RESTORATION, HOPE, AND LOVE

“Life takes you to unexpected places. Trust the light to lead you home.”

Author Nancy Naigle has a gift for writing heartwarming stories filled with delightful, realistic characters who face routine, everyday problems yet come out stronger on the other side. In Naigle’s latest release, To Light the Way Forward, her characters endure what could have been a life-threatening situation, yet it solidifies their feelings for each other. Hurricane Edwina comes to Whelkins Island and with it comes the introduction of a new friend whose friendship will change all their lives, the decision of a couple realizing they cannot go through the future without the other, and one man’s loss of everything causes him to find the one thing he truly was missing in his life.

What I liked best about this book was the stranger who came to town and became the friend everyone needed. She was the glue that held everyone together during the dark days of rebuilding. She embraced the quote, “Life takes you to unexpected places. Trust the light to lead you home.” She ran to the hurricane. She was looking for a home, and she found it. This is a beautiful story of restoration, hope, romance, and a sense of community.

Waterbrook and Multnomah and NetGalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. However, my opinions are entirely my own and uninfluenced.

Sweet story but make sure you read the book before this one. I didn't realize this was the 2nd book in a series so I was a little lost at times.

hui hou….until we see each other again

“Home is a feeling and doesn’t have a thing to do with how fancy a place is.”

“Our hearts are so fragile, but nothing can take our memories.”

“Life takes you to unexpected places. Trust the light to lead you home.”

How do you heal from grief and go on with your life? Find a new beginning, fall in love again? That is what Rosemary, Amanda and Tug are trying to figure out.
A story of love, friendship, forgiveness, second chances and rebuilding with the help of a community on Whelk’s Island. These characters really pulled at my heart.

Thank you NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for the opportunity to read this book.

A wonderful companion book to the Shell Collector.
Honestly, after reading the Shell Collector, I was hoping the author would write a sequel to it and lo and behold she did. This book is definitely the epitome of second chances and you will quite see that as you read the events that have happen in this story.

So come, catch back up with Tug, Amanda, Paul, Hailey, Jesse and meet some new characters that will pull your heart and leave you feeling good.




I graciously received an advance e-copy from the Publisher on Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

As with all this author's books I loved this one too. I was surprised we were going back to Whelk's Island. In the Shell seeker , Mauve has passed away a year ago. Rosemary, who hasn't quite gotten over her husband's death. She had moved in with her daughter and granddaughter and that wasn't working out so even with the threat of a hurricane, she took off for the island to visit an old friend. She ran into Tug and had met Amanda as she was traveling inland with her children. They exchanged numbers and became friends. See how Rosemary fit in, made new friends and is enjoying life, feeling needed. Follow her on the way to see if she decided this is the place she wants to be. A GREAT READ.

I received a free copy of, To Light the Way Forward, by Nancy Naigle, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Rosemary goes to Whelks Island to visit friends, while there a horrible storm occurs, destroying her friends diner. This is a sweet story about love, friendship, and rebuilding.

To Light The Way Forward by Nancy Naigle is a sequel to The Shell Collector but is a stand alone read. It centers around a widow in her golden years as she is trying to find her way after being married for over 50 years.

Rosemary visits her high school friend Kathleen in Whelks Island. A small town in North Carolina. But a Cat 1 hurricane hits the island and destroys a lot of the local place. Rosemary decides to stay and help with the clean up. She meets Tug whose restaurant is blown away by Hurricane Edwina. They form a sweet friendship.

The story is about overcoming grief and forgiveness. And the joy that comes with helping others in a close knit community.

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This one follows The Shell Collector but stand alone as well.
Amanda is a widow raising 2 children after losing her husband to war. Paul is his closest friend, no longer serving. Now he cares for retired service dogs as well as general boarding of pets in the area. This is their story and also the story of Rosemary, a widow from Hawaii and Tug who owns and cooks in the diner most popular place in town.
Everyone comes together after a hurricane and the best things happen. I loved it as much as I loved The Shell Collector.
Warm, lovely and memorable.

I really loved this book! Imagine knowing a hurricane is coming and you might lose everything that you think is important. The emotions in this story are much like the realities of the hurricane’s arrival - strong emotional interactions within the families in a small town setting - love, grief, loss and joy all play a part in this story. I couldn't put it down! Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinions

TO LIGHT THE WAY FORWARD is the sequel to The Shell Collector by NANCY NAIGLE but it can easily stand alone. It is a lovely romantic read with the story taking place at Whelk’s Island against the backdrop of the devastating hurricane Edwina. The title is most apt with the light of love and hope for the future dispelling the darkness of the past.
I love to see the close knit community, and the characters are delightful.
It is a story about overcoming grief, second chances, families, and the joy of helping others live life life to the full. There is a gentle Christian message underlined by shells on which uplifting messages have been written.
I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a really good romance novel.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from WaterBrook & Multnomah. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

**I was fortunate to read the ARC thanks to NetGalley! **

What a fun, family and community-central book! It was fun to get to know various characters who come together to form such a tight and welcoming community, especially after a terrible hurricane. Tug and Rosemary were my favorite characters, although Maeve deserves an honorable mention for the significance of her impact on so many people.

