We meet for #BigBookNerdBuddyReads to discuss this wonderful read in one week! I can’t wait to chat with Georgia!

🏝 REVIEW: ISLAND TIME 🏝

By Georgia Clark

📖 SUMMARY: The Kellys and the Lees don’t really get along… but they’re all willing to play nice while on a tropical getaway to celebrate the marriage of their daughters. Unfortunately for the two families, what started as a few days on a beautiful island soon turns into a bit of a nightmare, thanks to a nearby volcanic eruption. It doesn’t help that they’ve all got things they’re hiding from each other — an impending divorce, a new romance, and a spouse’s REAL feelings on having children, to name a few — and now they’re all stranded together on the island for six weeks. What could go wrong!?

💭 THOUGHTS: What a fun book! Beautiful setting, family drama, romance, LGBTQ+ rep, it’s got it all! Obviously the premise sucked me in, but it was the realistic depictions of relationships, both romantic and familial, that kept me intrigued. What’s better than watching a romance bloom on a beautiful island? Though my favorite part was probably the birdwatching bromance between the two dads, which was amazing. I also appreciated the discussion around Native people and how to respect their land. Overall a great read!

✨ RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🥰 YOU’LL ENJOY IF: you like books by Emma Lord or Jasmine Guillory

There was something about the premise of Island Time (two families stranded on an island) that caught me at the right time. Maybe I need a vacation? Regardless, I was really feeling the dynamics of this book. All the characters (or maybe a better way of putting it - personalities) stuck together for a longer than anticipated time. There were awkward moments, cringey moments, funny moments, heartfelt moments, heartbreaking moments.
Georgia Clark did a masterful job of making me feel connected to all of the characters in some way. It’s a reminder that you don’t have to “like” everyone, but you can probably find some common ground.
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC! I really enjoyed this one and have already bought a physical copy for my shelves and to share.

I appreciated all of the different issues each couple was dealing with, but I sort of felt like there was too much happening to where it detracted from other stories. I also felt like I didn’t get closure on Parker’s story as it pertained to her work.

Definitely less focused on romance and more of a family drama. It took me a little while to keep all of the characters separate.

Island Time is such a cute cover, but I am conflicted about it. There are too many characters and storylines to keep up with. I found this one difficult to read and it was not my favorite. I enjoy Georgia Clark's books, but this one was not my favorite.

I really liked the premise of this one and it starts out really strong. The Kelly family and Lee family are vacationing together on an island off the coast of Australia when a volcano erupts, stranding them there together (along with two resort employees) for six weeks. The only thing these families have in common is the fact that their daughters are married and it’s going to be challenging for them to all spend so much time together.

I liked the fact that each person on the island was given a chance to explore what they really wanted out of life while they were there. Some storylines were given more attention than others, but I still enjoyed that part of it. I found the author’s writing style to be charming and I liked the tropical setting. Things are pretty exciting in the aftermath of the volcano, but then things slow way down and the story starts to drag. The story is told through nine POV’s that jump around without warning and the effect is pretty jarring. It’s difficult to keep track of who is talking and I feel like it could have been shorter and would have had the same impact.

I like family dramas when I can empathize with the characters and understand their motivations. In this instance it was hard to connect with any of the characters because there were so many and they were all unlikable.

Overall, this one wasn’t my favorite. I think the author has a great voice and I will definitely check out her other releases. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC to read and review.

Island Time follows two families as they are stranded on an Island in Austrailia after a natural disaster. This is a story about identity, family, and the overall importance of being true to yourself, even when it's scary.

I enjoyed the premise of this book very much and I was incredibly excited to read my copy. I was immediately drawn into the story and was rooting for the romance from the moment we met our two lovebirds. I loved the fun banter between Liss and Amelia...and, to be honest, the entire case of characters. There is no doubt that Georgia Clark knows how to write wit.

