The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection

If you want to find me I’m entranced Up North by The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection, which offers hope to all ye who are weary and heavy-laden through its seven totally uplifting historical romances. Why, I’m feeling better already! 5/5

Pub Date 01 Nov 2018

Thanks to Barbour Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#TheGreatLakesLighthouseBridesCollection #NetGalley

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection written by Lena Nelson Dooley, Rebecca Jepson, Carrie Fancett Pagels, Candice Sue Patterson, Kathleen Rouser, Pegg Thomas, and Marilyn Turk is a delightful gathering of the often romanticized life of lighthouse keepers. Throughout the stories you'll meet a variety of fascinating characters, including female lightkeepers, a lady doctor, backwoodsmen, sailors, gentlemen business owners and more. Every story brings to life the history of the Great Lake's shores. When I finished reading, I was impressed at how each author took a similar setting and topic and created such a unique story. Some based their writing on historical characters, while others were total fiction. I had some favorites, too — but I'll let you decide what yours are after you pick up a copy of this wonderful anthology and read for yourself. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wonderful collection. Each story brought me to the shores where lighthouses can be found. I could feel the wind on my face, hear the waves crashing the shore and felt the emotions of the characters. From bravery to finding trust and love through adversity, each story brings promise and hope. Beautiful book cover and great stories. I received a copy of this book from the authors, publishers and NetGalley and this is my own personal opinion. No review was required.

I really enjoyed this book. It has seven different historical romances set in different years. All the stories are clean and are well written. They hold your attention and gives a glimpse of the hardship and dangers of the lighthouse keeper's job. If you like stories that involve the sea and lighthouses you will love this book. Thank you Barbour Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Lighthouses played a vital role in the growth of our nation. These lighthouses took settlers traveling by water to places that had no roads using beacons of light that required constant tending in remote and often dangerous places. Brave men and women battled the elements and loneliness to keep the lights shining. Their sacrifice kept goods and immigrants moving. These seven romances set between 1883 and 1911 bring to these lonely keepers hope and love to weary hearts. I loved lighthouses, strong characters, great plots, and romance.

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection: 7 Historical Romances Are a Beacon of Hope to Weary Hearts is a book published this Nov first by Barbour composed by: Anna's Tower by Peggy Thomas, Beneath a Michigan Moon by Candice Sue Petterson, Safe Haven by Rbecca Jepson, Love's Beacon by Carrie Fancett Pagels, The Last Memory by Kathleen Rouser, The disappearing Ship by Lena Nelson Dooley, and the Wrong Survivor by Marylin Turk.
I read the latest tale. Pretty moving. Lydia is in love with Nathan but Nathan working with the ship of his brother in the sea, won't never return home because of an incident in the while.
It will be a very sad moment for Lydia and for Nathan's brother Jesse; the first one thought that the incident where Nathan perished was only fault of Jesse; Jesse was devastated because he wasn't in grade to save his brother; not only, but Nathan left also a girl in love and plenty of sadness and anger.
Lydia's parents were worried for her and they tried their best for cheering her up also suggesting her of changing air.
Lydia was a passionate of the lighthouse and with her dad she kept cleaned the lenses of the lighthouse; she loved where she lived as well.
Slowly, Lydia will start also to appreciate the company of Jesse and she will understand when the peril was again close to them that no, maybe there was also something else, and she didn't want to lose Jesse at all anymore.

I thank NetGalley and Barbour for this eBook.

Anna Maria Polidori

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection takes place in the late 1800 early 1900 centuries. It is a romantic collection of seven different novellas of faith, family, strength, courage and brave female lighthouse keepers. I was drawn into each story in this book and several of the novellas I wish had been made into a full book. I was enlightened by these novellas having no idea as to the extent of a lighthouse keepers duties, especially a female lighthouse keeper living in a remote isolated location who still had gardening, cooking, laundry, etc duties. The authors obviously did thorough research.

