This is listed as a romance, but I think it would be better described as contemporary fiction with romantic elements (a lot more words, but more accurate). A chapter or two in, and I was just hooked!

Piper Parrish lives on an island in the Chesapeake Bay that has a population of fewer than 100 people, but she likes her life. Except for the morning when her husband’s boat didn’t come back. However, Piper continues talking to her dead husband. The townspeople, not sure what to do, decide they’ll play around with the charade.

Anders Caldwell had high hopes for both his career as a journalist and as a podcaster. He’d once done a podcast that had thousands of listeners, but nowadays, his subscriber list is as small as the podunk newspaper where he landed a job writing fluffy pieces between advertising. When he gets assigned to do a story on tiny Frick Island to write about their annual Cake Walk, he’s hard pressed to get enough information for even the paltry six inches of space he needs to fill. Then he learns not just of Piper believing she can still see her husband, but the entire town going along with the deception.

When he starts podcasting about this mystery—how does a young woman still talk with a husband who isn’t there and why are the townsfolk enabling her?—his audience begins to grow. He’s an outsider that the dwellers of the island are reluctant to confide in, but he comes back, weekend after weekend, to talk to Piper, telling her and the community that he’s writing about the impact of climate change on tiny islands like Frick.

I personally like living in bigger cities with outstanding Wi-Fi access at all times, but the community Oakley describes, even though dilapidated and with one singular restaurant option, sounds enviable. She vividly describes all the characters so they come alive. This is gripping and fun.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES MAY 25, 2021.

"Living, in itself, is a risk, with only one guaranteed outcome. And we get up each day, and we make our toast and kiss our spouses or kids or parents or cats or dogs and go to work or school and come home to yet another pile of laundry. We do all these things with no guarantee that we'll even make it through the day."
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Frickin' Frick! I frickin' loved me some Frick Island and will be venturing on to read as much Oakley as I can!
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This book is a slow build, but don't give up on it. At the 50% mark, I could barely put it down, racing toward the end needing to know what was up with Piper, what happened to Tom, and what was go become of Anders' venture to seek the truth. Don't know what I'm talking about? Well, it's all very mysterious on Frick Island and you will really just have to read and found out for yourself ;)!
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This is mostly a light-hearted read with some definite sad moments, but you won't be left sad at the end. There is also a strong air of mystery, humor, and swoony feels. I was charmed by Piper and Anders and felt deeply connected to the characters and their stories. This is absolutely one I recommend to those who just love a good story!

A young woman becomes a widow, and all of the town’s inhabitants go along with her delusion that her husband is still alive. When a journalist comes to the island searching for a story, he discovers one he never saw coming. Author Colleen Oakley offers warmth, romance, genuine affection, and kind characters in her newest novel The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.

The lifelong residents of Frick Island divide people into two groups: From Here, meaning those who belong to the island, and Come Here, those who migrated to it. While the residents treat everyone with politeness, the Come Heres have often felt a small difference. All of them except Piper Parrish, that is.

Piper and her scientist mother came to Frick Island when Piper was in the sixth grade. In the beginning, the other kids in school singled her out as a Come Here. When Tom stood up for her, though, people stopped bothering her. Through the years, her sunny disposition won them over to the point that they forgot—or forgave—her Come Here status and adopted her as a From Here. Tom did more than that, however; he fell head over heels in love with Piper, and she returned his love with eagerness.

It didn’t surprise anyone that they got married young. Piper loves Frick Island, and Tom’s family has always been in the crab business. Tom took it up like his relatives, but he also feels a little restless. Piper keeps him steady, and he challenges her in the best of ways. As corny as it sounds, they’re meant for one another.

When Tom’s crab boat capsizes during bad weather, then, everyone in town understands Piper’s longing to grieve. When she starts talking to Tom as if he’s still there—telling everyone she needs to help Tom with his tie for church, say, or that she’s going out to the beach to meet his boat when it comes in the way she did before the accident—no one has the heart to correct her. In fact, they go one step further.

