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 starting 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.
‘A wonderful romance that deftly weaves past and present – a story so full of music it sings.’ Avril Joy, author of Sometimes a River Song, Costa Award Winner
‘A fresh new voice telling a charming and moving story of love, loss, loneliness, Twitter and Spanish lessons. An absolute delight.’ Louise Douglas, bestselling author of The Secret by the Lake.
Cherry Radford 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 Almería, Spain.
Her first two novels, published by Indepenpress, were MEN DANCING (2011) and FLAMENCO BABY (2013). THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER'S DAUGHTER was published by Urbane Publications in April 2018.
THE SPANISH HOUSE (Aria Fiction / Head of Zeus) is the first of three novels set in the unspoilt Cabo de Gata region of Andalucía where she lives.
I haven't read anything before by author Cherry Radford but I'm pleased to have now been introduced to her as she has a beautiful writing style and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her latest and third novel, the atmospheric "The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter". This wonderfully original contemporary romance novel set between the English South Coast and Madrid in Spain is a truly beautiful read and it was fun to see how the female main protagonist Imogen Bradfield's relationship with Spanish ex band member turned diffident TV soap actor Santiago Montoya, developed through social media. I liked how Twitter played a major part in the story and also how you saw the reaction to the messages from each other's perspective. In this digital age of various social media platforms and quick send messages this book is a fabulously up to date example of how chance communications can change lives. Also in the storyline is Imogen's lighthouse keeper father, who has left some secret diaries and letters written in his bunk. Imogen finds them shocking to read but will it explain his mysterious disappearance at sea in 1982. This was the part of the story I was most drawn to and kept me turning the pages to find out the truth of what happened. Once again having the unique trademark design and printing quality expected from Urbane Publications this is a really lovely produced life-affirming story that I highly recommend to readers of women's romance fiction and I wouldn't hesitate to read more by Cherry again in the future.
I’m fascinated by lighthouses, I have always wanted to go in a lighthouse. As I love lighthouses I thought it would be fun to introduce some facts about them. There are actually 92 lighthouses located in the UK and 13700 lighthouses in the world at least. In The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter a lighthouse is mentioned at Beachy Head and there really is a lighthouse at Beachy Head that became operational in October 1902. For reason one I enjoyed reading this book is because of the lighthouse, then I particularly like the fact that Imogen wants to write a novel, but wasn’t coming up with any ideas. Then I absolutely loved how part of the story was set in Spain in Madrid, where I happen to visit quite a lot as I totally love Madrid . With my frequent visits to Madrid I wish so much that I had my own flat with a balcony to it. The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter is a beautiful story by author Cherry Radford.
Oh, what an absolutely beautiful book this was to read. I loved every single page. It was a modern, romantic read with a Spanish twist. The perfect holiday read. I feel that the author has beautifully blended the coastal town of Beachy Head with exotic Madrid to make a truly breathtaking and enchanting modern day story.
Imogen is an interesting character. Here is a woman who is recently divorced, the divorce was amicable and they are still friends, and who is struggling to connect with her teenage son. Matters that are then made worse due to the physical distance between them. I really empathised with Imogen. Her drive to be happy, to be fulfilled with life, to have purpose and meaning. I also felt incredibly sorry for her, in having to dredge up the emotional past about her father's death. I found the backdrop of Beachy Head, the rocks and the relentless waves, and the old lighthouse all helped to conjure up what life must have been like for him. It also helped to create a wonderful backdrop to Imogen's internal struggles.
I loved the modern day writing, enthused with the inclusion of twitter. The way in which it allowed Imogen to connect to Santi. Something as simple as a tweet was the start of something so much bigger. The twitter messages were so authentic and I soon found myself looking forward to their exchanges, and learning the most common words and phrases. Such a beautiful language, I could clearly hear Santi talking in my head. Now, as for Santi, I'll admit that at first I did not like him. But, as I progressed through the story he grew on me, until I began to understand him. By the end he had truly won me over.
The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter truly is a beautiful read. It at first appears to be a light and romantic read, but it has hidden depths that draw you in. It is a book about family, how a broken family can rebuild itself, about new love, friendship, and that anything is possible. It really is a life affirming read. Perfect for reading on holiday, or curled up on the sofa with a drink. Loved it!
I'm sad to say, I am completely unable to finish this. I can't make it past the 5th chapter. I need to be invested sooner than this to keep reading a book. This is coming from someone who RARELY quits a book.
