Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for the Advanced Review Copy.

Publication Date: Oct 26, 2021

After losing her mother to an accident, Amy and her dad find themselves even more estranged.

When her uncle suggests her dad take an out of town trip doubling as official police business, Amy is reluctant but goes along.

What she experiences in the small town called Seabrook is nothing short of extraordinary. The bond that her and Ryan form, although unrealistic, is one that most people can only dream of. They try to hang on to their reality as it slowly slips away, but what is real anyway?

I liked it.

What I loved: The story gripped me right away. Amy's grief felt real and emotional. The small town setting was romantic and quaint.
The troubled relationship between Amy and her dad was convincing. The bond between Ryan and his dad was my favourite relationship in the book. It was unconditional and super strong. Ryan's father was the true hero. He never gave up on his son.

What I didn't enjoy: Once the magical realism was introduced, the tension built nicely and remained until about the 85% mark, so the ending left me unsatisfied. The last few chapters and epilogue were 'off' and I'll just say that a stronger ending could have been achieved by cutting the epilogue and last chapter.

I also questioned how quickly Amy and Ryan fell in love. They only spend a day together and literally declared their love after only a day. Their relationship and connection was a bit too forced. The same outcome could have been achieved had they just formed the beginning of a strong friendship.

I'm also not sure why this is considered adult as it felt more like a YA book than an adult novel.

Summary and Rating: Overall, a generally feel good, quick read that started strong, but ended on a flatter note unfortunately.

The Lighthouse was different than expected. I expected a love story, but this was a love story of parent and child. The novel was unique and required the reader to suspend reality, sometimes smoothly, occasionally less than smoothly. . The themes of loyalty, unending devotion and profound loss kept my interest. This was a novel that will stay with me.

The slow pace and lack of tension for the first half of the book made it difficult for me to be drawn in. The premise of Amy and her dad going to Seabrook is to update a family on a missing persons case, but we get no details about the case and when dad goes missing Amy’s concern is brief, dismissed since he’s probably working that case. It felt to me as if two intriguing mysteries were casually put aside so Amy and Ryan could spend time together and have a little romance. We didn’t even get any history about the lighthouse until almost 30% into the story and it’s not really as central to the plot as the title indicates.

The second half was better as the plot developed about the missing persons case, the lighthouse, and the weird town. I guessed some of the twists but none felt obvious or predictable. Some of the conversations were repetitive which slowed the pace a bit, but enough happened that the tension stayed up.

The ending was lovely.

This is a character-driven story but in the early chapters of Amy and her dad, some of the conversations used to give the reader backstory on their grief felt forced and repetitive. Amy and her father “aren’t close” because of how much he worked, but nothing more was given to help me understand them so it was hard to be invested in their relationship. Dad being completely absent in the middle hurt their development, but by the end there were endearing moments and I was satisfied with their journey.

Ryan’s story was well done throughout. His situation was described from the start with straightforward exposition and natural dialogue. His relationship with his father was complicated and his feelings clear. After Ryan’s reality is completely revealed, his development continued consistently to a nice resolution.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a complimentary electronic copy of this book.

Contains spoilers

3.5 Stars

One Liner: Mixed feelings, oh, well!

Amy is struggling to deal with the death of her mother. Her father, a police detective, is clueless about finding a way to connect with his daughter. The distance between them is growing farther, and there’s no one to fill it.
Then comes a chance to go to Seabrook, a small town with a historical lighthouse. Amy’s father has to close a cold case and hopes he gets to spend time with Amy, even if it is only for a day in the town.
However, unexpected incidents result in Amy meeting Ryan and spending her weekend with him. Ryan is a young man caring for his father and working on their family ranch.
The pair hits off and feels comfortable talking to each other. The lighthouse, though, has other plans. The lamp flashes a strong beam after decades and results in a rush of speculations and assumptions.
Amy’s right in the middle of a mystery, and she somehow finds herself entering the forsaken and crumbling lighthouse. What does Amy find inside? How does it change her life and Ryan’s? What does this mean to the Seabrook and its people who are already obsessed with the lighthouse?
• The first half of the book is pretty much what you’d expect from a sweet YA romance with a touch of mystery.
• The midsection of the book is devoted to fantasy/magic realism of sorts with a new theory thrown in.
• The final section is a family YA story that ends with an epilogue decades later.
Now, I do like new ways to create a fantasy in a real-world setting. This one was a bit vague at first, but I understood the concept. It was interesting too.
However, the story pretty much went back to the non-fantasy track, and there wasn’t any reference to it. Not even in the epilogue (except for a distant connection). I personally love epilogues, but this one disappointed me. Guess my expectations were different than what was delivered in the book.
**Spoiler**

