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Love Unexpected (Beacons of Hope Book #1) Kindle Edition

by Jody Hedlund (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,826 ratings
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1859
Presque Isle, Michigan

What Is the Secret That Could Shipwreck Both of Their Lives?

All Emma Chambers ever wanted was a home, but when her steamboat sinks just outside Presque Isle, she's left destitute and with no place to stay.

An unlikely solution arises when the lighthouse keeper arrives in town. He's just lost his wife and is having a difficult time caring for his child. So a traveling preacher gets the idea that the keeper and Emma might be the answer to each other's dilemma. After a hasty marriage, she finds herself heading to the lighthouse with this handsome but quiet stranger. Nothing in her aimless life, though, has prepared her for parenting a rambunctious toddler, as well as managing a household.

Emma soon suspects Patrick may be hiding something from her, and then she hears a disturbing rumor about the circumstances surrounding his late wife's death. It seems as if her wish for a home and family of her own could end up leading her once more into turbulent waters.
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  1. Book 1 of 5
    Beacons of Hope
  2. Print length
    354 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Bethany House Publishers
  6. Publication date
    November 25, 2014
  7. File size
    7578 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
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  11. See all details
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From the Publisher

A Cowboy for Keeps The Heart of a Cowboy To Tame a Cowboy Falling for the Cowgirl The Last Chance Cowboy
A Cowboy for Keeps The Heart of a Cowboy To Tame a Cowboy Falling for the Cowgirl The Last Chance Cowboy
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From the Back Cover

1859
Presque Isle, Michigan

What Is the Secret That Could Shipwreck Both of Their Lives?

All Emma Chambers ever wanted was a home, but when her steamboat sinks just outside Presque Isle, she's left destitute and with no place to stay.

An unlikely solution arises when the lighthouse keeper arrives in town. He's just lost his wife and is having a difficult time caring for his child. So a traveling preacher gets the idea that the keeper and Emma might be the answer to each other's dilemma. After a hasty marriage, she finds herself heading to the lighthouse with this handsome but quiet stranger. Nothing in her aimless life, though, has prepared her for parenting a rambunctious toddler, as well as managing a household.

Emma soon suspects Patrick may be hiding something from her, and then she hears a disturbing rumor about the circumstances surrounding his late wife's death. It seems as if her wish for a home and family of her own could end up leading her once more into turbulent waters.

"Romance, an almost Hitchcockian mystery, and a tale of repentance make a fine mixture in Hedlund's captivating and suspenseful inspirational novel." -Booklist

About the Author

Jody Hedlund (JodyHedlund.com) is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels and is the winner of numerous awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00KDN89WK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bethany House Publishers (November 25, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 25, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 7578 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 354 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,826 ratings

About the author

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Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund

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Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,826 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ruthie P
5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable and well written read!
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2020
Verified Purchase
Love Unexpected is only the second book I have read from Jody Hedlund and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a well written and researched story full of mystery, romance and history. I loved the themes of hope, love, forgiveness, trust, and justice.

It was a delight to get to know Emma and Patrick, although my favourite character was definitely Josiah, Patrick's son (the very reason that Patrick and Emma get married). I was laughing and cringing as Emma learns how to take care of a small child and a home. I thought that her interactions with Josiah were sweet but also within what is historically accurate for that time.

The characters felt believable and relatable, however I did feel it was ridiculous how much the two main characters didn't communicate - I understand that this was essential to the mystery element of the book, however it started to seem unlike real life because they didn't just have a conversation.

I recommend this book, particularly if you enjoy books about faith, love and some very interesting history, with a bit of mystery for good measure. I look forward to reading more by this author, particularly the rest of this series.
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Debbie S.
4.0 out of 5 stars Lighthouses and Pirates
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2024
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I enjoy a good pirate story and add in a lighthouse and should be golden, right?! This was a good story although about two-thirds of the way through, the backstories started getting repetitive and the flow was getting too slow. Otherwise, I may have given it a 4.5 or 5 star. But it was a solid 4.
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NoelaN
5.0 out of 5 stars An enchanting historical romance!
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
‘Love Unexpected’ is an enchanting historical romance that unfolds on Presque Isle, Michigan in 1859, shining a light upon the rich history of the Presque Isle Lighthouse and the woman who became a Keeper there. It’s also a captivating tale of pirates and shipwrecks, the community of a small fishing village, and finding unexpected love and hope amidst tragedy and hopelessness.

When Emma Chambers and her brother are stranded on Presque Isle, Emma finds herself penniless and homeless. A traveling preacher who has just helped the local light-keeper Patrick to bury his wife, brings the two together as the solution to the now-widowed father of a small boy, and the destitute Emma. Inexperienced Emma is suddenly mother to a strong-willed child given to tantrums, as well as a wife with no domestic skills to an imposing albeit kind man. All she had ever really wanted was to have a home and family of her own, but as Emma begins to listen to gossip and dire warnings, along with her own suspicions mounting, it seems like her life might once again become capsized.