I’m intrigued about her father, love the lighthouse setting. Writing style is difficult to follow at times. I like a novel that flows, that is seamless for me to immerse myself in. This has the potential but I find myself lost at the beginning. The author seems to jump from one thing to the other at times and it’s awkward and abrupt. There are parts where she ends a paragraph and then in the next goes back to something half way through the previous one. I found myself, several times, having to skip back, catch the train of thought, then continue. This is just an editing issue, things need to be rearranged. I hate having to go back and forth. It draws me away from the narrative.
There were a few intriguing things, like her father and his story, who her father was referring to in the diary, the development of the relationship with her twitter pal, but non of it was worth being bored to tears during the rest of the book.
The English lesson with Santi (his first in the book) was only a page long and I was so bored. Then the back and forth on twitter, would have been much better if it had been put in as a "chat dialogue" with Santi: blah blah blah and Imogen: blah blah blah. As it was, it was really easy to forget who was talking.
I was looking forward to this, but sadly, all it did was disappoint.
Imogen needs some alone time and therefore she moves into her aunt's converted lighthouse. Her plan is to write a novel. While she's at the lighthouse Imogen receives parts of her father's diary. He died at sea when Imogen was a young girl. Through the diary old memories resurface, but it also becomes clear that her father kept a lot of secrets. His death was surrounded by mystery, will Imogen finally find out the truth after many years?
Imogen makes a new friend on twitter, Santi is a Spanish musician and actor and Imogen has fallen in love with his soulful music. Santi has to learn English for a part he's auditioning for and Imogen helps him with this task. There's an instant connection, but they can't easily meet because they live in different countries. Will Imogen eventually have the chance to meet the man who's quickly become one of her closest friends?
The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter is a fascinating story about complex relationships. Immogen is a strong woman. She has some problems with her hearing, but this doesn't stop her from doing what she likes. She's ready for a new start, but secrets of the past are influencing the present. Reading her father's diary proves that there was much she didn't know about him. She finally gets some answers and finding out more about him was incredibly interesting. Imogen shares most of what she's going through with the talented, but troubled Shanti. He's far away, but he's also close. They could both use comfort and support and have a special bond, but they each have their own lives that aren't easy to merge. I was really curious to see where this would lead.
Cherry Radford has written an original story. I was intrigued by her main characters and liked that she tells the story from Imogen and Santi's point of view and mixes this with parts of a diary written by Imogen's father. I equally enjoyed reading about each person and flew through the pages of The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter. The story is filled with unexpected twists and turns. I loved that Imogen and Shanti get to know each other through twitter messages, which was one of my favorite aspects of the book. Everything comes together in a great surprising way and I absolutely loved the ending. Cherry Radford has written a fabulous riveting story.
This is such a beautiful story, well more a story within a story. Imogen is the Lighthouse Keepers daughter, her father drowned mysteriously and his part of the story is told in snippets from his diary. The pages from the diary are sent separately to Imogen, this is one of the stories. Another is the relationship between Imogen and her family, her son Ollie, her Aunt who sends the diary pages and also her friend Jules.
The main story is that of Imogen herself and how she helps Santi, a Spanish Musician/Actor. She had been unaware of him until she found and listened to a CD of his in her car. It was right music for her to listen to at the right time, as it made such an impact she tweeted him and gradually a friendship formed. Music is an important part of the story in some ways because it is the foundation of a friendship that takes the lonely and isolated Imogen on a trip to Madrid.
Things happen for a reason, some things happen at the right time and right place. These become more apparent as the story gradually unfolds. For me Imogen is the personification of a lighthouse, she is isolated, stands apart from others and has an eerie beauty to her. As I got to know her through the story, I found myself understanding and warming to Imogen and caring about her.
There is a myriad of Spanish phrases throughout this book, don’t worry though they are all explained as conversations flow. I should explain that Imogen is helping Santi with his English and vice versa. Some of these conversations are hilarious and add such a nice touch.
Both Imogen and Santi have such wonderful personalities, and are very different. They each have their own struggles, problems, home life dramas. I loved the way they interacted and their friendship took time to develop, it gave me a chance to get to know them as individuals rather than a duo.
I adored this book, the setting and story-lines were compelling, the characters were memorable and all-in-all a very beautiful story.
