Tom Sherbourne has survived the horrors of World War I and trains to become a lighthouse keeper on a tiny island off the desolate coast of Western Australia. When a chance meeting with a young woman leads to enduring love, the couple settle on the island, and their marriage flourishes despite the harsh land and the isolation of their lives. The one problem they cannot solve is Isabel’s inability to have a child. So, when a small boat carrying a dead man and a newborn infant washes onto their shore, it seems like the answer to their prayers. Their love for the child knows no bounds, so the decision to keep her simply evolves, and it is easy for Isabel to put thoughts of the child’s identity aside. But Tom struggles with the morality of the decision, setting the couple on the road to despair.
The moral dilemma that the story presents is heartbreaking. The reader can clearly feel the desperation and loss that result from the couple’s tragic secret. This is a book that compels attention, making it hard to put down. This is a riveting debut from Ms. Stedman that leaves the reader wanting more.