My friends and I interviewed TI Lowe about this title on StoryChats here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu4hM9vXHmA

Over the past several years, TI Lowe has become a must-read Southern fiction author for me. I lived most of my adult life in the southeast and so I always love the settings of her books and this one was no exception. She writes what she knows and she draws readers into the location and into the character's lives that she writes so well. This was such a beautifully written story of healing for both characters. It is such an emotional story and it is one of those that will stay with a reader for a long time. As a side note, I did appreciate learning a bit more about utilizing the indigo plant and the whole process as well.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is a book I've had waiting on my TBR list for a bit. I finally took the time to read (rather, listen) it. What a ride!
This story is not the easiest read, but it is a beautiful one.
It involves so many layers, including but not limited to:
Hard family relationships, running away, and coming home again. Sexual harassment. Friendships. Reconciliation.
All of it is set in the beautiful south, close to Charleston, SC. Barrier Islands.
And then there's the fun of learning about indigo. The process, all the way from beginning to end.
I would like to add the disclaimer that this book might not be for younger readers, and that it might cause triggers because of the sexual harassment recounted.


Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Indigo Isle was a story of forgiveness, reconciliation, personal growth, and romance wrapped up in a story of workplace bullying and assault, friendship, secrets and grief. That might not sound like a story you want to read, but believe me this was an uplifing, heartfelt story. Sonny Bates ran from home fifteen years ago to make it in Hollywood and never looked back. Her acting career didn't take off, but she is a well known location scout and loves her job, at least most of it. The latest movie brings her back close to home in South Carolina scouting islands off the coast of Charleston. While searching she comes upon Indigo Isle, a private island inhabited by Hudson Renfrow. He is a hermit, scarred and grieving from an event in his past. He wants nothing to do with Sonny or the movie company that wants to film on his island. Sonny can't keep away from the island and when a hurricane hits, she becomes stranded with Hudson. They get to know each other during the long hours and develop a respect and friendship. They are both damaged and scarred either literally or figuratively. Can they help one another heal and forge more than a friendship.

Another reviewer described this book as a combination of the prodigal story with Beauty and the Beast, and I have to agree. There was so much in this book. Sonny carried guilt for what she did to her family when she left. She was never able to say goodbye to her father when he died. She didn't think she was good enough, so when her boss forced her to have a physical relationship with him, she didn't think she has any choice. She was worried about losing her job all the time, even though she was very good at it. Hudson was full of grief and guilt over the loss of his wife and daughter, even though Sonny knew it was not his fault. There were some wonderful secondary characters, especially the owner of the dumpy motel they were all staying at and her best friend. There are some "Me Too" moments, self-realization, personal growth, acceptance, and self-forgiveness that make a big part of this book. I loved the ending of this one and highly recommend this story.

A STRONG 3 stars!

Excellent audiobook too!

Sonny is a location scout for a movie production company which takes her back to her home state that she ran from a long time ago.

Hudson is a grumpy, scarred recluse who lives on an island called Indigo Isle.

Sonny happens upon this island and meets Hudson much to his chagrin.

At first I wasn’t sure if there was going to be romance between Sonny and Hudson since he really wanted nothing to do with her. Totally a grumpy sunshine / hate to love trope done super well!

What I liked:
- Sonny and Hudson’s relationship. Nice and slow burn with tension out the wahzoo. Love loved the build up there with excellent pay off.

- the deep life lessons. This is no happy summer fluff book. Sonny deals with abuse. Hudson with grief. Serious consequences and feelings are described. It was done so well.

- the Biblical tie in to the prodigal son story. Sonny is the prodigal daughter and that reunion was beautiful and touching.

Why a 3 star?
-super slow start for me with lots of movie production descriptions and characters I hadn’t gotten to know yet. I wasn’t interested until she meets Hudson which doesn’t happen until almost half way.

Trigger warning for sexual abuse. Medium descriptions of it happening in the moment.
Mild mention of addiction and child neglect as well.

Definitely recommend. I thought it was well done. Just too many details to sift through to get there.

Thank you to Net Galley for the review copy!

I’ve always been fascinated by indigo. How did our ancestors learn to take the leaves of the indigo plant and process them in a way that produced a beautiful blue dye? Indigo Isle didn’t answer that question, but it did take us through the production of indigo dye, which was a fascinating detour that didn’t detract from the central story.

