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The Lighthouse Keeper
Twenty years ago, a thief stole the Ferox Cor, and now he’s dead.
Vincent Fairchild, a witch with little power beyond his charm, is tasked with finding that dangerous magical object. He’s already been pruned from the family tree because “nice” people don’t possess even the lowest of magic. If he fails to return with the Ferox Cor, he’ll lose his place with the Witches’ Council.
Determined not to be cast aside again, Vincent travels to the West Point lighthouse, where he learns that the Witches’ Council was mistaken. Martin Gallagher, the thief, didn’t use the Ferox Cor to enrich himself, and his son is not a child. In fact, Rafe Gallagher might be the most powerful witch Vincent has ever met. Powerful, adult, and incredibly handsome.
Martin will return on Samhain when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. He’s promised to reclaim the Ferox Cor, but doing so risks unleashing a great evil on the world. Rafe has sworn to destroy that powerful object, but if he succeeds, Vincent’s future is at risk. There's a way forward, but to find it, Vincent must look to his heart.
Vincent Fairchild, a witch with little power beyond his charm, is tasked with finding that dangerous magical object. He’s already been pruned from the family tree because “nice” people don’t possess even the lowest of magic. If he fails to return with the Ferox Cor, he’ll lose his place with the Witches’ Council.
Determined not to be cast aside again, Vincent travels to the West Point lighthouse, where he learns that the Witches’ Council was mistaken. Martin Gallagher, the thief, didn’t use the Ferox Cor to enrich himself, and his son is not a child. In fact, Rafe Gallagher might be the most powerful witch Vincent has ever met. Powerful, adult, and incredibly handsome.
Martin will return on Samhain when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. He’s promised to reclaim the Ferox Cor, but doing so risks unleashing a great evil on the world. Rafe has sworn to destroy that powerful object, but if he succeeds, Vincent’s future is at risk. There's a way forward, but to find it, Vincent must look to his heart.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2023
About the author
Liv Rancourt
49 books178 followersLiv Rancourt writes romance of all kinds. Because love is love, even with fangs.
Liv is a huge fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy and loves history just as much, so her stories often feature vampires or magic or they’re set in the past…or all of the above. When Liv isn’t writing she takes care of tiny premature babies in the NICU. Her husband is a soul of patience, her kids are her pride and joy, and her dogs – Trash Panda and The Boy Genius – are endlessly entertaining.
Liv is a huge fan of paranormal romance and urban fantasy and loves history just as much, so her stories often feature vampires or magic or they’re set in the past…or all of the above. When Liv isn’t writing she takes care of tiny premature babies in the NICU. Her husband is a soul of patience, her kids are her pride and joy, and her dogs – Trash Panda and The Boy Genius – are endlessly entertaining.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 23, 2023
Oh well. The premise of this book was intriguing and original, nevertheless, the writing would very much benefit from thorough editorial work. There are many plotholes and illogical dialogues in the narrative. The personality of the narrating MC is uneven, beginning strong but becoming confusing later on. The other MC is supposed to be the silent brooding mysterious type but he is just incredibly annoying. The ending is rushed, nothing is really explained, and those many plottwists in the book can exist only because of nobody bloody answering any questions.
Still, I liked the sense of place and the magic. And I loved Margaret.
I received an ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Still, I liked the sense of place and the magic. And I loved Margaret.
I received an ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2023
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
This was a nice romance with cool magic and an atmospheric lighthouse setting!
The main character, Vincent, was attractive and charming and came from a well-known family with money, so he was good at smoothing over situations and getting what he wanted (not in a bad way, he didn't abuse it or act entitled), but none of that worked on the surly, hostile Rafe. It was fun to see how much Rafe sort of intrigued Vincent, and how, as the relationship progressed, he enjoyed knowing Rafe didn't just want him for his face or his name.
Speaking of, the romance started out so tantalizing. I loved the numerous "almost" moments. The tension between Vincent and Rafe. Not a slow burn though, they got together after not too long, but that was nice too. They had some lovely moments, and Rafe's hesitancy and hard outer shell added to both the tension and ultimately the sweetness.
There was disability rep. Rafe was blind. He could see the spirit realm, so I think he could sort of see where people were by their spirits, but I think that was the only way in which it aided him, so it didn't erase his disability. He still used a cane and had some trouble in unfamiliar places.
The magic was interesting. Vincent could turn things into other things. Rafe used earth magic, though I'm unclear on exactly what he could do. Margaret was a weather witch. Rafe's mother could find people. Oliver was a water witch. Rutger was good at rituals. Then there was the Ferox Cor, a magical item I won't say too much about just in case of spoilers.
The isolated lighthouse setting was atmospheric and a bit mysterious.
There was no cliffhanger, but the ending did leave an opening for the story to continue, and according to the author's note at the end, it will most likely be a series.
Overall I enjoyed these characters, their romance, and their magic.
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes magic, lighthouses, m/m romance, and grumpy characters with a hard outer shell.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
This was a nice romance with cool magic and an atmospheric lighthouse setting!
The main character, Vincent, was attractive and charming and came from a well-known family with money, so he was good at smoothing over situations and getting what he wanted (not in a bad way, he didn't abuse it or act entitled), but none of that worked on the surly, hostile Rafe. It was fun to see how much Rafe sort of intrigued Vincent, and how, as the relationship progressed, he enjoyed knowing Rafe didn't just want him for his face or his name.
Speaking of, the romance started out so tantalizing. I loved the numerous "almost" moments. The tension between Vincent and Rafe. Not a slow burn though, they got together after not too long, but that was nice too. They had some lovely moments, and Rafe's hesitancy and hard outer shell added to both the tension and ultimately the sweetness.
There was disability rep. Rafe was blind. He could see the spirit realm, so I think he could sort of see where people were by their spirits, but I think that was the only way in which it aided him, so it didn't erase his disability. He still used a cane and had some trouble in unfamiliar places.
The magic was interesting. Vincent could turn things into other things. Rafe used earth magic, though I'm unclear on exactly what he could do. Margaret was a weather witch. Rafe's mother could find people. Oliver was a water witch. Rutger was good at rituals. Then there was the Ferox Cor, a magical item I won't say too much about just in case of spoilers.
The isolated lighthouse setting was atmospheric and a bit mysterious.
There was no cliffhanger, but the ending did leave an opening for the story to continue, and according to the author's note at the end, it will most likely be a series.
Overall I enjoyed these characters, their romance, and their magic.
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes magic, lighthouses, m/m romance, and grumpy characters with a hard outer shell.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 25, 2024Looks like I got to 51% in mid-June 2023. And just stopped reading.
I do remember why though - I was getting bored and the MMC was really getting really annoying.
I do remember why though - I was getting bored and the MMC was really getting really annoying.
June 21, 2023
Engaging. Unique. Spooky. Charming.
This is different, and I’m here for it. Bring to me more!
This is different, and I’m here for it. Bring to me more!
August 13, 2023
This is one of the most confusing books I have read this year. Many things are left unresolved, which makes me question why those things and situations were even there. The premise drew me in and gave me expectations this book just couldn't deliver. I expected a historical fantasy love story with a little mystery thrown in, but the mystery was confusing, historical angle applied mostly only to the clothing and rudimentary appliances and the romance angle was just not there. Well it sort of was, but I honestly didn't feel any connection between them. It was like the MC was used to having male company on a daily basis, so when he got to an island with only one other male, he just latched onto him, regardless of his personality or any connection between them. Another reason might be that the other male was extremely powerful and the MC was drawn to that power, which doesn't put the MC in the best light at all. No characters were endearing, maybe except Margaret, there was no love connection, the mystery angle was weak and the convoluted plot-line was confusing at best. In other words, my expectations were quite a lot like this book - started good, then slowly crashed and burned.
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
June 24, 2023
The Lighthouse Keeper by Liv Rancourt sees our narrator Vincent Fairchild, a witch from a wealthy and powerful family (never mind that said family gave him the boot for having magic), waking up after a boozy night out with basically no recollection of what took place earlier. Instead of receiving dire punishment for using his magic to turn someone into a dog, he is instead summoned to set off in search of an amulet that holds untold power, paired off with a no-nonsense witch--Margaret--accompanying him. On the island where he lands is a lighthouse that must be kept lit, and a mother and son--Della and Rafe Gallagher--who have possession of said amulet or may know where it can be found. The problem, of course, is that Vincent and Margaret are not the only ones seeking the amulet, and others who are chasing it have less altruistic motivation for obtaining it.
I was not immediately charmed by the beginning, although why, I cannot say. I actually grew to be more invested and interested in the story as it went on. Still, I'm a slowburn gal myself, and books where people meet and fall for each other in a week or two really don't capture my heart so much as other stories. But! People do enjoy that sort of thing, we're all different, etc., and the intimate scenes were well-written. The interplay between characters did seem a little abrupt, however. It was puzzling how Vincent lamented to himself about being paired with Margaret, how they would not get on well at all, and then basically immediately they were as close as siblings. And he and Rafe chafed at one another, but he seemed to quickly be into the notion of sleeping with him; that, however, is an easier sell than the fast friendship between him and Margaret because one could handwave away his eagerness with Rafe as lust.
At any rate, I want to know more about this world, and I want to see more adventures with Vincent and Rafe. I want to know more about each of them respectively, and I would like to see their relationship grow. I'd have no hesitation to read a sequel (or sequels) featuring them and set in this world. And we always need LGBTQ+ romances and characters, especially now more than ever.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
(PS: I'd give it a 3 1/2 if we were able. Damn you, no half measures!)
I was not immediately charmed by the beginning, although why, I cannot say. I actually grew to be more invested and interested in the story as it went on. Still, I'm a slowburn gal myself, and books where people meet and fall for each other in a week or two really don't capture my heart so much as other stories. But! People do enjoy that sort of thing, we're all different, etc., and the intimate scenes were well-written. The interplay between characters did seem a little abrupt, however. It was puzzling how Vincent lamented to himself about being paired with Margaret, how they would not get on well at all, and then basically immediately they were as close as siblings. And he and Rafe chafed at one another, but he seemed to quickly be into the notion of sleeping with him; that, however, is an easier sell than the fast friendship between him and Margaret because one could handwave away his eagerness with Rafe as lust.
At any rate, I want to know more about this world, and I want to see more adventures with Vincent and Rafe. I want to know more about each of them respectively, and I would like to see their relationship grow. I'd have no hesitation to read a sequel (or sequels) featuring them and set in this world. And we always need LGBTQ+ romances and characters, especially now more than ever.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
(PS: I'd give it a 3 1/2 if we were able. Damn you, no half measures!)
June 27, 2023
Overall I thought this was a fun and engaging read. First person narrative can be hard and sometimes can leave some holes in the plot and other characters underdeveloped. There were a few spelling errors and some repetition that I think a good read through/editing would have fixed.
