Minding the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

This whole series fascinates me in several ways. As I mentioned in my review of Phoebe's Light, the first book in this series, this is not my usual genre that I prefer. I don't tend to like books focused on the Quakers. However, for some reason, I have fallen in love with these stories. The more I think about it, the more I think that it's because of the setting and the strong story centered around a journal. The setting is in Nantucket and I have loved learning more history about this place. Also, Suzanne Woods Fisher does a fantastic job making the Quaker part of the story, which is strong and so hard to put down! I'm hooked from the very first page!

Minding the Light focuses on Captain Reynolds Macy who got married and then left his new bride, Jane, a month later. He's a whaling captain and had to head out to sea to make money. Neither of them knew it would take 6 years for him to come home. Nothing is the same as he left. His family has grown, unbeknownst to him. When he returns, it turns into a welcome he never anticipated. He realizes what he did to Jane and wishes he could make different decisions that would have protected her more. You can't live in the past, though. So as his life is totally flipped upside down, he has a choice to either stay, run, or move forward. It's not an easy decision in light of the tragic event that he has just faced.

Minding the Light can be read separately, but it adds more depth to the story if you read Phoebe's Light first.There's not a lot of the same characters, but there are a few. It makes the story so much sweeter when you see the thread of the Mary Coffin Starbuck's journal. She's said to be the wisest person on the island and was thought to be like Deborah the judge in the Old Testatment. In fact, Phoebe's Light gave a little history into the journal, which I could fascinating. 

There is so much history wrapped into this series that I've found myself researching places and now I long to visit there and see the beauty. I am excited for her to release the third book in this series!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.