I was extremely impressed at how deftly the author was able to express the frustrations and other emotions of the characters. Their fears, doubts, and longing for love and acceptance squeezed and tugged at my heart. Sublimely written, the very soul of the relationship between Emma and Patrick was tender yet intense, and dripping with romantic tension. And incorporated in ‘Love Unexpected’ was possibly the finest illustration and enlightenment on the pitfalls of gossip that I've ever read, illuminating a snare that has damaged or sunk many a relationship. ‘Love Unexpected’ is a beautiful and intriguing story that captures the reader right from the exciting onset!
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Leah
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved, loved, LOVED it!!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2014
Verified Purchase
I want to start off by saying that I have grown up going to Presque Isle, Michigan. My Grandparents have lived there since I was 3 and so I have literally grown up climbing the Presque Isle lighthouses summer after summer. Presque Isle is my second home and I absolutely loved reading this book and being able to visualize so much of it.

Love Unexpected is the first book in Jody Hedlund’s new Michigan lighthouse series - Beacons of Hope. I had a lot of expectations for this book since I am from Michigan and this is the lighthouse I am most familiar with - not to mention Jody Hedlund is one of my favorite authors anyway. I must say that Jody Hedlund met my expectations and more for a great story and I am so looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

Love Unexpected is the story of Emma Chambers. She has never really had a place to call her home so when her steamboat sinks and she is stranded in Presque Isle, the preacher suggests she marry the recently widowed Patrick Garraty. Patrick Garraty is the lightkeeper and he needs help taking care of his young son. Emma is so excited to have her own home and family and believes nothing can make her happier. But when she hears rumors in regards to her mysterious husband, she begins to wonder who the man she married really is.

As always, Jody Hedlund made these characters come to life. I loved the innocence of Emma, the romantic tension between Emma and Patrick, and the mystery that surrounded Patrick’s past. And what’s not to love about sweet, little Josiah?

If you haven’t read Jody Hedlund’s novella, Out of the Storm, I would suggest you do so! While it will not make or break this story, it does have a special tie-in to this story that will make you appreciate it more.

Thank you Jody Hedlund for continuing to write wonderful stories that transport us to different times and places. I so enjoy each novel that you have written and look forward to reading many more!

I received a free copy of this book from the author and publisher, Bethany House, in exchange for my honest review. I received no compensation for this review, nor was I required to write a positive review. All opinions stated are my own.

Leah B.
Must Love Books
mustlovereading.wordpress.com
14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
JuVo
5.0 out of 5 stars Super zum Englisch trainieren
Reviewed in Germany on September 6, 2016
Verified Purchase
War etwas skeptisch, aber das Buch ist als leicht "Englisch-Fortgeschrittener" sehr gut zu lesen, wenn auch noch nicht alles verständlich. Man kommt gut in die Geschichte rein, die ziemlich spannend beginnt. Das nur so als Tip für alle, die sich fragen, ob sie das Buch in Englisch lesen sollten :-)
2 people found this helpful
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Julia Wilson
4.0 out of 5 stars New Beginnings.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2015
Verified Purchase
Love Unexpected by Jody Hedlund is book number one in the Beacons Of Hope series. It is set in1859 on Presque Isle, Michigan and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Emma and her brother Ryan are trying to start a new life, when their ship is attacked by pirates. They end up being rescued by Patrick Garraty, the light house keeper. Patrick has just lost his wife Delia and needs some-one to be a mother to two year old Josiah. Emma, on the advice of Holy Bill, the preacher marries Patrick. And so the story unfolds of Emma and Patrick, both searching for love to accompany their marriage.
The characters were all wonderfully drawn. I particularly loved the description and dialogue of Josiah, and of his interactions with his new Mama, and his great love for his father. The insecurities of both Patrick and Emma were portrayed well. I, as the reader knew what was in both their heads and hearts, and was rooting for them both to speak their minds.
The novel dealt with the theme of new beginnings. The main characters were both running from unhappy pasts. They were both afraid that their pasts defined who they were. Jody Hedlund showed that they needed to become a new creation in Christ, and then the past can stay firmly in the past. It is who we are in Christ that always defines us, not what we have or have not done.
This also links nicely to the theme of forgiveness. Christ forgives us all our sins. He died on the cross for each and every one of us. As He forgives us, so we need to forgive each other. That includes the face in the mirror - often the hardest person to forgive.
The novel also shows the dangers and the destructive power of gossip. There is a great need for plain talking, and not for gossiping behind some-ones back.
The theme of love and family also runs throughout. Emma and Ryan have a love and a protective heart for each other. Patrick, in his great love for Josiah, seeks a mother for him. Patrick and Emma both want a marriage of love, but neither thinks they deserve it. Josiah shows love in its purest form - through the eyes of a child. There is also the grace and love of Christ for each and every one. Characters need to recognise that they are all worthy of His love, no-one is disqualified in Christ.
Patrick as the light house keeper is responsible for the light to shine in the dark. This can be seen as a motif for Christians, as we too are called to shine in dark places. If our light goes out, then we too will be stumbling in the dark.
Love Unexpected is the first book that I have read by Jody Hedlund. I intend to read many more, starting with Hearts Made Whole, the second book in the series.
For a great historical read, give Love Unexpected a go.
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Judith Walker
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2015
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Enjoyed reading this book. It was interesting how love developed within a marriage of convenience.
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sunny
5.0 out of 5 stars another fabulous book!
Reviewed in Canada on March 15, 2015
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Jody Hedlund has done it again...another fabulous book. She weaves a tale full of intrigue, mystery and romance so skillfully and masterfully that it always leaves me in awe. I definitely recommend this book!
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nanouk
2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2015
Verified Purchase
Didn't go ish ot
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