Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

I think this was a bit of a miss for me.

I loved the premise, but the story itself didn’t live up to it.

The plot only picked up a hundred or so pages in and was hard to follow given the story’s vague world building. Example being the “Ferox Cor,” the locating of which was a major plot point, one I struggled to grasp the importance of until at least halfway through.

The characters were what saved this book for me. Vincent was a great protagonist, and I really loved seeing everything through his distinct voice. His sibling bond with Margret was adorable and probably my favorite part. His relationship with Rafe was nice too! It gave me Our Flag Means Death vibes in the best way! Their first kiss was so sweet! I do wish it had been a little more developed though, it was kinda insta-lovey.

Finally, prose. It was good! It really helped sell me on the Victorian setting, whilst remaining very readable. With a few extra edits to smooth out some choppy parts, I think it could really shine.

Overall, I had a hard time enjoying this book, if only because of how much potential it had.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

In trying to gather my thoughts to talk about <i>The Lighthouse Keeper</i>, 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 <i>The Lighthouse Keeper</i>, 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.

Interesting Story

I'm rounding this up from 3.5 but it is an interesting story. It just took me quite some time to get into it. I had o put it down for a bit. In the end though, I did enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for access to this arc.

Years ago I read and enjoyed some of Rancourt's books so that, plus a gorgeous cover and an interesting sounding blurb, made me request this book. At first, I was enjoying myself and the story fairly flew along. Then ... well, I'll get to that.



Vincent Fairchild is a handsome witch who wakes up in a dingy room with little memory of what happened the night before. Apparently he tied one on - or at least that's what he assumes when he feels that his wrists are chafed from having been bound and there's a silk necktie nearby. Creeping home, he finds a message directing him to attend to the powerful leader of the witches council. Uh-oh. Soon he and a weatherwitch are on their way to a remote lighthouse off the coast of Seattle to help find an amulet that controls all kinds of power.


Arriving there, they meet the family of the (presumed to be dead) man who stole the amulet twenty years ago. Rude Rafe and his mother Della have all kinds of secrets that they steadfastly refuse to divulge not matter how often Vincent asks - or doesn't ask as he lets days go by as he blunders around trying to find the amulet and deals with an annoying local jumped-up weatherwitch with aspirations to power. Meanwhile, Vincent is intrigued by Rude Rafe whose witchly power dwarfs any Vincent has ever known. Vincent spends way too much time imagining Rude Rafe's hands on him and wondering if Rude Rafe has ever kissed anyone. What's going on here, where's the amulet, and can Vincent introduce Rude Rafe to the pleasures of the flesh before time runs out? Because yes, time is running out on something.


As I said, this started off well. Told in first person by Vincent, the reader has just as much information as he does. One thing I never figured out was why the witches council waited twenty years to go after this amulet. It was so powerful. In the wrong hands it could do so much harm. So, sure, let's wait twenty years to go get it. Vincent is a witch with a few parlor tricks he can do and a lot of money paid to him by his wealthy mundane family who cut him off as soon as his powers emerged. He enjoys men and is soon sizing up Rafe who remains rude almost to the end of the book. Vincent settles into a good working relationship with his weatherwitch companion Margaret who treats Vincent like a little brother. I enjoyed the two of them together.


The story began bogging down soon after Vincent and Margaret arrived at the lighthouse. It was obvious that Rafe and his mother Della had secrets but they wouldn't reveal anything thus prolonging the book as frustrated Vincent and Margaret attempted to find the amulet and deal with the weather. This dragged on w-a-y t-o-o l-o-n-g. As much as Vincent wanted to find the amulet, he also got caught up mentally lusting after Rafe. Also for far too long. There's prolonging things to build tension and there's prolonging things far past annoyance and making me not care anymore.


Then a truly scary occurrence took place. Points for this. Once Rafe finally spilled what he was afraid was going to happen and when, the clock was ticking. Yet in so many scenes, the characters would make some decision or need to make some decision only to agree to wait until the next morning to do anything. I was mentally snapping my fingers and then verbally snapping at the characters as I read. "Get a move on!" There was also a whole long bit set in Seattle that just wandered around.


The final section of the story suddenly kicked into gear and began racing by. I immediately realized things about one character, watched "all hell break loose," and then got tripped up by some information from out of the blue. Parts of the book did work for me but Vincent's charm didn't balance out Rafe's gothic gloomy grouchiness. Sorry but no matter how many times Vincent rhapsodized about Rafe's inner softness, for the most part, Rafe was just rude. I also didn't believe that their relationship had progressed beyond instalust for Vincent and first relationship possessive new feelings for Rafe. The main elements of the plot were tied up somewhat but the ending was more LFN (lustful for now) with some clear indications that a sequel is planned. But honestly, I doubt I will be interested in reading it. C-

4/5 for most of the book until the ending, then 3.5 out of 5. BUT I'm definitely curious about the sequel and will be keeping an eye out for it!

I remained curious throughout the entire novel who the villain would be. There were so many secrets around that it could have been anyone. The time period is 1898, which was incredibly confusing for the beginning until that was clarified. As such, some of the jargon was lost on me, so having your phone nearby to google will be helpful.

The pacing of the novel was excellent up until the very end. I thought that action was timed well, and there weren't many slow points. Even so, there were easy points to put the book down for a break while still keeping me hooked and wanting to know what happened. It took the majority of the novel to get to Samhain. Then everything happened so quickly and a little unbelievably out of left field that I left feeling slightly disappointed. It is set up for a sequel so I am interested to see where it goes.

