Summer on the Island by Brenda Novak has Marlow Madsen along with two of her friends spending the summer on Teach Island at her family summer home, Seaclusion. Aria is recently divorced and is looking for a fresh start. She found out her husband had been cheating on her. Claire lost her home to California forest fires and her yoga studio to the pandemic. She has also broken up with her boyfriend who happened to be Aria’s ex-husband. Marlow lost her father a month ago. She has been feeling overwhelmed by the negativity of her family law practice due to the number of contentious divorces. Marlow has yet to tell her mother, but she has sold her condo in Los Angeles and closed her law practice. Eileen, Marlow’s mother, has multiple sclerosis which has taken a sharp decline since the death of her husband. She has been relying on her housekeeper, Rosemary for extra assistance. While on the island, Marlow learns a devastating secret about her father. Marlow will need the support of her friends as well as that of her new love interest to get through this challenging time. Summer on the Island takes us to the tropical Teach Island off the coast of Florida. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of this tropical locale. I thought the book contained good writing with steady pacing. The characters were realistic and relatable. Summer on the Island is an emotional story. It contains some scary and heart wrenching situations. There is family drama, romance, a touch of mystery, and secrets. Families and friendships will be tested. I want to let you know that the story does contain foul language and intimate situations. You need to tuck Summer on the Island in your beach bag as it is a great book to read at the beach or while lounging by the pool. Summer on the Island is an emotional story about female friendships, surprising secrets, a second chance romance, a family calamity, a scary storm, fresh start at the sea, helpful healing, and offering forgiveness.

Marlow Madsen along with her friends Aida and Claire, travel to a small island to help Marlow’s mother settle her late father’s estate. This trip is also a chance for the three women to re-evaluate their lives while enjoying the sun and sand. When secrets surface and Marlow finds out that her family is not quite what it seems, how will that affect her future and her family’s reputation? Will her friends stay by her side and support her through the summer? Can Marlow come to terms with all she has learned and possibly even find love amidst the turmoil?

Brenda Novak is such a treasured author who winds together, family, friendship and love throughout life’s trials. This story is no exception. The characters blend seamlessly to bring intrigue and interest to the story. I truly enjoy a great story of friendship and how they stand together. I will admit it took me awhile to get engrossed into the story, but once I did, it was enjoyable. Harlequin Publishing, Netgalley and the author Brenda Novak gifted me an advanced readers copy of the book which I read and reviewed with a totally unbiased opinion. I am giving this one four stars.

A beautiful story about family, romance, friendships, forbidden love and secrets. Forgiveness and healing play a major part in the story.,
Three friends go to a small island off the coast of Florida. Main character, Marlow, is going so she can help her mother with the family beach house. Her best friends,Claire and Aida, decide to come along.. Each one has their own personal drama they are trying to get over.
I cant forget to mention Walker, the chief of police and a childhood friend of Marlow. Their childhood had more then a few turbulent moments. Can they get past their past? You will need to read this book to find out!
Summer on the Island is the perfect book to take with you to relax with at the beach or by the pool.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed this one! It is the perfect beach read for the summer! I liked all the different POV but it was a little hard to keep track when they all switched since the storylines were similar.

It was a bit slow too but I did enjoy the story. There was a good mix of drama and romance to keep me interested and want to find out what happened!

I loved Walker too. He was such a good guy and perfect for Marlow even if she didn’t realize it.

Overall It wasn’t my favorite but It definitely made me want to go on vacation to a beach house!

I’ve enjoyed several of Brenda Novak’s books over the years. I usually reach for one of her books when I feel a book slump coming on, and they typically fire up my excitement for reading again. So I was looking forward to what promised to be a good book as beach reading season is about to kick off. I enjoyed the little bit of suspense surrounding the big reveal (although I figured it out early on in the story), and I really enjoyed the bit of suspense surrounding one of the secondary characters. Unfortunately, I felt a little let down by that side story as it felt as if it was building up to something big, only to be quite anticlimactic. I also was a little put out by including the pandemic in the story. While I understand the author’s use of it as background to why it had been so long since Marlow had been to the island, I’m turned off by books that mention it. That is absolutely my own hangup, though. Regardless, it was an entertaining read and kept me interested enough that I finished in two sittings. All in all, I enjoyed my time on Teach Island. Now I’m looking forward to some sun, sand, and the relaxing sound of waves crashing against the shore!

