The Islanders: A Novel by Meg Mitchell Moore

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

“One of my own favorite writers.” –Elin Hilderbrand

J. Courtney Sullivan’s Maine meets the works of Elin Hilderbrand in this delicious summer read involving three strangers, one island, and a season packed with unexpected romance, well-meaning lies, and damaging secrets.

Anthony Puckett was a rising literary star. The son of an uber-famous thriller writer, Anthony’s debut novel spent two years on the bestseller list and won the adoration of critics. But something went very wrong with his second work. Now Anthony’s borrowing an old college’s friend’s crumbling beach house on Block Island in the hopes that solitude will help him get back to the person he used to be.

Joy Sousa owns and runs Block Island’s beloved whoopie pie café. She came to this quiet space eleven years ago, newly divorced and with a young daughter, and built a life for them here. To her customers and friends, Joy is a model of independence, hard-working and happy. And mostly she is. But this summer she’s thrown off balance. A food truck from a famous New York City brand is roving around the island, selling goodies—and threatening her business.

Lu Trusdale is spending the summer on her in-laws’ dime, living on Block Island with her two young sons while her surgeon husband commutes to the mainland hospital. When Lu’s second son was born, she and her husband made a deal: he’d work and she’d quit her corporate law job to stay home with the boys. But a few years ago, Lu quietly began working on a private project that has becoming increasingly demanding on her time. Torn between her work and home, she’s beginning to question that deal she made.

Over the twelve short weeks of summer, these three strangers will meet and grow close, will share secrets and bury lies. And as the promise of June turns into the chilly nights of August, the truth will come out, forcing each of them to decide what they value most, and what they are willing to give up to keep it.

my thoughts:

Beach read alert! The Islanders by Meg Mitchell Moore is the perfect book to take along with you when you read at the beach this summer. It is chock full of drama, an island, and relationships - what more could you want?! How about terrific writing, fascinating characters, and a small island filled with local gossip, sun-drenched days, and frequent "bump-ins" with the neighbors? MMM has created a wonderful story that will feel relatable at times, but also keep you hooked with all of the "secrets" waiting to be spilled. Such a fun book!!

I absolutely LOVED getting to know Anthony, Joy, and Lu - they were such a great cast of characters to get invested in. Each one has struggles and secrets that they are dealing with whilst trying to get through the summer on Block Island. The more you get to know them, the more you can't help but want to find out what will happen to them. As the summer unfolds, these three work on figuring out who they really are and what they really want from life. Its definitely a book you can sink into as you dip your toes in the sand on a sunny day.

I would happily recommend The Islanders to fans of MMM and anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!!

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: The Islanders

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!