My favorite part was the romance between Vincent and Rafe. Fair warning, there are a couple spicy scenes involved. The best word I can attach to them is tender. Once they share the truth about their feelings, their interactions are lovely, even with the secrets still around.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley..

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.

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.

A nice, enjoyable Victorian era read.

The Victorian aspects of the story are realistic, even if society is a mix between humans and supernatural beings like witches and warlocks.

I absolutely loved the dynamic between the protagonists. Vincent, the nice looking guy from a prestigious family with a silver tongue, and Rafe, the visually-impaired, stony and cold who has been away from society for a long time. Two completely different people who slowly start falling for each other, despite their difference and the context of their meeting.

It's a slow burn, taking a bit of time to develop and pick up the rhythm. The story flows smoothly with a few twists in the end, but I felt the ending was a bit abrupt. While I understand there needs to be space for the next book (at least that what it looks like), I would have liked to see everything tied up nicely and not just the main plot. I feel like it left me hanging, especially when it comes to Vincent and Rafe.

Still, this story has potential and with the chemistry between these two characters, anything is possible in the next installment. I'll want to read it too.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

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.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.

If I could sum this book up in one word it would be “meh.” While the premise sounded intriguing, it did not live up to it.

What I did like-The Victorian setting, and how easy of a read it was. I loved the chapter featuring underground Seattle. I am a history nerd so this has given me something new to learn about.

What I didn’t like-There didn’t seem to be a lot of world building or character development. With it only being from Vincent’s POV everyone was pretty one dimensional, even him! I’m not sure how many times we needed to be reminded that Vincent’s family was rich, he wasn’t as powerful as the other witches, and he lusted after Rafe.

The story seemed like an outline or a first draft of what could be a compelling book. While there may be sequels planned to help fill in the major plot holes, I don’t think I will be reading them

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.

So, I just finished reading "The Lighthouse Keeper," and let me tell you, it had so much potential! The story follows Vincent Fairchild, a charming but not-so-powerful witch, as he embarks on a mission to find a stolen magical object called the Ferox Cor. If he fails, he's out of the Witches' Council. No pressure, right?

Now, I was really excited about the whole "underdog witch on a quest" thing. But, I gotta be honest, the execution fell a bit flat. The characters felt a bit underdeveloped. I wanted more depth, more complexity!

The plot started off with a bang, promising some serious suspense and magical mayhem. Unfortunately, it didn't quite deliver. The pacing was all over the place, with some parts rushing by and others dragging on.

Don't get me wrong, though. "The Lighthouse Keeper" still had its charm. It explored themes of self-discovery and the power of love, and Vincent's internal struggle was relatable.

All in all, "The Lighthouse Keeper" had its moments, but it fell short of its full potential. It's an okay read, but it didn't fully captivate me like I had hoped.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this eARC. This book will be published on July 6, 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

The Lighthouse keeper is a fun read for those that are fans of the romantasy genre that being said the magic system just wasn't fleshed out enough for me and some plot points lacked explanation. The writing style its3lf is spectacular.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
The Lighthouse Keeper sees Vincent Fairchild wake up in an unfamiliar place after a night out drinking and takes us through the fallout of said night. Magic, a mysterious, brooding man, and the even more mysterious death of a lighthouse keeper follow in this read.
There were points where The Lighthouse Keeper was a fast-paced, exciting read, while other points lulled in a way that left portions feeling more lacking than others. Overall, it was a good story that I enjoyed, particularly with the characterization of Vincent and his compatriots and their interactions. Given the timeline of events that take place, the pace is understandable, I just wish that the slower moments had the same attention as the rest.

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.

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.

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 loved this book! It's a fast-paced mysterious fantasy adventure with a side of grumpy/sunshine romance. The title is a misnomer because there isn't just one lighthouse keeper as both Rafe and Della equally keep the lighthouse running until Vincent and Margaret arrive, While the blurb interested me enough to read this book, it doesn't fully reflect the involvement of Della and Margaret. Yes, this book is told from Vincent's point of view and describes him being attracted to Rafe, but this book is definitely more of an ensemble novel and not just a gay romance.

I loved all four of the main characters and their interconnected dynamics and the quick bonds they build. Vincent is a fun character to have as the narrator. But I found it hard to believe how long it took him to realize that Rafe is blind until Margaret mentions it. Vincent is smarter than that.

Perhaps readers are meant to imagine whatever they already know about witches and magic but I think there could have been more explanation about how the magic works in this novel.

Overlooking the editing and marketing flaws, this was a fun and quick read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC!

The set-up of a historical romance in a partially incorporated magical society revolving around a lighthouse drew me to this book.

However, the story feels like it is still a few drafts away from being complete.

The book is pretty evenly split between a magical mystery and the romance. While I don't usually quibble too much about needing world-building in a romance, I would like to know something for a mystery. I did not think it was initially lacking since there was a lot of secret-keeping and subterfuge at the start. But it became apparent once the reveals started, and they did not seem to matter, or they were blindingly obvious due to my limited scope of the world.

It does not help that the pacing was way off. The first half of the book was incredibly slow, and it did not feel like anything important happened until the 60-70% mark.

As for the romance, it may be worse than the mystery. There is no on-page chemistry or build-up of romantic tension between the characters. And only once the narrator tells us that he is feeling a connection do we see a huge personality shift in the love interest, and even then, their relationship is still mostly told and not shown.

I think there is a lot of potential here, but the story still needed a couple more rounds of revision to get it right.

Thank you to NetGalley and Liv Rancourt for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.