This incredible collection of seven novellas about The Great Lakes Lighthouses published by Barbour Books, is one of my favorites. I love when the publishers put out a collection like this. Some of these talented authors were new to me. What a wonderful way to get acquainted with their writing style. I must say, I could not pick a favorite. Each of the stories kept my interest, made me laugh and many times brought tears to my eyes. I found them to be page-turners, laced in romance. There is a faith thread woven throughout each of these. Another thing I love about them.

The seven romance novellas were set between 1883 and 1911. Being a lighthouse keeper was a very important, necessary job. It took a certain type of person to endure the elements and loneliness, to perform the duties required. Keeping the beacon of light shining, warning of hazards required constant attention. I feel this is a must read for anyone interested in lighthouses, or reading a great historical romance.

I received a copy of this book by Barbour Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I have enjoyed many of the Barbour Publishing's collections of stories over the years. They just keep making good ones. The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collections has a good cast of characters, believable plot lines, and true to life situations. I love the water, and when reading these stories I can imagine myself standing there with the waves and sun reflecting off the surface.

I also like the length of each story. They are just long enough to read one after the kids go to bed.

I enjoyed this anthology of lighthouse romances. I would have to say that Pegg Thomas' story,
"Anna's Tower" was my favorite, with "Beneath a Michigan Moon" by Candice Sue Patterson as a close second. I do not usually read such long books, but the way this anthology is written, you can take your time reading. All are short enough to be read in virtually one sitting, and I enjoyed learning more about some of our local lighthouses. The romances are what you would expect, but several had other secondary stories or elements, such as a chronic illness or a slight suspense angle.

If you're on vacation, or just want to wish you were, The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection is for you. You can lose your everyday worries with sweeping romance, lakeside locales and great characters. Even if you don't enjoy one of the stories, the next may just win you over. You really can't lose with this collection. Keep reading and find your safe harbor in this anthology.

I was delighted to receive an advanced reader PDF from #NetGalley and Barbour Books. I chose to review and these are my honest opinions.

I have always loved these Barbour Collections! This one definitely didn’t disappoint! All of the stories were unique and original. I loved them all! I love the amount of detail they had about the lighthouses. I definitely recommend this book!




I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Another great collection of stories from Barbour. This one has a range of historical novellas featuring lighthouses. Readers that enjoy lighthouses will enjoy this collection. Lighthouse keepers had a important job through history. A lot can be learned about their job by reading this collection. Recommended!

This is an enjoyable collection of stories written by talented authors. These sweet, clean stories are perfect for those times you want shorter and lighter reading. I loved all the characters and storylines, especially the story by one of my favorite authors, Carrie Fancett Pagels. I’ll be reading this set again,

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I have always been drawn to lighthouses. There is something very romantic just because of the light they share. When I saw this title and some of my favorite authors participating, I couldn't resist. I had to read this book.

I learned a lot about what goes on in the lighthouse, and came to the awareness of what an important role they played.

There were seven wonderful stories here, unique and captivating. I loved this book. It's a beautiful collection. So glad that I was able to read this well-written compilation.

I received a book from one of the authors and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

“The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection” provides seven short story perspectives on life in the Great Lakes lighthouses. The stories feature women in prominent roles as lighthouse keepers. I enjoyed the short story format, and the character descriptions really brought the characters to life.

This book appealed to me not only as interesting stories about courageous women, but also because they were set in the Great Lakes area. Having grown up in this area and lived there much of my life, I found the setting intriguing and realistic. I also have visited several lighthouses, and could easily imagine the rugged nature of the lives portrayed in these stories.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection
A great collection of seven novellas all with great authors. Several of these authors were new to me but I love lighthouses so I knew that I would enjoy this book.
The first glimpse of the beacon of light had to be a joyous time for the weary sailors. The lighthouse keeper’s job was so important and sometimes dangerous. You will learn some of the joys, some of the heartaches and some of the loneliness of being a lighthouse keeper.
Love and faith filled stories you will not want to miss if you like reading about lighthouses.
I received a copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley and a complimentary copy from one of the authors. All opinions are my own.

