She’s the keeper of Golowduyn Lighthouse. He’s the captain who shipwrecked on her watch. A marriage of convenience can save her home—if secrets don’t destroy it first.
Abigail Moore will do anything to keep Golowduyn Lighthouse shining brightly, even if she must do so alone. When a shipwreck occurs near her home one stormy evening—bringing with it a dashing captain keen to offer his aid at every turn—her days of isolation vanish.
Captain Gavin Kendricks didn’t expect to end his naval career by crashing his ship against the rugged cliffs of Cornwall. When he’s pulled from the sea by the fearless and quick-tempered Miss Moore, a tentative friendship forms between them, and he begins to realize what has been missing from his life.
Before either of them can explore these newfound stirrings, death and deception hit Golowduyn, and Abigail is left with a choice. Either she loses everything she has ever loved, or she marries the captain and accepts his help. Unable to give up the lighthouse, she agrees to the union, and they work together to see that the light does not diminish. But when her childhood secrets are unearthed, and their property falls victim to troubling defacement, their marriage threatens to crumble. Gavin fights to gain her confidence, but only Abigail can forget the crippling memories of her past to trust Gavin with Golowduyn—and her heart.
Deborah M. Hathaway graduated from Utah State University with a degree in English and Creative Writing. As a young girl, she devoured Jane Austen's novels while watching and re-watching every adaptation of Pride & Prejudice she could, entirely captured by all things Regency and romance.
Throughout her life, she wrote many short stories, poems, and essays, but it was not until after her marriage that she was finally able to complete her first romance novel, attributing the completion to her courtship with, and love of, her charming, English husband.
Deborah finds her inspiration for her novels in her everyday experiences with her husband and children and during her travels to the United Kingdom, where she draws on the beauty of the country in such places as Ireland, Yorkshire, and her beloved Cornwall.
I don't know about all of you readers but I absolutely adore marriage of convenience stories. Maybe it's because the two characters are both at a moment of their life where they realize they are missing something. Or maybe it's because the character who offers the marriage of convenience is so good to be willing to marry the other main character. Usually of course it's not without some sort of attraction or chemistry. But I love watching the character offering marriage being so patient and loving and caring towards the other character. And of course it's usually without the other character realizing it and watching them slowly build trust and friendship and love. I just love it!
And this might sound funny because if you've read the synopsis it states in there that it's a marriage of convenience story...but I didn't realize that when I started reading it and at the point when Captain Kendricks offers to marry Abigail, I was so in love with these two characters that I was beyond excited to see his selflessness and goodness helping Abigail and protecting her. *happy sigh* Yes, it probably is very funny that I didn't realize it was a MofC story. But I think that I skimmed the synopsis, probably read that when the author first announced the book, then it was a little bit of time in between getting the copy and reading it that my input overloaded brain forgot. *massages temples slowly and shrugs* It's all good though. I was happy reading it regardless of remembering that little detail. Lol!
There is a prequel novella for this book and it was great. The main couple from that book have a couple appearances in this book as well as the grandparents. I adored the grandparents.
Without giving anything away, you need to know that Abigail has a good heart. But she's beyond lonely. There are so many little tidbits of her backstory that I thought the timing of them being revealed throughout the story were well done. And Captain Kendricks...yeah he's the perfect gentleman to be Abigail's hero. The tender moments between them, not to mention the moments of frustration and misunderstandings and little arguments, were great in adding depth to their characters as well as their story.
There's some suspense and mystery involved. And plenty of sweet romance. Captain Kendricks, thanks for taking such good care of Abigail, she never knew she needed you until you came along. If you're looking for a sweet regency read, go grab a copy. Plus, I loved the lighthouse aspect. It was so fascinating how the author wove that all into the story. I learned a lot. I used to live on the coast next to several light houses and was always fascinated by them. The climb up the stairs is a good one but the view is breathtaking and worth it. I couldn't imagine carrying buckets of oil up and down the stairs all night long though. I kept thinking how did Abigail do it and not sleep and everything else that she accomplished. But never fear, Deborah Hathaway answered all of my questions that kept creeping up wondering how light keepers would do certain things. Very fascinating and made me nostalgic for the coast. I felt like I was there when she would describe the characters near the water or looking out over the ocean. I could almost hear the waves coming in and out.