Marlow Madsen's US senator father in Washington DC, John "Tiller" Madsen dies so Marlow, a divorce lawyer jets off from California to Teach Island, a small place of seven square miles off the coast of Florida where she spent the summers growing up, to help her mother, Eileen settle the family estate. She takes two friends, Aida Trahan and Claire Fernandez along with her. All three women, Marlow, Aida and Claire, who are all in their mid-thirties, use the opportunity to reflect on their lives and decide on their futures.

Brenda Novak's characters have a pleasing degree of complexity and the story is narrated from multiple points of view. I especially like the parts involving Marlow and her realisation of the Chief of Police, Walker Cantwell's place in her life, the eldest son of Rosemary, Eileen's housekeeper who always had a crush on Marlow. But might it be a happy ending? Is it sensible to go back to the way things once were or to simply start afresh? A great family drama about friendship, guilt and forgiveness with a flavour of mystery.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

SUMMER ON THE ISLAND finds Marlow needing to get away from her career as a divorce attorney and all the weight it carries. Her amazing friends are Aida, who has recently divorced and Claire, who recently lost her home and yoga studio to the California wildfires. When Marlow loses her dad, a U.S. Senator, the three of them travel to a small island off the coast of Florida called Teach, to help her mother settle the family estate. While she is there, she learns a huge secret involving her dad and to say she is devastated is a huge understatement.

Marlow quickly learns while there, that her past is about to come back and haunt her big time, in a big way! That beautiful and super hot man is Walker Cantwell, the gorgeous son of Seaclusion’s housekeeper, Rosemary. Seems Rosemary has quite a secret as well. Hold on to your seats my reading friends, this is a wild and crazy ride. SUMMER ON THE ISLAND had me flipping the pages like crazy! I had to know what was going to happen to these two. Like the many other novels that I have read by Brenda Novak, SUMMER ON THE ISLAND has family drama, secrets, just the right amount of mystery, romance, and a beautiful summer setting which makes it a perfect beach read or for any time of the year.

I read SUMMER ON THE ISLAND in only a few sittings. It was just that fun and interesting. Yes, Marlow and Walker both have trust issues and neither one of them is looking for a relationship. Their story is an engaging one but also heart wrenching. It’s exactly why I love Brenda Novak and why she has always been an auto buy author for me. She really pulls her readers in from the very first pages and never lets me go. The mystery that comes along with this wonderful story really hooked me and I found myself praying for a good outcome for Marlow. The twists and turns really kept me emotionally invested from beginning to end and I am so excited to read what ever this woman writes!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins and MIRA through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

This is a perfect book to usher in the beach read season.

Marlow has come back to her family's beach house, “Seaclusion,” on a small island off the coast of Florida, where she spent her summers. Her father, a US senator, has recently passed, and Marlow has come to help her mother settle her father’s estate.

Her two closest friends, Aida and Claire, have tagged along. They all hope that this time will be a time to reconnect and reset their chaotic lives.

At the reading of the will, Marlow is devastated to learn certain facts about her father. With her emotions a mess, she's not sure she can handle a new romance too - between her father’s secret, her mother’s illness, and her friend’s struggles.

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 combines great friendship fiction with romance and family drama. I liked that there were current events sprinkled in, such as the California wildfires and Covid; it made it feel relevant and relatable. 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦!


Thank you to @_Mira_books_ and @harpercollins for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.

Four and a half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Summer on the Island by Brenda Novak is a beach read full of drama, family secrets, and heartache, all set in a gorgeous location on an island off the coast of Florida.

Marlow Madsen (Marley) travels to the small island of Teach, situated off the coast of Florida, to help her mother settle her father’s affairs after his recent death. She closes up her law practice and brings her best friends, Aida and Claire who have plenty of drama in their lives too.

Marley finds out there are secrets from her Senator father that will leave a stain on his reputation, and change her perception of him. She also runs into Walker, and his younger brother Reese. Both Walker and Reese also have their own issues with their father and bring plenty of drama to the story.

Summer on the Island is a heartwarming story about family secrets and friendships and a bit of romance. I loved Marley’s relationship with her friends and her mother. All the characters in this book seem to have secrets and need something in their lives. The book was fast-paced and I was rushing through so I could find out what happens in the end. All this is set on a beautiful island off the coast of Florida, in a beautiful summer home.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an emotional beach read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was pulled into the tropical vacation vibes of Teach Island from page 1 and did not want the fun to end! I read Summer on the Island poolside, while on spring break, and it was the perfect addition to my beach bag.