Of course, no one would want to read a novel about making indigo—that could get tedious.
Indigo Isle is the story of Sonny Bates (female, despite the name), who ran way from her Christian home in South Carolina fifteen yeas ago and headed for the bright lights of Hollywood. Now she’s a successful location scout, back in Charleston, South Carolina, as location manager for a movie shoot.

While scouting the islands off the coast to find a location for a romantic beach scene, Sonny comes across a private island locals say is owned by the Monster of Indigo Isle. Sonny finds something about the island – and the so-called monster – compelling, and keeps returning to the island, where she strikes up an odd relationship with the owner, Hudson Renfrow.

Hudson is battling his own issues, so this is the story of two broken people reluctantly helping each other heal, while falling in love in the process. But the path of true love does not run smooth, and it runs a lot less smooth in Indigo Isle than in most other Christian romance novels.

I was recently chatting with a friend about a book she’d loved but I’d abandoned, and she asked me if the reason I didn’t like it was because of the Grumpy Sunshine trope i.e. the hero was grumpy, while the heroine was all sunshine and unicorns. I couldn’t really answer, as it wasn’t something I’d considered before.

Now I’ve read Indigo Isle, I have to say I do like the Grumpy Sunshine trope … if it’s done well. It’s definitely done well in Indigo Isle. I think it works because the characters are portrayed so well, and everything that happens is a natural result of their backgrounds and personalities … including the inevitable conflict.

I do have to add a content warning for sexual assault. If that’s a trigger for you, avoid Indigo Isle (or proceed with caution). Indigo Isle is an excellent Christian romance, a compelling beauty-and-the-beast romance with a #MeToo element … and the obligatory happy ending.

Thanks to Tyndale House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

I've enjoyed all of TI Lowe's books, this one included. She has a wonderful, smooth way of writing that I really enjoy. I loved the low country setting and all the information included in the story about making indigo, very historical and interesting.

Kind of a riff on a beauty and the beast story - Sonny Bates is a movie location scouter and finds the perfect island to film a movie she's working on, only there is a hermit loner that won't allow it. She feels drawn to him and keeps returning to the island, eventually befriending the "Monster of Indigo Isle", Hudson. There is a lot going on in this story, Sonny has sexual harrassment issues with her boss, and family issues from the past that come to visit her when she returns to her low country home.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I finished this novel with a contented sigh. The role of faith is gentle and not overbearing but crucial to the story. It's well written and the protagonist is compelling and relatable as she struggles to find her place in life. I thought the author handled the sexual abuse and family traumas well - as well as the hope that we find in God through Jesus.

Indigo Isle, by T.I. Lowe, is a story with rich, relatable characters, a powerful message and weighty topics to thoughtfully consider. This southern fiction novel is an atmospheric story, set on the coast of South Carolina with a descriptive beach setting, a tender romance, and themes of forgiveness and re-found family.

Indigo Isle has a touch of Beauty and the Beast meets the prodigal child parable. It’s the story of redemption, reconciliation, love that heals and personal growth. It’s an impactful story that will long stay with you.

From the back cover blurb, I expected this book to be a romance, but it’s not. There is a big romantic subplot, but if you read a lot of contemporary and a lot of romance you’ll detect the difference. This also means we don’t get the male POV, which I was again expecting based on the summary, but I hadn’t verified the genre. Finally, the storm/stranded together part of the plot is very brief, not the main storyline. I say all that so you have clear expectations jumping into this novel, and jump in you should. Dive deep. It’s very well written and deals with tough but timely subjects. I found it quite rare in its willingness to let the heroine make the kind of mistakes she did, but it was handled beautifully and delicately. I am constantly on the lookout for more truly flawed characters in Christian fiction, and Indigo Isle delivered! While the ending felt sort of rushed to me, it was ultimately very satisfying. Highly recommend!

I honestly have really mixed feelings about this book. I _adored_ T.I. Lowe's [book:Under the Magnolias|56217998], so had high hopes for _Indigo Isle_--but came away disappointed.

The cover is a definite plus for me--it's beautiful! And Hudson is just ... fab. A great character (and one I could probably relate to all too much as an introvert, lol; especially this side of the pandemic--I just want to be left alone, and whose idea was it to commit to all these people-y events on my calendar?! I tell ya!).

