The Lighthouse at the Cove is the second book I have read written by Amy Clipston, and it will not be the last. This is book 2 in the Coral Cove series, but I read it as a standalone and didn't feel I missed anything.
Are you a fan of small-town romance or single-dad/widower romance? Then this is the book for you. Kaiah is a journalist. Working on a travel piece when her car breaks down in the small town of Coral Cove. Facing a big bill to get her car fixed and a low bank account balance, this delay couldn’t come at a worse time. In steps Reid, firefighter, ride-share driver, picks up Kaiah to take her to a hotel. But there seems to be none in her budget. Reid offers up his guest apartment for her to use while she waits.  Reid’s daughter, Piper, instantly falls in love with her. I loved watching the romance between Reid and Kaiah. This was the perfect clean read with hallmark vibes.  
The character development was great. Reid is working through the grief of losing his wife, while also caring for his daughter. He is doing a great job and has lots of help from his family. Kaiah is trying to navigate the pain from her past relationship.
The romance was sweet and perfect with only kisses.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. A positive review was not required. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Never having read or listened to any stories by this author, I decided to give her a try. Glad I did since now she’s been added to my TBR list.
The story centers around travel journalist Kaiah Ross, Fire Lt Reid Turner and his sweet daughter, Piper.
Needing a break from a breakup and a job that seems to have stopped moving, Kaiah is now traveling to report on a new town when her car dies on her way to her destination. She never expected she would fall in love not only with the picturesque town of Coral Cove, but also with a widower firefighter and his daughter.
The town is struggling after a natural disaster and is considering cancelling one of their traditional festival. What better way to help the town than writing an intriguing series about it. One that will help them get attention, tourist , and lift their sprits.
As the trio gets to spend time together , feelings develop. But what happens when the ex and the promotion Kaiah has always dreamed of, show up?
This is a story about small town life. It’s also a story about how sometimes our dreams change for the better. Lastly, it’s a story about family, hope, new beginnings and second chances in life and in ove.
The narrator, Melissa Moran, does a great job of bringing the story to life.
I was entrusted a copy of this audiobook by Netgalley and publisher Thomas Nelson.
The opinions expressed are solely my own.

The Lighthouse at the Cove is the second visit to Coral Cove for the readers of Amy Clipston. Travel writer Kaiah Ross is traveling south to Edisto Beach, SC to gather information for her hidden gems series for The Traveler, an online magazine. As she nears the small town of Coral Cove, NC her not-so-new SUV Daisy throws engine warning lights and shows it is overheating. Kaiah slowly makes her way to Coral Cove Car Care to determine what is wrong only to discover the parts needed will take a while, perhaps weeks, to get.

Meanwhile, widowed father and firefighter Reid Turner keeps crossing paths with Kaiah the day she arrived and just happens to be the part time ride share driver who picks her up at the garage to try to find a place for her to stay. Both local inns are full and Kaiah’s funds are limited. Reid has an empty apartment above his garage so offers her that option. When his sweet daughter Piper and twin sister Becca meet Kaiah they both make immediate connections. And when Kaiah throws her journalistic talents behind a special project of Becca’s to help rebuild in their town the story really takes off in unexpected ways!

I very much enjoyed this book, as I have all of Ms. Clipston’s stories, and do recommend it!

This was such a sweet story with so many layers…
Deep, rich, underlying layers!

Kaiah (pronounced Kaya) is driving to her next journalist assignment (from NY to ?North Carolina?… not sure…). She’s in her faithful Land Rover that she depends on for everything… when something goes wrong. The car starts smoking…

She prays for an exit sign… and a mechanic! She sees a sign!!! Next exit Coral Cove! She’s so excited…and hopeful!
She gets off and sees a BEAUTIFUL town with a beach and pretty buildings. Where is the mechanic??? And then she sees a sign. She pulls up. There are a lot of cars there…. The mechanic tells her to give him a little time to look at the car. She wants to work… so he suggests a coffee place where she can work on her laptop. When she gets her coffee, there’s a mixup, and she doesn’t get her latte, but a plain black coffee. And then she meets Reid.
Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome! (Mr. TDH!) Their coffees were mixed up.
No problem…they switch coffees.
Too bad. He was cute!

Later, she goes back to the mechanic. The owner tells her it’ll be at least a few days. It’s a big job and he has to order parts… BIG SIGH…

She’ll have to get a room. She really can’t afford this! And the car repairs! She needs the money from her NEXT assignment to stay afloat! But… what can she do?

The mechanic gives her the name of two motels in the area and calls an Uber for her. She gets in, and who’s the driver? Mr. TDH!!! 😮😳😮
He’s bringing her to the first motel when he decides to call instead. They’re all booked up. 2nd hotel? Same thing.
Oh. No. Now what is she going to do??

He offers her an apartment above his garage. Really! And she accepts. And then she meets his precocious, adorable daughter!

This is the first FEW MINUTES of the book. And, it only gets better from here!

I will STOP 🛑 HERE🛑!! But I will say that Kaiah needs to stay there for a bit while her car is worked on. And, while she’s there she helps the town with a project that will affect everyone there!

This was sweet. This was adorable. This was also heartbreaking, and scary, and sad, and beautiful, and heartwarming and kind… and so much more! It will pull on your heartstrings… many times. And, will make you think about what really is important in life!
Oh… and there’s a cat 🐈‍⬛ and, a dog 🐕!

