I read and enjoyed The Bourbon Thief and this was marketed to fans of Diana Gabaldon and Kate Morton, so there was no way I wasn't going to read it. I'm not quite sure I would recommend it to those two authors' fans because it didn't have the same level of historical detail as those women achieve. If anything, something in it reminded me of Overseas, though it's been four years since I read that book so I'm not sure what it was - apart from the obvious time traveling bit. I didn't think the writing was quite as powerful as Reisz's earlier book, though it was good. Her characters, particularly the women and Father Pat, all felt lifelike. (Strangely, it was the romantic interest that was a bit hollow for me - maybe because he was one of those too-good to-be-true types). And I learned a bit about lighthouses, which I've always been fond of. For someone looking for a solid but not smutty time travel romance, this was perfect.

Tiffany Reisz is not an author to take the easy road with her writing and subjects. This is a very different idea from her past books. It is a stretch and many may not be up to the task of reading this type of story... But whatever Ms. Reisz does... she is always committed to do the research and plotting necessary to bring a tale to life.

Tiffany Reisz offers a unique spin on time travel in her new novel The Night Mark. (Amazon | B&N | Kobo) Faye Barlow loved her husband. Truly, Madly, Deeply – he was THE ONE. But then he died and she soon found herself married to his best friend and treated like a pampered princess. Only it doesn’t feel that way to Faye. It feels like a prison. When she agrees to take pictures of an old lighthouse for the Ladies of the Lowcountry Preservation Society, it serves as an escape from all the things in the past she wants to leave behind.

Then a rogue wave takes her out to sea and seemingly, into a whole new reality.

Faye recognized the voice. Of course she did. She would have known that voice across the sea or in a storm, in heaven or in hell or wherever she was.. . . She knew that voice.

Faye feels caught up in a life not her own, in a time and place that don’t belong to her. Or do they? A luscious love story awaits readers in the pages of this sweet, sassy tale of endless love.

I'm not sure I have the proper words to express how beautifully romantic and expertly written this story is.

I have enjoyed almost all of Reisz's books in the past. The only exceptions are this one and The Bourbon Thief. I read The Bourbon Thief and give it a solid 4 stars. The Night Mark is a book I couldn't finish. I tried to finish it, but at 30%, I finally bailed. I just couldn't get into it. I went back several more times and still finding myself saying no. I will still be purchasing a signed book because I have all her books signed.

Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. I will always try every Tiffany Reisz book that she writes but for me, her romance is much stronger than her contemporary + romance counterparts. Thank you for the opportunity.

Well, well, well … I do believe Tiffany Reisz has made a solid fan out of me. The Night Mark is the second book of hers that I’ve read and love. I don’t know why, but I tend to feel a bit reluctant to read her books because I get the lame-ass idea that it’ll be dense and boring. I have no clue why the hell I’d think that, because both books have been the total opposite. It’s damn near impossible to not be completely captivated by this story.

Faye is not in a good place after suffering such loss, so she decides to make some changes. When she travels to a South Carolina coastal town for work, the mystery and magic begins. She eventually finds herself transported back to 1921 where the way of living was a whole lot different. She’s even more shocked to find who else is there.

Reisz really does a fantastic job weaving this story of love and second chances that transcends time, all while masterfully unfolding a compelling mystery. It was a bit of a rollercoaster that had me gripping my Kindle at times, because the feels are very much real!

I totally fell for all of these wonderful characters, including Pat, Dolly, Ty, and a certain someones else. Plus, I’m a huge fan of humor and good dialogue, and both are very much accounted for here. It has it all!

This is absolutely a standalone, but I have to mention how much I love the connection to The Bourbon Thief.

Overall, I adore The Night Mark and look forward to reading more by Reisz.

You know what? Tiffany Reisz's name may have been what drew me to this novel but it's her writing and wicked storytelling abilities that keep me picking up her books. Honestly, The Night Mark is so far outside of my comfort zone that I know I probably would never have picked it up if it wasn't for Tiffany Reisz and there's a lesson there, a lesson I keep learning: Good writing and good storylines can get me out of my genre reading every time.