Vincent is a great main character, he's fun, interesting and aware of his flaws. I found Margaret a bit underdeveloped and wish her character would have been flushed out a little more. I enjoyed her friendship with both Della and Vincent, even though they did feel a little rushed.
Although it lead to a few plot holes I'm glad that the magical system in the story was not overly complicated. The plot was a little confusing and overly not well explained and the ending did feel a little rushed. The book did not grab me in the beginning but really picked up in the second half.
I always enjoy grumpy/sunshine parings, so I enjoyed the relationship between Vincent and Rafe. I am always happy to read more LGBTQ+ stories and this story did end on an open note, I would happily pick up a second in the series and see where it takes these characters.
I wish I could give this book 3.5 stars because I did enjoy it despite it's flaws.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Vincent is a great main character, he's fun, interesting and aware of his flaws. I found Margaret a bit underdeveloped and wish her character would have been flushed out a little more. I enjoyed her friendship with both Della and Vincent, even though they did feel a little rushed.
Although it lead to a few plot holes I'm glad that the magical system in the story was not overly complicated. The plot was a little confusing and overly not well explained and the ending did feel a little rushed. The book did not grab me in the beginning but really picked up in the second half.
I always enjoy grumpy/sunshine parings, so I enjoyed the relationship between Vincent and Rafe. I am always happy to read more LGBTQ+ stories and this story did end on an open note, I would happily pick up a second in the series and see where it takes these characters.
I wish I could give this book 3.5 stars because I did enjoy it despite it's flaws.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2023
3.5 rounded up. This was a really fun read! It captured my attention from the start and I loved following Vincent as the main character. I loved how he believed there was nothing he could charm his way out of and that he never got discouraged. His relationship with Rafe was so sweet and I loved the sibling dynamic he had with Margaret.
I will say that this book could use a bit more editing. There were a few typos and a few sentences that were maybe missing a word because they didn't fully make sense. I also wish there was a bit more explanation of the magic system. I didn't need super intense detail, but there were a few words and phrases that left me a bit lost. My last con was that the ending felt a tiny bit rushes for my liking. I would have liked it to have been more fleshed out.
I loved the atmosphere though! I love lighthouses and the moodiness of the stormy weather really set the tone. Liv Rancourt hinted at there being a sequel, so I hope that happens because I would love to see this world and these characters some more.
Thank you Netgalley and Liv Rancourt for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I will say that this book could use a bit more editing. There were a few typos and a few sentences that were maybe missing a word because they didn't fully make sense. I also wish there was a bit more explanation of the magic system. I didn't need super intense detail, but there were a few words and phrases that left me a bit lost. My last con was that the ending felt a tiny bit rushes for my liking. I would have liked it to have been more fleshed out.
I loved the atmosphere though! I love lighthouses and the moodiness of the stormy weather really set the tone. Liv Rancourt hinted at there being a sequel, so I hope that happens because I would love to see this world and these characters some more.
Thank you Netgalley and Liv Rancourt for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 14, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
Vincent is the only magical person in his family, and thus an embarrassment. So they cast him off — but not out — giving him access to the family money and name, but not inviting him to dinner or visits home. Vincent is fine with that, enjoying everything the city has to offer, including drinks, parties, and young men. However, it feels like that is pretty much all there is to him. He comes across lazy, spoiled, entitled, and not too bright. That’s not to say he’s unintelligent, but he’s seems too lazy to do much thinking or asking.
The writing is steady, the pacing lingers a bit here and there, but didn’t drag too much for most of the book. However, the plot feels all over the place, with a ghost, the magical maguffin, the evil witches, the kidnapping, the many blows to the head, the many attempted murders … it just goes on and on.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
Vincent is the only magical person in his family, and thus an embarrassment. So they cast him off — but not out — giving him access to the family money and name, but not inviting him to dinner or visits home. Vincent is fine with that, enjoying everything the city has to offer, including drinks, parties, and young men. However, it feels like that is pretty much all there is to him. He comes across lazy, spoiled, entitled, and not too bright. That’s not to say he’s unintelligent, but he’s seems too lazy to do much thinking or asking.
The writing is steady, the pacing lingers a bit here and there, but didn’t drag too much for most of the book. However, the plot feels all over the place, with a ghost, the magical maguffin, the evil witches, the kidnapping, the many blows to the head, the many attempted murders … it just goes on and on.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
June 24, 2023
Overall The Lighthouse Keeper was an enjoyable read. The premise was interesting and Vincent was an engaging character. I was less keen on Rafe at first, but he grew on me as the story progressed. The romance perhaps felt a little bit sudden, but the rest of the story worked well, with plenty of action and tension along the way and a twist or two near the end. This is perhaps not a book I could see myself wanting to reread, but it was one I was happy to read once, as it was a light and entertaining tale, and I would pick up other works by this author in the future. Recommended for fans of MM fantasy with a Gothic tinge. I am giving this book four stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2023
This book, by the blurb sounds interesting. Inside is even better than it sounds. It is exciting and sweet and keeps you on the edge of your seat both for the romance and for the magical adventure alike. Liv did sneek peek at the end that there might be a book two, and I for once would petition for it. This world and this couple alike are both worthy of a series (I'd be ok with at least one more book).
July 28, 2023
What I love about this author is that she works in time periods and locations that are completely different that the standard novels out these days. Case in point this novel is set in Late 19th century near Seattle at a lighthouse. Dark and foggy with awful weather is the perfect setting for a gothic witch story. add a MM storyline amongst the witches (each with their own particular power) is a page turner!! Can't wait to see what Rancourt comes up with next.
July 3, 2023
The general premise of this was fine, but it overall felt somewhat underdeveloped. The story is interesting, similar to A Marvellous Light, but the writing was choppy at times and characters/magic system could’ve used more depth.
July 9, 2023
1.75⭐️
Vincent Fairchild was born into a prestigious family, but was cast out when his magical abilities manifested. As someone with transformation magic and with seemingly little magical ability, most ppl (including Vincent) consider his magic nothing more than parlor tricks. With a job as a liaison for the San Francisco Witches Council, Vincent gets by on his charming smile, pretty face and manners anyway so doesn’t really care about his magic. When he gets sent to retrieve a dangerous artifact called the Ferox Cor that was stolen by Martin Gallagher 20 years ago, he doesn’t know why he was tapped but goes along. He’s joined by a weatherwitch named Margaret who is much more knowledge about their mission and magic as Vincent hasn’t cared to learn anything nor apparently did the Council school him in even the basics of protection as he doesn’t know lead can block his magic when non-magical ppl know this.
When they get to the island even though Della Gallagher asked for help, she’s reluctant to discuss the problem and Rafe is antagonist towards them. Rafe is very Rochester in his bearing—cold, brooding and mysterious and as Jane Eyre was one of my favorite books growing up, I was here for it. He and his parents have been intentionally isolated on the island, and with his magical abilities and Martin’s desire to protect ppl from the power of the Ferox Cor, Rafe grew up very suspicious of outsiders, especially the witches from town as they have been coveting his family’s power for years. When Rafe and Della finally open up, they tell Vincent and Margaret that Martin is planning on crossing the veil during Samhain to retrieve the Ferox Cor, but if he gets stuck here the consequences will be dire. Unfortunately, Martin isn’t the only one with designs to retrieve the Cor and the island’s inhabitants are on a dangerously ticking clock to find it themselves…supposedly.
The story isn’t bad; it just isn’t for me. The writing is fine (though some/more developmental editing may have helped) and many of the character beats hit as they should, it’s just that for me the narrative came across a bit sloppy, and I didn’t find Vincent, Rafe, or their relationship compelling enough to ignore what bothered me about the plot, and I’m not completely sure why. Their characters are fleshed out enough, especially Vincent as the story is told from his POV. He’s been coasting along, trying not to deal with his feeling of inadequacy from his family’s desertion and his magic. Him being flummoxed about how to handle Rafe and get him to trust him since his typical smiling charm has no effect works as a character obstacle as does Rafe coming to be less aggressive and distrustful. However, I just didn’t engage with them very well. Additionally, their push and pull doesn’t feel dynamic and in the face of everything going on just feels more unnecessary than romantic. At times it feels like Vincent has more chemistry with Margaret than with Rafe. When they do finally turn the corner into lovers it does work well and others will probably respond better to their will-they-won’t-they back and forth than I did bc by this point, I really was distracted by the plot.
There are worldbuilding and plot elements that don’t work well in the story; it feels like the author liked some ideas and wanted to incorporate them but didn’t really follow through with how they affect the world/plot. For example, it’s mentioned that when weatherwitches change weather it affects another area (common in stories with weather magic) but it’s implied a couple times that that is how *all* magic works in this world, but since Vincent is uneducated and doesn’t care, the implications of that nor consequences are addressed. Like Rafe is super powerful and is constantly doing huge protection spells and wards (that are always hacked but whatever) yet there’s no mentions of this magical butterfly affect. Another example is a character who shows up at the end and was like ‘oh they were undercover so couldn’t say anything to you’, but in the course of what happens that means they sat around and let kidnapping and murder happen without giving the protagonists a heads up, which would have been easy enough to do. It comes out of nowhere and feels like another “that’s so cool” idea that got put into the story without any real thought.
However, my main issue with the book is the pacing and the choices characters make that constantly undercut the allegedly great threat the characters talk about. These characters have a week to find an amulet to control a dangerous entity and stop Martin’s ghost from coming through the veil to retrieve it bc if he gets stuck on their plane after Samhain, he’ll become a vessel of evil. In their own words: “Martin has vowed to overcome death itself” and that if his power is insufficient “he’ll destroy anyone with enough power to stop him and will subjugate the rest”. Yet they basically fiddle-fuck around, and all the reader sees of them trying to find the Cor is Rafe digging holes when Vincent and Margaret first arrive. Della spends most of her on-page time cooking and worrying about winding the light for the lighthouse, and so does Margaret as she is tasked with keeping an eye on storms. That damn light is more important than the literal world-ending stakes the book keeps trying to tell me are present. I get it, being the lighthouse keeper is an important duty that can save lives and requires vigilance, but if the world ends, lighting the coast will be the least of anyone’s concern, especially when .
Then in the last act, they’re like Martin isn’t evil per se it’s just if he gets stuck here when Samhain ends he’ll be “bound to the Cor, a source of unending evil”, which highlights a tonal disparity in the story. Della keeps talking about how good Martin is and how he wanted to protect everyone, but now bc he’s dead he’s a threat? Rafe seems to think Martin is terrible yet gives no reason for it. He’s very adamant Martin isn’t his father and seems to dislike him for no other reason than him not being his real dad. I think bc Martin is set up as the antagonist, it’s supposed to imply that Della is blinded by her love for Martin and can’t see how dangerous he is, but it’s poorly executed and is quickly undermined by the ending. Martin doesn’t ever really feel like a threat; it just seems Rafe hates Martin and all their worry about him is overblown at best. It all just boils down to trying to create tension and more talking about ‘oh the bad thing…that we actually aren’t doing much to stop, but it’s super important tho. Really! It’s almost 400 pages for not much to happen with either finding the Cor or the romantic relationship.
