Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley. I was given a copy to read before full publication. This review is my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a page turner and involved 5 ladies who sped the weekend together celebrating one of the lady's birthday. They all hold secrets from one another; and they all come to light. The beauty of friendship and the love of God is displayed throughout this well written book.

This was a book that was different than what I thought it was going to be but in a good way . Friends get together for the weekend but hide secrets . Will they come out ? The book pulls you in and I couldn’t stop reading it to find out what happened next . Thank you to net galley and publishers for picking me to read this book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I can’t even begin to describe how relatable this book is. I’m not the same age as the characters but close enough that it really resonated with me. A group of friends come together and the struggles they tried to keep private come to light and they end up relying on each other to help ensure and heal. Many of us try to keep our lives to ourselves when it comes to hardships but this book is a great reminder that we always need our support system to make it all better. The issues were relatable, the friendships beautifully written out between the characters, and the actual characters themselves are people I find I relate to in bits and pieces. I laughed, I frowned, I clutched this book to my chest. Not to mention, the setting was a beautiful escape as a reader.

A Weekend on Allyson Island is such a beautiful story about friendship, grief, growing older, and finding yourself again, even when life doesn’t look the way you thought it would. Moira throws the ultimate 50th birthday getaway in her dreamy Savannah mansion, but the real heart of the book is what happens between the parties. Each woman comes carrying her own baggage, and watching them slowly open up to each other felt super honest and relatable. The characters were funny, vulnerable, messy, and strong. It reminded me that everyone’s going through something, no matter how perfect things seem from the outside. It’s part uplifting escape and part emotional gut punch. Highly recommend if you love heartfelt stories with a cozy southern setting and lots of soul searching!

A beautiful, heartwarming story by new to me author Susannah B. Lewis published by Thomas Nelson Fiction.
I read the blurb and was intrigued. I read A Weekend on Allyson Island and I was in love with characters, storyline and the beautiful writing.
Moira is widowed with her sons away in college. To celebrate her 50th birthday she invited 4 of her best friends.
Soon it seems, every single one of them carries secrets that are about to come to light. Can their friendship persevere?
Beautiful - I know for the third time, but still the truth, well worth reading, 5 stars.

As her 50th birthday approaches, Moira Allyson invites four of her closest friends to join her at her opulent waterfront mansion in Savannah, Georgia. Still grieving the sudden loss of her beloved husband, Jeffrey—who passed away three years ago—Moira finds herself confronting deep loneliness. Her two sons are away at college, and she hasn’t been able to part with Jeffrey’s belongings, not even his toothbrush, which remains untouched on the bathroom counter.
To make her milestone birthday unforgettable, Moira plans a luxurious weekend for her guests, complete with a private chef, engaging activities, and even a dinner cruise on the water. Each friend arrives expecting laughter, bonding, and the kind of soul-nourishing joy that only long-standing friendships can offer.
But as the weekend unfolds, not everything goes according to plan. Beneath the cheerful surface, each woman carries her own emotional burdens and unresolved struggles. What begins as a celebratory gathering soon becomes a poignant exploration of grief, growth, and the quiet resilience that anchors true friendship.
The five women at the heart of this story are vivid, endearing, and wholly relatable. The author beautifully captures the complexities of real life—love, loss, and renewal—with sincerity and heart. This is a touching and emotionally resonant tale that stayed with me long after I turned the final page.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

A WEEKEND ON ALLYSON ISLAND by SUSANNAH B LEWIS is the poignant story of five friends who get together to celebrate the wealthy widow, Moira’s, fiftieth birthday. To me it is a picture of true friendship and Christian fellowship, once each woman’s struggles come to light.
I cannot recommend this beautifully written and inspirational novel highly enough¡
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a heartwarming story about second chances, redemption, and the power of friendship. I loved the characters and their development and growth. The plot was well-paced and captivating. I highly recommend this fun read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Book Review: A Weekend on Allyson Island by Susannah B. Lewis
Releasing December 9, 2025

Susannah B. Lewis has once again delivered a heartwarming and humorous story that captures the essence of Southern charm, lifelong friendship, and faith. As a longtime follower of the author on social media, it was a delight to find pieces of her personality sprinkled throughout the book, like Easter eggs for devoted fans, whether it’s a Golden Girls mug, witty one-liners, or relatable Southern mannerisms that make the characters feel like old friends.

With her signature blend of laugh-out-loud humor and heartfelt moments, Lewis paints a vivid picture of a close-knit group of Southern Baptist women navigating life’s joys and heartbreaks. The banter between characters had me chuckling aloud more than once, yet the story also offers meaningful reflections on grief, healing, and the unshakable bonds of friendship.

True to her style, Lewis thoughtfully weaves faith into the narrative that is not in a preachy way, but as a steady, comforting presence guiding her imperfect, realistic characters through life’s messiness. The spiritual depth adds a beautiful layer to the story, reminding readers of the strength we can draw from leaning into our beliefs during times of sorrow and celebration alike.

By the final page, I found myself wishing I could join the group on Allyson Island, laughing, crying, and walking through life’s ups and downs together. A Weekend on Allyson Island is a moving, feel-good novel that fans of Christian women's fiction will not want to miss.

#AWeekendonAllysonIsland #NetGalley #SusannahBLewis

This book created an immense sense of calm and faith during the entirety of the book. Yes, Moira drank to remember Jeffrey's death but in truly recognizing why she did so made her remember that she was drowning her feelings rather than feeling how deeply she was loved. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between Moira, Gemma, Nell and Erin and what they were struggling at the time as evidence by the fear cards and what they needed to do to make them better. This book reminds the reader that when praying and believing, is that anything is possible. All it calls for is knowing it will happen.

Wow! I was shocked by this book and Susannahs writing, It was so captivating. I loved every page. Such a fun book club pick I would suggest!

I love a good Susannah B Lewis book. This book was real life issues wrapped in an inspirational story about friends, old and new. I love that each friend comes with their own struggles, but in the end, those struggles aren't as large when you have multiple people believing in you and praying for you. This book isn't all sunshine and rainbows, but it has faith and teaches us agape love between friends. I recommend it and really think you'll see yourself or a girlfriend in one of the characters. I love that Susannah was able to insert scripture and Jesus like behavior in the book.

I’d love to be a friend of Moira in this complex novel of friendship, aging, domestic unrest, grief and love.
Moire invites her best friends from early childhood to her estate on the Savannah River to celebrate her 50th birthday. Moira is excited to have her friends come as it appears to me that she is very lonely, her husband passing away a few years ago and her sons not in contact with her much. Like most women, girlfriends play a large role in our lives, but we don’t always want to,share our own issues and troubles. This weekend on Allyson Island pulls these women together to get answers for their lives so they can all more into the next decade.