Read half of this, but unfortunately I cannot wade through more cliched and dull writing. The characters and storyline are mildly interesting but not enough for me to keep reading.

Set in the 1950's in sunny, beautiful Balboa Island, The Island Club introduces us to three women, each with a unique problem and plenty of secrets. All three of the women are wonderful, likable characters, who you really care about. The tennis focus is fun and exciting and the 50's history swept me right in. This was a good read.

*The Island Club* by Nicola Harrison is a dreamy, dramatic escape to 1930s Martha’s Vineyard, full of secrets, glamour, and strong women finding their way. The setting is lush and vivid—you can practically feel the salty breeze and hear the swing music in the background. The story weaves together friendship, ambition, and resilience as the characters navigate love, class, and expectations. It’s the kind of historical fiction that makes you want to pack a vintage suitcase and run away to an island. A perfect mix of heart, history, and summer vibes!

I have read all this authors books and thoroughly enjoy them. This was no exception. Thanks for the opportunity to read and good luck with this one.

“The Island Club” by Nicola Harrison is an entertaining novel that takes place in the 1950s on Balboa Island just off the California coast. The story revolves around three women whose picture perfect lives begin to unravel unexpectedly. They are each hiding secrets and facing a devastating crisis, but a game of tennis brings them together in a courageous and surprising way.
Even though the story takes place in the 50s the pressures women faced at that time still feels very current. This is a story about survival, independence, and friendship and should be on everyone’s summer reading list.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Matins Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rated it 3.75 stars.
A story about female friendships and the place of women in the 1950s.
Wasn’t sure at first, it took me a while to really care about the character.. but they grew on me!
I would like to read more from this author!

solid 3.5 stars!
this book had such a great summery vibe that i loved, and i always enjoy a 50s/60s setting. the lives of all three women were so interesting, especially adele, and i wish we'd gotten more chapters from her. i also wanted more scenes of the friendship building between the three women—it felt a little sudden and i wish there had been more chapters of them at the club just getting to know each other and getting more friendly so it didn't feel as rushed. i did love that the ending wasn't as straightforward as i initially thought it would be, although still kinda predictable. overall though, a very fun and intriguing read, and now i definitely want to book a trip to balboa island, it looks BEAUTIFUL.

This was a fun summer read that I read in two days. Three women on Balboa Island, near Hollywood, find their lives changing one summer in completely different ways, but connect with each other via the Island Club tennis courts.

It was nice to read something where the women helped each other rather than be jealous of each other, and where they were given the opportunity to do the things they excelled at, beyond just being good little housewives. And I love that there wasn't a big "Hollywood" style happy ending but that everyone ends up much happier any way.

I love this book.

I've enjoyed all of Nicola Harrison's work, and she has a gift for creating interesting, charming, engaging stories. The Island Club is now my favorite!

Set on Balboa Island in the 1950s, The Island Club tells the story of Milly, a beleagured housewife and mother who struggles to adjust to her new life on the island. Befriended by the outgoing and glamorous Sylvia, Milly tries to make friends and build a life...but she wants more. She's bored! And her husband, handsome TV exec Lloyd, is spending more and more time at work in LA, side-by-side with starlets and celebrity lifestyle. What is a woman to do? She takes up tennis! But as she does, Milly takes charge of her life and makes changes for herself and her family that have enormous impact on their futures. It felt like a real story! I could hardly believe it wasn't historical fiction.

I really loved this book. I can't wait to listen to the audiobook! While you are waiting for this book to be released, I recommend reading another of Nicola Harrison's books. They are all engaging and I have enjoyed all of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This novel is is from 1956 on Balboa Island just off the California coast. It is about three women as their lives begin to unravel and their unlikely friendships and the game of tennis. I really liked that each woman had a different storyline and challenge. I enjoyed the 1950`s setting and felt it was portrayed well and showed the pressures women felt then. This story is about tennis, friendship, women, drama, historical fiction, love and more so if you enjoy any of that you will like this book.

The Island Club is exactly what it claimed to be, and I love that in a book.
Set in the 1950s on Balboa Island, the novel is slightly on island time as well. It takes its time to get where it’s going but it’s an enjoyable ride.
I loved the unlikely friendships and the setting. This one truly transported me there. A solid summer read all the way around.

I really enjoyed The Island Club and the way Nicola Harrison wove multiple perspectives and narrators throughout the story. Each voice added depth and nuance, making the book feel immersive and dynamic. Each character had a distinct storyline and challenge they were going through.

Set in the 1950s, the time period itself was fascinating and vividly portrayed—I loved getting a glimpse into that era and the unique social dynamics that came with it. The novel also explores a strong “keeping up with the Joneses” theme, highlighting the pressures of status and appearances during that time, which added an extra layer of intrigue.

Overall, The Island Club was an engaging, enjoyable read that kept me interested from start to finish.

At first, the book was kind of slow to start, but then once I got into it, it was pretty good. I would say this is a great summer. Read not something I would recommend for a book club. It took a little while for the story to pick up on there are three different women that the story is about a lot of heartwarming moments a lot of sad moments emotional But other than that it’s in the 1950s so that’s kind of cool

Another delightful book by Harrison. This one takes place on Balboa Island. It is set in an era when women were housewives and men ruled. Sadly, it is the friendship of 3 extraordinary women who drive this novel as the men fail them.

Sylvia, Milly and Adele come from very different worlds. It is Milly, the newcomer to Balboa who drives the story. All 3 suffer terrible setbacks early in the novel, yet they bond and work toward a more positive future.

This is a well-written novel, certainly dealing with many social issues which smothered women in pre-feminist America.
The author has used these women as exemplars of the staggering problems women had to face. I enjoyed the novel and look forward to many rich discussions with book groups.

Thank you Netgalley for this interesting read.

This is the first book I have ever read by Nicola Harrison and it will definitely not be my last. I truly enjoyed the setting and time period this story took place in. The weave in of tennis was genius and I found myself rooting for Adele, Sylvia and Milly as the story progressed. I loved the alternating POVs for each chapter and it made me keep saying oh just one more chapter. I felt like the plot progressed nicely, the only thing I wish was a little bit slowed down was the ending. I found myself wanting more, who knows maybe they can do a second book. Overall I can’t wait for this book to come out to add to my selection. I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5. Thank you netgalley and publisher for the advanced copy.

When I downloaded the book I thought it was a mystery, which I’m a sucker for a good mystery. I found out it’s not a mystery, which is okay! It’s just different then I thought and there is nothing wrong with that ☺️ this story is very intriguing and I can’t wait to continue it.

The cover is adorable! I love how it looks like a painting!

The Island Club is historical fiction set in the 1950s about three women living in Southern California, each with something they are hiding. Milly, Silvia, and Adele develop a friendship at a time when they each need the support. I found myself rooting for each of them and ended the book with a tear in my eye! I would recomend this book to readers of lighter historical fiction- this would make a great beach read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a beautifully written book about three totally different women with different lives that all live on the same island all connected by tennis. This book makes me feel like I could go back to my tennis playing days! This book is a perfect summer read (with a look back into the 50s) that makes you feel that you are on an island off the coast of California.

Milly, Sylvia and Adele seemingly couldn’t be more different. But the three women come together in unexpected ways. Set on Balboa Island off the California coast, this paradise isn’t so magical. The novel takes place in 1956 where women strictly adhered to societal norms. Secrets unravel, and the women come together w tennis as one of the activities that bring them together. A welcome addition to the historical fiction genre, and recommended for all public libraries.

A captivating and atmospheric novel that explores the secrets and mysteries of a small island community. Harrison's writing is evocative and immersive, making this a great read for fans of mystery and suspense.