This is an interesting book that is filled with well-developed characters. It can drag at times but it is worth reading. It is a look into mental health.

"'Ma says just because we can't see him, doesn't mean Piper can't'."

After her husband's boat sinks while he is at sea, Piper Parrish finds herself a young, grieving widow until one day, Tom miraculously reappears. The problem? Piper is the only one that can see him. Due to their love for Piper, the islanders opt not to correct her, carrying on as if they can see him too. Anders, a young reporter desperate to find a big story to put himself on the map, is shocked to come across an island of people pretending to interact with a man who is not there Believing that he found the story that will put him on the map, he returns to the island hoping to uncover the truth, learning about life and love in the process.

This book wasn't at all what I expected, but I definitely enjoyed it! While I knew Piper would likely be unique, I wasn't expecting Anders to be quirky in his own right as well. Oakley's writing brought him to life, and he was a character that I won't soon forget.

"But the truth, if he had ever uttered it, was that he didn't want to be Superman. He wanted to be Clark Kent. The mild-mannered reporter with snappy prose and thick square glasses, yelling 'I'm on it!' when his editor pounded his fist on the desk and blustered: 'We're sitting on the story of the century here!'"

THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND was a heartwarming story with plenty of moments of levity to balance out the themes of grief and mental health. I found myself chuckling while reading thanks to the antics of the zany islanders, and I was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected twists. Overall, I enjoyed this read, and I am looking forward to reading Oakley's You Were There Too next!

Anders is a cub journalist for a small newspaper on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with dreams of becoming the next podcast sensation. When he is sent to tiny Frick Island to cover their Cake Walk, he can't help but roll his eyes at the seemingly backward way of life there, where there's a single point of Internet access and no cellphone coverage. But he is intrigued by Piper Parrish, whose husband is a recent victim of shipwreck, especially when he realizes that she's acting as though he's still alive, and the whole town seems to be going along with it. Anders makes Piper's story the focus of his next podcast series, with the more or less good intentions of perhaps helping other people suffering from profound grief.

In some ways, this is a good book. Anders, Piper, and many supporting characters are well-drawn and sympathetic. Unfortunately, an underlying premise of the book is a logical fallacy. Frick Island is slowly disappearing due to rising ocean levels, but it so out-of-the-way and underpopulated that the Army Corps of Engineers decided it wasn't worth it to do any beach reconstruction to try to save it. But, someone has decided to build a cell tower on the island. The plot of the book turns on the fact that once the tower is completed, Piper (and the rest of the island's residents) will be able to finally hear Anders's podcast, and will be deeply upset by what they will undoubtedly feel is his betrayal. Verily, the tower is built, the podcast is listened to, and the people are upset, bringing us to the climax of the book. But why? Why would any company want to put a tower on an island to serve so few people, particularly when the residents themselves are at least indifferent, and at most virulently opposed to the tower? That question is never answered.

So, read this book if you're looking for a nice small-town tale, but if you can't look past the inconsistency at the heart of the book, maybe pass on this one.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

I picked up this book because not only did I love the cover, but also after seeing all the rave reviews for it. I’ve always loved books about small towns such as Frick Island, tucked away in the Chesapeake Bay, and I was excited to read it.

Overall I enjoyed it, and read it after needing a good genre mixup after reading a few thrillers. I thought the characters were well developed, but it came to the pacing for me. For many parts of the story, things just seemed to drag.

*many thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review.

This is my first book by Colleen Oakley, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved the quirkiness of the folks of Frick Island. Thinking they are helping Piper cope with her husband's death by pretending to see and talk to him made for some fun and laugh-out-loud moments throughout. I loved that Anders couldn't get enough of the island and its townfolk, and especially Piper. I will definitely be checking out more of Ms. Oakley's works in the future.

This book was absolutely rife with surprises, and I tore through it in only a couple of days. Frick Island and each of its inhabitants comes alive in the text, and I found myself sympathizing with and internally screaming at both Anders and Piper in equal measure as the story progressed. A really sweet novel that manages to pull at the heartstrings and teach you a lesson without being trite.

Love, reality and the big personality of one small island collide in THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND, Colleen Oakley’s latest heartfelt release.

