I could not finish this particular novel. It wasn't captivating and was hard to keep reading. The only thing i enjoyed in this book was the LGBTQ+ representation. I was really lost and hard to follow all the different perspectives. Rom-coms, in my opinion, needs to be easy to follow and captivating right from the start.

3.5 star read for me (rounded up to 4)

There's lots of drama in the Kelly family.....and we get to experience it all!

The Kelly family (from Australia) and Lee family (from the US) are linked through the marriage of their daughters and are all visiting an exclusive resort on the fictitious island of Mun'dai, off the coast of Australia. Shortly after they arrive, a volcano erupts and their short stay turns into one that will last 6 weeks.
The story is told from 9 different points of view but with a focus more on sisters Matty and Amelia, and their mother, Jules. The changing POV among so many characters was manageable, but I would have liked to have heard more from some of the others (especially Jarrah).
I liked that we learned about Australia's history and the aborigine people, unique Australian phrases, animals and creatures. The story does bog down in places and probably would have benefited from some additional editing. You also have to suspend reality a bit in terms of dealing with the extended time it takes for their rescue and the seemingly unending supply of food (and WIFI). Overall, though, it was an interesting and entertaining book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read Island Time in exchange for an honest review.

Not my favorite by her. I didn't find myself caring about any or the characters in particular. If you haven't read It Had to Be You- don't like this one deter you! I enjoyed it so much

I got major tropical vacation vibes from the cover of this book, but it wasn't really what I was expecting. A lot of family drama, and lot of meh side story lines, and how do they still have WiFi when they're trapped on the island from a volcano eruption?! I also thought it dragged and was a bit too long for what it was. it just wasn't the breezy summer read I was hoping for.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, this book is the perfect summer read! It is set on an island in Australia and has a full cast of characters. This is my second book by this author but I am beginning to understand that the gang of characters is something Georgia Clark does really well. There is someone everyone can relate to and its always so fun to get caught up in their lives and histories. I also felt like something this book did well was the short chapters and descriptive setting. Overall it was a super fun read and I cannot wait to see what Georgia Clark comes up with next!

Island Time by Georgia Clark was one of those books I went into knowing nothing about, but based off the cover I was thinking it would be a cute summer RomCom read.

But now after finishing, it leaned way more towards family drama than RomCom than I was anticipating. A long weekend family get away, turned into nine people being stuck on an island after a volcano eruption leaves them stranded for six weeks. The Lees and the Kelly’s, two families who have not spent much time together, along with one island employee, and one island native must all figure out a way to get through.

I liked this one, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite by Georgia Clark. There were POVs throughout the novel from each character, which normally I am a fan of. But there was no distinction, or chapter title to say whose I was about to start reading from so at times it took me a paragraph or two to figure it out (but disclaimer, I did have the ARC copy so that could have changed).

So although the cover is super cute, and it does take place on a beach, for me Island Time leans a little more family drama than beach read.

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for the eARC to read and review.

This book is the perfect summer read, with substance. One big melting pot of a family stranded on an Australian island with two caretakers makes for a juicy family drama. There are enough characters to offer a little bit of everything - estranged couples, straight couples, gay couples, surprise couples, sisterly relationships, a woman scorned, that same woman bouncing back. Developed characters, funny exchanges, and heart. Such a fan of this book,.

ISLAND TIME features a beautiful island setting that will truly make you wish you were stranded on an island! This book has some great lgbtq+ rep, a large cast of characters with multiple POV!

ISLAND TIME follows the Lee family & the Kelly family who have nothing in common besides the fact that their daughters are married. When a nearby volcano erupts, they find themselves stranded together on a remote island for six weeks

This was my first novel by Georgia Clark and I was immediately drawn to it because of that gorgeous cover!I went into this book thinking it would be more of a rom-com, but it was definitely more of a family drama! There are a lot of characters to keep track of, which made the dynamics interesting but it was difficult to distinguish them apart in the beginning.

I never got attached to any of the characters, which made this book drag along for me! I think this book would have benefited from being a bit shorter, and including header’s of whose POV we were focusing on. Overall, I enjoyed this book set in Australia, the setting was described perfectly and Clark really knows how to write about nature!

Two families are joined together when daughters from each side marry. What starts as a long weekend trip to an island off the coast of Australia turns into a six-week-long “getting to know you” time. Based on the cover and the synopsis, I was expecting more of a rom com but the family drama delivered. There were some moments of levity and some spicy bits, so it feels like a lighter story. The story was told from a lot of different characters’ perspectives, which I normally like, but this time there were a lot of stories to keep straight. I also didn’t particularly relate to or care much for any of the characters, so I wasn’t as invested in their issues of their resolution. I really enjoyed learning more about Australia and its native people, animals, and environment. The writing was good but the book just wasn’t the best fir for me.

Unfortunately, I didn't like this one. I legit have read multiple books by this author and I just get so bored and struggle to push through her books.

This was the perfect summer LGBTQ read! Lots of drama, lots of secrets! It was chalk full of a few different romantic relationships, family drama, and friendships!

The Kelly’s and the Lee’s are on vacation on a remote island in Australia together. When a volcano erupts nearby, their two week vacation turns into six weeks being stranded together before transportation can arrive. With only themselves and two other workers on the island, everyone is forced to overthink what they really want their life to look like.