I enjoyed the relationship between Marlow, Aida, and Claire. Three women, brought together by the most unlikely of circumstances, taking the summer to rebuild their lives. But secrets are lurking below the surface that threaten to tear them apart. It was nice to see them work together against a common foe.

The second chance romance between Marlow and Walker was my favorite part of the book. Just as it looks like they will get together, an earth-shattering secret is brought to light. Through no fault of their own, their happiness is now in doubt.

I do admit to figuring out the big secret but enjoyed the suspense until the big reveal. The emotions felt by all the characters was very real and raw.



Thank you to Net Galley, Up Lit Reads, Harper Collins Publishers/Harlequin Trade Publishing for an eArc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Marlow, Aida and Claire all go to Marlow’s family beach house for the summer. Hoping to reset all their lives that summer is at the top of their list. The past has other plans and they find they need to deal with that before they can move on.
This was a nice summer read, perfect for your spring break reading too . I enjoyed the story
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Brenda Novak has written many women’s fiction titles. I have enjoyed all of the ones that I have read including One Perfect Summer and The Bookstore on the Beach. Ms. Novak has perfected the art of telling intersecting stories of women’s lives.

This book follows three primary characters and those around them. There are divorce attorney Marlow and the two friends that she made during the course of her work. One of these women, Aida divorced Dutton. Aida and Marlow met Claire when Claire told her that she had been involved with Dutton, not knowing that he was married. From this unlikely beginning, the three go to Florida for a summer of drama, relationships and growth.

Will Marlow return to her law practice in California? Will Aida who has mostly spent her life as a trophy wife find her purpose? Will Claire find her way? She is a yoga teacher who does not always feel zen.

Readers also learn that there is a secret in Marlow’s family. This has something to do with her father, a Senator who died leaving behind a wife with some health issues. Marlow will take care of family business. This will lead to her spending time with housekeeper Rosemary and her two adult sons, both of whom grew up around Marlow.

Meanwhile, Dutton wants to come to Florida to see Claire. What complications will ensue?

Prospective readers can see that a lot happens in this novel that is set on a beautiful Florida estate. They may be able to figure out some of the plot threads but I think that is okay. This is a novel to read for escape and relaxation and it definitely offers that.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mira Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Marlow Madsen has traveled from California to Teach Island off the coast of Florida with her two best friends, Aida Ttrahan and Claire Fernandez. The three friends are hoping that spending the summer at the Madsen's summer house on the island will help them to reset their lives. Marlow lost her dad, US Senator John "Tiller" Madsen one month ago; Aida just finalized her divorce from her cheating husband, Dutton after ten years of marriage and Claire just happened to be the unsuspecting woman who Dutton cheated with. The three think they are going to have a fun, relaxing three months but instead earth-shattering secrets are revealed and everyone's life is in disarray.

Marlow ends up finding comfort in the form of Walker Cantwell, the housekeeper's son who always had a crush on her. After all these years Marlow starts to realize what a fool she was to ignore him....deep down Walker really is a great guy. Everything with Walker is going great until a big secret is revealed within Marlow's father's will and everything is blown apart. Along with that, Aida's ex is causing problems.....a big storm is looking to hit the island....and everything that Marlow thought was her life is wrong. It will take a lot of self reflection from a lot people to ever get past this crazy turn of events but once everything passes, everyone's life is looking beautiful.

I really loved this second chance at life love story. Marlow spent most of her life being the rich, princess and didn't realize the life going on around her. Once her life was turned upside down, Marlow started to see things in a different life. Then there is Walker.....YUMMY! Walker is the chief of police on Teach Island and an all around good guy. He's hot, handy and so very sweet....any woman would be elated to have him. Together Marlow and Walker sizzled on the pages and I just adored the journey they had taken in order to get to their happy ending. Read this book....you will not be sorry.

I really enjoyed this novel, overall. The characters were complex and well-developed. I felt like I understood their motivations even when I didn’t always agree with their decisions.

I was able to figure out a lot of the “twists” ahead of time so I didn’t feel an element of suspense but I was sufficiently engaged with the plot that I wanted to continue reading when I had to set the book down because life interrupted. The enemies to lovers interactions of the main characters provided good tension, something that I always enjoy with this trope.

I was very impressed that the author was able to provide complexity in all of the main characters despite approaching the story from multiple point of views. This seems like such a feat! I especially liked seeing how Marlow and Walker reflected on the past and what they wanted for the figure.