Anders Caldwell moved to Maryland from Atlanta hoping for a break in his journalism career. The proximity to New York and his pluck were all he needed for big things to happen. Except Anders is stuck covering the dumb stories no one wants, like a Cake Walk on Frick Island, which he’s never heard of and where he really doesn’t want to go. The only way to get to the Island is by ferry, and Anders hates being on the water.

His editor doesn’t give him a choice, though, and Anders makes his way to the island expecting to see a bunch of cakes and gawking tourists. What he finds is an entire town of people pretending to see a dead man. They actually call out to Tom as if he’ll respond, leaving Anders incredibly confused at first.

The more questions Anders asks, the more an idea burns inside of him: what if he starts a podcast about the town and this bizarre situation? What harm could it do anyway? The town doesn’t even have a cell phone tower, and internet speeds are actually crawls. Maybe this will be the feature story that will catapult him toward success.

As Anders comes back every weekend to interview Frick Island residents and spend time with Piper, he finds out just how far the From Heres will go to protect their own. He also discovers something more valuable than his next big career move.

Author Colleen Oakley handles her situations and characters with a practiced hand. While in theory it might seem a tad precious that Piper gets married so young, within the context of the story world it makes complete sense. Piper’s grief and her longing for Tom will endear her to readers. Both ring true and loud for anyone who has lost a loved one.

Oakley’s plot stays well within the realm of its genre but doesn’t come off as saccharine. Moments meant to be solemn maintain their dignity. Those meant for a laugh will make readers chuckle. With the exception of the dialogue that comes off as unrealistic at times, the book leads its target audience through the entire range of emotions with precision. I recommend readers Bookmark The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.

At first glance, the blurb and cover of “The Invisible Husband of Frick Island” sounded to me to like a light-hearted, even funny read. Turns out there are bits of quirkiness, but overall it is a tender and thoughtful story.

Frick Island in the middle of Chesapeake Bay is the creation of author Colleen Oakley, based on a somewhat similar island that really does exist in the Bay. When young novice report Anders Caldwell arrives at the island on a summer weekend to cover the annual Frick Island cake sale, he will learn more than just the facts about a dessert. He will see and feel for himself that no man is an island.

The setting of Frick Island is drawn in loving and specific detail. The caw of the seagulls, the worn out houses and shops like so many “Velveteen Rabbits”, the weathered waterman working on their trawlers at the small marina, and the changeable sea and sky set the scene perfectly. The many townsfolk are also well-presented, with their peculiar ways of seeing the world.

Anders expects to spend one dull afternoon on Frick Island, but he ends returning again and again. He is compelled to solve the mystery of pretty, young Piper Parrish and her apparent delusion. He begins to podcast about the conditions on Frick Island from the effects of global warming to the odd behavior of Piper and the townsfolk. Treated at first as a “ Come Here”, his awkward, careful manner begins to thaw the “From Here’s.”

Can Ander’s podcast help the people of Frick Island, or at least do something for Piper? Can Anders become more comfortable in his own skin? You will enjoy this sincere and charming story and you will see that life is more than the facts of “who”, “what,”where”, and “when”. Anders shows us that while it is hard to explain the “why”, love and hope can sometimes be enough when life ebbs and flows. When we push pass the things that divide us, we can move forward together.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy. And much gratitude to Berkley Publishing Group for recommending “Frick Island” to me- I truly loved this book and I highly recommend it.

Anders Caldwell has wanted to be a journalist ever since he was a little boy. He didn't want to be Superman, he wanted to be Clark Kent. When covering an annual Cake Walk fund raiser on a local island leads him to discover a lovely young widow living as if her dead husband is still alive and right there beside her, and the entire town is playing right along with her, at first he just can't believe it. Then he thinks... what a story. This could shake up his world. Little does he know.
This is a fairly fluffy tale with a few twists that I have to admit I was not altogether happy with. No spoilers, but it took some of the emotional depth out of the story, allowed an entire issue to be bypassed so that a romance could be included in the story. There was excellent character development with Anders and Piper but all the other characters had original names but unfortunately interchangeable personalities. I enjoyed the book for the most part with minor quibbles. My copy was an ARC from NetGalley.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. This author has written several other books, but this was my first time reading one of her books. Her characters are sweet and likable and it’s not too over the top on the romance factor which is a plus in my opinion. I would read more by this author in the future!

