MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Being a pretty strong willed young lady, Phoebe Starbuck marries Captain “Garcon” Foulger, captain of a whaling ship, thinking she will better her life and that of her dads. As the story unfolds, Phoebe finds answers and many secrets reading an old journal of her great-grandmother Mary’s, given to Phoebe by her dad. These secrets involve Phoebe’s new husband as well as everyone else on the ship.

I have to say I wasn’t a Phoebe fan from the start. I just didn’t like her personality, making this book pretty slow and sometimes boring, especially in the beginning. As she read the old sheepskin journal and Great Mary’s story, it was interesting how these ladies stories were so much the same. I did enjoy Mary’s story and look forward to more if it in the next book.

I don’t read a lot of Quaker books, their religion is confusing and a little weird to me, but Ms. Gray did answer a lot of questions for me about the Quakers. And I also enjoyed the vivid historical scenery and facts throughout this book. The author did a wonderful job of weaving it altogether. I think someone who enjoys Amish style books will enjoy Phoebe’s story. However, I would read this book before allowing your teenage girls to read it, because there are a few compromising situations that may not be appropriate.

I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.

Phoebe has been the one to take care of her fortune hunting scheme of a father since the death of her mother several years ago. Phoebe has come to the crude realization that her father will mortgage anything and everything, including the roof over their heads to fund his business inventions and the like. She has always had her eyes set on the handsome, older gentleman Captain Foulger and takes advantage of hooking her line to him and marrying him against everyone's wishes. What she does not realize is that the Captain is only interested in an old journal that she has just became the owner. The journal is her great-grandmother's, one of the first settlers of Nantucket. In it there is a secret that could change the life of whomever reads it.

As Phoebe sets sail on the Fortuna with her new husband, the Captain, she tries to avoid a childhood friend, Matthew. He has joined the crew as the cooper but really has joined as a favor to Phoebe's father to watch over her. AS the days wear on and Phoebe comes to realize that her marriage is not everything she thought it to be, her friendship with Matthew grows deeper.

Will Phoebe be able to save everything near and dear to her or will life play a cruel joke on her instead?

I am a fan of Suzanne Woods Fisher and have enjoyed the fresh eyes she gives to Christian fiction. Normally I am not a big reader of Quaker fiction but I opted to try this novel due to her being the author. I almost gave up after reading at it for two days because of the Old English language of "thee" and "thy". I'll be the first to tell you that I do not like reading books written in that style. I am so glad I stuck this one out though. The story of Phoebe and her great-grandmother are exciting. You not only get to learn about the Indians that lived on Nantucket in the late 1600s but you also get to learn how Nantucket was settled by the Americans. As you are reading you get to leave the island and sail to the tropical islands and experience life at sea all the while going back to the 1600s.

I was pleased to learn that we do not get to finish reading the journal and that it will make appearances in the other books of this series. I am fascinated to see how it transforms others lives in the family.

I suggest you pick up this book with an open mind to the Old English language and give yourself plenty of time to get into the book during your first read. You might be like me and find that you cannot put it down because you have become so invested in everyone's story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for a copy to read in exchange for my honest review written in my own words.

I am not one who likes reading historical fiction but I love Suzanne's books so decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. This book teaches us that what we see and want may not be what God has planned for us. A lot of the time I couldn't put the book down because of the edge of your seat story line. The characters are amazing, some scary, and funny at times. Secrets prevail and the story switches back and forth between timelines.
If I could give this book 10 stars I would. Can't wait till the next one comes out.

Phoebe's Light is such a character infused, character building story. You are so twisted up into the story you are so unaware of what is goin on around you - time sips by - I almost burned my pan of chicken. You can get so enthralled with the lives of the characters, who is really who they really are - who has secrets, who is a good person, who needs to be safe on the sea. What is going on? This thing is so full of information of the times and of whaling I was amazed at what I found out, and about Nantucket. This author is amazing, she knows what she is writing about - she is very thorough.

This is the first novel in Fisher's new debut series Nantucket Legacy. It contains a dual timeline that is interwoven quite well: Phoebe's story from the 1700's and her great grandmother, Great Mary's, from the 1600's. Phoebe is a Quaker and descended from one of the original families who settled Nantucket Island in order to escape from the persecution that we receiving from the Puritans (Now that's a twist since the Puritans left England due to their religious persecution!). I loved the glossary at the beginning that explained the Quaker terms that Fisher included as many of them were definitely not part of my vocabulary. Fisher's historical research of both the time periods was very evident in her storytelling.

