{"id":7738,"date":"2011-05-13T21:34:37","date_gmt":"2011-05-14T02:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=7738"},"modified":"2011-05-13T21:34:37","modified_gmt":"2011-05-14T02:34:37","slug":"the-lightkeepers-ball-by-colleen-coble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=7738","title":{"rendered":"The Lightkeeper’s Ball by Colleen Coble"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is:<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Colleen Coble <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Lightkeeper\u2019s Ball<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Thomas Nelson; 1 edition (April 19, 2011)<\/p>\n

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nColleen Coble\u2019s thirty-five novels and novellas have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA, the Holt Medallion, the ACFW Book of the Year, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers\u2019 Choice, the Booksellers Best, and the 2009 Best Books of Indiana-Fiction award. She writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail and love begin with a happy ending.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Olivia seems to have it all, but her heart yearns for more.<\/p>\n

Olivia Stewart’s family is one of the Four Hundred\u2014the 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\u2014and the more she is drawn to him herself.<\/p>\n

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\u2019re 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\u2014she 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.<\/p>\n

<\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n

Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $14.99
\nPaperback: 304 pages
\nPublisher: Thomas Nelson; 1 edition (April 19, 2011)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 159554268X
\nISBN-13: 978-1595542687<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The New York brownstone was just half a block down from the Astor mansion on Fifth Avenue, the most prestigious address in the country. The carriage, monogrammed with the Stewart emblem, rattled through the iron gates and came to a halt in front of the ornate doors. Assisted by the doorman, Olivia Stewart descended and rushed for the steps of her home. She was late for tea, and her mother would be furious. Mrs. Astor herself had agreed to join them today.<\/p>\n

Olivia handed her hat to the maid, who opened the door. \u201cThey\u2019re in the drawing room, Miss Olivia,\u201d Goldia whispered. \u201cYour mama is ready to pace the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olivia patted at her hair, straightened her shoulders, and pinned a smile in place as she forced her stride to a ladylike stroll to join the other women. Two women turned to face her as she entered: her mother and Mrs. Astor. They wore identical expressions of disapproval.<\/p>\n

\u201cOlivia, there you are,\u201d her mother said. \u201cSit down before your tea gets cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olivia pulled off her gloves as she settled into the Queen Anne chair beside Mrs. Astor. \u201cI apologize for my tardiness,\u201d she said. \u201cA lorry filled with tomatoes overturned in the street, and my driver couldn\u2019t get around it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Astor\u2019s face cleared. \u201cOf course, my dear.\u201d She sipped her tea from the delicate blue-and-white china. \u201cYour dear mother and I were just discussing your prospects. It\u2019s time you married.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh dear. She\u2019d hoped to engage in light conversation that had nothing to do with the fact that she was twenty-five and still unmarried. Her unmarried state distressed her if she let it, but every man her father brought to her wanted only her status. She doubted any of them had ever looked into her soul. \u201cI\u2019m honored you would care about my marital status, Mrs. Astor,\u201d Olivia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMrs. Astor wants to hold a ball in your honor, Olivia,\u201d her mother gushed. \u201cShe has a distant cousin coming to town whom she wants you to meet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Astor nodded. \u201cI believe you and Matthew would suit. He owns property just down the street.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olivia didn\u2019t mistake the reference to the man\u2019s money. Wealth would be sure to impact her mother. She opened her mouth to ask if the man was her age, then closed it at the warning glint in her mother\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been widowed for fifteen years and is long overdue for a suitable wife,\u201d Mrs. Astor said.<\/p>\n

Olivia barely suppressed a sigh. So he was another of the decrepit gentlemen who showed up from time to time. \u201cYou\u2019re very kind,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s most suitable,\u201d her mother said. \u201cMost suitable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olivia caught the implication. They spent the next half an hour discussing the date and the location. She tried to enter into the conversation with interest, but all she could do was imagine some gray-whiskered blue blood dancing her around the ballroom. She stifled a sigh of relief when Mrs. Astor took her leave and called for her carriage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be happy when you\u2019re settled, Olivia,\u201d her mother said when they returned to the drawing room. \u201cMrs. Astor is most kind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is indeed.\u201d Olivia pleated her skirt with her fingers. \u201cDo you ever wish you could go somewhere incognito, Mother? Where no one has expectations of you because you are a Stewart?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother put down her saucer with a clatter. \u201cWhatever are you babbling about, my dear?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHaven\u2019t you noticed that people look at us differently because we\u2019re Stewarts? How is a man ever to love me for myself when all he sees is what my name can gain him? Men never see inside to the real me. They notice only that I\u2019m a Stewart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you been reading those novels again?\u201d Her mother sniffed and narrowed her gaze on Olivia. \u201cMarriage is about making suitable connections. You owe it to your future children to consider the life you give them. Love comes from respect. I would find it quite difficult to respect someone who didn\u2019t have the gumption to make his way in the world. Besides, we need you to marry well. You\u2019re twenty-five years old and I\u2019ve indulged your romantic notions long enough. Heaven knows your sister\u2019s marriage isn\u2019t what I had in mind, essential though it may be. Someone has to keep the family name in good standing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olivia knew what her duty demanded, but she didn\u2019t have to like it. \u201cDo all the suitable men have to be in their dotage?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother\u2019s eyes sparked fire but before she spoke, Goldia appeared in the doorway. \u201cMr. Bennett is here, Mrs. Stewart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olivia straightened in her chair. \u201cShow him in. He\u2019ll have news of Eleanor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennett appeared in the doorway moments later. He shouldn\u2019t have been imposing. He stood only five-foot-three in his shoes, which were always freshly polished. He was slim, nearly gaunt, with a patrician nose and obsidian eyes. He\u2019d always reminded Olivia of a snake about to strike. His expression never betrayed any emotion, and today was no exception. She\u2019d never understood why her father entertained an acquaintance with the man let alone desired their families to be joined.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Bennett.\u201d She rose and extended her hand and tried not to flinch as he brushed his lips across it.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Olivia,\u201d he said, releasing her hand. He moved to her mother\u2019s chair and bowed over her extended hand.<\/p>\n

