I love how the author brings history to life. I've always had a fancy for new England in the olden days.

Would this series be anywhere near as interesting? Look, I had no doubt that I’d enjoy the book, but I never expected to love it more than the Amish Beginnings Series.

I do. And here are three reasons why.
Characterization
It’s so easy to create villains who are “all bad” and heroines with token flaws. It takes a masterful storyteller to combine sympathetic characters with realistic flaws and virtues—on both ends. Fisher does it with both stories.

Oh, yes. This book weaves two stories together—one told in a family heirloom—a journal. And the other in the narrative. And through two completely different storytelling styles, she shows flawed and beautiful characters both. Phoebe is the protagonist every reader loves. She’s strong, but gentle. Her virtues are plenty and faults real. She learns and grows as the story emerges but not in some moralistic tale that makes you want to run.

The Captain, her father, her friends—every person in the book has a consistent character—even as that character grows and changes, those changes fit within the character itself.

Good characterization makes any story more enjoyable—more delightful.

Setting
One of the things I love most about Fisher’s writing is how skillfully she weaves description into the tale. You feel as if you’re there—can smell the salt and brine. You dread the whaling because you know you’ll be glad you’re not on that ship—really smelling it.

Yet she never overloads the narrative. Every single gets placed exactly in the right spot to ensure you experience the book as if you stood beside those characters and lived their lives with them. But Fisher NEVER smothers you with that description.

Surprise
Yes, she surprised me. Few authors do, and no, she didn’t surprise me on everything, but that she surprised me at all was a delight. There was one small bit in the book—pivotal but small—that I became so wrapped up in the story and missed it.

Brilliant.

Do I have any complaints?
Two.

First, one element regarding Phoebe’s future I found rather conveniently wrapped up. Look, I know why she did it, and I’ll be honest. I probably would have been annoyed had she not. How’s that for unfair?

Still, it’s true. Sometimes the most satisfying ending is also a bit too convenient to be realistic. I chose to decide that I’d take satisfying, though. Because realistic would have just been way too disappointing.

And second, I am not looking forward to the wait for the next in the series. Sigh.

This was my first time to read Suzanne Woods Fisher. The era and setting intrigued me: whale-hunters in 1776? Definite yes! In ways, this book made me think of Elizabeth George Speare’s “Witch of Blackbird Pond”—likely because it hinted a lot about the superstitions and injustices done toward the Quakers in the 1600’s.

While most of the story was written from Phoebe’s perspective in 1776, she received her great-grandmother’s journal from 1658 and beyond. At the closure of each chapter, a portion of Mary’s journal was shared. I found her story to be quite intriguing.

The mystery in these pages was also interesting. I like a good mystery, and though at times you didn’t realize there was actually a mystery abroad in the community, as the pieces began falling together, I enjoyed it!

I really tried my hardest to like this book. I’ll admit I was a bit turned off on the first page when the main character used “Drat!” in her thoughts. Not only did this phrase not emerge until the 1800’s, a strict Quaker lass would not have used such a strong euphemism (if it had been used in her time). But, I seriously tried to push that away and enjoy the book… but so many cliché phrases kept bringing me back to the 1900’s, and my history brain just has a hard time with that.

There were also a lot of unanswered questions, but I realize it could just be my over-curious mind. Questions such as: if great-grandmother Mary wasn’t Quaker (and was suspicious of them) and was persuaded by other Christians to be baptized (Anabaptist), then how is it that Phoebe is strict Quaker? When in the family line did that major switch happen?