There were several things that kept me from giving it a 5. I thought the first half of the book although interesting moved rather slowly and could have used more action. Usually Fisher's books have a more prominent romance aspect. This book definitely had a lighter romance side although a strong historically developed plot. Once Phoebe and Captain Folger were on the ship, there seemed to be no connection between them, even from the beginning; and they had just been married.

The characters were quite varied. Captain Folger was a jerk from beginning to end, and I couldn't believe that Phoebe never did catch on to the fact he was probably after the journal and what it revealed. He also ran roughshod over his crew and let his first mate use his cat o' nine tails on the boys for insignificant breaches. And to leave Phoebe on an island and go off without her was inexcusable. Phoebe started out stubborn and self absorbed; and even though she was warned away from Captain Folger, she could only focus on being wealthy and secure. I did feel sorry for her continued sea sickness on the ship. I can't imagine being that sick for that long. As Phoebe began to rely more on God, she began to stand up for herself and take control of her life. I absolutely loved Silo and the relationship between Phoebe and he. Loved the role his scrimshaw carvings allowed him to speak to others.

Overall a good read and I look forward to the next book: Minding the Light.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review

So rich in historical detail! I loved learning about an era and location in history that I knew pretty much nothing about, and now I'm fascinated. I'm not usually a fan of a dual time-line story, but the author balanced it perfectly, with Phoebe and Matthew's perspectives told in third person POV, and the journal entries of her great-grandmother Mary in first person. The majority of the book is about Phoebe and her growth through harsh trials, which is enhanced by the parallels of Mary's growth in the well-placed excerpts. The pace of the book was rather slow at first, but I've found that with this author's beautiful writing I appreciate the time she takes to build the setting and develop the characters so that when the pace quickens and the plot climaxes, I'm completely enthralled and invested in the outcome. Hard lessons are learned, secrets are revealed, yet Phoebe's stalwart faith supports her and encourages those around her when they need it most. I'm loving this new series by one of my favorite authors and am looking forward to more!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Phoebe's Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher was a slow read. It is very well-written but it took me over half the book to really get invested in the story.

"Phoebe's Light" by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the first book in the Nantucket Legacy book series that takes place in pre-revolutionary war America. The author really did her history on the timeline of the people, the Quakers and whale. rs. I will admit that this is the third book I have read lately about the Quakers and pre-revolutionary time frame so I am beginning to think that this the start of a new trend instead of Amish. The main character Phoebe living her life while learning about her Great-Grandma. Sadly I really had a hard time getting into this as it really felt formulaic and I really did not like it. At times I enjoyed the book but most of the time I got tired of the typical characters and story. So I don't recommend it as I am not into the same old same old books.

Wow, I loved reading all the different paths that this story took. From wanting a new take on life to finding out that it wasn't as expected. I can just imagine Phoebe being one who wanted her own way and then when she got it having to turn to an unwanted gift to get her through her new life at sea. She has to depend on things that she never expected to make it in her new life.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher, the review is my own.

First, let me ask – “Why couldn’t I have been assigned this book instead of Moby Dick in high school?!?” I mean, they both deal with whaling ships. But Phoebe’s Light is much more entertaining. I think it would be a fair substitute... just sayin lol.

In all seriousness, the history geek in me is so intrigued by the overarching story told in Fisher’s new Nantucket Legacy series. While each book focuses on a ‘modern-day’ (at least so far as 1767 is more modern than 1660) storyline, it also zeroes in on Mary Coffin – a real historical figure who had tremendous impact on a young Nantucket. Through Mary’s author-imagined journal entries (Fisher includes an author’s note at the end that details what is fact and what is fiction), we get more insight into this fascinating historical figure.

As far as the 1767 thread of the story, Phoebe is the kind of heroine you like a lot but still want to shake for part of the book – yet you also end up being really proud of her by the end. There’s a bit of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ flavor to Phoebe’s story, too. Her father is an eccentric whim-chaser who always has a new (quirky) venture brewing, to their financial detriment. There’s a Gastonish character – a beast disguised as a prince – and a prince-type character disguised as somewhat of a beast. The allusion to this classic fairy tale doesn’t dominate the tale – and may not have even been intended by the author – but especially as the story begins the similarities come to mind.

