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Come to the Lighthouse

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Adira Fellows has moved to Boston to start her job as a lighthouse keeper. She struggles with making her own way and navigating life without the comforts of home.

Events take a turn when she's discovered that the lighthouse has the ability to travel through time, and she winds up in the 1700s - on a pirate ship. Things only get stranger from there as she learns the truth about her world, how much she enjoys the company of thieves, and what it means to be truly free. She and John Sterling, a pirate captain, are drawn to each other over their similar spirits and want for power.

What will she do when forced to decide between the two worlds, and will she give in to her desire for a pirate, or fall for her childhood friend who's been at her side all her life? Only time will tell.

444 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2023

3 people are currently reading
159 people want to read

About the author

Kathryn Houghton

1 book12 followers

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5 stars
19 (54%)
4 stars
10 (28%)
3 stars
4 (11%)
2 stars
2 (5%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for Kathryn.
72 reviews4 followers
August 1, 2023
"Come to the Lighthouse" is Kathryn Houghton's first novel, and I am so pleased to have gotten an arc to review!
Adira Fellows is ready to get out of Ohio, out of the familiarity she's been stuck in her whole life. When an opportunity for her to be a lighthouse keeper on Little Brewster Island in Massachusetts appears, she has to take it. Adira packs up her things and moves to the coast.
The previous lighthouse keeper walks her through her new role, her new surroundings and home, but there's plenty he keeps from her.
This book is the perfect adventure across time and over the sea, a story of found family, pirates and mermaids, finding the love you deserve, and choosing your own fate.
There's characters you'll love, and ones you'll want to push overboard 😅
And the cliffhanger ending made me want to throw my kindle into the ocean.
Thankfully-- "Come to the Lighthouse" is only the beginning of Adira's adventures.

4.5 stars ✨
Profile Image for cass.
87 reviews5 followers
September 3, 2023
i am delighted to have received an eARC of the book to review! a gripping page-turner from a debut author, Come to the Lighthouse will take you on a once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable adventure and leave you on the edge of your seat craving for more.

the story follows Adira Fellows as she moves to Boston to take up her position as the new lighthouse keeper. her workplace promises a lot - having more freedom, being close to the ocean, starting a more independent life - but time traveling certainly wasn't included in the job offer (not that any of the included parties would complain).

Come to the Lighthouse is a perfect read for all lovers of summer who aren't ready to say goodbye to this season yet. it’s action-packed and full of well-thought-out plot twists which make you giddy for every next chapter, and at the same time it leaves room for wonderful writing and incredibly relatable introspections from Adira. i found that her personality truly resonated with mine, and her experiences made me feel understood.

the depiction of her struggle between familiarity and adventure, her mind and heart, however, doesn’t outweigh the rest of the story, which is full of bickering, easily flowing dialogues and learning the hows and whats of the daily life of a buccaneer by the side of the swoon-worthy captain John Sterling and his equally charming crew. to top it all off, a dark, mysterious aura carries throughout the entire novel, as every solved puzzle means that two new ones appear in its place.

reading this book was an absolute treat and i'm so happy to have met these characters. the ending is a definite promise of a sequel and i cannot wait for it to be out. if you want to bid the right farewell to summer, Come to the Lighthouse will be a perfect choice!

4.5 stars
Profile Image for Laura plantladyreader.
281 reviews28 followers
August 31, 2023
what a fantastic read by a debut author!

slow burn romance, pirates, mermaids and time travel - what more could you ask for?! with some elements of mystery and horror thrown in, this was a serious page-turner!

I’ll definitely be looking out for more from Kathryn!
Profile Image for Kathryn Houghton.
152 reviews3 followers
August 1, 2023
I’m definitely biased as I did write the book, but man was this so much fun! I hope you all love the characters as much as I do!
Profile Image for Kathryn Scarlett Garcia.
11 reviews
August 1, 2023
i am so excited for this! the aesthetic, the plot, the writer…they are all everything to me. it’s going to be amazing.
Profile Image for Lily Switka.
54 reviews1 follower
August 11, 2024
This book is equal parts fantastical adventure, slow burn romance, shocking betrayal, modern day struggles, nautical history, and sci-fi! I loved exploring this world centered on a kickass female pirate protagonist who is also a relatable bookworm. Beautifully written.