There are also choices made that seem contrived or honestly just plain stupid, again, given the supposedly high stakes of the story. I get Rafe not wanting outsiders’ help and being upset they are there, so convinced he and his mom need no assistance, but after about a couple days and with little time left, why are we still making this argument, especially since they now have to contend with outside forces trying to force him and his mother to add their power to the other witches in the area and creating havoc on the island to achieve that goal? On top of that there’s another entity on the island causing issues and poses a real danger…when the narrative needs it to. Also since the magic is so wobbly, you never know what their magic can accomplish or why they make some choices outside of plot convenience. Like Vincent was going to make a shield to make them invisible and he literally made a useable bridge out of netting long enough to get him from a boat in the sound to the shore, but you’re telling me he can’t make a shield to deflect a bullet or hold it long enough they can run back to their more defensible position and have the villain use all his bullets trying to stop them?
Also, considering the fact that at this point Vincent knows how dangerous the Cor is, how the need to possess it for power can affect just about anyone and that would probably include an all-powerful magical council whose motives for wanting it are opaque at best, the fact that he and choices like these are beyond irritating and make Vincent and others seem like utter morons. There’s being blasé and unconcerned about the hows and whys of magic and dancing through life as a charmer and then there's simply being a fool and nothing in the story shows Vincent to be *that* stupid. He simply needs to be for the story to have more tension in the back half since the narrative does absolutely nothing to create/maintain tension, and the things it does use generally turn out to be nothing burgers the narrative drops. By this point I was just utterly done with the characters and had to slog my way to the finish line. When we get to the more high stakes end, all I kept thinking was “none of this would be happening if Oh. My. God. There is just no reason for the sheer stupidity, and I guess I was just not in the mood to be patient with nonsense. It wasn’t until the climax that I actually started to dislike the book, and with the sequel bait at the end being more eye-rolling than intriguing to me, this clearly wasn’t the story for me.
Vincent Fairchild was born into a prestigious family, but was cast out when his magical abilities manifested. As someone with transformation magic and with seemingly little magical ability, most ppl (including Vincent) consider his magic nothing more than parlor tricks. With a job as a liaison for the San Francisco Witches Council, Vincent gets by on his charming smile, pretty face and manners anyway so doesn’t really care about his magic. When he gets sent to retrieve a dangerous artifact called the Ferox Cor that was stolen by Martin Gallagher 20 years ago, he doesn’t know why he was tapped but goes along. He’s joined by a weatherwitch named Margaret who is much more knowledge about their mission and magic as Vincent hasn’t cared to learn anything nor apparently did the Council school him in even the basics of protection as he doesn’t know lead can block his magic when non-magical ppl know this.
When they get to the island even though Della Gallagher asked for help, she’s reluctant to discuss the problem and Rafe is antagonist towards them. Rafe is very Rochester in his bearing—cold, brooding and mysterious and as Jane Eyre was one of my favorite books growing up, I was here for it. He and his parents have been intentionally isolated on the island, and with his magical abilities and Martin’s desire to protect ppl from the power of the Ferox Cor, Rafe grew up very suspicious of outsiders, especially the witches from town as they have been coveting his family’s power for years. When Rafe and Della finally open up, they tell Vincent and Margaret that Martin is planning on crossing the veil during Samhain to retrieve the Ferox Cor, but if he gets stuck here the consequences will be dire. Unfortunately, Martin isn’t the only one with designs to retrieve the Cor and the island’s inhabitants are on a dangerously ticking clock to find it themselves…supposedly.
The story isn’t bad; it just isn’t for me. The writing is fine (though some/more developmental editing may have helped) and many of the character beats hit as they should, it’s just that for me the narrative came across a bit sloppy, and I didn’t find Vincent, Rafe, or their relationship compelling enough to ignore what bothered me about the plot, and I’m not completely sure why. Their characters are fleshed out enough, especially Vincent as the story is told from his POV. He’s been coasting along, trying not to deal with his feeling of inadequacy from his family’s desertion and his magic. Him being flummoxed about how to handle Rafe and get him to trust him since his typical smiling charm has no effect works as a character obstacle as does Rafe coming to be less aggressive and distrustful. However, I just didn’t engage with them very well. Additionally, their push and pull doesn’t feel dynamic and in the face of everything going on just feels more unnecessary than romantic. At times it feels like Vincent has more chemistry with Margaret than with Rafe. When they do finally turn the corner into lovers it does work well and others will probably respond better to their will-they-won’t-they back and forth than I did bc by this point, I really was distracted by the plot.
There are worldbuilding and plot elements that don’t work well in the story; it feels like the author liked some ideas and wanted to incorporate them but didn’t really follow through with how they affect the world/plot. For example, it’s mentioned that when weatherwitches change weather it affects another area (common in stories with weather magic) but it’s implied a couple times that that is how *all* magic works in this world, but since Vincent is uneducated and doesn’t care, the implications of that nor consequences are addressed. Like Rafe is super powerful and is constantly doing huge protection spells and wards (that are always hacked but whatever) yet there’s no mentions of this magical butterfly affect. Another example is a character who shows up at the end and was like ‘oh they were undercover so couldn’t say anything to you’, but in the course of what happens that means they sat around and let kidnapping and murder happen without giving the protagonists a heads up, which would have been easy enough to do. It comes out of nowhere and feels like another “that’s so cool” idea that got put into the story without any real thought.
However, my main issue with the book is the pacing and the choices characters make that constantly undercut the allegedly great threat the characters talk about. These characters have a week to find an amulet to control a dangerous entity and stop Martin’s ghost from coming through the veil to retrieve it bc if he gets stuck on their plane after Samhain, he’ll become a vessel of evil. In their own words: “Martin has vowed to overcome death itself” and that if his power is insufficient “he’ll destroy anyone with enough power to stop him and will subjugate the rest”. Yet they basically fiddle-fuck around, and all the reader sees of them trying to find the Cor is Rafe digging holes when Vincent and Margaret first arrive. Della spends most of her on-page time cooking and worrying about winding the light for the lighthouse, and so does Margaret as she is tasked with keeping an eye on storms. That damn light is more important than the literal world-ending stakes the book keeps trying to tell me are present. I get it, being the lighthouse keeper is an important duty that can save lives and requires vigilance, but if the world ends, lighting the coast will be the least of anyone’s concern, especially when .
Then in the last act, they’re like Martin isn’t evil per se it’s just if he gets stuck here when Samhain ends he’ll be “bound to the Cor, a source of unending evil”, which highlights a tonal disparity in the story. Della keeps talking about how good Martin is and how he wanted to protect everyone, but now bc he’s dead he’s a threat? Rafe seems to think Martin is terrible yet gives no reason for it. He’s very adamant Martin isn’t his father and seems to dislike him for no other reason than him not being his real dad. I think bc Martin is set up as the antagonist, it’s supposed to imply that Della is blinded by her love for Martin and can’t see how dangerous he is, but it’s poorly executed and is quickly undermined by the ending. Martin doesn’t ever really feel like a threat; it just seems Rafe hates Martin and all their worry about him is overblown at best. It all just boils down to trying to create tension and more talking about ‘oh the bad thing…that we actually aren’t doing much to stop, but it’s super important tho. Really! It’s almost 400 pages for not much to happen with either finding the Cor or the romantic relationship.
There are also choices made that seem contrived or honestly just plain stupid, again, given the supposedly high stakes of the story. I get Rafe not wanting outsiders’ help and being upset they are there, so convinced he and his mom need no assistance, but after about a couple days and with little time left, why are we still making this argument, especially since they now have to contend with outside forces trying to force him and his mother to add their power to the other witches in the area and creating havoc on the island to achieve that goal? On top of that there’s another entity on the island causing issues and poses a real danger…when the narrative needs it to. Also since the magic is so wobbly, you never know what their magic can accomplish or why they make some choices outside of plot convenience. Like Vincent was going to make a shield to make them invisible and he literally made a useable bridge out of netting long enough to get him from a boat in the sound to the shore, but you’re telling me he can’t make a shield to deflect a bullet or hold it long enough they can run back to their more defensible position and have the villain use all his bullets trying to stop them?
Also, considering the fact that at this point Vincent knows how dangerous the Cor is, how the need to possess it for power can affect just about anyone and that would probably include an all-powerful magical council whose motives for wanting it are opaque at best, the fact that he and choices like these are beyond irritating and make Vincent and others seem like utter morons. There’s being blasé and unconcerned about the hows and whys of magic and dancing through life as a charmer and then there's simply being a fool and nothing in the story shows Vincent to be *that* stupid. He simply needs to be for the story to have more tension in the back half since the narrative does absolutely nothing to create/maintain tension, and the things it does use generally turn out to be nothing burgers the narrative drops. By this point I was just utterly done with the characters and had to slog my way to the finish line. When we get to the more high stakes end, all I kept thinking was “none of this would be happening if Oh. My. God. There is just no reason for the sheer stupidity, and I guess I was just not in the mood to be patient with nonsense. It wasn’t until the climax that I actually started to dislike the book, and with the sequel bait at the end being more eye-rolling than intriguing to me, this clearly wasn’t the story for me.
June 27, 2023
Okay. That was kinda cute. The plot twist kinda shocked me and made me a bit angry but it was such a fun read!
July 6, 2023
Vincent Fairchild’s last name has a high reputation, but that’s all he has when it comes to the Fairchild name. Because he has witch powers his family denied him but still let him use the last name. His pedigree allows him to be part of The San Francisco Witching Council organization. Vincent has always done well for himself, without the family fortune. He works and earns a living and pays rent at a boarding house. Although he has access to a trust, left to him by his Grandmother, he’s very cautious with the money.
With Vincents power, he answers to Madam Agatha Munro, of the SF Witching Council, He is totally locked into Madam Munro and has to take on any challenges she presents. There are those who are governed by the local witches council and all are governed by the Congress. Those that have power got it by either being inherited or by accident of birth, for Vincent it was an accident. All magic was considered an open secret.
After an evening out for dinner with his best friend, sometime lover and protector, Rutger Smit, Vincent awakens in a strange place and he can’t find Rutger. He rushes home to his boarding house with thoughts of finding Rutger. But when he get’s there a note is delivered to him. He’s been summoned by Madam Munro. Besides Rutger missing, apparently Vincent turned someone into a dog. Even though he doesn’t remember what happened he want’s to find Rutger. But he has to comply with the Madam’s assignment.
He’s going to be escorted by weather witch, Margaret Barnes, to the West Point Lighthouse in the north end of Elliott Bay in Seattle. Vincent will have to recover the Ferox Cor from Martin Gallagher the lighthouse keeper, now deceased. Martin’s wife Della and son Rafe are on this deserted island and taking care of the lighthouse. With the information from Madam Munro, all is not what it seems, especially for Vincent when it comes to Rafe. Vincent needs to get close to the not so friendly Rafe to find the Ferox Cor.