I find the MC frankly obnoxious and unlikable for a good chunk of the book. She does improve in the last third, seeing some conviction and heart change--but Mylanta. I was bothered by her ongoing disregard for Hudson's wish to be left alone; yes, it's good to be challenged to a point, but I felt she crossed that line multiple times.

And ... the MC is, also frankly, sexually assaulted several times in the book, and these experiences are detailed more than I'd like. If the book had been marketed as general fiction I would have been less surprised, and would've felt no guilt for setting it aside per my own personal content policy--it's content I don't want to see/read about, and a big part of why I read Christian fiction is to avoid that element.

Finally, I felt like the back-cover text about the book was at odds with the actual plot of the book. Its mention of a hurricane made me think the storm would play way more of a role in plot and character development, and it definitely didn't (kind of like Helm's Deep in _The Two Towers_ book [what, three pages?] versus the movie [the Ultimate Climax!]).

So--I have a hard time fully recommending this read. There are some solid elements in it, and I loved the last third of it--when we see the MC experience some real depth and change--but it took a lot of wading through other things to get there.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Indigo Isle is a TOP TEN, MUST READ for 2023! New-to-me author T.I. Lowe immediately and completely immersed me in her incredible, contemporary story of regret, isolation, forgiveness and redemption. This novel ebbed and flowed so well. I smiled, I laughed, I tensed and I mourned; three cheers for a beautifully written story!

From the first line, I was wholly captivated. I found myself happily lost in the vivid, true-to-life descriptions of the S. Carolina lowcountry, where the majority of this story takes place. I found myself drawn to Lowe’s main character, Sonny Bates, an L.A.-based location manager for a large movie production company, and her current life situation. Sonny is a beautiful and unique blend of strength, poor choices, intelligence, curiosity and insight. When she meets her match in the isolated, formidable ‘Monster of Indigo Isle’, I could have stood up and cheered for the tension, sarcasm and deliciously exciting mystery behind Hudson Renfrow. The forbidden act of Sonny trespassing on his island had an almost Beauty and the Beast flair with a dash of grumpy/sunshine-in-forced-proximity bit of trope mixed in.

With quote-worthy phrases and memorable, yet quirky secondary characters, this novel captured my attention and I found myself reading late into the night, unable to put it down. I could not have loved Sonny and Hudson together more nor adored the snark and chemistry between them more. Their romance was fantastic!

As the story weaves in and out from Sonny’s POV and unfolding the layers of her past and the sexual assault she faces on a regular basis, my heart became very invested. I felt her emotions, her pain and her regrets, making the ending oh, so very joyous and rewarding! I loved the modern twist on the parable of the prodigal son and found the faith elements of this story very strong at the end, making it a story of salvation, forgiveness, redemption and freedom.

Hands down, Indigo Isle is a must read. I will most certainly be telling as many people as I can about this novel and I am so grateful to have it grace my shelves. In addition, I’ll be returning to this author to read some of her backlist as well! Both Christian and secular readers who enjoy women’s fiction and contemporary romance will likely adore this story. It would also be a great beach read!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Synopsis: “Funny how I ran away a little over fifteen years ago to spread my wings and fly, yet I’d never felt as caged as I did currently.” Sonny Bates is living the millennial’s dream life. As a location scout for a movie producing company, Sonny gets to travel the world, sharing about her adventures on social media and living free and untethered to anything or anyone. Until she meets the owner of Indigo Isle. Hudson holds a mystery that Sonny wants to solve. But her dream life looks a lot more like a nightmare when examined too closely, and Hudson sees the reality. Damaged past relationships, dangerous current relationships, and tenuous (at best) future relationships make Sonny’s life difficult to navigate. But both Sonny and Hudson have their own struggles to face. Is it possible to find true healing, freedom, and love in their future?