The Night Mark swept me up in the story of Faye and Faith and Will, Carrick, Hagan, Pat and Dolly. I had to know how their stories would end and if Faye could find a way out of her deep grief; if Carrick would find happiness after a great loss; and what, exactly, did Pat know. In order to do this I had to do the easiest thing ever when reading a Reisz book: sit back, relax, and enjoy the story. I suspended my doubts and followed Faye into the waters of South Carolina and to her present, past, and future.

If you're a faithful Tiffany Reisz fan, you're going to love this novel. It's got so much heart and held me in its thrall--I couldn't put it down until I finished. I'm still thinking about Faye and Carrick and wondering all kinds of things about time travel now and that to me is the best gift of all--my imagination has been lit and it's all due to this novel. Thank you, Tiffany Reisz for the journeys you continues to craft and take me on.

The first time I heard about The Night Mark I was immediately interested to know what was going on in this story , so you can just imagined how thrilled I was when I got to read it early . I dived into this story as soon as I could and omg it was fantastic.

In this book we follow faye and she is not going through the best time right now she just divorced her husband and she is still morning the last of death of husband she had before that . While she is travelling she find this lighthouse that just fascinates her and this is really where things take of in this story. One of the things I enjoyed about this book is that we get to see faye become happier and come into her own more as she says it in the book be more alive ,because in the beginning of this book we do not find her in the best head space but as the book goes on we see her begin to change for the better and I love that , after all she has been through I just wanted her to be happy .I loved the love story in this book , It was swoonworthy ,sexy , enchanting and very complicated at times lol , I rooted for Faye and Carrick to be together no matter what happened and trust me when I saw there are many barriers seeing as these two are from different times. Tiffany Reisz always writes fantastic love stories and Night mark was another one . I love the way Tiffany Reisz incorporates time travel in this book ? I find that sometime time travel in books can be a bit tricky because sometimes it does not come across of as clearly to the reader , but Tiffany Reisz take on it it was simpler and I could understand everything that was going on .I loved this book , I could just gush about it forever !

The Night mark was a sexy , addictive , unique , time travel romance and after reading this book I cannot wait to see what Tiffany Reisz will write next ! I know its going to be fantastic. If you love all these things in your book you should definitely get a copy .

Tiffany Reisz has provided me with some of my most memorable reading experiences. Given me characters I will never forget. I hold her writing in high regard, I always will, and no doubt many will love this story of time travel, love and mystery but alas for me and my reading tastes, 'The Night Mark,' sorely missed the mark. I did not feel the romance, the writing felt overly detailed and maybe mysterious to the point there were too many questions that I felt could never really be answered because they were unexplainable. I guess maybe that is one of the issues with time travel and it could be argued that maybe time travel is not for me, even though, 'The Time Travellers Wife,' is a memorable and well-loved story for me but perhaps that was an exception. There were glimmers where I felt I was sure to become engaged but unfortunately those glimmers dimmed before my investment was secured. This story is being enjoyed by many readers, some state it's Reisz's best work to date so if you're a fan of mysterious Time Travel stories, then the penmanship of this author is certainly worthy of a read.

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Faye Barlow feels completely hollow. Tragedy after tragedy has sent her life into a never-ending downward spiral. Once again faced with starting all over again, she heads to coastal South Carolina to photograph the legendary Lowcountry area for a charity calendar.

There’s just something about the place that the locals call “Bride Island” and its historic lighthouse that calls to her in frightening and thrilling ways. And she finds herself caught in a magical place where the future is unclear and the past never dies.

“You can’t go back, you know,” Faye said.
“Go back where?” Pat asked.
“Once someone loves you that much, loves you more than you deserve, you can’t go back to being loved the normal way,” she said. “You ever been loved like that?”
“Only by my creator.”

​Carrick Morgan is a man haunted by the memory of war. As the light keeper on Bride Island in 1921, he’s been able to keep his many secrets locked away from prying eyes. They all thought that his young daughter drown in the treacherous water surrounding the island and he never recovered from her death.
 
