Customer Reviews

Keeper of the Light

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Reading Diane Chamberlain was a chance happening. "Keeper of the Light" was one of the few books that kept me changing my mind about how the story would turn out. I have read many books and really enjoy authors such as Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Phyllis Whitney, and Victoria Holtz; Diane Chamberlain is added to this list. I recommend this book to my 'reader' friends anytime I can. "Keeper of the Light" has been kept a secret too long. Buy it!!

In 1992, while browsing at the library I came across the book Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain. At the time Ms. Chamberlain was an author I wasn't familiar with but one I was soon to become acquainted with not only through her books but also through an early online book group. I also had the pleasure of meeting with Ms. Chamberlain in person on several occasions. I can still remember vividly how I felt after I read Keeper of the Light and how I felt when I realized that a certain screen name was for the author who wrote one of my favorite books. Now eleven years later I reread Keeper of the Light, something I seldom do, in anticipation of reading the second book in a trilogy Ms. Chamberlain wrote about the people and area known as Kiss River, located in the Outer Banks. And as I hope my thoughts on a second reading of Keeper of the Light was that this book was just as good as the second time and I would be happy to reread it again and again.

Keeper of the Light begins on the Outer Banks on a winter's night in the shadow of an old and grand lighthouse when a woman is brought into a hospital with a bullet wound. Dr. Olivia Cole, new to the area tends to the woman's wound but her injuries are too extensive and the woman dies. Only later does Olivia find out that this woman was Annie O'Neill a stained glass artist, known to the locals as Saint Annie for her many good deeds. What Olivia is soon to learn is that her husband Paul Macelli has a history with Annie which after her death will impact on not only Paul and Olivia's life but Annie's husband and children. While there are many secrets at Kiss River between these two families, the key to what happened many years before and continuing to Annie's death has been held by the lighthouse keeper Mary Poor who has been like a mother to Annie all of these years.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review I seldom if ever reread a book for fear that I may not enjoy the book as much the second time. In this case I think I enjoyed this book a bit more than the first time which I never thought possible. And the best part is that now I can look forward to reading the second book in the trilogy, Kiss River, and revisit the Outer Banks and find our more about characters I feel as though are part of my family.

This book is wonderful, it keeps you in the story all the time, if you are in a bad mood, take this book, read it and it will help you to be happy, the story changes from the "good" guys to the "bad" guys and then the "bad" guys are again the "good" guys , but you will never expect that wonderful ending, I recommend this book to read it anywhere, it won't take you too long to finish it even if you are not an avid reader.

The one thing that can ruin an otherwise good book for me is the ending of it. I don't know why I am so picky, but that is the big thing for me. I want the characters to be people I can admire and whose actions follow that quality. I was really looking forward to this book as I have come to expect great stories and in-depth relationship development with a Diane Chamberlain book. As this was one of her earlier novels (1992), I can see how she has really grown as an author in the last 10+ years.

This book was fine though it had a little too much romance for me -- a love triangle -- or should I say, quadrangle, but the way it ended left me feeling a bit let down and irritated. It was as if the author had to create extreme character flaws in order to make the story turn out the way it did. As I'm finding, I do not like the way that Diane Chamberlain concludes her books! I did not like the resolution of the love dilemma nor did I find it realistic or believable. In fact, I was hoping that she would surprise me this time. Without writing spoilers I can't say more. Frankly I didn't think any of the characters in this novel were likable or worthy of respect so was happy to turn the last page with a sense of relief that I was done hearing about their antics and behavior.

I will likely continue to read more of this author's books hoping that eventually there will be an ending that I think fits before giving up.

I bought and read this book when it first came out, and I remember loving it. I must have, because I kept it on my bookshelf. When Kiss River, the sequel, came out I decided to re-read Keeper first, just to be up to date.

The second time was as wonderful as the first. The characters are multi-faceted, sympathetic, but still completely human. You'll be looking for them if you ever visit the Outer Banks, expecting to meet them on the dunes or in a sunset-flooded restaurant.

Now I have Kiss River to look forward to, as well as a second sequel coming out sometime in the near future. I'm so glad Diane Chamberlain decided to revisit these characters and this story. Bravo to her publisher, who made sure a new group of readers would have the chance to savor Keeper. I certainly did.

