Phoebe Rowe Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Phoebe Rowe was born and brought up in Wilmington, Delaware. She is a historical fiction author with a debut novel Swan Light. The author studied Journalism and History at New York University. She is also a copywriter.

In the Swan Light novel, the story starts in 1913 in the small town of Newfoundland as Silvestre Swan, a keeper of the Swan lighthouse, is trying to get help so that he doesn’t lose the structure to the sea. He reflects on growing up in the Norman Cliffs with four other children. Silvestre lived his quiet and daily life as the author talked of his love for his brother, courage, and memories. He is currently in his early eighties, and despite his age, he struggles to save his home from sliding into the sea.

To make matters worse, he has been denied funds to save the Swan house by the local bank unless he gives the house’s title deed to the bank. All Silvestre Swan wants is to save his lighthouse. His appeal to relocate it from the dangerous cliff went unheard of until a dangerous storm brought an unexpected ally into his life. But will he succeed in saving his lighthouse?

In 2014, a decade later, archeological Mari Adams dived into the Mediterranean searching for the shipwreck SS California. She is running out of funds for her mission after losing her funding on the search for the sunken ship. She is approached with a tempting offer of a side job by a wealthy 104-year-old lady.

The job involves looking for the Swan lighthouse, which had seized into the sea over a century ago. The lady wants her to dig deep and discover what happened to it, its keeper, and any other person who might have been involved. This job came just before a door on her research was almost closing. Even though Mari isn’t sure of the older woman’s motives, she accepts the offer as long as she provides all the resources she needs.

During her first dive, she discovers that other parties are interested in her finding and will stop at nothing until they get the answers. Mari unites up with salvager Julian Henry and the two discover much more than they expected in the mission. However, the treasure hunters begin threatening their mission, and their hunt risks their lives.

As they carry on the search, the threats increase and seem more serious as she runs out of time to find the story behind the Swan Light. The threats come from an organization called Teach, named after a legendary pirate Blackbeard. They are also searching for a shipwreck in the nearby water and will do everything possible to get what they want, be it murder.

While the past and present connect, the secrets buried on the ocean floor start to surface. Can Mari and her teammate find the answers they are searching for, and what price will they pay? The story is narrated from dual timelines, occasionally switching before finally colliding. Swan Light is a compulsive and touching story digging deep into history. The dual timelines and the unearthing of different mysteries and family secrets will keep readers flipping pages.

The characters are vividly drawn with a reminiscent setting to keep the reader engaged. Phoebe Rowe did detailed research to add flavor to the past timeline and bring authenticity to the present. The adventures bring excitement, tension, and stress, giving the reader mixed feelings.

Swan Light is an amazing story about how life is defined by loss and the sense of purpose. It also has the aspect of love for the family, showing the good and the misguided, listing how people honor those they love through memory and preserving their life stories. The plotline is engaging with some interesting historical facts. Phoebe describes Silvy’s and Mari’s observations and feeling about their surroundings in a heartfelt way. Sometimes, two main characters and different timelines can be challenging to connect, but the author does it effortlessly.

If you are a fan of heartfelt, genuine characters, history, intrigue, and some taste of romance, Swan Light is your type of book. The story is set in a small Newfoundland community as the natives are trying to build a lighthouse to save sailors from the rocky cliff of their island. It’s a story of hope, love, family, and the search for lost treasure as secrets that were hidden under the sea for generations resurface. Swan Light is also an emotional story of perseverance as the author brings together the stories of two people separated by a century but brought together by purpose, family, and an extraordinary lighthouse.