While there was a romantic relationship that came to fruition over the course of the novel, I would say that this was not the focus of the novel overall. Instead, the focus was on these characters finding themselves and coming to terms with who they were versus who they had been. I would classify this as contemporary women’s fiction rather than a romance novel.

The only thing that I felt was rushed was how Marlow’s mother processed the “big reveal” that takes place in the book. While I agreed with the conclusion she reached, it did seem to occur faster than expected in a situation of that magnitude. Other than that, the novel’s pacing felt authentic.

A solid beach read. Not my favorite Brenda Novak but it will do if you are looking for something to throw in the beach bag. I felt some parts dragged on and found my self skimming sections. Not terrible but not great either. It was a nice break from all the murder thrillers I had been reading.

Thank you #netgalley and #htp #mira for the eARC.

Brenda Novak was one of the first women's literature/romance authors that I found and so, for that, I'll always have a place in my heart for her. However, this book just didn't work for me.

Marlow, Aida and Claire are a divorce lawyer, a woman who she just recently helped through a divorce, and the woman with whom said woman's ex-husband was having the affair that began the divorce. They have gone on a beach vacation to a small island off the coast of Miami to '"reset their lives". This is a storyline that sounds like it could have things working for it. However, add to that a second chance romance and some family drama and I just felt lost. I felt like each storyline individually could've been more than enough to satisfy but the conglomeration, in the end, just didn't work for me. If you are a reader who enjoys multiple storylines that seem to not even necessarily have a whole lot to do with the others, go for it. It just wasn't for me in this particular case.

I ended up DNFing this one at 40%. It just wasn’t for me and I found myself more frustrated at things than I was excited to read it. There was no differentiation between the perspectives which drove me nuts and I just found the two MCs to be very immature considering their ages. So much so that it just took away from the story for me.

#SummerOnTheIsland:

I did an @uplit campaign last summer for Brenda Novak’s Bookstore on the Beach and absolutely fell in love. It was the perfect kind of beach read for me. There was the serious content that some others lack, but still the real characters that gave me the giggles and a smile on my face. When I saw there was another campaign this year, I had to join because of my love for her books! Summer on the Island was everything I hoped it would be. ❤️

This book is almost 400 pages, and y’all, it felt like a 200 page book. I zoomed through this book in 24 hours because the story was one I was hooked on. I enjoyed the majority of it, and honestly the only part I didn’t feel real was how a person like Dutton could pull not one, but two incredible women.

I will say that I felt Marlow was really impulsive in her decision making, which at first, made it feel unbelievable. Her recklessness is later validated as to why and it made sense. I also felt this was very reminiscent of Arnold as the governor of CA, so I’m glad Brenda briefly mentioned this in the author Q&A!

I really enjoyed the different dynamics between the friends, both families, and even the intimate relationships. We got to see all different facets of their life in such a small scope that really helped bring out the character. As always, I’m going to recommend Brenda Novak’s books, and Summer on the Island is another one to add to my list of recommendations! Thank you so much @mira. @brenda and @uplit for the gifted copy. Summer on the Island is out 4/5!

I loved this book. As well as others by Brenda Novak.
There were many characters is the beginning of the book. I had to write down all the names and who they belonged too, so that I could get them straight. They all played a major part so I understood why they were all there.
Marlow(a girl) was my favorite. She was the one involved with all other parties. I felt like she was the rock that help others up even when she needed the support.
The story was captivating. Held your attention at all times. I'm not sure if this will be a stand alone or part of a series. Either way it was a complete story. It didn't leave you wondering what happened.
I will and did recommend this book to others.
If this isn't your genre that's ok. Brenda writes maybe different genres. So check another one of her books and you will continue to read her books as I have for many years. She doesn't disappoint.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Marlow Madsen goes to the summer home she enjoyed with her parents after her father has passed and she has sold her practice after so many years dealing with divorce and battling spouses she may not know what is next, but she is ready for something new. She takes two friends with her who each have problems they need to escape and each need to regroup and find a new north.

While a few sexy times in the book, this one had so much plot, that I could skip over the sexy times and enjoy these women as they battled with what they wanted to change and spend the summer trying to decide what is next for each of them. While Marlow narrates the whole book, she is able to tell the complete stories of her two friends and this summer that changed their lives.

I am not usually a fan of books with cheating spouses, but this one takes place after the act and is more about the women and how they recover and respond than it is about the actual deception.

I think this book would be the perfect addition to any summer bag as it is easy to pop in and out of, but so engrossing that you don't forget what is going on and you want to know where these women end up.