I think this is a wonderful read for anyone interested in a non-cringey Hallmark sort of book. There are moments of sweetness and intimacy between male and female characters, but in a G-rated way, unlike many other romance novels out there.

No matter your age or stage of life, this book will surely have something that you could relate to, or at least draw some inspiration from. Now I can't wait to read more from this author!

3.5 stars.
A very sweet story about loss, hope and new beginnings, “To Light the Way Forward”, by Nancy Naigle, shows vibrant, older people falling in love again.
I loved how the author wrote Rosemary and Tug; no condescension here, just two mature adults making the most of their lives.
They’re both formidable characters in different ways. Tug is going through a hard experience with the diner’s destruction. Energetic and grounding, Rosemary might be the right person at the right time for Tug.
Their romance is sweet and believable, their relationship full of kindness, honesty and a different kind of passion.
I loved that the author didn’t apply the usual way with older couples and characters, avoiding to focus on wrinkles and ageing as synonym of loss of function or incapability.
Rosemary is such a sunny character. A providential woman and just the person Whelk’s Island needed. The relationship with her daughter was irritating while still very familiar in her patronizing attitude.
I loved returning to the beautiful Whelk’s Island setting and meeting again Paul, Amanda, her children, and Tug, of course.
I found the story to be a bit dialogue heavy and sometimes I felt the mutual complimenting was too much.

Nancy Naigle delivers another heartwarming story with To Light the Way Forward, a beautifully crafted tale of resilience, love, and the unshakable power of community. Naigle’s signature style of small-town charm paired with heartfelt storytelling makes this novel an instant favorite for fans of contemporary romance and uplifting fiction.

The story follows a protagonist whose journey of self-discovery and healing is both relatable and inspiring. Naigle excels in creating characters you root for, each bringing depth and authenticity to the story. The romantic subplot is tender and understated, allowing the emotional growth of the protagonist to shine at the forefront.

The small-town setting is vividly drawn, capturing the essence of a tight-knit community with its quirks and unwavering support. As always, Naigle’s writing is cozy and comforting, offering moments of quiet reflection alongside the lighthearted charm.

While some parts of the story unfold predictably, the emotional resonance and the satisfying conclusion more than make up for it. This book is a gentle reminder that even in the darkest times, kindness and connection can light the way forward.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Our tomorrows may look nothing like our yesterdays, but God has a plan, and if we embrace each day for what it offers, we find that both are equally beautiful.”

Author Nancy Naigle’s focus on characters in their golden years and the struggles they face resonated with me this week as (1) my husband and I pivoted to increase care for his elderly mom in her late 80s and (2) my parents reminded me that “they’re not old, they’re only in their early eighties.”

It was good for me to arrive in Welk’s Island, a small town in North Carolina, this week and read about characters in their seventies and eighties who chose daily to see life as an adventure.

“It’s different when our life is upended at this age. When we are in our forties, even our sixties, it’s like, whatever - we’ll just pull ourselves up by our bootstraps … again. But now we’re older, smarter, wiser about how fragile our lives are. I think it’s important we really consider what’s important to us and let that lead the way.”

I’ve also never experienced a hurricane, so reading about how fictional Hurricane Edwina affected this fictional town and how the community pulled together to navigate the tragedy with grace really held my interest as it pulled on my heartstrings. Naigle’s revelation that sometimes it takes a storm to clear the way for new beginnings has me viewing ‘challenges’ in a different way.

Things I won’t forget in a hurry:
💜Tug Basnight and The Wife
💜The reminder to treasure every day and moment
💜The value of trusting the light we cannot see
💜The reminder that life doesn’t always go according to plan, but it’s how we pivot that matters
💜Helping and uplifting others in their time of need
💜The reminder that moments are comprised of either actions, thoughts, dreams, memories, or choices and that it’s up to us what we focus on.
💜“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.”

After reading the first two books in the Chestnut Ridge series (both 5 stars) and this Shell Collector novel (also 5 stars), Nancy Naigle is now an auto-read author for me. I need to source The Shell Collector next.

I was gifted this novel by WaterBrook & Multnomah and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I simply couldn't put this book down. It was wonderful!
I loved the characters especially Rosemmary and Tug. More so Tug. His plight broke my heart. I found myself wanting to reach through the book to give him a great big hug.
I felt that Ms. Naigle has outdone herself on this one. It will be my favorite read by her.
This novel touched my heart in more ways than one.
It gives hope to the lost, grieving souls of this story.
It was so good that I didn't want it to end.
I love the question of where is home supposed to be? I guess you can give it anything and anywheres you want it to be. I kept hoping that Rosemary would discover where that might be for her. I wasn't disappointed by her decision at all.
Hurricanes can definitely do a lot of damage. Especially to one's soul. Tug is proof of that. I kept wanting to holler at him to wake up and see what's in front of him. At times, it was frustrating because he wouldn't.
Readers, whether you realize it or not there is a light at the end of a long dark tunnel. You need only to want to find it.
I don't normally put quotes in reviews but I will this one.
I like how Tug tells Rosemmary that Nothing's ever an accident and that we're all a bigger piece of the puzzle. He's got it right. Everything's all in God's timing not ours. Everything happens for a reason.
5 stars from me for this beautiful story about finding one's way back from grief and devastation and to find your way home again. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.