Never Forget (Beacons of Hope Series) by Jody Hedlund

My thoughts: I have thoroughly enjoyed each of the books in the Beacons of Hope series about keepers of lighthouses in the early years of our country. These men, and women, have lived strong, fearless lives on the brink of disaster as they maintain the lights that keep those on the seas safe. True, these are works of fiction, but they are based on true encounters, events, and personages.

In Never Forget the storm lashed yacht of wealthy Nathaniel Winthrop is in a perilous situation and Nathaniel is washed overboard while struggling to keep it afloat. He is found unconscious by Abbie, the young lady who helps her aged and dementia afflicted grandpa take care of the lighthouse. She takes him back to the cottage and nurses him back to consciousness though his memory is gone because of a blow to his head.

What follows is a sweet tale where Abbie tries to manage the lighthouse and her grandpa's condition and keep the superintendent of lighthouses from firing them from their position. The characters have situations and past decisions in their lives that really clutter their ability to move forward but they find that regardless of their past actions, there is hope in Christ and new beginnings.

The title is apt given the sweet grandpa's dementia and how it affects those around him and also the amnesia Nathaniel endures from his accident. But it is also true that we should never forget the hope that awaits us in Christ.

About the book: Rose Island Lighthouse, Rhode Island - June 1880

Will she betray his trust to stay on the island she loves?

Abbie Watson is content to spend her days clamming, crabbing, and tending Rose Island Lighthouse. Her grandpa is the head light keeper, but his senility may lead to their eviction. Since leaving the island would kill her beloved Gramps, Abbie will do anything to keep him in the one place he knows and loves.

Wealthy Nathaniel Winthrop III’s wild living has gained him a reputation as the ‘bad boy’ among the elite social circles of Newport. After a blow to the head in a yachting accident washes him up on Rose Island, Nathaniel has no memories of his past.

Abbie tends the wounded stranger in her home only to realize he assumes they’re married. Although she knows she needs to correct Nathaniel’s mistake, his presence calms Gramps and provides a way to prevent eviction from the lighthouse.

The longer the charade continues, the harder it gets for Abbie to tell Nathaniel the truth, more so as she begins to fall in love. Everyone she’s ever loved has abandoned her. Will Nathaniel leave her too, once he discovers he’s not really her husband?

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review which is freely given and strictly my own opinion.