The Lighthouse

By: Christopher Parker

Location: FIC PAR

Genre:  Mystery, Magical Realism

AWESOME COVER ART!!!!

Amy is struggling to put her life back together following the death of her mother. The loss has left her heartbroken, and she doesn’t know if her world will ever be whole again.

Meanwhile, in Seabrook, a small town famous for its haunted lighthouse, Ryan Porter lives a simple but busy life, maintaining the ranch which he shares with his father.

Separated by hundreds of miles, yet drawn to each other by forces they can’t understand, Amy and Ryan spend a magical day together and quickly forge a deep connection. But all is not what it seems in Seabrook, and when strange events start happening around town, they begin to question if their meeting really was an accident at all.

Trusting in themselves and in each other, they attempt to unravel the mystery of why fate has brought them together, and in doing so they embark on a journey of self-discovery, one that leads straight to the heart of Seabrook’s mysterious lighthouse where they uncover the most shocking secret of all… a secret that will change the course of their lives forever.

Review by Judy from Goodreads

I was enchanted by this story of grief, love and magical realism. It read somewhat like a fairy tale and I was totally under its spell. It was really a character driven book. When I picked it up I didn't expect the magical nature of the book. It started out with Amy trying to deal with the grief of losing her mother. She and her father, aa police detective, had never been close. This was even more pronounced after her mother's death. Her father was being sent out of town on police business - some business, but really a to get Amy to come with him so that they could spend some time together.

They travelled to Seabrook, only to spend one night, but circumstances changed. The morning after they arrived, Amy's father disappeared. Amy met Ryan who lived on a nearby ranch. After spending some time together, they end up trying the discover the secret of the mysterious lighthouse.

A very imaginative debut novel. Ryan's story was heartbreaking and my heart went out to him. I liked all of the characters in the book, which is unusual - there is usually at least one rotten character in most books.