What do you think?
Rate this book
Portland Storm #3
Light the Lamp
USA Today bestselling author Catherine Gayle presents another novel in the Portland Storm hockey romance series. Hockey star Liam Kallen lost his scoring touch when his wife died. Still broken up over her loss, Liam’s darkness overpowers him, but his new team—the Portland Storm—needs him. A chance meeting brings him face to face with Noelle Payne, the most positive and upbeat woman he’s ever met, and his darkness begins to fade. There’s never been a challenge that Noelle can’t conquer. Brightside optimist to a fault, Noelle refuses to succumb to the luxurious life Liam can give her, as she longs to find deeper meaning and purpose in her life. Now it’s up to Liam to open up and show her that she’s the light he’s needed all along—giving her the greatest purpose of all. He might have saved her, but can Noelle be the light that saves him?
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2014
55 people are currently reading
709 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Gayle
73 books923 followers***Please note that series numbering of the Portland Storm series is different at Goodreads than it is on Catherine's website or at any retailer. Goodreads policy will not allow the series numbering to match anything else. If this confuses you, please complain to Goodreads, as it is not Catherine's fault.***
Catherine Gayle is a USA Today bestselling author of more than forty contemporary hockey romance and Regency-set historical romance novels and novellas. Soon, she'll be launching her debut contemporary small-town romance series. She's sold more than three-quarters of a million books. She’s a transplanted Texan living in North Carolina with two extremely spoiled felines. In her spare time, she watches way too much hockey and reality TV, plans fun things to do for the Nephew Monster’s next visit, and performs experiments in the kitchen which are rarely toxic.
Catherine doesn't check messages on Goodreads very often. Please contact her through her website for a timely response.
Catherine Gayle is a USA Today bestselling author of more than forty contemporary hockey romance and Regency-set historical romance novels and novellas. Soon, she'll be launching her debut contemporary small-town romance series. She's sold more than three-quarters of a million books. She’s a transplanted Texan living in North Carolina with two extremely spoiled felines. In her spare time, she watches way too much hockey and reality TV, plans fun things to do for the Nephew Monster’s next visit, and performs experiments in the kitchen which are rarely toxic.
Catherine doesn't check messages on Goodreads very often. Please contact her through her website for a timely response.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
July 13, 2015
I've really enjoyed the rest of this series, but this book just did not work for me AT ALL. The general writing talent in this book (solid writing style, good grammar and editing, great sports scenes, fun secondary characters) deserves at least 3 stars, but because of how much I could not stand the heroine I had to drop it down to 1 star. I did not buy the romance at all, because of circumstances, but mostly because of the heroine.
I am so not normally the type to bitch about a female main character -- of course I like some characters more than others, but I am all for championing "unlikable" female characters and giving women (fictional and real) the right to be actual people with bad days and good, with good traits and bad, with nuances and all those things that men are allowed to have automatically. So it hurts to write this review, because I cannot remember the last time a book made me so angry. So, here it goes...
This review will contain SPOILERS!
The circumstances in which Liam meets Noelle are automatically sketchy. He rescues Noelle off the side of the road and she trusts him basically right away. She gets in his car, then goes for coffee, then goes home with him -- I don't care that Liam is actually a good guy, this is CRAZY and so unsafe. Of course it's totally like Noelle to do it (more on that later). So Noelle hates taking advantage but she agrees to stay with Liam on a trial basis, and Liam goes over the top with buying her clothes, a phone, etc. Noelle supposedly doesn't want these things, but she goes along with it, this coming from the woman who would rather be homeless than sleep on the couch of someone who has been her friend for years (!!). I hated the instalove feel on Liam's end and mostly the fact that he was blind to anything bad about her, even how bad she treated him.
So the circumstances alone aren't great: Liam isn't over his wife's death until magically he's super into Noelle, a homeless woman he can try and help and fix, a woman he literally rescued from the side of the road -- the way he couldn't help his wife from being hit by a drunk driver. This sounds like a healthy beginning to a relationship, doesn't it? So Liam clearly has a part in all of this being crazy, but it was mostly Noelle who I couldn't stand.
As we've established, Noelle is homeless. Why is Noelle homeless? She had a low paying, low guarantee job helping a dog rescue, but her hours got cut and she lost her parents' old house. The reason she had this job is because she's all about her life having meaning. She can't do anything without having a "feeling" about it. But here's the real kicker: Noelle has lots of insurance money from her parents' deaths, but she won't use it for herself. She'd rather be HOMELESS and pay for her brothers to go to college (one of the schools being HARVARD) than let her brothers know about what's happened. I mean, there's self sacrifice and love and then there's just plain STUPIDITY.
Like I said, Noelle moans about taking charity from Liam and wants to go stay at a shelter and look for a job, which is another ridiculous thing. You would rather take a bed from someone who truly has no other option? And you think it would be easier to look for a job when you're homeless? She doesn't bother looking for work while she's staying with Liam and Jamie, which makes no sense to me.
Noelle is also flighty and plain freaking weird. She goes for long walks without shoes (in the CITY) and no rain protection ("I hate that you spent hundreds of dollars on this phone for me Liam, but I had no problem putting it through a deluge and wrecking it, wasting the money and throwing the gift in your face!" -- surprisingly, not an actual quote). On top of all this, Noelle also has issues with being considerate. She's always forgetting plans, taking off, letting people worry about her when she leaves no note or won't answer the phone.
All of this completely annoyed me (not that you could tell, right?), but the worst thing is that Noelle was such a hypocrite. She wants Liam to be completely stripped bare emotionally, to tell her his every thought and feeling, to be completely vulnerable, all within a WEEK of meeting her. She is basically a crazy person, especially because Liam has already told her he loves her and he shows her he loves her too. He's told her a very personal and painful story, so it's not like he's being cagey and withholding stuff. It's actually the total opposite, yet she's saying that his love and feelings aren't good enough. Why this is hypocritical is that Noelle wants all this and yet she's not honest with her brothers about their circumstances, and she's even keeping stuff from Liam (in her purse she carries mementos about her dead parents, but you don't see her showing them to Liam or explaining about them).
Another thing (yes, another!) that I found strange is her empathy gift. I mean, I'm all about real empathy, but this girl takes it to another level. She can "sense" all the emotions around her and she likes to "take pain" from people, and then she releases the emotions later in a huge crying fit. Isn't she just precious? Gag. I thought we were in a contemporary romance, not a paranormal or magical realism tale. Anyway, I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say that Noelle has some scenes in the next book and someone is in the hospital where all the team people go to see what's up and here's Noelle going "don't worry, he's not going to die, I'd be able to tell". I nearly threw my eReader across the room, like really?? Shut up, you psycho.
I think this book shows how a bad heroine can really wreck a reading experience. I mean, I really, really, really hated this book and it makes me so sad because up until this point I really liked the series. I read the next book because I had already bought it, but my reading experience from this book is basically turning me off reading more of the series, which makes me sad. I'll probably continue on in the series eventually, but you know I'll be skipping over any mention of Noelle.
I am so not normally the type to bitch about a female main character -- of course I like some characters more than others, but I am all for championing "unlikable" female characters and giving women (fictional and real) the right to be actual people with bad days and good, with good traits and bad, with nuances and all those things that men are allowed to have automatically. So it hurts to write this review, because I cannot remember the last time a book made me so angry. So, here it goes...
This review will contain SPOILERS!
The circumstances in which Liam meets Noelle are automatically sketchy. He rescues Noelle off the side of the road and she trusts him basically right away. She gets in his car, then goes for coffee, then goes home with him -- I don't care that Liam is actually a good guy, this is CRAZY and so unsafe. Of course it's totally like Noelle to do it (more on that later). So Noelle hates taking advantage but she agrees to stay with Liam on a trial basis, and Liam goes over the top with buying her clothes, a phone, etc. Noelle supposedly doesn't want these things, but she goes along with it, this coming from the woman who would rather be homeless than sleep on the couch of someone who has been her friend for years (!!). I hated the instalove feel on Liam's end and mostly the fact that he was blind to anything bad about her, even how bad she treated him.
