Lillo Gray never thought that instead of attending the wedding of an old friend, she is instead driving the bride, and two of the bride's friends home to Lighthouse Beach, in a borrowed VW van. Then again, discovering the husband-to-be in a delicate situation is a very good reason for anyone getting cold feet. And, Jessica Parker, the runaway bride, wasn't even sure about the marriage in the first place... although her parents think that she is overreacting and she should still marry the bastard. So, off in the night they go, not telling anyone, especially not Jessica's parents...

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Lighthouse Beach by Shelley Noble is a beautiful novel of friendship and healing.

Although Lillo Gray has not heard from her childhood friend Jess Parker for several years, she reluctantly decides to attend Jess's upcoming wedding. Barely recognizing her formerly overweight friend, Lillo senses all is not right with the bride-to-be. Her instincts prove to be correct when she, Jess, Jess's friends Allie Lusano and Diane Walters catch Jess's fiancé in flagrante delicto in the parking lot of the hotel. Defying her overbearing father, Jess cancels the wedding and runs off with Lillo, Jess, Allie, and Diane to Lighthouse Beach, Lillo's small hometown on the coast of Maine. Lillo is a reluctant hostess who gradually come to enjoy the new friendships she is forging as she reconnects with Jess. With their departure date fast approaching, the women support one another as they face their problems head on. But will Jess continue to resist her controlling father's extreme efforts to bring her back into the family's stranglehold?

Lillo's family unexpectedly provided her with the opportunity to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor. On track to become a surgeon, she returned home, heartbroken, devastated and unwilling to talk about what precipitated her decision to leave her residency. Feeling overwhelming guilt about her parents' sacrifice to pay for college and med school, Lillo avoids talking to them now they have moved to Florida. She leads a very solitary life and ekes out a paltry living as she works a variety of odd jobs. Having Jess, Allie and Diane stay with her in her cozy cottage is at first a huge inconvenience yet oddly enough, their presence slowly forces her to confront her demons.

Jess's wealthy family has eroded her self-worth as they bullied her into her agreeing to marry a man she does not love or particularly like. She lets them walk all over her and finds it easier to give in their demands. Allie and Diane are shocked at the change in her behavior and they, along with Lillo, give Jess the courage she needs to reclaim her life. But will Jess remain firm about her decisions when confronted with her father's wrath?

Diane is the CEO of company that develops phone apps and she is confident and outspoken. A chance encounter with Ian Lachlan, the town's brooding and troubled veterinarian, provides her with the chance to reconnect with her love of horseback riding. Diane is not put off by Ian's taciturn and moody company as she mucks stalls in return for riding his horses. Diane is taken off guard by her unexpected attraction to Ian but will she break through the walls he has erected to protect himself from further pain?

Allie is a bit of an enigma since she is a bit reticent, shy and intent on keeping the peace. At first planning to leave Lighthouse Beach, she changes her mind although she is rather uneasy about extending her time away from home. She begins to come out of her shell and in the process, Allie begins to heal from a heartbreaking loss. The future for Allie and a man she is smitten with is rather murky as her vacation draws to a close.

Lighthouse Beach is a delightfully engaging novel with a wonderful cast of eclectic characters. The women's newly formed friendships are believable and their interactions are endearing. Shelley Noble brings the beach setting vibrantly to life and her descriptive prose makes it very easy for readers to picture the beach, lighthouse and tight-knit community. An uplifting and heartwarming novel that will appeal to readers of contemporary women's fiction. ( )

What started out as the story of a runaway bride, turns into a tale of four women repairing wounds they didn't know existed, and discovering the true selves they want to be.

Women's Fiction stories, or even Contemporary Romance novels for that matter, can be fickle creatures. More often they follow a formula of certain character types, storylines, issue parameters, and the eventual TADA, happily-ever-after moment....not so much here, but in the BEST way possible! I was never quite sure where the story was going to take us, and though I knew all the characters more deeply by story's end, it didn't make it any easier to predict...or say goodbye. (~tear~) Sound daunting? Ah, but it really wasn't...it was actually refreshing. It kept me on my toes in the most delicious way, and spiked my curiosity when things went left when I was anticipating right...and let's not forget about the laugh out loud moments because there are quite a few! Honestly, this group of gals, along with the whole of Lighthouse Beach really, were rather memorable.

In short, it was a wonderful adventure filled with loss, laughs, and most importantly love...not necessarily of the romantic type, but of the kind that matters most; that which comes freely and is good for the soul.


**copy received for review ( )

Wonderful book, and I so hope there is a sequel to wrap up a few more story lines! ( )

For this review and others visit Carlene Inspired.

We've all heard of the runaway bride, but this time she's accompanied by her three best friends and the loneliness they all find they have in common. Lillo, Jess, Diana and Allie take off on an impromptu road trip to Lighthouse Beach, where fond memories still live for Jess, but haunt Lillo as she tries to escape her own losses. What's meant to be a beach escape to help Jess turns into an escape that changes each of the women.

Lighthouse Beach, by Shelley Noble, features a large cast of main characters and a handful of secondary, each taking turns with the novel focusing on their personal battles. Lillo, Jess, Diana, and Allie weren't all friends in the start, but by the end they've trusted one another with matters of the heart and learned to rely on others to carry them through high tide times. Then there's Mac, the wise lighthouse keeper, and the biker doctors, as handsome, smart, and rugged as they sound. The women are unique, their friendship formed as youth and still strong in the present despite their living distances apart and in careers as opposite as they come. Lighthouse Beach, with a role as large as a character, makes the women find a way to embrace themselves and each other in a way that they weren't able to when apart. Together, with sand between their toes and the Maine rain drizzling down, they discover a way to embrace what they truly want and find ways to let go of the past they've each held onto. Of course, the small town charm and the docs help things along.

Lighthouse Beach is, exactly as described, a women's lit beach read. It's lengthy and complex with an overarching storyline of friendship. There's a bit of romance, humor, heartache, and self growth, everything a chick lit lover seeks out in their reads. As the four women find their way we are left with the power of Lighthouse Beach, aware that the imprint it left on Jess and Lillo as youth is the same left on them today. Shelley Noble delivers a heartfelt story that makes for a perfect beach read with Lighthouse Beach.

ARC provided. ( )