There's a scene where characters mention that they weren't used to the sound of the waves at night and weren't sleeping. I had to laugh because when I first moved to the coast, we lived about 3/4 of a mile in from the ocean and I had the same problem. I couldn't sleep from the sound. I was used to mountains and trains. Several nights when the fog was so bad, you'd hear the fog horns going all night as the ships were coming into the mouth of the river. But we adjusted and then I couldn't sleep for months when I moved away and had the train whistles blowing all night and not my calming ocean waves. Funny how that happens isn't it?
Content: Clean. Some mild moments of peril. Some death. Marriage of convenience but nothing more than a few sweet kisses throughout the book.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Abigail Moore wants nothing more than to spend her days at Golowduyn Lighthouse, watching over and protecting the sailors at sea. Life before moving to Golowduyn was filled with heartache and loneliness. She never knew love or felt like she truly belonged anywhere. But from the moment she stepped foot on those beautiful shores, she felt like she had come home and for once had known peace.
But after her Uncle Ellis's accident, life changed drastically. She's left to take care of everything on her own and the closeness she once felt with her uncle had disappeared. Lonely and exhausted, she finds herself going through the motions.
While keeping watch during a storm, Abigail sees a ship crashing into the rocks. She can't help but feel it is her fault for not guiding the ship away from the cliffs. She knows she must do whatever she can to make sure the sailors arrive safely on shore... even if it means going out on the stormy sea to save the last man on the ship. Little did she know, her split decision to go out would change her life forever.
Captain Gavin Kendricks has enjoyed his time in the navy. But lately, he can't deny that something is missing in his life. When his ship crashes into the rugged cliffs of Cornwall, he decides it's time to retire and search for what's missing. Little did he know, the crash would change his life forever.
When Gavin discovers that the keeper of the lighthouse is his father's old friend, Ellis Moore, he enjoys the time they share reminiscing about his father. Abigail can't hide the hurt and jealousy she feels when her uncle comes to life whenever he's around Gavin. She doesn't make it easy for Gavin to help her. She'll prove to both of them that she doesn't need the help.
It doesn't take long for Gavin to see just how hard Abigail works to keep the lighthouse running by herself. When tragedy strikes, he knows he must do anything and everything he can to make life easier for her. He soon realizes that she's what's been missing in his life. He's never met anyone like her before and he can't see his life without her in it. He wants to be there for her, to protect her, to take care of her, to love her, to live the life of lighthouse keeper right along side her. But Abigail knows she needs to let go of her past hurts, her secrets and learn to love herself before she can find her HEA with Gavin, on the shores of Golowduyn.
*dreamy sigh*
Oh how I adored Behind the Light of Golowduyn! Once I started it, I did not want to put it down! I quickly became engrossed in the lives of Abigail and Gavin. My heart broke for every thing that Abigail had endured throughout her life. But Gavin came along and put all the pieces back together by doing whatever he could to ease the burdens that had been on Abigail's shoulders for so long. Their relationship was truly built on friendship. I enjoyed watching it evolve into something more. There were some who looked at the two of them and thought they did not belong together. But this match couldn't have been more perfect.
I am loving this series! The setting and characters are absolutely perfect! I can't wait for the next book to be released! I'm secretly hoping it's Poppy and Harris... ;)
Ok guys! It's official! Ms. Hathaway is one of my favorite Regency authors! Her books always suck me in from the beginning and refuse to let me go until the very end. I have adored all her books I have read so far and I'm looking forward to many, many more by her!
And can we just take a minute to admire these two?! I think they are perfect! What do you think?!
I loved the setting in this story with great character development and a riveting plot. There's something special about lighthouses as they stand as a beacon in the storms. Abigail is overworked as she unofficially takes on the role of main keeper from her uncle, but is devoted to the lighthouse and its purpose. I admired her strength and stubbornness which was tempered by her insecurity about her past. Gavin quickly becomes a good friend to her uncle, but it was interesting how Abigail felt jealousy towards their rapport and felt left out and unappreciated by her uncle. She deals with complicated emotions during this time of upheaval as secrets are revealed in the aftermath of unexpected tragedy. I loved how Gavin is a source of strength and refuge for her as she humbles herself to accept his help and open her heart to a deeper friendship and relationship. His positive personality brings light and humor to the story and balances out the darker themes. This book was a pleasure to read and I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction!