I mean, here’s a girl whose spirit latches on to the spirit of a dead man, and the duo spend the day together in the ‘created snow globe of Seabrook’. Then once Amy is back in real life after helping Ryan free himself, she doesn’t remember him.
Sure, that was also okay, but why couldn’t she remember later on when she spent her entire life at the same farm that belonged to him? If a spirit recognizes another spirit and chooses it, wouldn’t at least a fraction of that attachment remain somewhere inside Amy?
Moreover, what purpose does the whole thing solve if the story goes back to normal? Amy and her dad forge their connection which could’ve happened in anyways. Ryan’s spirit recognizes his death, sure. But why only Amy? The talk about the connection didn’t really make much sense in the bigger picture of things. Why the lighthouse and Amy’s mom and the elaborate plot if ultimately Amy leads a regular life afterward without even remembering what she did?
**spoiler ends**

As much as I liked the book until about 75-80%, the rest of it didn’t work much for me. The only saving grace is that the writing is easy to read. I could finish 360+ pages in two days. Some of the dialogues are surface-level and way too generic. But since the characters were YA, I didn’t mind that much.
To sum up, The Lighthouse had a promising start only to end up flat towards the end. Also, I felt the lighthouse wasn’t used to its full potential. It was more of a convenient prop when it could have been a lot, lot more.
Thank you, NetGalley and Beacon Press Limited, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

*****
P.S: No idea why this one is categorized as an adult book. It is typical YA and has no cuss words or explicit romance.
*****
The spoilers have been hidden in the Goodreads review and removed from the review on my blog. The same review (without spoilers) will be posted on Amazon.

Eighteen year old amy recently lost her mom in a car accident. Her police officer father decides to take her on a work trip from Portland to Seabrook for a change of scenery. There she meets Ryan who teachers all about the infamous lighthouse, his ranch and horses and along the way they form a connection. This book is told from both Amy and Ryan's point of view and it takes place in a single day for the most part.

It was a lovely story covering many genres including, young adult, paranormal, fantasy and romance. The writing was a little pedestrian but the plot was an interesting one and I loved the surprises it offered. This really did not read like a book for adults though, and that's okay, it just wasn't what I was expecting.

With many thanks to NetGalley, Christopher Parker and Beacon Press Limited for the giving of the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. The haunted lighthouse, the connection between Amy and Ryan, and his love for his dad, are the crux of the story - until a stormy night when Amy has to be brave enough to enter the haunted lighthouse. Can she do it? Is she brave enough? What will she find in the lighthouse? The twist in this book is not one I expected, but it makes the story very interesting!

Wow! Highly recommend
Loved the characters they were easy to connect with
The story caught me by surprise...Amy just lost her mother and she is having a hard time getting around the idea that her mother is gone. Amy's Dad is a detective with the criminal investigation unit with the Oregon state police has to go away for a couple of days to finalize a case and he takes Amy with him.
Amy meets Ryan and they quickly become friends and they try to discover the secrets of The Lighthouse. What happens next I never saw coming...
Christopher Parker hit this one out of the park....his debut novel.

This was such a great story and I loved every word....
Another perfect book to read in October...
Highly recommend

I would like to thank NetGalley and Beacon Press Limited for giving me the honour of reading an digital ARC of this book! It's been 3 days since I finished it and it is still with me...

When Kevin Tucker lost his wife, his daughter Amy lost not only a loving mom, but also a dear friend. Saddled with guilt and grief in the face of a devastating loss, Amy withdraws into herself and into a dark and painful place.

Distraught at the state of Amy’s health, Kevin undertakes a missing person’s case in the distant town of Seabrook in the hopes that a change in scenery may lift Amy’s spirits, and hopefully bring he and Amy closer. Begrudgingly, Amy agrees to tag along on her dad’s assignment. Because anything was better than staying at home alone.

Upon arrival in Seabrook, Kevin and Amy settle back into their old routines. With Kevin heading down to the bar and Amy attempting to get some much needed sleep that she has been struggling to get for the last month.

Desperate for sleep, Amy draws a bath and begins her relaxation process only to be startled awake by a strange man in her bathroom, who she would later come to know as Ryan Porter.

The Lighthouse is a slow build adult fiction with hints of romance and mystery. But it is so much more and I can’t say a great deal more without giving away the story. I can say that I was taken away by the plot and was very moved by the storyline.

The characters are likeable and there is a bit of intrigue in all of them until the story unfolds toward and unforgetable ending. The Lighthouse is a moving novel that will take your breath away, leave you sobbing and wanting it to never end. Five touching stars.