That was his story, but it wasn't his truth.
 
His truth was far more fantastic and scandalous than anyone could have ever imagined.  But was it really a second chance at love or was it punishment for all the sins that he tried so hard to forget?

“To think I spent my whole life believing time only went in one direction,” he said. “Thought it was a river. Turns out it’s an ocean. Waves come in. Waves go out. Sometimes those waves take us with them.”

The Night Mark is Tiffany Reisz as you have never seen her before! It’s just as rich, lush and dreamy as fans would expect but there’s a thread of something pulsing right under the surface. Something more.

More hope, more laughter and more tears.

She’s fashioned a realm where you can see the prisms of light, smell the salt spray and feel the ache in your heart. And in the end, you’ll find yourself believing in the healing power of love…

I admit I have yet to come across a fantasy book that I like. I mean, I loathed when I was made to read The Hobbit in school, was never into Narnia, and as much as I hate to own up to it, I couldn't even bring myself to read a single Harry Potter book. But when I saw the name Tiffany Reisz on the cover, I knew The Night Mark was something that I absolutely had to give a try.

To be honest, up until about the 80% mark, I still hadn't actually decided what to think about the book. Despite not exactly sounding like something that I would typically be too terribly interested in, because well, time travel. And while The Night Mark is predominantly unlike anything I've ever read by this author before, every so often you get a glimpse of what we have all come to know and love from Tiffany Reisz; a sassy retort from our heroine, her whip like intellect and sense of humor, her faith, and her charm and charisma that jumps right up off of the page at you. Even after I really got into the meat and potatoes of the story, there were still times when I found that I just wasn't quite connecting with the story the way I have become accustomed to with a Reisz book and I found I wasn't as enamored and enchanted as I usually am. Yet there was still something there, something that kept me going, something that kept me interested, something that had me on the hook and kept me reading. I can't say I was disinterested up until that 80% mark, I can't say I wasn't enjoying the story, but I couldn't really say that I was loving it either. I wouldn't call it a real page turner and I can't say that some of the parts weren't a bit too slow and dragging for me. Once I did reach that point though, I was hit with the twist. And let me tell you, that twist is really something else. A twist that would have easily been predictable or even boring in about a million other books became a game changer, a heartbreaker, and a stunner in this one. And then the twists just kept piling up. A twist upon a twist upon a twist, all compounding and weaving together and accumulating to shock you, to entice you, and to keep you coming back for more. In the end, Ms. Reisz weaves a sweet story about more than just fantasy as our heroine finally finds herself and her place.

Tiffany Reisz is an undeniably amazing author and storyteller with an incomparable wit and a true way with words. If you are looking for a little something different from an author you know you can trust, The Night Mark may be just what you are looking for.

*complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Started it... couldn't really get into it once it was in front of me. I REALLY enjoy this author but by the time I sat down to read it the premise wasn't something that grabbed me anymore. I did not post a review for this book.

The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz
3 stars!!!

“That’s how you tell us apart in the dark. You see, a light’s night mark is its heartbeat. You know a man by his heart. You know a lighthouse by its beacon.”

Tiffany Reisz is one of my favourite authors so it pains me that I didn’t love this one as much as her others, whether they be the saucy, erotic reads of the Original Sinners series or the beautiful, engaging story telling of The Bourbon Thief. I desperately wanted to love this one, but for me, this was a book I started several times, yet just couldn’t get into and that was so frustrating.

““…I will love you and take care of you as long as you live, Faye”
“Don’t you mean as long as you live?”
He said no. He wasn’t interested in till death do us part. Even if he went first, he would find a way to take care of me. I treasure that vow. I hold it right here…But I’m still waiting for him to keep it.”