This is a book that would appeal to readers who like a slower meander through the lives of the characters they meet. It delves into the families pasts and reveals the odd secret along the way. A story that I would highly recommend.
A novel of life, love and Twitter (set at BEACHY HEAD and in MADRID)
The first thing when opening the novel to note is that there is a specially compiled Spotify playlist to play along with the book. Songs are listed by chapter. One of the characters is a musician and it is music that essentially forges the connection between Imogen and Santi early on. There is Imogen in and around Beachy Head and Santiago Montoya in Madrid and it is one of his songs, playing in the car, that catches Imogen’s attention.
Imogen reaches out to Santi on Social Media and the first faltering footsteps of exchange are made, each with a different mother tongue, each in their own way a lonely soul. There are smatterings of Spanish, which made it a great read for me as I am learning a little Spanish, little phrases and words are slipped in across throughout the text.
Imogen is living in a borrowed lighthouse, writing articles to make ends meet and is busy imagining the construct of a novel that she is just dying to write. She is also trawling through the secret diaries of her father, the eponymous lighthouse keeper of the title. He has left her a memoir to peruse, it seems history repeats and he was corresponding with a pen friend all those years ago, forging plans, detailing his life.
A novel of love, life and Twitter….. a story inspired by the author’s stranger-than-fiction friendship with a well-known flamenco guitarist in Madrid. The storyline hops around between the characters, mirroring the butterfly nature of Social Media, on to WhatsApp and the progression to Skype.
The book itself, in its physical form, is a delight. Each chapter opens with a light photographic image of the sea and coastline, with, of course, a lighthouse.
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter by Cherry Radford
I was fortunate to be given a copy of this book through Love Books and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review
Living in her aunt’s lighthouse at Beachy Head, recently separated Imogen is doing her best to carve out a new life as a writer. Her teenage son is living with his father and displays indifference to her at every turn, her ex has a younger model and her aunt is in Jersey recuperating at her cousin’s home. But how will a middle-aged woman, used to life in suburbia, cope living on a rural headland and perhaps most poignantly a mere stone’s throw from the lighthouse where her own father died in a tragic accident. Aunt Dorothy has started to send Imogen pages, well excerpts really from her father’s diary, but she is being very mysterious as to why she won’t just send her the whole thing.
Imogen is struggling to find a plot for her novel and definitely does not want to go with her ex-husband Ewan’s idea to write about her own father. It is whilst she is driving in Ewan’s old car that she inserts a CD and falls helplessly in love with a piece of flamenco guitar music. She feels the “beautiful but unbearable melody” and as she stops the car to listen, wonders how she had not before “understood the anger in sadness”. So begins the second thread of the storyline as Imogen takes the bold step to contact the guitarist on Twitter, setting the wheels in motion for new friendships and relationships.
Imogen finds herself making a new best friend in Jules, who helps her to put some of the demons surrounding her parents’ marriage and then her father’s death to rest. In return Imogen introduces Jules to the builder, Dylan, employed by her aunt to undertake an endless list of works at the lighthouse. Meanwhile the tweets to and from Spain are growing as the guitarist Santiago explains that he needs an English teacher and perhaps Imogen can help him. His music career is fading and his manager has encouraged him into acting. Imogen finds herself drawn toward Santi and his close family more and more, as her novel starts to unfold and her imagination mixes fact and fiction.
Her Twitter friendship is unfolding alongside her reading and learning more of her father in his diary, even finding that he also had a penpal – of the more traditional variety! The diary reveals secrets that make Imogen question everything about her past and throw caution to the wind with a visit to Madrid and a man who she only knows through “140 character” messages.
I would class this as a contemporary romance novel, but with a difference. There are romance novels and films where it is too easy to unravel the whole plot in the first five minutes – too predictable and one dimensional. This book is not like that and Cherry Radford has written enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The lighthouse storyline about her father lends some intrigue, whilst the Spanish storyline adds another whole dimension. The characters are believable, and I think the fact that some are more likeable than others shows that they are well portrayed. Imogen’s relationship with son Ollie had me laughing as it rang lots of bells, particularly as I have a teen Olly too and I really enjoyed the scenes of the blossoming relationship with new friend Jules. I would definitely enjoy a night at the pub with these ladies (this was their first proper meeting place!) – they are chalk and cheese, but this just adds to the humour.
