THE LIGHTKEEPER'S BALL

Fiction. Romance. Christian Fiction. Historical Fiction. HTML: Romance and mystery intertwine at the turn of the 20th Century. It is the dawn of a new century and Olivia Stewart is heiress to an empire. Her family numbers among the Four Hundred�??those considered the wealthiest and most distinguished in America. Unfortunately their wealth has nearly disappeared, and now their security rests upon the Stewart daughters marrying well. Olivia's sister, Eleanor, was engaged to Harrison Bennett, one of the nation's wealthiest men, but has since died. Now the pressure is on Olivia to take her place, despite her suspicions about Eleanor's fiancé. Using her family's long-forgotten English title, Olivia travels to Mercy Falls, California, as Lady Devonworth, hoping to learn more before committing to marriage. There she finds that Eleanor's death was no accident. And Harrison is not the man she thought he would be. When Mercy Falls holds a charity masquerade ball to raise funds for the new lighthouse, secrets�??and truths long hidden�??will be revealed. But can Harrison really love Olivia when he discovers her true identity? Can she live with the repercussions of failing her family, or will she finally realize that nothing�??not money, family, or romance�??will ever compare to God's unconditional love? Full length historical romantic suspense Includes discussion questions for book clubs Part of the Mercy Falls series, but can also be read as a standalone Book One: The Lightkeeper's Daughter Book Two: The Lightkeeper's Bride Book Three: The Lightkeeper's Ball… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member bethanne79

Colleen Coble was able to draw me in rather quickly. The mystery surrounding Elenor’s death was well thought out & the timeline was excellent. The characters were well rounded & for the most part realistic. There were times when Olivia seemed a little too damsel in distress for my taste.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres & Coble does it wonderfully. Apart from the weak at times Olivia, I found it most enjoyable.

Received this title via Netgalley.

Show Less

15 more

LibraryThing member Adayriddle

I had picked this book up several times at the bookstore but had not yet purchased it, so I was glad to get it as a review copy from B&B Communications!

This book is engaging from page one, drawing readers into another world. After the sudden and tragic death of her father and then the mysterious

and untimely death of her sister Olivia Stewart vows to find answers. She is being asked to marry the man that was supposed to marry her sister in order to secure her family's social status and bankroll. This journey turns out to be more than she expected. Falling in love with the one man she has vowed never to love and finding an unexpected sibling. The twists and turns are great. The reader is always on edge trying to figure out who the murderer is and hoping that Olivia's secret identity is not blown. I loved this book. Often I found myself holding my breath and then only moments later laughing at the couple that are falling love.

Thank you for this review copy.

Show Less

LibraryThing member HollyRae

Book Synopsis :

Olivia seems to have it all, but her heart yearns for more.Olivia Stewart’s family is one of the Four Hundred-the highest echelon of society in 1910. When her sister dies under mysterious circumstances, Olivia leaves their New York City home for Mercy Falls, California, to

determine what befell Eleanor. She suspects Harrison Bennett, the man Eleanor planned to marry. But the more Olivia gets to know him, the more she doubts his guilt-and the more she is drawn to him herself.When several attempts are made on her life, Olivia turns to Harrison for help. He takes her on a ride in his aeroplane, but then crashes, and they’re forced to spend two days alone together. With her reputation hanging by a thread, Harrison offers to marry her to make the situation right. As a charity ball to rebuild the Mercy Falls lighthouse draws near, she realizes she wants more than a sham engagement-she wants Harrison in her life forever. But her enemy plans to shatter the happiness she is ready to grasp. If Olivia dares to drop her masquerade, she just might see the path to true happiness.

My Review:

Ok, well I received this book from Booksneeze.com. I really enjoyed this read. If you love Romance you will definitely enjoy this as well. This book starts off with Olivia finding out about her sister Eleanor’s drowning. Olivia cant believe that Eleanor has drowned because she didnt even like to swim. Now because the incident was so mysterious Olivia decideds to go and find out more about her sisters drowning.

On the way there she gets pushed off the ship and her rescuer happens to be Her sisters future husband Harrison. Im sure Olivia had to have been quite shocked by that. The story really takes off from there. I dont want to give too much away. The synopsis says quite a bit. I will however say this was a really good read and would recommend it.

So, overall is give this book 4/5 I loved the cover, I loved the story line it has your romance and mystery : )

Show Less

LibraryThing member MandaT

The Lightkeeper's Ball is actually a part of the series called Mercy Falls and is the 3rd book. This book however can be read as a novel completely on it's own. The book's main character is Olivia Stewart, who heads to California after discovering her sister, Eleanor, died a mysterious death. The

town is led to believe that Eleanor committed suicide, but Olivia is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened. Olivia gets more than she bargained for after she is thrown overboard on her way to Mercy Falls. Her rescuer just happens to be Eleanor's fiancee. Is it the right place at the right time or is he behind this? Olivia is driven to find the answers she is looking for.