The Ferox Cor was created by a necromancer five hundred years ago and holds unlimited power. It also has a mind of it’s own and anyone who claims it will turn evil and be able to destroy anything. They find that Della and Rafe are being pressured and threatened to join Oliver Stevensons Seattle Council which doesn’t exist. Councils cannot be established without approval from the Congress. They believe Stevenson is after the Ferox Cor to gain this incredible and dangerous power. In protecting the lighthouse, Della, Rafe, Margaret and Vincent will also face the unknown dangers to come.
“The Lighthouse Keeper” was an extraordinary and entertaining read. I found myself immersed in this novel of witchy magic, power, suspense and danger. It’s also filled with secrets and surprises as more get’s revealed. I like the character of Vincent and Rafe, so very opposite. Vincent is a humble man and really tries to keep calm in all the eerie happenings. As for Rafe, he seems mean and unfriendly and there’s something about him that attracts Vincent. Rafe is magical in his own right. They will also have to team up to face Stevenson and his group. The author brings out all the variety of witch powers: earth, water, weather, ritual master, thaumaturge, witch lights and Samhain and the return of the dead. There’s also those who are: greedy, deceitful, disloyal and will do anything for power.
There’s so many colorful characters that have surprises and some are evil: Margaret Barnes, who turns out to be friends with Vincent; Madam Agatha Munro, who is mysterious in her own way; the clairvoyant Mrs. Meredith Morrison; and Della Gallagher who is a Baron; Rutger Smit, Oliver Stevenson, Ford, Tilby and the Franklin Sisters.
I highly recommend “The Lighthouse Keeper” for those who are especially interested in witches, magic and various types of powers. For me this was intriguing and a page-turner that has surprises, humor and steamy moments. Well done, Liv Rancourt!
With Vincents power, he answers to Madam Agatha Munro, of the SF Witching Council, He is totally locked into Madam Munro and has to take on any challenges she presents. There are those who are governed by the local witches council and all are governed by the Congress. Those that have power got it by either being inherited or by accident of birth, for Vincent it was an accident. All magic was considered an open secret.
After an evening out for dinner with his best friend, sometime lover and protector, Rutger Smit, Vincent awakens in a strange place and he can’t find Rutger. He rushes home to his boarding house with thoughts of finding Rutger. But when he get’s there a note is delivered to him. He’s been summoned by Madam Munro. Besides Rutger missing, apparently Vincent turned someone into a dog. Even though he doesn’t remember what happened he want’s to find Rutger. But he has to comply with the Madam’s assignment.
He’s going to be escorted by weather witch, Margaret Barnes, to the West Point Lighthouse in the north end of Elliott Bay in Seattle. Vincent will have to recover the Ferox Cor from Martin Gallagher the lighthouse keeper, now deceased. Martin’s wife Della and son Rafe are on this deserted island and taking care of the lighthouse. With the information from Madam Munro, all is not what it seems, especially for Vincent when it comes to Rafe. Vincent needs to get close to the not so friendly Rafe to find the Ferox Cor.
The Ferox Cor was created by a necromancer five hundred years ago and holds unlimited power. It also has a mind of it’s own and anyone who claims it will turn evil and be able to destroy anything. They find that Della and Rafe are being pressured and threatened to join Oliver Stevensons Seattle Council which doesn’t exist. Councils cannot be established without approval from the Congress. They believe Stevenson is after the Ferox Cor to gain this incredible and dangerous power. In protecting the lighthouse, Della, Rafe, Margaret and Vincent will also face the unknown dangers to come.
“The Lighthouse Keeper” was an extraordinary and entertaining read. I found myself immersed in this novel of witchy magic, power, suspense and danger. It’s also filled with secrets and surprises as more get’s revealed. I like the character of Vincent and Rafe, so very opposite. Vincent is a humble man and really tries to keep calm in all the eerie happenings. As for Rafe, he seems mean and unfriendly and there’s something about him that attracts Vincent. Rafe is magical in his own right. They will also have to team up to face Stevenson and his group. The author brings out all the variety of witch powers: earth, water, weather, ritual master, thaumaturge, witch lights and Samhain and the return of the dead. There’s also those who are: greedy, deceitful, disloyal and will do anything for power.
There’s so many colorful characters that have surprises and some are evil: Margaret Barnes, who turns out to be friends with Vincent; Madam Agatha Munro, who is mysterious in her own way; the clairvoyant Mrs. Meredith Morrison; and Della Gallagher who is a Baron; Rutger Smit, Oliver Stevenson, Ford, Tilby and the Franklin Sisters.
I highly recommend “The Lighthouse Keeper” for those who are especially interested in witches, magic and various types of powers. For me this was intriguing and a page-turner that has surprises, humor and steamy moments. Well done, Liv Rancourt!
August 5, 2023
“The Lighthouse Keeper” is the first book of a duology by Liv Rancourt, a M/M romance that mixes magic and paranormal, with a sprinkle of historical fiction.
In a world where magical and non-magical people live together in relative peace, our main character, Vincent Fairchild is a witch with little power but an important family name, that liaises between the San Francisco local government and the Witch Council. As he can temporarily change things’ appearance, he is accused of having changed several non-magical men into dogs, a severe crime punishable with the removal of the accused’s powers. To avoid punishment, he is tasked to find the Ferox Cor, a powerful magical artifact, said to have been stolen 20 years before by Martin Gallagher, a weatherwitch, later assigned to a lighthouse near Seattle, who has recently passed away. With Margaret Barnes, the weatherwitch set to replace Martin, Vincent travels to the lighthouse, quite far from the city, where they meet the grieving widow, Della and her son, Rafe. However, as several details regarding the mission don’t add up, for example the fact that the son is not a child but a grown man, Vincent tries to make sense of it all, including his sudden attraction to Rafe.
Let’s start with the characters, which could have been developed better as the potential was there. In fact, not even Vincent is three-dimensional, which is weird since he is the main character as well as the first POV (“hello darkness, my old friend” insert gif). From the beginning, we are informed of the fact that his parents cut him off once his powers manifested because “nice people have no time for anything that couldn’t be bought and sold”, although Vincent’s powers would have been a great asset for any businessman worth his salt; moreover, Vincent mentioned that his grandmother left him money, but we don’t know why she accepted him while the rest of the family shunned him, nor we know anything else about his family apart from the fact the Fairchilds are very influential in the San Francisco high society.
Moving to Rafe, he’s quite hard to figure out, always angry and presumptuous, ready to pick a fight with anyone, especially Vincent, whom he considers inferior due to his lesser powers. And, even though he is someone with more power than anyone else, his spells are repeatedly thwarted and what they were meant to stop inevitably happens. I understand that, as a blind man, he’s probably used to take care of himself and to people pitying him, so that’s why he comes across as a hard man, but some things he said to Vincent and Margaret, without even knowing them, were plain rude, belligerent and for no good reason.
The other characters are just that, characters: Della is the mother of the Antihero Rafe, Margaret is the sidekick/big-sister-figure to the Hero Vincent, Oliver Stevenson is the Villain whose actions make very little sense, the Seattle Witch Council are his minions. Last but not least, Martin Gallagher, the reason behind the whole story, was a Villain who stole the artifact to become more powerful but later decided to protect everyone and keep it safe; or was he a Hero all along and stole it to keep it safe? Who knows? We don’t have enough information to decide one way or the other. And while the “mystery” of what happened to Rutger was so obvious that I saw it coming from the start, although the reasons behind his actions are never fully explained, that ending came out of nowhere and still puzzles me.
The mythology has potential as the magical system has some valid concepts and the setting is quite interesting, with very vivid descriptions, especially of the forests surrounding the lighthouse. However, it’s all rather sketched out with too many critical pieces of information being mentioned once and then never fully explained, even though they hold much importance, for example the Ferox Cor itself.
I can’t say how sorry I am to write this sort of reviews because this book has so many aspects that I usually enjoy, but this time I really didn’t like how they all fit together.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In a world where magical and non-magical people live together in relative peace, our main character, Vincent Fairchild is a witch with little power but an important family name, that liaises between the San Francisco local government and the Witch Council. As he can temporarily change things’ appearance, he is accused of having changed several non-magical men into dogs, a severe crime punishable with the removal of the accused’s powers. To avoid punishment, he is tasked to find the Ferox Cor, a powerful magical artifact, said to have been stolen 20 years before by Martin Gallagher, a weatherwitch, later assigned to a lighthouse near Seattle, who has recently passed away. With Margaret Barnes, the weatherwitch set to replace Martin, Vincent travels to the lighthouse, quite far from the city, where they meet the grieving widow, Della and her son, Rafe. However, as several details regarding the mission don’t add up, for example the fact that the son is not a child but a grown man, Vincent tries to make sense of it all, including his sudden attraction to Rafe.
Let’s start with the characters, which could have been developed better as the potential was there. In fact, not even Vincent is three-dimensional, which is weird since he is the main character as well as the first POV (“hello darkness, my old friend” insert gif). From the beginning, we are informed of the fact that his parents cut him off once his powers manifested because “nice people have no time for anything that couldn’t be bought and sold”, although Vincent’s powers would have been a great asset for any businessman worth his salt; moreover, Vincent mentioned that his grandmother left him money, but we don’t know why she accepted him while the rest of the family shunned him, nor we know anything else about his family apart from the fact the Fairchilds are very influential in the San Francisco high society.
Moving to Rafe, he’s quite hard to figure out, always angry and presumptuous, ready to pick a fight with anyone, especially Vincent, whom he considers inferior due to his lesser powers. And, even though he is someone with more power than anyone else, his spells are repeatedly thwarted and what they were meant to stop inevitably happens. I understand that, as a blind man, he’s probably used to take care of himself and to people pitying him, so that’s why he comes across as a hard man, but some things he said to Vincent and Margaret, without even knowing them, were plain rude, belligerent and for no good reason.
The other characters are just that, characters: Della is the mother of the Antihero Rafe, Margaret is the sidekick/big-sister-figure to the Hero Vincent, Oliver Stevenson is the Villain whose actions make very little sense, the Seattle Witch Council are his minions. Last but not least, Martin Gallagher, the reason behind the whole story, was a Villain who stole the artifact to become more powerful but later decided to protect everyone and keep it safe; or was he a Hero all along and stole it to keep it safe? Who knows? We don’t have enough information to decide one way or the other. And while the “mystery” of what happened to Rutger was so obvious that I saw it coming from the start, although the reasons behind his actions are never fully explained, that ending came out of nowhere and still puzzles me.
The mythology has potential as the magical system has some valid concepts and the setting is quite interesting, with very vivid descriptions, especially of the forests surrounding the lighthouse. However, it’s all rather sketched out with too many critical pieces of information being mentioned once and then never fully explained, even though they hold much importance, for example the Ferox Cor itself.
