The Lightkeeper's Ball...Review

About the book:
Olivia seems to have it all, but her heart yearns for more.

Olivia Stewart's family is one of the Four Hundred-the highest echelon of society in 1910. When her sister dies under mysterious circumstances, Olivia leaves their New York City home for Mercy Falls, California, to determine what befell Eleanor. She suspects Harrison Bennett, the man Eleanor planned to marry. But the more Olivia gets to know him, the more she doubts his guilt-and the more she is drawn to him herself.

When several attempts are made on her life, Olivia turns to Harrison for help. He takes her on a ride in his aeroplane, but then crashes, and they're forced to spend two days alone together. With her reputation hanging by a thread, Harrison offers to marry her to make the situation right. As a charity ball to rebuild the Mercy Falls lighthouse draws near, she realizes she wants more than a sham engagement-she wants Harrison in her life forever. But her enemy plans to shatter the happiness she is ready to grasp. If Olivia dares to drop her masquerade, she just might see the path to true happiness.


Like The Lightkeeper's Daughter this is a light, entertaining story.  There is nothing deep or profound in it.  The premise is rather implausible.   I liked Harrison well enough, but I never did like Olivia, unfortunately, as she was selfish and annoying.  I found her pretense of being Lady Devonworth to be rather dubious and I couldn't believe that Harrison fell for it, even to the point of asking her to marry him without ever knowing her first name or, really, anything about her. 

The villains are appropriately villainous caricatures and everything works out in the end.

Third in the Mercy Falls series, I read the first one, The Lightkeeper's Daughter when I received this one and realized it was part of a series. I've been on the waiting list at the library for the second one, The Lightkeeper's Bride, but I haven't received it yet.  Characters return here from both previous novels, but each book seems to stand alone well.

Fans of Colleen Coble will enjoy it, I'm sure.  I found it to be an entertaining diversion, nothing more.

Thanks to Audra Jennings of the B&B Media Group for the opportunity to review this book.  You can learn more about Colleen Coble here.  You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 5/11

* * *
3/5 Stars

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