Susan G. Mathis. Julia’s Joy. NP: Wild Heart Books, 2024.

Love at a Lighthouse, book 2

Guide to Categories – Adult Review – review of books for adults – may or may not be appropriate for a school library

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Summary

She came to claim her inheritance, but the mysterious scarred lighthouse keeper makes her question all her plans.

When Julia Collins reluctantly sets foot on Sister Island, compelled by her wealthy grandmother’s will, she is intent on claiming her inheritance and moving on. But when she experiences the peaceful, faith-filled island life, and connects with the handsome lightkeeper, William, Julia finds herself confronting her open wounds from her parents’ deaths.

William Dodge, lightkeeper of Sister Island, harbors a heart hardened by a past betrayal. Between that and his chronic pleurisy, he wants nothing to do with love. But when Julia arrives on the island bursting with vitality and unconventional notions, William’s world is turned upside down. As she chips away at the walls William has built for himself, he finds his reluctance waning.

But just as love begins to blossom between them, Julia is faced with a tempting proposal from a prominent Brockville family. Will she succumb to societal expectations or choose the richness of her island life and the love of the steadfast lightkeeper?

Pre-order Julia’s Joy on Amazon – https://amzn.to/3NFQP6d

My Adult Review

Susan Mathis is a wonderful author. She writes books that can be read as stand alones but yet intertwines characters within series and even across series. I have read quite a few of Mathis’ books and enjoyed seeing characters as adults that I previously met in earlier series as children.

Many of the books I have read written by Mathis (maybe all) are set in the Thousand Islands area of the St. Lawrence River. 

Julia’s Joy focuses on Julia, a Canadian who just lost her last remaining family member. At the request (demand) of her grandmother’s will, Julia goes to spend time with her grandmother’s friend (and son) in one of the Thousand Islands lighthouses. Julia doesn’t understand the why of her grandmother’s request but as the summer proceeds, she falls in love with the island, the God of the island dwellers, and the lighthouse keeper. There are even a few surprises thrown in that make the story even sweeter. 

Julia’s Joy is an adult novel but there is nothing in it to keep it from being added to a K-12 Christian school library. High school girls will enjoy the romance of the story.  

I received a complimentary copy of Julia’s Joy. This is my honest review.

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