I was blown away by the queer DELIGHT that is “Island Time.” Georgia Clark’s prose is beautiful––like, tattoo-worthy gorgeous. My reading vice is that I tend to rush through nature descriptions, but each island image in this book made me want to pause and reread immediately so that I wouldn’t miss anything. I even got a bit teary during a passage about insects flying around a balcony light.

I wouldn’t call this book a “romcom,” though it certainly has a lot of (queer!) romance.

For some reason, I got significant where'd you go bernadette vibes. Not mad at it, but not sure if this is a first purchase.

I wanted to love this one but no such luck!!! This literally sounds just like my cup of tea and I was disappointed when it just felt like it was dragging

Thank you for the ARC! I love the cover of this book! It is so fun and summer ready. This book was adorable and such a fun read! Definitely recommend!

A year ago, I read Georgia Clark’s It Had to Be You and could not stop raving about it to everyone. Island Time is just as delightful and one of the books I’m sure to recommend the most this year. I love that Clark sets her stories among a cast of characters and in this case, in her native Australia. She is an expert storyteller and Island Time is filled with every summer and beach vibe you could ask for with characters you cheer for and love along the way. I can’t encourage people enough to pick this up and devour it just as I have.

i really enjoyed it had to be you so i couldn’t wait to read this! i wasn’t disappointed, i loved the characters and plot and don’t get me started on the book cover… simply obsessed

I really wanted to love this one and was thrilled when I got the approval. I started right away and quickly learned it wasn’t for me. I love the concept, vacationers, family reunion, air bnb rentals, budding relationships, couple in the midst of IVF, but I just couldn’t get past what seemed like unnatural mentions of culturally woke topics that really broke up the storyline and made it really choppy. It’s not the mention of topics like LGBTQIA+ rights, “checking privilege,” and same sex attraction, it’s that the mention seemed unnatural within the context of the chapter or scene and it made the writing really choppy to read for me.

Overall, it is one I’d be willing to try again another time but I didn’t find myself reaching for this one to read. **It feels unfair to give this title a star rating since I did not finish it. The star rating given does not reflect my feelings about the book in its entirety.

Daughters bring their families together on a short vacation to an eco-friendly Australian island.
Parker and Matty are married and hopeful their parents will finally gel. Amelia is planning to introduce her boyfriend James. Like the volcano that erupts on their first day, so like the emotions of everyone stuck on the island after a tsunami halts travel home. The tsunami washed away so much and deposits dead animals and non-native animals on the island. It is so like the emotional changes taking place-some things depart, others arrive.
It is a fascinating story of how much can change in a six week period of isolation.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am shocked I finished this book.

I wasn't opposed to the POV switching between the Lee and Kelly characters. In fact, I was quite fond of the same style in Georgia Clark's previous novel It Had To Be You. The writing itself was detailed and I could picture both the characters and scenes with astounding precision. But the book felt like it would never end! I wasn't overly connected to any of the characters, probably because there were just too many.

This one was definitely a drop-off compared to Georgia Clark's other novels.

I really enjoyed this story and thought it really developed nicely in a way that kept me engaged. The plot itself was super clever and I laughed out loud many times at the things happening on the island. I loved the family/relationship drama (made mine feel more normal) and really felt connected to the characters. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation and thought there was a good mixture of couples in the story that many could relate to.

The multiple points of view really helped me get into the story. I always enjoy when a story is told from multiple perspectives. This would be the perfect vacation read. I am excited to get a hard copy of the book when it releases!


* A big thanks to the author, Georgia Clark, Net Galley, and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book. *

I loved everything about this book, from the island descriptions making me feel like i was there to the amazing characters and the family drama throughout the book. I was an instant Georgia Clark fan after reading It Had to be You, and now she will be added to the must read Authors list after this one!! I just ordered the Bucket List. Clarks character development is so amazingly done. Island Time is definitely going to be a must for beach reading!!

Who wouldn't want to be stranded on a tropical island for 6+ weeks? I mean, initially I thought it would be absolutely paradise, but when you are told you cannot leave even if you want, it doesn't sound all that appealing anymore! That is what happens to Amelia and her family, after a volcano erupts on a nearby island.

What really drew me was the beautiful descriptions of nature and scenery on the remote island. I imagined being there, breathing in the air and taking part in the swims and nature hikes. I also loved the brewing romances and family spats.

Thanks to netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I am a huge Georgia Clark fan and she did not disappoint. This is such a fun story and I absolutely loved the setting. I want to get a physical of this when it hits shelves just to hold!

This book wasn’t my cup of tea, but I’m sure there are many others who could enjoy it! The book’s premise is fun, and the setting is beautiful. I could see someone enjoying this book on vacation.

I didn’t like the omniscient point of view narration in combination with having a large number of main characters. We’re thrown into the book and handed almost 10 characters from a family and expected to know what’s going on with all of then at the same time, in every moment. It felt overwhelming and dizzying to read.

As always, thank you to Netgalley for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review <3

liked the idea of an island-wrecked family and the drama around it… but this was hundreds of pages too long. I found myself flipping to move on. None of the characters stuck out to get attached to.

I was in the mood for a romance and decided Island Time would be the perfect book to read. A romantic read set in a tropical location? Sign me up. It was evident from the first couple of chapters, that this was going to be so much more than your average romance.

The book explores family dynamics, love, sexuality, and more. I loved that the Island Time featured LGBTQ characters and relationships, and was focused less on the heteronormative relationships that many romance books have.

The location of the book sounds heavenly, and I was laughing out loud at Liss' relationship with her resident Huntsman spider, Max. I'm terrified of spiders, but Georgia Clark made Max seem like a big puppy dog.

All in all, Island Time was a beautiful, romantic, dramatic, and steamy read! Highly recommend.
4.5/5 stars

Thank you Atria Books, Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

For the most part, I loved this book. Clark writes lush, gorgeous prose that's so easy to sink into. I vividly felt the reality of this (fictional) island and the people standing there. The dads were just the icing on the top. I adored them.

The one thing that bothered me was Amelia's relentless pursuit of Liss. While I was rooting for them from the beginning, that one scene in the bar really bothered me. No means no, whether it's between a man and a woman or two women. The trope of "convincing" someone to be with you just turns my stomach. And because that wasn't the true turning point in their relationship, the book would have been fine without it. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars.

*Review based on ARC*

Another delicious read from Georgia Clark. Being stranded on a desert island sounds rather idyllic, until you realize you are truly stuck. All of the characters in this story are searching for something, they just aren't quite sure what. You've got love, sex and even some birding!

Clark does a great job of inclusivity, and opening eyes to the LGBTQ+ community. Highly recommend this fun read.

The book seemed to go on FOREVER. I loved the island descriptions and would love to visit but the story dragged. I think it would make a great beach read.

My hopes were high for Island Time by Georgia Clark. I mean: The cover! The setting! The representation! And I liked it, I really did, but it needs to be about 100 pages shorter.

That said, the book is about two families that get stuck on an island together. There’s romance, yes, but I’d say it’s more a family drama or family saga. The characters are human and complex, and it was great getting to know them and witness their growth.

Pick this book up if you’re seeking a story about family and friendship, heartbreak and love, but be mindful that you’ll have to wade through a lot of extra to get to the heart of the story.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.