About the Book
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 Review
“Phoebe’s Light” by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a unique
story set on Nantucket Island during the 1600s and
1700s when whaling was prevalent. I used
to read a lot of books about the Amish, Quakers and Mennonites. It has been awhile now since I’ve picked one up
and I was especially excited that this book is about Quakers since I don’t know
as much about them.
Ms. Fisher weaves history and detail
deftly into her story. I love the
setting of Nantucket, especially since I have visited there before. I learned a lot about whaling, ships, Quakers
and Nantucket during this time period.
The author obviously put a lot of research into her book. It is fascinating to learn about the Quakers
and their faith, and what sets them apart.
It is helpful that Ms. Fisher includes terms and a character list in the
beginning of the book.
I really enjoy the way Ms. Fisher writes
the characters in this story; especially Phoebe, Matthew and Great Mary. All three of them have wonderful character
arcs, and their characters undergo transformations throughout the book. At the beginning of the story, I did not like
Phoebe and thought the choices she made were unwise. By the end, the author made me admire the way
Phoebe handles certain situations and she really becomes a stronger and much
more likeable person. I loved reading
the journal entries of Great Mary, and laughed at how she sometimes crosses out
her real feelings (which you could still read).
“Phoebe’s Light” is an inspiring and
original story that will hopefully help us each examine our faith. Ms. Fisher explores what it means to truly be
a Christian and the difference between religion and true Christianity.
Content:
I would give this book somewhere between a PG and PG-13 rating for some content. Examples: Some graphic descriptions of
violence against Quakers and sailors; indicates a man is a drunkard and fights
a lot; a man smokes tobacco; reference to the wedding bed; says a man curses,
but the actual curses are not written; a woman mentions a demon is the cause of
her low spirits and there is thought that a demon possesses a baby; a short
scene where a man tries to force his wife to fulfill her marital duty, but they
are interrupted; a woman uses opium to escape, becomes addicted and goes
through withdrawal.
Rating: I
give this book 4 stars.
Genre: Christian
fiction; Historical; Romance.
I want to thank Suzanne Woods Fisher, Revell and Celebrate Lit for
the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to
write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This
is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.
About the Author
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 19
th 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
Blog Sops
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a grand prize of a Kindle!!
