Oh my! I can still feel the power of the storm. The waters rising and crashing, the wind...so strong, the struggle to survive. Jennifer L. Wright's "Last Light over Galveston" reveals the total destruction during and following the hurricane of 1900.

Flashing back about six months before the hurricane, the main female character experiences another struggle and runs for her life, ending up in Galveston. The full extent of Annie's/Kathleen's past is revealed through these flashbacks while showing her current struggles in the present. Resilience, faith, the struggle to survive are all components in this breathtaking novel.

Releases Aug. 12th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Definitely my favorite read of the year so far!

What a beautiful story about loss and hope weaved into historical events of the past in such a way that you feel every event! I live about 1.30 hours from Galveston and have visited many of the spots mentioned in this book. Moody Mansion, the museum about the hurricane, and the strand are all places that I grew up with on our annual trips to Galveston. It made this book come to life even more for me. I did not know much about the Hudson River Dam project and now I need to look that up.

Kathleen was such a great character. As she navigates her feelings and thoughts about her family problems and her life, we learn so much about growth in our faith from her. Her experiences really made you feel as if you were there. The story was woven so seamlessly that I enjoyed both aspects of the story very much.

I can't wait to read another Jennifer L. Wright book as this is the first of her books I have read.

I enjoy reading fiction novels mingled with true events. Last Light Over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright is one of those books. The true tragedy of the 1900 hurricane that hit that island was felt all through this book. It pulled at my heart in the calamity and in the courage of the survivors as they dealt with the aftermath. The story of finding God and one’s self when all else is stripped away was beautifully written. I highly recommend this book!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

1900 New York and Galveston, Texas

Spectacular! An engaging fictional story line combined with rich historical details about the devastating hurricane of 1900 that hit Galveston Island. The glimpses at meteorological methods used in 1900 were fascinating.

Kathleen's tale unraveled in stellar fashion and I was equally drawn to both parts of her life: Kathleen as a high society young lady in New York and Annie, an orphan in Galveston. The bridge between the spring of 1900 and September of 1900 offered insight into Kathleen's heart and mind.

Favorite quotes:

"God has to tear down all the distractions, all the lies in our lives, in order for us to see the truth. To see that after everything else is gone, He's still there."

"And yet whatever it was I felt for him was not nearly as strong as my love for myself and my position."

The following review was posted on Goodreads on 3.11.25:

I always enjoy learning about historical events that I know little to nothing about and LAST LIGHT OVER GALVESTON deals with two of them: the labor strike that occurred during the building of New York's New Croton Dam and the 1900 hurricane that devastated Galveston, Texas. One of them would have been enough to power the book, honestly, but Wright uses the former to explain the main character's presence for the latter (although the fact that Kathleen ends up in Galveston at just the right time to experience its worst natural disaster definitely feels a bit contrived). ANYWAY, it was interesting to learn about both events. The hurricane provides most of the story's action and suspense, so the second half of the novel is more compelling than the first, especially since the first half moves rather slowly.

Kathleen is a likable heroine who longs to live a purposeful live. She's compassionate and kind, devoted and determined. What she's not is terribly complex. For me, she never really feels like a real, three-dimensional person. The other characters are even less developed, with little personality at all. I liked the main characters because there was nothing not to like, but they definitely needed more fleshing out.

As I mentioned, the plot of the novel moves slowly at first, with most of the action happening in its second half. I never felt like putting the book down, but I was never really on the edge of my seat either. There are no real twists in the tale, making it a pretty predictable read. I was expecting Kathleen to have to reckon with what happened in New York, which never happens, which makes the novel's ending feel a bit unfinished and dissatisfying to me.

For the most part, though, I enjoyed LAST LIGHT OVER GALVESTON. Despite its sad subject matter, I found the novel interesting and engaging enough to keep me reading. I appreciate that its content is clean, edifying, and God-positive (without being heavy-handed or preachy). While I didn't love the book, I do plan to read more from Wright.

If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.

If this were a movie, it would be rated PG for violence, scenes of peril, and disturbing subjects/imagery (corpses floating in floodwater, etc.)

Pretty slow for me. Not sure if it’s me or the book but it took me a long time to get through it. I liked the characters but was just not sucked in. It fell flat for me. Others really loved it so maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood for it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This story was deep and moving. The weaving of the story between the time in New York and the time in Galveston was interesting and unique. When all of the stories came together, it left me in awe.

