“They call me a heroine, but I am not deserving of such accolades. I am just an ordinary young woman who did her duty.”

Today I am sharing my review for Hazel Gaynor's latest book, the stunning story The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter.

Title: The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter

Author: Hazel Gaynor

Published: May 25th 2019 by HarperCollins

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: 1838: Northumberland, England. Longstone Lighthouse on the Farne Islands has been Grace Darling’s home for all of her twenty-two years. When she and her father rescue shipwreck survivors in a furious storm, Grace becomes celebrated throughout England, the subject of poems, ballads, and plays. But far more precious than her unsought fame is the friendship that develops between Grace and a visiting artist. Just as George Emmerson captures Grace with his brushes, she in turn captures his heart.

1938: Newport, Rhode Island. Nineteen-years-old and pregnant, Matilda Emmerson has been sent away from Ireland in disgrace. She is to stay with Harriet, a reclusive relative and assistant lighthouse keeper, until her baby is born. A discarded, half-finished portrait opens a window into Matilda’s family history. As a deadly hurricane approaches, two women, living a century apart, will be linked forever by their instinctive acts of courage and love.

Review: Hazel Gaynor is one of my favourite Historical Fiction authors, so I know that her stories are always special, but The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter surpassed all my expectations. With two timelines set a hundred years apart, this story completely stole my heart.

In 1838, we have Grace Darling, the daughter of the Longstone Lighthouse keeper. She has a very quiet life in the lighthouse but a very brave rescue puts her on the spotlight for the whole country. I found this character fascinating, especially as it is based in a real person. I loved getting to know her, discovering how brave she was but also how fame affected her. 

And then, in 1938, we have Matilda Emmerson who is sent to Rhode Island in disgrace. There she falls in love with a lighthouse too and discovers many secrets from her family's past. Usually, in dual-time stories, I have a preferred timeline, but in this case, I was equally engrossed with both stories. Just as Grace, Matilda was a multi-layered character that showed bravery and, above all, a huge heart.

Also, a special mention to the settings of these timelines. Hazel Gaynor has the ability to bring a past time to life and here we have a perfect example of this. With her generous descriptions of the lighthouses, the sees, the smells and the light, Hazel takes us readers on a travel back in time. If I closed my eyes I could easily picture Grace going up the stairs to the light room or Matilda rowing to the lighthouse. The setting is definitely a strong point on this novel, making this story even more memorable. It's impossible not to care for these girls and every one in the story.

The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter is a stunning and heart-wrenching story that surprised me and took my breath away. 

Rating: 5 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Today I am sharing my review for a very special book, The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey. This is the epic and long-awaited new romance from the author of Letters to the Lost, winner of the RNA Award.

Title: The Glittering Hour 

Author: Iona Grey 

Published: May 30th 2019 by Simon & Schuster

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Selina Lennox is a Bright Young Thing. Her life is a whirl of parties and drinking, pursued by the press and staying just the right side of scandal.

Lawrence Weston is a penniless painter who stumbles into Selina's orbit one night and can never let her go.

Spanning two decades and a seismic shift in British history as World War II approaches, this is an epic novel of passion, heartache and loss.

Review: I have just finished reading this stunning story and I need to put into paper how much I loved The Glittering Hour. I still have tears in my eyes and I cannot believe that Selina and Alice's story is over. I am definitely going to miss them immensely. As you can tell, this book has made me feel many emotions, as I felt really connected to story and its characters. 

Iona Grey already made me fell in love with her writing with her acclaimed debut, Letters to the Lost, but I think that The Glittering Hour is in a whole new level. The writing really transports you back in time and the characters feel like part of your family. 

The story is set in two different decades. We have shy young Alice in the thirties, who has gone to live with her grandparents in the big and cold Blackwood House, while her parents go on a long business trip. And then, thanks to letters sent by her mother, Selina, we discover more about her mother's youth and how Alice herself came to be. 

Together with the letters, Selina sends Alice in a treasure hunt to help her feel better in this new foreign setting but also as a way to share with her her past and talk about the people that were important to her. I loved discovering the glittering twenties through Selina's eyes, Iona Grey painted such a clear image of the colours, the fashion, the cars, the parties... that I felt like I was looking at photos rather than just reading. 

I can only praise this epic story and I highly recommend you pick it up if you are looking for a very special story that will fascinate you and probably steal your heart. It has secrets, it has family drama, it has love, it has glamour but also lots of pain. A book that has found a place in my favorite books ever list, for sure. 

Rating: 5 stars