All of that being said, this book was a lot to take in. I think it could've been broken down into several different books in a larger series (with each of the side characters really being given their chance to shine) and it would've been amazing. When you have nine major characters to keep track of and they're all working through incredibly difficult life situations (marital conflict, starting a family, work/life balance, heartbreak)...it's really hard to keep track of everything!

I would have loved to spend more time with each character during their different experiences of their time on the Island and I think this could've been done in a really cool way. But the way it was delivered overall, I wasn't quite sure that I connected with every person the way I really could've.

It was very slow. The characters were intriguing but I just couldn’t handle the pacing. I wanted so much to love it. But I DNF’d at 34%

Drama, drama and then some more drama in this read. The Kellys and Lees could not be more different. In fact, the only thing they have in common is the fact that there daughters are married.
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They figured they can get through a short vacation together but when a volcano erupts they are stuck on this island together for six weeks, and that is a lot of family time. These six weeks with only those two families and two island employees changes everything for these people. A lot can happen in a little time on the island.
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Thank you #Atria and #NetGalley for An advanced copy in exchange for an honest review .

I like-almost-loved this book! The characters are all deeply flawed - lots of other reviewers are saying unlikeable, but aren't we all in some ways? - and display growth throughout the story. They each felt like real people, and all had fully developed stories throughout the book. That also meant there were A LOT of POVs throughout, which can be a pro or con depending on your view. I enjoyed hearing from each character, but at times it was quick switching between each person. The big event at the beginning certainly added an interesting twist - I didn't see that coming at all.

Like some others have mentioned, this doesn't feel like strictly a romance or a family drama, as it has a little bit of everything. Overall, I enjoyed it a lot and finished it over two days.

I was extremely excited for this one and ready to declare Island Time a new favorite and a must have for your beach bag. Unfortunately, I DNF'd at 17%. With a breezy summer rom-com I'm more than willing to give characters a pass, but I couldn't get behind any of the cast here. The two mothers in particular: during a DEADLY TSUNAMI a local islander arrives to help rescue some of the tourist group...and the main character's mother actually paused to consider the man must be gay if it wasn't checking out her daughter. While they're trying to flee for their lives. Afterwards, when they all learn that, due to the catastrophic events they'll be stuck on the island for several weeks, the other mother loses her mind because she only packed the one suitcase. As though these natural disasters happened AT her. There's also constantly talk about having babies/a need to be a grandmother and that same character had a scene in which she genuinely wished her husband died (& then seriously considered eating him?!)

I had hoped for a much different read and am sad this one didn't work out for me.

Island Time by Georgia Clark was very different from my expectations. I didn't anticipate a novel with an illustrated cover and publisher's description as a "smart and steamy ensemble romantic comedy" to include quite so many issues.

Yes, it includes a LGBTQIA+ romance and had some humor, but it also has themes of cli-fi (climate fiction), infidelity, work-life balance, Aboriginal Australian folklore, Buffy fandom, and more. It's no wonder it's 400+ pages long to fit in all these topics.

Plot summary: The Kelly and Lee families travel to a remote Australian island for a tropical getaway to become better acquainted now that their daughter are a married couple. The families are very different, but they should be able to coexist for a week in paradise, right? All plans are scrapped when a massive storm forces the families to stay on the island far longer with less than ideal accommodations and provisions.

The author wrote Island Time as a coping mechanism to survive Covid lockdown while living in NYC. Her love for her home country is evident in her vivid and detailed descriptions of Australian flora, fauna, and landscapes.

I'm grateful to Atria and NetGalley for the review copy of this interesting (but too long) novel.

When I started this book, I was completely intrigued. I loved the author’s last book It Had To Be You, but I thought that Island Time had so many characters it was difficult to remember everyone’s backstory and especially their relationships with the other characters. I actually even went back and reread the beginning of the book for more foundation.
I liked the book, but I would have to say that I preferred her other novel over this one.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of Island Time in exchange for my honest opinion.
I had trouble getting invested in reading Island Time - there are a lot of characters and I felt like I didn't know enough about each as I was trying to differentiate them in my mind. But I switched to an audio version with a full cast of narrators and it made my entire listen so much more enjoyable!
The cover of Island Time might make readers expect a lighthearted romcom, but this is much more of a family drama, though there are a few spicy romance scenes. I definitely recommend the audio!