I loved the premise of the book, the writing as ever was perfection in its execution and the voice of Tiffany Reisz is one that I just find intoxicating and totally beguiling. Tiffany Reisz had obviously done her research and the snippets of history interspersed with this time travellers love story was fascinating. The chapters set in 1921 were a great flashback to the times and I clearly pictured Tiffany Reisz pouring over old cook books as she delivered the little details that really cemented the reader in the era in which she was writing. Lighthouse lore and history satiated my need for facts and history and for me, personally, it was the history lesson that kept me turning the pages.

“To think I spent my whole life believing time only went in one direction… Thought it was a river. Turns out it’s an ocean. Waves come in. Waves go out. Sometimes those waves take us with them.”

For me and I will probably be in the minority I had no character connection and anyone that knows me, knows that I need that for a book to work. I just felt that I knew too little about the characters to be able to empathise with them as individuals. Yes, I felt for Faye, after losing the love of her life, anyone would, but to understand her as a person, I felt bereft of information, I just needed a little more background. With regards to Carrick, again, no real pertinent background information, I had so many questions with regards to him, I would have loved a few chapters in his POV to maybe help understand the man behind the name.

“Whoever first said it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all had neither loved nor ever lost.”

I loved the side characters, Pat and Dolly, they both had their parts to play and I found myself enjoying scenes more when they were in them. I felt that the ending was rushed and rather confusing as so many loose ends and plot lines were frantically tied up. I did have a few issues with certain statements made that just didn’t add up and thought that inconsistencies like these would have been picked up in editing.

“This is me, Will…I’m just like this lighthouse. Still standing, still here. But I’m falling apart. The light’s off, and I don’t know how to turn it back on again.”

For those that loved Quantum Leap, this book definitely reminded me of that somewhat, albeit Faye had the ability to return to the same place at the same point in time. The logistics do not make sense but if you can open your mind and embrace the implausibility as miracle and magic then you won’t get too bogged down in the details. Once the book got going I did have the urge to finish and while for me it dragged in places I was focused on finding out how their story ended.

www.theromancecover.com

I don't typically read romance novels. But this one, with its allusions to time travel, were too interesting to pass up. This is my first time reading anything by this author, but all of her other books have received stellar reviews, which made me feel quite hopeful when beginning this one.

So, let me start by saying that the romance angle was pretty spot-on. The interactions between the main characters was believable and deep. You could feel the depth of Faye's despair when she was battling her depression, and you could feel the rise in hope when she emerged in 1921. I wish the novel had spent more time showing how she falls in love with Will's look-alike because I wanted to savor their chemistry more!

There was some mystery as to why Faye's fate was connected with the lighthouse. Unfortunately, that wasn't really answered. I wish it had been; it would have added some more complexity to this story. One thing I didn't like was the awkwardness of Faye's time travel; every time she travelled back to her original time, it felt abrupt and pointless. It's not like the time she spent in her own world was spent productively; she didn't really do any digging or research into the history or "magic" behind the lighthouse. There are quite a few references to religion, which I don't necessarily like but that didn't really bother me. My general thoughts on the plot were that it was predictable and uninteresting.

The author created a story with a sweet romance and some paranormal happenings. The main focus in this story is about hope and fate, and it was well-written. However, there is no real plot or mystery to it, and if you are looking for something with more of a body, then this is not the novel for you. Overall, it was a pleasant romance to read that will put a smile on your face.

I'm so sad to say but I had to DNF this book. I love Tiffany Reisz and her incredible writing. I look forward to whenever she is releasing a new book. But.....for whatever reason, I could not get into the story. I know many have loved and it saddens me that I am not among them. I think I'm safe to say that time traveling is not my thing. (I do love Outlander but maybe it works for me because I'm watching not reading)

**The Night Mark generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

The story opens with Faye having a very difficult and depressing time in her life. She's drowning in the sadness that comes with the loss of a loved one and the loss of dreams. Stuck in a loveless marriage, she makes the decision to try to find her old self again. Leaving her husband, she takes a photography job that ends up changing her life in many ways.

Faye is immediately enthralled by the story of Bride Island and its abandoned lighthouse. But when she sees a picture of the lighthouse keeper, her interest becomes an obsession because he looks exactly like the love of her life, the man she mourns with the depth of her soul.