As Phoebe’s reading of Great Mary’s diary progresses, we begin to see more intersection with the 1767 thread (Phoebe’s thread), as surnames merge between the two. How it all fits together becomes part of the story’s intrigue in both timelines, and there’s more than one mystery to solve as we sail along. While some aspects of the story are fairly predictable, I wasn’t sure, ultimately, how either thread would play out – and there were some bumpy moments when I feared (and discovered) the worst!

Bottom Line: Phoebe’s Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher detours from her typical Amish genre to spotlight Quaker history and that of Nantucket. Both Mary Coffin and Phoebe Starbuck, though not without their flaws, are admirable heroines and the men they truly love are the best of heroes. The history here is as richly atmospheric as the setting, and while the thees and thous take a bit of tedious navigating this story is an enjoyable read with the promise of more fascinating stories to come!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

I think it is safe to say that Suzanne Woods Fisher is best known for her Amish fiction. With this new series, Nantucket Legacy, she is branching out to bring us insights into the beginnings of the Quakers in America.

My family is descended from those original Quakers so I found this to be especially fascinating. The Quakers came to America because of oppression only to find persecution again on the mainland of America. This part of the story shows how they settled on Nantucket Island to get away from that persecution. It also tells the story of how the settlers went from raising sheep to becoming whalers.

If you are worried about this being a mostly historical story, don't be. Suzanne brings her usual elements of romance, mystery, and suspense to the story. The romance between Phoebe and Matthew was wonderful but my favorite part was the love story between Phoebe and her father.

The underlying story line is an old journal from Great Mary. I thought that Suzanne did a wonderful job of flashing back and forth between the current time of 1767 to the past of 1658. Great Mary was known to have deep insight into situations and through her journal Phoebe gains wisdom. The journal contains secrets that will help the current generation and generations to come. Knowing that there is a secret hidden within the journal it becomes the object of desire to those who would use it for self gain rather than the good of all.

I just didn't want the story to end. I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment. Reading the sneak peek at the second book was torture! But I did enjoy all the extras that were included at the beginning and ending of the book. It was a win-win for me. I got to enjoy a delightful story and then learn some very interesting facts about our forefathers.

Treat yourself and pick up a copy today!

I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

Wonderful story. I love the story within a story. Phoebe learns a hard lesson while on a whaling ship. I love the history of the whaling ships and the Quakers. I did not want to put the book down. I had to find out how Phoebe would get through her trip on the whaling ship. I received a copy of this book from Revell and Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Fans of Suzanne Woods Fisher’s contemporary and historical Amish books are going to love the new direction this author is taking. Phoebe’s Light is an historical romance novel featuring the New England Island of Nantucket. I loved the setting, the creatively told dual story lines, and the characters that found a way into my imagination and heart.

Phoebe Starbuck, descendant of the hardy settlers of Nantucket Island, is a determined young woman — determined to turn her family’s fortunes around and determined to have her heart’s way. She has faith in God, but only as far as it goes along with her own plans and dreams. Matthew Macy left the Quaker fellowship years ago. He also left behind his belief in God’s goodness. Danger and secret betrayal are companions on the two’s journey. But so is God’s provision revealed in a forgotten journal from the past.

I loved the dual story lines Fisher weaves together. The main story is told in a straightforward third person style, but is supported through the journal entries of an early Nantucket settler, Mary “Great Mary” Coffin. Fisher deftly adds historical details and figures to create a fictional story that is believable and riveting. Her portrayal of colonial Nantucket and its whaling trade are spot on. She sprinkles the narrative and dialog with phrases from the day and industry that is long gone. But you won’t be lost, there is a great glossary included at the beginning of the book. I also learned a great deal about the Quakers as Fisher naturally includes their beliefs and practices within the novel. Characters are real and relatable with their struggles, doubts, fears, hopes, and dreams. The two main characters’ faith journey is realistically portrayed as well. The romance is sweet and satisfying, as is the epilogue that brings the reader closure on all the doings on the island. Fisher’s signature voice shines through. The only complaint I have is the use of a few modern phrases that jolted this reader from the story. But those were few and didn’t spoil the overall reading experience.

Phoebe’s Light is just the first book in the Nantucket Legacy series. It’s a great start, and I look forward to many more visits to Nantucket!

Recommended.

Audience: older teens to adults.

I enjoy historical fiction for its ability to transport me to another time and place; in her latest release, Suzanne Woods Fisher has done exactly that, to two different times in the same place. She takes us back to Nantucket’s beginnings in 1659, then a hundred years later, to the 1760s. Both timelines are riveting, and I love how the stories intertwine in more than just a family history kind of way.

