Between the Lighthouse and the Beach: A journey of hope and enduring love

By J. A. Gosek

Annie has travelled across the world from her native England to start a new life, her destination; Tasmania. Completely absorbed by her work -- not needing a partner or children -- such was her dedication and the fulfilment of her life’s passion; archaeology. Until she meets Doug Hall, who exudes a strength of character which has her falling instantly in love with this tall, handsome, army lieutenant -- who also shares her passion for archaeology.

But Doug has a troubled past and has buried his pain behind his strong army persona. Until Annie reaches inside his heart, extracting his gentler, masculine side.

They share one intense week together before Doug is sent on a potentially dangerous army mission; promising to return to her.

However, Doug doesn’t return and Annie has to rely on her inner resilience to cope with his silence while she tries to find out what happened to him.

When she does eventually find him, she learns that he is recovering from a serious brain injury and he is a different man; her gentle Doug once again hidden. But even worse -- he doesn’t remember Annie or the love they shared.

Theirs is a story about finding their own inner strength in the face of adversity. Their love story traverses the wild Southern Ocean, between the beach where they first meet, and the island lighthouse where Doug has gone to be alone and recover.
Annie’s quest to reconnect with Doug challenges the strength of her love in the face of his indifference. Can their love for each other survive and be as strong and persistent as the light across the ocean?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Sep 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781982298159

J. A. Gosek

Jeanette was born in Australia to English and Australian parents. Her love for writing had been encouraged by her work as a marriage celebrant, writing love stories about couples who had found each other in a world of billions. This led to her intrigue for creating her own stories, creating unique characters who forged their own path to love.

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Copyright © 2023 J. A. Gosek.

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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents,

organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products

of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-9822-9814-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9815-9 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date:  09/15/2023

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Prologue

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

The strength of the light from the lighthouse

stretched out across the bidden water

reaching the shore with alacrity like no other.

Dedicated to my beautiful mother Alma Dorothy,

who lived her own love story.

Acknowledgements

As a novelist I am very happy and confident in my world of writing stories. However, in the world of publishing my knowledge and expertise is non- existent. I have come to understand that there are many processes to publishing a book. A special thank you to the editorial team for their patience and expertise.

While my stories are purely fictional – with characters who have been formed in my own imagination – I must give thanks to the people in my life whose very own unique characteristics have helped inform the characters presented in my novels, and given them a real presence.

A special thank you to my wonderful children Sarah and Matthew, who are the light of my life and my most important critics. Your positive feedback and encouragement have helped prevent me from stumbling over my own insecurities.

But the biggest debt of love and gratitude I owe to my wonderful husband Eddie, who gave me that first gentle push into the you can do this territory, and continues to nudge me with his calm persistence. His belief and encouragement, has given me enough confidence in myself to begin writing my stories and I have loved every minute of it. Thank you, my love.

Introduction

Life is a continuous cycle of change. Change in our personal circumstances, in our direction, and often our environment. Change in our personal aura of presentation—indeed, in the presence of the many different people who inhabit our daily space and their influences on us.

The heroine of this story is Annie Robons, whose personal satisfaction and fulfilment in life centres on her career as an archaeologist. She shares a close and loving connection to her father; also dedicated to archaeology.

Annie is also very close to her only sibling, Ellie, who now lives in Australia with her Aussie husband and their four children.

She is comfortable with her life choices and never conceived that she would leave her native England—until that cycle of change came into play. The death of her beloved father triggered these new and emerging changes. Annie decides to move to Australia, her change of circumstances leading her in a new direction and into a new environment.

Her newfound aura of presentation emerges in the absence of her father—her coach and mentor. She discovers her own inner confidence, which she hadn’t appreciated before. While her sense of loss is enormous, Annie embraces a sense of freedom to pursue a different course. There is nothing to hold her in England, so moving to Australia to be closer to her sister, was a no brainer, and the offer to head a new department in her beloved field of expertise was the perfect motivator.

Thus, Annie settles into her new job at the University of Hobart and finds her perfect home on the outskirts of the city. She can pursue her life’s passion: her work. Her favourite pastimes are catered for—the beach close to her home where she can run for miles and the beautiful, natural landscape surrounding her, where she can engage her photographic eye. Annie is strong, resilient, friendly, and adaptable. She is confident in her enclosed familiar world and has a small circle of close friends to whom she is very loyal. The only male in her life is Archie, her spoilt ginger cat.

Annie had never had her own pet before and had fallen for the sad sight of this bedraggled, hungry kitten who appeared on her doorstep as she was moving into her house the year before. Annie, once again, is comfortable with her life choices and settles in to pursue her own personal destiny.

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Lieutenant Douglas Hall is an archaeologist within a special division of the army, so potential danger follows him on his archaeological missions. Doug is strong willed, courageous and a loner. He, too, is satisfied with his life and has no desire to be swept into any emotional entanglements. His latest mission, however, requires obtaining additional research materials, which can be found at the University of