A beautiful collection of stories set in a place where serene and magnificent meet. Being from this part of the country, I loved reading about some of the places I had been. The lighthouse details and the love stories are well written and describe, with characters to fall in love with and place you might just want to visit. A perfect cozy fireside book....

The Great Lakes are in some pretty tough country. Women Lighthouse keepers were rare and their lives difficult. These seven stories about their struggles, their lives, their faith and their hearts will give you a chance to peer back into history as well as into their hearts. A collection of inspirational stories to entertain you, intrigue you and comfort you on some dark and stormy nights. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

A fine collection of all new stories featuring the historical lighthouses of the Great Lakes region. Starting from 1883 to 1911, the wide variety of tales includes people who lived, tended, rescued and helped others along the vast water ways. Some had mysteries to unravel, involving mistaken identities, amnesia vistims, injured and survivors of wrecks. The stories with brave women who tended the lights were especially interesting, as some really did attain positions. It all sounded like hard work, but rewarding. Living in isolation for many, dealing with the loneliness must have been difficult. It made for a good point to develop relationships, and a strong faith in God.

I enjoyed all the stories, but really liked the pair in Safe Haven--the young lighthouse keeper Rose and Nathan the stoic sea captain. Interesting plot in that one, and the awkward romance had a perfect amount of tension. Many of these tales would be good full length novels. I have enjoyed visiting many of the old lighthouses along the Pacific Northwest coastline, so it helped me picture what was described in the stories. Reading this during the cold rainy season made the stories really come alive too.

Recommend for readers who enjoy clean historical romances. 4.5 stars

Another wonderful collection by Barbour Publishing. Long before radar and technology came into existence, ships depended on Lighthouses to light a safe path to shore. These are a few stories taking place between 1883 and 1902, that show us how hard lighthouse life is. It was often lonely work too. The need for a loving partner is obvious. Each novella is a sweet romance with a happy ending but they are all unique, filled with twists, turns, hardships, and a few mysteries. I loved taking my time reading through this collection. I'm sure I will revisit these novellas again.

I was very excited to read this collection. I live in Michigan so I have seen all of the Great Lakes.

Each story is unique, yet there is the common thread of the lighthouse. I find these types of stories fascinating.

I especially was drawn the Round Island Lighthouse since I have seen that one many times when I have visited Mackinac Island (my favorite place and got to visit in this story).

Overall, I lovely collection of stories.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com All opinions are my own.

Who, in our day and age, hasn't given over to the mystique of imagining what it must've been like to live in a lighthouse? I know I have, and the seven authors of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Collection do a superb job of bringing imagination to life in both romantic and realistic ways. Most of these stories feature heroines put in situations where they must become the keepers of the light, either out of emergency or longing. Along the way, of course, they find romance. The really wonderful thing about these stories is that they each feature a real lighthouse located somewhere in the Great Lakes. First of all, anything "Great Lakes" calls out to me because I live near Lake Superior and have my own "favorite" lighthouses. Secondly, if you can't get visit all these lighthouses -- and some are nearly unreachable these days -- then you can "tour" them by living vicariously through these characters. The novellas also feature other intriguing pieces of lake history from shipwrecks and immigration to logging and mining, common to the region and the times. The stories are also fraught with some mystery and other perils of living remotely. Each novella has a "feel good" ending, so if you just want to get away from it all, you'll find it easy to do in this Great Lakes lighthouse novella collection.

As the title suggests, the seven stories revolve around lighthouses located in the Great Lakes region covering the US states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as the Canadian province of Ontario.

Some of the protagonists man the lighthouses single-handedly when struck with the loss of a male family member in order to survive. While others are returning to their homes located to their homes in order to "find" themselves and quite obviously along the way, they find the love of their lives. All these situations challenge the female protagonists are required to anchor themselves on their faith and their inner willpower.

My favourite short story was definitely Pegg Thomas' Anna's Tower that piqued my curiosity about the anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russia Empire in the 19th century.

