Summer on the Island is a blend of women’s fiction and contemporary romance and is a story about loss, friendship, and second chances. I really enjoyed Brenda Novak's previous book, The Bookstore on the Beach, when I read it last year and it has a similar vibe to Summer on the Island, but I struggled with this one. The first half was very slow and I just did not connect with any of the characters or their storylines. I did keep reading/listening to see how the secrets and conflicts between the characters played out, but it was just a little underwhelming. I think this was a case of just not the right book for me at this time, but I definitely plan to read more of Brenda Novak's books in the future.

The audiobook was narrated by Amy McFadden. This is the second time I have listened to an audiobook with her narrating and I just don't think she works for me. There is something about her tone that annoys me (again I think this is a "me" problem). In this case, I think the audiobook took away from my enjoyment and I wish I would have just read the physical book the entire time. I do recommend you don't write off this narrator until you try for yourself!

If you have ever wanted to escape your life and spend a summer on an island in Florida then Summer on the Island is a great book for you to read! Despite my rocky start with Summer on the Island, it is steamy, full of drama, and a guilty-pleasure read!

Thank you so much Uplit Reads and HTP Books for my gifted copies and Harper Audio and Libro.fm for the gifted ALC! All opinions are my own.

A very enjoyable read that pulled me in from the very beginning. The perfect book to kick off your summer reading. Looking forward to what’s she comes with next.

First off- this setting makes for the perfect beach read! I loved the setting and the friend dynamics. I wish I had a friend with a mansion I could live in for the summer! I mean... SWOON. This book had too much going on though and I feel it detracted from the story. The plot sidewinded so many times I lost interest. The setting and characters kept me reading but my heart was no longer in it.

I love Brenda Novak and her Facebook group. Looking forward to hearing her talk about this one tonight. When I read the Q&A with the author at the end, her first answer told me what I wondered about her thoughts writing the book. It is a huge spoiler… so don’t read it first if you don’t like big spoilers. For a while, I felt like I knew what was coming, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be :)

I loved all the characters in the book. They are well adjusted people who learn from their mistakes (which I appreciate). None of the main characters are perfect, but they are caring and real. I liked Marlow a lot, and more than anything, this is a friendship novel (there are a couple of steamy scenes for those who like that).

Synopsis

Marlow and two friends go to Marlow’s beach house for the summer in Florida. Her two friends met, because one was dating the other’s husband, and when she learned of it, she want to the wife. Marlow represented the wife in court. She was a busy lawyer in California, but after Covid, she came home to take a break. She is confronted by her family’s caretaker’s son, who has always had a crush on her. And of course, there are a couple secrets.

This is a perfect beach or book to take on a trip. Novak in the Q&A says her favorite reading time is on a plane, and this is the perfect book for that. What’s better than a trip with some girlfriends to a beach house?

“He wanted to believe he’d put up a valiant defense against what she did to him - what she had always done to him. But as he got back into his truck, he knew she would haunt him for the rest of the night.
He was afraid she might just haunt him for the rest of the summer.” P 74

First off… I went in expecting a cute little beach 🏝 read… don’t get me wrong.. you can definitely read this at the beach! It was so much more!! The character development was fantastic and get ready for this… there was a huge twist… 🤭😳…Be still my twisted thriller heart. ❤️

So much to love here.. the island 🏝 setting… going back home.. which is always a win in my book! Second chances? Enemies to lovers? Maybe?🤔 I love all of that! Then throw in a HUGE secret 🤫 that I NEVER saw coming!! Yess please!

When Marlow goes back home to help her mother after her father passes away.. she gets way more than she bargained for.

I don’t know 🤷‍♀️ what I was expecting but whatever it was… this delivered and then some!! Five sunshine filled stars! ⭐️Drama… relationships… friendships…grief… this book had it all. I can’t wait to read more by Brenda Novak!! ❤️

I found this novel to be enjoyable, perfect for kicking off Summer 2022. From the first page, I found myself interested in the friendships, drama and secrets that swelled between the characters. I haven't read much of Novak's work but would be interested in reading more from her.

Brenda Novak wrote a winner here with Summer on the Island.
I feel an entire backlist reread coming on because of this one!

If you're looking for the perfect beach read this summer, may I recommend Summer on the Island by Brenda Novak. While the title is a bit on the nose, I promise you that it truly is the perfect fit for your vacation reading.