Review also published on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

Sweet, Enchanting, and utterly Mesmerizing.

Oh, how I loved “The Invisible Husband of Frick Island!” What a sweet, captivating novel about extremely lovable unforgettable characters you can’t help but root for.

So unprepared was I, for how the characters of Piper Parrish and Anders Caldwell would steal my heart!

Piper Parrish lives on Frick Island, a tiny little island off of Chesapeake Bay. Frick Island is extraordinary, a charming, whimsical place where all of the townsfolks know and are invested in each other. There is no cell reception and almost no internet except for extremely slow dial-up in one of the town’s local shops. Technology is something these folks are not addicted to and the idea of it is absolutely refreshing.

Piper is happily married to her High School sweetheart Tom, a Waterman who loves the water, adores to read, and loves his wife desperately. Sadly, one day after going out on the water, Tom goes missing - his boat is found but he is not. Piper is devastated and almost can’t go on, until one day, something strange happens. She suddenly starts living her life as if Tom were by her side, talking to him, going out for walks with him, and going out to eat with him. Soon, everyone in the village is going along with it, yet no one discusses it.

Anders Caldwell is a reporter at a small-town paper in Maryland, sent to Frick Island to cover a story. While there, he becomes fascinated by the town and its inhabitants. In his spare time, Anders runs a Podcast and soon realizes that there is a story there. A new podcast emerges entitled “What the Frick?” which leads Anders to spend every weekend on the Island, becoming a local.

Adorably sweet and simply charming, “The Invisible Husband of Frick Island” is character-driven fiction that made me smile and yes, made tears fall as well. I adored the character of Anders, whose kindness, generosity and understanding swept me away. 4.25

This was a charming buddy read with Kaceey.

A huge thank you Stephanie Felty at Berkley Publishing Group (via NetGalley) for the arc. #blogblitz #blogger #bookreviewer

Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.

Well if you are looking for a heartwarming read that will wrap itself around your heart… look no further. You have found it right here with this gem of a read.

Piper Parrish grew up in a quaint community off Chesapeake Bay known as Frick island. No internet, no alcohol. A place where everyone knows each other.

Piper has lost her husband, to a boating accident, at a very young age. He was her life. All she knew. She is trying to put one foot in front of the other but is failing. Until one morning she wakes to see her husband Tom in bed with her. Piper is beyond the moon that Tom is home. Only no one else can see Tom except Piper. But the town loves their own and supports Piper in her beliefs that Tom is right there at her side.

Anders Caldwell is an up-and-coming reporter. He is assigned to cover the cake walk on Frick Island. When he meets Piper he is instantly smitten. But is struggling to understand her belief that Tom is alive and even more strange… that the town is going along with it!

Everybody grieves in their own way.

I loved every character in this book!

Piper was so endearing. You could see why her fellow islanders loved her so much that they went along with her beliefs.

Anders was so quirky. A lost boy who could take whatever the locals dished out to him.

There is laughter as well as tears. It’s a book that covers all the feels and leaves you with a smile on your face when you reach the end.

A buddy read with Susanne that we both enjoyed.

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to Stephanie Felty, Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley.

I first fell in love with Colleen Oakley's writing when I read Close Enough to Touch: A Novel a few years ago. So I was eager to read her latest and I'm so glad I got an early peek!

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island is such a great story. It's so creative and unique. Colleen really captured the small town feel and I enjoyed reading her author notes about what inspired Frick Island. The characters were so interesting and quirky. I especially loved Piper and how she processed her grief throughout the novel. The descriptions really brought everything to life and I could see all the people and settings clearly. There was even a mystery within the story.