Using social media to set up a “friendship” is genius, resembling so much of life today, and the communication barriers down to language mistakes are at times hilarious. There is a whole storyline describing Santi’s life and family in Madrid, which you must discover for yourself alongside Imogen…I don’t want to give anything away….but his early referrals to her as “the English woman” and how he views her as stereotypical English with her pale red hair and shy freckled body are very funny. The characters in the book all grow, not necessarily in the ways that the reader expects or wants, but relationships develop and become clearer as the storyline unfolds.
There are some very atmospheric descriptions of both the south coast of England, particularly of the rain and mist sweeping in, and also of historic Madrid where Imogen gains inspiration for her own novel.
I really enjoyed Cherry Radford’s style of writing and will be returning for more of her novels. I found this an easy going read – I actually read it within a couple of days – with a bit of history (the lighthouses), some intrigue, friendships, tears and love. Plus lots of laughter – from me at least!
Firstly I feel pretty dreamy where lighthouses are concerned, as they bring to mind romance and heroic acts. The main character in the story, Imogen, could certainly do with a little TLC after her marriage breakup and needs someone to rescue her from the doldrums and restore her confidence. Her aunt’s converted lighthouse, on Beachy Head, makes for the perfect place to start the healing process. I adored this setting where the pages were filled of breathtaking beauty as she looked out over the sea, to the lighthouse her father had been in charge of when she was a girl. The sheer isolation and descriptions of the deceptive ocean and rugged coastline held a mystery with secrets that would be revealed to her. This story just doesn’t centre round Imogen but also her deceased father through diary entries which her aunty was sending her in small doses. I really loved the two comparisons of writing letters to pen pals years ago and the instant world-wide communication of today. Sometimes the thrill of anticipation of waiting for a letter was as great as what was inside it. Instant panic seems to have taken over these days if a message isn’t received back in a couple of minutes via the internet. Imogen forms a friendship with Santi, a man who lives in Madrid, via Twitter. Santi is a talented musician that wants to move into TV work and so Imogen takes on the role of teaching him English via the net, than in person as she finds courage to travel to Spain. She tells him that she isn’t just there to teach him English but also to help her with the book she is writing. But the meeting of Santi and her isn’t what she dreamed it would be, the reality it is very different. The further that I went into this story the more I wanted to find out about the past, with each bit of information about Imogen’s father just leaving me wanting to know the next bit. As for Imogen my heart was doing flips. I didn’t know who to shake first, Imogen or Santi! I loved the vast differences between the pairs life styles and the places that they lived but I wanted them both to want the same thing. Beautifully written it is a book that I loved the further into the story I got. Although the settings are at different ends of the scale Cherry Radford brings them vividly to life in these pages, both stunning places for the perfect romance to form. A super ending.
I live in Spain, and I like this ancient lighthouses. There are about 190 lighthouses here. My favourite one is here - Finisterre ("end of the land"). Here goes this webpage. I don't know how to put a picture here. https://goo.gl/images/zfX6rN Ok... Now I'll tell everything about this story. I downloaded this book in hope of reading nice romantic story, but....
The Hero was a serial cheater: he cheated on his first wife ( that blonde came on mi so strong!!) WTF!!!!???? On his different GFS, he cheated on his last gf, ok, it was emotional cheating. But it wasn't ok for me. He was unlikable, disgusting man. Seriously, I was about a DNF just bc of him. But I needed to know this story about heroine's dad... She was reading his diary. She felt his abandoning her and her mother. This heroine was a sad woman, she just got out of her broken marriage, her husband cheated on her. Her adolescent son doesn't want to have anything with her..she is loosing her hearing ... Her story was just so sad, depressive.... You name it. But I was enjoying this lighthouses descriptions, those cliffs, this seashore... Finally, her dad was just a jerk!!! Gigantic one! I will not put any spoilers, but I wish she'd met a good man, not another cheater...
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.
Having enjoyed Cherry Radford’s first two novels, Men Dancing and Flamenco Baby, I have been looking forward to this new story from her, and it doesn’t disappoint. In The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter the author narrates an Anglo-Spanish tale familiar from her earlier books and, as you would expect from this Flamenco-phile, the Palos is stitched in to the fabric of the story but is not such a dominant “character” as it is in Flamenco Baby.
