Title: The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Time Travel, Women’s Fiction
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
From the bestselling author of The Bourbon Thief comes a sweeping tale of loss and courage, where one woman discovers that her destiny is written in sand, not carved in stone.
Faye Barlow is drowning. After the death of her beloved husband, Will, she cannot escape her grief and most days can barely get out of bed. But when she’s offered a job photographing South Carolina’s storied coast, she accepts. Photography, after all, is the only passion she has left.
In the quaint beach town, Faye falls in love again when she sees the crumbling yet beautiful Bride Island lighthouse and becomes obsessed with the legend surrounding The Lady of the Light—the keeper’s daughter who died in a mysterious drowning in 1921. Like a moth to a flame, Faye is drawn to the lighthouse for reasons she can’t explain. While visiting it one night, she is struck by a rogue wave and a force impossible to resist drags Faye into the past—and into a love story that is not her own.
Fate is changeable. Broken hearts can mend. But can she love two men separated by a lifetime?
Review:
The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz is a captivating novel about a women who travels through time where she discovers hope and healing.
Faye Barlow has suffered heartbreaking losses and fate steps in just as she is on the verge of making a much needed change. Accepting a job offer to take pictures for a “Journey Through Time” calendar, she temporarily settles in Beaufort, SC. Intrigued by the history of the lighthouse on Bride Island, Faye begins her project by taking dazzling photos of the lighthouse. Inexplicably drawn to the island, she makes a stunning discovery during her subsequent research of the lighthouse and Bride Island. As Faye tries to uncover more information, she meets retired priest Patrick Cahill who has surprising ties to the former lighthouse keeper. Faye ignores his warnings to keep her distance from the decaying lighthouse and she is shocked when she is mysteriously transported back in time to 1921, when tragedy struck on Bride Island. Will Faye’s presence on the island change history?
Faye has been unable to move past a tragic loss but she is finally ready to put an end to an unhappy situation that is not healthy for anyone involved. Having made that first major step, she is excited about her upcoming photo project and after her arrival in Beaufort, Faye makes another decision that is surprisingly helpful. Although she has no idea why she is so mesmerized by Bride Island, she cannot resist learning more about its history. When Faye is struck by an urgent need to visit the island, she has no choice but to find a way to act on the unstoppable urge.
After she travels back in time to 1921, Faye is immediately immersed in life on Bride Island. She is fascinated by the people the people she meets and the hardships they must endure. As she becomes comfortable with her new circumstances, Faye is surprised by her sudden feelings of hope as the darkness that has surrounded her for so long begins to lift. Experiencing happiness for the first time in years, Faye is uncertain whether or not she wants to return to her former life in the present. But as events continue to unfold, will Faye have a choice in what happens next?
The Night Mark is a completely enthralling novel that is heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting. The time travel aspect is quite imaginative and cleverly executed. The characters are beautifully drawn with realistic strengths and weaknesses. The storyline is complex and Tiffany Reisz brilliantly keeps readers guessing how this wonderful story will end. This spellbinding novel is as educational as it is entertaining. All in all, an absolutely delightful gem that I positively loved and highly recommend!