So the circumstances alone aren't great: Liam isn't over his wife's death until magically he's super into Noelle, a homeless woman he can try and help and fix, a woman he literally rescued from the side of the road -- the way he couldn't help his wife from being hit by a drunk driver. This sounds like a healthy beginning to a relationship, doesn't it? So Liam clearly has a part in all of this being crazy, but it was mostly Noelle who I couldn't stand.
As we've established, Noelle is homeless. Why is Noelle homeless? She had a low paying, low guarantee job helping a dog rescue, but her hours got cut and she lost her parents' old house. The reason she had this job is because she's all about her life having meaning. She can't do anything without having a "feeling" about it. But here's the real kicker: Noelle has lots of insurance money from her parents' deaths, but she won't use it for herself. She'd rather be HOMELESS and pay for her brothers to go to college (one of the schools being HARVARD) than let her brothers know about what's happened. I mean, there's self sacrifice and love and then there's just plain STUPIDITY.
Like I said, Noelle moans about taking charity from Liam and wants to go stay at a shelter and look for a job, which is another ridiculous thing. You would rather take a bed from someone who truly has no other option? And you think it would be easier to look for a job when you're homeless? She doesn't bother looking for work while she's staying with Liam and Jamie, which makes no sense to me.
Noelle is also flighty and plain freaking weird. She goes for long walks without shoes (in the CITY) and no rain protection ("I hate that you spent hundreds of dollars on this phone for me Liam, but I had no problem putting it through a deluge and wrecking it, wasting the money and throwing the gift in your face!" -- surprisingly, not an actual quote). On top of all this, Noelle also has issues with being considerate. She's always forgetting plans, taking off, letting people worry about her when she leaves no note or won't answer the phone.
All of this completely annoyed me (not that you could tell, right?), but the worst thing is that Noelle was such a hypocrite. She wants Liam to be completely stripped bare emotionally, to tell her his every thought and feeling, to be completely vulnerable, all within a WEEK of meeting her. She is basically a crazy person, especially because Liam has already told her he loves her and he shows her he loves her too. He's told her a very personal and painful story, so it's not like he's being cagey and withholding stuff. It's actually the total opposite, yet she's saying that his love and feelings aren't good enough. Why this is hypocritical is that Noelle wants all this and yet she's not honest with her brothers about their circumstances, and she's even keeping stuff from Liam (in her purse she carries mementos about her dead parents, but you don't see her showing them to Liam or explaining about them).
Another thing (yes, another!) that I found strange is her empathy gift. I mean, I'm all about real empathy, but this girl takes it to another level. She can "sense" all the emotions around her and she likes to "take pain" from people, and then she releases the emotions later in a huge crying fit. Isn't she just precious? Gag. I thought we were in a contemporary romance, not a paranormal or magical realism tale. Anyway, I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say that Noelle has some scenes in the next book and someone is in the hospital where all the team people go to see what's up and here's Noelle going "don't worry, he's not going to die, I'd be able to tell". I nearly threw my eReader across the room, like really?? Shut up, you psycho.
I think this book shows how a bad heroine can really wreck a reading experience. I mean, I really, really, really hated this book and it makes me so sad because up until this point I really liked the series. I read the next book because I had already bought it, but my reading experience from this book is basically turning me off reading more of the series, which makes me sad. I'll probably continue on in the series eventually, but you know I'll be skipping over any mention of Noelle.
October 27, 2014
There is bright and cheery and then there is just plain stupid and that is what this heroine was. I understand pride and not wanting to take charity but preferring to live on the street instead of taking a hand up was just asinine. Here this wonderful guy offers her a place to stay and clothes etc., to help out this desperate girl and what does she do? Well she certainly doesn't bust her butt to get a job, any job. I expected her to start looking for a job and an apartment and for her to of course insist on paying him back etc., but no. She won't take any job that doesn't have meaning to her, that doesn't help someone. She'd rather just be a problem for everyone. It's all well and good to want to do something meaningful with your life. But to lose your home and live on the street because you won't get an ordinary job or even two jobs is ridiculous.
There was no reason for this guy to fall in love with her. And the major portion of this book took place over a week. He fell in love with her and finally got over his wife in just one week. Hmmph. I don't see why. She was an absolute ninny. But I'll accept that I guess. This is romance land after all. But her? Somehow she had some weird psychic ability to take the pain other people feel and absorb it. This was just out of place in this series that nowhere else has eve a touch of paranormal. In addition it was poorly explained so the "power" didn't make any sense really. To top off all the crazy, she eventually left him because she "knew" he was holding things back from her and wouldn't bare his soul to her and allow her to heal him. Thus their relationship was unequal. It's been a WEEK!! Why was she expecting this stranger to bare his soul about his dead wife and unborn baby after a week? Jeeminy Christmas, what a loony and not a good loony.
Maybe all this would have worked if she'd tried to help herself and if the story had taken longer than a week.
There was no reason for this guy to fall in love with her. And the major portion of this book took place over a week. He fell in love with her and finally got over his wife in just one week. Hmmph. I don't see why. She was an absolute ninny. But I'll accept that I guess. This is romance land after all. But her? Somehow she had some weird psychic ability to take the pain other people feel and absorb it. This was just out of place in this series that nowhere else has eve a touch of paranormal. In addition it was poorly explained so the "power" didn't make any sense really. To top off all the crazy, she eventually left him because she "knew" he was holding things back from her and wouldn't bare his soul to her and allow her to heal him. Thus their relationship was unequal. It's been a WEEK!! Why was she expecting this stranger to bare his soul about his dead wife and unborn baby after a week? Jeeminy Christmas, what a loony and not a good loony.
Maybe all this would have worked if she'd tried to help herself and if the story had taken longer than a week.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2017
4/15 -- I loved the Portland Storm series so far, but this book was absolutely disappointing. Everything happens much too fast and was just unbelievable. The hero was okay but the heroine was annoying and unnerving and I really really hated her and her demands on Liam on opening up to her after just a few days of knowing each other. The two stars are just for Babs and the other team mates and the hockey scenes.
I hope the series is getting better again!
___
Komplette Rezension: http://buecher.ueber-alles.net/?p=20087
I hope the series is getting better again!
___
Komplette Rezension: http://buecher.ueber-alles.net/?p=20087
October 25, 2014
Highly disappointing book in comparison with the others in this series.
I found both characters uninspiring, extremely static ie non developing over the story, and especially for Noelle unrealistic and unable to seem like a real person and not just a book character.
I never did understand what the hero saw in Noelle so as to fall in love that quick with her and how she managed to make him stop mourning his deceased wife. Obviously she had some redeeming qualities, like being easy to talk to, having an extremely optimistic and positive outlook on life, taking it easy and enjoying life. But there were so many things that grated me, like her complete immaturity and irresponsibility regarding life constraints. It did not come as a surprise that her family house had been repossessed, the only surprise to me is that she managed to keep it as long as she had. She typically had the behaviour one would expect of a woman whose sole aim in life would be to find a sugar daddy to let her live in her dream life.
It took me a while to read this book, as I grew more and more irritated with the two leads each time they appeared.
The ending and the new purpose in life for Noelle was more than obvious from the first page onwards and the hero was sincerely stupid not to have thought about it before. Even though his offer might well have been refused by Noelle out of stupid fake independence principles.
I found both characters uninspiring, extremely static ie non developing over the story, and especially for Noelle unrealistic and unable to seem like a real person and not just a book character.
