The two words I’d use to describe The Invisible Husband of Frick Island are sweet and wholesome. You could recommend this book to your grandma or your teenage daughter and they’d both love it. Now, sweet and wholesome isn’t typically my jam, but I found myself liking this one. Why?

Setting! The novel is set on Frick Island, an isolated island in the Chesapeake Bay without attention to the hustle and bustle of American life. No technology, no alcohol (unless it’s bootlegged) and a small community of hard-working people. The cast of characters in this idyllic setting made the novel.

Like Frick Island’s slow pace, I found this book to be a slow build. I’m an extremely antsy reader and will quit a book 10 pages in, but I’m glad I stuck with this one to see what it had to offer.

The central plotline is about Piper, whose waterman husband is presumed dead, and unable to deal, Piper carries on with life as if he were alive. Everyone in town joins in, greeting Tom in the morning and serving his favorite food at the diner. Anders, a journalist, comes to the island to cover an unrelated story and stumbles into an unforgettable story to launch his podcast. As he secretly covers Piper’s story, he must wrestle with his dishonesty as his feelings for Piper intensify.

I thought the book would be more about grief. The story, though, was more about friendship and how our friends support us even during our darkest and most outlandish moments. This is a feel-good book with lots of twists and turns throughout the book- nothing maybe or off-putting, but enough to keep you guessing.

I recommend picking it up in the summer months as you bask with your feet in the sand and a cold glass of lemonade in hand.

In a world where there is so much pain and negativity, diving into a book like this is just the dose of goodness we need.

Piper Parrish is delusional, believing that her husband, who was lost at sea, is still alive, and through this novel we witness the goodness of people. We see how the townspeople come together to still greet and speak with her husband, acting as though he is present with Piper. It is a beautiful showing of goodness and love from an entire community.

Then, we meet Anders, who comes to Frick Island, dreaming of becoming a famous podcaster. He begins covering climate change and the shrinking of Frick Island, but his journalistic instincts make him dive further. As someone new to the town, he is, understandably confused. Is Piper’s husband alive? What happened to him? When his podcast becomes more about Piper, he sees his dreams of fame being fulfilled, but at what cost?

This story is so intricately woven, a delicate balancing act of beautiful, flawed characters, a mystery, and a beautiful story of love and hope. This book will wrap you up and make you dream of traveling to Frick Island (if only it were real),

Thank you to Net Galley and Berkley for the free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley has been described as a love story, but I would classify it as Women’s Fiction, maybe Fantasy. I found the novel to be a light read that was just silly in my point of view. The premise of a woman with an invisible husband just did not hold up.

Piper Parrish lives on fictional Frick Island, based on Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Her husband was killed when his crab boat capsized but she pretends that he is still alive, and the 90-some population of the island go along with the fantasy.

Instead of rapidly running away from this woman who is said to be suffering from post-bereavement hallucination experiences, journalist and podcaster Anders Caldwell falls in love with the young woman who has a strong interest in science.

WorldCat labels this book as Fiction : Secondary (senior high) school, which may be my whole problem with it. It is a story for a younger audience.

Colleen Oakley’s You Were There Too was long listed for the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting March 16, 2021.

I would like to thank Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

There is something very charming about this story, a story about love and grief and starting again. Let me start off by saying how much I love all the islanders of Frick Island. They really stole the show for me. I love the setting, this small dwindling island of people who know and love each other, so much so that they're willing to play along with a young widow's grief that her husband is still alive, and right next to her.

I think the setting and the islanders really set this book above a typical love story. So much was added from the setting and it was really cozy to slip into this story and read about the town and the weather and their very very strong feelings towards journalists (Gasp!) and global warming.

Anders is a journalist who is an outsider, having found the story of Piper and her strange circumstance where she thinks her dead husband is still alive. And what happens when he starts falling for Piper?

The love story was okay, predictable but that wasn't a bad thing. I guess I didn't really feel much chemistry between Piper and Anders and I wish Anders had more depth to him. I wanted him to have more of a life outside the island, more backstory. The islanders and Piper were full of life and I felt Anders was a little dull. Piper is an interesting character too. I couldn't really connect with her or her actions so that took me out of the story a bit.

But I did love the overall tone and message of the book. Don't judge anyone too harshly without knowing them, take the time to meet people and talk to them, slow down. The writing is good and even though the plot slowed for me a bit in the middle, I was happy to continue on and enjoy the townspeople and Anders trying to muddle his way into belonging.

