"At Lighthouse Point" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

At Lighthouse Point (May 4, 2021) by Suzanne Woods Fisher.*

Two years and a fancy culinary school degree later, Blaine Grayson is returning to Three Sisters Island with her Parisian friend, Jean-Paul, in tow. Blaine is excited to enact plans to transform Camp Kicking Moose’s manor kitchen into a fine dining spot, but that excitement is shredded when she discovers that her oldest sister, Cam, and their dad, Paul, have completely remodeled the kitchen. And badly. No fine dining possible in that not-a-commercial kitchen. To heap on the disappointment, her best friend, Artie Lotosky, now a doctor, is giving her nothing but curt words and cold shoulders.

            With happy news from both of her older sisters and the appearance of their little-seen paternal grandfather, Walter Grayson, as a new summer season draws near, life is kicking. But while it may be kicking some into high gear to prepare for newborns or run a camp, Blaine is floundering. Sure, she helps Peg Legg get the Lunch Counter up and looking good again, but the dreams she had set for her return have all popped. Did she make a mistake returning to Maine and Camp Kicking Moose?

            Having read the first two novels in the Three Sisters Island trilogy, I knew I wanted to read this one. The sisters and their squabbles didn’t annoy me as in the previous books, though I still had moments of frustration with Cam and Maddie as if they were my own sisters (and I have zero sisters). I expect it’s because I got to read Blaine’s story and watch her grow from the “kid” her family treats her as to the adult she’s needed to become. This is my total opinion, always, but it is included in a fairly early chapter that Blaine was experiencing very serious emotional trouble when she was in Paris, and I appreciate that the author included that turmoil. Mental health is nothing to sweep under the rug, yet there is still too much stigma toward mental health. And it is hard – so hard – to be outgoing and resilient when there is such inner war. This trilogy-ending novel is lively and charming, certainly, but it’s also gritty and vulnerable. It tells a story of how dreams can adapt and how faith, family and friendship can all grow stronger. Walk with purpose and intention, faith, hope and love!

            Book One: On a Summer Tide

            Book Two: On a Coastal Breeze

 

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly 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.”