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter tells the story of Imogen, frustrated writer, recently separated wife and unpopular Mum. Imogen has relocated to the South Downs from suburban Surrey to regroup when chance brings to her the music of madrileno Flamenco guitarist, Santiago. The novel shares with us the development of Imogen and Santi’s relationship, established and nurtured, at least in the early months, via Twitter, WhatsApp and Skype. It is a gentle, but absorbing, story driven by the very likeable Imogen whose outward vulnerabilities - emotional and well as physical - mask a resolute and determined core. No spoilers here, but like Cherry Radford’s earlier work, the course for Imogen, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter of the title, is not straightforward; over the autumn of 2012 through to the May of 2013, she explores, unravels and rethreads various relationships, old and new, family and friends.
For me, what Cherry Radford achieves most successfully in The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter is the sense of place, both in Sussex and Madrid, but particularly the former. Imogen lives on the edge, literally, of the Seven Sisters Country Park, in - as any visitor would immediately realise - the Belle Tout Lighthouse (or, as it is often referred to in our family, the grey lighthouse) on Beachy Head. I love this stretch of the English coast and Cherry Radford captures it beautifully. It is spectacular and impressive; facing seaward the wind is often brutal and tear-inducing but turn landward and the undulating chalk uplands swell and dip deceptively gently. There is an unworldly, or perhaps other-worldly, feel to Beachy Head; those cliffs are beautiful, imposing and dangerous and the Samaritans signs and little crosses dotted on the headland never fail to make visitors pause and reflect. All of this is palpable in the novel and not only did I reread several times the description of Imogen’s walk from the delightfully named Cow Gap to the red and white striped sea-level lighthouse at an exceptionally low tide, discovering the pristine but usually inaccessible Falling Sands beach en route, I also dug out and pored over my very amateurish snap-shots of Beachy Head visits and have planned my next trip for the Easter break. I want to follow in Imogen’s footsteps and listen to her music as I do; we are offered the book’s music playlist and Spotify link so achieving the musical accompaniment will be child’s play.
This isn't my usual genre of reads but one needs to change it from time to time to enjoy more books if that is even possible... But i liked the sound of this book because it included a lighthouse and i have always liked house houses. The lighthouse keepers daughters describes a lighthouse at Beachy Head in the Easbourne area of the UK, and there is one there because i have been there not so long ago. There the main character Imogen who wants to write a book but for the life of her just cannot think... so she sets of to Madrid, another place I've visited. It was fun to see how her relationship blossoms with her spanish Ex band member. Twitter plays an importnant role in this story and it shows how chance social media contacts can bring people together. Imogens father is has left some items in his bunk, which she finds hard to read and understand but it gives her reasons behind what has happened in the past.This part is where the book is such a page turner, you have to know what happened in that time era and keep turning those pages. Its a charming story of two people through at the form of communication, one throughout todays world and another through the old letters that was found in her father bunk, a very interesting contrast in communications. I would recommend this book. Thank you to net galley and to the publishers of this fascinating read.
This is a great book! Well written, complex storyline with various moving parts. The descriptions of setting were beautifully written and the inner feelings and motivations of our main characters were explored in a way that felt authentic and believable. So many books focus on one or maybe two elements of a character’s life, and as a result the characters can feel very 2 dimensional. In The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter our main character was juggling multiple challenges including parenting, friendship, budding romance, health issues, ongoing communication with an ex, relationships with relatives and even a renovation! The various challenges were layered in a way that created a well-rounded character and I was never confused or lost with the storyline.
At the centre of this beautifully descriptive novel is a very 21st century idea: what are the pros and cons of starting a relationship online? A random connection is made through a shared love of music but then lighthouse-dwelling, very English Imogen and Madrid flamenco guitarist Santi have many hoops and twists to negotiate. Most fascinating for me was the one I've always wondered about: what's it like when you actually meet after all that build up. So much is stacked against them, not least how Imogen is in the process of finding out about a parallel situation (but in a 20th century way) between her late father and his penfriend. From windswept Beachy Head to sizzling Madrid, the places and the people are vividly drawn and the main characters are flawed, believable and loveable. You desperately want them to get together but perhaps there's just too much divide: geography, language, history. This is a perfect holiday read: poignant, sexy, funny.