Olivia sank back into her chair. \u201cWhat do you hear of my sister? I have received no answer to any of my letters.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took a seat, steepled his fingers, and leaned forward. \u201cThat\u2019s the reason for our meeting today. I fear I have bad news to impart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her pulse thumped erratically against her ribcage. She wetted her lips and drew in a deep breath. \u201cWhat news of Eleanor?\u201d How bad could it be? Eleanor had gone to marry Harrison, a man she hardly knew. But she was in love with the idea of the Wild West, and therefore more than happy to marry the son of her father\u2019s business partner.<\/p>\n

He never blinked. \u201cI shall just have to blurt it out then. I\u2019m sorry to inform you that Eleanor is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother moaned. Olivia stared at him. \u201cI don\u2019t believe it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, it\u2019s a shock.\u201d<\/p>\n

There must have been some mistake. She searched his face for some clue that this was a jest. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t hold her gaze. \u201cShe drowned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one knows. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother stood and swayed. \u201cWhat are you saying?\u201d Her voice rose in a shriek. \u201cEleanor can\u2019t be dead! Are you quite mad?\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood and took her arm. \u201cI suggest you lie down, Mrs. Stewart. You\u2019re quite pale.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother put her hands to her cheeks. \u201cTell me it isn\u2019t true,\u201d she begged. Then she keeled over in a dead faint.<\/p>\n

#
\nHarrison Bennett tugged on his tie, glanced at his shoes to make sure no speck of dirt marred their perfection, then disembarked from his motorcar in front of the mansion. The cab had rolled up Nob Hill much too quickly for him to gather his courage to face the party. Electric lights pushed back the darkness from the curving brick driveway to the porch with its impressive white pillars. Doormen flanked the double doors at the entry. Through the large windows, he saw the ballroom. Ladies in luxurious gowns and gentlemen in tuxedos danced under glittering chandeliers, and their laughter tinkled on the wind.<\/p>\n

His valet, Eugene, exited behind him. \u201cI\u2019ll wait in the kitchen, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harrison adjusted his hat and strode with all the confidence he could muster to the front door. \u201cMr. Harrison Bennett,\u201d he said to the doorman.<\/p>\n

The man scanned the paper in his hand. \u201cWelcome, Mr. Bennett. Mr. Rothschild is in the ballroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harrison thanked him and stepped into the opulent hall papered in gold foil. He went in the direction of the voices with a sense of purpose. This night could change his future. He glanced around the enormous ballroom, and he recognized no one among the glittering gowns and expensive suits. In subtle ways, these nobs would try to keep him in his place. It would take all his gumption not to let them. It was a miracle he\u2019d received an invitation. Only the very wealthy or titled were invited to the Rothschilds\u2019 annual ball in San Francisco. Harrison was determined to do whatever was necessary to secure the contract inside his coat pocket.<\/p>\n

A young woman in an evening gown fluttered her lashes at him over the top of her fan. When she lowered it, she approached with a coaxing smile on her lips. \u201cMr. Bennett, I\u2019d hoped to see you here tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

He struggled to remember her name. Miss Kessler. She\u2019d made her interest in him known at Eleanor\u2019s funeral. Hardly a suitable time. He took her gloved hand and bowed over it. \u201cMiss Kessler. I wasn\u2019t expecting to see you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI came when I heard you were on the guest list.\u201d<\/p>\n

He ignored her brazen remark. \u201cIt\u2019s good to see you again. I have some business to attend to. Perhaps later?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes darkened and she withdrew her hand. \u201cI shall watch for you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

And he\u2019d do the same, with the intent to avoid her. \u201cIf you\u2019ll excuse me.\u201d He didn\u2019t wait for an answer but strolled through the crowd. He finally spied his host standing in front of a marble fireplace. A flame danced in the eight-foot hearth. Harrison stepped through the crowd to join the four men clustered around the wealthy Rothschild.<\/p>\n

The man closest to Harrison was in his fifties and had a curling mustache. \u201cThey\u2019ll never get that amendment ratified,\u201d he said. \u201cAn income tax! It\u2019s quite ridiculous to expect us to pay something so outrageous.\u201d<\/p>\n

