Book Review: Island in the Sun by Janice Horton

Spring is underway but we aren’t out of the woods yet. Dark, rainy days are still on the horizon. Many of us wish we could jet off to a Carribean island and escape it all. Good news – you can. And for very little money, too. Just the cost of a book, in fact.

Blurb

Island in the Sun by Janice Horton takes place on Pearl Island in the Carribean, an island Isla Ashton has just inherited from her Aunt Kate. Along with priceless jewels and millions of dollars. However, Isla is reluctant to return to Pearl Island. She had been estranged from Aunt Kate for the past 10 years and the last time she saw childhood friend, Leo Fernandez, her heart was broken. Alas, return she must, but with full intentions of selling the island as soon as possible. However, first, she is determined to find out that fateful night that sent Leo to prison and then, she discovers some interesting secrets about Aunt Kate’s past.

Review

Look, I can’t deny that Island in the Sun is a somewhat predictable book, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. I actually liked it very much. See, I usually go for thrillers and that’s the kind of thing that excites me. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to discover an element of mystery in this book. What led Aunt Kate to become such a cold person? Just who was Leo protecting that night? These questions are answered throughout the story just in a much lighter way that a thriller would. It made for a good mix of genre for me and I actually realized that in some areas, Island in the Sun was not as predictable as first presumed.

The setting of Pearl Island was stunning and I found myself lost in the Carribean. I was able to imagine every plant, every smell, the sea, and the humidity in the air perfectly. I also found myself being able to step into Aunt Kate’s shoes. Through a series of journal entries, we discover the glamorous lifestyle she once led and how she got through the rest of her life after her beloved husband, Ernest, died. Actually, I would have liked to have read much more about Aunt Kate, even an entire book just based on her past!

I’ve said it on Joyful Antidotes many times before but I also like learning about various topics via fictional stories. In Island in the Sun, there were quite interesting passages about pearly farming. Not an area I thought I would ever learn about but I did and am glad to have the information (I’ll keep it stored somewhere in the back of my brain in case it ever becomes the million euro question on a quiz show).

Overall, this was a very pleasant read. It reeled me in enough to keep me coming back as often as possible throughout the day to find out more. The sad thing is now I find myself really longing for the sun. Summer isn’t that far away, right?

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.