I never did understand what the hero saw in Noelle so as to fall in love that quick with her and how she managed to make him stop mourning his deceased wife. Obviously she had some redeeming qualities, like being easy to talk to, having an extremely optimistic and positive outlook on life, taking it easy and enjoying life. But there were so many things that grated me, like her complete immaturity and irresponsibility regarding life constraints. It did not come as a surprise that her family house had been repossessed, the only surprise to me is that she managed to keep it as long as she had. She typically had the behaviour one would expect of a woman whose sole aim in life would be to find a sugar daddy to let her live in her dream life.
It took me a while to read this book, as I grew more and more irritated with the two leads each time they appeared.
The ending and the new purpose in life for Noelle was more than obvious from the first page onwards and the hero was sincerely stupid not to have thought about it before. Even though his offer might well have been refused by Noelle out of stupid fake independence principles.
March 17, 2019
3.5 stars
I'm really enjoying this series. All the characters are likable and I love that each of them has gone through something tough in their pasts and it's all about finding a good life again with someone they love.
The story was so sweet and I loved how it was written; Gayle's an amazing author. As I said, the hero and heroine were both lovable, which I don't see nearly often enough in books. They had real issues that came from really honest and valid places and yet they didn’t let that stop them from living their lives. Something that I personally loved: they weren't stubborn when it came to starting their relationship. Sometimes it gets frustrating reading about characters that are too proud and their unwillingness to let themselves be helped or loved gets so tiring.
Some things that I disliked though was that Noelle was incredibly, blindingly (and sometimes annoyingly) optimistic. Yeah, I'm one of those pessimists. And also, I didn't understand her issues. I know they came from a good place but it seemed to me like she was making it a bigger deal than it was by treating their relationship as if it were a business. It doesn’t work that way and she wasn’t accepting that. Also Liam... I really love him but God he was stubborn. I wanted to yell at him to just listen to her and everything would be fixed. I think they just didn't get each other the way they needed, but they got there in the end.
It was a good book, only a few things that annoyed me so much I had to take away stars. And also, I adore Babs. He and Katie are so beyond cute.
I'm really enjoying this series. All the characters are likable and I love that each of them has gone through something tough in their pasts and it's all about finding a good life again with someone they love.
The story was so sweet and I loved how it was written; Gayle's an amazing author. As I said, the hero and heroine were both lovable, which I don't see nearly often enough in books. They had real issues that came from really honest and valid places and yet they didn’t let that stop them from living their lives. Something that I personally loved: they weren't stubborn when it came to starting their relationship. Sometimes it gets frustrating reading about characters that are too proud and their unwillingness to let themselves be helped or loved gets so tiring.
Some things that I disliked though was that Noelle was incredibly, blindingly (and sometimes annoyingly) optimistic. Yeah, I'm one of those pessimists. And also, I didn't understand her issues. I know they came from a good place but it seemed to me like she was making it a bigger deal than it was by treating their relationship as if it were a business. It doesn’t work that way and she wasn’t accepting that. Also Liam... I really love him but God he was stubborn. I wanted to yell at him to just listen to her and everything would be fixed. I think they just didn't get each other the way they needed, but they got there in the end.
It was a good book, only a few things that annoyed me so much I had to take away stars. And also, I adore Babs. He and Katie are so beyond cute.
August 20, 2014
Source: Author
Rating: 3/5 stars
Up to this point, I have been a fan of Catherine Gayle’s Portland Storm series but, Light the Lamp really tested my loyalty. To be clear, this is still a solidly written novel with little to no editing, formatting, etc. kinds of issues. My sole issue with Light the Lamp lies with one character and one character only. Here’s the skinny:
Noelle Payne is the very definition of a human disaster. After losing her job and in an effort to preserve the money left to her by her parents for her two younger brother’s educations, Noelle has given up her home and all of the things that were once so much a part of all their lives. Additionally, thanks to a horrible car accident, her home on wheels is now a big ball of smoke and ash and she has no means of replacing it. With no job and no place to live, Noelle accepts the kind offer made to her by Liam Kallen to stay in the spare bedroom in his apartment.
Liam Kallen is a kind and gentle soul who is still absolutely shell-shocked by the death of his wife. Ever since his personal life took a tragic turn, his hockey has suffered and after more than a decade in New York and some most excellent hockey, Liam has been traded to the Portland Storm. As far as Liam is concerned, he can finish out his career with the Storm and then retire to Sweden, his home country and the one place in his life where he was the happiest. Nothing can prepare Liam for his encounter with Noelle and how completely crazy she is going to make him.
Worried that the pretty girl standing beside a stalled car is going to be the victim of an accident, Liam pulls over and convinces Noelle to wait in his vehicle for her overheated car to cool down. As if he were psychic, within minutes of getting her off the side of the rode, Noelle’s car is hit by a reckless driver. Completely helpless, Noelle and Liam watch as Noelle’s car bursts into flames. More intent than ever to see her safe, Liam invites Noelle to use the spare bedroom in his apartment until she can get her life sorted out. It doesn’t take long for Liam to figure out that Noelle’s life if a complete disaster and she has nothing, nowhere to go and, no one to turn to for help. Liam jumps into action and helps Noelle with a place to stay, plenty of food to eat and, a shopping trip to help replace all that she has lost. To Liam these are simple kindnesses that he can easily afford and wants to do for Noelle. Liam immediately sees that Noelle is a good person who is going through a very hard time and he wants to help her get back on her feet. Add to this, Liam’s instant affection for Noelle and you have a man who is willing to do anything for a woman he quickly figures out he loves. To Noelle, Liam’s actions are nice but way too much and something she struggles to accept. Noelle’s heart and mind tell her that she cares deeply for Liam but all that he does for her creates an imbalance in their relationship. Furthermore, Noelle feels that a part of Liam is still hidden behind a wall he is unwilling to tear down and until that breakthrough happens, Liam will never truly be hers.
The Bottom Line: I struggled with this read because of Noelle. For me, she is a completely ridiculous (and not in the cool, hip way) character whose logic and reasoning is completely misguided. While I fully appreciate and respect her intense desire to do something meaningful with her life, I can’t fully appreciate and respect her methods. For Noelle to accomplish what she wants too she has to be stable, she has to have a home, and she has to have enough food to sustain her. She has none of these things on her own and by her reasoning staying in a women’s shelter or on the streets will be just fine. She can still be completely satisfied with her life and her achievements while being homeless. Liam is willing and able to provide all of these things as well as allow Noelle to pursue her dreams no matter what those dreams may be. Liam is always honest with Noelle about his feelings, his wants and desires and for her to outright reject him and all that he is willing to offer her (and NOT just material things; I’m not that shallow) is a betrayal and utterly stupid. On the flip side of this little rant, I adored Liam and was so impressed with his ability to move forward with his life given his tragic past. Liam is the saving grace of Light the Lamp and because of him, I am able to give the read a solid three stars. Does this lower rating mean I am done with the Portland Storm series? Absolutely not! Catherine Gayle writes solid novels that may not having jumping up and down screaming but they do keep my attention and have (mostly!) strong characters that I can get behind and root for.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Up to this point, I have been a fan of Catherine Gayle’s Portland Storm series but, Light the Lamp really tested my loyalty. To be clear, this is still a solidly written novel with little to no editing, formatting, etc. kinds of issues. My sole issue with Light the Lamp lies with one character and one character only. Here’s the skinny:
Noelle Payne is the very definition of a human disaster. After losing her job and in an effort to preserve the money left to her by her parents for her two younger brother’s educations, Noelle has given up her home and all of the things that were once so much a part of all their lives. Additionally, thanks to a horrible car accident, her home on wheels is now a big ball of smoke and ash and she has no means of replacing it. With no job and no place to live, Noelle accepts the kind offer made to her by Liam Kallen to stay in the spare bedroom in his apartment.