I wasn't sure if I would like this author or not since I had never read any of her books. But once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down. I read it in about 3 days. This book was great! I think that the author did a wonderful job in keeping it suspenseful. It kept me wondering as to who had done it with all the twists and turns. I loved how each chapter made me want to keep going to the next. It is definitely a fun read, and I would highly recommend it! I'm definitely going to look up her other books now and read some more of her work.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Adayriddle

Show Less

LibraryThing member MichelleSutton

Of the three books in the series this one had the coolest premise and the most beautiful cover art. The story itself seemed much slower paced to me than the others. The characterization was good, but it seemed to take time to build. I did feel grounded in the time period the story was set in. The

Gilded Age is always fun to read because of the arranged marriage themes that occurred in that era. I liked the fact that I wasn't sure whodunit and all that, but at the same time it wasn't until the last one hundred pages that the story really picked up pace and had me enthralled enough to want to keep reading without stopping.

The hero in this story was more dashing and likable than in the other two books. I loved that he had a thing for aeronautics and flying, and so did the heroine. The scandal that happened when they ended up stranded was pretty intriguing. That camp out was probably the most romantic part of the story. I loved how neither the hero nor the heroine were sure if their feelings were love, since neither had experienced that emotion before. I could buy the deception to an extent, though dragging it out for as long as she did made the heroine seem more deceptive, which wasn't necessarily a good thing. But I still liked her regardless.

I appreciated how this book had characters from the two previous books in the series. That made it worth reading all three books in a row. I'm really glad that I did. All in all I enjoyed this series. Ms. Coble has a gift for writing historical fiction with intrigue and a bit of mystery. I loved the whole Haley's comet concern and what people thought about what could happen when the earth passed through its tail. I always love reading historicals where there is joking about how something (like income tax) is ludicrous and will never happen. Ha. Anyway, great series. This book was not my fav, but it was still enjoyable, especially toward the end. I'd definitely recommend it.

Show Less

LibraryThing member BookAddictDiary

This was my first trip to Mercy Falls, even though its the series's third installment. The good news? You don't have to have read the previous novels to understand what's going on. While I'm not familiar with the series' structure or characters, The Lightkeeper's Ball felt like a stand-alone novel

set in a previously explored world with similar themes and style, but had enough of its own life to feel comfortable for new readers.

Miss Olivia Stewart is now the ripe age of 25 and still unmarried. To help fix such a terrible situation, Olivia's mother decides to throw a ball and invite eligible young suitors for Olivia's hand. Olivia, always the romantic, wants a man who sees her for her personality, rather than her title. But in the midst of party planning, Olivia receives the terrifying news that her newly-engaged sister has drowned. Convinced that it was not an accident, Olivia sets off to find her sister's fiance and discovers something more than she thought possible...

Filled with romance and mystery, Lightkeeper's Ball is a quick fast-paced and sharply written romance/comfy mystery that would likely please fans of the previous novels and others who enjoy sweet historical romances (in fact, it actually reminded somewhat of the Lady Julia Grey novels). While I felt like the story was incredibly predictable and not too original, it just worked for this type of book, where you're not really supposed to think too hard about it, but just enjoy the ride and take a little time out of life. But keep in mind -if you don't go into this book with a more laid back attitude, then this may bother you.

I would note that Lightkeeper's Ball is a Christian romance -so, no adult content and some references to religion. While this may make some readers uncomfortable, I was surprised that the inclusion was fairly subtle and felt more like it was just in line with the period and the character's personalities more than anything instead of being over-done and preachy (which is always a small fear of mine when it comes to religious novels). In fact, it didn't bother me at all...

A fun little novel that's a good break from life. Good for a vacation read.

Show Less

LibraryThing member mrsjason

I was rather disappointed with this story. Olivia's character is quite weak. I did not sympathize or feel anything for her at all. She didn't seem too distraught over her sister's death. Pretty much she came across as a rich girl to me. Harrison isn't too much better. His nickname for Olivia was

rather annoying. He too came across as rIt really annoyed me at how fast the two "fall in love." Harrison doesn't even know Olivia's true first name, never mind her entire identity. They proclaim how much they love each other but they barely know each other. There's a lot of lies and deceit between the two of them that everything seemed so soap opera-ish with how they were acting. Their reconciliation comes too quickly and neither is as mad as they really should have been. The mystery didn't really keep my attention either. When the resolution finally happens, I wasn't really too concerned anymore.

I honestly do not get why there is a common thread running through all of these books where men end up having relationships with sisters. It's something that I immediately noticed as soon as I read the first book in the series. In the first book when it came up, I was a bit taken aback but shrugged it off. When it happened again in the 2nd book, I was like, this again? With this book, I was just waiting for it to happen and sure enough...BOOM. Call me weird, but I would not want to marry any guy who had a relationship with my sisters.