My initial thoughts were: I loved that one part was set in an orphanage; the relationship between Annie and Maggie was so special; I was looking forward to the mystery in the story.

My initial thoughts continued to keep me engaged in the story.

You will enjoy this story if you enjoy historical fiction, mystery and the juxtaposition between the rich and the poor.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

This book was a quick fast read for me. I was drawn into the story and finished in 2 days. Great book.

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, especially when it highlights time periods or events that I don't see tackled as frequently. Last Light Over Galveston is set during the 1900 Galveston hurricane, the deadliest natural disaster in US history, and I was immediately intrigued by the potential for this setting.

The book follows Kathleen McDaniel who is on the run from her past and finds herself at St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum in Galveston. The chapters bounce back and forth between the days surrounding the hurricane, and a few months prior, and are interspersed with meteorological reports building toward the disaster itself. The book felt well-researched, featuring real-world characters such as Isaac Cline, and had me busily Googling as I was reading to learn more about the actual event.

While I found some of Kathleen's backstory and references to it a little repetitive, this was certainly a fascinating and heartbreaking setting for a historical novel. There were some very sweet secondary characters, and ultimately this story was one of survival and resilience. 3.5 stars rounded up.

I always love it when I read a historical fiction and learn about a major, but not-well-known event for the first time. This book essentially deals with 2 historical events - the dam project on the lower Hudson Valley and the horrendous working conditions and subsequent strike and militia state at the dam, and the Galveston, TX Hurricane which is apparently the deadliest natural disaster in US history.

I’ve often wondered with the weather and how much of a lead on prediction we have, what it would have been like years ago to all the sudden find yourself in the midst of a storm - big or small - and have no idea it was coming. I thought this book did an excellent job of portraying that, as well as what it could have been like to live thru such a catastrophic event. The description and detail was well done and sucked you into Kathleen’s experience.

The Dam, while not quite as focused on and detailed as the hurricane, still gave a transparent look at the workers’ conditions and the greed of others that caused them. I thought it was handled well, contrasting how selfishness and greed affects others but also the battle that can be to put aside our own comfort for someone else.

I liked the characters of Kathleen and her friends. She was relatable and had a great progression of finding her footing and learning about herself. And Wesley, Matthew and Emily and their grace for her were well done and endearing.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

This is an excellent novel you’ll love to read! Jennifer Wright always delivers stories with unforgettable characters in captivating settings. This book based both in Galveston, Texas and Hudson Valley, New York delivers a story with a powerful punch. One plot line is tied to the devastating hurricane that brought its wrath down on Galveston in 1900. The population was unaware since the Weather Bureau was in its infancy. Wright displays her master level writing skills when she describes the sights and sounds of Galveston before and after the hurricane. Her prose grabs our senses. The hurricane’s catastrophic nature comes to life with each paragraph and page turn.

The book has a strong Christian theme that is stated overtly at the conclusion. In life, people are often disappointed by family and friends. In Last Light Over Galveston, our main character. Kathleen Ann McDaniel, experiences emotional pain inflicted by her father who blurts out hurtful words just as the plot takes a treacherous turn. Her father is her only remaining parent. All his actions are driven by his greed and self-centered agenda. The disappointment he causes in Kathleen’s life leaves a gaping hole in her heart. At this point, she flees her upscale Hudson Valley home and eventually arrives at an orphanage in Galveston. She assumes a new identity and tries to hideout in this sheltered community while caring for orphans. The hurricane touches down just as she is making preparations to go on the run once again.

Kathleen eventually builds authentic bonds of friendship and mutual respect with most of the supporting characters. Wesley’s point of view shines a light on the poor working conditions and exploitation of immigrant labor at this point in history. Matthew and Maggie are characters to love. Readers will cheer for the future path Matthew, Kathleen and Maggie choose when the wind dies and the flood waters subside.

