Phoebe's Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Phoebe's Light (Nantucket Legacy, #1)

by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Phoebe Starbuck has always adjusted her sails and rudder to the whims of her father. Now, for the first time, she's doing what she wants to do: marrying Captain Phineas Foulger and sailing far away from Nantucket. As she leaves on her grand adventure, her father gives her two gifts, both of which Phoebe sees little need for. The first is an old sheepskin journal from Great Mary, her highly revered great-grandmother. The other is a "minder" on the whaling ship in the form of cooper Matthew Mitchell, a man whom she loathes.

Soon Phoebe discovers that life at sea is no easier than life on land. Lonely, seasick, and disillusioned, she turns the pages of Great Mary's journal and finds herself drawn into the life of this noble woman. To Phoebe's shock, her great-grandmother has left a secret behind that carries repercussions for everyone aboard the ship, especially her husband the captain and her shadow the cooper. This story within a story catapults Phoebe into seeing her life in an entirely new way--just in time.

In this brand-new series, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings her signature twists and turns to bear on a fascinating new faith community: the Quakers of colonial-era Nantucket Island.

Reviewed by phyllish on

5 of 5 stars

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I love reading about strong, determined women. Not that I am one, I am very gentle and meek and… Oh wait, both my mom and my husband read my reviews. Yeah, I confess that I can be that way myself.

Phoebe certainly knew what she wanted. She wanted to help her father and to marry the rich, handsome, though much older, sea captain. Her headstrong nature led her to make a huge mistake which put her very life in danger. The transformation she made as she learned to listen to God was touching.

The story went back and forth between Phoebe’s “present” day and her ancestor Mary’s journal from 100 years earlier. This worked very well for the story. I loved learning about the beginnings of the colony on Nantucket Island. Several of the characters from the journal, including Mary, were actually historical figures.

The author did such a great job at revealing just enough at a time to hint at coming danger and mystery, and then to unfold the story and wrap up all the details at just the right pace. The wealth of historical information throughout the story was an added pleasure. I appreciated so much the way the story was written to give a sense of the place and time and culture.

You can read Suzanne's guest post at AmongTheReads.net


This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net

I am grateful to Celebrate Lit for giving me a copy of this book. The fact I received this book for free does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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  • 19 January, 2018: Reviewed