Readers will enjoy that the diverse female characters and their love for the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Lighthouse is one of those books that you will enjoy as a pick-me-up or as a palate cleanser.

7 wonderful stories of romance. I enjoyed that there was lighthouses involved and the workings of and the keeper of the light made the stories real and believable. Each of the stories were interesting, unique and the perfect amount of romance.
I requested a copy through NetGally and my review is voluntary.

I really enjoyed reading this! We find all these stories taking place along the Great Lakes. They took place between 1883 and 1911. We have to remember these beacons of light had to be tended during sickness and in health and during the most violent of storms. These lighthouses were often situated in desolate areas and help was not readily available to tend to shipwrecked men. In cases like this the light keeper and his family had to doctor the injured men and women from the shipwreck. Though tiring and it often being a thankless job the light keeper without fail did his duty and stayed strong. 7 historically enjoyable stories about finding and keeping love during the struggle of daily life . Wonderful stories and fascinating characters make this book a winner in my eyes.
Pub Date 01 Nov 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

Another really lovely collection from Barbour Publishing. Having each story revolve around a Great Lakes lighthouse is a very clever concept, and having a house in Northern Michigan, I was drawn to these stories more than most readers. I felt like the final story ended abruptly, but that’s probably my only concern with the book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Lighthouses have long been the symbol of salvation, warning sailors away from dangerous rocks and shallow waters. Along the Great Lakes, America’s inland seas, lighthouses played a vital role in the growth of the nation. They shepherded settlers traveling by water to places that had no roads. These beacons of light required constant tending even in remote and often dangerous places. Brave men and women battled the elements and loneliness to keep the lights shining. Their sacrifice kept goods and immigrants moving. Seven romances set between 1883 and 1911 bring hope to these lonely keepers and love to weary hearts. The Last Memory by Kathleen Rouser 1899—Mackinac Point Lighthouse Natalie Brooks loses her past to amnesia, and Cal Waterson, the lighthouse keeper who rescues her, didn’t bargain on risking his heart—when her past might change everything.



My Thoughts: This is a collection of short stories "novellas" about lighthouses and their keepers. The authors have given a precise account of the lives that these people led while helping to save the lives of others. The hardships they faced, loneliness, living in a remote area and dealing with the aftermath of shipwrecks.


The stories will draw the reader in and will fall in love with the heroines in the stories. I think of all the stories my favorites were Rose and Natalie. Rose being strong and independent, Natalie has a wonderful outlook on life after losing her memory. The reader will love all the women in the stories, these are the two that I identified with the most.

Living on a small island has given me a love for the lighthouse, and I have visited many on the Eastern Shore. That's one of the reasons I enjoyed these stories and the characters in them. Whenever you visit a lighthouse you try to envision the people that were once living there, this book gives us a wonderful look into some of those lives.


The readers will also learn how important the lighthouse is to people and the ships. It is fascinating to learn the working day of the lighthouse keepers. It was pleasant reading that the writers did make sure that the word of God was written into the stories. God is our lighthouse and we must always remember to look toward the light.


I think that everyone will enjoy this novella.

We live in an age when the lighthouses that are still working are not manned for the most part. As a result of this, despite the various tours I have taken to lighthouses, (or perhaps because of them), I have thought of lighthouses more as museums to the past than the beacons of safety that they are.

These stories of the men and women who have willingly isolated themselves, working nights and sleeping during the day, enduring the blares of foghorns to warn away ships when the light can't be seen, and making countless other sacrifices for the safety of others, have changed the way I think of lighthouses, and especially their keepers.

The stories, while all romances, varied greatly. I thought it clever that while they all take place in Michigan, the time period of each one is progressively later than the previous.

I enjoyed some of the stories more than others, which is not surprising with a collection such as this. My favorites were Anna's Tower and Beneath a Michigan Moon. The rating I gave is based on these stories.