Overall, a sweet and heartfelt novel that was hard to put down. I eagerly await what Colleen has next in store for her readers!

Movie casting ideas:
Piper: Madeleine Arthur
Anders: Nat Wolff
Tom: Luke Benward
Pearl: Melissa Leo
Jeffrey: Freddie Thorp
BobDan: John Kapelos
Jess: Allison Scagliotti
Piper's mom: Juno Rinaldi

This premise of The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley is so interesting, original and I can’t wait to see how this story comes together.

From the get-go, I am loving this little town. Frick Island is picturesque, quaint, fun, and from another time. The cast of characters here is unforgettable. From the ferry driver to the dentist who is now the surrogate MD, the diner & more. From the very first page, I can picture it and I want to visit.

“Just because we can’t see him, doesn’t mean Piper can’t.”
Now, we get to meet Piper & Tom. Poor Piper. Tom is lost at sea (we think), yet he is alive and well in Frick Island. His boat is docked and the townspeople wave and say hello to him as he “walks” with Piper. Is this just a way of her handling her grief? Is she having a mental breakdown? Why is everyone going along with this? Will this do her more harm than good for the townsfolk to play along. These are a few of the questions running through my head.



Then we have Anders. He visits the island for a story about the infamous Frick Island Cake Walk and is pulled back in by an anonymous email He pieces together what’s going in with Piper. He knows Tom isn’t real and isn’t sure if he will play along or not. What he will do, is create a podcast. The story of this island is something he feels he has to tell. This is his chance to really tackle storytelling and here walks in Piper believing that her missing husband is still living.

“There were more buried secrets on this island than on a sunken treasure ship and Anders was tired of uncovering them.”
Honestly, I feel like I hold my breath while reading these pages. I want the best for Piper and I want Anders to handle this situation delicately. I have no idea how it will pan out, but so many people can be damaged and hurt. I’m very invested in the well-being of Piper and everyone else on Frick Island.

For me, this is such a great story about grief, community, healing, love, and second chances. The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley is truly a story to savor, enjoy and discuss.

Thank you, Berkley, for our gifted review copy.

It’s best to not know too much about this book going in. Here’s all you need: A young waterman never comes home after a bad storm. He’s presumed dead, but his wife, beloved on their very small island in Chesapeake Bay, carries on as though he’s still there and the whole town goes along with it. Then an earnest if misguided journalist and would-be podcaster stumbles on this story.

There are quirky (but not too quirky) characters, a gentle love story or two, grief, mystery, humor, and climate change.

This was a really lovely story that wasn’t exactly a capital R romance. And If you care, there was a little bit of cussing and no sex on the page, though the briefest of mentions.

The two words I’d use to describe The Invisible Husband of Frick Island are sweet and wholesome. You could recommend this book to your grandma or your teenage daughter and they’d both love it. Now, sweet and wholesome isn’t typically my jam, but I found myself liking this one. Why?

Setting! The novel is set on Frick Island, an isolated island in the Chesapeake Bay without attention to the hustle and bustle of American life. No technology, no alcohol (unless it’s bootlegged) and a small community of hard-working people. The cast of characters in this idyllic setting made the novel.

Like Frick Island’s slow pace, I found this book to be a slow build. I’m an extremely antsy reader and will quit a book 10 pages in, but I’m glad I stuck with this one to see what it had to offer.

The central plotline is about Piper, whose waterman husband is presumed dead, and unable to deal, Piper carries on with life as if he were alive. Everyone in town joins in, greeting Tom in the morning and serving his favorite food at the diner. Anders, a journalist, comes to the island to cover an unrelated story and stumbles into an unforgettable story to launch his podcast. As he secretly covers Piper’s story, he must wrestle with his dishonesty as his feelings for Piper intensify.

I thought the book would be more about grief. The story, though, was more about friendship and how our friends support us even during our darkest and most outlandish moments. This is a feel-good book with lots of twists and turns throughout the book- nothing maybe or off-putting, but enough to keep you guessing.

I recommend picking it up in the summer months as you bask with your feet in the sand and a cold glass of lemonade in hand.

