The Light on Horn Island by Valerie Fraser Luesse ~ Book Review

 

About the Book

Book: The Light on Horn Island

Author: Valerie Fraser Luesse

Genre: Christian Contemporary

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: April 29, 2025

When Edie Gardner's life in New York comes crumbling down, her grandmother Adele "Punk" Cheramie urges her to return to Bayou du Chêne, a tiny hamlet in coastal Mississippi where Edie spent many happy summers growing up. Punk and her three closest friends introduce Edie to the Trove, a fascinating gallery and antique shop that seems to have appeared out of nowhere.

The Trove's proprietor, Jason Toussaint, has a gift for reading his customers' needs. He gives Edie a Victorian parlor game called Confessions, which asks players a series of ever-more-personal questions. It seems like harmless fun at first. But the game has a way of uncovering secrets--including a heartbreaking disappearance that has haunted one of the players for decades.

Banding together, these women are determined to mend each other's hurts, encourage each other's dreams, and find the answers that will bring healing.

My Thoughts 

I absolutely love the way this author writes her stories. She truly captures the essence of the setting and makes you feel like you are there. If you love that Southern charm look no further because this book is it. I wanted to be in the kitchen table with Punk, Edie and the Ten Spots enjoying some shrimp and grits while feeling the cool breeze and heat from a Mississippi summer. 

Oh these characters captivated me and had me giggling and crying all at the same time. The friendships between these older ladies was so deep, they were like sisters. They had been through everything together and their bond with each other was one you want to strive for. I love that this story truly touches on every character and they each go through their own separate journeys throughout the story. However, the journey that Edie and Charlotte was beautiful. Despite it being full of grief it was good to see them work through it and rely not only on the Ten Spots but also God. 

Another thing that the author did a great job in was the faith thread. I do believe that angels walk amongst us and God sends people to guide us at times and Jason in this story was just the person. That part of the storyline truly touches you and makes you think of how God is always with you. 

I can't forget to mention the love story. Although that is not the focus of the story it was there and it was ever so sweet. 

This book had everything needed to make it an amazing read and I definitely recommend you grab it!

I received a copy of this book for review. All views expressed are my own.

About the Author

Valerie Fraser Luesse is an award-winning magazine writer best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently a senior travel editor. Her work has been anthologized in the audio collection Southern Voices and in A Glimpse of Heaven, an essay collection featuring works by C. S. Lewis, Randy Alcorn, John Wesley, and others. As a freelance writer and editor, she was the lead writer for Southern Living 50 Years: A Celebration of People, Places, and Culture. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, Luesse has published major pieces on the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Delta, Louisiana's Acadian Prairie, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana won the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. Luesse earned her bachelor's degree in English at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, and her master's degree in English at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She grew up in Harpersville, Alabama, a rural community in Shelby County, and now lives in Birmingham.