Anders Caldwell has always dreamed of being Superman. Well, not Superman exactly, but Clark Kent, the intrepid reporter who can handle any story that comes his way. And sure, he always thought he’d make a name for himself at the Washington Post or the New York Times, but for now Maryland’s Daily Telegraph is where he writes hard-hitting articles on topics like school lockdowns and cake walks, the subject of his latest assignment. Anders’ new piece has him riding the ferry to Frick Island, a 1.2-mile strip of land accessible only by boat and home to just 94 people.

Originally “discovered” by Jamestown settlers, the island is one of the oldest English-speaking communities in the region, now known for its unique dialect. But perhaps the most noteworthy thing about Frick Island is how little it has changed since its settler days --- and the pride its citizens take in that fact. The people there are mostly fishermen and their wives, all of whom are avid church-goers (or at least believers), and everyone knows everything about everyone else.

Needless to say, Anders is none too thrilled with this gig, especially when he misses the ferry home and is forced to find lodging at the only B&B in town. But whether or not he’s paying attention, Frick Island has a story for him: Tom Parrish. For four months, Tom has been missing and presumed dead following a terrible storm that sent his crabbing boat to the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay. But as Anders comes to realize, the town --- including Tom’s widow, Piper --- are acting as if the man hasn’t left for longer than it takes to complete a day’s work.

Already on the hunt for a terrific story for his podcast (which just might earn him the respect as a reporter that he craves), Anders believes it would behoove him to learn more about Frick Island’s delusion. But as a “Come Here” and not a “From Here,” he can’t just start asking about a woman’s dead husband, especially when she doesn’t seem to know he’s gone and the town is wildly protective of her. Under the guise of reporting on global warming (and the very real fact that Frick Island likely won’t be around in 20 years), Anders begins to ingratiate himself with the Frick Islanders and learns that there’s far more to the tiny island town than one invisible husband.

As Anders begins to spend more time on Frick Island getting to know its colorful and loveable denizens --- including BobDan Gibbons, the ferry boat captain; Pearl Olecki, the owner of the B&B; and, of course, the enigmatic and gorgeous Piper herself --- he starts to feel more and more like a “From Here.” Whether he’s crabbing with the Gibbons twins, developing photos with young Bobby, or helping BobDan load and unload the ferry, Anders is becoming part of the fabric of Frick Island. And though he has been approaching the island as a reporter, the closer he gets to Piper, he finds that he has become a Frick Islander through and through. He is no longer sure that he wants to put an end to Piper’s belief that her husband is walking, sleeping and eating alongside her. Even worse, the part of him that still wants her to see reality can no longer say it is for the right reasons, because just like the other citizens who have sworn to protect Piper, he has fallen in love with her.

Colleen Oakley is a powerhouse of a writer, full of creativity (an invisible husband?!) and the talent to back it up. Here, she takes something magical and wonderful --- an entire town acting on behalf of one person --- and combines it beautifully with the intimate nature of grief and the need to hide from the truth. The result is something I don’t believe I ever could have imagined before reading this delightful novel, but it is the kind of story that I feel I can recommend to anyone. Oakley balances the more unbelievable aspects of her book with a vivid and grounding community, and her characters are each as believable and endearing as the next, without a single misstep in the bunch. I love the kind of setting that acts as its own character, and Frick Island does exactly that. Even when the island is stormswept, dilapidated and resistant to change, it demands respect and admiration, and each scene reads as if Oakley is writing from the parlor of Mrs. Olecki’s B&B or sitting on the marina under BobDan’s watchful gaze.

Whimsical, charming and utterly full of hope --- an emotion sorely lacking these days --- THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND is an unconventional love story for any reader. Once again, I am amazed by the depths of Oakley’s brain and her ability to breathe faith, compassion and love into the most inventive of premises.

Few books are able to make me cry and laugh at the same time, much less fill me with hope. Oakley's newest release, THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND, does all three and much more. Can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel! I did not finish it so I won't be leaving a full review.

I have to admit that when I started this book and read the beginning, I thought this was going to be a sad book and I started to prepare myself. As I kept reading, I was pleasantly surprised at how adorable this book was and all the characters in it.

Piper Parrish lives on Frick Island, an island that is being affected by climate change and is slowly sinking. Her husband, Tom, goes out on his boat one day and doesn't return with it. His body is not recovered.

Anders Caldwell is a journalist (and a struggling podcaster) at a small newspaper who is sent out to Frick Island for a Cake Walk story. What he discovers there is a bigger story, though...Piper's husband is dead, but she and all the townpeople are pretending that he is still alive. He decides it would make a great story for his podcast. As he keeps returning to the island each weekend and the popularity of his podcast is growing, Anders starts to wonder why he is returning to the island and if what he is doing is the right.