I was drawn in by the premise of families stranded together on an island. However the execution didn’t work for me and I decided to DNF this one. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

This was a great book if you are looking for a summer, quick read while also diving into character development and different romantic interests. Set in the "Island Time", this book will transport you to your favorite vacation destination!

Georgia Clark's IT HAD TO BE YOU was such a fun, heartfelt read that I was a bit nervous to start ISLAND TIME because I was worried it wouldn't give me the same feeling. That said, this story is like a balm for the soul, particularly given the COVID-19 pandemic. A group of travelers gets unexpectedly stuck on an island and have to make do? While there isn't an illness, the togetherness and forced slower pace illuminates the issues that affect each character, opens them up to find something (or someone *wink wink* new), and reveals more about them.

Clark is a master of balance. Her steam is steamy without feeling gratuitous. Her heart is so big yet balanced by harder topics, which creates tenderness and gives the characters space to grow, to fumble, to stand up again. While there is a large cast of characters, Clark gives time to each and they all interact in important ways that advance the plot and character development.

What I will say ... there is a lot, and I mean a lot, going on. I struggled to get into this initially because of some of the things happening and trying to keep track of all the characters, but ultimately, I enjoyed it. A great break from reality and pairs well with a cocktail and a pool!

3.5 stars rounded up.

With a full cast of intertwined characters, Island Time follows the Kelly and Lee families on a tropical vacation where they become stranded for six weeks. Told in multiple perspectives, the book delves into the issues each character is dealing with behind the scenes, including sexuality, motherhood, and divorce. The book was definitely different than I was expecting, especially with the natural disaster element. I did love the Australian setting and the hints of history that was woven into the story.

While I enjoyed It Had To Be You, Island Time had a little too much going on for my taste and I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight throughout the book. I did not personally connect with any of the characters, which made it hard for me to get into the book, especially with how long it is. Thankfully I listened to the audiobook, which helped me stick with it. I loved that it had multiple narrators, which gave each character a different flair.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This book wasn't as terrible as some of the reviews intimated, I think it was just weighed down with too many stories and plots running concurrently. I expected a queer romance, but that was clouded by a lot of other characters and their backstories. Also the extremely traumatic beginning with a tsunami almost killed the mood for me at first.

Island Time by Georgia Clark is both an adventurous and romantic read. In this book, two families of two girls who are dating, go on a family vacation all together. However, this trip does not go as planned. Shortly after they get there a volcano erupts on the island forcing both families to spend six weeks on the island together. During this time both families learn a lot about each other and each grow together. Personally, I feel like I judged this book by its cover too much. I had high hopes going into this book, but I found some parts to be a little slow and repetitive. I think I would enjoy this book more as an audiobook, but I’m so grateful that I got to read it before it’s release!

This is my first Georgia Clark novel and I would say it reminded me of The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward. It's a multiple POV book with a broad cast of characters. There are two sisters and their two parents (newly separated, unbeknownst to their daughters), the daughter-in-law, and her two parents. They are on this very isolated island off the coast of Australia and they end up spending a little more time there then they expect to. There is also a bi-pixie-Canadian woman who is the current island concierge/housekeeping/caretaker and a middle-aged native who lives/camps on the island. There is a LOT happening in this book. It's got that Australian edge of humor that I find gritty and abrasive sometimes (I mean that in a good way, honestly). There are secrets and fast made friendships, and sweeping love, and faded love, and tested love. There is a great focus on how these characters grow and change and I love it.
This is not a "rom-com" but there is comedy, romance, some descriptive sex scenes here and there. I found it to be an enjoyable summer read, but it's not frothy and frivolous. After this I checked our library for Clark's back catalog (they only had one - It Had to Be You) and happily enjoyed that one as well (also multi POV, set in NYC).
Thanks so much Atria & Netgalley for the ARC!