Phoebe’s Light Review, Giveaway and a Recipe!

Posted by abakersp in Historical / 4 Comments

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About the Book

 

Phoebe's Light-Book Cover

Title: Phoebe’s Light

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Historical romance

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Phoebe Starbuck has always adjusted her sails and rudder to the whims of her father. Now, for the first time, she’s doing what she wants to do: marrying Captain Phineas Foulger and sailing far away from Nantucket. As she leaves on her grand adventure, her father gives her two gifts, both of which Phoebe sees little need for. The first is an old sheepskin journal from Great Mary, her highly revered great-grandmother. The other is a “minder” on the whaling ship in the form of cooper Matthew Marcy, a man whom she loathes.

Soon Phoebe discovers that life at sea is no easier than life on land. Lonely, seasick, and disillusioned, she turns the pages of Great Mary’s journal and finds herself drawn into the life of this noble woman. To Phoebe’s shock, her great-grandmother has left a secret behind that carries repercussions for everyone aboard the ship, especially her husband the captain and her shadow the cooper. This story within a story catapults Phoebe into seeing her life in an entirely new way—just in time.

In this brand-new series, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings her signature twists and turns to bear on a fascinating new faith community: the Quakers of colonial-era Nantucket Island.

Click here to purchase your copy!
My Perspective

Sometimes when authors go in a different direction, you wonder if it’s a good decision or not. I’ve always read and loved Suzanne’s Amish fiction. I loved her Amish Beginnings series as well. This new series is going in a different direction, historical for sure, but not Amish. I opened the book both excitedly and nervous, because I didn’t want to not like it. But shame on me for not having more faith in Ms. Fisher’s writing abilities. I loved it. The characters, the setting, and grandmother’s journal. I loved it all.

Phoebe was a fun character who had flaws, but I still found to be heroic. She was a tad naïve when it came to her “love” for Captain Foulgar, but I found that I could overlook that because of her other qualities. She was willing to do whatever it took to protect her family, to help her father. Even marry a man who may or may not love her. A man who has a spoiled daughter that thinks she can run the show. A man who mostly thinks of himself and nothing more. He was easily a character to dislike, and I cringed a lot whenever he entered the scene. But stories need a character like that. Keeps things interesting, keeps you turning the pages, and keeps the main characters on their toes!

My favorite part of the book however, was Mary’s journals. As if one historical period wasn’t enough, this book offers two! You cannot beat that! I learned a lot from Mary, however there are some questions I have for Mary that didn’t get answered. I am hoping that we see more from her journals in the next installment. As the Godmother of Nantucket, she had a lot to offer. The more I read from her journals, the more I wanted. And it was interesting to see how all the grandparents to the characters in the present interacted with each other!

Overall, this was an awesome start to a new series. I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for the residents of Nantucket! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Fisher_SuzanneWoods

 

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Anna’s Crossing, The Newcomer, and The Return in the Amish Beginnings series, The Bishop’s Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

 

Guest Post from Suzanne Woods Fisher

A Stroll down Petticoat Row

Thirty years ago, I talked my sister into going on a trip to Nantucket Island. It’s one of those places that had always intrigued me. As a girl in the 1930s, my mother’s family vacationed in Nantucket; she even has a lightship basket to show for it. I expected the island to be interesting and beautiful, and it certainly did not disappoint. But something else happened as I walked down Centre Street one morning. This island captured my imagination in a way that’s hard to put into words. At the risk of sounding a tiny bit sun touched, I could practically see 19th century people on the roads, hear the “thee’s and thou’s” in their speech, even smell the strong scents of a bygone century—the musky perfume of rendered whale oil, the burning wood of the blacksmith, all mingled with the bracing sea air.

Centre Street has a local nickname: Petticoat Row. It comes from the 1800s, when men were at sea for long periods and women stepped into their shoes to keep businesses going. Nantucket women gained a reputation for being strong and capable. Their competence was encouraged by the Society of Friends (Quakers), the island’s dominant religion, which believed in the equality of men and women in all aspects of life. That hasn’t changed. Today, half of all Nantucket businesses are run by women.

Petticoat Row stuck in my mind, and eventually became the hook to contract a series of historical fiction with Revell Books. The ‘Nantucket Legacy’ series covers the rise and fall of Nantucket’s whaling period, when it became the wealthiest port in the world.

First up is Phoebe’s Light, releasing in February 2018, a novel about a spirited young woman who seeks her fortune only to find out she already had it.

After reading about Phoebe, I hope you’ll consider planning a trip to Nantucket (though try to go off-season. The population swells five times in the summer!). When you go, include a stop at the Petticoat Row Bakery (35 Centre Street)—the very location where Phoebe grew up, albeit a few centuries ago. Don’t leave the island without trying the Morning Glory Muffins, an island favorite. So worth the trip!

 

Nantucket’s Famous Morning Glory Muffins

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup sugar

2 ¼ cup flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ cup shredded coconut

½ cup raisins

2 cup grated carrots (4 large)

1 apple, shredded

8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained

½ cup pecans or walnuts

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

 

Instructions:

Sift together sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add the fruit, carrots and nuts and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with oil and vanilla. Combine with dry ingredients and blend well.

Spoon batter into cupcake tins lined with muffin papers. Fill each cup to the brim. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. These muffins needs 24 hours to ripen their full flavor. They freeze extremely well.

 

Recipe courtesy of Pamela A. McKinstry, Sconset Café

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Giveaway

02716175-5193-469c-a810-81ff258ecc81

To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a grand prize of a Kindle!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c9e0

4 responses to “Phoebe’s Light Review, Giveaway and a Recipe!

  1. James Robert

    Congrats on the tour and thank you for the book description, your review and giveaway. I appreciate the opportunity to win.

  2. Kay Garrett

    Thank you for your wonderful review on ” Phoebe’s Light” and for being part of the book tour! Suzanne Woods Fisher is definitely one of my favorite authors and I’d very much love the chance to read this book.