In a world where there is so much pain and negativity, diving into a book like this is just the dose of goodness we need.

Piper Parrish is delusional, believing that her husband, who was lost at sea, is still alive, and through this novel we witness the goodness of people. We see how the townspeople come together to still greet and speak with her husband, acting as though he is present with Piper. It is a beautiful showing of goodness and love from an entire community.

Then, we meet Anders, who comes to Frick Island, dreaming of becoming a famous podcaster. He begins covering climate change and the shrinking of Frick Island, but his journalistic instincts make him dive further. As someone new to the town, he is, understandably confused. Is Piper’s husband alive? What happened to him? When his podcast becomes more about Piper, he sees his dreams of fame being fulfilled, but at what cost?

This story is so intricately woven, a delicate balancing act of beautiful, flawed characters, a mystery, and a beautiful story of love and hope. This book will wrap you up and make you dream of traveling to Frick Island (if only it were real),

Thank you to Net Galley and Berkley for the free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley has been described as a love story, but I would classify it as Women’s Fiction, maybe Fantasy. I found the novel to be a light read that was just silly in my point of view. The premise of a woman with an invisible husband just did not hold up.

Piper Parrish lives on fictional Frick Island, based on Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Her husband was killed when his crab boat capsized but she pretends that he is still alive, and the 90-some population of the island go along with the fantasy.

Instead of rapidly running away from this woman who is said to be suffering from post-bereavement hallucination experiences, journalist and podcaster Anders Caldwell falls in love with the young woman who has a strong interest in science.

WorldCat labels this book as Fiction : Secondary (senior high) school, which may be my whole problem with it. It is a story for a younger audience.

Colleen Oakley’s You Were There Too was long listed for the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting March 16, 2021.

I would like to thank Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

There is something very charming about this story, a story about love and grief and starting again. Let me start off by saying how much I love all the islanders of Frick Island. They really stole the show for me. I love the setting, this small dwindling island of people who know and love each other, so much so that they're willing to play along with a young widow's grief that her husband is still alive, and right next to her.

I think the setting and the islanders really set this book above a typical love story. So much was added from the setting and it was really cozy to slip into this story and read about the town and the weather and their very very strong feelings towards journalists (Gasp!) and global warming.

Anders is a journalist who is an outsider, having found the story of Piper and her strange circumstance where she thinks her dead husband is still alive. And what happens when he starts falling for Piper?

The love story was okay, predictable but that wasn't a bad thing. I guess I didn't really feel much chemistry between Piper and Anders and I wish Anders had more depth to him. I wanted him to have more of a life outside the island, more backstory. The islanders and Piper were full of life and I felt Anders was a little dull. Piper is an interesting character too. I couldn't really connect with her or her actions so that took me out of the story a bit.

But I did love the overall tone and message of the book. Don't judge anyone too harshly without knowing them, take the time to meet people and talk to them, slow down. The writing is good and even though the plot slowed for me a bit in the middle, I was happy to continue on and enjoy the townspeople and Anders trying to muddle his way into belonging.

I love Colleen Oakley. There’s a deceptive informality and ease to her storytelling and you just can’t help getting drawn in - Frick Island is a quirky place so it stands to reason it has quirky residents. Moving, sentimental and impossible to put down, The Invisible Husband of Frick Island was quietly unforgettable.

Piper and Tom married young but are madly in love. When his boat is found at the bottom of the Chesapeake and he’s presumed dead, she is devastated. Until she wakes up one morning and he’s next to her. The problem? No one else on their small island sees him.

This was such a refreshing and unique tale! I was tickled to see it took place in Maryland, the state I live in. After reading the author’s note, I found out Frick Island is fictional BUT based on the real life Smith Island. Their cake is the official dessert of Maryland! At the beginning of the book, I had a hard time getting into it because the islanders were just so darn rude and mean! I got used to that and Piper redeemed them. I liked Anders character and how he started as a ruthless investigator, but turned into an islander at heart. This was a special book about grief, but also about loving where you grew up and protecting traditions. There were even some surprises I wasn’t expecting. I also loved that the surprises weren’t super crazy or out there.. they made complete sense to the story and felt true to life.