I suppose if you really like romance stories, this might appeal to you. Most people know I’m not a huge romance fan, but I can tolerate a good bit of it. The part that was just “okay” for me was Mary’s journal, where she is in love with and pining after one man while keeping company with and nourishing a friendship with another (though it is resolved that she didn’t mean anything by the friendship, the whole “I want this man and I will get him, but I don’t know how” really bothered me). But what I really had a hard time with was this book’s love triangle. I don’t dislike a love triangle, but when it is between a married couple and a third person…yeah, no. Sorry. Once a person is married, they shouldn’t be pining after their first love. The married girl shouldn’t be falling in love again with her jilted childhood love—or realizing that she never stopped loving him—while she’s married and her husband is still alive.
*SPOILER*
There were two scenes in which the captain began undressing or started undressing Phoebe and talking of the marriage rights. A little too suggestive for my tastes. And back to the love triangle, wonderfully for Phoebe, the captain is killed, so now she can marry the man she loved since childhood. Oh, and also, the captain was already married to another woman and Phoebe is his second wife, which she discovers mid-book. I just have a problem with all of the above. I realize terrible situations happen in real life, but this is not the type of stuff I find pure and righteous for entertainment purposes.
*END OF SPOILER*

The spiritual side of this book was really confusing. Given that it’s Quakers and Anabaptists and an era in which they were at each others’ throats and stuck on rules rather than following God, I suppose it should make sense. But it was all very vague. “Follow the Light” and “the Light is within you.” There was a casual mention of Scripture, but it was more the “wisdom of Great Mary” that was followed rather than the wisdom of God’s Word.

Like I said, I did give this book an honest go. I was prepared to like it, and I did try to. But it just wasn’t really for me.

*I received this book from Celebrate Lit and happily provided my honest review*

I am a big fan of Suzanne Woods Fisher and when she publishes a new book, I hold my breath. Can she continue to put out great stories, time and time again?

The book's main character, Phoebe Starbuck, has received her biggest wish, which is to marry the handsome Phineas Foulger and sail the seas with her husband. Her father has always been the main focus of her life, keeping him out of debtor's jail in particular. As she gets ready to sail her father gives her a journal from Great Mary, her wonderful great grandmother, whom everyone adores. She doesn't see the purpose of the journal, but her new husband sure does. All through the trip he tries one underhanded way after another to get hold of the journal. As Phoebe suffers from horrible seasickness, she turns to the journal to provide some comfort and is drawn in by her grandmother's words. As she reads, she discovers a family secret that makes her realize her marriage is a farce and that she needs to get home as soon as she can.

Suzanne Woods Fisher has once again did her homework when it came to making this story alive with detail. I love historical fiction, and the craft of jumping between that and romance is sometimes difficult without becoming overwhelming. Suzanne's craft blends the two genre's beautifully. You can see my review on The Return and The Devoted by following the links.

Learning about Quaker history is always interesting to me. I also appreciated the new setting for this book and learning about the sailing lives of the men who live on the harbor. Once again, Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers a wonderful story. I cannot wait until the next one!

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please use the link below. I will get a small fee and you will get the book at the same great price as on Amazon. These purchases help with the upkeep of the blog! Thank you!

This is the first book in Suzanne Woods Fisher’s new Nantucket Legacy Series. This author had me with her Amish Beginnings Series, it’s rich detail, flawed and realistic characters plus an interesting story line kept my attention for all 3 books. Hence my eagerness to begin this one.

Again I was not disappointed. Phoebe Starbucks is a likable character living in a time when women were at the mercy of men around her. She takes control of her life (trying to help her father), and is lead on an adventure over land and sea.

It’s Phoebe’s ancestor, Great Mary's diary that rounds out the story nicely. With rich details of living in a time where surviving was what one woke up to every day. I love reading about the early settlers, those working the land with its many obstacles.

Phoebe’s Light is a story of forgiveness, survival and finding one’s Light. A great start to new series with book 2, Minding the Light hitting the bookshelves a few weeks ago (how did I miss that!)

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an advance copy, due to personal issues I went the audio route on this on and it was as great!

Phoebe's Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the first book in the Nantucket Legacy series. Phoebe has always followed her father's wishes and taken care of him. But she decides to marry and go with her husband out to sea. She takes her great grandmother's diary and reads it on her journeys. This book is based on real characters. Ms Fisher has an amazing talent for making history come alive with her characters. I loved her use of setting as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction and this time period. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own.

