The Islanders: A Novel

Meg Mitchell Moore

Jun 2019 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

"One of my own favorite writers." –Elin Hilderbrand

Named a Best Beach Read of Summer by Vulture, PureWow, She Reads and Women.com

J. Courtney Sullivan’s Maine meets the works of Elin Hilderbrand in this delicious summer read involving three strangers, one island, and a season packed with unexpected romance, well-meaning lies, and damaging secrets.

Anthony Puckett was a rising literary star. The son of an uber-famous thriller writer, Anthony’s debut novel spent two years on the bestseller list and won the adoration of critics. But something went very wrong with his second work. Now Anthony’s borrowing an old college’s friend’s crumbling beach house on Block Island in the hopes that solitude will help him get back to the person he used to be.

Joy Sousa owns and runs Block Island’s beloved whoopie pie café. She came to this quiet space eleven years ago, newly divorced and with a young daughter, and built a life for them here. To her customers and friends, Joy is a model of independence, hard-working and happy. And mostly she is. But this summer she’s thrown off balance. A food truck from a famous New York City brand is roving around the island, selling goodies—and threatening her business.

Lu Trusdale is spending the summer on her in-laws’ dime, living on Block Island with her two young sons while her surgeon husband commutes to the mainland hospital. When Lu’s second son was born, she and her husband made a deal: he’d work and she’d quit her corporate law job to stay home with the boys. But a few years ago, Lu quietly began working on a private project that has becoming increasingly demanding on her time. Torn between her work and home, she’s beginning to question that deal she made.

Over the twelve short weeks of summer, these three strangers will meet and grow close, will share secrets and bury lies. And as the promise of June turns into the chilly nights of August, the truth will come out, forcing each of them to decide what they value most, and what they are willing to give up to keep it.

Ratings and reviews

One “Islander” and two summer residents take up the majority of the story as their lives converge and impact upon one another in ways unexpected during a summer on Block Island off the Rhode Island Shore. Moore brings us Joy, owner of Joybombs bakery, home of the re-invented whoopie pie, and single mother of 13 year old Maggie. Lu is a stay-at-home mother of two young boys and the secret author of Dinner by Dad, a food blog that she is desperately hoping to grow. She and her doctor husband have taken a house on the island, not far from his parents’ summer place, and Jake is all about Lu being the mum and the ‘caretaker’, and is hoping for a third child soon. Anthony Puckett is in the throes of a major depression, his life has fallen apart, his career derailed by plaigirism and his wife’s adultery, he’s hoping to dry out, regain contact with his son and recover. These three find an interesting intersection: from Lu’s hiring young Maggie to be her mother’s helper while she blogs, all unknown to her husband. Maggie, for her part is comfortable talking with Lu about her life, and this, to Joy, is a threat as we all know that thirteen year old girls and their mothers are closer than close at all times (snort). Anthony is Lu’s nearest neighbor, and closest initial confidante- and while he’s attracted to Joy, he’s not told her the truths about him, including his name. Oh this was lovely: from the frustrations of living in a summer destination for the locals, the struggles to make businesses work during the ‘high season’ when the off season often means struggle to just stay open. With the tumult of Anthony and his own issues, Maggie being thirteen, and Lu dealing with not speaking of, or asking for, her own time to be something other than “mother and housewife’, the story is full of every day issues, little and big traumas and a series of communications (or misses) that complicate some of the relationships terribly. But what emerges is a readable, griping and hard to put down story that explores choices, opportunities, relationships and expectations – and how we often don’t ask enough for what we want, even feel as if we aren’t ‘enough’ to desire more. From love to business to simple choices about the day, your focus and your energy – this is a story that will make you think, leave you with plenty to enjoy and characters to cheer for, despite (or perhaps BECAUSE of their flaws). I received an eAr copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Meg Mitchell Moore's characters are endearing with their perfect imperfection. Regardless of flaws, regrets and questionable choices, they evoke empathy. You'll want to see them to the end, yet not see them end. A great escape, especially during tough sleep nights in the bath tub! As a writer, her growth seems exponential in the past few years.

About the author

Meg Mitchell Moore worked for several years as a journalist for a variety of publications before turning to fiction. She lives in the beautiful coastal town of Newburyport, Mass., with her husband and their three daughters. Mansion Beach is her ninth novel.