Anna's Tower was filled with surprises, for the characters and for me. Anna's secret was a complete surprise and I love the way it influenced the story. Maksim was such a delightful character. The Russian immigrant who had escaped the pogroms despite the fact that he was not a Jew himself. His determination to learn English and to be as useful around the lighthouse as possible made him so endearing, as did the beautiful way the author fleshed out his personality.

Beneath a Michigan Moon was very touching. Ava's determination to keep the death of her father a secret so she could stay on at the lighthouse placed her in an awkward situation, especially when Ben needed access to the tower. I loved his determined and protective nature and the way he was able to show such kindness and love towards Ava.

I’ve always enjoyed these novella collections from Barbour Publishing and this collection is no exception. All the stories take place in the lighthouses stationed around the Great Lakes between 1883-1911. Many of the contributing authors were new to me and I enjoyed discovering them.

Each story in the collection is unique. Pegg Thomas creates an interesting story in Anna’s Tower about an aspiring female lighthouse keeper named Anna and a Russian immigrant Maksim facing prejudice and racism. Candice Patterson weaves a tender and sweet marriage of convenience story in Beneath a Michigan Moon about Ava who is secretly keeping the lighthouse after her father’s death and Ben who is a logger working nearby. It has great dialogue and character development. In Safe Haven, Rebecca Jepson brings to light, with a flare of suspense, Rose’s unknown past as she works as a lighthouse keeper and as Nathan, a sea captain and a friend of her grand father’s, enters her life. Love’s Beacon by Carrie Fancett Pagels also has an element of mystery and suspense as Val discovers her true identity while helping the newly appointed keeper Paul with his daughter. The Last Memory by Kathleen Rouser puts Mallory who suffers amnesia from a shipwreck with Cal who is a lighthouse keeper with a young daughter. The Disappearing Ship by Lena Nelson Dooley has a bit of suspense and unconventional plot where a woman physician Norma returns home to the lighthouse when a businessman Drake comes searching for his missing ship and money and needs her assistance after an injury. The Wrong Survivor by Marilyn Turk showcases heartache and healing as Lydia mourns the death of her fiancé in a shipwreck while her fiancé’s brother, Jesse, who survived must learn about forgiveness and life after tragedy.

If you enjoy historical novella collections with a strong faith arc, you will enjoy this book. I was given a copy of this book by Barbour Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

This book is made up of seven romantic novellas that are all wonderfully written and enjoyable. It is a collection of novellas of faith, family, strength, courage and brave female lighthouse keepers or spouses, all taking place along the Great Lakes. Living on the edge of one of the Great Lakes, the settings are very real to me making the stories even more enjoyable. The theme of Jesus Christ being our lighthouse, guiding us to where we should be, is front and centre in each story. Each of the main characters is dealing with the weather, isolation, hard work or other situations that would challenge anyone, but for these women, putting their faith in the Lord and giving it up to God shows them the path they were meant to take.

This book is a very enjoyable read. Each novella takes just over an hour to read and make a perfect read in an evening. I was impressed with the description of the lighthouses and the areas. It is obvious that the authors did their research, although the stories are fiction. If you like Christian Romance, especially historical fiction, then pick this one up, you won't be disappointed. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas, and opinions shared are my own.

I love lighthouses, so finding a collection of novellas that revolved around lighthouses was a must-read for me. I don't usually read a lot of novellas. Just a personal preference of mine, but this collection carried character development, setting, and plot in a rapid pace that I enjoyed. I can only imagine the amount of research that went into each story. It had to have been substantial to create such perfect settings with well-matched characters for the time periods.

As for the characters, I liked some better than others, but that's no surprise. Some characters always ring our bells a little more than others. The overall theme of the female characters was profound independence. While I'm all for independence, there are times when everyone needs help. For some of the characters, that was their flaw. So, I cheered for them once they realized that asking for help does not mean they are weak.

Since these are novellas and love and romance were viewed somewhat differently in the time-period these stories represent, I can accept the rapid romance and proposals. The way each author took their story and developed it into something that worked on its own while meeting the challenges of working with a collection of other authors was inspiring.