This is such a sweet read. I've read Colleen Oakley before and she never disappoints.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island is a great, GREAT story! I loved both the main characters- Piper and Anders. They were so easy to love and cheer on. I also really enjoyed the setting of the island and all the amazing friendships there. This story is entertaining, made me laugh out loud multiple times and is a bit emotional. I can’t recommend it enough! Even though it looks like a summer read, I think this is the perfect book to pick up if you’re looking for something heartfelt. I look forward to reading more by Colleen Oakley.

Five stars of fun and heart. Just the kind of small-town, heartwarming characters I was needing when i picked this up. I want to know these characters.

Amazing book! I would highly recommend this book to my customers and patrons. I would recommend other books by the same author as well.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island was one of my most highly antiquated summer 2021 reads. I enjoyed her book, You Were There Too, so much and I loved how she created such an intricately crafted and unique storyline. And while The Invisible Husband of Frick Island was totally different, it had all the elements I enjoyed so much in her first novel.

This book feels a bit complicated to explain, but that's what is so interesting about Oakley's writing style because it all came together so perfectly. Small island life, a young widow, an outsider wanted to expose long buried secrets, and all the charm (and sometimes drama) of a tiny close knit community.

This book was entertaining and emotional, which felt like the perfect balance. The characters were quirky and unforgettable and I just enjoyed this one so much. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy.

Frick Island is a place I want to visit. No, strike that. Frick Island is a place I want to STAY. A charming little island with slightly eccentric characters and a simplified way of life- I can see how stepping off the ferry on to Frick Island would feel like returning home even if you are a Come Here instead of a From Here.

Anders is a young reporter looking to make a splash in the world with a podcast that initially has only 1 subscriber, his stepfather. But he stumbles onto a story while on Frick Island and all of a sudden his 1 subscriber turns into hundreds, thousands and then millions! Everyone wants to know what's really happening on Frick Island. But what started out as an innocent story on how climate change is affecting the island turns into a podcast on the lives of the townsfolk, specifically Piper Parrish who still talks and walks and eats with her dead husband's spirit(?), all done behind their backs because Frick Island does not have the internet capability for the residents to even listen to it!

Feeling deceitful, Anders knows he must come clean, but at what cost? And how will Piper, the young widow he's falling in love with feel about it all?

A light, highly entertaining read with a little romance thrown in, The Invisible Husband of Frick Island is an amusing diversion from the heaviness of the world.

The story is about Piper, a widower living in the tiny Island of Frick. Her husband died when his boat capsized and was never found. She is overwhelmed with grief, but then starts carrying on as if he was still alive. Soon the Island is also going along and acting like nothing happened. The story is also about Anders, a young journalist always looking for the next big story for the newspaper he writes, but also for his own personal podcast. When he stumbled upon what is happening at Frick Island he knows this is his chance for a great story.
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I mentioned the two main characters in the story, but the Island itself is a character. I also loved getting to know all the people on the island. The book is about community and the lengths we would go and do for those that we love. When I finished the book, I wanted to go back and read it again because I just loved the book and characters so much.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC of this title. It was such a wonderfully fun book. If you are currently watching Only Murder in the Building on Hulu - you'll love this book as it has a pod cast side storyline. I also picked this one for a reading challenge prompt "set on an island". There is a little mystery, a little romance, and a lot of love! This was my first book my Oakley, but won't be the last. So what the frick, get out there and buy/borrow/listen to this book.

This was an enjoyable book, but it was also depressing. The characters banning together to support a character in need was heartwarming, but I really felt the loss of the main character. Trigger warning for those suffering from the loss of a loved one. This is definitely not a light read, but one that has a good amount of substance and explores themes of family, loss, and love.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley begins with a tragic death in a storm and ends up a sweet, sometimes silly feel-good summer read. The story goes exactly where you expect it to go. It is at times over the top but in a way that has me laughing at the twists included. It is at the same time sweet and charming, perfect for a summer beach read.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/09/the-invisible-husband-of-frick-island.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

I so badly wanted to love The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, the concept sounded so interesting. Unfortunately I started this a few months ago, got 40% into the book, and never picked it up again. The writing was beautiful but the story was a little to sad for my mood. I may finish it eventually but it’s a DNF for now.