I can’t say how sorry I am to write this sort of reviews because this book has so many aspects that I usually enjoy, but this time I really didn’t like how they all fit together.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Liv Rancourt for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
There were a lot of good things about The Lighthouse Keeper. Unfortunately there was just as much if not more that didn‘t work for me, but I‘ll start with the good.
The setting of west coast America in the late 19th century was lovely, and the writing style was also great.
Liv Rancourt‘s writing is witty, engaging and easy to follow, which made the book very readable till the end.
I also enjoyed the cast of characters. Vincent was a fun protagonist (I do love a pretty man obsessed with the sea), and so was Margaret, despite her character depth coming a little too short in comparison to Vincent and Rafe.
However, as much as I liked the characters on their own, the pacing of their relationship developments felt off at times. Margaret and Vincent‘s friendship evolved very quickly without many actual moments between them to establish their bond. There was also a lot of telling rather than showing, leading to some of the relationships feeling inorganic.
Vincent‘s frequent mention of his attraction to Rafe got incredibly repetitive after a while, the same applies to him talking about how he‘s sure there‘s a gentler side to Rafe.
Don‘t get me wrong, I like the ‚hard on the outside, soft on the inside’ and pining tropes as much as the next guy, but there‘s only so many times you can hear it without it getting old.
This also wasn‘t the only instance where repetition became apparent. Both moments in the story as well as certain expressions were noticeably frequent. As an example, „Upsetting the power balance in China“ was mentioned multiple times when characters were doing magic, and don‘t even get me started on how uncomfortably often the word prick was used. There was no need to describe how Vincent‘s „prick swelled“ just because he was watching Rafe eat, in public mind you.
Furthermore, I felt the book was lacking some
exposition when it came to the magic system. It felt like there was supposed to be a more established system to the magic, judging by the fact characters were talking about their gifts being a particular type of magic. That was never expanded upon or concretely explained during the novel, but rather dealt with in an „explain as you go“ manner. Whenever a new character was introduced that had a gift we hadn‘t encountered yet there was a quick mention of what it was, but the lack of pre-existing set up sometimes led to it seeming like there was little rhyme or reason to it, and had moreso been come up with on the spot in accordance with what the plot needed at that moment.
Like I said in the beginning, the book isn‘t all bad. The writing is great and the premise and characters themselves have a ton of potential. The book just lacks a lot of polish when it comes to exposition, repetition, as well as the occasional typo and continuity issue, and could‘ve overall benefited from more editing.
2.75⭐️
There were a lot of good things about The Lighthouse Keeper. Unfortunately there was just as much if not more that didn‘t work for me, but I‘ll start with the good.
The setting of west coast America in the late 19th century was lovely, and the writing style was also great.
Liv Rancourt‘s writing is witty, engaging and easy to follow, which made the book very readable till the end.
I also enjoyed the cast of characters. Vincent was a fun protagonist (I do love a pretty man obsessed with the sea), and so was Margaret, despite her character depth coming a little too short in comparison to Vincent and Rafe.
However, as much as I liked the characters on their own, the pacing of their relationship developments felt off at times. Margaret and Vincent‘s friendship evolved very quickly without many actual moments between them to establish their bond. There was also a lot of telling rather than showing, leading to some of the relationships feeling inorganic.
Vincent‘s frequent mention of his attraction to Rafe got incredibly repetitive after a while, the same applies to him talking about how he‘s sure there‘s a gentler side to Rafe.
Don‘t get me wrong, I like the ‚hard on the outside, soft on the inside’ and pining tropes as much as the next guy, but there‘s only so many times you can hear it without it getting old.
This also wasn‘t the only instance where repetition became apparent. Both moments in the story as well as certain expressions were noticeably frequent. As an example, „Upsetting the power balance in China“ was mentioned multiple times when characters were doing magic, and don‘t even get me started on how uncomfortably often the word prick was used. There was no need to describe how Vincent‘s „prick swelled“ just because he was watching Rafe eat, in public mind you.
Furthermore, I felt the book was lacking some
exposition when it came to the magic system. It felt like there was supposed to be a more established system to the magic, judging by the fact characters were talking about their gifts being a particular type of magic. That was never expanded upon or concretely explained during the novel, but rather dealt with in an „explain as you go“ manner. Whenever a new character was introduced that had a gift we hadn‘t encountered yet there was a quick mention of what it was, but the lack of pre-existing set up sometimes led to it seeming like there was little rhyme or reason to it, and had moreso been come up with on the spot in accordance with what the plot needed at that moment.
Like I said in the beginning, the book isn‘t all bad. The writing is great and the premise and characters themselves have a ton of potential. The book just lacks a lot of polish when it comes to exposition, repetition, as well as the occasional typo and continuity issue, and could‘ve overall benefited from more editing.
2.75⭐️
June 15, 2023
I have received an ARC of this book in exchange for a positive review, thank you!
The idea of this book was what initially got my attention. The setting, the lighthouse with a hint of magic, a mysterious artifact, and some romance ticked a lot of five-star boxes for me. Sadly, this reads more like a draft than an unfinished novel.
Positives first - as I said, this book has a great setting and the idea for the plot. The storyline itself is most of the time well-executed and while I think some things came out of the blue or some unnecessary things, I knew what was going on and it had a lot of tropes I enjoy. The two main characters were interesting and together made for an interesting dynamic. I liked that Rafe was mostly blind and how it made the relationship different for Vincent, who mostly relied on his good looks to seduce men. Moreover, the writing was easy to read and despite my issues with the book, it didn't take long for me to finish it. There are also some spooky bits, that I really appreciated.
However, in the end, there were some things that really interfered with my enjoyment of the story. There is a lot of telling and not enough showing and while I think this phrase can be often overused, this time I mean it. A lot of times we were told what the characters' relationship is before it managed to organically develop. The pacing of the relationship development felt very off and in some cases, the characters went from not wanting to share their secret to trusting each other really randomly. It really took me out of the book. Some characters say and do stuff that doesn't match the way their personality was written until that point. Significant reveals don't get the reaction they deserve, especially in the first half of the book. It makes the book feel unpolished.
There is also a lot of repetition in the way Vincent, who is our narrator, talks about things. He tends to say something over and over again for no particular reason. For example, the amount of times he said Margaret treats him as a younger brother felt very forced and abrupt based on how they had only recently met.
Next is worldbuilding, or the lack of it. We get some bits and pieces scattered around the story and while I don't really need extensive worldbuilding in my romance novels, this one is quite plot-driven. Yet we don't get much information about the magic system or how the Ferox Cor works. Because of that, it's hard to form opinions of who is in the right and how should the characters handle certain situations.
All in all, there is a lot of potential in The Lighthouse Keeper, but sadly I don't think it got fully utilized. It could definitely use another round of editing and polishing to get rid of some repetition and flesh out the characters better.
Rating: 2,75
The idea of this book was what initially got my attention. The setting, the lighthouse with a hint of magic, a mysterious artifact, and some romance ticked a lot of five-star boxes for me. Sadly, this reads more like a draft than an unfinished novel.
Positives first - as I said, this book has a great setting and the idea for the plot. The storyline itself is most of the time well-executed and while I think some things came out of the blue or some unnecessary things, I knew what was going on and it had a lot of tropes I enjoy. The two main characters were interesting and together made for an interesting dynamic. I liked that Rafe was mostly blind and how it made the relationship different for Vincent, who mostly relied on his good looks to seduce men. Moreover, the writing was easy to read and despite my issues with the book, it didn't take long for me to finish it. There are also some spooky bits, that I really appreciated.
However, in the end, there were some things that really interfered with my enjoyment of the story. There is a lot of telling and not enough showing and while I think this phrase can be often overused, this time I mean it. A lot of times we were told what the characters' relationship is before it managed to organically develop. The pacing of the relationship development felt very off and in some cases, the characters went from not wanting to share their secret to trusting each other really randomly. It really took me out of the book. Some characters say and do stuff that doesn't match the way their personality was written until that point. Significant reveals don't get the reaction they deserve, especially in the first half of the book. It makes the book feel unpolished.
There is also a lot of repetition in the way Vincent, who is our narrator, talks about things. He tends to say something over and over again for no particular reason. For example, the amount of times he said Margaret treats him as a younger brother felt very forced and abrupt based on how they had only recently met.
Next is worldbuilding, or the lack of it. We get some bits and pieces scattered around the story and while I don't really need extensive worldbuilding in my romance novels, this one is quite plot-driven. Yet we don't get much information about the magic system or how the Ferox Cor works. Because of that, it's hard to form opinions of who is in the right and how should the characters handle certain situations.
All in all, there is a lot of potential in The Lighthouse Keeper, but sadly I don't think it got fully utilized. It could definitely use another round of editing and polishing to get rid of some repetition and flesh out the characters better.
Rating: 2,75
July 16, 2023
If I were reviewing The Lighthouse Keeper on the basis of atmosphere alone, I would give it an A+. Rain, thunderstorms, the claustrophobic rooms of the Lighthouse Keeper’s home. There is enough darkness, or light casting shadows in the corners to supply an undercurrent of danger for at least 5 novels. In fact, even though I read this in 80 degree weather, I found myself wanting to light a fire to warm myself, just as the main characters do. Unfortunately, it takes more than atmosphere to make a book work.
The Lighthouse Keeper is a first-person fantasy romance set in what seems to be 19th century San Francisco and Seattle. There is not a lot of world building, which allows Rancourt to cut to the chase, but we understand that there are both witches and “mundane” in the world, and some places, like San Francisco have Guilds that allow the witches to interface with the mundane political and civic world. Vincent, our narrator, is an attractive, charming witch with minor magic who works in San Francisco to smooth things over with the mundane city staff. At the beginning of the novel, he is sent to an island off Seattle to “help” a mother and son living there. They are taking care of the lighthouse there upon the death of the husband, but neither is a weatherwitch. Oh, and by the way, there is an amulet there that controls a demon with unspeakable powers, and could he bring that back to the San Francisco witches’ guild? Vincent travels to the island, with a weatherwitch named Margaret. For some reason, he and Margaret, doomed to dislike each other, become like brother and sister before the trip to Seattle ends. When they get to the island, that everyone seems to be afraid of, they meet Della the wife of the late Lighthouse Keeper, and her son, Rafe, who is not a young boy like Vincent was told in San Francisco, but a large, powerful witch with eyes that are blinded to all but the spiritual realm.
Vincent, amidst all the tight-lippiness of Della and Rafe, and in the face of Rafe’s stone-cold sternness, gets the hots for Rafe. We understand at this point in the book that everything is much more dangerous and there is much more at stake than Vincent ever thought. And yet still, he’s got half his mind on Rafe. I think if we understood the attraction more, this could work. As it was, I couldn’t find myself caring whether the MCs got together.
While there was a lot going on this book, once things picked up, the characters seem to not feel the urgency. They’re on a tight deadline, but they fritter so much time away. And Della and Rafe waste a lot it by giving Vincent and Margaret information drop by drop. Despite the high stakes, the ending was kind of anti-climactic. I would definitely read more by the author, but this book did not work for me.
