ISLAND TIME was my first book by @georgialouclark and I enjoyed it! Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review. This one publishes next Tuesday, June 14!

I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading this one and realized it was a perfect book to read for #pridemonth ! This book is a great sapphic summer romance, while also delving deep into family drama/relationships!

This book is set in a fictional island down under in Australia, and now I want to go visit this place that does not exist 😆 there’s a lot that goes on in this book between the two families: identity, ambition, resentment, life-altering decisions/secrets, near death experiences (I will always be on the look out for crocodiles!!), as well as very steamy!

I also really appreciated the inclusion of aboriginal stories, and a native character (who is also a love interest!). There was so much information regarding the culture of the native people and the land, you could really tell the author did her research!

All the characters were quirky in their own way. Everyone was dealing with something “big” I think my favourite was Amelia’s dad (he’s a fellow introvert!).

I did think this book was a little too long, and that some of the stuff that did happen, was a little extreme, soils not have happened in any other situation, but I think that also plays into the whole “trapped on a deserted island” experience. Anything can happen right?!

Overall, a great book that I recommend for queer lovers stories, and a great escape read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital copy of Georgia Clark's new book, Island Time - 3.5 stars.

The Kelly family are loud, messy Australians and the Lee family are more sophisticated, aloof Americans. But their daughters are married and the other Kelly daughter, Amelia, brought them together for a family vacation to an island off Queensland to meet her boyfriend. Then a tsunami hit and their long weekend turned into being stranded for six weeks.

I loved the setting, the history, even the bird info in this book. I also loved the character progression, as each character learns more about themselves, how to relate to each other, and how to fulfill and understand their dreams. What I didn't like so much was the fact that there were so many different points of view in the third person that it was confusing. There was also a lot of gay sex - so much that it felt pornographic instead of romantic. I love dark humor but there were quite a few tone deaf jokes. I'm probably too old and straight to be the target audience for this book so please read other reviews!

Amelia's blown out her bank account to gather her family- her sister, her sister-in-law, her sister-in-law's parents, and her own parents-for a very expensive week on an isolated island off the coast of Australia so that they can meet James, the man she believes she's going to marry. James doesn't make it the first day and then a volcano blows nearby, bringing with it a tsunami and everyone is stuck, stuck for 6 weeks at least. Everyone has to recalibrate their expectations, especially Amelia (known as Animal to her family). who learns that James (no surprise) is not the gem she thought. Less, who is managing the island, becomes, well, more important in her life. There's a fair amount of family drama here, with Matty and her wife Parker, and so on. My problem- how on earth did they have not only power -power to make ice cubes, power to light things- and the internet (!) ? And no ash? Zoom meetings? This was a pretty lush way to be stuck on an island after natural disaster. I wanted to like this so much- the set up, the characters were terrific- but I couldn't get the incongruity out of my head. I know this is meant to be light and fun and that the real conditions they would have experienced might have been a downer but it would likely have made for a more interesting read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I did not finish. Typically I don’t give star ratings to books I DNF, but since it is required by netgalley, I’m rating the portion I read.

I really tried to love Island Time by Georgia Clark, but I just couldn’t get into it. So many POVs and most of the jokes just didn’t work for me. It’s also marketed as a romantic comedy, but I definitely got more “family drama” vibes from it.

I did enjoy the LGBTQ+ representation, how detailed the history of the island was, and the accuracy of the language re: the island’s “discovery.”

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the opportunity to read and review Island Time. 2/5 stars from me.

Summary: The Kellys and the Lees have very little in common, except for the fact that their daughters are married. A family vacation to a remote tropical island off the coast of Australia is supposed to provide a few days of family bonding time. But the quick getaway turns into much more when a nearby volcano erupts and strands the two families, alone except for two island employees, for six weeks. The ensuing story follows a wonderfully varied ensemble cast through relationship woes, family struggles, and more, asking questions about identity, ambition, love, life... and birds.

My Thoughts: I was so excited to get an advance copy of this book. I've loved Georgia Clark's books for the past few years, and Island Time was already one of my most-anticipated books of 2022. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Georgia Clark writes an ensemble cast like no one else. Each character in this book has hopes, dreams, challenges, and a unique perspective. Each individual storyline stands up to the rest, but the exploration of the relationships between the island's temporary residents is just as emotional and heartfelt as each character's personal journey.