I really enjoyed the history involved in this novel. I know very little about Nantucket, but the island setting appealed to me. As I read, however, I found I also knew almost nothing about the Quakers, nor about how they were persecuted by the Puritans, ironically having fled their own persecution in England. Another aspect of this story involves whaling history and the impact the profession had on both the families and the entire island.

The spiritual content is solid and I gained encouragement in my own walk as I read; the differences in worship style and the focus on humility really intrigued me, including a lack of gravestones to avoid pride. Even with the differences I noticed, we share far more in common, like our trust in God’s sovereignty and listening for His guidance rather than making rash decisions.

I couldn’t put this book down for very long—even when doing other things I pondered where the next twist would take the story. I look forward to learning more of Mary’s story in the next book, though Phoebe’s tale is resolved in this novel. This is a fantastic start to Fisher’s Nantucket Legacy series, and I highly recommend it for those with an interest in historical fiction, especially stories involving groups not frequently written about (like the Quakers), or those who like books involving the seafaring life.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was under no obligation to post a positive review. The opinions expressed are both honest and my own.

“Matthew, one more thing I ask of thee. Walk in the Light of God.” Bewildered, he blurted out. “How do I walk in the light when I only see darkness?” She gave him a soft smile before her eyes fluttered shut. “Then trust God in the dark.”

I don’t normally read Quaker-themed books (nor Amish-themed books, for which the author is well-known) and this is the first book by Suzanne Woods Fisher I’ve read, but now I can understand why she’s such a celebrated and beloved author. This book was indeed a powerfully moving book. The writing was engaging and transported me to Nantucket in 1767 amidst the Quakers. The sights, sounds, smells, tastes and daily activities of the whaling community were all so tangible and real. The plot contained many twists and turns that kept me turning the pages and the layer of suspense and mystery was just enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. As each layer of the plot unfolded, I couldn’t contain the gasps of surprise! The plot, of course, was spearheaded by wonderful and memorable characters who will remain my friends for a long time. The faith aspect of the storyline was incredibly well-crafted and flowed naturally with the characters and their personalities. And there was quite a bit of unexpected dry humor thrown into the writing, especially through Great Mary’s journal, that had me bursting out laughing at times.

Phoebe is merely eighteen, an immature child who thinks she knows what she wants out of life and stubbornly persistent in obtaining it. That one goal is to marry an older widower who is Captain Foulger. Phoebe is intelligent, resourceful, full of sparkles and laughter and optimism, and faithful though she is flawed and makes mistakes. The recounting of her conversion story is beautiful and so hopeful.
Matthew is a barrel maker, trying to climb out of debt that his family incurred after their whaling ship got destroyed and his father and brother were killed. He’s always been cynical and skeptical and has been disowned by the Quaker society due to his insolence. Yet he is loyal and compassionate and smart and kind. His return to God is full of angst, heartbreak, and tears.
I really enjoyed the dual timeline of sorts that occurred through the reading of Phoebe’s great-grandmother Mary’s journal. What an incredible woman Mary was.

I am thankful I had the opportunity to read this book, though it’s outside of my usual genre. I learned a lot about the history of Nantucket as well as whaling and about the Quakers. Anyone who enjoys a well-written historical fiction will love this book.
I was given a copy of this book by the author/publisher via Celebrate Lit Tour and NetGalley. I was not required to write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

I'm not usually a historical fiction fan, but this book was terrific, with its focus on Nantucket and the Quaker religious sect. I grew up in Massachusetts, so reading this book put me back in grade school, on fun-filled field trips to Plymouth Rock, the whaling museum in New Bedford, and Sturbridge Village.
Phoebe isn't your average young lady. She has a plan. The plan involves not hanging out with her poverty stricken dad who can't finish a plan or a project. The plan involves not playing games with her childhood crush. The plan involves marrying a handsome, rich, prestigious Captain of a whaling boat.
Phoebe makes some headway on her plan, but the childhood crush crashes her party a couple times, and the Captain is much more (or way less) than he appears to be. Lucky for Phoebe, she has her great grandmother's journal as her personal treasure map, leading Phoebe toward the light, the righteous, and the Divine. Phoebe takes her successes and multiplies them, much to the blessing of the rest of Nantucket.

Phoebe's Light - Suzanne Woods Fisher

What? I have only a few chapters left. I was not ready for this to end. But it didn't stop me from turning page after page....getting closer and closer to the conclusion of Phoebe's journey.

What a journey she had! Phoebe's Journey was one of self discovery. She thought she knew what she wanted. But She made a terrible mistake. What can she do?