Following her father's death, Marlow decides to travel to a small island in Florida. Alongside her two friends, Aida and Claire, she hopes to find the reset button on her life. Or at least a new perspective.

Unfortunately, this time will offer insight – just not the type she was looking for. Her father's will reveals a drastic secret that will change the way she remembers him. While navigating all these changes thrown her way, she finds one more surprise in her life. Hopefully, this will be the good turn she needs.

"Love isn't words, man. Love is... love is doing the hard stuff."

This book was everything I needed when I picked it up. It was emotional, fascinating, reflective, and, most importantly – as far away from winter as I could get. Therefore, I found myself highly enjoying Summer on the Island.

Summer on the Island tells the story of three women who have their own reasons for needing a bit of an escape. I feel like that alone is enough for most readers to relate to. However, Brenda Novak takes the plot further, giving us so many reasons to connect with the characters and their journeys.

It is the quintessential women's fiction read, as far as I'm concerned. I know my opinion will probably change with the next book that hits me so hard in the feels. But at the moment, Summer on the Island is the first book that will come to mind when asked about women's fiction.

Thanks to Mira Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Even though it’s barely 60 degrees here, I’m declaring the start of summer reading season! This week I read @authorbrendanovak newest novel, Summer on the Island. 🏝

After each going through a life crisis, three friends decide to get away from real life and spend the summer at Marlow’s family beach house on an island off the coast of Florida. Marlow’s father has recently passed away and she’s using this time to reconnect with her ailing mother. It’s also bringing up a lot of her past including some new bombshells she’s didn’t know about. The two other women are friends after finding out they were dating/married to the same man. Aida is trying to figure out life after a divorce and Claire is thinking about what do after her house burns down in the Malibu wildfires.

I always love stories about going home and the drama that comes with being in your childhood neighborhood. Marlow runs into her former friend who has always had an unreciprocated crush on Marlow and now maybe Marlow is interested? This was fun to see blossom.

This was a great start to summer reading season. Looking forward to more from Brenda! Thank you so much to @uplitreads and @_mira_books for my gifted copy. Summer on the Island is out now and would make a great addition to your beach bag!

Summer on the Island...A great stand-alone Spring or Summer read. The pandemic is finally over and Marlos dad died. Her mom is moving out to the island and so she a d several friends fly across country to work thru all the emotional issues they are all sorting thru. Not what you think it's going to be...As usual Brenda touches all the feels.
Thank you to Net Galley, the author and the Publishers in exchange for my honest review

I love sinking into a Brenda Novak story! I know I'm going to find interesting characters, an interesting storyline, and a satisfying ending. Summer on the Island checked all of those boxes for me. The story of the three friends who spend the summer on the island was fun but also emotional as they worked through their drama.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the beach and getting to know Marlo and her friends. This is a perfect beach read and one that I know you will want to devour.

This book got me out of a slump buuuuuut I ended up right back in it after a plateau in the story. Teach Island was a wonderful setting and I loved it so much. The characters on the other hand were messy. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope but there were a lot of unnecessary plot points. The plot points were what ultimately had me rolling my eyes or wishing it was shorter. Speaking of shorter, perhaps this could have been 75 pages shorter.

Go into this one knowing that it’s a very messy women’s fiction novel and, while it will provide an escape, you’ll likely be irritated at the stupidity of at least one character. *Cough*claire*Cough*

TW: Infidelity

After the sudden death of her father, Marlow and her two friends, Aida and Claire, travel to Teach Island to take care of his estate. Although all of the women are looking for a reset following personal challenges in their lives, an unexpected secret and an unexpected visitor affect their time on the island.

Quick thoughts:
LIKES - The drama in this book was amazing! The characters were all so well developed and each had their own struggles. I kept wanting to read more of the book to find out what would happen with each of them! I also really loved how they leaned on - and learned from - each other throughout the story!

DISLIKES - Nothing!

Read if you like:
*family drama
*second chances
*a strong friendship among women
*a perfect beach read

I really enjoyed this book! I love Brenda Novak’s books, and was so excited to read her newest one! This book was the perfect beach read, and put me in the mood for summer. This book had a little bit of everything. It had romance, friendship, drama, love and loss, and so much more! There were so many secrets and drama in this book, it will keep you hooked and reading to find out what will happen next. I highly recommend adding this one to your summer TBR, for your beach trips!