Liam Kallen is a kind and gentle soul who is still absolutely shell-shocked by the death of his wife. Ever since his personal life took a tragic turn, his hockey has suffered and after more than a decade in New York and some most excellent hockey, Liam has been traded to the Portland Storm. As far as Liam is concerned, he can finish out his career with the Storm and then retire to Sweden, his home country and the one place in his life where he was the happiest. Nothing can prepare Liam for his encounter with Noelle and how completely crazy she is going to make him.
Worried that the pretty girl standing beside a stalled car is going to be the victim of an accident, Liam pulls over and convinces Noelle to wait in his vehicle for her overheated car to cool down. As if he were psychic, within minutes of getting her off the side of the rode, Noelle’s car is hit by a reckless driver. Completely helpless, Noelle and Liam watch as Noelle’s car bursts into flames. More intent than ever to see her safe, Liam invites Noelle to use the spare bedroom in his apartment until she can get her life sorted out. It doesn’t take long for Liam to figure out that Noelle’s life if a complete disaster and she has nothing, nowhere to go and, no one to turn to for help. Liam jumps into action and helps Noelle with a place to stay, plenty of food to eat and, a shopping trip to help replace all that she has lost. To Liam these are simple kindnesses that he can easily afford and wants to do for Noelle. Liam immediately sees that Noelle is a good person who is going through a very hard time and he wants to help her get back on her feet. Add to this, Liam’s instant affection for Noelle and you have a man who is willing to do anything for a woman he quickly figures out he loves. To Noelle, Liam’s actions are nice but way too much and something she struggles to accept. Noelle’s heart and mind tell her that she cares deeply for Liam but all that he does for her creates an imbalance in their relationship. Furthermore, Noelle feels that a part of Liam is still hidden behind a wall he is unwilling to tear down and until that breakthrough happens, Liam will never truly be hers.
The Bottom Line: I struggled with this read because of Noelle. For me, she is a completely ridiculous (and not in the cool, hip way) character whose logic and reasoning is completely misguided. While I fully appreciate and respect her intense desire to do something meaningful with her life, I can’t fully appreciate and respect her methods. For Noelle to accomplish what she wants too she has to be stable, she has to have a home, and she has to have enough food to sustain her. She has none of these things on her own and by her reasoning staying in a women’s shelter or on the streets will be just fine. She can still be completely satisfied with her life and her achievements while being homeless. Liam is willing and able to provide all of these things as well as allow Noelle to pursue her dreams no matter what those dreams may be. Liam is always honest with Noelle about his feelings, his wants and desires and for her to outright reject him and all that he is willing to offer her (and NOT just material things; I’m not that shallow) is a betrayal and utterly stupid. On the flip side of this little rant, I adored Liam and was so impressed with his ability to move forward with his life given his tragic past. Liam is the saving grace of Light the Lamp and because of him, I am able to give the read a solid three stars. Does this lower rating mean I am done with the Portland Storm series? Absolutely not! Catherine Gayle writes solid novels that may not having jumping up and down screaming but they do keep my attention and have (mostly!) strong characters that I can get behind and root for.
October 31, 2014
Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
4 STARS
This is one of those reviews that is hard to write because while I loved parts of this book other parts left me scratching my head so it felt a little uneven. Overall the story was good, I adored the hero but the heroine drove me a little bit nuts.
So while not my favorite of the series so far, I still enjoyed Light The Lamp and don’t regret the time I spent reading it at all; not by a long shot.
Liam “Kally” Kallan is a tortured hero. Still scarred by his wife’s death his hockey game is suffering even after being traded to a new team. When he meets Noelle he sees someone who needs help and finds that helping her heals his heart a little at a time. Noelle is one of those people who has suffered some tough breaks in her young life and the past few months she’s really fallen on hard times. Despite that she maintains this optimistic outlook on life because she simply refuses to dwell on the bad. I love the fact that she mends Liam’s heart but her stubbornness at letting him help her the way he wants made me want to whack her upside the head several times. Both characters had issues they had to overcome before they could open up their hearts and accept the other fully.
I loved how Liam’s teammates rallied around him and welcomed Noelle into the fold even when she wasn’t sure she wanted to be there. It was like Noelle was the catalyst that helped Liam not only get his game back but helped him relate better to his teammates.
Light The Lamp is emotional, raw, sexy and real and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
4 STARS
This is one of those reviews that is hard to write because while I loved parts of this book other parts left me scratching my head so it felt a little uneven. Overall the story was good, I adored the hero but the heroine drove me a little bit nuts.
So while not my favorite of the series so far, I still enjoyed Light The Lamp and don’t regret the time I spent reading it at all; not by a long shot.
Liam “Kally” Kallan is a tortured hero. Still scarred by his wife’s death his hockey game is suffering even after being traded to a new team. When he meets Noelle he sees someone who needs help and finds that helping her heals his heart a little at a time. Noelle is one of those people who has suffered some tough breaks in her young life and the past few months she’s really fallen on hard times. Despite that she maintains this optimistic outlook on life because she simply refuses to dwell on the bad. I love the fact that she mends Liam’s heart but her stubbornness at letting him help her the way he wants made me want to whack her upside the head several times. Both characters had issues they had to overcome before they could open up their hearts and accept the other fully.
I loved how Liam’s teammates rallied around him and welcomed Noelle into the fold even when she wasn’t sure she wanted to be there. It was like Noelle was the catalyst that helped Liam not only get his game back but helped him relate better to his teammates.
Light The Lamp is emotional, raw, sexy and real and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
November 17, 2017
Have you ever read a book that frustrated you so much but you just couldn't get enough of it? This was that book for me. Noelle frustrated me because she expected Liam to give her something she wasn't even giving him; complete vulnerability. And she made some pretty dumb choices. Seriously dumb and dangerous. Liam frustrated me because she kept telling him what she needed and he kept not hearing her, not understanding and not bothering to ask for clarification. At the same time, I understood where each character was coming from (at least most of the time) which was also a little frustrating because I knew that while the fix to their problems seemed simple, it really wasn't all that simple. I was frustrated for a good chunk of the book but I just couldn't put it down. I couldn't read it fast enough and I was sad when it was over, wishing I had taken my time reading it. As frustrating as I found these characters, I really loved reading their story. They each had their flaws but had big hearts and fit well together. It was also really nice to revisit characters from the other books however brief or long they were in the book. Jamie/Babs is fast becoming one of my favorites. I find that the more I read this series, the more attached to the characters I get. Really, what a great book.
August 31, 2015
Although I totally loved Liam Kallan, Noelle was a little odd and some of her actions just grated on me. They had interesting back stories but the present story line was a little too unrealistic for me. But I still enjoyed getting to know the sweet, sexy, generous Liam who had his own wounded soul and getting more with the other characters in the background.
August 20, 2015
Waaay too much Liv. I just do not like a lot of the dead spouse in the story. Constantly. I know Liam's story was sad and Noelle handled the dead wife issue really well. Almost too well. I just never felt Liam really loved Noelle. He could not let go of Liv. It turned me off to the story.
September 7, 2018
This book was about love and loss. I think Liam found Noelle at the perfect timing. They both needed each other without even realizing t. I love how Noelle was about everything. She always had a smile on her face and she felt everything around her. I loved that Liam wanted to help her and be there for her. Noelle and Liam were perfect for one another. 💛
P.S. I still love Babs the most. 😊
P.S. I still love Babs the most. 😊
May 2, 2017
"Liam Kallen wasn’t just a man who was dead set on helping me; he was a man with a heart big enough that he wanted to help even the people who’d left him broken."
He deserves sooo much better than Her.
An that girl deserves to be hit in the face with a hockey stick.
He deserves sooo much better than Her.
An that girl deserves to be hit in the face with a hockey stick.
June 28, 2015
This was a tough one for me. Noelle is kind of a free-spirit, and after her parents were killed, she's done all she could to support her younger brothers. She gave up her own college education to finish raising them and then worked her fingers to the bone to send them off to the Ivy League. It's impossible not to respect a sister that would rise to the occasion like that. However, when financial cutbacks leave her unemployed, she ends up losing their house, and then a freak accident destroys her makeshift home — her car.