Grade: C+
The Lighthouse Keeper is a first-person fantasy romance set in what seems to be 19th century San Francisco and Seattle. There is not a lot of world building, which allows Rancourt to cut to the chase, but we understand that there are both witches and “mundane” in the world, and some places, like San Francisco have Guilds that allow the witches to interface with the mundane political and civic world. Vincent, our narrator, is an attractive, charming witch with minor magic who works in San Francisco to smooth things over with the mundane city staff. At the beginning of the novel, he is sent to an island off Seattle to “help” a mother and son living there. They are taking care of the lighthouse there upon the death of the husband, but neither is a weatherwitch. Oh, and by the way, there is an amulet there that controls a demon with unspeakable powers, and could he bring that back to the San Francisco witches’ guild? Vincent travels to the island, with a weatherwitch named Margaret. For some reason, he and Margaret, doomed to dislike each other, become like brother and sister before the trip to Seattle ends. When they get to the island, that everyone seems to be afraid of, they meet Della the wife of the late Lighthouse Keeper, and her son, Rafe, who is not a young boy like Vincent was told in San Francisco, but a large, powerful witch with eyes that are blinded to all but the spiritual realm.
Vincent, amidst all the tight-lippiness of Della and Rafe, and in the face of Rafe’s stone-cold sternness, gets the hots for Rafe. We understand at this point in the book that everything is much more dangerous and there is much more at stake than Vincent ever thought. And yet still, he’s got half his mind on Rafe. I think if we understood the attraction more, this could work. As it was, I couldn’t find myself caring whether the MCs got together.
While there was a lot going on this book, once things picked up, the characters seem to not feel the urgency. They’re on a tight deadline, but they fritter so much time away. And Della and Rafe waste a lot it by giving Vincent and Margaret information drop by drop. Despite the high stakes, the ending was kind of anti-climactic. I would definitely read more by the author, but this book did not work for me.
Grade: C+
July 1, 2023
3 stars
A promising but scattered historical fantasy.
This book was right up my alley, I have such a weakness for historical fantasy. It started off really strong, delivering endearing characters, an atmospheric setting and an intriguing magic system.
I was quite enjoying the pace of the first half of the book. Vincent and Margaret arrive on the island to an unexpectedly hostile greeting. While Della may have written to Madam Munro for help, she and Rafe had changed their minds by the time reinforcements arrived and the mystery of Martin, the Ferox Cor, and Rafe, kept me on the edge of my seat well into the middle of the book.
From around the 50% mark though, the pace picks up in a way that was a bit absurd. It wasn't a convincing crescendo, but a random sequence of roadblocks and quick resolutions that I found increasingly frustrating. There are, amongst other things: captures, escapes, kidnapping, broken lighthouses, breached wards... These are all perfectly fine plot elements but they were overcome so easily that they failed to add any tension to the story.
While a lot was going on with the plot, I was definitely starting to feel some frustrations with Rafe and Della withholding information from Vincent and Margaret, and things were really going around in circles, hot and cold, between Rafe and Vincent.
I also found the final resolution to be very anticlimactic. I enjoyed the outcome itself, but found the scene to be far too rushed and a number of things remain completely unexplained.
Unfortunately I also was never quite convinced of the connection between the MCs. It's a single POV narration, which I tend to enjoy, but Vincent kept telling us about this undeniable tension between them, and never really showed it to us.
I really liked their first kiss, and the moments where Rafe lets Vincent see a softer side of himself, but I think the romance element got lost in all the action, and there were a few sex scenes which may as well have been FTB for all the spark they had.
The worldbuilding had a lot of promise, and while I appreciate that the author didn't do one of those dreaded infodumps, so many things were left unexplained! Like, what is a thaumaturge? This seems really important, but it's only briefly mentioned near the beginning as being a derogatory term, then it comes back into play right at the end. I'd have appreciated some more information on how the magic works, what the constraints are, the different types of magic, and also how the hierarchy/structure of the magic community works.
I probably will read the sequel because I'm definitely still interested to find out more about the world and the characters.
I kindly received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own.
A promising but scattered historical fantasy.
This book was right up my alley, I have such a weakness for historical fantasy. It started off really strong, delivering endearing characters, an atmospheric setting and an intriguing magic system.
I was quite enjoying the pace of the first half of the book. Vincent and Margaret arrive on the island to an unexpectedly hostile greeting. While Della may have written to Madam Munro for help, she and Rafe had changed their minds by the time reinforcements arrived and the mystery of Martin, the Ferox Cor, and Rafe, kept me on the edge of my seat well into the middle of the book.
From around the 50% mark though, the pace picks up in a way that was a bit absurd. It wasn't a convincing crescendo, but a random sequence of roadblocks and quick resolutions that I found increasingly frustrating. There are, amongst other things: captures, escapes, kidnapping, broken lighthouses, breached wards... These are all perfectly fine plot elements but they were overcome so easily that they failed to add any tension to the story.
While a lot was going on with the plot, I was definitely starting to feel some frustrations with Rafe and Della withholding information from Vincent and Margaret, and things were really going around in circles, hot and cold, between Rafe and Vincent.
I also found the final resolution to be very anticlimactic. I enjoyed the outcome itself, but found the scene to be far too rushed and a number of things remain completely unexplained.
Unfortunately I also was never quite convinced of the connection between the MCs. It's a single POV narration, which I tend to enjoy, but Vincent kept telling us about this undeniable tension between them, and never really showed it to us.
I really liked their first kiss, and the moments where Rafe lets Vincent see a softer side of himself, but I think the romance element got lost in all the action, and there were a few sex scenes which may as well have been FTB for all the spark they had.
The worldbuilding had a lot of promise, and while I appreciate that the author didn't do one of those dreaded infodumps, so many things were left unexplained! Like, what is a thaumaturge? This seems really important, but it's only briefly mentioned near the beginning as being a derogatory term, then it comes back into play right at the end. I'd have appreciated some more information on how the magic works, what the constraints are, the different types of magic, and also how the hierarchy/structure of the magic community works.
I probably will read the sequel because I'm definitely still interested to find out more about the world and the characters.
I kindly received an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own.
July 10, 2023
Low angst
Grumpy/Sunshine
Interabled relationship
Witches
Mystery
Slow Burn
Single First Person POV
HFN
I really enjoyed this and probably would have read it in one sitting if I'd had the time. The plot was great and I never felt bogged down nor like I was missing something (other than what happened at the very beginning which I hope will be a plot point in a future book). If I'm going to be honest, I disagree with the negative reviews I've read. This book held my attention and it did not need plot twists, cartoon villains, or constant sex to do so. I was literally reading the last few pages and thinking "I wish I could get another book with these guys..." so, yeah, I enjoyed everything about this.
I prefer plot over smut any day of the week so slow burns, especially fantasy, are my bread and butter. If anything, I wish there'd been more stolen glances and sexual tension which is usually my complaint when it comes to single POV books, BUT I can appreciate that Rafe doesn't have typical social skills (he grew up on an island with only his parents for company) so the lack of push and pull actually makes perfect sense. Therefore, Vincent's constant confusion and insecurities regarding Rafe also made sense.The romance is secondary but still very important. I am looking forward to reading the next book(s) in the series and seeing this relationship grow.
Vincent and Rafe are so different yet they're incredibly compatible. Vincent is charming whereas Rafe is grumpy as can be. Vincent has very little magic yet Rafe is brimming with the stuff. Vincent is a Harvard grad yet Rafe never received an education past middle school. The best part, though, is that Vincent is incredibly handsome and comes from an important family yet Rafe could care less about either of those because he cannot see (he's blind) and grew up isolated on an island. The relationship between these two made sense even when their differences were glaringly obvious.
The secondary characters were just as important as Vincent and Rafe, making me hope for a HEA that included them as well. I especially loved that Margaret was just as much a part of the plot as the men yet she wasn't a nosy or meddling female. It was refreshing.
Yes, there are a handful of grammatical errors but I don't care; the plot was unique, the guys were nice, and the magic was fun. I'd recommend this book and I plan on reading whatever comes next.
Grumpy/Sunshine
Interabled relationship
Witches
Mystery
Slow Burn
Single First Person POV
HFN
I really enjoyed this and probably would have read it in one sitting if I'd had the time. The plot was great and I never felt bogged down nor like I was missing something (other than what happened at the very beginning which I hope will be a plot point in a future book). If I'm going to be honest, I disagree with the negative reviews I've read. This book held my attention and it did not need plot twists, cartoon villains, or constant sex to do so. I was literally reading the last few pages and thinking "I wish I could get another book with these guys..." so, yeah, I enjoyed everything about this.
I prefer plot over smut any day of the week so slow burns, especially fantasy, are my bread and butter. If anything, I wish there'd been more stolen glances and sexual tension which is usually my complaint when it comes to single POV books, BUT I can appreciate that Rafe doesn't have typical social skills (he grew up on an island with only his parents for company) so the lack of push and pull actually makes perfect sense. Therefore, Vincent's constant confusion and insecurities regarding Rafe also made sense.The romance is secondary but still very important. I am looking forward to reading the next book(s) in the series and seeing this relationship grow.
Vincent and Rafe are so different yet they're incredibly compatible. Vincent is charming whereas Rafe is grumpy as can be. Vincent has very little magic yet Rafe is brimming with the stuff. Vincent is a Harvard grad yet Rafe never received an education past middle school. The best part, though, is that Vincent is incredibly handsome and comes from an important family yet Rafe could care less about either of those because he cannot see (he's blind) and grew up isolated on an island. The relationship between these two made sense even when their differences were glaringly obvious.
The secondary characters were just as important as Vincent and Rafe, making me hope for a HEA that included them as well. I especially loved that Margaret was just as much a part of the plot as the men yet she wasn't a nosy or meddling female. It was refreshing.
Yes, there are a handful of grammatical errors but I don't care; the plot was unique, the guys were nice, and the magic was fun. I'd recommend this book and I plan on reading whatever comes next.
July 7, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. This is my honest review.
The Lighthouse Keeper was a surprising five stars for me. I don't normally read Gothic horror, but I adore the genre in cinema format, so I thought I'd give this one a try. Also, ocean waves, lighthouses, fog, and demons are some of my favorite things to build up the atmosphere. It definitely gave me Crimson Peak and The Lighthouse vibes, with some interesting extra bit of variation in magic users.
I would consider it a novella length, though I'm not sure what the author is calling it. I really didn't mind the length at all. This was a quick but very satisfying read with twists and turns, a little bit of spice, and a historical fantasy storyline that mentioned the "forbidden" queerness but didn't make the book's focus. Maybe queernormative - adjacent, as I forgot it was an issue until briefly mentioned.