With help from the town priest who has some history with the lighthouse keeper, she finds her way out to the island. As Faye unravels all the clues, what was a job now becomes a mission to get closer to the lighthouse, its people and its past. What she didn't anticipate is that she would get a chance to live it up close and personal when she ends up getting transported back in time to 1921.

Back in time, Faye learns the true story regarding the Lady of the Light, as she acclimates to her environment and the man who acts and looks like her beloved husband from the future. There are some tender and romantic moments here that I really liked.

I don't want to spoil the story with any more details about what happens next, or expand upon the interconnections in the story between the people in Faye's past or present, because the driving force in reading this story is wanting to know what happens to Faye. She really is the central character and everything that happens really revolves around her story.

While I might not call The Night Mark a romance in the traditional sense, there were many likeable romantic elements in this story. I'd call The Night Mark more of a love story. Faye's conversations with her dead husband were very touching and beautiful. The Night Mark is really a story of Faye finding her way to move forward after her devastating losses with help from the power of fate and destiny.

I did have some technical issues with this story, mostly with pacing. The middle part of the book is slow in a noticeable way and did not pull me along through the story. The last third of the book in contrast was too rushed and there were some aspects of the way this story wrapped up that I just didn't get and it left me wanting to know more. There were also parts that were pure Tiffany Reisz with sweet and snarky banter and I loved those scenes the most.

So overall, there were aspects of this tale that I really liked, but the middle could have been executed better to draw the reader into the story even further. Dolly and Pat are lovely secondary characters and I was glad to get their history as well. But most of all, I loved that Faye found the way to heal her heart.

ARC provided by the publisher for review.

Losing that love of a lifetime is hard. Filling the void can be even harder. Especially when you look to another man to fill that empty space that simply cannot be filled. After years of trying unsuccessfully to make the new marriage work, Faye decides to call it quits and walk away from the pain she was causing by her lack of attention and love. Starting over was just the beginning for Faye. The only question was if Faye was ready to stop living in the past and start over once again.

As fate would have it, Faye is offered an assignment on the South Carolina coast. To create and chronicle a history of the area to be preserved for the Lowcountry Preservation Society’s yearly calendar. A task that was just what Faye needed to make a fresh start. While visit all the areas historic sites, Faye stumbles upon Bride Island. Why is this historic lighthouse kept out of the spotlight?

Once Faye begins to dig into the mysteries surrounding Bride Island, specifically the lighthouse keeper Carrick. The similarities between Carrick and her deceased husband Will are worth a second glance. Then the mystery surrounding Faith, Carrick’s daughter, begin to pull Faye towards discovering what secrets lie around the Lighthouse on Bride Island. A journey that will lead her to delve into a time long ago. Only to discover that Faye holds the key to so many secrets yet to unfold.

As a fan of all of Tiffany Reisz’s books, I couldn’t wait to jump into this book once its release was announced. Last year - I couldn’t get enough of the Bourbon Thief. So - the temptation of the teaser on the book had me hooked. (It referenced Diana Gabaldon’s Highlander series). When this sweet treat hit my Kindle….I dived in like a mad woman. The suspense was killing me to see what Reisz had in store for her fans.

The book starts off pretty well….filling readers in on the plight that Faye had faced in her life. A heartbroken and tragic tale that pulled at your heart. Heartache that you couldn’t help being drawn to. Then things pushed towards the main premise of the plot. A time travel that really left me scratching my head.

The history surrounding Bride Island and its infamous lighthouse was very well written. A thought out and deeply researched subject that added a bit of history that pulled you into the details. However - the time travel aspect is not as smooth as you would have thought. Inconsistencies between the past and present began nagging at me the further I read. So many questions that were hanging from a thread. A confusion that shouldn’t have been there with all of the details and time that obviously surrounded the plot.