Liam has never recovered from the death of his wife, especially since she never would have been there if not for him. When he finds Noelle on the side of the road, he insists upon helping her, and it's because of him that she isn't still standing there when another vehicle careens into hers and sends it up in flames. Upon learning her car was doubling as her home, he gives her a place to stay with him and his roommate.
As in the other books, Liam is an NHL player sharing a place with the rotating roommate, Jamie Babcock. He's considerably older, and if he doesn't get his game in shape, his career may not last. But he hasn't been able to find his groove since his wife died. In many ways, he's the typical widower, and Noelle is the sunshine that brings him back. He's such a kind, generous man that it's impossible not to love him, and that's what makes this story so impossible to believe.
Frankly, Noelle is an idiot. She's sweet and funny and always tries to look on the positive side of things, but she's stupid enough to put herself in danger rather than accept the help of a man she's clearly falling for. Liam hasn't made a single demand of her, and he's done everything he could to ensure her safety and comfort, but she's so caught up in some “I can't accept handouts” mind-frame that she instead sleeps on a park bench next to some sketchy homeless dude who gives her a small pocket knife with which to defend herself.
I've read some romances with flighty heroines that were funny and sweet and absolutely believable, even if I couldn't entirely identify with their way of thinking. But I'm convinced that Noelle doesn't have a way of thinking at all; she just has some vague concept of being a freeloader that she can't get past. She wants so badly to do something with meaning, a job that does some good for someone who needs it, which is why she volunteers for an animal shelter and seeks out other such opportunities. And I totally get that part. But instead of using the opportunity that Liam has given her, the safe place to sleep and enough to eat, to go out and find a charity organization where she can work full time — or hell, even part time — for some wages, she bails on him, breaks his heart, and decides living on the streets and in a homeless shelter is the better thing to do. Sure, because giving up a safe, warm, free bed is so much worse than using up one of the limited beds at the shelter that some abused runaway might need. Good job, Noelle. Put another woman in danger because you can't take handouts. Isn't a free bed at the shelter also a handout?
Okay, so I'm more upset about this book, specifically Noelle, than I thought. The thing is, I should be able to identify with her on some level. I've been dead broke to the point that I nearly lost my home and relied on friends for groceries. Taking handouts sucks, but it's also a blessing. More recently, I quit a job and took a huge pay cut to go work for a non-profit, where at the end of the day I can feel like I did something good, even some small good, for someone. But watching Noelle turn down generous help and instead rely on limited social services due to her pride just made me angry. If the food bank I volunteer at runs out of goods for people who truly need help because someone refuses good options from friends and family — like Noelle does — well, I guess you can understand why I'm only giving it one star.
July 21, 2015
Light the Lamp is sweet, sexy and inspiring, it will have you smiling as brightly as Noelle’s cheery disposition and make you want to believe people so giving live among us as well as move you to try to be like them.
Noelle has been down on her luck because she recently lost her job and then her house, but her viewpoint isn’t keeping luck company. She has a positive attitude knowing she’ll find a solution to her problems especially since worry has never rolled up its sleeves and solved anything. And now, by a fortuitous happenstance she can continue making a difference and spreading cheer after being saved from an encounter with certain death by a stranger.
Liam “Kally” Kallen has been scarred by his wife’s death. Not only has his career suffered from it, he is also plagued with a guilt he can hardly talk about much less expunge, tinting his life a dull gray. That is until his concern leads him to save Noelle and his protectiveness guides him to incorporate her into his life. She gives him a new optimistic view and a second chance at love he thought he would never get again.
The only problem is Liam and Noelle have too much to give. Liam in the way of material needs and Noelle in terms of positive emotions. Their relationship was too new, moving too fast it’s overwhelming, forcing Noelle to walk away unless they can find a way to balance their bond.
I ached for Liam and his broken soul. Liam made me sympathized with him and his tragic loss. I felt terrible for his misplaced guilt, I understood his confusion over the new opportunity life gave him at a perfect love. He’s a different kind of take charge hero
I enjoyed reading about.
I was completely charmed with Noelle’s character and her desire to do something meaningful with her life. I honestly wish I had that strength of character. But there were also times when my very practical side wanted to slap her and Liam silly for not talking, exploring options and trying to find some kind of middle ground.
It’s really great reading about the previous couples and characters in the team. Their family like bond and their support in this particular book shone through.
I was so glad I got to read more about Jamie Babcock, having him living with Kally. He’s still young enough to be completely cute and adorable but also old enough to be an alpha male with his very own Babs signature.
Liam and Noelle’s story blew me away with the amount of emotions it stirred. A couple of times bringing me to tears. It moved me and left me wanting to make a difference myself.
This is the third book in the Portland Storm series. You could probably read it without reading the previous books but you would be missing out on the characters that appear as secondary in this book. I strongly suggest you read the series in order.
And for those of you who are Tammy Falkner fans and follow her Reed Brothers series, can you guess where Liam gets his tattoos at?
* I got this book as a part of our book blog participation in the Light the Lamp tour. Look for us at our TJLovesToRead blog
Noelle has been down on her luck because she recently lost her job and then her house, but her viewpoint isn’t keeping luck company. She has a positive attitude knowing she’ll find a solution to her problems especially since worry has never rolled up its sleeves and solved anything. And now, by a fortuitous happenstance she can continue making a difference and spreading cheer after being saved from an encounter with certain death by a stranger.
Liam “Kally” Kallen has been scarred by his wife’s death. Not only has his career suffered from it, he is also plagued with a guilt he can hardly talk about much less expunge, tinting his life a dull gray. That is until his concern leads him to save Noelle and his protectiveness guides him to incorporate her into his life. She gives him a new optimistic view and a second chance at love he thought he would never get again.
The only problem is Liam and Noelle have too much to give. Liam in the way of material needs and Noelle in terms of positive emotions. Their relationship was too new, moving too fast it’s overwhelming, forcing Noelle to walk away unless they can find a way to balance their bond.
I ached for Liam and his broken soul. Liam made me sympathized with him and his tragic loss. I felt terrible for his misplaced guilt, I understood his confusion over the new opportunity life gave him at a perfect love. He’s a different kind of take charge hero
I enjoyed reading about.
I was completely charmed with Noelle’s character and her desire to do something meaningful with her life. I honestly wish I had that strength of character. But there were also times when my very practical side wanted to slap her and Liam silly for not talking, exploring options and trying to find some kind of middle ground.
It’s really great reading about the previous couples and characters in the team. Their family like bond and their support in this particular book shone through.
I was so glad I got to read more about Jamie Babcock, having him living with Kally. He’s still young enough to be completely cute and adorable but also old enough to be an alpha male with his very own Babs signature.
Liam and Noelle’s story blew me away with the amount of emotions it stirred. A couple of times bringing me to tears. It moved me and left me wanting to make a difference myself.
This is the third book in the Portland Storm series. You could probably read it without reading the previous books but you would be missing out on the characters that appear as secondary in this book. I strongly suggest you read the series in order.
And for those of you who are Tammy Falkner fans and follow her Reed Brothers series, can you guess where Liam gets his tattoos at?
* I got this book as a part of our book blog participation in the Light the Lamp tour. Look for us at our TJLovesToRead blog
September 23, 2020
Listened as part of the First Period box set.
This is my least favorite book of the series and the one I usually skip when rereading as I struggle both to connect with the main characters and in finding their romance believable. Noelle borders on being psychic/mystic/or some inconsistently defined supernatural empath. It just doesn't fit with the tone of the series or other characters. She's homeless and the reasons are ridiculously non-existent other than in some kind of construct in her mind.