This contemporary romance takes us to the beach. Three friends travel to a small island off the coast of Florida to rest and restore away from the hustle of LA. One has decided to walk away from her law practice and return to the family home after her father's untimely death. The other women are unsuspecting friends, as one is the divorcee and the other mistress.

There is not only one but three strong female protagonists in this story. Their friendship rises above when tested by the suns and sand of the island and the past that haunts them. Summer on the Island mixes a little romance and drama with a tad of danger. This book is perfect when all you dream about are Palm Trees.

Thank you UplitReads for the complimentary copy to read and review.

Marlow goes back home after the death of her father to see how her mothers doing. She takes along two friends that need some time away Aida and Claire who was with the game guy unknowingly so need some time to heal. This summer vacation is going to change all of them quite a bit with romance and secrets and they'll work on this summer to figure things out.

This was a pretty enjoyable book. Normally I try to stay away from books with multiple point of views because I have a hard time distinguishing between the characters but each character was made unique enough for me to seperate and enjoy. I liked getting to know the characters I loved seeing the romance for Marlow from a guy from her past who she really wasn't all that great to. Then there was well theres plenty of issues going around to keep things interesting you'll just have to read to find out because I don't want to give away too much. I liked the slow pace of the book and seeing how things resolved and how the book ended. It was overall a really nice read and recommend you lovely readers to check this book out.

Marlow Madsen is back on the island she went to every summer to help her mom settle her father’s estate and to figure out her own future. She’s taken a couple friends with her who need a break of their own - Aida, who is divorcing her cheating husband, and Claire, the woman Aida’s husband was cheating with. That’s a recipe for disaster.

When Marlow runs into her childhood nemesis on the island, old emotions start to rise. She’s sorry for the way she treated him way back when but he doesn’t seem willing to accept her apology. Can they be around each other all summer without causing each other more pain?

This is a perfect summer read, and also perfect for dreaming of long summer days. This is my first book by Brenda Novak but will not be my last.

DNF at 60%
Frankly, I was bored and not invested in any of the characters. The narrator is new to me but also part of the problem. It seemed very much like a poor-little-rich girl story which can be hard for me to relate to (not rich over here, ha!)
I don't have a lot to say because of the lack of connection to any character or the plot. I've read Brenda before - years ago - and thought it would be fun to try another by her. I don't believe it's an author thing for me, just this particular story.
Thank you to Uplit Reads and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the gifted copy and Harper Audio for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

This is the perfect beach read for the season - the characters are likable and fun, but they also have layers that make them feel human. I loved the secret romance and the steam! Sometimes sex scenes in books are awkward and cringe worthy, but this one was not at all. You could feel the chemistry, which made the drama all the more intense; I needed the characters to end up together!

I also really enjoyed the supporting characters and their storylines. The ex boiled my blood, but I loved the friendship that developed because of his disgusting self.

The twist worked for me and I loved the happy ending!

Summer on the Island is set just after the pandemic. Travel is once again possible and people are returning to work. Marlow has recently lost her father, a US Senator, and she wants to go spend time with her mother on Teach Island off the coast of Florida. She is tired of being a divorce attorney, seeing the worst side of people, the broken marriages ad unhappy families. She closes her practice in LA and invites two friends, Aida and Claire to spend the summer with her on Teach. Aida and Claire are dealing with their own issues and agree to go to reboot their lives. Once on the island we meet Rosemary and her two grown sons, Walker and Reese. Rosemary has worked for the Madsen family since before Marlow was born and she grew up with Walker, who loved her for years. He just wants to get through the summer and get Marlow out of his system. When Marlow meets with the family lawyer about her father's will, secrets are revealed that will change many lives.

I loved this book and once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen between Walker and Marlow. I was surprised to see how Aida and Claire knew each other and still became friends, a very interesting character development there. There are not a lot of characters in this story, but each one played an important role in the story. The story has a mystery to it and well as some other issues that add to the storyline making it multi-dimensional. There are a few twists and plenty of romance, some of it steamier than I like (you can skim those parts and not lose anything from the main plots). I loved the beach setting and the family beach house named Seaclusion. Who wouldn't want to spend three months in a three bedroom guesthouse, where the housekeeper/cook/companion from the main house cooks most of your delicious meals? The characters that were realistic and relatable and I love the ones I should have and disliked some of the others. I really loved Marlow and wanted her to find what she was looking for. The story was well-paced, with enough action in each chapter to keep me engaged. If you enjoy stories of romance, new beginnings, family drama, and secrets with a touch of mystery I recommend this book.