TGIF, everyone! First Line Fridays is a fun way to share from books on your TBR.
Today my first line is from a book I am currently reading:
Prologue
Cobh, Ireland. May 1938
They call it Heartbreak Pier, the place from where I will leave Ireland. It is a place that has seen too many goodbyes. From the upper balcony of the ticket office I watch the third-class passengers below, sobbing as they cling to their loved ones, exchanging tokens of remembrance and promises to write.
Favorite author alert! I almost missed reading an early copy of Hazel Gaynor’s newest release. Thank goodness I didn’t (thank you, Sara!)! I absolutely love lighthouses, and I love every word of Gaynor’s smooth and comforting writing. This book is off to a fabulous start, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it soon! In the interim, don’t miss out on her other books! My favorite is The Cottingley Secret!
Synopsis from Goodreads:
“They call me a heroine, but I am not deserving of such accolades. I am just an ordinary young woman who did her duty.”
1838: Northumberland, England. Longstone Lighthouse on the Farne Islands has been Grace Darling’s home for all of her twenty-two years. When she and her father rescue shipwreck survivors in a furious storm, Grace becomes celebrated throughout England, the subject of poems, ballads, and plays. But far more precious than her unsought fame is the friendship that develops between Grace and a visiting artist. Just as George Emmerson captures Grace with his brushes, she in turn captures his heart.
1938: Newport, Rhode Island. Nineteen-years-old and pregnant, Matilda Emmerson has been sent away from Ireland in disgrace. She is to stay with Harriet, a reclusive relative and assistant lighthouse keeper, until her baby is born. A discarded, half-finished portrait opens a window into Matilda’s family history. As a deadly hurricane approaches, two women, living a century apart, will be linked forever by their instinctive acts of courage and love.
Please share with me the first line(s) of the book you are currently reading! I would love to read it! Have you read The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter, or do you plan to? Happy Friday reading! ~ Jennifer THR
Jennifer ~ Tar Heel Reader 
LOOKS GOOD WITH A GREAT COVER, CHINA
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I love that cover, too, China! ♥️
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TGIF!
I am currently reading The Silent Sister and loving it. It is by Diane Chamberlain, a favorite author of mine.
The first line is:
January 1990
PROLOGUE
Alexandria, Virginia
All day long, people stopped along the path that ran through the woods by the Potomac River.
I plan to read The Lightkeeper’s Daughter per your recommendation.💗🌺📚
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TGIF, Virginia! I haven’t read The Silent Sister, but I’m definitely intrigued after those first lines! I hope you have a great read! ♥️ Happy weekend! 💗
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Lyrical first line, Jennifer. 😌
My first line is:
“Ethan Blackwell was surrounded by critically ill checking accounts.”😂
From..The Rancher’s Rescue by
Cari Lynn Webb. Book 2 in The Blackwell Brothers series. 😊 Have a great weekend!!
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This author is such a beautiful writer, Laurie! Your sounds good! That series you are reading sounds so fun! ♥️ I hope you have a great weekend, too!
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Jennifer, since you like lighthouses, have you ever read The Light Between Oceans? Many people really liked that one. I thought it was okay, but I’m in the minority on my opinions of it.
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That’s a great rec, Laurie. I own it (could not resist the cover!), but I haven’t read it yet. It’s a good reminder for me to check it out! I hope you’ve had a great Saturday! Today, in addition to the weed eaters and lawn mowers, there as a symphony of pressure washers and tillers for the re-seeding. 😂 ♥️
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I remember that the first chapter was in-depth detail of how lighthouses work. I hope you’ll like it. I think I gave it 3.5 stars.
😂😂 Your noise-pollution issues are epic!! I feel your pain.
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Lovely cover…I am currently reading The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafron. Its first line is : “The night I dreamed that I was going back to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, I was ten years old again, and again I woke up in my old bedroom feeling that the memory of my mother’s face had deserted me.” I have been in love with this book ever since that first line. Have a terrific weekend book lovers!
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I know, I’m in love with that cover, Marialyce! Your lines sound so good! I have got to try that author and his series! Enjoy the book!
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Looks good! Such a similar title to another brilliant book!💛
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Yes! And when I looked it up, there were several others with the same title, too! I’m hoping this one lives up to the other one we loved! ♥️
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I’m eager to read this! Thanks for the encouragement!
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You’re welcome, Carol! I hope we both love it!
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I can’t wait to read this book! Enjoy!!
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Thank you, Tina! I hope we both love it! I have a great feeling because I love her!
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Historical fiction is my weakness, so I can’t wait to read this one!
My first line is: “There was once an inn that sat peacefully on the bank of the Thames at Radcot” lol
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Oh, I wonder where you first line is from, Elena? I would have to say histfic is my weakness too! I’ll keep you posted on this one! ♥️
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First time I hear about this author but these first lines are very promising! Thanks for the rec ❤
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You’re welcome, Sophie! Ohhh, I love this author! She is an amazing storyteller, and her stories always leave you uplifted in the end. ♥️
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Happy Friday!😊
My first lines come from Jacob’s Bell by John Snyder…
A deafening screech, then a loud thud jolted Jacob McCallum upright from his slumber as the freight train pulled into the Chicago yards on a chilly September morning in 1944.