I really enjoyed the relationship building and the changes between characters as they grew throughout the story. For something as short as it is, and a story that took place over a week(?)'s time, I thought the pacing was really well done. Vincent and Margaret start off rocky but form a sibling-like attachment that I love to see in queer literature. (Found family is my favorite trope. We just attract each other like magnets, it's inevitable.) Vincent and Rafe have a much more tumultuous start, but it is very believable. Rafe is a secluded young man living on a deeply creepy island with a disability and strange powers. He is going to be distrusting. However, he is absolutely the brooding, misunderstood, deeply fascinating character that I love to read about. I immediately cared about him and could see why Vincent did as well.
The "miscommunication" trope was a little heavy in the first half of the book. However, it was also very believable. None of these characters had known each other very long (Save for Rafe and his mother, Della), and it makes sense that secrets would be kept.
I really loved this book, and although Rafe's "disability" is more magical than reality, I thought it was a really great touch to include that representation here. No one tried to "fix" him either, which is so important, proper disability rep. Fairly excited for the sequel (crosses fingers for 2024). Thoroughly enjoyed, five stars.
The Lighthouse Keeper was a surprising five stars for me. I don't normally read Gothic horror, but I adore the genre in cinema format, so I thought I'd give this one a try. Also, ocean waves, lighthouses, fog, and demons are some of my favorite things to build up the atmosphere. It definitely gave me Crimson Peak and The Lighthouse vibes, with some interesting extra bit of variation in magic users.
I would consider it a novella length, though I'm not sure what the author is calling it. I really didn't mind the length at all. This was a quick but very satisfying read with twists and turns, a little bit of spice, and a historical fantasy storyline that mentioned the "forbidden" queerness but didn't make the book's focus. Maybe queernormative - adjacent, as I forgot it was an issue until briefly mentioned.
I really enjoyed the relationship building and the changes between characters as they grew throughout the story. For something as short as it is, and a story that took place over a week(?)'s time, I thought the pacing was really well done. Vincent and Margaret start off rocky but form a sibling-like attachment that I love to see in queer literature. (Found family is my favorite trope. We just attract each other like magnets, it's inevitable.) Vincent and Rafe have a much more tumultuous start, but it is very believable. Rafe is a secluded young man living on a deeply creepy island with a disability and strange powers. He is going to be distrusting. However, he is absolutely the brooding, misunderstood, deeply fascinating character that I love to read about. I immediately cared about him and could see why Vincent did as well.
The "miscommunication" trope was a little heavy in the first half of the book. However, it was also very believable. None of these characters had known each other very long (Save for Rafe and his mother, Della), and it makes sense that secrets would be kept.
I really loved this book, and although Rafe's "disability" is more magical than reality, I thought it was a really great touch to include that representation here. No one tried to "fix" him either, which is so important, proper disability rep. Fairly excited for the sequel (crosses fingers for 2024). Thoroughly enjoyed, five stars.
June 26, 2023
What an engaging little victorian era story. I'm not really a fan of a fantasy version of the real world. Apparently witches aren't exactly a secret kept from other humans but aren't brought up for whatever reason, and it really didn't matter much in the story so I suppose I can just look past that
So our MC is sent on a mission to Seattle to retrieve a stolen artifact under the guise of going to help a family in need of magical services.
The dark, broody love interest Rafe appears and Vincent is very much intrigued by the mysterious but powerful man, and as the story progresses Vincent starts seeing in bits and pieces of the nice qualities of Rafe under his usually stony and rough exterior.
I quite liked the dynamic between the two. Vincent is described as physically attractive (and often uses it to his advantage) and is tied to a prestigious family (though only in name), which pretty much helps him with nothing when it comes to Rafe, who is visually impaired and has been far removed from society for some many years. But yet they start falling for each other, though the situation at hand and their innate differences did not make the journey very smooth for them.
The story was fine but did take a while to pick up, since in the earlier parts of the story our characters didn't really have much to work with. I would say it worked out well enough in the end but I do think the ending could be better. I wouldn't say it's rushed, more like the author didn't choose to conclude things beyond tying up the main knot, possibly leaving the others for future exploration. A sequel was implied so that's probably the likely outcome.
Personally I'm not too pressed about an abrupt ending but I can see how a lot of others might not like that. I would probably suggest waiting until the sequel is out since I want to give this book the benefit of doubt with how it was kinda left hanging, at least where the main characters are concerned. Well I do hope the sequel comes out sooner than later because there's a lot of potential between the two MCs and I do believe it can be developed into something great.
Overall I'd take half a star from that ending but since I'ts rounded up anyway its still 4/5 for me. Big thanks to netgalley for the ARC
So our MC is sent on a mission to Seattle to retrieve a stolen artifact under the guise of going to help a family in need of magical services.
The dark, broody love interest Rafe appears and Vincent is very much intrigued by the mysterious but powerful man, and as the story progresses Vincent starts seeing in bits and pieces of the nice qualities of Rafe under his usually stony and rough exterior.
I quite liked the dynamic between the two. Vincent is described as physically attractive (and often uses it to his advantage) and is tied to a prestigious family (though only in name), which pretty much helps him with nothing when it comes to Rafe, who is visually impaired and has been far removed from society for some many years. But yet they start falling for each other, though the situation at hand and their innate differences did not make the journey very smooth for them.
The story was fine but did take a while to pick up, since in the earlier parts of the story our characters didn't really have much to work with. I would say it worked out well enough in the end but I do think the ending could be better. I wouldn't say it's rushed, more like the author didn't choose to conclude things beyond tying up the main knot, possibly leaving the others for future exploration. A sequel was implied so that's probably the likely outcome.
Personally I'm not too pressed about an abrupt ending but I can see how a lot of others might not like that. I would probably suggest waiting until the sequel is out since I want to give this book the benefit of doubt with how it was kinda left hanging, at least where the main characters are concerned. Well I do hope the sequel comes out sooner than later because there's a lot of potential between the two MCs and I do believe it can be developed into something great.
Overall I'd take half a star from that ending but since I'ts rounded up anyway its still 4/5 for me. Big thanks to netgalley for the ARC
June 18, 2023
Okay, let me tell you something. This one started real good and it went... well, not down exactly, but how can I tell you? The pacing was off, and so as the relationships with characters.
I still enjoyed the humor in this and for me it´s not a total dislike: I could picture myself finishing this one, it just lacks of that ellement to maintain me focused on the chapters (as happens with other people, as I´ve seen). So, what was my problem exactly?
To put it bluntly, the characters. I felt they weren´t very well developed... and that later became a problem for the fantasy setting as well. Let me give an example: we begin this story with Vincent and Margaret, two people who don´t know each other previously, going on this mission. They´re weary of each other, the normal thing.
But then, after two days in each others company, they suddenly behave as if they were best friends for absolutely no reason, going to the point Vincent estates in more than one ocassion he sees her as a big sister (again out of nowhere).
I also don´t get what was the point of having these two witches to help: Vincent is not very powerful and Margaret... same (well, I actually got an issue with this author and how she portrayed women at this particular work: in the novel it says their powerful, but once you´re reading the action you discover the women usually stay at the kitchen, scream helplessly or let men deal with stuff). During the story it states that Rafe is a very powerful witch and that Martin, his father, must have been just as strong. And then when it gets revealed that
Yeah, I basically think the task gave to Vincent was too much, too absurd. They should have sent someone else sooner (wasn´t the Cor stealed 20 years ago? Why are they only acting now?).
Maybe it was explained in the end, I don´t know. I´m doing this review after reading approximately 60% of the story and deciding to take a break and go read something else (I might get back and change or add a few things later, but this is my overall review for now).
I still enjoyed the humor in this and for me it´s not a total dislike: I could picture myself finishing this one, it just lacks of that ellement to maintain me focused on the chapters (as happens with other people, as I´ve seen). So, what was my problem exactly?
To put it bluntly, the characters. I felt they weren´t very well developed... and that later became a problem for the fantasy setting as well. Let me give an example: we begin this story with Vincent and Margaret, two people who don´t know each other previously, going on this mission. They´re weary of each other, the normal thing.
But then, after two days in each others company, they suddenly behave as if they were best friends for absolutely no reason, going to the point Vincent estates in more than one ocassion he sees her as a big sister (again out of nowhere).
I also don´t get what was the point of having these two witches to help: Vincent is not very powerful and Margaret... same (well, I actually got an issue with this author and how she portrayed women at this particular work: in the novel it says their powerful, but once you´re reading the action you discover the women usually stay at the kitchen, scream helplessly or let men deal with stuff). During the story it states that Rafe is a very powerful witch and that Martin, his father, must have been just as strong. And then when it gets revealed that
Yeah, I basically think the task gave to Vincent was too much, too absurd. They should have sent someone else sooner (wasn´t the Cor stealed 20 years ago? Why are they only acting now?).
Maybe it was explained in the end, I don´t know. I´m doing this review after reading approximately 60% of the story and deciding to take a break and go read something else (I might get back and change or add a few things later, but this is my overall review for now).
July 6, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In trying to gather my thoughts to talk about The Lighthouse Keeper, I am ultimately left with the feeling that it is a book with a lot of potential that, unfortunately, suffers from a poor execution.
While reading, it seemed like there were a number of major plot points and narrative shifts that were well thought out ahead of time. However, the space between those moments did not appear to receive the same consideration. Certain characters and conversations felt very wooden, and very much like they were 'serving the plot' rather than occurring organically; reading felt like watching a stage production where the stagehands are all clearly visible and waiting in the wings. Interpersonal relationships between characters also seemed to evolve almost overnight, and would shift from standoffish acquaintances to the best of friends in the span of a few pages.
The plot itself, while interesting, was also a little vague, and struggled to find a steady pacing. If Vincent's purpose for heading to the lighthouse was to retrieve the missing (presumed stolen) Ferox Cor, it's unclear why the Witch's Council waited 20 years or so to make that happen. It was strange that, in the midst of an apparent crisis, characters paused to share intimate moments. I constantly felt myself pulled out of the book, confused by characters' actions or inactions.
There's a lot more I could say about The Lighthouse Keeper, but I think it would veer a little too deep into the territory of complaining rather than critiquing. As I said before, this book has a lot of potential. The world it is building is interesting, and the rules of that world are unique and compelling. The interpersonal relationships between characters do develop in charming ways once they have a chance to get off the ground. I just think that it really needed another 100 pages or so to expand on the pieces in between those concrete moments so that the entire story could shine. I know this is the first in a planned series, but subsequent titles are going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting in order to fill in the gaps.
In trying to gather my thoughts to talk about The Lighthouse Keeper, I am ultimately left with the feeling that it is a book with a lot of potential that, unfortunately, suffers from a poor execution.
While reading, it seemed like there were a number of major plot points and narrative shifts that were well thought out ahead of time. However, the space between those moments did not appear to receive the same consideration. Certain characters and conversations felt very wooden, and very much like they were 'serving the plot' rather than occurring organically; reading felt like watching a stage production where the stagehands are all clearly visible and waiting in the wings. Interpersonal relationships between characters also seemed to evolve almost overnight, and would shift from standoffish acquaintances to the best of friends in the span of a few pages.
