The Island

THE ISLAND IS THE PLACE TO BE!

Hardcover and Kindle Release July 6, 2010
Reagan Arthur Books/Little Brown Publishing


The story takes us to a small island off of Nantucket called Tuckernuck. The home there has been the Tate Family Summer Home since it was built back in 1935, during the depression. For years the family would gather there for as little as two weeks, some stayed the whole summer. There is no electricity, power comes from a generator, no hot water, no telephone, no television, and in the tech age, no computers or wi-fi, and the only place for cell phone reception is standing in the the water out at the end of a jut of land on the other side of the island.

They haven't been there for 13 years, but now that Birdie's daughter Chess is getting married and she wants to spend a week alone with her out on Tuckernuck. Chess agrees grudgingly. Birdie starts to make plans and a few weeks later Chess breaks off her engagement, her ex-fiancee dies tragically and Chess quits her job and suffers a breakdown. Birdie, Chess, her sister Tate, and her an aunt India all decide a month on Tuckernuck is needed to help Chess. So they pack their bags and they set off to spend the month of July on The Island. Secrets and intrigue soon come forth and the month on the island will hold many surprises.

I LOVED IT!!!!!

This is the first book I have read by Elin Hilderbrand, but it definitely will not be the last.

The island is character all on its own. Through the author's words I could almost feel my toes wiggling in the sand and surf.

This story tells the love stories of the four main characters, both lost and found, and the love they have for The Island. It is truly heartwarming and as you get drawn into the lives of these women you will not be able to put this book down. It is a pure joy to read. This is the perfect book to escape into this summer.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Reagan Arthur Books, Little Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

29 out of 32 people found this review helpful.

A thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to diving into the rest of Hilderbrand's work.

Elin Hilderbrand's latest novel, The Island, tells the story of 4 women over one month on Tuckernuck Island. Birdie's daughter, Chess, is about to marry the perfect man. To celebrate and try to reconnect with Chess, Birdie invites her to spend a week in the old family vacation home on Tuckernuck Island. When Chess calls off the engagement and shortly after the ex fiancee dies in a freak climbing, the accident, the week turns into a month and Birdie invites her other daughter Tate and her own sister India to try and help Chess find her way out of the deep depression she has fallen in. They plan for a quiet, nurturing month caring for Chess, but the island has its own ideas. The reality will turn out to be far more exciting and healing than any of them expect.

This was my first introduction to Elin Hilderbrand and I was very pleasantly surprised. I anticipated a shallow but mildly entertaining summer read. Instead I found impressive depth and detail with all the mess and complication of real life. The characters were interesting, fully realized people who I would be friends with in real life. I enjoyed every minute of getting to know them. If the end is a bit of a fairy tale, all neatly tied up and happy, I liked the book even better for it. A thoroughly enjoyable read and I look forward to diving into the rest of Hilderbrand's work.

9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

She does it again..

Hilderbrand's novels move fast (she doesn't add a lot of colorful language or description) and are easy to read. The Island has well developed characters and the reader gets absorbed into their world. This is not a thrilling, climactic read, but rather an enjoyable story of love, loss, and relationships between the people we are closest to, family. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Not even halfway through and disappointed...

The mother is 57? Really? She comes across as if she is 107. Not a realistic woman of the current times at all. Treats her 30+ daughters as if they are teenagers....ridiculous. And they all have cutesy names. As soon as I started reading I knew immediately that all 3 cutesy nicknames would be explained and I was right. Why is that necessary? Name them and move on. If it relevant to explain the names do so, but don't make it so obvious. UGH. Can't believe this author is a Johns Hopkins graduate. I will finish it because it isn't awful, but I suspect it is predictable.

3 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

Great Family story

I love Elin Hilderbrand books. This book is about a family, their relationships, their struggles and how they help eachother through life problems. It's an easy read with the island nantucket feeling like her other books. The struggle between sisters is realistic and I can relate having a sister myself. Easy Read, interesting fun and the sadest part is when you finish reading it....it leaves you wanting more!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Interesting true-to-life story. Makes you think.

This is the story of four women and how a month on a privately owned island near Nantucket can refocus their lives. All four women are trying to overcome death, suicide, divorce and depression. Interesting true-to-life story. Makes you think.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great book!

Highly recommend reading this one. It has a great story plot and really keeps you the edge of your seat. By far my favorite!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Awesome

Very good book. Stayed up way to late to finish it. But, glad i did. Highly reccommend it along with all of her other books.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Loved it!

This book was really great. I loved the characters and loved the setting of Tuckernuck island. Really, really great summer read!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good Summer Read

Interesting characters, but like a previous reviewer remarked, not sure the ending tied up their stories. However, the author's obvious knowledge of the locales, cooking, and women of a certain age will hold your interest. I enjoyed it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent read

I purchased this book on my husbands ipad and i could not stop reading it.i fell in love with tuckernuck. When I would read I felt as though i was there in the Tate home. A great read for me while I was at the lake.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Sorry but will buy the book

I would love to read all her books but I am highly disappointed that
I can buy the books cheaper than the Nook price! I am getting very
disenchanted with this repeatedly happening!! What's with this??

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful!

Like your favorite wine, this book satisfies!

Unexpected enjoyment

I bought this because i needed a book to read in the airport. I enjoyed it so much and am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Four women, a mom, her sister, and two daughters, spend a month

Four women, a mom, her sister, and two daughters, spend a month on Tuckernut, an island off Nantucket. This is my first book by this author and I really like her writing style and the way she gave good background on all of the characters. I wanted to give the book 5 stars as I could hardly put it down, but one of the women really bugged me. I didn't like her storyline at all. Great details, I feel like if I visited Tuckernut, I'd be able to find my way around. The book flowed nicely and was a quick-read.

Recommend

Great novel

She does it again

Love the story and the twist and turns

Amazingly genuine!

Unbelievably true to the human equasion. Real personalities that aren't over the top, truthfulness in the complexities of relationships - done so well yet don't bogg you down. This will be an all time favorite for me, and a book I suspect I will pick up again - for the escape of civilazation, and the rekindling of summer friends.

I loved it

No text was provided for this review.

Great read

I loved the characters in this book and it left me smiling.