Cape Light (Cape Light Series #1)

Inspired by the beloved artistic vision of world-renowned landscape painter Thomas Kinkade—and imbued with the light of his uplifting message—this heartwarming new novel introduces us to the quaint town of Cape Light, and the unique residents who call it home…

Nestled in New England is the picturesque seaside hamlet of Cape Light, where everyone knows everyone, and folks still care about one another. But Cape Lighters have their share of hidden dreams, desires, and doubts, too. Like Mayor Emily Warwick, who sometimes feels that her job and her identity are inseparable, and her sister and rival, Jessica, who has torn herself away from the big city’s excitement and sophistication to come home and care for their ailing mother. Or Reverend Ben, who counsels and consoles an entire town while coming to grips with his own private sorrows, and Charlie, the owner of the local diner, who isn’t shy about letting the mayor know that he is after her job.

They are friends and neighbors, doers and dreamers. They laugh and love and build their lives together in the town of Cape Light—and they will work their way into your heart…

Inspired by the artistic vision of world-renowned landscape painter Thomas Kinkade—and imbued with the light of his uplifting message—this heartwarming novel introduces us to the quaint town of Cape Light, and those who call it home.

Publishers Weekly

Billed as the Painter of Light, Kinkade claims to be "the most collected living artist" and the heir apparent to Norman Rockwell. This sugarcoated modern fairy tale reflects the pastel-tinted idealism of Kinkade's paintings and is clearly intended to extol the power of prayer as put forth by Protestant Christian doctrines. Taking temporary leave of her Boston bank job, 32-year-old Jessica Warwick returns home to the idyllic nearby village of Cape Light to help her older sister, Emily, the town's mayor, care for their domineering mother, who has suffered a stroke. Thinking of her budding romance with sophisticated Paul Copperfield, an older career-oriented man, Jessica is counting the days until her mother recovers sufficiently so she can leave this prosaic, Bible-thumping town and return to her job in the city. Outside of the church, the quotidian life of the community centers around the Clam Box, a local eatery operated by Charlie and Lucy Bates. Charlie, a vocal critic of Emily's leadership, is mounting a campaign to oppose her in the upcoming election. Unbeknownst to Emily, Sara Franklin, the college girl waiting tables at the Clam Box, is the daughter she gave up for adoption two decades ago, following her husband's tragic death. Meanwhile, Jessica finds herself falling for Sam Morgan, the town's jack-of-all-trades. As Jessica's growing attraction to churchgoing Sam conflicts with her career-oriented dreams, the plot sags under a surfeit of trite, blatantly proselytizing Christian subplots and syrupy sentimentality. (Mar.) Forecast: With his chain of galleries across the nation, Kinkade has recourse to built-in channels of marketing and distribution, so expect healthy sales. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Thomas Kinkade is America's most collected artist, a painter-communicator whose tranquil, light-infused paintings bring hope and joy to millions each year. Each painting Thomas Kinkade creates is a quiet messenger in the home, affirming the basic values of family, faith in God, and the luminous beauty of nature.

Katherine Spencer was a fiction editor before turning to a full-time career as a writer. She has authored over twenty books for both children and adults.