Analysis: T. I. Lowe is a new-to-me author, but I plan to change that! I loved this Beauty and the Beast retelling even though I didn’t realize until very far into the book that’s what it was 😂 I’m not typically big into fairytale retellings, but what a beautiful book this was. I loved Sonny’s character and Hudson’s too. They both have depth and real issues that often Christian authors try to shy away from. But the author wrote about them so well and brought the gospel truth into the story without it feeling forced or cheesy. The plot did feel a little slow at times, but the ending redeemed that for me. It also has a lot of fun moments. You definitely get the grumpy/sunshine trope throughout which I LOVE. If you’re looking for a clean summer read, go ahead and grab this one now!
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Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Indigo Isle is a beautiful and completely immersive trip into the South Carolina coastal islands. Lowe’s characters are honest and refreshing. Sonny & Hudson’s love story has everything I love to see in Christian Fiction - challenges, vulnerability and redemption. This is the kind of story that beckons you to a deeper understanding of who Jesus is. My favorite novel I’ve read so far this year.

BOOK REVIEW - Indigo Isle - T. I. Lowe - 5 Stars

THE STORY
T. I. Lowe's books are so addictive! They draw you in and don't let you go until you reach the end. Every book of hers I've read, I've finished within 24 hours of starting it. The reason I love these stories so much is they don't shy away from the hard topics, the raw emotions or how deeply flawed we humans can be or how spectacularly we can mess up our lives. Indigo Isle was no exception! It's filled with memorable characters that you eventually come to love for all their uniqueness and quirks. Learning about film location scouting and the process of making Indigo dye was also fascinating, love learning new things through story!

Trigger Warning: one of the characters is subjected to emotional and sexual abuse.

THE ROMANCE
It was sweet and endearing! The ultimate grumpy/sunshine with a little Beauty and the Beast thrown in. My favourite romance tropes! Most books have good endings but this one was perfect!

THE TRUTHS
Books like Indigo Isle are the reason I love Christian Fiction and why I started this blog in the first place. It's a fictional story about Sonny and Hudson showcasing the very real truth of Christ's mercy, forgiveness and redemption. It also shows that Jesus doesn't just redeem us, He restores us. His power restores our relationships, He restores our dignity and self worth, He restores our souls, giving us love, peace and joy and so much more. We'll never reach a day where we don't need reminders of that which is why I advocate for Christian Fiction! Keep reading, keeping hearing those truths!

What do you get when you combine the story of the prodigal son, Beauty and the Beast and the behind-the-cameras world Hollywood film making?

Indigo Isle, of course!

While this may seem like an odd combination, T.I. Lowe weaved them together beautiful in this book that is equally parts heartbreaking and hopeful. And I absolutely loved everything about it. Admittedly, it started a slight bit slow for me, but I'm not sure if that was really the story itself, or just me having to adjust after having just finished with a few much faster paced reads. Still, a few chapters in and I was absolutely HOOKED and couldn't put it down! From the romance to the family dynamics to the messages of faith and forgiveness, it was all just done SO well! I loved the banter between Hudson and Sonny, and how even through his grumpy anti-socialness he cared for and protected her well-being... such a direct contrast to what she had been used to from men in the past. This isn't a drama free read with perfect characters, but rather one with messy, characters and true to life heartaches and issues. As such, it wasn't always easy to read... but it was a beautiful one.

Content to keep in mind: Sexual harassment and assault are big themes in this book. While I think it was handled gracefully and no graphic details were given, it was definitely more than a passing mention than we often see in other Christian fiction. As such, it could most certainly be triggering to sensitive readers.

Overall, this was an absolutely wonderful read. It was certainly a little more intense than many of the books that I have been enjoying lately, and as such I had to step back on occasion... but I loved it nonetheless. I've enjoyed every book I've read by T.I. Lowe, but this one might very well be my favorite!

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is the third book I’ve read by this author, having previously enjoyed Lulu’s Cafe and Under the Magnolias (both of which were picks for my local book club!).

An interesting sidebar is that I purchased this book while vacationing at Pawleys Island (I purchased a signed copy as the author had just been there as part of her book tour) and while en route to Charleston at the end of our beach week, stopped at Sewee Junction, a place mentioned in the book! Fun!

Although the book dealt in part with sexual harassment and assault, I felt it was dealt with in a way that ultimately led to the character’s restoration. It also dealt with a reclusive character who ultimately becomes a hero. Enjoyed these characters and the sense of place on Indigo Isle. Also learned how indigo dye is made!

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review. Four and a half stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for a free ARC of this book. The opinions here are my own.

Well, I’m officially out of my 2023 book slump! I read this book because I loved Under the Magnolias last year, and I had no idea what Indigo Isle was even about.

