Abigail's Secret 

Paperback – ebook

August 15, 2020

by Marilyn Turk  (Author)

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Iron Stream Books
• ISBN-13: 978-1645262626

Newly widowed mother Abby Baker goes home to Hope Harbor to help her ailing mother and restart her life. Weighed down by grief and fear of failure, she wishes she had the strength of her grandmother, who raised a young child alone while taking on the role of lighthouse keeper after her husband drowned. What was the secret of Granny Abigail's strength?

Carson Stevens is a lighthouse enthusiast who has bought the deteriorating Hope Island lighthouse to restore it and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast. When he meets Abby, he wants the attractive granddaughter of the former keepers to be part of the restoration.

As Abby and Carson work together, they uncover clues to a family secret that threatens to change Abby's life forever. But someone is trying to sabotage their efforts at restoration. Is the saboteur trying to keep something from being found?

Renovating the old lighthouse is Abby and Carson's goal, but as they grow closer, they discover that what they've really needed is a renovation of their hearts.

Marilyn's thoughts:  Marilyn Turk is known for her lighthouse historical stories, but this contemporary romance had the aspect of a dual timeline causing it to be a wonderful contemporary romance filled with history. Abby meeting Carson who was restoring the lighthouse her grandparents had been keepers of in the 1940’s brought a mystery element to this tale. When Abby visited so many memories flowed back from her childhood and she was enthralled with the renovations. Her past career was an interior designer, thus she could imagine the new colors, fixtures for the Bed and Breakfast Carson intended it to become. There is a mystery element not only from Abby’s grandmother’s journal but also Carson experiencing setbacks with tools missing, damage, etc. A quick read that is well worthwhile with the vivid scenes, history and talking about renovations on a lighthouse and the workings of the lighthouse when in use.  

 

This read was well documented with research not only for WWII history and how it affected lighthouse keepers but all the reconstruction aspects of an old lighthouse. There is a faith message intermingled in the story along with some surprises for Abby and her mother.

 

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from the author and was under no obligation to write a positive review. I have shared my own opinion.