This is also INSTA relationship, living together, etc. with no foundation for any kind of meaningful bond between Liam & Noelle. The majority of the book takes place in a week and I just don't feel like Gayle justified Liam's feelings/actions or gives any reason to be confident these two have what it takes to make it last.
Angel Clark’s narration continues to improve and despite being disappointed in the story - I enjoyed her narration. I appreciate that she uses a slightly different register based on the POV of the chapter.
This is my least favorite book of the series and the one I usually skip when rereading as I struggle both to connect with the main characters and in finding their romance believable. Noelle borders on being psychic/mystic/or some inconsistently defined supernatural empath. It just doesn't fit with the tone of the series or other characters. She's homeless and the reasons are ridiculously non-existent other than in some kind of construct in her mind.
This is also INSTA relationship, living together, etc. with no foundation for any kind of meaningful bond between Liam & Noelle. The majority of the book takes place in a week and I just don't feel like Gayle justified Liam's feelings/actions or gives any reason to be confident these two have what it takes to make it last.
Angel Clark’s narration continues to improve and despite being disappointed in the story - I enjoyed her narration. I appreciate that she uses a slightly different register based on the POV of the chapter.
August 7, 2021
I have a lot of conflicting feelings about LIGHT THE LAMP so this review might be all over the place. At the surface, I enjoyed seeing more of the Portland Storm and Jamie was an absolute delight; I can't wait for his story. Overall, the pacing of the story was a bit slow for me but it wasn't too bad and I didn't mind the slower burn romance between Liam and Noelle. I also really liked Liam and felt so much for his continued grief over losing his wife. I often struggle to read books with widow(er)s because they can get bogged down in a really sad place, but I liked the way Gayle handled Liam moving on and learning to love again. At first, I was bothered by Liam's protectiveness toward Noelle only because he was treating her like a child; he didn't want anyone else to see her in her PJs, he didn't want her around the guys when they were cursing or getting rowdy over video games, etc. It gets toned down as the book goes on; he of course still wants to spend a ton of money on Noelle to help her, but it's obvious that that's just how Liam shows he cares.
But the thing I really struggled with was Noelle and her actions. I did like Noelle and she's an incredibly sensitive and sweet woman who only thinks about others, to the point that she's homeless but refusing to tell her brothers because she knows they'll drop out of college to save money. I also liked her free spirited nature and her determination to be positive about life. Noelle agrees to stay for a week with Liam but if he can't let down all his walls then she'll leave, and I don't mean just go to a shelter while they work out their relationship, no, she'll leave for good. A week is a completely unreasonable amount of time to expect someone to pretty much bare their soul. She also doesn't like Liam spending money on her because it makes the relationship unbalanced, which is fine and completely true, but she expects Liam to let her help without ever giving him an idea on how she wants to help; it's like she just expects him to figure it out on his own. She also complains about the lack of balance but doesn't do anything herself to fix it like getting a job or finding ways to help Liam. It just made all the drama so manufactured because it would have gone away if Noelle just explained herself or didn't expect Liam to reveal all his emotions to basically a stranger.
Content Warning: Liam’s wife and unborn child were killed by a drunk driver
But the thing I really struggled with was Noelle and her actions. I did like Noelle and she's an incredibly sensitive and sweet woman who only thinks about others, to the point that she's homeless but refusing to tell her brothers because she knows they'll drop out of college to save money. I also liked her free spirited nature and her determination to be positive about life. Noelle agrees to stay for a week with Liam but if he can't let down all his walls then she'll leave, and I don't mean just go to a shelter while they work out their relationship, no, she'll leave for good. A week is a completely unreasonable amount of time to expect someone to pretty much bare their soul. She also doesn't like Liam spending money on her because it makes the relationship unbalanced, which is fine and completely true, but she expects Liam to let her help without ever giving him an idea on how she wants to help; it's like she just expects him to figure it out on his own. She also complains about the lack of balance but doesn't do anything herself to fix it like getting a job or finding ways to help Liam. It just made all the drama so manufactured because it would have gone away if Noelle just explained herself or didn't expect Liam to reveal all his emotions to basically a stranger.
Content Warning: Liam’s wife and unborn child were killed by a drunk driver
June 25, 2016
The audible version is a great way to get a 360º feel of this fast paced sports romance. The narrator, Angel Clark has a great grasp on all the different voices and inflections, plus her delivery of all the emotions is fantastic.
Gayle’s Portland Storm series continues, focusing on the life and times of a professional hockey team, its players plus dealing with some real serious societal issues. In the case of book 3 untimely death and homelessness. Her hockey jargon filled narrative keeps fans in the hockey know and entertained and her cast of jock co-stars are great sideliners. Her couple is likeable especially Liam who’s an open book compared to the complicated sometimes too angst filled conundrum that is Noelle. Happily for me the high drama on and off the ice doesn’t deter from enjoying the read too much, but if you’re not a fan of uber angst and drama it may not be for you.
The night Liam Kallen (Kally) lost his wife to a drunk driver he also lost his hockey scoring mojo. Now a year and a half later, playing for the Portland Storm he got it back when he saved the life of a young woman. He’s not sure what to make of his intense attraction to her but he knows he can’t let her go and not just because she’s his puck scoring lucky charm.
Homeless, jobless and living in her car Noelle Payne didn’t think anything worse could happen, until her car was destroyed in a freak accident. She’s thankful for the handsome Good Samaritan who saved her life; she’s not sure why he feels the need to keep helping her, or why she keeps letting him when she knows it’s not the right thing to do.
Gayle’s Portland Storm series continues, focusing on the life and times of a professional hockey team, its players plus dealing with some real serious societal issues. In the case of book 3 untimely death and homelessness. Her hockey jargon filled narrative keeps fans in the hockey know and entertained and her cast of jock co-stars are great sideliners. Her couple is likeable especially Liam who’s an open book compared to the complicated sometimes too angst filled conundrum that is Noelle. Happily for me the high drama on and off the ice doesn’t deter from enjoying the read too much, but if you’re not a fan of uber angst and drama it may not be for you.
The night Liam Kallen (Kally) lost his wife to a drunk driver he also lost his hockey scoring mojo. Now a year and a half later, playing for the Portland Storm he got it back when he saved the life of a young woman. He’s not sure what to make of his intense attraction to her but he knows he can’t let her go and not just because she’s his puck scoring lucky charm.
Homeless, jobless and living in her car Noelle Payne didn’t think anything worse could happen, until her car was destroyed in a freak accident. She’s thankful for the handsome Good Samaritan who saved her life; she’s not sure why he feels the need to keep helping her, or why she keeps letting him when she knows it’s not the right thing to do.
December 23, 2019
Sweetly Unusual Hockey Romance
This hockey romance is a little different from usual. Hockey is an aggressive, fast paced and violent sport and this story was none of those things. This story was slow, sweet and tender.
Liam is a Swedish hockey player who lost his wife 18 months ago to a drink driver. He lost his scoring ability when she died and was traded to the Portland Storm, where they wanted him for his age and experience as much as his old scoring ability.
Noelle is a young, sweet and empathic woman, who’s parent died when she was 19 leaving her to drop out of college and care of her teenage brothers. Due to losing her job and not wanting her brothers to drop out of college, she lost their house and was living in a car. When her car broke down at the side of the road, Liam spotted her and took her away whilst they waiting for the radiator to cool down. Then her car was totalled.
This story was about two people who have had horrible things happen and how they differed in the ways in which they handled them. It was about learning to communicate pain and fear as well as love and compassion.
I got sucked into the story, enjoying the characters a lot and desperate to see what would happen next. I enjoyed it a lot.
This hockey romance is a little different from usual. Hockey is an aggressive, fast paced and violent sport and this story was none of those things. This story was slow, sweet and tender.
Liam is a Swedish hockey player who lost his wife 18 months ago to a drink driver. He lost his scoring ability when she died and was traded to the Portland Storm, where they wanted him for his age and experience as much as his old scoring ability.
