Christian historical fiction with some mystery and romance!

Addie Sullivan’s life changes forever when her long-lost uncle appears and reveals an astonishing truth: she is the daughter of the wealthy Henry Eaton, presumed to have died in a shipwreck when she was two years old. Eager to meet her family, Addie joins the household as a governess to her young nephew in order to keep her true identity a secret — because someone has gone to great lengths to keep her away from her family for twenty years, and until Addie can figure out who and why, her life may be in danger.

This was no literary masterpiece but it was certainly a fun read! There are a lot of interesting characters and a lot happening that kept me on my toes. The romance was a bit insta-love, but I didn’t mind that very much because I liked both the characters and what they saw in each other. And there’s a German Shepherd sidekick for good measure! ( )

Even while she mourns her father’s death, Addie wonders if her mother ever really loved her. Then a stranger arrives in her life who turns her world upside down. Little by little, the truth finally emerges about who she is and how she came to live at the lighthouse. But this knowledge puts her life in danger, for there is someone who wants the past to remain secret. This tale has a bit of mystery, intrigue, and danger as well as romance in its pages. The story is entertaining, and the characters are interesting. Though the first in a series, the main characters in this story take a backseat in the next installment as that story focuses on other characters. ( )

This is the first book I received from Thomas Nelson for reviewing, and because of shipping problems, by the time I recieved it I had forgotten why I originally picked it. I started reading the book out of obligation, and at first, had a hard time actually enjoying what I was reading. It felt a bit like a school assignment for the first 80 pages, which is generally how far I will go in a book before I decide whether or not I want to finish it. Luckily, at that point the book actually started to get interesting as Addie became snoopy around the house and began unearthing clues about her mother. I am not much for the mystery genre, but I found the detective-like aspects of this novel much more entertaining than the chaste romance between Addie Sullivan and Lieutenant North, which led up to a climax that was so exciting I chose finishing the novel to sleeping when I was sick with a cold.

Regarding the more religious aspects of the novel, I thought that the depiction of Addie's faith in God to be somewhat watered down and simplified with possibly not enough attention given to its place in her life. Often I find ithis is the case with literature in the genre of Christian fiction. The single time that scripture from the Bible is quoted, it's merely a few lines out of Psalms, and each time that we see Addie praying, she only spends a few moments in prayer before something else requires her attention. This is not to say that all Christian fiction - categorized works do this, as I have read some truly excellent portrayals of faith in Jesus, but this book certainly did.

Overall, I would recommend the book more for its plot elements of mystery and intrigue, not for its religious aspects.

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Lightkeeper’s Daughter
Colleen Coble

Book Summary: With the lies of the past behind her, Addie finds love . . . and discovers her true Father. Addie Sullivan leads a quiet life in a northern California lighthouse. She mourns the death of her father and endures her mother's bitterness, until the night a storm brings an injured stranger and a dark secret to her home. The man insists she is not who she thinks she is, but rather "Julia Eaton"-the child long lost and feared dead by her wealthy family. Seizing the chance to be reunited with the Eatons, Addie leaves her lighthouse home but decides to keep her true identity a secret until they can unravel the mystery. Addie loves the Eatons' palatial home tucked away among the California redwood forests. She feels secure with the jovial family, adores the young boy who is her charge as governess, and finds romance with his father John, a young widower. But sinister shadows overtake Addie's joy. As dusty rooms and secret compartments give up their clues about her past, Addie finds a faith and a love she could never have guessed. To embrace this new world of promise is to risk her life; but to run away is to risk losing the greatest love she's ever known.

Review: I love lighthouses so I was drawn to the cover and the location immediately. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. That ‘what if…’ idea is always a fun idea to explore. I liked Addie and her compassion on the woman who raised her. It had great twists and turns that made for and exciting read with some whimsy that made for better fiction within some of those twists. I enjoy Colleen Coble’s writing very much. I can get to the nail biting parts where I am hesitant to see where this turn will take me in the story and am always delighted with the outcome. The background characters were fun and made me struggle to think of who will be the next main characters in this great trilogy. ( )

Addie Sullivan has been raised in California with her "parents" caring for a lighthouse. Then one night a storm brings an injured man to their door and shares a secret that changes Addie's life completely. She is really a long lost child who was thought drowned many years ago. Now she has the opportunity to be reunited with her real family, the Eatons. But someone doesn't want Addie to be found. When Addie becomes a governess for young Edward she soon falls in love with his father, John. Without giving any more of the story away, I must say this story had me guessing most of the way through as to who wanted Addie out of the way and who truly was glad to have Addie in the family. It was a really good mystery with some lovely romance thrown in also. I loved Addie and how she just said what she felt and didn't try to put on airs or act a certain way because society expected it of her. She was a great character in the story. I also loved her dog, Gideon!! ( )