It did take a minute for me to get all the characters straight because there are so many who are telling their side of the story but the author describes each person in such detail you can practically visualize them and eventually you know exactly who is who! It reminded me a lot of how the movie Love Actually is set up.

A long book but a good one if you need one to round out the last month of summer!

🎶 song to go with this book: Island in the Sun @weezer

This book didn’t really work for me. I felt like with all the different characters’ perspectives that I didn’t really get enough insight into any of them. I also cared the most about Amelia and Liss but not too much about most of the others. This made the chapters not about those two kinda drag. I think it would’ve been helpful to have the character’s name as a header on each chapter because there were a few times where I was unclear whose perspective the chapter was in. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. It just felt a little too abrupt and up in the air for everyone.

I will say that I enjoyed the writing itself as well as the setting. There were also a few moments that truly made me laugh out loud.

Overall this one wasn’t for me, but I think someone looking for a romance with several characters and exploration of familial relationships might enjoy this one.

I loved Georgia Clark's last book "It Had to be You" and was so excited when I got this ARC, but sadly this one did not live up to my expectations. This ended up being a DNF at around 60%. I am not one who usually DNFs books, but I just could not get myself to push through on this one.

I did enjoy how the book started and the early chapters using the alternating POV, however there ended up being way too many POVs for me and I was often double checking who I was reading about. I also felt like this book gave a lot of extra information and began to feel too long.

I did enjoy learning about the island and it's history and appreciated all the diversity in this book. I will definitely read Georgia Clark's next book, but I think this one was just not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Atria Books for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately I DNFed at 18%. I had a few big problems. First, the humor just did not feel right. It felt as if the author did not try. Now the characters are supposed to be Australian, so it is possible I just didn’t get them. Second, the characters are all so whiny and unlikeable. I truly tried to find at least one of them I liked and failed. Finally, there are way to many POVS and we’re constantly switching without notice. It would have been much better with the POVS of our two love interests. There was way too much back story and descriptions of things and people that we truly don’t need. I am hoping to try Georgia Clark again and with better luck next time.

This was an interesting book about family dynamics. There are romantic elements, but I probably wouldn't call it a romance. I think it's much more about family, partnerships, womanhood, and taking time to identify what you really want in life and whether or not you are communicating that with the people in your life. I would say it's a solid 3.5 stars - it would be 4 stars but the middle section was honestly a bit dragging on.

Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. ⁣
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⁣Island Time appears to be a bright, fun summer read. Unfortunately- it’s not. ⁣
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⁣Why was this book so long? Honestly, if this wouldn’t have been an ARC, I would have happily quit reading this one. (Thanks @netgalley and Atria Books). ⁣
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⁣Plus- there were NINE different point of views and so much ridiculous family drama. ⁣
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⁣On the pro side, it had lots of LGBTQ representation and a delightful setting. I wouldn’t mind getting stuck on a remote island paradise for a few weeks! ⁣
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⁣This one wasn’t for me. Two stars!

I feel bad when I don’t love an ARC but this just wasn’t for me. I loved LGBTQA+ vibes and the stuck on an island but there were just too many charachters and I couldn’t connect with any of them. I felt myself forcing to continue. It didn’t feel like a light romance like the cover gives off.

I don’t dnf books especially ARCs because I’m here to help. I think it just needs another round of editing to make sure all parts are truly important and needed in the story. Thank you for my copy I will still be reading your other books :)

I did not like this book. The author clearly had an agenda, which is FINE! I liked that there was LGBTQ representation, but it was poorly done. The instant-love between the two women plays into the lesbian stereotype and detracts from either of them developing as characters. The only redeemable character is the poor dad who is losing his wife, who, by the way, it insufferable.

There are too many points of view, and too many stories being told. One of them, maybe two of them, as their own story would be fine. This is too much with too little fleshing out of the plot.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This book did not do it for me at all. Honestly, I regret finishing it.

The setting was lame and unrealistic to me. Stranded on an island for six weeks, they only worry about food in the beginning and never worry again? No one truly gets cranky. Maybe once is there an actual (almost) clash with nature.

I would probably be able to let all of that go if I enjoyed ANY of the characters. They all seemed too whiny, selfish, and dramatic, only for things to be tied up like an after-school special. Not to mention, that there were just too many characters that it all felt convoluted. I think this book would've improved immensely if we could've had a much deeper focus on any of the storylines but because it skimmed over all of them, they all came across as shallow and forgettable.

Not worth the read in my opinion.

In this novel, an extended family with adult children - parents Jules and Glen, their daughters Amelia and Matty, Matty’s wife Parker, and Parker’s parents Lyudmila and Russell - go on vacation to a small isolated island off the coast of Australia where the only other people there are caretaker Liss and indigenous Australian Jarrah. They’re just supposed to be there for a week, but when disaster strikes, they’re all stranded there for a while, which results in a lot of personal revelations both positive and negative.


As you can perhaps tell from that, there are a lot of characters in this book, most of whom get POV chapters. I loved Georgia Clark’s book from last year it Had to Be You, which also has a lot of characters, but the difference in this book was that most of the characters are annoying and/or selfish. And at over 400 pages, this book just felt too long. On the plus side, I loved the setting for the book and the LGBTQ representation, and I definitely was invested in Amelia and Liss’s stories - I kind of wish the book was streamlined more to focus on that.

All in all, a cute enough book but not a must read. 3.5 stars