I love Colleen Oakley. There’s a deceptive informality and ease to her storytelling and you just can’t help getting drawn in - Frick Island is a quirky place so it stands to reason it has quirky residents. Moving, sentimental and impossible to put down, The Invisible Husband of Frick Island was quietly unforgettable.

Piper and Tom married young but are madly in love. When his boat is found at the bottom of the Chesapeake and he’s presumed dead, she is devastated. Until she wakes up one morning and he’s next to her. The problem? No one else on their small island sees him.

This was such a refreshing and unique tale! I was tickled to see it took place in Maryland, the state I live in. After reading the author’s note, I found out Frick Island is fictional BUT based on the real life Smith Island. Their cake is the official dessert of Maryland! At the beginning of the book, I had a hard time getting into it because the islanders were just so darn rude and mean! I got used to that and Piper redeemed them. I liked Anders character and how he started as a ruthless investigator, but turned into an islander at heart. This was a special book about grief, but also about loving where you grew up and protecting traditions. There were even some surprises I wasn’t expecting. I also loved that the surprises weren’t super crazy or out there.. they made complete sense to the story and felt true to life.

“Maybe a woman thinking her dead husband was alive wasn’t the strangest thing in the world. Maybe the strangest thing in the world was a whole town pretending they could see him too.”

“There were more buried secrets on this island than on a sunken treasure ship, and Anders was tired of uncovering them.”

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island comes out 5/25.

I don’t know about all of you, but when the All State insurance commercial popped up on my television around year 487 of quarantine I wanted to pack my bags and move there immediately . . . .

Just putting that little tidbit out there right away because when the leading male was preparing to board the ferry to take him to Frick Island and was told . . . .

"Hope you’ve got your DeLorean – because you’re about to go back in time."

I was sorta maybe already in love with this book.

So the story here is about small town journalist Anders who gets sent to Frick Island to cover the annual Cake Walk for the paper. The event ends up getting canceled thanks to a storm that pops up, but Anders thinks there may still be a story there for his personal podcast. It starts with the theory that the island may cease to exist altogether thanks to rising waters due to climate change, but morphs into something different when he meets Piper – and her invisible husband Tom . . . .

Okay okay maybe it’s not a full on “George Glass” situation a la Jan Brady since Tom was a living, breathing human at one time, but when his fishing boat went down in a storm and his body was never recovered his wife Piper just kept on keeping on like he was still around. And the townsfolk? Well, they all decided to just go with it..

I loved this dang book. So much so that when my husband asked what I had been reading I'm pretty sure I literally had emoji heart eyes in place of my usual baby blues. If you are looking for something so sugary you might end up with a cavity or twelve, put this on your TBR when it comes out in May. I’m going to go ahead and give it all the Stars.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

5 stars

This is the kind of book that you need to take your time with. To imagine what this beautiful island looks like, to envision the residents of Frick Island and to savor the beautiful words that Colleen Oakley shares with the reader.

The story starts begins by describing and introducing the quaint island town and the main characters, Piper, Tom and Anders. Frick Island is proud of its heritage and the fact that there is no cell service, no alcohol and no police station.

Piper, a young widow, enrobed in grief, and beloved by the whole town (of roughly 94 residents), mentions one day that Tom (her deceased husband) no longer snores. This revelation starts a chain reaction whereby the whole town begins to acknowledge Tom, even though they know he is not actually here. The circumstances around Tom’s death are left intentionally fuzzy and unanswered.

Anders, a young and hungry journalist comes to the island to cover the yearly Frick Island Cake Walk for the second-rate paper he writes for. After visiting the town and covering the story, he receives an email telling him he is missing the bigger story. Since he has aspirations to build a successful podcast, he decides to follow this lead, which he assumes is the effect of climate change on the island. What Anders doesn’t count on is that no one wants to talk about, face or entertain the idea that their beloved island may be in trouble. He gets unwillingly swept into the practice of acknowledging Tom as if he is actually there (think the Emperor’s New Clothes). He is then drawn to find out more about the situation. Why would the townspeople go along with this ruse? Is Piper suffering from a grief-induced mental sickness? What is the town hiding?

While Anders is gathering his “scoop”, he discovers much more than he came for. Just as he is hesitantly welcomed into the community, unexpected results in connection with his podcast threaten to topple the townie relationships he’s worked diligently to build. Will he be able to rectify the situation? What he finds out surprises him and will definitely surprise the reader. I loved the way the author fashioned the ending the resulting hope it radiated.

This book provides a wonderful journey to an island “that time forgot.” I am going to miss my time with Pearl and Harold, BobDan, Lady Judy and others. This story is simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming. A very special read indeed.