4 1/2 stars for me, happily rounded up to 5! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

#TheLighthouseAtTheCove by @AmyClipston and narrated beautifully by @MelissaMoran.
Of note: this seems to be book #2 in the series, but I have not read book #1. So apparently it can be read as a standalone.

This one has already been released, so please look 👀 for it on shelves now!


Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #ThomasNelsonFiction and #ZondervanFictionAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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The Lighthouse at The Cove by Amy Clipston is a beautifully written, uplifting story about healing, faith, and second chances. From the very first chapter, I was drawn into the peaceful coastal setting. Clipston does an excellent job portraying realistic struggles - grief, regret, and the fear of starting over all while gently weaving in themes of forgiveness and hope. The characters are easy to connect with, and their growth throughout the story feels natural and meaningful. I especially appreciated the slow, thoughtful pacing of the relationships, which made the emotional moments feel earned and sincere. This book is comforting without being predictable and inspiring without feeling preachy. It’s the kind of story that leaves you feeling calm, encouraged, and reminded that light can still shine even after difficult seasons.

The Lighthouse at the Cove by Amy Clipston and narrated by Melissa Moran was very well done. The narrator brought the characters to life.
Kaiah is a journalist and she was on her way to do a travel piece when she had car trouble in the small town of Coral Cove. She faced a huge repair bill with little funds in her bank account. Needing to find a place to stay while her car was getting fixed Reid picked her up so she could get to the hotel but there was none she was going to able to afford. Reid tells her he has a small guest apartment she could stay in if that worked for her. She really had no choice and took him up on the offer.
I have to say that this book had everything in it to make it one of the better small-town romances I have read or in this case heard in a long time. I highly recommend you pick up this book and settle in for a pleasant story.
Thank you NetGalley, Amy Clipston and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the Audiobook of The Lighthouse at the Cove.
This is my personal review.

The Lighthouse at the Cove is such a good book. Fantastic plot, believable characters, and a beautiful setting. Amy Clipston has written another wonderful book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This audiobook was such a cozy, heartwarming listen from beginning to end. The small-town atmosphere felt so vivid, and the characters were easy to fall in love with, especially in audio where every emotion really landed. I loved the slow, natural build of the romance and how comforting the story felt without ever being boring. If you’re looking for a feel-good audiobook with depth, warmth, and just the right amount of swoon, this one is perfect.

ARC/ ALC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Traveling this Christmas???? The Lighthouse at the Cove by Amy Clipston will make any long drive fly by in the blink of an eye, or an ideal relaxing read once you reach your destination.

Car trouble is always bad news, but it is even worse for a down-on-her-luck, (free-lance) travel journalist. While making her way from Maryland to Florida, Kaya Ross, finds herself stranded for the unforeseen future. Thankfully, there is a silver lining; her car broke down in a picturesque, coastal town. Unable to write her original story, she decides to feature Coral Cove and its historical lighthouse. After the story becomes an instant success, she teams up with locals (Reid and Piper Turner) to raise funds for the community. Will Kaya permanently settle into the town that stole her heart, or will her dreams for the future force her to move on?

2025 will forever be remembered as the year I discovered Amy Clipston!!! In addition to connecting with her writing style, I love that she incorporates her faith into every book she writes. She does so by planting seeds of hope in her characters, plot points, and unique voice. It is no coincidence that I have read three of her books in the span of mere months.

Needless to say, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book (in any format)!!!

Be sure to read the Lighthouse on the Cove for:
-Clean Romance
-MMC Firefighter/ Uber Driver
-FMC Travel Journalist
-Single Parent
-Community Festival

Special thanks to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Amy Clipston for allowing me to both listen and read this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a beautiful story of a young lady who’s on a journey after having her heart broken and find love and purpose in the midst of her unexpected circumstances. This is actually the 2nd book in series but new to me. I found this audiobook very engaging and sweet. I enjoyed the storyline and the narrator in this wonderful story. It’s a good read without being too predictable or cheesy.

Thank you to Netgally and Thomas Nelson publishing for this great complimentary audiobook. The opinions here are my honest review of this book.

This was such a beautiful, heartwarming story. From the very first chapters, Amy Clipston pulled me into a gentle, hope-filled journey that felt like a warm hug. The setting, the characters, and the themes of healing, faith, and second chances were all handled so tenderly, and I absolutely loved every moment of it.

I’m so thankful to have received an ARC copy from the publisher and NetGalley, and this story completely exceeded my expectations. It’s the kind of book that leaves you feeling comforted and encouraged long after you turn the last page.

I was also gifted the audiobook, and I have to say—the narrator did a wonderful job bringing this story to life. Her voice captured the emotion and heart of the characters beautifully and made the listening experience even more special.

If you love uplifting, cozy reads with depth and heart, this one is not to be missed.

I've been reading Amy Clipston books for years starting with her Amish romances and now her contemporary ones. I've got to say that I think this is my favorite of hers from the past few years! I loved the small town romance and how Kaiah fell in love with Coral Cove and the lighthouse there when her car broke down. Reid is a local fireman, widower and dad to Piper. It was so sweet to watch them come together and figure out what to do with their lives. I highly recommend The Lighthouse at the Cove if you love clean romances that tug on your heartstrings. Too bad Coral Cove isn't a real place because I'd totally want to visit!

Melissa Moran did a wonderful job narrating.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 2 December 2025