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
I think as more books are easily published, it's harder and harder to make a story unique. I never would've thought up a story about a lighthouse keeper, especially one who is female, but that's just what this author did.
Abigail helps her uncle run the Golowduyn lighthouse and will do anything, sacrifice anything, to keep it running and running well. She sees a shipwreck and sets off to help rescue the captain, Gavin, and her life will never be the same.
Gavin is a strong and commanding man, yet his core desire is to keep busy and to help and serve those around him. I love that he's able to recognize what's for the best and pushes hard to achieve what needs to be done. Abigail, on the other hand, is very hesitant and suspicious by nature, which leads to some pretty outrageous blow ups, causing hurt feelings and feelings of regret. She has a secret past and has been the target of bullying.
Even with all the jagged edges and rough corners, these two fit together like a beautiful puzzle and I loved watching their story unfold, especially because one of my favorite troupes was used--a marriage of convenience! The touch of mystery added to the developing romance gave this story a multilayered dimension, making for delightful story. Of course, the supporting cast of characters was the icing on an already delicious cake.
What a great start to a new series and I'm looking forward to more!
Content: mild romance; mild violence/moments of peril
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
I was thoroughly captivated by this story from beginning to end. The lighthouse setting was fantastic and I'm not just saying that because I've always been drawn to lighthouses and all they represent. The lighthouse in this book came to life and I could feel Abigail's love and devotion to it.
The story starts out with a very overworked and destitute Abigail, a deadly storm and a brave rescue. Enter Gavin, star of the show (at least for me). Strong, confident, patient, hard working Gavin. He is the perfect balance to Abigail's insecure, worry prone nature. I loved how the story grew and evolved. It had struggle and depth that I felt. I had a hard time putting this book down. I can't wait to read more by this author!
Let’s go down the list of why this ticks every “Why I Read Romance” box for me:
Escapism and history nerding out
Swoons/ Favorite tropes at their most effective
Characters fumbling their way out of their own hang-ups and into love
The joyous certainty of happily-ever-after
Though I wish the why behind her wounds would’ve been revealed to us a little earlier to bump up our empathy, I felt for Abigail. Her trauma is valid and her insecurities are keen which lead to her often jumping to conclusions like an Olympic pole-vaulter. I mean, if I had sweeping cliffs and thundering waves as a backdrop I’d also probably be running in avoidance every time things got too much, skirts whipping about dramatically. When on the Cornwall coast and in need of a meltdown, we don’t make the rules.
But, Abigail had competence and fierce independence and all her other training to help balance her out. We’re not just talking spine-of-steel heroine, but like, lighthouse bootcamp strong, with the oil-pail-hauling, step-climbing, window-washing, boat rowing/ shipwreck-rescuing. The last two paid off handsomely.
Enter Captain Gavin Kendricks, who knows how to make a splashy entrance. Swoony and serviceable, what more can a lighthouse keeper’s scrappy niece want? Besides that he be less persistently swoony and serviceable. These two were so great together. Again, it’s all about balance: she can be stubborn and impulsive, he can be Captain Oblivious. Trade-offs and teamwork, you know? And bantering too? I love to see when an overburdened character is reminded how to have fun against their will. It’s good he’s such a goner from the start and willing to put in the work, the forgiveness, the steadfastness because our girl needed it. By the time we get to foregone conclusion declarations, they have both more than proven their devotion, so it’s gloriously “I love you. Duh.”
So impressed with the writing and all the historical detail. New-to-me “Must-Read-Em All” author alert!
Content notes: Kissing Only. Mentions of parent-loss grief. Vague mention of child neglect and abuse. Allusion to alcoholism and gaming addiction. Mild peril.
