I wouldn't call this book a romance. It's more like a journey for the characters in a tight-knit community.

The story is very interesting and the setting is very unique. The writing style was not a good fit for me as a reader, since I prefer my romance stories with one or two POVs, and this one had tons. But, then again, it's not a romance, so maybe that's okay.

Anders comes to Frisk Island on assignment for the newspaper he works at and his first time there is not very pleasant. But the island and the people who live there intrigue him and he keeps coming back, especially after he discovers how everyone keeps Piper's "delusion" going. The more he discovers about it, and about it Piper, the less he can let it go.

There are heavy issues in the story (grief, mental health, climate change) and there's a sort of resolution in the end.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island
by Colleen Oakley
Berkley Publishing Group
You Like Them
Berkley
General Fiction (Adult) | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 25 May 2021 | Archive Date 25 Jun 2021

A warm and interesting read! I was really drawn in when the widow goes on living as if her husband is still alive. Enter Anders and the fun continues.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

4 star

Understated and quirky, Colleen Oakley will have readers yearning to visit her fictional Frick Island. When rookie reporter and fledgling podcaster Anders is sent to cover Frick Island's cake walk, he finds more than he bargained for. The island's residents, including new widow Piper Parrish, hold secrets, and Anders is determined to get to the bottom of them (and gain listeners for his podcast at the same time).

Anders Caldwell is a reporter trying to find that next big story to propel his career toward a more reputable newspaper. He has a podcast, that only his stepdad seems to listen to, an apartment with a roach problem, and he's been sent to cover a Cake Walk on an island off the coast of Maryland with 90 inhabitants. The assignment to Frick Island seems like a waste of his time, until he meets Piper Parrish, a woman who has recently lost her husband at sea, but who still continues on as if he never died. The strangest thing is the entire island goes along with this delusion and Anders, who is smitten with Piper, is determined to find out why. Under the guise of investigating climate change on the island for his podcast, Anders attempts to get close to Piper, and discovers more about the island and the locals than he ever dreamed.

What a sweet book this was. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book deals with the close knit relationships of the residents of fictional Frick Island and how they are perceived by a visiting reporter. At first he looks down on these seemingly simple small town folks and finds their lives pedestrian and backwards, but as he gets to know them and see the intricacies of life on this island, he comes to love this place and these people. With humor and sensitivity, the author writes an engaging story with lots of quirks and twists that make it a worthwhile read. I will recommend this book to many and find myself eager to visit the real island that the book is based on.

This was an odd one! I really had to push myself to get through the first part of the book, it just seemed so silly! How does an entire town go along with the delusion of a grieving wife? But then it got interesting enough for me to push forward when a mystery started to take form around some of the main characters. I was happy for the islanders in the end but it wrapped up a little too neatly.

We all deserve an escape to a remote island and this story is the perfect destination! I was swept away by this book!

A town caught up in an elaborate fiction to protect one of their own gets tangled in untruths when a reporter breaks the story of his life and risks loosing the woman of his dreams.

This is a heartwarming story that pulled me in from page 1, or honestly the title alone intrigued me. It did not disappoint, I truly enjoyed everything about this book, the people, the setting of Frick Island, all wrapped up in a true love story. I’m already telling friends and family to put this gem on their TBR list for May and can’t wait to recommend to patrons.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley.

Piper Parrish is a young widow on a small island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. What makes Piper unique is that she continues to behave as if her husband, Tom, is still right there by her side, carrying on his everyday activities....and the islanders begin to act as if they also see Tom at Piper's side! Enter a rookie journalist named Anders Caldwell, who comes to the island to cover the annual cake walk and instead finds himself investigating what appears to be a group delusion. Told largely from Anders' perspective, this was a delightful story of community connections that are largely missing from most of our modern day-to-day lives. Absolutely delightful!

A warm, wonderful story of real people and honest emotions. The plot hook of an invisible husband drew me in, and the beautifully crafted story kept me to the end.

Due to release May 25, 2021. You'll want to add this to your Books To Get list. Don't miss it!

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy

You know those stories where one of the main characters starts down a path that you KNOW will get him into trouble, but he can't seem to stop? This is one of those stories. Anders has always wanted to be a reporter (like Clark Kent), but he's stuck working for a small town paper and sent to cover stories like the Cake Walk on Frick Island. Frick is a small island in Chesapeake Bay with about 100 inhabitants and only accessible by boat. Once there he discovers Piper, an attractive young woman who seems to be talking to her dead husband....and everyone on the island talks to him too! Anders is intrigued by both Piper and her story, so he decides to write about it, or rather to create a podcast about it without letting Piper or her friends know that's what he's doing. As expected, all does not go well.

Yes, it's predictable. Yes, I did a "face palm" frequently. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! The characters are incredibly endearing and loveable, even the cranky ones, and everyone is so well drawn they are individuals that I wanted to get to know. The story is filled with lots of sub-plots that create tension, suspense, and humor. This could have been a sappy Hallmark romance, but instead it was delightful and entertaining. Fun, sweet, funny, sad, romantic. A great read!

If you love Rachel Joyce or Gabrielle Zevin, then you will MELT over The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.

I literally fell into the prose: as if Oakley were there tipping me over and immersing me in the easy poetry of her balanced land and sea-scapes.

I melted for these characters. This is a poignant tale with a soft philosophy and an aching treatise on love and heartbreak at its core.

It is wonderfully human and will appeal to those who are trying to find optimism during the world's dark moment and also just hopeful of love.


(also shared on twitter, fb and instagram)

This book had a great story with a mystery in the background. I did not guess the ending at all, which is lovely. Keep me interested until the last page.
I highly recommend this book!

This was a delightful romantic comedy about finding love after a significant loss. What I loved most…it doesn't quite end the way you imagine it might!

This was better than I expected. More than fluffy chick lit. Will recommend it to patrons.. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This was a delightful read that kept me fully engaged throughout the book. I loved the quirky characters and the unique storyline. Colleen Oakley is a one of a kind story teller who never disappoints. I truly love all her books! #NetGalley #ColleenOakley #TheInvisibleHusbandOfFrickIsland

This was cute but not more than that. Too many stereotypes and not enough character depth. I really don't like books where the premise is based on deception.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A tiny, sparsely inhabited island is the setting for this sweet love story.. While predictable, the characters are relatable and interesting.