The Light Before Day (Nantucket Legacy Book #3)

The Light Before Day by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the third story in Nantucket Legacy series. Henry Macy has returned to Nantucket after being gone on a whaling voyage for three years. He learns that his grandmother, Lillian Coffin has passed away leaving him and his twin sister, Hitty her estate, but she placed restrictions on the vast inheritance. If the twins do not meet the conditions set forth by Lillian, the whole estate will go to their unscrupulous relative, Tristram Macy. Henry and Hitty set out to satisfy the conditions of the will in their own way, but the siblings encounter difficulties they did not anticipate. Henry looks for wisdom and guidance in Great Mary’s journal that Daphne passed along to him before she departed on the Endeavor. Will they be able to claim the full estate? How will their story play out? The Light Before Day is the final book in the Nantucket Legacy series. We finally get to find out how the story ends. The Light Before Day is a well-written and researched novel. The author captured the era with the language (people spoke in a formal manner) along with the descriptions of the buildings, ships, clothing plus the inclusion of historical events. The whaling industry is on the decline as the number of whales has greatly diminished and abolition of slavery is a heated issue. While The Light Before Day can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the trilogy in order. The book has a gentle pace that suits the story. Great Mary’s journal sections moved along at a faster clip, and they add depth to the story. It can be hard to wade through the more formal language (thee, thou, thy), but it is how Quaker’s talked. The Light Before Day is told from Hitty and Henry’s point-of-view. I enjoyed seeing each sibling’s perspective. There is romance in the story as Henry and Hitty look for suitable mates (a condition of the will). However, the heart wants what the heart wants. I enjoyed getting to know the grown-up Hitty and Henry. They faced a challenge with the inheritance. The twins wanted to find a way to help improve the island with the money, but their idea of improvement is not always in alignment with others. Henry and Hitty may be twins, but they have different personalities. While one is gregarious, the other is contemplative. The Light Before Day includes drama, mystery, romance, faith, good works, friendship and familial bonds. I am giving The Light Before Day 4 out of 5 stars. There are discussion questions, author’s note, and a section on what is true/false included in the book. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will not want to miss reading The Light Before Day.

This fabulous historical novel is third and final in the Nantucket Legacy series. This Quaker novel is stunningly written, with lyrical descriptions of the ocean and island. Nantucket Island has many Quaker families, yet we see this group of believers in Christ separated by political factions of the 19th century. There is also an underlying question: If one were to inherit a huge legacy of property and money, would they be happier, or better off without it? Lillian Wain Coffin is grandmother to Hitty and Henry, fraternal twins. She didn’t really like them, or anyone, and was a lonely, bitter woman living in a huge museum of a home. Her investments and property are beyond the imagination. When she died, Hitty and Henry were stunned to learn she left everything to them. There are many conditions to be met for them to get the inheritance. If they turn down the inheritance, everything would go to a cousin of their father, the man who had stolen all the money from their six-year whaling voyage and left their father with nothing. They moved into their grandmother’s home to stake a claim, even though initially planning to sell it. Henry had just returned from a 3-year whaling trip. An introvert who loves reading and writing, he is opposite his twin, an extrovert who loves being around people and hates to read. Hitty now runs the Cent School for children too young to attend regular classes while their parents are working. It costs a penny a day. The father of one of her students, Isaac, is an inventor, and she has very strong feelings for him even if he doesn’t give any encouragement. Henry has been seeing Anna since long before he went on the voyage. Anna is the teacher at the African school, and an abolitionist and integrationist. Whether one is for or against slavery, or for or against integrating the African-American students into the Island schools, most don’t walk their talk, including the Quakers. These sentiments are at the root of much dissent. Hitty and Henry have an impressive depth of character; I completely enjoyed both. They are so well-defined, I felt as if leaving old friends when the novel ends. Benjamin, the law clerk overseeing their inheritance, and Marie-Claire, his secretary, are enigmas, then Marie-Claire becomes like a dear little sister to Hitty. Daphne, their stepmother, gave Henry the journal of “Great” Mary Coffin Starbuck, their ancestor and one of the first settlers of the Island. Mary, wise and influential, became an 18th century mentor for Henry, a greater treasure than any monetary inheritance. This is a fascinating novel with real people and actual events woven throughout. It is filled with love, drama, politics, courage, and romance against the gorgeous backdrop of Nantucket Island. Suzanne Fisher Woods has painted such beautiful scenes that I feel as if I were there, with the ocean breeze on my face and the sound of the waves. No drama is complete without discovery of treachery by one or more trusted people, and through these events and the unexpected huge inheritance, we see how people of faith can respond and ultimately transcend anything coming their way. Be prepared to savor Hitty and Henry’s story, appreciate the beauty and absorb the atmosphere of the Quakers who have found a home in this new land. I highly recommend this novel of faith and family! From a grateful heart: I received a copy from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

The Light Before Day Nantucket Legacy #3 By Suzanne Woods Fisher The Light Before Day is the third book in the Nantucket Legacy series. In this book, Henry and Hitty Macy are grown up and their grandmother Lillian has died. Lillian Coffin has left her vast wealth to Henry and Hitty with strings attached. The money is not to leave the Island and there are conditions on whom they can marry and they both must marry within a specified time frame. And Lillian's daughter Daphne nary a kind word was left to her. Henry and Hitty knew that this gift was their Grandmother's last attempt at controlling their lives, but Henry has a plan to thwart her machinations while fulfilling the mandates of the will. But as the existence that Henry and Hitty have always known shifts so too is Nantucket shifting. The rights of Blacks and women has become a catalyst of contention that could very well divide the Island permanently. The Light Before Day is an enjoyable addition to the Nantucket Legacy series. I really like how Great Mary's, aka Mary Coffin Starbuck, journal entries are scattered throughout the books and how the person to whom the journal is aided by her words of wisdom. Mary's journal also details her own path to "Finding the Light" (becoming a Quaker), after her stance against allowing a church, or religious affiliation, to be linked to Nantucket. And that treasure of Spanish gold that was discovered in the first book and used in the second, well it is again referenced by Mary in her journal and put to good use. The historical notes at the end of the book are a welcome addition as the reader is allowed a chance at further study. This would be an excellent book club selection. And though these books should be read together it is not absolutely necessary but it allows the reader a foundation on which each story builds. But to get Mary's entire story you'll need to read all three books. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell with no expectations except that I offer my honest opinion ~ all thoughts shared are my own.