I literally stopped reading to tell my husband how ridiculously Abigail was acting. I think sometimes authors forget to put a “if this was real life” lens on a book. One evening because of a PERCEIVED slight, she refused to speak to her uncle or his guest beyond grunts, stomped everywhere, etc. And yet the guy thought she was amazing anyway? She literally held a grudge for a whole day because an injured man thought she was a man...in a storm...in the dark...She got jealous over the weirdest things. The only thing that changed her was that Gavin was perfect and God-like, loving her no matter what and staying perfect in light of her crazy. Needless to say, not my favorite novel.
This story was enticing. The more I read, the more I wanted to read and find out if Abigail and Gavin would have a "happily-ever-after." The story is made up of some very good people, and some with flaws but are trying to do their best.
Abigail has been doing the work at her Uncle's lighthouse, he was injured and cannot go up and down the stairs to light the lanterns. She is strong and capable of doing work that men would think a woman could not physically perform. The lighthouse is her sanctuary. She was saved from a destitute life when her Uncle brought her there many years before.
She has a strong desire to help the sailors when they are shipwrecked on the shore. She takes it personally that the lighthouse somehow failed them. One particularly stormy night, she rescues Captain Gavin Kendricks and his sailor. From that moment, Gavin feels compelled to help her in any way he can, including offering to marry her when her Uncle passes leaving her penniless and deeply in debt.
This is a love story that begins as a friendship of sorts. Abigail resents Gavin and resists his efforts to help her, but eventually, they begin to realize that they need each other. I don't want to say much more about the plot, because I don't want to give away the angst and danger in the book.
Suffice it to say, I enjoyed this book and plan on reading more from Deborah M. Hataway.
This book contains mild kissing and non-graphic violence.
Abigail & her Uncle Ellis resided in a small abode attached to a lighthouse. He was the official lighthouse keeper until about 1 yr ago when he injured his knees. Abigail served as the cook, housekeeper, stable hand. And the real lighthouse keeper. She climbed 100+ steps several times a night to refill the lights with oil. She watched for shipwrecks. She had no time to socialize or attend assemblies & distrusted most people.
Captain Gavin Kendricks served the Royal Navy X 15 yrs. He & his 200 sailors were caught in a rough storm. All under control, until a fire ruined the ship. Abigail took her row boat out & saved the Capt & his 1st Lt. Severely wounded men went to the lighthouse, with the ship's doctor. Uncle Ellis knew the Capt. and his late sire. The rest of the sailors used nearby lodgings. 21 sailors perished in the shipwreck.
After a series of events, Gavin proposed a MOC & Abigail accepted. She had been belittled by a snobby widow & her dtr. This culminated in a dinner party now wed Ab + Gav attended (while 1st Lt manned the lighthouse), hosted by snobby widow who threw Gav and her dtr together as much as poss. Gav declined to defend Ab from humilation at the hands of the hostess. I was 'all in' on this story until Gav acted oblivious. He later saw the truth.
The man who assaulted Gav before the storm (above) & had the fire started,was punished, per orders of the Royal Navy. Later the H+ h experienced sabotage.
Ab acted prickly & secretive at times, & Gav more human as he wised up. This couple had great potential.
I really enjoyed this one, drew me in from the start and couldn’t put it down. I really loved the setting of Cornwall (being a Poldark fan really helped me envision the beautiful setting) and the lighthouse was so inviting. Abigail and Gavin were both likable characters, had a believable flow to their relationship and developed at a nice pace. The story was nice, kept me interested and wanting to see how things would play out. A fun historical romance and makes me want to continue on with the series. Good read!
I’ve been a big fan of Ms Hathaways since her first book, she always writes great stories and I always look forward to what she comes up with next.
Content: clean romance, no language, very mild non graphic violence
Give me all of the Cornwall books if they are going to be as good as this one. I actually binged this series in 1 week in anticipation of book 4 coming out—and I’m here to tell you they are all worth reading! I meant to spread the out, but once I started, I couldn’t stop.
This is such a sweet love story. I loved the added suspense of secrets being kept, revenge, a marriage of convenience and some of the best side characters I’ve ever seen. If you’re looking to read a book with one of the most support male main characters—this is your book! All of these books can be read as a stand alone but I HIGHLY recommend them all.