The plot itself, while interesting, was also a little vague, and struggled to find a steady pacing. If Vincent's purpose for heading to the lighthouse was to retrieve the missing (presumed stolen) Ferox Cor, it's unclear why the Witch's Council waited 20 years or so to make that happen. It was strange that, in the midst of an apparent crisis, characters paused to share intimate moments. I constantly felt myself pulled out of the book, confused by characters' actions or inactions.
There's a lot more I could say about The Lighthouse Keeper, but I think it would veer a little too deep into the territory of complaining rather than critiquing. As I said before, this book has a lot of potential. The world it is building is interesting, and the rules of that world are unique and compelling. The interpersonal relationships between characters do develop in charming ways once they have a chance to get off the ground. I just think that it really needed another 100 pages or so to expand on the pieces in between those concrete moments so that the entire story could shine. I know this is the first in a planned series, but subsequent titles are going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting in order to fill in the gaps.
July 24, 2023
3 stars for me
Why would you want to read this?
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Atmospheric (Nice and rainy)
- You have a love for Seattle
- Wizards
- Found family elements
- A lil bit of spice
We follow our leading man Vincent Fairchild, known for his good looks and family name, he knows he's pretty and uses it to his advantage. There's only one little problem... In a drunken bender, he turned a mortal man into a dog and is now being pushed out the door by the council to find the Ferox Cor so his misdeeds can be sorted out in his absence.
While I did enjoy elements of this book there were others I had issues with
I really enjoyed:
- The atmosphere and setting our story was based in!
- I really enjoyed seeing some interesting history tidbits about Seattle in here like the tunnels underneath the city!
- I had a particular fondness of Margaret as a character and her abilities as a weatherwitch
-
I enjoyed it but..
- I loved all of our character's abilities and was interested in the classification system that was being revealed but it was never really explained in depth
- There were mentions of a goddess and that being where the power for wizards derived from, once again it was never really explored
-
I did not love:
-
- There were rules in play with the magic and they weren't really explained very clearly
- Mostly in the beginning of the book but: There was a fair of mount of tell not show in the writing
Why would you want to read this?
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Atmospheric (Nice and rainy)
- You have a love for Seattle
- Wizards
- Found family elements
- A lil bit of spice
We follow our leading man Vincent Fairchild, known for his good looks and family name, he knows he's pretty and uses it to his advantage. There's only one little problem... In a drunken bender, he turned a mortal man into a dog and is now being pushed out the door by the council to find the Ferox Cor so his misdeeds can be sorted out in his absence.
While I did enjoy elements of this book there were others I had issues with
I really enjoyed:
- The atmosphere and setting our story was based in!
- I really enjoyed seeing some interesting history tidbits about Seattle in here like the tunnels underneath the city!
- I had a particular fondness of Margaret as a character and her abilities as a weatherwitch
-
I enjoyed it but..
- I loved all of our character's abilities and was interested in the classification system that was being revealed but it was never really explained in depth
- There were mentions of a goddess and that being where the power for wizards derived from, once again it was never really explored
-
I did not love:
-
- There were rules in play with the magic and they weren't really explained very clearly
- Mostly in the beginning of the book but: There was a fair of mount of tell not show in the writing
June 19, 2023
After a night out that went a bit crazier than usual, Vincent Fairchild not only has his friend Rutger gone missing but he has a massive hangover AND he's been summoned to the Witches' Council for an assignment. Along with a weatherwitch named Margaret, he will be traveling to the West Point lighthouse. Vincent is tasked with retrieving the stolen Ferox Cor (a mysterious and extremely powerful magical amulet) and Margaret will be taking over as weatherwitch, replacing Martin Gallagher (the thief of the Ferox Cor).
When the pair arrive on the tiny rock that houses the lighthouse, they are met with the grouchy (and blind) Rafe and his mother. Obviously Rafe is handsome and romance ensues.
Enough of the summary. You get the gist. This book was interesting. I loved the setting; I'm a sucker for historicals and the Pacific northwest. The blind representation was really nice and unexpected. Margaret and Vince's relationship is adorable and I love their quick sibling bond. Rafe is hot because we're told he's hot (honestly he's too grumpy and Vince isn't enough sunshine to offset it).
Where the book loses points is that it felt like there was too many conflicts? We've got the twats in the new Seattle Witches' Counsil (SWC) who are...threatening...to kill? Rafe if he and his mother don't join? I don't..okay.
There's the mystery of the Ferox Cor itself. Which the SWC also wants? Maybe? And then there is Martin who is...I guess coming back from the dead to steal the Cor also. And ALSO Vince needs to get the Cor for the San Francisco Witches' Council who knew where the damn thing was for the past twenty years but never did anything about it.
This book was enjoyable but it felt convoluted. I think snipping a few of the conflicts out and then better forming the remainders would've made this a better book. I WILL read a sequel to this which is why I've rated it so highly.
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
When the pair arrive on the tiny rock that houses the lighthouse, they are met with the grouchy (and blind) Rafe and his mother. Obviously Rafe is handsome and romance ensues.
Enough of the summary. You get the gist. This book was interesting. I loved the setting; I'm a sucker for historicals and the Pacific northwest. The blind representation was really nice and unexpected. Margaret and Vince's relationship is adorable and I love their quick sibling bond. Rafe is hot because we're told he's hot (honestly he's too grumpy and Vince isn't enough sunshine to offset it).
Where the book loses points is that it felt like there was too many conflicts? We've got the twats in the new Seattle Witches' Counsil (SWC) who are...threatening...to kill? Rafe if he and his mother don't join? I don't..okay.
There's the mystery of the Ferox Cor itself. Which the SWC also wants? Maybe? And then there is Martin who is...I guess coming back from the dead to steal the Cor also. And ALSO Vince needs to get the Cor for the San Francisco Witches' Council who knew where the damn thing was for the past twenty years but never did anything about it.
This book was enjoyable but it felt convoluted. I think snipping a few of the conflicts out and then better forming the remainders would've made this a better book. I WILL read a sequel to this which is why I've rated it so highly.
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this one. This book is a very atmospheric paranormal historical - and I was totally on board with it. Set in early 20th century San Francisco and Seattle, the story has the right blend of mystery, suspense, and romance. Vincent wakes up not knowing where he is or what happened to him the night before. He and a friend were out on the town - and everything got a little blurry and his friend is missing. Before he can even fully process what happens - he's on a train headed to investigate a situation in Seattle and find a dangerous magical item.
When Vincent and his new partner Margaret get to Seattle they quickly determine that everything is definitely not as they thought it would be and things are infinitely more dangerous than they initially seemed. Rafe is, for one thing, not a child and also extremely powerful. He is also gruff and standoffish and a little bit scary.
I'd give this a solid 3.5 stars. Overall - I loved the story and the overall atmosphere of the book. You could feel the damp and and gloom of Seattle. You also really get to know Vincent - and love him. A few things held me back from a solid four - there were several unexplained and unresolved threads that probably should have been resolved in this book. Particularly the voice Vincent kept hearingin his mind - whether it was his own self-doubt or something more sinister remains to be seen. We also still don't really know what happened to Vincent that first night - it seems like there might be more to come on that in future books - but it was a little frustrating to be left hanging. I also - at times - really just wanted the story to move forward a little faster. I got that Rafe is very much a brooding hero - but it was a little much at times.
Overall, I'd highly recommend and am looking forward to more!
I received this via NetGalley as an ARC but these opinions are all my own.
When Vincent and his new partner Margaret get to Seattle they quickly determine that everything is definitely not as they thought it would be and things are infinitely more dangerous than they initially seemed. Rafe is, for one thing, not a child and also extremely powerful. He is also gruff and standoffish and a little bit scary.
I'd give this a solid 3.5 stars. Overall - I loved the story and the overall atmosphere of the book. You could feel the damp and and gloom of Seattle. You also really get to know Vincent - and love him. A few things held me back from a solid four - there were several unexplained and unresolved threads that probably should have been resolved in this book. Particularly the voice Vincent kept hearingin his mind - whether it was his own self-doubt or something more sinister remains to be seen. We also still don't really know what happened to Vincent that first night - it seems like there might be more to come on that in future books - but it was a little frustrating to be left hanging. I also - at times - really just wanted the story to move forward a little faster. I got that Rafe is very much a brooding hero - but it was a little much at times.
Overall, I'd highly recommend and am looking forward to more!
I received this via NetGalley as an ARC but these opinions are all my own.
June 24, 2023
3.75/5 I enjoyed this book, but it sometimes felt like there wasn’t quite enough time to give me either all the romance or all the fantasy I wanted, I was stuck in between. The setting was so very isolated and atmospheric, and I enjoyed the glimpses of Victorian San Francisco. Vincent was a friendly, accessible character, and his POV helped keep me engaged amidst so much uncertainty. He was thrown into situations he didn’t understand but remained determined to try to figure everything out (and generally make friends and connect with people if he could).
Rafe was definitely harder to get a handle on in the beginning, and it took quite a while for the two of them to connect amidst natural mistrust and the mystery of the Cor. Like Vincent, I enjoyed the glimpses of a softer side to Rafe, but we don’t actually get to see a lot of them together (perhaps quite reasonably given the time constraints they are under).
Margaret is tough and determined, and she and Vincent made good partners. They sparked a little at the beginning, but I felt like they essentially tested one another on the train, got past first impressions, and settled in to be friends after that. (Honestly, I feel like Vincent was lonely and clicking with someone was great for him.)
I enjoyed learning about this world and getting to the bottom of the mystery, but I do wish that we knew more about the world. I fully believe that bodies of government take action in their own way for their own reasons, so none of that timing or reasoning bothered me. I would like to understand more about the way the magic system works (different types of magic, breadth of skill and power level). I feel like a sequel set off the island might be a good opportunity for that. I’m looking forward to spending more time with Vincent and Rafe.
I received an ARC from GRR. This is my honest review.
Rafe was definitely harder to get a handle on in the beginning, and it took quite a while for the two of them to connect amidst natural mistrust and the mystery of the Cor. Like Vincent, I enjoyed the glimpses of a softer side to Rafe, but we don’t actually get to see a lot of them together (perhaps quite reasonably given the time constraints they are under).
Margaret is tough and determined, and she and Vincent made good partners. They sparked a little at the beginning, but I felt like they essentially tested one another on the train, got past first impressions, and settled in to be friends after that. (Honestly, I feel like Vincent was lonely and clicking with someone was great for him.)
I enjoyed learning about this world and getting to the bottom of the mystery, but I do wish that we knew more about the world. I fully believe that bodies of government take action in their own way for their own reasons, so none of that timing or reasoning bothered me. I would like to understand more about the way the magic system works (different types of magic, breadth of skill and power level). I feel like a sequel set off the island might be a good opportunity for that. I’m looking forward to spending more time with Vincent and Rafe.
I received an ARC from GRR. This is my honest review.
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