From the author of Wildflower Hill, this breathtaking novel travels more than a century between two love stories set in the Australian seaside town of Lighthouse Bay.
In 1901, a ship sinks off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The only survivor is Isabella Winterbourne, who clutches a priceless gift meant for the Australian Parliament. This gift could be her ticket to a new life, free from the bonds of her husband and his overbearing family. But whom can she trust in Lighthouse Bay?
Fast-forward to 2011: after losing her lover, Libby Slater leaves her life in Paris to return to her hometown of Lighthouse Bay, hoping to gain some perspective and grieve her recent loss. Libby also attempts to reconcile with her sister, Juliet, to whom she hasn’t spoken in twenty years. Libby did something so unforgivable, Juliet is unsure if she can ever trust her sister again.
In these two adventurous love stories, both Isabella and Libby must learn that letting go of the past is the only way to move into the future. The answers they seek lie in Lighthouse Bay.
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
April 9th 2013
by Touchstone
Terri's Thought
I was looking for my next audio book and this story came up as a recommended read on Goodreads for me. As I am familiar with Kimberley Freeman's work, I thought this would be a perfect choice. I was not disappointed.
I am a sucker for historical fiction and for dual storylines that intermix between the past and the present. This story was both, if you count 2011 as present day. Since the book was published in 2013, I would say so.
I was wrapped up in Isabella's story from the very beginning. I wanted to see how she would navigate her new reality starting with no material possessions or money. It was a good glimpse at the era as well as the geography of the time. I couldn't wait to see how it would play out.
Libby's story was pretty good as well. Hers was more about healing relationships, mourning the past and looking towards the future. While I was a little disappointed that she didn't learn anything from past and repeated her same mistakes, I was as equally pleased that for the remaining aspect of her life she was able to let go of her past and move forward.
I am a fan of Kimberley Freeman. In fact I think I may embark on a blitz of her books so stay tuned for more reviews in the future. Be patient as I will be using the audio book format and it is so much slower than if I were to read it myself. Speaking of, for those who use audio books, I really liked the narrator on this one. I forget her name but she did a really good job and fit the storyline.
About the Author
Kimberley was born in London and her family moved back to Australia when she was three years old. She grew up in Queensland where she currently lives.
Kimberley has written for as long as she can remember and she is proud to write in many genres. She is an award-winning writer in children’s, historical and speculative fiction under her birth name Kim Wilkins. She adopted the pen name Kimberley Freeman for her commercial women’s fiction novels Duet and Gold Dust to honour her maternal grandmother and to try and capture the spirit of the page-turning novels she has always loved to read. Kim has an Honours degree, a Masters degree and a PhD from The University of Queensland where she is also a lecturer. She lives in Brisbane with her young family.
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