I expected the love, joy, and humor that characterizes Clark's books, and Island Time certainly delivered. I laughed out loud at some of the family antics, cheered on Liss and Amelia as their romance developed, and celebrated with the whole family in their triumphs. But in addition to the heartwarming that Clark does so well, this book made my heart race and even break a little. The central conflict of the book is that the families are stranded because of a volcanic eruption and tsunami, but I did not expect such an intense, anxiety-ridden scene as the one in which the tsunami crashed down. Clark captured the terror and concern of the characters in that situation, as well as mourning the devastation that a natural disaster causes to a habitat. Rather than just being a plot device, this brought a depth to the story and caused the characters to question their priorities and desires for the rest of the book.

Throughout the whole book, Clark's attention to the natural habitat of the island and the experiences of indigenous Australians was thoughtful and informative. Jarrah's character provided a great opportunity for education about a topic that many readers probably aren't aware of, without seeming tokenized or othered. I was impressed by this, and I enjoyed learning a bit about native Australian history and habitat. The turtle scene was an especially sensitive and beautiful moment for both the characters and the reader, bringing together native traditions, appreciation for the environment, and teamwork among a disparate cast of characters.

I think it's fair to say that I had high expectations for this book because I've loved Clark's other work so much. Those expectations were met and exceeded. If you're looking for a joyful, hilarious, empathetic read perfect for summer, look no further than Island Time.

I dnfed this book at 5%
I wasn't vibing with the book the way I wanted to. I was confused because of the bouncing around and following so many people while being in third person. Some people might like this but unfortunately I was not one of those people.

This is mostly family drama with a bit of romance. I thought the characters were quirky and pretty funny, but I never truly got invested in the story. The romance was a bit insta-love for me, which I sometimes don’t mind, but I did not really like it here. Amelia was a bit unhinged at the end, which totally threw me off as well.

There was so much going on that I felt like I couldn’t truly connect with any of the characters or the plot really.

This is my first Georgia Clark book and Id say that it was decent. I have read a lot of romances set in paradise lately and maybe that jaded my views on this one, but I honestly felt like it was missing something. I never felt invested in any of the characters- they were all just terribly people and that really made this hard to read. The amount of POV's made this incredibly overwhelming. Also, the behaviors of these grown women were insane, literally if this felt like a bunch of college/high school students that's how awful they were.

Island Time by Georgia Clark wasn't what I was expecting. The cute cover led me to believe this was going to be a fun rom-com, but it was more of a woman's fiction. There were a lot of hits and misses here in my opinion.

I loved the progressive and inclusive ideas and concepts spread throughout the novel. I actually enjoyed the various perspectives we were able to see. Glen's inner monologue dealing with his obvious social anxiety was so relatable, that I almost had to stop reading. I felt like Georgia Clark was in my head. I loved to see the character growth in so many different characters.

I hate to say it, but Jules is the worst character. I internally groaned every time I started a chapter from her point of view. It's one thing to divorce your husband, but another to fantasize about him dying. She lied the entire book, and I don't feel like she learned anything of value.

The narrator laid out each character's personality and traits so well, that there was nothing left for the reader to analyze or draw conclusions on. There was really no mystery or room for opinions. In all honesty, this book felt more like a love story between the author and Australia.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Georgia Clark for the ARC!

Island Time
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance / LGBTQ
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 6/14/22
Author: Georgina Clark
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 416
Goodreads Rating: 3.48

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a digital advanced readers copy of the book for me to read for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: The Kellys are messy, loud, loving Australians. The Lees are sophisticated, aloof, buttoned-up Americans. They have nothing in common…except for the fact that their daughters are married. When a nearby volcano erupts during their short vacation to a remote tropical island off the coast of Queensland, the two families find themselves stranded together for six weeks.

My Thoughts: The story is narrated by many characters, nine of them, from their own perspective, personally, I found it confusing at time to know who was talking about what and could not connect with any one character. The story seemed a little long with 70 chapters and over 400 pages; sometimes with a lot of chapters, the chapters are shorter, however, here some of the chapters are long, just making the book drag a bit. The book is classified as a romance novel, but I believe it would be better classified as fiction. Now for the good, it is a charming story. Stuck on an island, it really gives you an opportunity to reflect where you have been in your life and where you are going. I loved that it was a spin on LGBTQ. The setting was amazing, an island in Australia and the description was absolutely beautiful, and I felt really connected to the scene. I usually love Clark’s writing style so I would definitely check out future (and past) novels by this author.

