Product Description

Olivia Lockhart

16 Lighthouse Road

Cedar Cove, Washington

Dear Reader,

You don't know me yet, but in a few hours that's going to change. You see, I'm inviting you to my home and my town of Cedar Cove because I want you to meet my family, friends, and neighbors. Come and hear their stories -- maybe even their secrets!

I have to admit that my own secrets are pretty open. My marriage failed some years ago, and I have a rather . . . difficult relationship with my daughter, Justine. Then there's my mother, Charlotte, who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share them.

Here's an example: I'm a family court judge and she likes to drop in on my courtroom. Recently I was hearing a divorce petition. In Charlotte's view, young Cecilia and Ian Randall hadn't tried hard enough to make their marriage work -- and I agreed. So I rendered my judgement: Divorce Denied.

Well, you wouldn't believe the reaction! Thanks to an article by Jack Griffin, the editor of our local paper (and a man I wouldn't mind seeing more of!), everyone's talking.

Cedar Cove -- people love it and sometimes they leave it, but they never forget it!

See you soon . . .

Olivia

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14469 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 384 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781551668307
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
Perennial favorite Debbie Macomber does what she does best in 16 Lighthouse Road, introducing fans to the scenic Pacific Northwest town of Cedar Cove, Washington, and its panoply of characters, including family court judge Olivia Lockhart who makes news when she denies the divorce petition of Cecilia and Ian Randall. Decreeing that the young couple had not tried hard enough to make their relationship work following the tragic death of their newborn daughter, Olivia's decision brings her to the attention of recent Cedar Cove arrival, newspaper editor Jack Griffin. And Jack's attentions are not entirely unwelcome for the long-divorced Olivia. In addition to her continued involvement in Cecilia and Ian's ongoing negotiations, Olivia's life is further complicated by her mother, Charlotte, her daughter, Justine, and her best friend, Grace, as they struggle with the difficult situations life tosses their way. Charlotte becomes enmeshed in trying to solve a mystery left to her by a mute stroke victim she befriends just before he dies. Justine has found the perfect man for her, one who shares her ambitions and thoughts on relationships, but why does she keep thinking about the boy she knew in high school who has grown into quite a man? And Grace's husband, Dan, has disappeared--again--and Grace has no idea where he is and when or if he'll be back. The multiple story lines and numerous relationships make reading at times challenging, but Macomber fans, old and new, will stand up and cheer as the prolific author lodges her protest against the disposable personal relationships all too common today. --Alison Trinkle

From Publishers Weekly
As a family court judge, Olivia Lockhart has dealt with numerous divorce suits but none as peculiar as Cecilia and Ian Randall's. Before the young couple was married the year before, Cecilia and Ian signed a prenuptial agreement stating their marriage would last a lifetime, but now, after the tragic death of their infant daughter, the two wish to rescind the agreement. Sensing that Cecilia and Ian are still in love, Olivia lets her heart guide her decision, and denies their petition. Olivia's decision makes headlines in The Cedar Cove Chronicle and earns her the admiration of the paper's editor, Jack Griffin, a newcomer to the small Washington town. While Jack courts Olivia, and Ian and Cecilia try to repair their marriage, Olivia's daughter is forced to decide whether she should marry a man whom she doesn't love; Olivia's best friend grows frantic over the disappearance of her husband; and Olivia's mother befriends a stroke patient who harbors a secret he would share if he could speak. Despite the novel's fragmented structure, readers will warm to its endearing characters. Prolific Macomber (Thursdays at Eight, etc.) is known for her honest portrayals of ordinary women in small-town America, and this tale cements her position as an icon of the genre. (Sept.)Forecast: A national print advertising campaign and a Northwest author tour scheduled to coincide with the publication of Macomber's latest offering will boost sales, and a rosy real-estate cover will increase the book's appeal to its target readership.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber's day starts long before the sun is up: when her alarm clock rings 4:00 a.m., her home on Washington's Puget Sound is still shrouded in darkness. Even her husband's pleas for "just one more snooze, honey" don't dissuade her from focusing on the day ahead.

"I spend so much of my time writing that I hardly have a chance to read," says the talented author, who has written over 100 books to date. "From four to six in the morning is a precious time for me -- I get to immerse myself in someone else's words!"

Readers worldwide clamor for her heartwarming stories of home and hearth, lively romantic adventures, inspirational tales of human kindness and even stories of angels with earthly missions. In fact, over 60 million copies of Debbie's boks are in print worldwide!

