Thursday, May 9, 2013

Review - Beacon of Love by Allie Boniface




  
Beacon of Love
By Allie Boniface
Hometown Heroes, Book 1

Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: April 26, 2013

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Buy Links:  Kindle    Nook     iTunes  



Book Description : 
 
Welcome to Lindsey Point, Connecticut: suspicious of outsiders, loyal to tradition, and absolutely devoted to its local legends.

Enter Sophie Smithwaite, feisty travel show host, in town to film an episode about Lindsey Point’s haunted lighthouse. But digging into the story of a tragic murder-suicide and love gone wrong reveals startling connections to Sophie’s own past. When a gorgeous local handyman fills in behind the camera, Sophie’s life gets complicated by more than just her family history.

Part-time paramedic, handyman, seasonal Santa-Lucas Oakes does it all–except get attached. He’s still reeling from the death of his best friend ten years ago and the more recent infidelity of his ex-fiancee. Yet despite Sophie’s big-city nosiness and her insistence on chasing long-dead ghosts, he’s drawn to her.

But mixing with an outsider means questioning people and traditions Lucas has always defended. When a series of attacks seem to be connected to Sophie’s investigation, both Sophie and Lucas must decide if they are willing to risk everything to uncover the town’s secrets…and their own.


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My Review

Mix one TV show host, a local EMS/repair man, and a haunted lighthouse and what do you get?  Beacon of Love, a light hearted contemporary romance by Allie Boniface.  The first book in the Hometown Heroes series, Beacon of Love has likable characters, lively dialogue and a local mystery which needs to be solved.  Well paced with just the right amount of humor, I found myself turning the pages on Ms. Boniface’s book to see just what was going to happen next. 

When Sophie Smithwaite, a beautiful and lively TV Travel host, heads off to Lindsey Point, Connecticut, all she wants is the story on their haunted lighthouse.   Instead, Sophie finds a town full of people who don’t trust outsiders, like to keep to tradition, and protective of their local legends.  Determined to discover the truth about the lighthouse, Sophie never planned on discovering a connection to the town or on falling in love.
Local paramedic and part time jack of all trades, Lukas Oates is determined to stay away from the TV crew staying in town.   Especially when he discovers the show hosts name is Sophie, nothing good has ever come of getting involved with someone whose name begins with the letter “S” (after all he’d caught his ex-fiancée Shannon cheating).  When an illness among the TV crew leaves them short a cameraman, Lukas tries to say no but soon finds he’s giving in to Sophie’s persistence.  Will the local hometown hero be able to stop himself from falling in love with the lovely TV show host?

The scenes between Sophie and Lukas are fun, light and full of sexual tension.  Their dialogue is sharp, witty and full of give and take.  Trying to ignore their mutual attraction, Lukas finds he’s torn between what he wants and protecting his town.  Ms. Boniface did a great job writing likable characters whose very different backgrounds don’t get in the way of them falling in love.  Especially when they discover that Sophie may have ties to the haunted lighthouse.

The secondary characters are made up of town members and members of Sophie’s TV crew.  Well written and given some funny dialogue of their own, they make decent contributions to the story, especially the townspeople who have stories about the lighthouse of their own.  Adding in some romantic tension, Ms. Boniface introduces us to Shannon, Lukas ex-fiancée, who suddenly wants him back. 

Will Sophie and Lukas uncover the secrets behind the haunted lighthouse?  Will Lukas and Sophie be able to make their love work?  You’ll have to read Beacon of Love to find out.  I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in this series.   

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars 
  
FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

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