Visiting Sister Island

In the Love at a Lighthouse series, we join the Row-family women, Libby, Julia, and Emma, as they navigate the isolation, danger, and hope for lasting love at three different Thousand Island lighthouses in the St. Lawrence River. These can be read in any order, the three women meet each other and their stories. Here’s an excerpt from Emma’s Engagement, where two of the women meet

As they approached Sister Island, Emma’s stomach churned. Would Mrs. Dodge approve of a Canadian old maid serving with her husband in an American lighthouse? Before the inspector raised his concerns, she hadn’t considered that her heritage might be a problem. Now, it hovered over her like a swarm of gnats. Added to that, her challenges with Ada, and the day could turn out badly.

“Isn’t she a beauty?” Michael cut into her thoughts as he tipped his chin toward the lighthouse. The limestone, two-story keeper’s house was magnificent, and the light tower popped out of the middle of the charming cottage like a steeple on a church. A wooden boathouse stood nearby, and a few trees were scattered about, but that was all. The long, narrow island’s isolation made her shiver.

“Are you chilly, Emma?”

She grinned. “No. I was just thinking how remote this place is. It must get lonely.”

“Especially if you’re a kid. Who would ever want to live here?” Ada spoke for the first time since they entered the skiff.

Michael clicked his tongue. His daughter hadn’t said a cheery thing all day. “The Dodges do. The new lightkeeper grew up on the island while his father kept the light. William loved it so much that he took the keeper’s position after his father passed last year. So be nice. my sweet Ada, and be on your best behavior while we’re with them.”

Ada rolled her eyes but said nothing. Her sour attitude was a stark change from the warm embrace of last night. What if she revealed the tension between them to the Dodges? Would Michael support his wife or child?

She wished she knew.

As they drew nearer to the island, three people stood on the dock waiting for them. The man had to be the keeper, William Dodge. He was tall and handsome with a wide grin and dark curly hair. The older woman had to be his mother, Mrs. Dodge. She was tall and thin, too, with wispy white hair.

Emma’s Engagement (book three)

Emma Row embarks on a journey that will test her resilience and love. She marries Michael Diepolder, the Rock Island Lightkeeper and widower, a man who seeks a companion for both himself and his eleven-year-old daughter, Ada. But as she steps into the role of lightkeeper’s wife with a heart full of hope, little does she know that the idyllic setting conceals challenges that will shake the foundation of her happiness. Isolation creeps in, compounded by Ada’s determination to keep her father all to herself. As a storm looms, Emma must grapple with the difficulties of being a stepmother and lightkeeper’s wife. Will she find her place, or will the tumultuous waves of doubt and isolation tear them apart?

For Michael, Emma is not just a wife but the hope for his future. But the lighthouse life and being a stepmother proves harder for Emma than he ever imagined, and Ada’s animosity only intensifies it. When the lighthouse inspector questions Emma’s place due to her Canadian heritage and Ada become deathly ill, the very foundation of their family is shaken. Can their family find solace and unity on this tiny island? Amid the swirling tempest of challenges, Emma, Michael, and Ada must discover the strength within themselves and each other to weather the storm. Emma’s Engagement is a poignant tale of love, resilience, and the enduring bonds that can form in the most unexpected places. This fictional story is based on the actual lives of Michael and Emma Diepolder.

Julia’s Joy (book two)

When Julia Collins reluctantly sets foot on Sister Island, compelled by her grandmother’s will, she is intent on claiming her inheritance and moving on. But when she experiences the peaceful, faith-filled island life and connects with the handsome lightkeeper, William, Julia finds herself confronting her open wounds from her parents’ deaths.

William Dodge, lightkeeper of Sister Island, harbors a heart hardened by a past betrayal. Between that and his chronic pleurisy, he wants nothing to do with love. But when Julia arrives on the island bursting with vitality and unconventional notions, William’s world is turned upside down. As she chips away at the walls William has built for himself, he finds his reluctance waning. But just as love begins to blossom between them, Julia is faced with a tempting proposal from a prominent Brockville family. Will she succumb to societal expectations or choose the richness of her island life and the love of the steadfast lightkeeper?

Libby’s Lighthouse (book one)

Elizabeth Montonna, daughter of the Tibbett’s Point Lighthouse keeper, thought she’d love the lighthouse life forever—until her mother, on her deathbed, reveals a long-buried secret. Now Elizabeth’s world has been turned upside down, making her question if she’ll ever truly belong and be loved. But when a dashing young sailor appears on her shore, wounded and disoriented, she finds purpose in helping him recover. Although the man knows nothing about his past or identity, his kindness and character steal a little more of her heart each day. If only she knew his full name.

When Owen awakes on the shore of Lake Ontario with no knowledge of who he is, or where he was headed when his ship wrecked, he has no choice but to accept the hospitality of the lighthouse keeper and his lovely daughter. But as Owen works to repay their kindness, and his relationship with Libby turns into something more, he knows their budding romance can go no further until he uncovers his past. With each passing day, Owen inches closer to discovering the secrets of his identity, but will the revelations bring him closer to Libby or tear them apart forever?