“Maybe a woman thinking her dead husband was alive wasn’t the strangest thing in the world. Maybe the strangest thing in the world was a whole town pretending they could see him too.”

“There were more buried secrets on this island than on a sunken treasure ship, and Anders was tired of uncovering them.”

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island comes out 5/25.

I don’t know about all of you, but when the All State insurance commercial popped up on my television around year 487 of quarantine I wanted to pack my bags and move there immediately . . . .

Just putting that little tidbit out there right away because when the leading male was preparing to board the ferry to take him to Frick Island and was told . . . .

"Hope you’ve got your DeLorean – because you’re about to go back in time."

I was sorta maybe already in love with this book.

So the story here is about small town journalist Anders who gets sent to Frick Island to cover the annual Cake Walk for the paper. The event ends up getting canceled thanks to a storm that pops up, but Anders thinks there may still be a story there for his personal podcast. It starts with the theory that the island may cease to exist altogether thanks to rising waters due to climate change, but morphs into something different when he meets Piper – and her invisible husband Tom . . . .

Okay okay maybe it’s not a full on “George Glass” situation a la Jan Brady since Tom was a living, breathing human at one time, but when his fishing boat went down in a storm and his body was never recovered his wife Piper just kept on keeping on like he was still around. And the townsfolk? Well, they all decided to just go with it..

I loved this dang book. So much so that when my husband asked what I had been reading I'm pretty sure I literally had emoji heart eyes in place of my usual baby blues. If you are looking for something so sugary you might end up with a cavity or twelve, put this on your TBR when it comes out in May. I’m going to go ahead and give it all the Stars.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

5 stars

This is the kind of book that you need to take your time with. To imagine what this beautiful island looks like, to envision the residents of Frick Island and to savor the beautiful words that Colleen Oakley shares with the reader.

The story starts begins by describing and introducing the quaint island town and the main characters, Piper, Tom and Anders. Frick Island is proud of its heritage and the fact that there is no cell service, no alcohol and no police station.

Piper, a young widow, enrobed in grief, and beloved by the whole town (of roughly 94 residents), mentions one day that Tom (her deceased husband) no longer snores. This revelation starts a chain reaction whereby the whole town begins to acknowledge Tom, even though they know he is not actually here. The circumstances around Tom’s death are left intentionally fuzzy and unanswered.

Anders, a young and hungry journalist comes to the island to cover the yearly Frick Island Cake Walk for the second-rate paper he writes for. After visiting the town and covering the story, he receives an email telling him he is missing the bigger story. Since he has aspirations to build a successful podcast, he decides to follow this lead, which he assumes is the effect of climate change on the island. What Anders doesn’t count on is that no one wants to talk about, face or entertain the idea that their beloved island may be in trouble. He gets unwillingly swept into the practice of acknowledging Tom as if he is actually there (think the Emperor’s New Clothes). He is then drawn to find out more about the situation. Why would the townspeople go along with this ruse? Is Piper suffering from a grief-induced mental sickness? What is the town hiding?

While Anders is gathering his “scoop”, he discovers much more than he came for. Just as he is hesitantly welcomed into the community, unexpected results in connection with his podcast threaten to topple the townie relationships he’s worked diligently to build. Will he be able to rectify the situation? What he finds out surprises him and will definitely surprise the reader. I loved the way the author fashioned the ending the resulting hope it radiated.

This book provides a wonderful journey to an island “that time forgot.” I am going to miss my time with Pearl and Harold, BobDan, Lady Judy and others. This story is simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming. A very special read indeed.

Thank you toNetGalley for the advance copy!

The book blew blew me away!! I love island setting for stories. The author captured a unique way of island life with the tiny town of Frick. The idea that a young widow has kept up the presence of her deceased husband, and the rest of the island supports it, was interesting! . Very good book!