Book ~ "Beacon of Love" (2013) Allie Boniface

From Goodreads ~ Welcome to Lindsey Point, Connecticut: suspicious of outsiders, loyal to tradition, and absolutely devoted to its local legends.

Enter Sophie Smithwaite, 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.

CONTENT WARNING: Contains one barb-slinging travel show host, one hunky handyman who knows exactly how to use his tools and a small town brimming with secrets ...

Sophie is the host of a travel show that goes around to communities showcasing something of interest. She and her crew go to Lindsey Point to focus on the lighthouse. Fifty years ago, there was a murder/suicide ... Petey, the lighthouse keeper, had discovered that his wife, Miranda, was having an affair and killed her and then committed suicide. They say that her ghost is haunting the lighthouse. Sophie is from New York and isn’t used to small-town ways ... everyone knows everyone and their business.

Lucas was born and raised in Lindsey Point. Besides being a handyman, he is also an EMS and former cameraman. When a fella in Sophie’s crew gets sick, Lucas fills in. The attraction between Sophie and Lucas happens instantly and they start hanging out together. But there are a few things at could keep them apart ... the appearance of Shannon (Lucas’ ex-fiancee who wants him back), the tragedy ten years ago when members of the community were killed in a plane crash including Lucas’ best friend, Sarah (Shannon’s sister), and the rumor that Sophie is the granddaughter of Petey and Miranda.

This is the second book I’ve read by the author and I liked it. Not just a romance (Lucas and Sophie do get together in about four days), it also had the mystery of a hidden treasure and was Sophie actually Petey and Miranda’s granddaughter?

“Wise ass.” Sophie backed into the street before he could grab her. “I’ll see you later!” she called. “I think Lon said something about meeting tomorrow morning and--hey!” She squawked off the last word as Lucas lifted her off the ground and onto his shoulder.

As if she was a bag of flour.

Or a damsel in distress.

Or his damn cavewoman.

About a hundred thoughts raced through her mind, and it took all she had to keep them from coming out in biting words.

“Why do you have to be so stubborn?” he asked as he carried her back to his truck, parked in front of the bar. He wasn’t panting, not out of breath in the least, as if she weighed close to nothing. “If anything happened to you, Lon would kill me.” With one hand he opened the passenger side door. Only then did he lower her to a seat inside the truck. His hands slid down her arms and settled her hips into place.

Oh yum. All her scathing thoughts of thirty seconds earlier vanished. She shifted on the leather. There was room for him on this side of the cab, she was almost positive. If not, she’d make room. In about two seconds.

I liked the writing style ... it was easy to read. I liked Sophie and Lucas ... they had a good contrast. She was born and raised in the city and is a celebrity and he is a small-town guy who went away to university but came back home afterwards. Sophie has no one in the world (her mother has dementia and lives in a home) and Lucas has never lost a family member. I liked that they lived in the here and now and didn’t worry about making it work for the future.

I found that I still had a question at the end, though ... did Petey really kill Miranda and then commit suicide? They both ended up dead but I found the explanation of this was glossed over ... yes, there was a struggle but I didn’t think it was of the magnitude that warranted their deaths. Or did someone else kill them?

As a head’s up, the language and some activity is for mature readers.