This is a very well crafted , descriptive story that enjoyed very much. The location of the Lighthouse, of Madrid were beautifully told. I enjoyed this story of a woman exploring her past through the letters of her Father .A very good read. The Lighthouse is so enjoyable to read about in exquisite detail. The charcters are enjoyable and i appreciated the authors attention to details throughout the story. I usually do not like technology in my books but in this case Twitter plays a part of the story . Each facet of this book makes it a fascinating read. Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really wanted to like this book -- I love lighthouses but I just couldn't finish the book. There are parts that were interesting, but the twitter dialogue lost me, I felt it jumped around too much. It wasn't easy to read and I wasn't always sure who was talking. If it was set up better and easier to understand, it would be better.
Love the plot idea and the spotify playlist for music, but sadly couldn't keep my interest.
I enjoyed the contrast between the wistful musings and an earthy passion for music. The central characters are beautifully observed and there's some gentle humour too. This story about a seemingly incompatible pair kept me reading for hours. There's an excellent twist in the plot and I was sorry to finish the book. I hope there's more to come from Cherry Radford.
A truly charming story of two love affairs told through different media. The affair from the past is told through letters and diaries whilst the modern romance develops via twitter. a really interesting contrast.
I loved how these two related stories of distant connection unfolded, and the engaging writing style. A story of communication, loss and new life - and if you like lighthouses and/or Spanish culture, you’re in for a treat!
This excellent book contrasts two love stories from different eras and the change in the way we communicate. The earlier story, that of the father, a lighthouse keeper, is conducted by post with the story also coming to light in his diary. the present day love story evolves over twitter. I found it fascinating an a real book of contrasts..
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter is an unusual and fascinating story set in different locations. I really enjoyed the intriguing storyline involving a friendship that is created through social media and how it develops into a deeper relationship. It is a lighthearted read that is wonderfully written with likeable characters and mystery and suspense thrown in to keep the reader engrossed. A highly recommended holiday read.
Imogen's life appears to be falling apart: her husband has left her for a younger model (well, actress); her teenage son doesn't want anything to do with her; and she does not want to admit to needing a hearing aid. It's no wonder she headed towards the coast and moved into her aunt's lighthouse to get away and make a fresh start. Good for her. Right from the outset, I was rooting for Imogen. She is such a genuine, mature and sympathetic woman but not pathetic. She is resourceful and has a just-get-on-with-it attitude, with plans to finally start working on her novel. Imogen immerses herself into charity and makes a new friend in Jules, another local woman spurned by a selfish man. While she is getting accustomed to life in Beachy Head, Imogen discovers a new passion in the form of flamenco. Having been caught up in the music by Santiago Montoya, she tweets him and is surprised to find that he writes back - before long, they are maintaining communication via direct messaging and email. Santiago needs to improve his English and Imogen feels drawn in by him. Not only do we follow (pun intended) the communication between the two in this modern romance through the dual narrative perspectives of Santi and Imogen, we learn about her dad's story. The lighthouse keeper passed away when Imogen was a child, and having moved into the lighthouse while her aunt is away, she is sent old diary entries and letters written all those years ago. There is a sense of anticipation and mystery behind these, as aunt Dorothy only reveals his story bit by bit - Imogen finds that her dad also had a pen friend, mirroring her own experience in the present day. I really enjoyed reading a story about a mature woman and the hurdles she had to overcome (both regarding her own present and her dad's past). The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter was certainly a light, fun, enjoyable read overall. The story line was original, with just enough little turns and surprises to keep me enticed along the way.
I'm sorely disappointed. I really liked the sound of this one but it just didn't deliver for me.
My first issue is that the book is written in present tense, which I really struggled to get my head around. I don't really like books that are written in this way so it felt difficult from the outset.
I also struggled to connect with the characters. There were times when the characterisation felt inconsistent and the tone of a conversation would change without warning? Maybe it just felt like that because I didn't feel invested but I feel like better editing might have helped this book.
At first, I liked how relevant the book was with all its references to Twitter but this quickly began to wear on me, making the interactions between the two main characters feel awkward. There were also constant reminders that Imogen is NOT beautiful but Santi likes her in spite of this - I'm sorry, what? If this is supposed to be some weird sort of compliment, I don't get it.
Overall, I just wasn't really interested. I found the story mundane and I didn't feel any emotion towards any of it. Any attempt to add a bit of depth to the story fell flat, in my opinion. Even the picturesque setting wasn't developed enough to save this one.
