Hearts Made Whole

After her father's death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren't supposed to have such roles, so it's only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper--even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.

Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He's secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation--the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He's not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who's angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he's in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he's unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope...and possibly love?

The "Beacons of Hope" series conveys messages of hope to readers. "Love Unexpected” and "Hearts Made Whole" are the first two full-length novels in the series, preceded by a novella, "Out of the Storm”. The setting is in Michigan, historical information on a lighthouse, and the characters are strong, I enjoyed the twists, turns, and surprises of this well-written tale of courage. If you like historical fiction with romance, you'll love Hearts Made Whole.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.