Noelle is a young, sweet and empathic woman, who’s parent died when she was 19 leaving her to drop out of college and care of her teenage brothers. Due to losing her job and not wanting her brothers to drop out of college, she lost their house and was living in a car. When her car broke down at the side of the road, Liam spotted her and took her away whilst they waiting for the radiator to cool down. Then her car was totalled.
This story was about two people who have had horrible things happen and how they differed in the ways in which they handled them. It was about learning to communicate pain and fear as well as love and compassion.
I got sucked into the story, enjoying the characters a lot and desperate to see what would happen next. I enjoyed it a lot.
November 21, 2014
I keep crying
I have managed to read all the books in this series. I keep thinking, "I've got myself under control, there will be no more tears. These are just stories." Then, three tissues later, I continue with the book. This time around, the issues aren't about trying to get past pain that was purposely inflicted, or the enemy that is disease, but rather, the pain that lingers after all the grief is supposedly gone. And what denial looks like, from the outside and from the inside.
I love these two people more than any of the author's previous characters, which is saying a lot. I don't continue to read series that fail, so each book has been better than the book before it. Learning to say "I love you," in English or another language, can be the most difficult thing to learn to speak. Learning to say "I love you" without words is way more important, and even harder to do. Giving voice to the characters as they learn these lessons is what Catherine Gayle excels at. And that is making me use a lot of tissues. (That's considered a good thing in this situation.)
I have managed to read all the books in this series. I keep thinking, "I've got myself under control, there will be no more tears. These are just stories." Then, three tissues later, I continue with the book. This time around, the issues aren't about trying to get past pain that was purposely inflicted, or the enemy that is disease, but rather, the pain that lingers after all the grief is supposedly gone. And what denial looks like, from the outside and from the inside.
I love these two people more than any of the author's previous characters, which is saying a lot. I don't continue to read series that fail, so each book has been better than the book before it. Learning to say "I love you," in English or another language, can be the most difficult thing to learn to speak. Learning to say "I love you" without words is way more important, and even harder to do. Giving voice to the characters as they learn these lessons is what Catherine Gayle excels at. And that is making me use a lot of tissues. (That's considered a good thing in this situation.)
January 4, 2017
The story was a little exaggerated for my taste.
Noelle and Liam have a great spark and they both have really big hearts. Noelle's behavior when she didn't have anywhere to go was ridiculous to me. I understand not wanting to take advantage of someone or "free loading" off of them but really?? You'd rather sleep on a park bench than let someone you love and loves you help. Someone you could bust your butt to pay back if it was really that important??
Just a little too much.
Noelle and Liam have a great spark and they both have really big hearts. Noelle's behavior when she didn't have anywhere to go was ridiculous to me. I understand not wanting to take advantage of someone or "free loading" off of them but really?? You'd rather sleep on a park bench than let someone you love and loves you help. Someone you could bust your butt to pay back if it was really that important??
Just a little too much.
January 18, 2024
Ok. So despite some of the reviews I read and the fact that Noelle was a bit strange, I really liked this book. I admit the first half was a little frustrating but the HEA and the fact I understood the protagonists better by the end made me smile. I can't wait to continue on in the series.
October 24, 2016
This was such a poignant and sweet story, it left me smiling and sad all at the same time. Noelle was such a sweetie and Liam is such a sweetheart, their story is heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time
Needless to say, I loved their story and the characters!
Needless to say, I loved their story and the characters!
November 5, 2015
lovely
December 26, 2016
Meehhhh. The most underwhelming story of the series so far. Couldn't connect to either characters, and didn't connect to the story as a reason
April 8, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. I love going back and reading about the Portland Storm team. Noelle and Liam were brought into each other lives in right movement for the both of them.
March 16, 2024
Noelle got kinda annoying.... Felt like made up strife to have some obstacle to overcome. Still liked hearing about other characters on team. Will give book 4 a shot.
January 31, 2018
Liam is painted in such lovely, albeit sad, tones that they're in striking contrast to Noelle.
L meets her when he sees her car pulled over on the side of the highway and it reminds him of how his wife died. He convinces her to get off the highway with him and within 10 minutes her car is hit and goes up in flames. Since she was living out of her car, it wipes out everything she owned except for a few precious items she stowed in her purse.
L takes her in and she ends up living with L and Babs. She should be figuring out her next moves, including getting a job and a new place but she's in la-la Land and continues to volunteer and goes picking wildflowers instead of LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT. L wants to help her, take care of her, which is understandably too much too soon, but if you're homeless you've got to change your frame of mind and stop thinking you're a mooch when you're HOMELESS and have no possessions.
We're supposed to feel bad for her, but I have a hard time doing so for many reasons. I hated this one, especially Noelle with all her selfishness and, frankly, self-righteousness. She had plenty of options available to her to get herself money, including talking to her brothers who go to IVY LEAGUE schools. She did not need to take a bed in the women's shelter or have to sleep on a bench in the park when he has a SAFE place for her to live, especially when the guys are traveling and she wouldn't be a bother. She also kept saying she wanted more from him, which was confusing because she never really told him what she wanted and didn't give much of herself until the end.
L meets her when he sees her car pulled over on the side of the highway and it reminds him of how his wife died. He convinces her to get off the highway with him and within 10 minutes her car is hit and goes up in flames. Since she was living out of her car, it wipes out everything she owned except for a few precious items she stowed in her purse.
L takes her in and she ends up living with L and Babs. She should be figuring out her next moves, including getting a job and a new place but she's in la-la Land and continues to volunteer and goes picking wildflowers instead of LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT. L wants to help her, take care of her, which is understandably too much too soon, but if you're homeless you've got to change your frame of mind and stop thinking you're a mooch when you're HOMELESS and have no possessions.
We're supposed to feel bad for her, but I have a hard time doing so for many reasons. I hated this one, especially Noelle with all her selfishness and, frankly, self-righteousness. She had plenty of options available to her to get herself money, including talking to her brothers who go to IVY LEAGUE schools. She did not need to take a bed in the women's shelter or have to sleep on a bench in the park when he has a SAFE place for her to live, especially when the guys are traveling and she wouldn't be a bother. She also kept saying she wanted more from him, which was confusing because she never really told him what she wanted and didn't give much of herself until the end.
March 23, 2020
Every time I do a re-read of this series I think about skipping this book but my itchy brain won't let me. Even after all the books Ms. Gayle has written, this one is still my least favorite. I think in part because as readers we really didn't know Kally well yet and then there is Noelle who is so damn stubborn I seriously wanted to smack her upside the head and I'm not a violent person. I'm all for a strong heroine, but she wasn't strong she was stubborn and honestly a bit stupid for putting herself in danger when she didn't need to. She had people who wanted to help her but because of some moral code she'd made for herself she refused help. This book really frustrates me, but the thing that always impressed me about it was how the situtation helped Kally bond with his team and how they all rallied around him, so that's why I don't skip it. It's important, but the romance isn't my favorite.
May 2, 2016
Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick
Light the Lamp is the third book in Catherine Gayle's contemporary sports romance series about the Portland Storm hockey team. These books can all be read as standalones but do contain interconnected characters and the story does continue from one book to the next. Even though it isn't absolutely necessary to start at the beginning, I would definitely recommend it so that you get to know all the characters and see how they have all got to where they are. Beyond that though, these books are just good stories and I think that they are worth the read. These books do all deal with some heavy issues though. However what I love about them the most is that even though they contain serious subjects that have left the character broken or a bit damaged is that they show how we can truly overcome anything, and they always leave you feeling happy and hopeful.
