Destination: Queensland, Australia, near Brisbane
Book: Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman
What a perfect beach read. A sunken ship, buried treasure, a home on the beach by the lighthouse, sister relationships, adventure, and romance. Lighthouse Bay
The two story lines swing between an unhappy young wife sailing from England to Australia in 1901, and a 40-year-old artist returning to her native Australia from work in Paris in 2011. Isabella Winterbourne escapes the shipwreck without her husband but with a priceless mace created by the Winterbourne jewelers as a gift from the Queen. In her story, we follow her shipwreck survival story and her adventures trying to find a way to get to American to be with her sister. Along the way she reveals her secrets to the lighthouse keeper who helps her.
Libby Slater has a fraught relationship with her sister, who now runs a bed and breakfast in their home town of Lighthouse Bay. Libby left Paris when her long-time (married) lover died. Also from the Winterbourne jeweler family, he had conveniently left Libby a home near the lighthouse, so she has a place to live. His widow, oblivious about the affair, contracts with Libby to continue work with their jewelry firm. In Australia Libby meets a handsome and charming man who may become the new love interest in her life, but may just be trying to buy and develop her property.
The two stories of this beach read appropriately merge on a beach when a younger man who is camped out in the lighthouse helps Libby dig into the history of the mysterious cargo of the 1901 shipwreck, and they discover part of the story of Isabella.
As you can see from the brief summary, there is plenty going on here, and even though I predicted most of the outcomes as I read, the book tugged me all the way through. I wanted to follow the stories of the two appealing lead characters. My complaint is that despite the hardships and problems they face, their survival always seems to depend on some incredible coincidence that makes the story seem less, well, credible.
As a traveler, it is interesting to have a beach read that nicely describes life in a small beach town near Brisbane, Australia. As a reader, it is nice to discover an Australian author, since Australian literature (even the lightweight beach read) unfortunately doesn’t often make it all the way across the Pacific to America.
So, have you discovered some Australian literature that we should add to a traveler’s library?
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Have not read that one yet. Will have to grab it next time I head down to the Gold Coast for the weekend. My most recent holiday read was The Scarlet Pimpernel in preparation for a trip to France. Thanks for the lovely review!
Welcome to A Traveler’s Library. Glad to hear you also find inspiration in literature about places you are traveling. By the way, I took a look at astonishedXpression–what a nice site! Interesting articles and lovely pictures.
Thanks for promoting Australia, my home country. We appreciate you sharing our country with your followers 🙂
I sent a copy of one of your (wonderful) postings to a friend (M Sanchez) earlier today, along with a note explaining she would get a free book if she joined. The email about the offer said to leave you a comment with her name ~ and so I am. 🙂 Free books or no, thank you for your blog! Deb
Deb, thanks and you’re welcome. And your friend Did subscribe, so please feel free to send me an e-mail (verabadert at gmail dot com) with your choice of books from the list, plus your address. (Or you can gamble and wait until you’ve seen what else I put on the list through June) See, everybody, how easy it is!! If you’re a subscriber, tell a friend about A Traveler’s Library, and if they subscribe, you each get a book.