A younger man in a gray suit shook his head. \u201cIf it means better roads, I\u2019ll gladly write them a check. The potholes outside of town ruined my front axles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can take care of our own roads,\u201d Rothschild said. \u201cI have no need of the government in my affairs. At least until we\u2019re all using flying machines.\u201d He snickered, then glanced at Harrison. \u201cYou look familiar, young man. Have we met?\u201d<\/p>\n

Flying machines. Maybe this meeting was something God had arranged. Harrison thrust out his hand. \u201cHarrison Bennett.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClaude\u2019s son?\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n

Was that distaste in the twist of Rothschild\u2019s mouth? Harrison put confidence into his grip. \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is your father?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite well. He\u2019s back in New York by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard about your fianc\u00e9e\u2019s death. I\u2019m sorry for your loss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harrison managed not to wince. \u201cThank you.\u201d He pushed away his memories of that terrible day, the day he\u2019d seen Eleanor Stewart for what she really was.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father was most insistent I meet you. He seems to think you have a business proposition I might be interested in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harrison smiled and began to tell the men of the new diamond mines that Bennett and Bennett had found in Africa. A mere week after Mr. Stewart\u2019s passing, Mr. Bennett had renamed the venture to include Harrison. An hour later, he had appointments set up with three of the men as possible investors. His father would be pleased.<\/p>\n

Harrison smiled and retraced his steps to toward the front door but was waylaid by four women in brightly colored silk. They swooped around him, and Miss Kessler took him by the hand and led him to a quiet corner.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s not talk about anything boring like work,\u201d she said, her blue eyes sparkling. \u201cTell me what you love to do most.\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced at the other women clustered around. \u201cI\u2019m building an aeroplane. I\u2019d like to have it in the air by the time Earth passes through the tail of Halley\u2019s Comet.\u201d<\/p>\n

She gasped. \u201cDo you have a death wish, Mr. Bennett? You would be breathing the poisonous fumes directly. No one even knows if the Earth will survive this.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019d heard this before. \u201cThe scientists I\u2019ve discussed this with believe we shall be just fine,\u201d Harrison said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI assume you\u2019ve purchased comet pills?\u201d the blonde closest to him said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brunette in red silk smiled. \u201cIf man were meant to fly, God would have given him wings. Or so I\u2019ve heard the minister say.\u201d<\/p>\n

He finally placed the brunette. Her uncle was Rothschild. No wonder she had such contempt for Harrison\u2019s tone. All the nobs cared for were trains and ships. \u201cIt\u2019s just a matter of perfecting the machine,\u201d Harrison said. \u201cSomeday aeroplanes will be the main mode of transcontinental transportation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brunette laughed. \u201cTranscontinental? My uncle would call it balderdash.\u201d<\/p>\n

He glanced at his pocket watch without replying. \u201cI fear I must leave you lovely ladies. Thank you for the conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

He found Eugene in the kitchen and beckoned to his valet.<\/p>\n

Eugene put down his coffee cup and followed. \u201cYou didn\u2019t stay long, sir,\u201d he said. \u201cIs everything all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Harrison stalked out the door and toward the car. \u201cAre there no visionaries left in the country?\u201d<\/p>\n

Eugene followed a step behind. \u201cYou spoke of your flying machine?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe world is changing, Eugene, right under their noses\u2014and they don\u2019t see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eugene opened the door for Harrison. \u201cYou will show them the future, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n

He set his jaw. \u201cI shall indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a small savings set aside, Mr. Bennett. I\u2019d like to invest in your company. With your permission, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eugene\u2019s trust bolstered Harrison\u2019s determination. \u201cI\u2019d be honored to partner with you, Eugene. We are going to change the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>MY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have long been a fan of Colleen Coble’s novels but until the Mercy Falls series I was only familiar with her contemporary works. It has been a refreshing and pleasant change of pace to read this latest series.<\/p>\n

The Lightkeeper’s Ball<\/a> is set during the era described by some as the “gilded age”. The upper crusts of New York society known as the 400 were an exclusive and closed group that was difficult to join. Nouveau rich Mr. Bennett planned to gain admittance by merging his family with the financially strapped Stewart family through the marriage of his son Harrison and Stewart daughter Eleanor. Upon learning of her death, Bennett suggests that her sister Olivia marry Harrison instead.<\/p>\n

Determined to discover the cause of her sister’s mysterious death, Olivia travels to California using only the title “Lady Devonworth” so that no one will suspect her true identity. Immediately upon her arrival, suspicious events begin to occur which convince Olivia that her sister was murdered. Although Harrison is her number one suspect, Olivia quickly finds him to be a very different man than she expected.<\/p>\n

Will Olivia and Harrison overcome their aversion to marriage and to each other? Will the murderer be revealed before someone else dies? The only way to find out is to pick up your own copy of Lightkeeper’s Ball<\/a>. I believe you will be glad you did.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,77,34,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-gilded-age","category-historical","category-romance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7738"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7753,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7738\/revisions\/7753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}