After losing his wife in a tragic accident, Liam Kallen gets traded from the NHL team he has been on for years to the Portland Storm. Shortly after arriving in town, he sees a woman on the side of the road in a potentially dangerous situation and can't help but try to prevent the unthinkable from happening to her. He couldn't protect his wife, but he will do everything he can to protect this woman. He convinces her to let him help, and shortly after things go from bad to worse for Noelle Payne when her car ends up getting destroyed in an accident. Without Liam's help, she would have not just lost her car but also her life. When Liam finds out that she was living out of her car and is now without a home, car or job, he tells her to come and stay with him for awhile. She reluctantly agrees, and decides to take him up on his offer. Soon Liam is going out of his way to protect and provide for her in the only way he knows how. Noelle is determined to make it a short time though and continues to search for a way for her to make a difference in the world. As Liam and Noelle grow closer, he begins to heal from the painful death of his wife while finally looking towards the future for the first time. But can Noelle stick around long enough to see if they have a chance at a future together, especially when she knows that he is still not opening himself up to her completely?
I really liked Liam. He was a genuinely good guy, that was kind and thoughtful. He was always trying to help others and provide for others when they couldn't do it themselves. He was truly selfless, and never even thought about what he would get in return. He didn't expect anything from anyone else, and it made him so easy to like. He was really sweet and understanding with Noelle, and he never judged her. I liked Noelle's character, and I thought that she was so positive and optimistic. I thought that she was too trusting though, and I couldn't believe how quickly she let Liam in regardless of what a great person he was. It was hard for me to identify with her even though I liked her character. I just thought that she was a bit too free spirited for my taste, and she tended to live in the moment without much thought as to her future or the real world. She didn't seem to really be bothered with the fact that she didn't have any kind of job or place to stay, and she was determined to look for a job that was about making a difference only. I just kept thinking if I was in the same situation I wouldn't care what job I had to take in order to have a roof over my head and that I could worry about doing something meaningful after I was able to provide for myself. I also didn't get how she would just wander off to take a walk or bike ride and would completely forget to wear shoes and things like that. So as much as I liked her and thought she was nice, she was just too different for me to really connect with. I did think that she had chemistry with Liam and that they were great together. They were able to help each other out in so many ways, and I thought that they were the perfect match for the other. Liam helped her and offered her the support she needed, and she helped him to heal and really start to live again.
Overall, I think that this was a good addition to the series and I am really enjoying each story that I have read so far. I love this group so much, and I think that each and every character has something so unique and great to offer. They have all been through so much, and each one is so different from all the others. But what makes them so great is that all their differences just make them that much better as a whole. The Portland Storm hockey team and organization are so much closer than a family, and it just amazes me with each book I read how much they all support each other and lean on one another. They are always there for each other and they never expect anything in return. These books really do show that anything is possible with love and friendship. As much as I love this series and Catherine Gayle's writing, I will admit that this book had the same problem that I have found with all the rest. I love the entire book and really enjoy things up until the end. For me, her endings always seem abrupt and leave a lot to be desired. I just wish that her endings were as good as the rest of her books, because I really feel like these books would all be five stars if they didn't just stop. She always has epilogues and the characters are seen throughout the books, but they always just seem to be rushed and incomplete when it comes to the end of the book. I still think that these books are worth reading though, and I would definitely recommend to contemporary fans as well as sports romance fans. I look forward to the next book in this series as well as more from Catherine Gayle in the future.
**ARC Provided by AToMR**
Light the Lamp is the third book in Catherine Gayle's contemporary sports romance series about the Portland Storm hockey team. These books can all be read as standalones but do contain interconnected characters and the story does continue from one book to the next. Even though it isn't absolutely necessary to start at the beginning, I would definitely recommend it so that you get to know all the characters and see how they have all got to where they are. Beyond that though, these books are just good stories and I think that they are worth the read. These books do all deal with some heavy issues though. However what I love about them the most is that even though they contain serious subjects that have left the character broken or a bit damaged is that they show how we can truly overcome anything, and they always leave you feeling happy and hopeful.
After losing his wife in a tragic accident, Liam Kallen gets traded from the NHL team he has been on for years to the Portland Storm. Shortly after arriving in town, he sees a woman on the side of the road in a potentially dangerous situation and can't help but try to prevent the unthinkable from happening to her. He couldn't protect his wife, but he will do everything he can to protect this woman. He convinces her to let him help, and shortly after things go from bad to worse for Noelle Payne when her car ends up getting destroyed in an accident. Without Liam's help, she would have not just lost her car but also her life. When Liam finds out that she was living out of her car and is now without a home, car or job, he tells her to come and stay with him for awhile. She reluctantly agrees, and decides to take him up on his offer. Soon Liam is going out of his way to protect and provide for her in the only way he knows how. Noelle is determined to make it a short time though and continues to search for a way for her to make a difference in the world. As Liam and Noelle grow closer, he begins to heal from the painful death of his wife while finally looking towards the future for the first time. But can Noelle stick around long enough to see if they have a chance at a future together, especially when she knows that he is still not opening himself up to her completely?
I really liked Liam. He was a genuinely good guy, that was kind and thoughtful. He was always trying to help others and provide for others when they couldn't do it themselves. He was truly selfless, and never even thought about what he would get in return. He didn't expect anything from anyone else, and it made him so easy to like. He was really sweet and understanding with Noelle, and he never judged her. I liked Noelle's character, and I thought that she was so positive and optimistic. I thought that she was too trusting though, and I couldn't believe how quickly she let Liam in regardless of what a great person he was. It was hard for me to identify with her even though I liked her character. I just thought that she was a bit too free spirited for my taste, and she tended to live in the moment without much thought as to her future or the real world. She didn't seem to really be bothered with the fact that she didn't have any kind of job or place to stay, and she was determined to look for a job that was about making a difference only. I just kept thinking if I was in the same situation I wouldn't care what job I had to take in order to have a roof over my head and that I could worry about doing something meaningful after I was able to provide for myself. I also didn't get how she would just wander off to take a walk or bike ride and would completely forget to wear shoes and things like that. So as much as I liked her and thought she was nice, she was just too different for me to really connect with. I did think that she had chemistry with Liam and that they were great together. They were able to help each other out in so many ways, and I thought that they were the perfect match for the other. Liam helped her and offered her the support she needed, and she helped him to heal and really start to live again.
Overall, I think that this was a good addition to the series and I am really enjoying each story that I have read so far. I love this group so much, and I think that each and every character has something so unique and great to offer. They have all been through so much, and each one is so different from all the others. But what makes them so great is that all their differences just make them that much better as a whole. The Portland Storm hockey team and organization are so much closer than a family, and it just amazes me with each book I read how much they all support each other and lean on one another. They are always there for each other and they never expect anything in return. These books really do show that anything is possible with love and friendship. As much as I love this series and Catherine Gayle's writing, I will admit that this book had the same problem that I have found with all the rest. I love the entire book and really enjoy things up until the end. For me, her endings always seem abrupt and leave a lot to be desired. I just wish that her endings were as good as the rest of her books, because I really feel like these books would all be five stars if they didn't just stop. She always has epilogues and the characters are seen throughout the books, but they always just seem to be rushed and incomplete when it comes to the end of the book. I still think that these books are worth reading though, and I would definitely recommend to contemporary fans as well as sports romance fans. I look forward to the next book in this series as well as more from Catherine Gayle in the future.
**ARC Provided by AToMR**
July 12, 2017
I did not like this story. Noelle is a manic pixie dream girl with a hefty helping of Too Stupid To Live. Seriously. Choosing to sleep on the street when you have other options? STUPID. And the whole premise of how he saves her the same way his wife died was just too much. Tooooooooo much.
And the team rallying around to find her? Like, nobody was in the background rolling their eyes wondering why the crazy Swede was so desperate to find the homeless lady? Someone on that team should have been sitting him down and suggesting therapy.
I couldn't accept any of it.
And the team rallying around to find her? Like, nobody was in the background rolling their eyes wondering why the crazy Swede was so desperate to find the homeless lady? Someone on that team should have been sitting him down and suggesting therapy.
I couldn't accept any of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews