The Light Before Day by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Light Before Day (Nantucket Legacy, #3)

by Suzanne Woods Fisher

After three years on a whaling voyage, Henry Macy returns to Nantucket to news that his grandmother has passed, bequeathing her vast fortune to him and his sister, Hitty. And it was truly vast. But Lillian Coffin was no fool. The inheritance comes with a steep cost, including when they should marry and whom--a Quaker in good standing, of course. But if they relinquish the inheritance, it all goes to Tristram Macy, their father's thieving business partner.

As Hitty and Henry seek a way to satisfy the will's conditions, they'll be faced with obstacles on every side--and it may be that Lillian Coffin will have the last word after all.

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher surprises and delights with this story of hope and renewal, love and redemption, arriving just when most needed.

Reviewed by phyllish on

4 of 5 stars

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Will a rich inheritance change them?

My rating is 4.5 stars

Marie-Claire is introduced to the story as a teenager. Despite her youth, she is trustworthy in her role as a law clerk. I admired the way she quietly and confidently handled the interfering and greedy relatives hoping to benefit from the inheritance Lillian Coffin left her grandchildren. She had such wisdom and a gentle way of sharing it. Henry and Hitty found themselves relying on her and trusting her judgement. What a great example of faith!

The Light Before Day tells the story of the twins we met in Minding the Light. Hitty and Henry are now adults. The dilemma that Henry and Hitty faced about what to do with the inheritance they didn’t even want was handled quite well. The idea they came up with to foil their grandmother’s plan while staying true to the conditions of the will was perfect!

Hitty was in love with a man who appeared to not even know she existed outside of the care she gave to his daughter. Her family and friends advised her against pinning her hopes on him. So when a handsome law clerk began paying attention to her, she was torn about what to do. I was so impressed with the way this storyline played out. At any given moment, I wasn’t sure how things would be resolved and my loyalties flip-flopped between the men as more details were revealed. There have not been many love triangles I have read about that have been handled so well so the outcome wasn’t obvious from the beginning.

I liked the way that Henry started out floundering about what to do with his life, regarding a career, and regarding Anne, and slowly found the path he should walk. He gradually grew into an admirable man who had found his calling and his voice.

There was a host of interesting characters in addition to the twins. Many of the people and situations in the book are taken directly from history. The story was enjoyable and the historical tidbits shared were interesting. While I disagree (strongly) with the doctrine of the Quakers, learning more about them did not detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Lovers of historical fiction will want to read this.


This review was originally posted on Among the Reads


I was given a copy of this book for free. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.

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  • 8 November, 2018: Reviewed