This story has you guessing at each turn for what will come next. It is amazing how all the characters become a part of the one original story. I felt like a stranger in these peoples lives but and also felt like their best friend, I cried and i cheered. The way Diane Chamberlain described the Outer Banks of North Carolina made me want to buy the Lighthouse sight unseen. It felt like home. It has been over 8 years since I read it and can't wait to do it again. What a wonderful movie it would make!

This was my first experience reading Diane Chamberlain and I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the scenery, ocean, sea air, lighthouse, etc. There were many things to admire such as the character development. A woman and her husband move to the area, but the husband has kept his prior residence there a secret. Not a good start. The woman the husband knew in college lives in this place and he still loves her deeply. His 'obsession' breaks up his marriage. The other woman is known as Saint Annie since she does so much good for the people of this town and is also a talented artist. My reason for giving it only two stars is that (SPOILER Alert) the character of Annie is so deeply flawed as to be beyond belief. Yes, she had self esteem problems which began in her childhood, but so many positive events have occurred in her later life, I simply could not accept her behavior choices. She was not to be admired at all, and I shudder to understand how her husband could tell their daughter the true story of her mother's character or lack of it - which was to be postponed until the girl was older. Mmmmm, I would not want to warp that child. A conundrum to be sure.

This was an amazing story that quite literally gave me a lump in my throat from the very beginning to the very end - and I am not even a fan of contemporary novels! It starts with an emotional and intense opening as a woman is rushed into a small coastal emergency room suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. It was Christmas Eve as Dr. Olivia Chase was waiting to end her shift and go home to her husband. Sizing up the situation quickly, Olivia realized that there was only one possibility of saving the patient and that was to operate and try to stabilize her then rather than airlift her to a trauma center - travel time that the patient would never survive. It would be later that Olivia would realize that her patient was Annie O'Neill, the woman whom her husband, Paul Macelli, was obsessed with.

From the very first pages the author establishes and introduces you to a woman dubbed in her community as Saint Anne - paragon of virtue, kindness, and generosity of spirit. Annie O'Neill's death changed the course of so many lives, that night; Annie's husband Alec; her two children, Clay and Lacey; Dr. Olivia and her husband Paul. As they each become obsessed with the memory of this woman, they join together to save the lighthouse that she loved. As the months pass by, a complex triangle of passion, love, deceptions and lies begin to emerge into an explosive and emotional confrontation finally brought out into the open by the `keeper of the light'.

The descriptive emotional intensity of the writing by this author is totally awesome. I sincerely hope that any who read this review accept my word that this is an author to put on your list as an automatic buy, and rush out to get a copy of this unparalleled read.

If you are wanting a quick and easy read, this is not the one for you. From the very beginning, the story starts off intense and is like that all the way through the book. A quick review of the story... Christmas night, Dr. Olivia Cole is about to finish up her shift on-duty when a woman is brought in with a fatal gunshot wound. Annie O'Neill was working in a woman's shelter serving supper along with her daughter when an upset husband came in threatening to shoot his estranged wife, shooting Annie instead. Realizing time is against them, Olivia makes the decision to operate, losing Annie on the operating table.

Annie O'Neill was a local stained-glass artist, married to Alec with 2 children, and well-loved through out her community due to her giving heart. When Olivia arrives home from the hospital and tells her husband, Paul of Annie's death, Paul becomes distraught and tells Olivia he has been living a lie and leaves her. Olivia becomes obsessed with wanting to findout what it was about Annie to draw Paul away from her. Through learning about Annie's life, Olivia discovers Paul and Annie went wayyyyyy back. Through her obsession, Olivia gets to know and become important to Alec and his children. There is definitely a triangle going on between Olivia, Paul, and Alec. Secrets come out that have been kept by the Keeper of the Lighthouse, Mary Poor whom Annie had become like a daughter to. Secrets you will never guess!

It's powerful, intense, and was emotional for me. My heart really went out to Olivia but also to Alec- you get to really know him as well. Through Olivia's search about Annie, she gets to really find herself! It is definitely a book to get and read! I highly recommend it. It was a keeper for me!

This will be my all time favorite book. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough but never wanted it to end.