Debbie is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those around her. Her inspirational lectures urge women of all ages to pursue their "impossible dreams." After all, this woman who had once been called a "hopeless dreamer" has overcome a variety of obstacles in her own life, including financial strain and the demands of four small children, to become one of the world's most popular writers.

Customer Reviews

Good read, but leaves you wanting more!
16 Lighthouse Road is a unique compilation of stories about friends and acquaintances of Olivia Lockhart, Family Court judge, in the Pacific Northwest town of Cedar Cove, Washington. With her usual writing skill, Debbie Macomber takes chords of real life circumstances (divorce, a child's death, alcoholism, strained familial relationships, disappearing spouses, and military service separation) and entwines them with love, hope, and reconciliation. Unfortunately, all of them can't be fully developed in one 377 page paperback.

Macomber paints wonderful and evocative word pictures of the Washington landscape and the personalities of her characters. The dialogue and honest interaction of the characters draws you immediately into the storylines and keeps you reading in spite of the fragmented structure of the book.

Ian and Cecilia Randall, the young newlyweds struggling with the death of a child and separation because of his Navy career, appear in her courtroom. Jack Griffin, newly arrived editor of the Cedar Cove Chronicle, and love interest. Her busybody mother Charlotte Jefferson, who collects recipes at funeral wake. Tom Harding, stoke victim and mysterious new resident of Cedar Cove Convalescent Home, who gives a key to her mother. Grace Sherman, the best friend whose husband keeps disappearing; and Justine, her daughter, in a relationship with a man twenty years her senior. All endearing characters that capture your heart.

Switches between the stories and her believable, engaging characters will keep you turning the pages to see how each saga ends, but you do long to spend more time with them. Or, perhaps re-visit with them in a sequel. After all, we never do learn what happened to Grace's husband!

Satisfying Introduction to Macomber's Cedar Cove Series
16 LIGHTHOUSE ROAD satisfies the soap-opera lover in us with a charming little town peopled with problem-ridden residents. If I had not known ahead of time this was a continuing series, I would have been disappointed that so many storylines were left dangling at the end, but knowing there are more books, I am eagerly anticipating the rest of the series.

Judge Olivia Lockhart resides in the title address and we first meet her as she denies the divorce of Cecilia and Ian Randall. The young couple, obviously deeply in love, has not dealt with their grief over losing their infant daughter and has rushed headlong into divorce proceedings. The Judge herself is a divorcee who knows what it means to lose a child and still love your ex-husband. Meanwhile, the town's new newspaper editor, a man with a secret to hide, is hotly pursuing her.

The lustiest part of the story involves Olivia's daughter Justine who is dating a man old enough to be her father while having deeply sexual feelings for a high school friend she becomes reacquainted with while planning their tenth reunion.

Olivia's friend, Grace Sherman, plays a pivotal role in the book, as the deserted wife who endures grief and humiliation before deciding life on her own is really quite pleasant.

Olivia's mother, Charlotte Jefferson, provides many comedic moments as she attempts to track down the grandson of a stroke victim she befriends.

All together, an inviting look into a friendly town where problems are encountered and overcome with the help of good neighbors and good friends.

Wonderful new series by Ms. Macomber
In this new series, Ms. Macomber introduces us to a new series. The series takes place in Cedar Cove, Washington, a scenic little town where the people are interesting and their stories could be real. The series follows the people who live in the title address and the characters they interact with. In this book we meet Olivia Lockhart, who lives at 16 Lighthouse Road. Olivia is a family court judge who makes news when she denies a prenuptial agreement dissolution for a couple, Cecilia and Ian Randall, who are seeking a divorce after the tragic death of their newborn daughter. We also meet Olivia's mother, Charlotte who makes friends with a stroke victim, Olivia's daughter Justine who is in a relationship with a much older man who is also drawn to an old schoolmate. We meet Grace, Olivia's best friend, who is dealing with the disappearance of her husband and the newly arrived newspaper editor Jack Griffin. Olivia finds herself drawn to Jack and they start to see one another. As they work through their relationship, we also get an inside view to many other relationships at work through the town.

Ms. Macomber draws us into a wonderful new world where the people jump off the page at you and are extremely likeable. I enjoyed the first book to the series and enjoyed meeting all the new characters. As Ms. Macomber leaves us wanting more with the other storylines, I am quite glad to say that Ms. Macomber continues with many more books in the series, including 74 Seaside Avenue, which releases in August of 2007. I have placed this book in my "keep library" with the rest of this series and would encourage anyone who enjoys a good, contemporary, series to pick this book, and the rest of the series, up.

Deidre - Night Owl Romance Reviews
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