Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read The Island Club by Nicola Harrison which I could not put down until I had read it cover to cover.

It's 1956 and we are on the beautiful Balboa Island, just off the California coast

Nicola Harrison peels back the layers to show us what life is really life for women at that time including Milly's failing marriage, Sylvia's financial issues and the secretive and angry Adele. It takes a bit to get to like these ladies but you will root for them wholeheartedly. Life isn't always perfect, even on an island in California!
#theislandclub #nicolaharrison #stmartinspress

The Island Club by Nicola Harrison completely swept me away! Set in the 1950s on dreamy Balboa Island, this novel has everything I love in historical fiction. It’s full of glamour, secrets, emotional depth, and strong female leads who find strength in each other when life starts to unravel. The story follows three women, Milly, Sylvia, and Adele, who are each facing her own personal crisis. At first, they couldn’t seem more different, but as their lives begin to intersect through tennis, motherhood, and survival, their unexpected friendship becomes the emotional anchor of the book. I loved how the novel explored the pressures women faced in the 1950s while still feeling relatable today. This one is definitely worth adding to your summer reading list!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & Nicola Harrison for The Island Club ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Join Milly, Sylvia, and Adele in 1950s California as they try to cover up their not-so-perfect dysfunctional families and lives, and find out that strong female connections can get you through the hardest parts of life.

I had a feeling going into this that I was going to find it hard to put down, and that was VERY true. I literally couldn’t stop reading! I loved following each woman’s journey in a time of misogyny, and having all of the different point of views really allowed for each character to be understood. The friendship between Milly and Sylvia (and eventually Adele!) was refreshing and realistic. I normally wouldn’t reach for something in this time period, but I love anything that shows women’s resilience and power, and I think it being set in this time period was the best way to really showcase this.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending to my friends when it’s finally published!

Three neighbors on the beautiful Balboa Island are keeping secrets. Milly’s marriage is a mess, Sylvia has serious money trouble and Adele is hiding from her past. Once the secrets come out and they face the outcome together, a bright future full of friendship and support lies ahead.
I liked the storyline from each character and their point of view. My first read by Nicola Harrison and I look forward to reading more.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.