Have a great weekend and happy reading!😊📚🎃
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That sounds intriguing, Sus! I hope you have a great weekend, too, with some wonderful reads! ♥️ xoxo
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Ooh this sounds really good!!! Beautiful cover as well 😊💕
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Mack, I love this author and am so excited about this book! When I’m not reading Clockmaker’s this weekend, this one will be in my hands! ♥️
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The Cottingley Secret is definitely a book I need to get (so she said about EVERY book on her TBR! :P) And this one sounds like another great book from the author! And I agree, there’s something about lighthouses in stories that just draws you in. 🙂
I’m reading A Conspiracy of Truths at the moment, which is about a storyteller who gets jailed for witchcraft, and he has to tell stories in order to free himself. It’s really funny and a much needed break from the more serious books I’ve been reading lately!
“The whole mess began in a courtroom in Vsila, the capital of Nuryevet, where I was being put in trial for something stupid.”
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Yes, you have to read The Cottingley Secret, Kathy! It’s only a wee bit whimsical but oh-so-good! Of course I’m interested in your book now! I love a funny book! I’ll be watching for your thoughts! ♥️
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Oh my goodness I just finished this and was a sobbing, emotional mess! I don’t know when I’ve cried so hard. What a beautiful, beautiful book! But my husband thought something awful had happened, lol. No, just a book had wrecked me. I love her writing so much…I couldn’t put this one down from the time I picked it up until I finished it. I hope you love it as much as I did!
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Oh, I love hearing that, Steph! I am into it and I already don’t want it to be over! I want a new Hazel Gaynor book every month! 😂 I really do! Did you read The Cottingley Secret? I won that from her and she sent it to me all the way from England with a fairy necklace. I can’t wait to discuss more once I finish. So happy you loved this one! ♥️ xoxo
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Aww, I’m so glad that you are loving it too! Yes, I read The Cottingley Secret the beginning of September! I just loved it-I’d always been fascinated by the story of the Cottingley Fairies and loved how she brought the story to life. I love how she sent you a fairy necklace with the book; she sounds like the sweetest person! I think this book has ruined me though; I’ve been trying since Tuesday to read The Clockmaker’s Daughter and am only 25% into the book. I couldn’t get into it at all, which is why I started reading this one (and listening to Rust & Stardust on audible-OMG), and then I couldn’t put Lighthouse down until I zipped through it. But I’ve picked Clockmaker’s Daughter back up and although I like it, I’m skimming some pages and not engrossed like I was with Lighthouse. Idk. It’s my first Kate Morton and my expectations were SUPER high. And it’s not that it’s not good…but I hope it grabs me the further I get into it. I know you’re reading it too…hope you’re enjoying both!! xoxo Happy Sunday!! ❤
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I have finished Clockmaker’s and I loved it, but it took work! Lighthouse is easy, and it’s the writing style I prefer for most of my reads! CM will pay off if you keep going with it! It will come together! Happy Sunday to you too! 💗 xoxo
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I’ve heard that Clockmaker’s is a lot different from KM’s other books (and some fans have not liked it and others have like you, which I’m glad you did <3). I haven't made any more progress really and am at 29% but I also haven't read anything today, so that's no help, LOL. I'll keep with it since I don't make a policy to DNF books unless they are just completely unreadable, but I can't even remember that last time I DNFd a book even though I made that a bookish resolution to do more of this year-I failed. I just hope I can get it finished by tomorrow and reviewed by Tues. I think I'm just not in the mindset to read it since I have mostly thrillers and suspense coming up the rest of the month and I'm in a bloodthirsty mood, LOL. Glad you liked it though; that's encouraging!! It doesn't help that I have bronchitis (and have to be monitored closely since I have lung tissue damage from my blood clots) so I'm hacking, coughing, and just feel yuck on antibiotics, so I don't feel like "working" for my read. 😉 I hope you're day is beautiful! ❤ xoxo
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Great first line Jennifer. I am hoping to be approved but if not, I will wait until I can get it from the library.
My First Line comes from Academic Curveball by James J. Cudney.
I’ve never been comfortable flying.
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I hope you get approved, too, Carla! This author is one of my favorites, and I’ve been cuddled up with this book today. Such beautiful writing. I love your first line and can’t wait for your thoughts on Jay’s new book!
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Love the first line….
But, today the flowers steal the show as hibiscus and lollies are two of my favourites 😉
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Thanks, Nina! Oh, I love them, too! Just a few blooms left for me! I tried to take some pics in advance if I could. 😉 ♥️
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Aww. The cold spells are coming in. But the flowers are soo enjoyable 😊😊
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I’ve heard so many great things about this book! I feel like it’s been on my TBR forever, until I forget all about it, and then every time I see the cover I circle back to it! I outta get read it already!! It’s like I’m dancing with the idea of it, and never actually read it!
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wow…. typo typo typo… call me distracted today lol!!! You catch my drift 😉
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I didn’t even notice! 💕
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Oh, yes, Didi! You have to read it! I’m knee deep in it now, and I wish I could just read it and do nothing else! ♥️
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That sounds like heaven!
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