I really enjoyed this book! I loved how it was written from the two main characters POVs so you could see how both of them are feeling. This book was more than just one story, it contains the story of Imogen who moves into her aunt's lighthouse as an escape and begins writing a novel. Then Santis story a musician in Spain who needs to learn English as he is auditioning for a role that will require him to learn English the two meet through Imogen listening to his music and she messages him on twitter. And also her fathers story! Imogens aunt Dorothy keeps posting extracts from her dads diary years after his death was ruled out as a suicide. It was an absolutely beautiful story, it contains both Spanish and English. At the beginning of this book there is also a well thought out playlist to listen to throughout this book. I don’t want to reveal any more that happens throughout this book but I really really enjoyed it. There is so much more to this book than what I first believed. I loved Cherrys ability to write about someone who is learning English and the common mistakes that may be made when typing in a different language. I also loved how much it transported you to each location in the book through the beautiful descriptions!
I definitely would recommend giving this book a read!
Thank you to the author for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
“A lighthouse doesn’t do anything, he used to say, its just there if you need it”
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter by Cherry Radford follows Imogen as she relocates to her Aunt Dorothy’s converted lighthouse on Beachy Head on the South Coast of England after the breakdown of her marriage. She currently writes for a local magazine whilst struggling to write her own novel, after she borrows her husband’s Jeep, she discovers the music of Santiago, and decides to tweet him, this leads to a developing relationship between the two as Santiago soon finds himself in need of an English teacher, leading to Imogen soon becoming his Profesor.
Throughout this developing relationship Imogen is also being sent diary entries from her Aunt Dorothy that were written by her father, who used to work in a lighthouse close to the one she lives in, and mysteriously disappeared in 1982, whilst reading these entries she soon discovers that like herself, her father had a penfriend, the mysterious “S”. These two plots find themselves intertwining and Imogen soon discovers things about her father that she never knew and finds her relationship with Santiago developing quicker than she expected. What does this mean for Imogen?
I found this book to be a nice change of genre for me as it is not something I would normally pick up and Cherry Radford is a new author to me, and I would easily pick-up other books by her. I found that the format and chapters within the book really helped it to flow, especially with the way the chapters are all set in different dates and flicked between the South Coast, England and Madrid, Spain.
In my opinion the inclusion of the varying types of communication in the book are very well thought out, there was the letter writing from the 1980s that her father used for his penfriend and relatives, and then the more modern forms of communication and social media that Imogen used, such as twitter and WhatsApp, I found the book really highlighted the difference in the changing times and the development of social media.
Additionally, the dual narrative really gave both main characters (Imogen and Santiago) more depth and development. I really like Imogen as a character her development was good, I just found her a bit too forgiving which made her character a little unrealistic, as I don���t think I would have forgiven my family as quick as she did. I liked Santi’s character as well, he was coming across as a bit of a player in parts of the book, but I’m glad that his development rounded him out and we saw more to his personality. I found that the author created fantastic characters as I did find myself shipping Imogen and Santi in the end, and I fully despised whether this was intentional from the author it was achieved
I did find there to be a couple of twists in the book that were completely unexpected, such as the Dylan & Sophie twist and the discoveries that Imogen made about her father. Plus, the ending nearly broke me, the author really had me going, I honestly thought it was all ending in heartbreak for the family. But the last diary entry from Imogen’s father really did make me shed a tear or too, as it was such a poignant note.
I feel that the design and illustrations on and within the physical book are worth a mention as they are so stunning and beautiful and really add to the nooks aura. Plus, I also feel the need to mention that there is a slight reference to suicide/attempted suicide in this book, as anyone who knows one of the main locations in the book (Beachy Head) they will know that is something that location is well known for and this is referenced in the book
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a contemporary romance and books about families rebuilding, as this book has it all, and is such a cosy and beautiful read.
I'm sorry to say this was something of a disappointment. Skylarking by Kate Mildenhall and The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean E Pendziwol were both excellent, and I think I would've enjoyed them even had they not been about lighthouses. The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Cherry Radford, on the other hand, I don't think I would've picked up had it not been for the lighthouse connection. It sounded from the blurb like a fairly ordinary romance, and even featured the dreaded 'secret from the past' which I always assume will be something of a cliché.
The beginning of the book carried me along easily enough. I think this is the first time I've read a Lighthouse Book centred around a lighthouse in the UK, and also the first time the central lighthouse isn't working. Imogen and her friend visit the lighthouses the same way I would, as a tourist attraction and holiday cottage, rather than being employed in the workings of the lighthouse. By the time I got to the middle of the book, though, I was definitely flagging. The language was fine, without being particularly noteworthy, and the story was a fairly generic romance. Even when, just past the middle of the book, everything started to happen, I still wasn't that engaged.