Non-fiction Christian writers encourage people to fill their broken heart’s gaping hole with faith and a personal relationship with the Lord; the One who is steadfast in love and mercy and is always for us. In Last Light over Galveston, Jennifer Wright’s novel arrives at the same conclusion. Kathleen’s earthly father disappointed her, but she finds healing for her heart through faith and her identity in the Lord. This is my honest review in exchange for receiving this ARC from NetGalley and Tyndale Fiction. #LastLightoverGalveston, #NetGalley

Immersive and gripping, LAST LIGHT OVER GALVESTON is a wonderful historical novel rich with complex characterization and vivid details. Kathleen is a relatable and sympathetic main character who will win your heart. She has been through so much. Her story is ultimately one of hope and healing.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

I was captivated from beginning to end with this story!
I live on the South Coast of Texas, only hours away from Galveston and really enjoyed the expressive way the author described life on the coast. Jennifer has a special way of making the reader feel as if they too are facing both the physical and emotional storms alongside the main character Kathleen. I enjoyed the way the story unfolded slowly revealing more and more of the troubles Kathleen faced and the people placed in her path to help her overcome them.
I enjoyed the true historical aspects of this story so much that my husband and I actually took a trip to Galveston and visited some of the locations mentioned in the story! We visited the marker where St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum used to stand and got to walk along the now raised seawall that protects the city of Galveston from any future impending storms such as the hurricane of 1900.

I highly recommend this book, 5 out of 5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I've not read anything about the hurricane in 1900 that virtually destroyed everything on the small island of Galveston. Her writing was so descriptive and authentic that I could imagine and see the horror of it in my mind. The story of Kathleen's past and the reason she fled to Galveston was also tragic but the love and sense of purpose she found at the Convent and the people that came into her life brought hope and healing to her heart. I can highly recommend this book. The opinion expressed is my own.

This was the first book that I have read from this author and it won't be the last. Please have tissues handy while reading this book about Kathleen who has been raised in high society. After attending school overseas she comes home and wants to do more than get married to someone whom her father has picked out for her. After some horrible things happen, she takes off and goes as far as she can get, which is Galveston. Nuns at an orphange takes her in until she ages out. She has to let the nuns know whether or not she is leaving or going to go through training to become a nun on the day that a historical hurricane hits the island. Throughout the book there are flashbacks as to the reasons she felt the need to leave everything behind that she has known her whole life. The books goes into details as to the destruction that the hurricane does to the island. Will Kathleen's past catch up to her? What will happen to her and the people around her once the storm hits? I truly enjoyed reading this book of hope and survival in the midst of such devastion. Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an early copy of this book.

I had read ISAAC'S STORM by Erik Larson and was very familiar with the Galveston hurricane, and was fascinated by one young woman's journey. Her experience in New York high society reminded me also of the Johnstown flood. I love the blending of these two historical events and the lives of women at that time. i could not put this down. Many thanks to the author.

This book was an intense depiction of what it is like to endure the wrath of a natural disaster. Even though the events in Galveston are the focus, the strong female protagonist of this story is escaping an even more momentous upheaval. She came from a life of privilege where her name and class meant everything. But that really was not who she was at the core. The mannerisms of the time hindered women for having opportunities or expecting their voices to heard. But she can’t help but speak out about the injustice and disregard from human life that is happening at her father’s hand.

She eventually comes to recognize that her Heavenly Father has been with her all along. “Sometimes God has to tear down all the distractions, all the lies in our lives, in order for us to see the truth. To see that after everything else is gone, He’s still there.”

Love this story.

I am definitely going to look for more novels by this author. It did not end with a perfect bow but was a well told story.

The main character has a massive shock to life and ends up in Galveston TX right before the massive hurricane. It was also interesting to learn about the impact of the hurricane and how everything happened.

She does a great job showing her characters - good and bad.

A young woman flees danger in high-society New York in 1900, finding shelter in an orphanage in Galveston, Texas. When her past threatens to catch up to her, she tries to flee again, only to face more danger. This was a captivating story, all in all. I hope the final edition includes an author's note where she explains the fiction and real characters that appear in the novel.

Thank you Tynedale House and Netgalley for an advanced copy to read and review.

This was an easy to read dual timeline book, only a few months apart, that came together very well.

As an Australian I knew nothing about the devastating Hurricane and flood in Galveston before reading. It was quite an eye opener. I very much enjoy a historical fiction based on events I do not know about.

The characters, while not all nice, were well written. Story was well paced and made for a very enjoyable read.