Amelia is a hopeless romantic hoping to introduce her boyfriend (and hopefully future husband) to her whole family during a fancy weekend getaway on an island off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Her older sister, Matty, and Matty's wife Parker are planning to use the weekend as a stopover on their way to moving to Sydney, where they hope to start a family of their own. Matty and Amelia's parents, Jules and Glen Kelly, and Parker's parents, Ludmilla and Randall Lee, are also there in an attempt for the two families to get to know each other better and - hopefully - get along better. On the island with them is Liss, a French Canadian nursing a broken heart while working on the island, and Jorrah, a native Australian man on the council that oversees the island. But plans change when an earthquake triggers a tsunami, cutting the island off from the mainland and stranding the group for six weeks. Relationships are tested and new ones develop as the group gets to know one another and their island surroundings.

This book is a weird mix of serious drama, disaster fiction, tropical romance, and family dramedy. I didn't feel like it really nailed any of those genres and the various characters and perspectives made the storytelling somewhat choppy. It is clear that Clark loves Queensland and the islands there from the way she writes about the flora and fauna of the island - Max, a gigantic huntsman spider, is a highlight but don't google pictures, it is terrifying - but it doesn't always fit well with the rest of narrative. The tone is uneven, moving from the terror of a tsunami that almost kills the characters to a pretty cushy aftermath where food and water is still easily accessible and plentiful, from relationship high drama to romcom ridiculousness. The characters are not terribly sympathetic or likeable - I liked Glen and Liss but the rest were all pretty awful or one-dimensional. The book tackles important topics like queer identity and relationships and parenthood and there were some pretty good scenes - the Guess Who? game and Glen's transformation into an emotionally-present father come to mind - but this one just wasn't for me. It isn't a light read even thought it was marketed as a romantic comedy and the humor is often cringy. 2.5 stars, rounding down.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Island Time early in exchange for an honest review.

At this time for me this book was a DNF. I tried to get into it but it was so slow at the beginning and a little all over the place. Right not not for me but maybe another time.

I will be posting my thoughts today on my Instagram story @manas_library!

There is so much going on in this story that I loved. Starting with this family meeting on an island for a getaway and getting stuck. It was the perfect mix of family dynamics, finding new friendships and new loves, exploring an island and weathering the challenges. It wasn't at all what I expected but in such a good way. The characters were limited which meant I felt like I got to know them all intimately. I loved that they each had their own thing and it felt like I got to sit back and watch them become the people they were always meant to be. The author does an incredible job if detailing the island, the animals and the weather that allows you to picture this place perfect. Would highly recommend and will definetely be seeking more stories from this author!!!

The Kellys’ take their family trip to a small island off Queensland for some rest and relaxation. Not long after their arrival, a volcano erupts and suddenly the family is stranded for 6 weeks along with two employees.

This was a little different than I anticipated, I was thinking more romance and it is more a family drama/fiction. The story was told from multiple points of view including Amelia, Liss, Amelia’s parent, Amelia’s sister, and a few more. This book made me want to go on vacation, just not to a small deserted island. 😂😂

This was my first read by Georgia Clark and I went in totally blind.

I was immediately excited to learn of the setting, Lady Lush - an island off the coast of Australia. It was remote and quite exotic. Amelia Kelly and her sister have organized a beach vacation for their families to meet and spend time together. When a tsunami hits the island, the family is stranded there for six weeks. During the time on the island there are certainly some unexpected events. Each character struggles with who they are at heart and what they truly want to get out of their lives. This uninterrupted time on Lady Lush allows for lots of time for fights and fun, breakups and hookups. I really loved that Amelia just had a big open heart ready to love. I loved that the girls were nicknamed "Animal" and "Sausage". Lots of fun little touches like that. I will definitely read more books by this author.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this one. The main character annoyed me from the first page and I just couldn’t get excited about picking the book up. Thank you netgalley for my free copy.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I really really wanted to love this book. And I tried really hard to but it just was not for me. One big plus is how lgbtq+ positive it is, but that was the most positive aspect.

Looking at the book one is sucked in by the gorgeous cover. I expected a rom-com with this one but it does deal with some really heavy, deprerssing stuff. I would recommend looking at trigger warning if you plan on reading this book.

Also there were wayyyy too many POVs to keep track of for me.

Unfortunately I can only give this one 2.5 stars :(

Loved this book! Perfect summer read/post-semester read. Georgia Clarke, you did it again. You created a story that allowed me to escape outside of my four walls.

I have truly loved Georgia Clark's other novels and, for whatever reason, had an extremely difficult time staying interested in this latest release. Timing is usually everything for me, when it comes to choosing successful reads, so I will likely return to this in the future; in the meantime, I will put this one down and try something different. The author's writing and characters are always enjoyable, but this story seems to move at a bit slower pace than some of her previous work.