I received a digital ARC from Beacon Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

The Lighthouse is an intriguing suspense novel that tackles themes of love, death, and fate. This book isn't something I would typically read. Regardless, I found myself intrigued by the mystery in the novel. The characters are rather naive and whimsical, which makes it seem like the book is for a younger reader. While this isn't something I typically like in a novel, in this case, it only makes the twists more surprising. For the first half of the book, the reader can get the sense that something is unsound through the dream-like quality of the character's experiences. Though there are deeper issues discussed, Amy and Ryan focus only on upbeat activities. For this reason, the first half of the book reads as a cute, young romance. The plot twist turns everything on its head and causes the reader to attempt to gain understanding. After the plot twist, I couldn't get through the chapters fast enough. Parker does a great job of using characterization to build suspense and mystery. This book was melancholic and left me thinking about beautiful messages of eternity and love.

The Lighthouse is an imaginative debut from author Christopher Parker. I picked this book up based on a glowing review from a trusted reader friend.

Two young adults, Amy and Ryan, are each dealing with deep, emotional issues when their paths cross in the small town of Seabrook. I was enchanted by this mysterious story of grief, love and magical realism. I wasn't always sure where the story was going next, but it was easy to get wrapped up in.

One critique I would have is related to the dialogue. At times it felt a bit schmaltzy, cliché and one-dimensional. Some of the other elements felt a little too convenient, but I was able to suspend reality enough to enjoy the journey.

Thank you to Beacon Press Limited and NetGalley for early access.

I was expecting a really good book, and the author did not disappoint. I was engaged through the whole book. I reallyenjoyed it. I give it 4.5 stars and a strong recommendation.

I'm impressed that this is the author's first book. The Lighthouse has tremendous heart. You felt and cared for the characters, their love and grief for their parents and the farm. I wish there was a different resolution, it felt a bit too neat. All in all, a sweet YA book that I'd recommend! I've always found lighthouses to be beautiful and fascinating, and the book totally tapped into my love for them.

I'm 50% through this book and I am just not feeling it. It's super slow, remedial writing. Not grabbing my attention at all. I just don't care enough to finish it.

I haven't read a book like this is quite a while. The emotion felt by the characters, most at a young age, was devastating. The friendships were heartwarming. There were twists and turns that I wasn't expecting. I'm so glad I read it and strongly recommend it. It leaves you a little sad and very hopeful! It was magical in a special way that made it unique.

This book was great! The storyline had enough to keep the reader interested and wanting more. Great job for the first novel by this author.
I am a big fan of sea/lighthouse storyline. I love the way that the author introduced his characters. Without given too much away, the father daughter relationship is relatable. The tragic storyline of father and son, with son looking after father is a familiar one but this author did not over do. I look forward to more from this author.

The Lighthouse by Christopher Parker is a heartwarming and wholesome novel that speaks on lost connections, and the healing power of love. The story offers a contemplation that in holding on to hope, magical transformation can happen, and change our perceptions when we move past loss and reflect on the beauty that is all around us.

I yearned for more magical realism in the opening, but I was rewarded for continuing. Little Dipper was the perfect character to help connect the dots, the celestial and the earthbound.

Deeply romantic and hopeful to the highest frequency, this novel offers the reader, wonder and beauty in the struggle.

The symbol of the lighthouse was used in a powerful and memorable way. The scenes with the "snow globes" were ethereal and my most favorite part. I look forward to seeing more from this talented, debut author. If you are a Nicholas Sparks fan who also appreciates magical realism, you would absolutely love this story. Well done!

A wonderful romantic novel ... very well written. Enchanting and breathtaking as the story reaches a climax of overpowering love. Twists and turns that surprise and enhance the journey of grief. The story will have you crying and laughing as journey through the different realms of live and death. Well done Christopher Parker ... recommended to all contemporary readers.

The Lighthouse is the first book by Christopher Parker. This story has a romance in it, but is so much more. Amy lost her mother to an auto accident a month ago and is having a difficult time coping with her loss. Her father, who is a policeman, has business out of town and brings Amy with him, hoping a change of scenery will help her and bring them closer. I want to thank NetGalley and Beacon Press Limited for an early copy to review.

I got this book by accident. It's really not my kind of book. I don't typically like ghost stories, stories mainly driven by young people making immature decisions, having a strong religious or spiritual leaning, when it all turns out to be a dream, or when the whole point is tragedy. I didn't know what I was getting into, but it was well written enough that I stuck with it to the end. I liked Ryan, how he seemed to be from a bygone era. I'm glad I didn't get too invested, or it would have been unbearably tragic. Taking care of that ranch seemed like a lot of work for little gain, so the ending was also kind of a surprise. Nothing wrong with the book, it just wasn't what I love, and I'm kind of picky.

Wow! This book takes you, grabs hold and manages to shake every emotion from you. The summary doesn't give much away regarding what the story is about so I'm not going to either but it's a darn good read. At first, I thought it started off a bit on the slower side but man did it pick up and you learn pretty quick that all the back story is very much needed. It's not often that there is a twist or turn so surprising that leaves you in awe and shock. The only clue I'll give is, get your tissue ready. You'll need it. It's because of the emotion that this story pulled out of me that I give it five stars.