This was a novel heavy on domestic drama as well as detail from the world of lighthouse keeping in early twentieth century Australia. The core conflict in the story stems from protagonist and Janus Rock lighthouse keeper Tom Sherbourne's decision to choose his wife Isabel's happiness over what is right.

I appreciated the descriptive passages celebrating western Australia and the art of lighthouse keeping. The tension of whether the Sherbourne's secret would be discovered was enough to keep me reading to the end. As a foster parent, I found the topic of a small child's home and family being determined by various biased parties to be accurately portrayed but sometimes a bit too close to home.

The Light Between Oceans struck me as a likely female book club choice. It also qualifies as a slightly meaty beach read.

Cloudland was an enjoyable pleasure read. Labeled a “crime novel,” its plot is a bit light on gore and heart-racing scenes to be considered a true thriller, but the literary quality, especially in the area of characterization, is more substantial than many titles in this genre. Author Joseph Olshan’s tale of a New England writer and her ties to a presumed serial killer, did keep me guessing, and therefore, turning pages. The rural Vermont setting is an important element from start to finish and the characters who live near protagonist Catherine Winslow seem just as shaped by their remote, but beautiful physical surroundings as they are by their personal histories. Cloudland is a good pick for readers looking for the kind of intelligent suspense that is still light enough to read on a beach or in a bedroom.