Review: The Lighthouse by Elaine Kozak

Past traumas, dark secrets and reconciliations are at the heart of The Lighthouse, a wonderfully engaging work of women’s fiction by Elaine Kozak.

Driven by a need to reconnect with her estranged father after learning of the death of her mother, a stricken Leah Larsen returns to the family ranch founded by her deceased grandparents in Taos, New Mexico. Her father is less than thrilled by Leah’s arrival and gives her the shock of her life when he tells her that he and Leah’s mother had kept the baby son Leah had given birth to ten years earlier. Even worse, her father won’t let Leah see her son, Niels, unless she commits to becoming a permanent part of his life, to which she agrees.

Apprehensive about meeting her son and the difficult questions sure to entail, Leah is heartened by their first meeting and settles down to life on the ranch, living in a trailer close to the house her son and father share with her cousin, Theo, and Theo’s son, Fox. However, Leah’s renewed relationship with her father is strained due to what he believes to be her reluctance to disclose the identity of Niels’ father. The only problem is, Leah has no idea who the father is and is determined to find out – even if it means revisiting the painful events of her past…

Although Leah is at the heart of Kozak’s character-driven story, The Lighthouse is very much an ensemble piece, with each character’s story given their due. The ranch itself is home to the Lighthouse Resort operated by Leah’s wealthy relatives, Ris and Lucas Wilde. Their one son, Theo, runs the stables and lives in one of the ranch houses with the two young boys and Leah’s father, while their other son, Ben, an attorney, lives off the ranch with his wife but is constantly back and forth due to ranch business. The two brothers are as different as two brothers can be, with very different career trajectories, yet both struggle with past events that have radically changed their lives and defined them as men. Both are willing to take risks for a chance at happiness, even if it means alienating those who love them the most.

Every character has an engaging back story, some with deeply-buried secrets and past traumas that have haunted them into adulthood, leaving the reader engrossed in their stories both past and present. Perhaps the most enigmatic of the characters is Leah’s father, an accomplished composer, who appears to be more involved in his own world than engaging with those around him. The characters have has his or her share of flaws, but these flaws are what give each one of them substance, strength, and resilience. They are inspiring as characters and in the way that Kozak has exquisitely constructed their stories.

All in all, The Lighthouse is an addictive read – one that has emotional depth, thanks to the complicated lives of every character. There are tears and drama, breakups and reunions, and even romance, and you won’t be able to put the book down until the last page has been read.