Can’t wait to read the next one ⚓️🏴‍☠️🐚🌊🧜🏼‍♀️
Profile Image for Sarah.
261 reviews13 followers
December 12, 2023
Would you want to be a lighthouse keeper? I think many of us have a day dream of this job. The quiet would be my favorite reason for taking on such a career.
If I could have a farm and surf daily I would be perfectly happy to live quietly on a tiny island taking care of a lighthouse.

Thank you @fieldsofliterature for the arc of your first book! I very much enjoyed it. Bringing time travel and lighthouses and pirates into a story in a rather unique way. She made the enemy very unlikable and the characters were so well written I wanted to throw the book many a time!

I also can’t believe the ending!!!! Book two needs to come out soon!!


Book Review 5/5
-per the back of the book
“Adira Fellows has moved to Boston to start her job as a lighthouse keeper. She struggles with making her own way and navigating life without the comforts of home.

Events take a turn when she discovers that the lighthouse has the ability to travel through time, and she winds up in the 1700s - on a pirate ship. Things only get stranger from there as she learns the truth about her world, how much she enjoys the company of thieves, and what it means to be truly free. She and John Sterling, a pirate captain, are drawn to each other over their similar spirits and want for power.

What will she do when forced to decide between the two worlds, and will she give in to her desire for a pirate, or fall for her childhood friend who's been at her side all her life? Only time will tell.”
Profile Image for Mallory Durrick.
20 reviews
February 2, 2024
I rarely if ever write reviews on Books for Amazon. This review is my copied/pasted review.

I saw this book promoted by Michel Janse on her YouTube channel and I was fascinated that someone so young (Kathryn M. Houghton) would / could write a book - despite the title being self published - with such an interesting premise. Time travel. This is one of my favorite story lines. Movies, books, you get the drift.

I loved this book and think there is a sequel in its future. I will gladly purchase the 2nd book and continue reading about these delightful characters that I really liked!

The only reason I pulled out one star from my review (trust me, this pained me to do) was the ending. It left me wanting more (which is great) but confused. I'm sure this is 100% the authors intent and I'm not saying everything should be tied up in a pretty little bow, but if you get to page 484 you might know what I mean.

Do I recommend this book ? 10000% and know others will love it as much as I did. Looking forward to any sequels should this be in the author's future.

Thank you for entertaining me Ms. Houghton. Well done you!
Profile Image for Jodi Swint.
1 review1 follower
September 1, 2023
I received an ARC of this book by the author. I am so glad I did! It was such a page-turner! It was nice to get lost in a world full of pirates, mermaids, time travel, giant sea creatures and more. There were hints of Frenchman’s Creek, Pirates of the Caribbean and Dr. Who throughout and I was all for it. The ending was a cliff-hanger and I can’t wait to read the next book to see what has become of the characters that I became so invested in. Definitely worth checking out!
(:
Profile Image for Dear Feely.
211 reviews28 followers
December 1, 2023
This was such a fun ride from a debut author, full of atmosphere and lovable characters! I won’t go too in depth because I read from an (I believe) unfinished arc, but can definitely recommend for any lovers of lighthouse-core and time travel!
Profile Image for J.E. Stanway.
Author 2 books16 followers
September 14, 2023
As someone who doesn’t usually dabble in the Adventure genre when reading, I can confidently say that I ADORED this book (and I’m not just saying that because I was an ARC reader).

First, let’s take a moment to appreciate the absolute attention to detail that Kathryn Houghton put into the nautical research for this book- I could see everything that she described from the crumbling lighthouse to the 18th century pirate ship, and felt like I was right there in the action.