The Last Memory by Kathleen Rouser was wonderful. She brought the characters to life, leading them through Natalie's amnesia with love and grace. Cal was the perfect hero: strong, yet gentle, and the way he cared for not only Natalie but the others in his care was reminiscent of a true gentleman.

Each novella is set a different place in history starting from 1883 to 1911.
The seven novella’s covers a lot of history, each with a separate story surrounding a lighthouse. I learned the importance of a lighthouse and a lot of other great information about lighthouses. I enjoyed each one, especially the one with the dog in it.
I have read a few of the authors in the book and a few not. Reading a book like this one is a great way to find new authors.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley through the publisher and Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write a positive review. This is my own opinion.

I have always been fascinated with lighthouses. A beacon of light high in a tower that warned sailors of danger and helped them safely guide their ships. I knew that there were people who maintained them but I had never really stopped to think about the type of person who took on this responsibility. Seven authors have joined to each write a novella about the lighthouses that were stationed along the Great Lakes between the years of 1883 to 1911. The Great Lighthouse Brides Collection offers readers the chance to imagine the lives of the men and women who served as lighthouse keepers. People who faced loneliness, hardship and danger as they kept the lighthouses going so that the journeys would be safe for the settlers who were forced to travel by ship. In each of these novellas female characters play an important part. There is an independent young woman who wants to earn a job as a lighthouse keeper, the young woman who needs to protect her secret to remain at the lighthouse, and another young woman seeking to find who left her as a baby on the lighthouse steps. One woman is helped by a male lighthouse keeper when she finds herself forced to return to the place that caused her so much misery and still another is rescued by a lighthouse keeper after losing her past memories to amnesia. Add the mystery of a shipwreck and a young woman grieving for her fiancee who died in a shipwreck and you have seven stories that will keep you engrossed. Historical fiction, yes, but there is also lots of romance and some of the stories simply take your breath away!

I am very impressed with the ability of seven different authors to create stories that worked so well together. The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Collection is a great choice for anyone who only has short amounts of time to read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and Christian romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but a positive review was not required.

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides collections is a delightful collection of captivating novellas based on Lighthouse keepers of the great lakes from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. There was not a story among them that I didn’t enjoy. For me each story was a nice read before bed ( I have a bad habit of wanting to know what happens and have been known to stay up until I finish a book )

Among the seven novellas is The Last Memory by Kathleen Rouser, the story of a lone survivor of The Mallory, a ship that sank outside of the Mackinc Point Lighthouse. Stricken with amnesia a woman can only remember one thing, the name Mallory. Cal, the Lighthouse keeper who lives with his young daughter and Aunt finds himself not only protective of Mallory, but losing his heart to her. Will her unknown past keep them apart?

I received a copy of this novel from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own

This is such a wonderful collection of stories. I happen to have a soft spot for Lighthouse stories, so when I saw this collection was coming I was so excited. A couple of these authors are new to me and I’m so glad I found them! Not that I need more authors on my every growing list of authors I enjoy, lol.
Each story had it’s own plot and feel to it, but the authors did a fantastic job of having similar themes flow throughout all the stories. I like it when a collection does that – you can enjoy each story separately, but the subtle themes in each work so well together. Yes there was love, but I think it was more about each woman kind of making a mark for herself. Then love could come her way, and when it did it was wonderful each time. Some in fact, were hysterical and I found myself reading some of the scenes more than once.
Not only were the heroines wonderfully written, but the setting in each story just made me want to jump into a time machine and visit the beautiful state of Michigan, historically of course. The lighthouses themselves sounded magnificent, but what captured my attention the most was the shores of the lakes. I could hear the water, feel the shore, and if I really concentrated felt like I was right alongside each character. It’s one thing for one author to be able to do that, but seven!? That was amazing to me.
Historical fiction fans are going to love this set of novellas. This is a book I can see myself coming back to for years to come! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.