I thought the premise was interesting but the flow of the storyline was a bit slow for me. I'm a huge fan of this authors work and maybe the beginning of her new series was to establish the characters and introduce the readers to the new series.
It just wasn't one of my favorite books.

Phoebe's Light is such a well written book. The characters are delightful as well. I love how Phoebe's life is shaped by a journal written by her very passionate great grandmother and how the book bounces between reading the journal and how Phoebe's applies the lessons taught by her great grandmother to her own life. Phoebe also learns that what she desired most ended up costing her greatly and how the plan God had for her was there all along.

Phoebe Starbuck has always adjusted her sails based on the whims of her father. But, this time she’s going to do what she wants, no matter what he or anyone else has to say about it. She’s going to marry Captain Phineas Foulger, and has already convinced him to take her along on his next whaling excursion. She takes along with her the old sheepskin journal of her great-grandmother, “Great Mary”, which the Captain has shown an unusual amount of interest in. And, despite how much she feels she doesn’t need a minder, her father has talked cooper Matthew Mitchell to go along and keep an eye out for her. It doesn’t take long for Phoebe to realize that life at sea is just as difficult as life on land, if not even harder. She’s homesick, dealing with intense seasickness, and lonely being surrounded by a crew that despises her and is convinced that having a woman aboard is a bad omen. In her loneliness, she turns to her great-grandmother’s journal and learns of a secret that “Great Mary” left behind that carries repercussions for everyone aboard ship, especially her husband, the Captain, and her shadow, the Cooper. What follows changes the coarse of each of their lives forever.

This is the first book in Suzanne Woods Fisher’s Nantucket Legacy Series and it’s an amazing beginning. The story had me captivated from the very beginning and is full of beautiful imagery and descriptions of the island that were clear enough for me to almost visualize it myself. It alternates between Phoebe’s perspective and her great-grandmother’s through the use of her journal and that really added to the story . You can really tell how much research the author did into the period and into the whaling industry of the day. She also did an amazing job with the characters. I really enjoyed reading Phoebe’s story and am looking forward to seeing what is in store for Phoebe, her father, Matthew, and the rest of the beloved people on her island.

An interesting start to Suzanne Woods Fisher’s new series, Phoebe’s Light delves into the history of Nantucket Island with great historical detail of its Quaker and whaling roots, complicated relationships, and the experiences of two strong women separated by a century, plus some entertaining mystery and adventure. Page after page, it proves a pleasure to read, and I heartily enjoyed this Nantucket Legacy novel. One of Fisher’s books hasn’t disappointed me yet, I’m so glad, and by the end, Phoebe’s Light definitely left me looking forward to continuing this series with Minding the Light—I can’t wait. In the meantime, it’s a perfect choice for readers of historical fiction, especially those interested in the Quaker faith, and I recommend it.

Phoebe’s Light has a lot about freedom and restrictions. Religious, individual, and parental. I lost count of the number of choices everyone made that could be either wise or foolish, headstrong or admirable determination. Judging from the outside, many could go other way. But seeing thoughts, and watching the outcome allows me to learn from their mistakes. (My preferred method for learning!)
In Phoebe’s Light we join several people on their journey of faith and freedom:
Phoebe’s seeking to ‘rescue’ her father and home, and thinks she knows best how to accomplish this. Will she remember to seek the Light?
The Captain is seeking freedom from a great burden he created for himself. He is grasping at anything that might help. This means poor decisions that force him into more and more sad choices.
Matthew is not satisfied with the restrictions of the church, and seeks freedom in his own way.
Silo, well, Silo is a sweet boy in a miserable situation. Mute, but very observant and kind. He is also the key.
Sarah is seeking freedom too. She seems so hard and obnoxious, but I think it her coping method, hiding her hurts.
Nathaniel, Great Mary and her father are glimpsed through the journal, each with struggles of their own.

