Book Review: The Brighter The Light

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve only learned about the ‘First Reads’ on Amazon. *Face palm* As an avid book lover I should’ve looked into this further. It is first access for Amazon members to books that will be released soon. One book is free per month. You do have the option to buy other books if you want to read more. So for the month of June, I picked ‘The Brighter The Light’ - I was in the mood for a southern lit fiction.

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of Honeysuckle Season comes an evocative dual-timeline novel detailing one woman’s journey to discover the hidden stories of her family’s seaside resort.

When a shipwreck surfaces, old secrets are sure to follow.

Or so goes the lore in Ivy Neale’s hometown of Nags Head, North Carolina. When Ivy inherits her family’s beachfront cottage upon her grandmother’s death, she knows returning to Nags Head means facing the best friend and the boyfriend who betrayed her years ago.

But then a winter gale uncovers the shipwreck of local legend—and Ivy soon begins to stumble across more skeletons in the closet than just her own. Amid the cottage’s clutter are clues from her grandmother’s past at the enchanting seaside resort her family once owned. One fateful summer in 1950, the arrival of a dazzling singer shook the staff and guests alike—and not everyone made it to fall.

As Ivy contends with broken relationships and a burgeoning romance in the present, the past threatens to sweep her away. But as she uncovers the strength of her grandmother and the women who came before her, she realizes she is like the legendary shipwreck: the sands may shift around her, but she has found her home here by the sea.

Review:

I enjoyed the dual timeline between Ruth in 1950 and Ivy in 2022. There were many secrets from past generations that were revealed. It was also a cozy read, as it was about family and friendships. I loved how the setting was in the OBX and how the stories were told from a ‘local’ perspective. Many of the characters were very likable and realistic. The only challenge I had reading this book was keeping track of the family relations. I found the family tree chart at the end of the book, but I wish I knew that while I was reading as I got confused who was related to who, what their connection were, etc. Overall, I enjoyed this light heart read.   

The Brighter The Light will be released on July 1st.

Thank you to Amazon First Reads for the ARC. All opinions are my own.