Phoebe had the "Light" of GOD shining within her. HE was THE ONE that she needed to turn To. GOD will lighten her load. HE will guide her steps.

I loved the writing style where there were two stories being told and how the one story had an impact on the other.

This is book one of The Nantucket Series. I will make sure I get this one, too.

I received this free to review.

About the Author
Fisher_SuzanneWoodsSuzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Anna’s Crossing, The Newcomer, and The Return in the Amish Beginnings series, The Bishop’s Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

I love reading about strong, determined women. Not that I am one, I am very gentle and meek and… Oh wait, both my mom and my husband read my reviews. Yeah, I confess that I can be that way myself.

Phoebe certainly knew what she wanted. She wanted to help her father and to marry the rich, handsome, though much older, sea captain. Her headstrong nature led her to make a huge mistake which put her very life in danger. The transformation she made as she learned to listen to God was touching.

The story went back and forth between Phoebe’s “present” day and her ancestor Mary’s journal from 100 years earlier. This worked very well for the story. I loved learning about the beginnings of the colony on Nantucket Island. Several of the characters from the journal, including Mary, were actually historical figures.

The author did such a great job at revealing just enough at a time to hint at coming danger and mystery, and then to unfold the story and wrap up all the details at just the right pace. The wealth of historical information throughout the story was an added pleasure. I appreciated so much the way the story was written to give a sense of the place and time and culture.

You can read Suzanne's guest post at AmongTheReads.net


This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net

I am grateful to Celebrate Lit for giving me a copy of this book. The fact I received this book for free does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Journey back to the late 1760;s on Nantucket Island with Phoebe Starbuck, a young Quaker lady who turned eighteen. Phoebe was gifted with her Great Grandmother Mary Coffin's journal on her special day. Phoebe's Light is well written with three dimensional characters, filled with the language and history of Nantucket Island during the 17th and 18th century and emotionally fused with a split story line of Phoebe Starbuck and Mary Coffin. Matthew Macy and Phoebe grew up together but after the losses his family suffered with his dad's ship destroyed, loss cargo and losing his life, Matthew turned his faith away from God thus resulting with Phoebe not marrying Matthew. With Phoebe's eighteenth birthday she was determined to win Captain Phineas Foulger's heart which resulted in a hasty marriage. When Phoebe set her mind to sail on the Fortuna, Captain Foulger's ship as his new bride, a new crew was needed because of the superstition of a lady on board. Matthew was offered to be the cooper for Captain Foulger to spot the sperm whales for the oil needed for lighting. There were many unexpected twists and turns with unending action, seasickness for Phoebe, discovering secrets of Captain Foulger, along with Phoebe being cared for by Matthew and mute Silo, cabin boy on the Fortuna. The vivid descriptive words of Phoebe's story and Mary Coffin's journal kept the pages turning, along with the history, characteristics of the heroine, hero and secondary characters, beliefs and language of the Quakers and the inner light that God gives to each one when they reach out to Him.

Phoebe's Light is a top-notched historical romance with many personalities, emotions, historical events, characters with strength, fortitude, resilience, hard work, faith and most of them with deep integrity. Fisher kept the parallel time slip of Mary Coffin and Phoebe Starbuck moving with similarities to their personality, inner struggles, intellect, strong will, faith, family secrets, and discovering their true happiness. I'm biding my time for the next book, Minding the Light in Nantucket Legacy. Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of my favorite authors.

I appreciate Suzanne Woods Fisher's intensive research with the history of Mary Coffin and others from the 1600's with a beautiful recreated journal she had kept during her life time. Other bonuses that add to this amazing story are a glossary of the language in Nantucket during the 18th Century, historical truths and history about the Quakers of 17th and 18th Century. Fisher is well known for her top notched writing filled with realistic historical characters experiencing history as it happened among the Anabaptist, Mennonites and Quakers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Revell, publisher. As well as e-book from NetGalley. A favorable review was not required but I have expressed my sincere thoughts.

Though this book is very well-written and contains a lot of interesting historical information, I found it difficult to get invested. It wasn’t until I was about 60% of the way into it that I found I cared at all what happened to the characters. Perhaps because it is such a little-known setting, the author had to take a lot of time setting the stage which just made it a bit too dry for my tastes. I have no doubt that many will enjoy this book and new series though so if you don’t mind it taking a little while to set a rich, historically-accurate stage for a sweeping drama, you will probably enjoy this book more than I did.