the actual suspense part of this book fell quite flat for me. What could have been a good suspense plot kept having revelations happen too early and then lots of unnecessary plots kept getting thrown in. The question of "Who Is Jennie's Father?" didn't seem as if it was getting enough attention so that when it's finally revealed, you're like meh. Other than the two main characters, the supporting cast didn't win any points with me. Katie's parents seem to have a lot of issues that never get talked about or resolved and they seem to want to keep it that way. The ending didn't really interest me. It got so to the point where I stopped caring about what happened and why it happened and who did it.

Something that did bother me a bit was what is up with all the men in this series being with two sisters??? I swear in the first book, TWO guys did it and now it happens again! I understand that in upper class families of the time period, this might have been somewhat norm to keep money in the family and keep outsiders from infiltrating above their rank. But still, I'm a bit skeeved out at how often it's happening in this series. I know there's nothing technically wrong with it but I honestly wouldn't want a guy who's been with my sister, I'll find another new guy thank you very much! And everyone seems to be ok with it too!

I will say that I do enjoy the time period and I do like how Coble mixes suspense with historical settings and time periods. Also the cover of this book is beautiful. Hopefully the third book goes back to the good stuff from the first one.


The Lightkeeper's Bride by Colleen Coble is published by Thomas Nelson (2010)

This review copy was provided by the publisher