I think this might be my first book by Deborah M Hathaway. But it won’t be my last. This book hooked me from the very first page. And it kept me entranced until the very last page. I didn’t want to put it down!
Abigail is such a great character. She is a hard worker. Abigail has had to take care of everything to do with Golowduyn lighthouse since her uncle was injured. And it’s a lot of hard work and very little sleep. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to take her boat out on the ocean to rescue a couple of men from a shipwreck. And then she brought them back to the lighthouse and went to work helping to fix wounds. Such an amazing woman!
I really loved Gavin as well. He was the captain of the shipwrecked vessel. And, instead of just moving on, he retires and chooses to try to help Abigail just when she needs it the most. He was a little bit dense about some of the other women around, but when he decides to marry Abigail, she becomes his everything. And I loved that about him.
This book was so amazing! I need to read more by this author right away!
DNF 😭 This clean Cornish lighthouse romance sounded so promising! But Abigail & her prickly pride quickly got on my nerves. She starts out by complaining multiple times about an injured man having the audacity to mistake her as a boy when she was wearing a boyish cap and jacket… in the dark… in a storm…. Then, when she’s complaining about getting the house ready for company, when offered help, she shoots it down and is insulted Gavin thinks she can’t muck stalls. 🙄
Apparently later in the story Abigail’s jealousy over anyone having approval from her uncle keeps coming up.
Also, the pacing felt a little slow, and the writing felt a little too play-by-play. But the descriptions of the Cornish coast were lovely.
I couldn’t get to the marriage of convince part which I usually love because I still wasn’t enjoying this 2 hours into the audio. It wasn’t bad by any means, and I appreciated that it was clean, but it didn’t grab me either. So I’m making the decision to DNF and keep looking for a 5 star read. I’ve heard this is not the author’s best work though, so I would give her one of her newer books a try.
.. Behind the Light of Golowduyn is the first book in the 'A Cornish Romance' series. It caught my attention as I was searching for a Historical Romance. Unfortunately, I failed to read the complete book description before opening the book to begin my journey. Had I done so, I may have been dissuaded from ever starting it.
I much prefer a more light-hearted narrative without death, deception, and dark secrets. But that is just me!
Consequently, it didn't take long for me to abandon the ship, so to speak. I quickly moved off to another choice in hopes of discovering a more fulfilling read that fits within the parameters in my comfort zone.
This book currently has a rating of 4.26 read by 124 readers to date with Goodreads and 4.7 read by 60 readers to date with Amazon. So, it does appeal to a good number of readers in a very positive way!
It is currently available through the
*** KINDLE UNLIMITED PROGRAM ***
---------------------
Behind the Light of Golowduyn (A Cornish Romance Book 1) . . . Kindle Edition by Deborah M. Hathaway (Author) Published: May 05, 2019 Publisher: Draft Horse Publishing (May 1, 2019) ..
This was a great start to a new series! I loved Gavin! How could you not? The story immediately captivated me with the urgency and danger in the storm. And it kept me reading and interested with the many mysteries to solve. Sweet, clean romance.
Something about Cornwall is just mesmerizing. Add in a lighthouse! Heck yes!
I really enjoyed Hathaway's book, Carving for Miss Coventry, so I was excited to get into this historical romance set in Cornwall. Although I didn't enjoy this one as much as Miss Coventry, I did think it was a really sweet story. It took me a bit to really love the main characters. I needed a little more personality, but by the end I feel like we got more from them. And what a meet cute! I loved how Gavin was so proud his fierce wife. He told multiple people of how she was the one who saved him from the storm.
At some times the characters frustrated me. I just wanted them to be open with each other (and for the Captain to not be so naive about people). But the moments they were finally open with each other were worth the wait.
This was a sweet story. The hero is the perfect definition of one, the guy swoops in and completely saves the day several times. Abigail is a little more complicated. I couldn't figure out what was up with this girl until all the pieces fall together and you understand why she is the way she is. Poor thing had a rough life. The setting for this story was a huge part of this book, the coast of Cornwall came alive. You can tell the author loves this area. A nice story with a satisfying end.