I almost think I should have been more invested in this book than I was. I've never had a twitter romance, but I do have friends I've made online, who I only know online and who I connect with over IM clients and websites. Imogen's experience doesn't reflect mine at all, though. In fact, Imogena and Santiago being separated by a country's breadth caused remarkably little angst, so I'm not sure why they couldn't just as easily have been living in the same town. The book certainly picked up when they were together. I enjoyed those early chapters of Imogen being in Spain more than most of the rest of the book. I was particularly amused that Imogen shared my feelings about Les Misérables.
The ending — and all the promised secret-related drama — seemed both contrived and rushed. I didn't really get a sense that the characters had any strong feelings related to what they were discovering, it didn't change anything about their lives. After reading The Thorn Birds, that was a bit of a disappointment. I suppose this was a much lighter, easier read, but it wasn't very satisfying. I think if you like this kind of story, there are better examples out there — though, I admit, I'm only capable of recommending You've Got Mail as a comparison, because I haven't read many books in this genre.
What a truly unique story this really is. With the dual locations of Beachy Head and Madrid so beautifully and poignantly described, this book is unlike anything I have ever read before.
With the meeting of Imogen and Santi being made through Twitter this book has a very contemporary feel, although it is set in 2012. Imogen is staying alone in a lighthouse, which looks out onto another lighthouse; the one from which her Father lost his life in 1982.
As Imogen begins to converse with Santi through Twitter her Aunt is drip feeding her extracts from her Father's diary by post. Why can't she just send the whole diary to her wonders Imogen? Soon she begins to see a parallel in her own situation and that of her Father.
Meanwhile in Madrid. Santi is a musician and actor and has a life surrounded by family and friends, so much going on for him. But, he needs to improve his English in order to get a part. So begins his friendship with Imogen who helps and corrects him over the internet and then later in real life.
The book flips between the two locations over many months, and is told from both Imogen's and Santi's perspective. The information on suicides and the people working at Beachy Head was very moving and not something I was expecting. It is dealt with sensitively and even with some humour too.
I really enjoyed how the author used Spanish dialogue (even though I don't speak Spanish) and also the way all the dialogue was at times left unfinished, hanging in the air. Although I had to re read it sometimes, it was so true to life. People speaking over one another, a turned head and missed words.
There is a lot more than this basic outline I've given happening within the book. Failed romances/marriages, teenage angst, misunderstandings - to name but a few. I rapidly read the pages as I really wanted to know how it was all going to end. Then I was in tears and then they were wiped away, only to lurk again. I can't say much more as the story needs to come as a surprise to you, as it did to me.
I loved this book so much and I know it is one that will stay with me.
I was given a free copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my review. The first time I started the book, I only got 3 chapters in and it hadn't grabbed my attention, but I started it again and finished it in a day! The story revolves around Imo (Imogen) who lives in her aunt's lighthouse, which overlooks another lighthouse where her father died several years previously. The story is based in Beachy Head, and after reading up about the place, it seems true to the area which I like. Imo's father's death seems to be shrouded in a mystery which is slowly unravelled through the book - Imo is frustrated in the drawn out process in which she finds out what happened, and there is a touch of that for the reader I felt. Add into the story line a Spanish musician who is trying to learn English for an acting part, and it gives it a bit of a new dimension. I felt though there were a lot of characters around the Spanish part of the story which were unnecessary and at times that part of the story was quite difficult to follow. Enjoyed the couple of twists within the book, but because I had trouble following the Spanish part of the book, I've given it 3/5.
After Imogens marriage breaks up she moves back to the town where she grew up to live in her aunts house, which is a converted lighthouse. Back to the town where her father disappeared when she was a teenager, presumed dead.
Whilst reading about her father from his old diaries, she discovers a love for Spanish music which leads her to messaging a musician on Twitter that turns into a friendship where Imogen will teach Santi English to help him with his career.
This book wasn’t what I expected it to be, I would have loved for it to have focused more on Imogen and her discovering about her father and herself after the end of her marriage. I wasn’t too keen on the storyline with Santi and just wanted to know more about Imogen. I liked her friendship with Jules and enjoyed how the story unfolded regarding her father.
The print of this book has beautiful pages, where in the background you will find photos of a lighthouse.