What do readers think of The Woman at the Light by Joanna Brady? Write your own review.

This books effortlessly pulls one into the ocean breezes of Key West, you can almost feel the ocean mist at times, and smell the salty air. The main character, Emily, feels like a close personal friend who guides you along her life's path. Emily's story unfolds gradually, giving you time to appreciate her choices and meet other characters along the way. Emily's love of family and her undying love for her true-love will remain with me for a very long time. Great book for book clubs, would make an excellent discussion! Would highly recommend this novel to a wide range of people.

The Woman at the Light had a great mix of US history and mystery. I was absorbed into the book from the prologue. I love stories that are told from present to past. House at Riverton and Water For Elephants come to mind. It gives the story immediately a certian mystic right off the bat.

I had great admiration for Emily as she moved from situation to situation with ease and grace. In Key West she found herself in abhorrent situation and yet she hung in there till things improved. When her life again changed, she made the best of the situation. She did she time after time throughout her interesting life.

This book is a great read for anyone that enjoys history, mystery and an outstanding heroine!

A great story. From the prologue I was hooked. Emily says "I recall the bitter and the sweet, the grief and the rapture--for in my life, the one cannot be chronicled without the other." And so goes the story. I will recommend this one to my book club.
.

Joanna Brady’s The Woman of the Light will take many readers into a period of time and a setting with which they are not familiar: the Florida Keys from 1829 through 1884. Her descriptions of the area, of the way of life, especially for women and slaves, give us a look at life far removed from today and even from the South during the Civil War. She does this well. Unfortunately, her story lacks the depth needed to create believable and well-rounded characters. Emily Lowry is simply unbelievable. Even after all that happens to her, she remains the same as the woman we meet early in the story. Too often the cavalry comes at just the right time. What a shame, because Brady has the makings for a fascinating glimpse into history and a memorable character.

I thought that this was a good book. It is well written and very well researched. Florida has a fascinating history and the author used it well in telling an entertaining and fascinating story.

Wonderful! It is easy to be carried away to antebellum Key West. The story is woven around a female lighthouse keeper in the 19th century and the issues of her time. Slavery, feminism, and a forbidden love. Very rewarding book

Fabulous read! You will delve into the loves and life of Emily Lowry, the heroine of this novel - plan to stay up at night as you live her life, sympathize with her tragedies and delight in her good times. Well written, identifiable characters and realistic settings. Pick this one for a great escape.

I loved this book! Joanna Brady did extensive research on the history of the Florida Keys and the lighthouse keepers and some history of Cuba. Some of the characters in this book were real people. It was interesting reading of the difficulties the lighthouse keepers had to deal with -- the difficult work of maintaining the lighthouse, hurricanes, Seminole wars, wreckers, and, most all, the isolation.

Emily, the heroine of the story, was a strong woman and “ahead of her time”. She was against slavery although her family had owned slaves. She did not let others make decisions for her. When her husband disappeared, she insisted on taking his job as the lighthouse keeper at Wreckers Cay even though she had three small children.

Each chapter of this book held me in its grasp. The characters were well-developed. The story moved at a good pace, giving some interesting aspects of our country’s history. A very enjoyable book!