This is a beautiful story where she rescues him, and then he rescues her. I loved seeing behind the workings of an original lighthouse and how much depth of responsibility there was there. Abigail’s story and strength touched me deeply and I think Gavin is one of the swooniest cinnamon roll heroes ever.
Things I Loved: -Their meet cute -Gavin’s persistence and patience -“Have you already forgotten that I live here?” -“But if there was one thing she knew about him, it was his insatiable desire to help others. Of course, there were worse traits for a husband to have.” -The bird -“Mrs. Stedman had never liked her. The things she had said about Abigail behind Uncle Ellis’s back—complaints against her gaudy red hair and her ugly, freckled complexion—had scarred Abigail’s childhood. But she was no longer a child. Those memories were, indeed, etched permanently within her mind, but she did not have to add any more of their writing onto her soul.” -“She felt respected, as if Gavin believed her to be of some great value and wished her to dress as such.” -All the teasing -Mrs. Summerfield -“Fishing” -The cot 😂 -“You must simply believe that you are more,” he whispered. “Because to me…you are everything.” -The whole ending ♥️
This was an emotional, many layered read with a beautiful HEA. Once again, this was a new-to-me author that has been hanging out on my TBR and made its way to the top because of the Swoony Reads Society!
Trigger Warning: Loss of parental figures/close family members, past/present trauma from addiction, death of crew members
I really liked this marriage of convenience story. Abigail is a strong, fairly independent young woman taking care of the lighthouse because her uncle can no longer carry the heavy buckets of oil up the stairs to keep the lamps lit. Captain Kendricks has to adjust to the end of his Naval career when his ship crashes near the Golowduyn lighthouse.
This book was languishing away in my digital TBR until it was picked for my book club. I'd never thought of a woman being a lighthouse keeper before and reading about all the responsibilites required to maintain the lamps, glass, etc I don't know how Abigail did it plus the cooking and cleaning for daily life. No wonder she was exhausted.
I found myself really invested in these characters and if Abigail and Gavin would be able to work things out. There's a little bit of a mystery involving the death of Abigail's uncle and when some things at the lighthouse are vandalized and a couple of twists I didn't see coming.
Novela romántica ambientada en Cornualles. Es un libro sencillo, pero entretenido. Me ha gustado mucho la ambientación, aunque el argumento y el diálogo me han parecido un poco simples. Me ha parecido interesante que la protagonista fuera la encargada del faro, aunque me ha puesto un poco nerviosa que su reacción a las dificultades siempre fuera salir huyendo a mirar al mar (chica, no cuesta tanto hablar las cosas y ser un poco sincera).
El final un tanto precipitado, pero yo he disfrutado con la lectura. No soporto este estilo de cubierta, pero es el que está de moda. Solo lo recomendaría como lectura ligera y sencillita para desconectar. No está traducido al español.
This was one of those free reads on Kindle Unlimited. I was familiar with the author previously and I really liked the way she wrote romantic moments between the male and female. Therefore, I decided to jump right into reading a nice, sweet romance . (Also my grandmother passed and I was not just not in the mood to read anything heavy.)
The only reason I gave this book 1 less star is the main character. She treats her intended/arranged by convenience husband like crap, but then again, he is pretty blind to some of the things she treats him crap about. She jumps to conclusions about some things which are not things she should be focusing on. (It's like throwing a dart at a dart board, it hits the bullseye some-times, other times it drifts off center.)
I already noticed that the rest of this series (not linked character-wise) are free so I hopefully will get into reading more!
4.5 stars Abigail is one angry lady... and it's completely understandable as the story develops. But her love for the lighthouse and her piqued interest in Gavin keeps her from being totally wretched. She upholds her duty to the lighthouse over everything, including self interests. Rescuing Gavin and assisting her crew means everything. A shipwreck wasn't ever what Gavin wanted but his love for the navy life has dwindled and he takes the opportunity to find roots ashore. There's just something unbelievably special with Deborah's Cornwall regencies. I can see and feel her love for the area, the people, and the time period. I started the series in the middle and am making my way back to the beginning. It's the best kind of hug of a book.
This was so good!! I absolutely loved the story and Deborah had a fabulous writing style. This book was different than most regency novels which was refreshing.
