 Contemporary Romance |
LIGHTHOUSE MAGIC Candice Poarch BET/Arabesque February 2003 (3) Debra Ross |
|
PLOT SYNOPSIS: |
|
|
When her mother dies, Cecily Edmonds learns she is not who she thought and heads for Coree Island, off North Carolina's coast. Determined to claim her true identity, Cece faces challenges of island life--including one named Ryan Anderson. As they grow closer, an enemy from Cece's parents' past threatens to tear them apart.
|
|
|
REVIEW: |
|
|
At her mother’s deathbed, Cecily Edmonds learns that her life is clouded with secrets. Her name and her heritage have been hidden from her for most of her life. Her mother’s last words are of the North Carolina coastal home she has never seen, and of the father she never knew. Stunned and confused after her mother’s death, Cecily moves to reclaim the home and family that has been kept from her.
Determined to start a new life for herself, and uncover the mystery behind her mother’s leaving the island, Cecily is introduced to the island locals – including the handsome but unapproachable Ryan Anderson. Although their attraction to one another is instant, romance is not on the agenda for either of them. Ryan has been burned by love before and is now dedicated to his business, while Cecily is obsessed with uncovering her past.
LIGHTHOUSE MAGIC is a romantic mystery set in a small town. Fans of Ms. Poarch are reminded of her books set in the fictional town of Nottoway, VA. Ms. Poarch does an excellent job in describing the idyllic community and it inhabitants. The characters, buildings and scenery are written with such vivid detail that you can almost see and hear the scenes unfold before you.
However, the romance between Cecily and Ryan seems a bit forced. We are not allowed to see them “fall in love” – they are attracted to each other, they kiss, and then suddenly they can’t live without each other. Watching a relationship develop between the hero and heroine would have made the romance more believable. The mystery component of the story is interesting, yet predictable. The mystery and historical referencing of the family seem to take away from the romantic quality of the story.
Ms. Poarch does have a gift for rounding out her stories with colorful secondary characters. From Ryan’s kind, loving and still sexually active (after 38 years of marriage) parents, to Cecily’s wise, all seeing, all knowing, 94-year-old great-aunt Granny Grant, to the meddling, vicious “three witches”, the secondary characters give you a real sense of what life must be like in this community.
LIGHTHOUSE MAGIC captures the small town quality that Ms. Poarch is so adept at writing perfectly. However her talent is best displayed in previous works such as WHITE LIGHTNING and WITH THIS KISS. |
|
|
debra@romanceincolor.net (31st January 2003) |
|