Starlight Sonata

Starlight Sonata is an award-winning novel that follows in the footsteps of Northern Lights, sharing the trials and triumphs of the next generation of the Watson family of Beaver Island in this epic Gilded Age novel of love, adventure and redemption set in the idyllic, yet isolating landscape of northern Lake Michigan.
It's 1884 and John Watson, the young captain of the steamship Orion, meets a beautiful young passenger, Annabelle Reynolds, an unusually gifted young woman who possesses the talent of seeing the world as a beautiful symphony complete in musical notation, and the two fall in love. However, John's mother quickly discerns a dark secret behind the awkward, but kindhearted young woman's background - a secret which quickly threatens their budding relationship, and even their lives.
John and Annabelle must battle internal and external conflicts, even the forces of nature, before discovering acceptance and resolution, and along the way find new friends, allies, and even love... Exploring not only the trials and triumph of romantic love between a young couple, but themes of resilience and sacrifice between family members - biological and adopted.
This richly woven historical fiction-romance creates a sensory and emotional experience for readers, an immersive view into the Irish American experience on a unique, remote Great Lakes island.

2025 Winner - Fiction-Midwest, First Finalist - Historical Fiction, Cross Genre, Literary Global Independent Author Awards.