A restless captain looking for purpose. A lonely woman fighting to keep the only home she’s ever known – the lighthouse of Golowduyn. When Abigail Moore rescues Captain Gavin Kendricks from his sinking ship, she little realises that he’s about to rescue her back.
I was captivated by this gripping story from the first chapter. Living on the south coast of England, I am well aware of how treacherous parts of the coast can be, and I thought Hathaway painted the rugged Cornish scene beautifully.
As always, I appreciated being given a specific date – 1815 – when the novel is set. I don’t know much about lighthouses and how Trinity House operated in the 1800s, but Hathaway has clearly done loads of research into this, and the details certainly convinced me. And having climbed to the top of our lighthouse in Weymouth, the effort required to mount the steps is no exaggeration.
I thought it was a great idea to include a pronunciation guide for the Cornish names. It sounded genuine so I was surprised to look up the names to discover that, as far as I could tell, neither Golowduyn nor the Dulatha Cliffs were real places!
Clean and sweet? Heat level low. Some references to prayer. A bit more gritty than your normal Regency romance with moderate trauma/violence/accident including death and references to capital punishment.
Favourite quote: She turned to face him, and suddenly, her lungs refused to work. She and Gavin were close. Too close.
Cornwall 1815 Abigail had become keeper of the lighthouse when her uncle became unable to manage when he had a fall. She had always loved going there when she was young, but now the work was becoming harder and was very lonely. She had to keep the lights shinging though for the ships and on the night of a terrible storm, she looked up and saw the wreckage as a ship foundered on the rocks. Hurrying to help she rows out to save one man who looks like he will not make it to shore. Is is the Captain and she takes him home and binds his wounds. Who was to know it was fate it seemed that brought them together? But mischief is afoot and there are a lot of things that begin to happen. This is a wondeful story that the author brings to life with her descriptons that made me feel I was almost there. The characters are wonderful and watching Abigail and the Captain grow close was great but there were a lot of secrets and mysteries that had to be dealt with. Prepare to be taken back to a special time and place that only had me wanting to read more from this author!!
Prose-wise it's one of more tolerable romance books. Most of my gripes come from the character angle. Abigail is presented as a strong heroine who manages the Lighthouse with a tiny help from her uncle. I respect this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A hero and heroine worth cheering for. Abigail is strong and self-sacrificing while hiding a hurtful past. Gavin is noble, hard-working, and seeking his place in the world. Brought together through disaster, they agree to work together to save a place they both have come to love. They face gossip, vandalism, and the demands of running a lighthouse as their trust of one another grows. The author slowly reveals the secrets that haunt Abigail even as she comes to grips with how her past is stifling her present. A book I would gladly read again.
Behind the Light of Golowduyn by Deborah M. Hathaway @authordeborahmhathaway
A Cornish Romance Regency Romance Cornwall, 1815
Abigail Moore Abigail is a kind, brave, resilient, hard working keeper of the beloved Golowduyn Lighthouse, and will do anything to keep the Lighthouse shining brightly, even if she must do so all alone. Soon a shipwreck occurs near Abigail’s home one dark and stormy evening, brings with it a dashing captain to offer his aid at every turn—which means that Abigail’s days of isolation are to vanish. Loyal, strong, and patient Captain Gavin Kendricks didn’t expect to end his naval career by crashing his ship against the rugged cliffs of Cornwall. When he’s pulled from the sea by the fearless and quick-tempered Abigail Moore, a tentative friendship forms between them, and he begins to realize what has been missing from his life… But, before Abigail and Gavin can explore these newfound feelings, death and deception hit Golowduyn. Abigail is left to make a great choice: Either she loses everything completely that she has ever loved, or she marries the captain and accepts his help.
“I hope you will one day realize that no matter your history, no matter who did or did not raise you —no matter where you were brought up— your own selfless decisions reveal just the sort of remarkable woman that you are.”
@authordeborahmhathaway has weaved such a unique and heartwarming story, set in beautiful place of Cornwall, with strong and dear characters. Thank you, dear @authordeborahmhathaway for showing through your writing, the importance of trust and rising above every challenge! This is a book well-worth the read! 🙌🏻📚🥰