I loved learning more about Nantucket Island. Their history of whaling, petticoat row and about Quakers. I believe thee will love it as well. This story is full of different characters and how each of their lives intertwined. Don your bonnet along with Phoebe as she reads her great grandmother's diary and discovers a secret that someone wants very desperately. Is Phoebe safe? Will she realize the truth of one man while another denies his love for her. I strongly encourage thee to read this interesting book full of surprises.
Blessings,
Karen
Rating: 5*
I received this book as a gift and all opinions are mine.

This is the first book that I've read by this author. Excellent book! I'll be looking for her previous books to read.
I received an Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.

A novel about Nantucket, featuring the Quakers? That sounded quite interesting to me, so I requested it. In some ways, I really liked it; before I had gotten very far into it, I was having a hard time putting the book down. In other ways, I was disappointed, but I should have known it would be a romance novel. It turned out quite surprising, though. At the beginning, it seemed like a typical romance, with girl liking man and looking for ways to attract his attention. As I suspected, this marriage quickly turned disappointing, but I was very surprised by the way Phoebe ended up with the “right” man. I found the juxtaposition of Phoebe's life, in the 18th century, and her ancestor Mary Coffin's diary from a hundred years earlier, interesting, and was also intrigued by the descriptions of whaling. The mysteries woven into the story added a lot to the experience of reading this story, as well.
I received a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley and chose to write a review.

Sometimes when authors go in a different direction, you wonder if it’s a good decision or not. I’ve always read and loved Suzanne’s Amish fiction. I loved her Amish Beginnings series as well. This new series is going in a different direction, historical for sure, but not Amish. I opened the book both excitedly and nervous, because I didn’t want to not like it. But shame on me for not having more faith in Ms. Fisher’s writing abilities. I loved it. The characters, the setting, and grandmother’s journal. I loved it all.

Phoebe was a fun character who had flaws, but I still found to be heroic. She was a tad naïve when it came to her “love” for Captain Foulgar, but I found that I could overlook that because of her other qualities. She was willing to do whatever it took to protect her family, to help her father. Even marry a man who may or may not love her. A man who has a spoiled daughter that thinks she can run the show. A man who mostly thinks of himself and nothing more. He was easily a character to dislike, and I cringed a lot whenever he entered the scene. But stories need a character like that. Keeps things interesting, keeps you turning the pages, and keeps the main characters on their toes!

My favorite part of the book however, was Mary’s journals. As if one historical period wasn’t enough, this book offers two! You cannot beat that! I learned a lot from Mary, however there are some questions I have for Mary that didn’t get answered. I am hoping that we see more from her journals in the next installment. As the Godmother of Nantucket, she had a lot to offer. The more I read from her journals, the more I wanted. And it was interesting to see how all the grandparents to the characters in the present interacted with each other!

Overall, this was an awesome start to a new series. I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for the residents of Nantucket! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am a long-time fan of Suzanne Woods Fisher's books so it was with pleasure that I received this book in return for an honest review from Celebrate Lit. Phoebe's Light is a departure from Suzanne's beloved Amish Fiction, so I was curious how this transition would be for me as a reader. I have to say that Phoebe's Light is a wonderful book that will captivate Suzanne's fans worldwide.

Be prepared to be transported to Nantucket Island. Within the community Phoebe Starbuck lives, women worked hard to keep the home fires stirring while their seafaring men were off on the whaling ships. Life was hard for those left behind without knowing when or if their husbands and sons would return. It was because of this the women started small businesses along what became Petticoat Row to help support their families and to fulfill the needs of their neighbors.

I was intrigued by the hand written entries Phoebe read from Mary's Journal and curious about why it was so important. Life captured on aged pages in the journal were much more than an account of a young woman's day to life on a secluded island. The reader will have to discover its worth on their own lest I spoil the plot.

