The Lighthouse Keepers Daughter by Cherry Radford

After the break-up of her marriage, Imogen escapes to her aunt’s converted lighthouse on Beachy Head. Writing for a tedious online magazine but hoping to start a novel, she wants to be alone until she finds an entrancing flamenco CD in her borrowed car and contacts the artist via Twitter. It turns out that actor-musician Santiago needs help with English, and is soon calling her profesora.

Through her window, the other lighthouse winks at her across the sea. The one where her father was a keeper, until he mysteriously drowned there in 1982. Her aunt is sending extracts from his diary, and Imogen is intrigued to learn that, like her and Santi, her father had a penfriend.

Meanwhile, despite their differences Imogen is surrounded by emotional and geographical barriers, Santi surrounded by family and land-locked Madrid their friendship develops. So, she reads, did her father’s but shocking revelations cause Imogen to question whether she ever really knew him.

Two stories of communication: the hilarious mistakes, the painful misunderstandings, and the miracle or tragedy of finding someone out there with whom you have an unforeseen, irresistible connection.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

My Review

 

I was intrigued by the synopsis of the book which stated that the main character Imogen was living in a converted lighthouse on Beachy Head. I couldn’t think of a more romantic setting, with the waves crashing against the rocks, seagulls circling overhead and decades of history trapped between the bricks and mortar. I think the cover demonstrated this well, with a view of the pretty red and white lighthouse from the crumbling, windswept cliffs.

I would just like to share my favourite quote from the book, such a moving and powerful description of the lighthouse.

“They come out of the jungle of boulders and are blasted with a screaming, salty wind as they step onto flat rocks covered in seaweed – and there it is. Just fifty yards away, rising up high into the sky. From the cliff top, it was an endearing, little red and white striped ornament; on the beach it is shockingly tall, its colours majestic, a sad and mysterious presence”

There is so much more to The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter than a contemporary romance. I was blown away by the stunning location, the dual storyline and all the mystery and music within the plotline.

When Imogen finds a CD of flamenco music she is captivated by the soothing tones created by Spanish musician Santiago. She is so moved by the music that she contacts Santiago, by Twitter and they start an unlikely friendship.

Meanwhile, Imogen begins to look into the mysterious death of her father.The former lighthousekeeper disappeared when Imogen was a child and she tries to connect with him by reading his old diaries. Little by little she begins to piece together the complexities of her father’s life and death.

A well paced, light read with an interesting plot. It was the lighthouse story that really hooked me and I would definitely recommend and read more from Cherry Radford.

Thank you for my review copy of The Lighthouse Keepers Daughter which I have reviewed honestly.

About the Author

 

 Cherry was a piano teacher at the Royal Ballet Junior School, a keyboard player in a band, and then a research optometrist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. She now lives in Eastbourne and Almeria, Spain.