This makes me sad to say this because I normally love Coble's books. In fact the first book in the series was very enjoyable and I thought the mystery woven in the historical setting was done perfectly. However as the series went on, I felt that there were major things that did not go well with the stories and characters were lacking depth. After reading all the books, I hate to say this but I'm not sure if historical romances are the right fit for Coble. Her contemporary suspense stories are her forte and I hope she continues to write more in that genre.

That being said, I absolutely love the cover of this book. I'm a huge fan of dresses like this and I love seeing them on covers and this is one of the first Christian fiction covers to showcase a dress like this. I hope the industry pays more attention to the praise the cover is getting and puts out more like this!

Show Less

LibraryThing member BeautyintheBinding

Finding a husband for Olivia is very important to her mother. Using a possible suitor as an excuse, Olivia travels to Mercy Falls, California, in search of the truth regarding her sister's untimely death. Unfortunately, Olivia meets Harrison Bennett, her late sister's fiancée and possible murder

suspect, during an attempt on her own life. As a precaution Olivia assumes the title of Lady Devonworth to ensure her safety and anonymity. In an effort to uncover the truth, Olivia spends time observing Harrison. Unexpectedly, attraction grows between Olivia and Harrison and she begins to struggle with her hidden motives and identity. Harrison has a resolute dislike for the Stewart family and Olivia is searching for an unconditional love. Will Olivia and Harrison's relationship withstand the truth? Can love ever really be unconditional?

I enjoyed reading The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble. The Lightkeeper’s Ball is the third book in the Mercy Falls series, but it reads well as a stand-alone novel. The story quickly grabbed my attention and drew me back to it during the days I read it. The plot's pace was appropriate and Olivia's character was intriguing. While the individual scenes were unique and enjoyable, I found the overall plot was somewhat predictable. However, since it is fiction and I am a fan of happily-ever-afters, I still recommend this book to fans of historical romance. The setting and characters make it a very enjoyable read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The B & B Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Show Less

LibraryThing member gincam

"The Lightkeeper's Ball" by Colleen Coble was a true pleasure to read. This book reminded me again of why I fell in love with reading so many years ago. The story takes place at the beginning of the 20th century, a time in history when Victorian societal strictures were battling the oncoming

radical changes of the modern world. When New York socialite Olivia Stewart learns of her sister's suspicious death, she travels to California to investigate her sister's fiance, Harrison Bennett. Olivia and Harrison are both pressured to accept marriage to each other as a financially and socially rewarding merger for their two families. However, Olivia at first keeps her identity a secret in order to observe Harrison and learn more about the circumstances of her sister's death. The more that Olivia discovers about Harrison, the more attracted she is to him, and her mistrust of him slowly lessens. Harrison does not know what to make of the mysterious "Lady Devonworth" who claims to be a friend of his late fiancee's family. Both Olivia and Harrison are repressed by family and society demands, and both long to be themselves and find happiness. They discover in each other a mutual adventurous streak and a shared love of flying. Harrison builds flying machines, and Olivia loves the idea of flying. Mishaps, mistrust, murder, and mayhem threaten to keep them apart. Faith plays an important role in this story, and Olivia and Harrison learn that taking a leap of faith is like flying without the need of wings. The greater their love for each other becomes, the higher they soar! Colleen Coble is a skilled storyteller who creates interesting, dimensional characters and a vivid, richly detailed story line. "The Lightkeeper's Ball'' is the third book in the "Mercy Falls" series. I haven't read the first two books in the series yet, but I plan to remedy that as soon as possible. I will definitely be reading more of Ms. Coble's work, and I look forward to much more genuine reading enjoyment!

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Show Less

LibraryThing member beckymmoe

Ugh. This book was very frustrating. For much of it, the heroine, Olivia Stewart, was just TSTL...and the idea that any man would ask someone to marry him without even knowing her name (even though he's spent DAYS with her) is just ludicrous! Reading this book was just one frustration after another

for me--I kept hoping it would get better, but it just didn't. It just got more unrealistic. It just never seemed to me that Olivia ever came close to deserving the really nice guy that Harrison was...though of course she got him in the end. I wanted to like this book, I really did--but I just couldn't get past the silly premise it was based on.

Show Less

LibraryThing member TeamDewey

Arranged marriage, right or wrong. Are certain building worth saving or rebuilding?

LibraryThing member cassie.peters1

It was pretty good.

LibraryThing member cassie.peters1

It was pretty good.

LibraryThing member Maydacat

This third book of the trilogy centers on Olivia Spencer and her quest to uncover the mysterious drowning death of her sister. She meets her sister’s ex-fiancé, and after an initial mistrust, finds herself liking him more and more. Secrets and deceit abound in this novel and all are touched by

danger. It’s a satisfying conclusion to the series, with a well written plot and interesting characters. Author Colleen Coble knows how to tell a story that is entertaining and captivating, and stays in the inspirational genre without being preachy.

Show Less

LibraryThing member abbieriddle

Show Less

Fewer