After an introductory novella and three novels, author Jody Hedlund has
gone the Indie route for this next (and likely final) installment of the
Beacons of Hope series.
This book brings full circle the story of a wooden cross and a letter penned by Isabelle Thornton that began with the novella Out of the Storm, and are passed along in each book of the series. You can read this book as a stand-alone, yet still enjoy the legacy of the cross by reading Isabelle’s letter on Hedlund’s website.
This book brings full circle the story of a wooden cross and a letter penned by Isabelle Thornton that began with the novella Out of the Storm, and are passed along in each book of the series. You can read this book as a stand-alone, yet still enjoy the legacy of the cross by reading Isabelle’s letter on Hedlund’s website.
This installment is a little more focused on the romance and a bit less on the historical aspect. The plot is not as intricate as Hedlund’s past books, but she crafts the story well, building tension between the main characters.
Spoiled heiress Victoria Cole is quite distinct from the other women in this series set in the 1800s. Though blushingly chaste, she is much more forward—to the point of being the pursuer in many of the romantic situations. Bodyguard Tom Cushman is tricked into having young Victoria as a client—a fact that sets the tension between the two from the beginning.
Lighthouses make awesome settings for romantic stories, and
with Hedlund’s descriptive writing, it’s easy to visualize gazing out from the
tower across the crashing waves of the sea. A huge difference in this fourth
book is that the setting has been moved from the Great Lakes lighthouses of
Michigan to Cape Cod’s Race Point Lighthouse in Massachusetts. I think the
more-refined east coast setting is a great fit for the story.
It’s not every day that secondary characters come close to
being your favorites. Tom’s parents, James and Zelma, were wonderfully in love,
with bold displays of affection and much advice for the young. They added a
delightful element to the story.
I'm sorry to see the Beacons of Hope series come to an end. Wouldn't it wonderful if Hedlund had a story for every lighthouse in the U.S.?
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it to
fans of historical romance. It is available for pre-order and will release June 1.