This book ties together historical fiction, sci-fi, action & adventure, and romance all together in a very seamless way. The characters are charming and the plot is full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Overall, I’m excited to get my hard-copy of this book when it releases on November 3 so I can experience this amazing adventure story all over again!
1 review
September 27, 2023
This gripping tale of adventure pulled me in quickly. Who hasn’t wrestled with the choice of following their dreams or sticking with the “safe” choice? Adira’s inner fire and strength of character suit her well in this gripping adventure. A beautiful lighthouse keeper… a mystery… pirates…Each character is beautifully portrayed so that they are as vivid in my mind as if right in front of my eyes. No spoilers here, but this story will take you through twists and turns and leave you wanting more.
Profile Image for Elaine Kirkbride.
2 reviews
March 25, 2024
This book took me a little bit to get into. But after I kept reading the plot was very interesting and the characters were great. There were many times I had to set the book down, regroup with myself, and continue reading because I was shocked by something that happened. All of my friends are probably annoyed with me because I keep telling them about the book ;) I was not expecting the ending and I can't wait for the next one to come out (I really hope there is a next one)!
Profile Image for Leora.
Author 1 book9 followers
August 25, 2025
Come to the Lighthouse by Kathryn M. Houghton completely swept me away. The story is richly imagined and clearly well-researched, with a plot that unfolds at just the right pace. I devoured the book in just four days—it was that engrossing. The character growth is deeply satisfying—especially the protagonist, whose sheltered youth, strong will, and naïveté feel authentic to her age and situation. Her search for belonging and love, while balancing the weight of family expectations, gives the book an emotional core that resonates long after reading.

The slow burn was beautifully executed, and the villain carried a fascinating duality: they were exactly who I thought they were, yet still managed to surprise me in the end. By the time I reached the cliffhanger, I was practically breathless—I’m already anxiously waiting for the sequel. This is absolutely going to be one of my new comfort reads for years to come.

The only reason I give it four instead of five stars comes down to aesthetics rather than story. The front cover is gorgeous, but it doesn’t quite match the spine and back—it almost feels like two separate books. I also wish the title font had been chosen with more consistency; the font on the cover works beautifully, but the title page uses a completely different, less polished one (it gave me SNL Avatar x Papyrus flashbacks). On top of that, the interior formatting was occasionally distracting.

That said, these cosmetic issues don’t take away from the originality, heart, and emotional power of the story itself. This book is a gem, and if you love character-driven, atmospheric fiction with history and heart, you’ll want to pick this one up.

I first discovered Kathryn on Instagram and immediately fell in love with her aesthetic. When I read her author blurb in the book, I found a kindred spirit—she was formerly from Florida and now lives in Ohio, while I was born and raised on the coast of Washington and now find myself landlocked in Kentucky. That sense of shared displacement, of carrying the sea with you wherever you go, made this book all the more special to me.
Profile Image for Addison Horsell.
5 reviews1 follower
August 24, 2023
An escape into a world of legends and wonder.

Kathryn’s writing transports you into a world between sea and sky, with danger and discovery around every corner. The book is grounded in history, and the vivid details make the story come to life. Follow Adira as she faces truths that will challenge her entire reality. It’s a story about risk and human connection, and how the sea brings people together.
1 review
September 12, 2023
I can confidently say that this novel got me back into reading!

Kathryn Houghton’s debut book is an absolute GEM that you’ll want on your shelf for sure. It’s adventurous, quick, and witty, with all the little moments we love like close friendships, family, slow burn romance, and finding where you belong.

Pirates, mermaids, adventure, and some jaw dropping plot twists? Yes please.

It’s not just the novel it’s the aesthetic and reading experience that really make it. ❤️📜⚓️
2 reviews
September 29, 2023
Come to the Lighthouse was an exhilarating and adventurous read that had me on the edge of my seat anticipating the next chapters. There were a variety of characters, some that I could love and relate to and there were a few others who I wish would’ve walked the plank. Each chapter you read will leave you wanting more with its beautiful twists and turns that will surprise you. Come to the Lighthouse was definitely worth the read!
Profile Image for Traveler of Pages.
40 reviews
July 15, 2024
I found this treasure looking at book artwork on my Explore page on Instagram and ohmygoodness am I so grateful because it gave me this entertaining read! But that cliffhanger?! How can I travel through time to get to book two? Recommended if you like time travel, pirates, clean romance, and a thrilling adventure!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews

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