While I am a fan of the Highlander books….this time travel just didn’t work for my tastes. It was a ‘instant’ fix to the characters plight that had some seriously gapping holes. I just couldn’t seem to move past it. With the first part of the book so engaging, it was a huge let down to have the book seem so blasé after we reached the crossover with Carrick and Faith. Too predictable with a plot that spanned generations. The ending will tie up loose ends, whether it makes sense or not. So for me personally…The Night Mark was a huge let down.

From the bestselling author of The Bourbon Thief comes a sweeping tale of loss and courage, where one woman discovers that her destiny is written in sand, not carved in stone.

Faye Barlow is drowning. After the death of her beloved husband, Will, she cannot escape her grief and most days can barely get out of bed. But when she's offered a job photographing South Carolina's storied coast, she accepts. Photography, after all, is the only passion she has left.

In the quaint beach town, Faye falls in love again when she sees the crumbling yet beautiful Bride Island lighthouse and becomes obsessed with the legend surrounding The Lady of the Light—the keeper's daughter who died in a mysterious drowning in 1921. Like a moth to a flame, Faye is drawn to the lighthouse for reasons she can't explain. While visiting it one night, she is struck by a rogue wave and a force impossible to resist drags Faye into the past—and into a love story that is not her own.

Fate is changeable. Broken hearts can mend. But can she love two men separated by a lifetime?





Review:




What an amazing time travel romance!




I loved this story so much that I do not want to write a review that will give away too much. I will say, and I am going to date myself but I loved the movie Somewhere in Time as a kid and reading this reminded me so much of why I loved that movie.




The first part of the story had me kind of heart broken. Faye has lost the love her life, she cannot have babies and is in a loveless, stifling marriage. Then Faye takes charge of her life and gets divorced and starts over. That is when we get mystical as Faye becomes fascinated with woman in a painting and a light house. It just gets so beautiful and hopeful as Faye is caught between to different times and a second chance at love.




I was just so swept away but this beautiful romance. I was hooked into the story and the characters from page one. I had to put the book down so I could go to sleep and work the next morning though I so did not want to. It just made me feel warm and fuzzy after finishing this.




This is my new favorite book by Ms. Reisz.




5Stars




*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

I knew I’d love The Night Mark because, duh, it’s a book written by Tiffany Reisz, and I love everything she writes, but this book, Oh. My. God. This. Book. Is. PEREFECTION! I’ve read it twice already and I don’t know how to express with words how much I love it, the story, the poetic writing, the amazing characters, the dedication this book was written with and most of all, the love story *sighhhhh* the romance, the true love, the rebirth and everything, EVERYTHING, I loved everything about this book.

Although she couldn’t think of many good reasons to go on living, she also couldn’t think of any good reasons for dying.

The Night Mark is a time traveling romance. It’s also contemporary romance and historical romance at the same time. It’s not erotic perse, but the sex scenes are written by the Queen of Erotica, so they are hot enough to make this book super sexy, and despite the dramatic and angsty story, there’s still funny moments that enlightened this heartbroken but beautiful story.

Faye had a good life, she had a good career and a good job and then she met Will and her life got better. She was happy, she was in love and he loved her as much as she loved him or even more. Until one day it all stopped. One morning she was a happy married woman and by the evening she was a widow. For the last four years of her life she didn’t live at all. She was depressed, she made mistakes and she paid for them, until one day she decided she needed to start living again, start over and move on, but what she found was something so incredible, so unbelievable, so extraordinary, she couldn’t believe it herself but when she did, she was happy again, living again, LOVING AGAIN.

We are all the sum of every single day we’ve lived. We are our pasts.

I cried so much with this book. I cried for Faye, for Carrick, for Dolly, for Will, for Father Pat. I even cried for Hagen. I also laughed with all this characters, loved with them, was happy with how this story wound up for them and with everything the accomplished in their lives.

I loved all the characters, Faye, Carrick, Dolly, Father Pat, but I have a special love for Will, he was the most amazing character written. He was just… Perfect… *cries*

I want you to love him as much as I want him to love you.

All in all, The Night Mark is perfect. I recommend it to EVERYBODY. It’s original and romantic and sexy and funny and sad and fantastic and beautiful.