I learned many things about the Quakers in this novel and look forward to the next book in this series. The little teaser at the end of the book wasn't nearly enough! Time after time, Suzanne Woods Fisher's work is impeccable. Since I am a history buff I love the extra efforts she makes bringing these periods alive through people. We tend to forget that they had lives and loves...just like us.

Phoebe's Light! 4 1/2 stars. Great characters and descriptions. Phoebe has a mind of her own and it leads her into making what becomes a rash decision. Reading her great-grandmother's journal she makes important discoveries that lead to changes in her life and others. I loved the different story lines of Phoebe and her great-grandmother, Mary Coffin. First love, betrayal and new beginnings! I really enjoy Suzanne Woods Fisher's book and this is a great start to a new series.

I received this book from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

Her choices affect more than she ever imagined...

Despite the popularity of author Suzanne Woods Fisher's Amish fiction I've somehow missed out...until now. A novel about the Quakers and the earlier history of Nantucket piqued my interest. I remember reading some about the early Quakers in my history books but really didn't know a lot about them. Phoebe's Light brought the people, the place, and the era to life.

I had mixed feelings about Phoebe herself. I found her to be naive to the point of foolishness but she clings to a deep faith that could move mountains. And Matthew. Aahh, Matthew. He is a truly flawed character, he is refreshingly honest about his doubts, and he is completely loyal to those he loves.

A couple of historical anachronisms didn't deter me from enjoying the story. And I loved learning some of the whaling and Nantucket-specific terms that I didn't already know. There is a helpful glossary at the beginning that you can refer back to if need be.

I loved Suzanne Woods Fisher's dual timeline aspect in Phoebe's Light, Mary's diary entries from the 1660's were a fascinating look into the founding of Nantucket and Phoebe in the 1760's found inspiration and wisdom from reading the diary.

If you are looking for an interesting story set in a little known period of American history you should check out Phoebe's Light.

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Phoebe's Light is a part of a new series by Suzanne Woods Fisher, and if the first novel is any indication, will be a fascinating look at history. From beginning to end, I was enthralled in Phoebe's story. She was a strong woman in an era when women were suppose to have a place and stay in it. However, she is also very human and aspires to something she has dreamed of since she was young to be the wife of Captain Phineas Foulger.


Matthew Macy, the hard working town cooper, resides in jail at night because he is almost the town drunk as well, his way of dealing with the tragic loss of his father and the whaling ship his family owned and from which Matthew survived. Matthew, obviously has a past with Phoebe and still has feelings for her which he keeps hidden.


Ms. Fisher's novel gives us a glimpse of whaling life and that of the island which thrives from the success of the whaling ships. The women stay behind and raise the families and the men make a hard living on the ships.


Phoebe seems to get her wish contrary to what her father wants for her. Her father has gotten their home in a defaulted mortgage and Phoebe sees no way out but marriage to the Captain. But is the Captain all he seems? Matthew ends up on trial for murder? And Phoebe discovers buried treasure may be the key to the true light of her life.


I received this book through Netgalley for my honest review.

From the moment Phoebe Starbuck threw open her window and determined to not stress or worry, I wanted to know her better. I have a family member who became a Quaker, so I have long been interested in them. The wise "weighty friend; Mary Coffin's story fascinated me. The whaling industry, it's been a while since I read a book with that as the focus of a town or Captain's income. I really liked the double story of Mary's life as well as Phoebe working through her own life. I wanted to hug Matthew and tell him that God still has a plan, just get back on track. The death of the unnamed Quaker woman almost brought me to tears.

I really applaud the realism. We need Christian books with real-life issues and this book tackled a few of them. I greatly appreciated that! I do have a few unanswered questions, which I hope will be covered in the next book. Those questions bug me just enough to give this book 4.5 stars, which you can't really do most places so I officially give this book 5 stars. ;) PS... PLEASE tell us how Phoebe's family is now Quaker when before it was the opposite. I really look forward to the next book in this series. It's so refreshing!

My copy came via Celebrate Lit. This review, left of my own free will, contains my own thoughts and opinions​.