Thank you toNetGalley for the advance copy!

The book blew blew me away!! I love island setting for stories. The author captured a unique way of island life with the tiny town of Frick. The idea that a young widow has kept up the presence of her deceased husband, and the rest of the island supports it, was interesting! . Very good book!

When I first started the book I thought much to my dismay, that it was going to be a fantasy. I kept going and read a story of a grieving widow, an extremely supportive community and a journalist who is intrigued by the whole situation. Perhaps something he can use for his nascent podcast. A most satisfying read.

I loved this sweet book about loss, love, and a charming little island. Anders is a wannabe podcaster looking for the right subject, when he happens across the story of a lifetime: The entire population of a small island in the Chesapeake Bay is pretending to see (and speak to) the dead husband of a young widow, Piper, who hasn't come to terms with her loss. Anders works to get to the bottom of the story before the island finally gets the internet and the locals learn about the real subject of his project, but he doesn't count on his heart getting in the way. Fans of small towns and quirky characters will adore this book.

Just in time for summer comes this year's perfect beach read. On the remote Frick Island in the middle of Chesapeake Bay, Piper Parrish had a perfect life - until her husband died. But Piper kept carrying on, acting as if he was still alive, and the townsfolk decided to play along with the grieving widow. When an ambitious podcaster arrives in town, he feels like he has the story of a lifetime, until he starts to fall in love with Piper. With quirky characters, a cute love story, and thoughtful plot twists, The Invisible Husband of Frick Island is a poignant story about grief and the things we'll do for those we love.

A sweet story with a surprising twist and quirky characters. Oakley's writing style and pacing will lend itself to easy book club selection and her name recognition will move this book off the shelves and into the hands of readers.

I'm a huge Colleen Oakley fan: She has the BEST premises behind her books—and the instant I heard about this one, I knew it would be right up my alley too. The very idea of a young widow imagining her dead husband beside her, and all her friends and neighbors going along with it, is so simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming: Throw in an isolated island that time seems to have forgotten, and an awkward, struggling (and quickly smitten) young journalist, and you have a truly irresistible story. You'll smile, laugh, cry, cheer, get angry at all these beautifully flawed characters and forgive them just as quickly. An endearing, memorable read, perfect for book clubs.

What a fun romp. You won't know what to believe; is he dead? Is she crazy? Is the entire island crazy or is it just you? So much fun.

I adored this title and have already told so many of my reading friends about it. I can't say too much without giving too much away. The characters were wonderful and the community is somewhere I'd like to visit! Grief and persuasion are powerful emotions...

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island was a joy to read as I spent many a summer at Rehoboth beach, which is near this fictional island. This book was a like recipe with equal parts of sweetness, sadness, hope and heartbreak.

Anders, the male protagonist of the book, had always dreamt of being the reporter Clark Kent, not the kryptonite fearing, superhero version. He was more complicated than I thought he’d be as he uncovered so much about himself while discovering Frick Island. Piper was a one-of-a-kind character – beloved, maybe crazy, lost and lonely. She was hiding and grieving until Anders started poking holes in her shield of protection.

The island was a character in itself – completely resistant to change, solitary, unyielding, warm, helpful to the locals, dry as a bone and utterly small. Watching how the townspeople grew and began to open themselves up to new ideas was done quite well. All of Oakley’s books have a sense of magic to them and this one was no exception. Her writing is smooth and enjoyable. Nothing fancy or erudite, just regular conversations and thoughts for her characters. Reading this during the cold, winter months made me itch for a warm beach where I could dip my toes in the sand, dine on crabs and read a book. It really was a fine escape and unique storyline.

This is a sweet and quirky love story with an unusual premise. Young Piper has lost her husband Tom, a fisherman who drowned. In her grief, she seems to believe that Tom is still alive and living with her. What is even more strange, the entire community of their small Frick Island is going along with her delusion. When ambitious reporter Anders comes to the island to do a story on the annual cake walk, he finds an even more compelling one - why is the entire island acting like Tom is still around? He decides to record a podcast about it, which gives him the recognition he's been wanting in his career. But as Anders falls for Piper, he has to face the cost of what bringing fame to Frick Island means - for him, for Piper and for the entire town.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island is part tragedy, part mystery, and a whole lot of heart.

When a small-town reporter stumbles upon the story of a lifetime on a tiny island in the Chesapeake Bay, he can't help but pursue it. But what happens when he falls in love with the island and its inhabitants?

This is a sweet read.