Sonny has been running since she left home the day of her high school graduation— from guilt, regret, God, connection, everything. Hudson has been hiding from everything since an accident that left him changed forever. These two find each other and challenge one another to dig deeper into what exactly they want from their lives and their futures.

This book was scenic, deeply moving, full of turmoil and feeling, and wildly atmospheric. This story deals with and even depicts some SA, so a trigger warning is necessary for that. I just got sucked in to Indigo Isle, and South Carolina all together. As the mood in the story shifted, the scenery would move to meet it. I thought that was expertly done!

Sonny was someone I rooted for and had compassion for and felt so protective over. By the end of the story, I was proud of her in so many ways! Hudson was vulnerable in a believable way and I thought that was a really nice touch. So many stories with a romantic arch have male leads that are almost cartoons of emotion. I really enjoyed how subdued his vulnerability and admiration were. His feelings were kind of in the background to the reality of his mental health and physical situation.

This story stays true to who TI Lowe has shown herself to be as a story teller. It’s deeply southern, drenched in family trauma, and envelops you with the reality of Gospel-centered redemption. Five stars totally earned, and scores an absolute 0 on the FOTMS scale. There is definitely romance, but you’d never blush reading this out loud at a bake sale for Girl Scouts. 💙

T.I. Lowe’s writing voice is always a win with me, and Indigo Isle is no exception!

Mark my words, y’all… the next time I make a ‘Book Boyfriend’ t-shirt, Hudson Renfrow will be on it. Oh my heart. That man had me falling in love with him (on a purely fictional basis, you understand) almost from the very first meeting, and Sonny wasn’t far behind me. Forgive me in advance if I make no sense while talking about him because I’m still swooning over him. He’s all man, but he has a huge heart and loves to read (even though his journal hilariously declares that he hates all the books he reads) and shows his affection – and love – by cooking for others. And that right there is one of the reasons I fell so hard for him. Yes, he’s gruff. Yes, his gruffness often comes across as rudeness. (He has reasons though.) But no matter how much Sonny’s persistent presence irritates him, he still sits her down in his kitchen and quietly feeds her. And once his walls come down … well, you’ll need something to dry your eyes but you’ll also need a good fan to cool yourself off. And once he starts kissing… Lord, have mercy.

Ok, I’ve gushed over our hero enough (for the time being) – let’s discuss our heroine Sonny. She’s sassy and smart, and on social media at least she appears to be living the dream as a location scout. In reality, though, that dream turned into a nightmare long ago, and it’s a nightmare she feels stuck in thanks to choices she made as a teenager. In Sonny, we see a prodigal who doesn’t know how to come home – physically or spiritually – and a wounded heart who needs a long hug from someone who gives without taking. Getting a front row seat to her journey, watching the people that the author moves into her life for that long hug (Erlene! Vee! Hudson!), and being there as the chains came off really touched my heart. Not gonna lie, I cried for her more than once in Indigo Isle – and not always because I was sad. There were lots of happy tears in there too.

Bottom Line: I may never recover from the perfection that is Indigo Isle by T.I. Lowe, an ode to Beauty-and-the-Beast (there’s even a Gaston figure you’ll love to hate) and an reenactment of the prodigal child parable. It burrowed into my soul, and it’s one I’ll definitely be thinking about for a long time. I loved the juxtaposition of Hudson’s grump (oops, I’m back to him again) and Sonny’s sunshine from a romantic point of view, of course, but I also loved the way Lowe plays these two personalities off each other to get rid of any pretense between them. Because, only when we quit pretending, can we begin to heal. There is too much to love about this book to fit into one review (I know, you’re thinking I certainly tried, given its length lol) but just trust me on this – move Indigo Isle to the top of your TBR list.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This book pulled me right in and did not let me go until I finished it. I read it on a road trip and was thrilled that I had many hours in the car to read. I love the setting of Charleston, I love the characters, but mostly I love the story.

Sonny is a great character. She becomes even better when she meets Hudson. Hudson is a recluse, having lived through a nightmare he has found solace on his family island and rarely leaves it. Of course, Sonny finds this island and also finds a way into Hudson’s world. I really liked learning the history of Hudson’s island. Indigo has a rich history that I did not know anything about.

I really enjoyed the book and will be looking for more from T.I. Lowe

Thank you Tyndale House Publishers for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.