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eleanormharte's review
4.0
The cover for this makes it look like a cute sapphic beach romcom, and while there are sapphic relationships that take place on a beach, nothing about this book is a romcom. Instead it's more like an exploration of family and trauma with a romantic angle. Matty and her wife Parker have rented a house on a remote island in Australia and invited their families to come. Matty's loud, brash Australian parents couldn't be more different than Parker's parents, both immigrants to the US. It's supposed to be just a few days, but a volcano erupts, destroying the island, and they're stranded for six weeks.
I liked the family relationships between the characters, and I loved the Matty and Parker arc. It was clear the characters had changed by the end of the book, which is important! There was a ton of Australian history and a LOT of info on birds and wildlife. There was a lot going on and it felt like it took me forever to read because it dragged at times, but overall I was satisfied.
If you're into deeper family stories with a romance on the surface, this book is for you, just don't be fooled by the cover.
Thank you to the publisher Atria Books and Net Galley for the free e-arc.
I liked the family relationships between the characters, and I loved the Matty and Parker arc. It was clear the characters had changed by the end of the book, which is important! There was a ton of Australian history and a LOT of info on birds and wildlife. There was a lot going on and it felt like it took me forever to read because it dragged at times, but overall I was satisfied.
If you're into deeper family stories with a romance on the surface, this book is for you, just don't be fooled by the cover.
Thank you to the publisher Atria Books and Net Galley for the free e-arc.
heathersereads's review
3.0
Island time was very different from what I initially thought it would be about based on the cover. It looked like another sappy romance, but I found it to be so much deeper than that. It is about an extended family that goes on vacation on an island off of the coast of Australia, and gets stranded for 6 weeks due to a natural disaster. They must learn to adapt and live together, all the while deal with new, budding romances, and heartbreaking drama.
I am usually put off from multiple viewpoints and find them hard to follow, but each character seemed to have an in depth description of their lives and personal drama. They were very detailed and fleshed out and easy to follow, which I admired the author for being able to pull off. The queer romances were described perfectly. They were believable and natural with flaws and conflict and passion and love. It wasn’t cringey or too sappy, just real.
One issue I had with the book is that it seemed longer than necessary. I felt like it started off strong, then got weak in the middle, and ended strong. I felt maybe it could’ve been edited to make it a little less wordy, but somehow, even at the slow parts, it kept you reading.
I also had a hard time liking some of the characters. Some grew more than others in the end, and I grew to like them, but others not so much. While it isn’t always fun to read about an unlikable character, I feel it is necessary to keep things real, and I can appreciate the authors need to add them in.
Lastly, I had a hard time imagining the layout of the island. It was descriptive, but I felt like it could’ve been a little more detailed. A map would’ve been a fun addition for visualization.
The writing was beautiful, but although I liked it, I didn’t love it. I recommend it, but I wouldn’t reread. Some parts were just too slow and tv series-ish. I found myself wanting more of that exciting action packed beginning. But I did find myself sad when it was time for them to leave. I’m wondering what happened to them afterward, and I feel like that could make a great second book!
Thank you for this ARC that was generously provided by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am usually put off from multiple viewpoints and find them hard to follow, but each character seemed to have an in depth description of their lives and personal drama. They were very detailed and fleshed out and easy to follow, which I admired the author for being able to pull off. The queer romances were described perfectly. They were believable and natural with flaws and conflict and passion and love. It wasn’t cringey or too sappy, just real.
One issue I had with the book is that it seemed longer than necessary. I felt like it started off strong, then got weak in the middle, and ended strong. I felt maybe it could’ve been edited to make it a little less wordy, but somehow, even at the slow parts, it kept you reading.
I also had a hard time liking some of the characters. Some grew more than others in the end, and I grew to like them, but others not so much. While it isn’t always fun to read about an unlikable character, I feel it is necessary to keep things real, and I can appreciate the authors need to add them in.
Lastly, I had a hard time imagining the layout of the island. It was descriptive, but I felt like it could’ve been a little more detailed. A map would’ve been a fun addition for visualization.
The writing was beautiful, but although I liked it, I didn’t love it. I recommend it, but I wouldn’t reread. Some parts were just too slow and tv series-ish. I found myself wanting more of that exciting action packed beginning. But I did find myself sad when it was time for them to leave. I’m wondering what happened to them afterward, and I feel like that could make a great second book!
Thank you for this ARC that was generously provided by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
nstinch54's review
2.0
** I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. **
Another Netgalley backlog item... this book was picked based on a bookish bingo prompt for a beach on it's cover.
Island Time takes place on a remote island of the coast of Queensland, Australia. When a nearby volcano unexpectedly erupts, it triggers a chaotic chain of events of the family staying on the island. Throw in the only other 2 inhabitants of the island who are employees of the "resort" that is definitely no longer a resort after suffering through the storm.
2 stars to this one and I feel like I'm being kind. The plot at least had me keep reading to see if they ever got off the island, but none of the characters were very likable and it didn't help that all the characters (NINE in total) each had their own povs for chapters. And since most of them were insufferable, it was hard to distinguish one person from the other and I found myself forgetting who's pov I was currently reading.
Pros - I liked the extra tidbits of Aboriginal Australian heritage. It's something I don't normally come across in my usual reads.
Another Netgalley backlog item... this book was picked based on a bookish bingo prompt for a beach on it's cover.
Island Time takes place on a remote island of the coast of Queensland, Australia. When a nearby volcano unexpectedly erupts, it triggers a chaotic chain of events of the family staying on the island. Throw in the only other 2 inhabitants of the island who are employees of the "resort" that is definitely no longer a resort after suffering through the storm.
2 stars to this one and I feel like I'm being kind. The plot at least had me keep reading to see if they ever got off the island, but none of the characters were very likable and it didn't help that all the characters (NINE in total) each had their own povs for chapters. And since most of them were insufferable, it was hard to distinguish one person from the other and I found myself forgetting who's pov I was currently reading.
Pros - I liked the extra tidbits of Aboriginal Australian heritage. It's something I don't normally come across in my usual reads.
ekalverda's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
there’s too many plot lines, so many characters none of them get deeply explored because there are too many of them
aceschwarz222's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hannahraeanne's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
vylotte's review
3.0
Not what I normally read, but I needed an easy palate cleanser. Definitely not what I expected, I thought the characters were quite believable (for the most part) and liked the setting. The first 2/3rds I would give 4 stars but then it descended into behaviour that triggered my "GTFO and fast" relationship buttons. The cringe was quite strong. I would read more from the author, though.