Island Girl: Review & Giveaway

Author: Lynda Simmons
ISBN: 978-0-425-23724-3
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Purchase Link: Island Girl
Source: TLC Book Tours

Synopsis

There are people who try hard to forget their problems. All Ruby wants to do is remember...

Ruby Donaldson has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease, and she'll be damned if she won't straighten out her troubled family before she no longer knows how.

Ruby spent years fighting to hold on to the home her grandmother built on Ward's Island. The only way she can ensure that her younger, mentally scarred daughter Grace can live there for the rest of her life is to convince her older daughter, Liz, to sober up and come home.

Ruby always thought she'd have a lifetime to make things right, but suddenly time is running out. She has to put her broken family back together quickly while searching for a way to deal with the inevitable- and do it with all the grit, stubbornness, and unstoppable determination that makes Ruby who she is...until she's Ruby no longer.

Review

Pace – The pace of this novel was slow yet steady for the first ninety pages as the foundation for the story is laid and the characters are introduced. After the ninety page mark the novel really picks up and kept me glued to the pages. I want to be clear that the story never lagged, the first 90 pages just required a little bit more attention I you got to know the characters.

Writing style – The book is written from the perspective of three women; Abby, Grace and Liz. The chapters alternate perspective and are titled by the corresponding character who is telling her story. I absolutely love this set up in novels. It really gives a well rounded look at the story since you seemingly walk in each characters shoes.

It took me a little bit to figure out each character and keep them in check. This was all within the first 90 to 100 pages. Lynda does a wonderful job keeping parts of the story mysterious and slowly filling in the gaps as it progresses. Unfortunately some of these gaps confused me a bit. At times, I wasn’t sure I was reading the thoughts of the correct woman. I had to flip back and check who I was reading about a couple times in those first 100 pages because things didn’t quite add up in my mind. I was never confused or wrong, just needed to double check my own thoughts.

Storyline – I really enjoyed this story. It’s original, fresh, smart and entertaining. The author does a wonderful job bringing complex relationships and complex issues together. The novel covers some serious topics including Alcoholism and Alzheimer’s. The author does a wonderful job discussing these topics within the story and the characters. I was engrossed in this novel and completely satisfied at the end.

Characters – You’ll love them, you’ll hate them. Okay, so I never really hated any of them, but I did want to slap some sense into them at times. True to life, these characters are wonderfully genuine. They each have their faults but are wonderful in and of themselves. I couldn’t help but develop a certain respect and liking for each one. Every character brings something unique to the story. I really enjoyed getting to know this well developed group!

Overall, Island Girl is a wonderful read. Truly poignant and compelling throughout, it pulls at the heartstrings. I would recommend this novel to individual readers as well as book clubs. It would be perfect for a group to read and discuss! I also plan to read more from Lynda Simmons based on my experience with this novel.

GIVEAWAY - 2 copies available!