Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal is a heartwarming tale set on the remote island of Tuga de Oro, where newly qualified vet Charlotte Walker seeks to connect with her roots while studying endangered tortoises. As she navigates island life, her passion for conservation is challenged by an unexpected attraction to the local doctor and the quirky, endearing community that welcomes her with homemade treats. The novel skillfully weaves humor and warmth, portraying the complexities of belonging and the richness of human connection. Segal's immersive writing transports readers to a charming locale that feels both timeless and alive, making it a delightful escape from reality.

WELCOME TO GLORIOUS TUGA by Francesca Segal was a wonderful escape to a remote island, not just for readers, but for the main character, Charlotte Walker. She is a research scientist who travels from London to study the gold coin tortoises which inhabit Tuga de Oro in the South Atlantic. This novel is also an ethnographic study of sorts regarding how she develops relationships with the villagers, explores rumors about her paternity, and gradually becomes more independent and at ease with herself. This is a story full of warmth, affection, and humor (with a rumored sequel). Be sure to recommend WELCOME TO GLORIOUS TUGA to readers who enjoyed the exotic location and scientific exploration in Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce.

4.5 stars

Oh. my gosh. I turned the first few pages of Welcome to Glorious Tuga - and I knew I wouldn't be able to put Francesca Segal's book down until I turned the last page!

Why you ask? Well the wonderfully imagined setting was somewhere I wanted to be. A very, very small island that's more than a bit of a paradise.

There's a large group of characters and there is list of their names and connections at the front of the book, but I found that I really didn't need to refer to it. The characters are just as richly described as the setting. I easily picked up on who was who. People do come and leave, and everyone has a place and job on the island. Charlotte is one of those coming in - she'll be studying the gold coin tortoises in the jungle.

And the plotting? Excellent! As readers, we're privy to everyone's inner thoughts and actions. And we're unable to point them in the right direction. (Or what we think is right). Segal also gives us a yes, no, maybe so romantic subplot.

What's also wonderful is the caring on the island. Everyone knows your business, but for the most part, that's not a bad thing. I hated to leave Tuga - I wanted to sit in the sun and watch the waves roll in.

Definitely recommended.

I was really excited to read this book and felt like I kept hearing about it! While it was a sweet summer read, it didn’t quite come together for me.

Charlotte Walker accepts a veterinary fellowship on remote Tuga de Oro, taking her thousands of miles away from London to a tropical island. While Charlotte seemingly accepts the position to study Tuga’s rare golden coin tortoise, she’s also there to see if the father she’s never met might actually be on the island as well. Along the way, she meets Dr. Dan Ziekre, returning to Tuga for the first time in over a decade to take over his uncle’s medical practice. Feelings develop quickly, but a love triangle ensues when Charlotte meets her gorgeous new landlord.

The book is filled with secondary characters (at times almost too many) and it’s no surprise to learn that this is the first in the series. The book ends with unresolved story lines for many of these characters, which seems to naturally set up the plot of anticipated sequels.

I was anticipating a heavier read and more focus on Charlotte as a veterinarian and conservationist. This really is a light, sweet read about the close knit island dynamics and the relationships between those who live there. While it wasn’t for me, I can see it being a popular read and series.

Glorious Tuga was glorious fun. A socially awkward veterinarian/zoologist specializing in reptiles flees London for a grant studying rare turtles on the supposedly most remote spot on the planet, the (fictitious) Island of Tuga, only reachable by boat and only during the calm sea months. And we and Charlotte are presented with a wonderful new tropical world full of remarkable people and fascinating ways. Charlotte is drawn in immediately whether she wants to be or not. There is romance and culture shock and revelations, for Charlotte is actually there for more than turtles. She finds far more than she was looking for and it is wonderful every step of the way. Humor and heartbreak, wisdom and silliness. The residents and their stories are the main draw, and the scenery and setting just add to the pleasure. I loved every minute. Highly, highly recommended.

It is not easy to get to glorious Tuga. This fictional island is far from anywhere, takes a long sea (sick) journey to get to, and is often not accessible. It is a very distant (fictional) British outpost.

The islanders are descended from several families. Many have distinctive dimples. Some want to stay there, a few want to leave (and come back) and once in a while an incomer arrives.

In this story readers meet Charlotte Walker, a vet, who has traveled to Tuga where she plans to live for a year while studying a particular tortoise. She is escaping her London life and her demanding mother while hoping that, in Tuga, she may discover her father, advance her career and enjoy a new experience.

On the trip to Tuga, Charlotte meets Dan. He is a physician who has studied abroad and is returning to Tuga to take over his uncle’s practice. He and Charlotte spend a lot of time together on the trip out. Will they have a future?

These are only two of the many, many characters who populate this warm hearted story. It takes a bit to sort them all out but there is a helpful character list at the start of the novel. Get to know them, their stories, their interconnections, challenges and loves in these pages.

Many have already declared this to be a special book. I agree. I have read that it is the first in a trilogy.

It seems to me that one of the joys of being an author is that the writer can create an entire world, populate it how they want and decide the fates of their characters. Segal has done all of this in creating Tuga. I recommend enjoying a (virtual) visit there.

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

Longtime city-dwellers Charlotte Walker and Dan Zekri from England meet on a journey to the fictional island of Tuga. Both are searching for belonging and a sense of home in different ways. Dan is Tuga-born, and has returned to become the island’s chief medical officer. Charlotte is a veterinarian who is studying endangered tortoises, while secretly searching for a long-lost relative. Charlotte, Dan, and readers alike will be enveloped by the outpouring of charm and heart in this small, quirky community.

I had no idea what to expect when I requested this; just that it seemed to be a story I'd enjoy reading. I got that and so much more! This was a delightful mix of old-world charm and humour, character-focused writing featuring a huge host of island folk, lush world-building, and dramatic narrative storytelling. I didn't realise until about halfway into reading this ARC that the book is going to be the first in a series. My expectations and perspectives changed after this knowledge (for the better) and made the reading even more enjoyable. This turned out to be a refreshing gem and I cannot wait to return to this world in the next book!

Thank you to Ecco Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy of this book!

I really enjoyed this book! The cover is what made me intrigued originally. I loved everything about the setting, being on a very remote island makes for life being so interesting. I loved having to think about being in the shoes of the people of Tuga de Oro, what a unique lifestyle they live. The characters were all lovable, diverse and interesting. I liked that there was a bit of mystery and romance in the book. It’s a very relationship heavy novel that can sometimes get overwhelming with all of the different characters but I really enjoyed that and the multiple POVs.
I’m excited for this book to release, a perfect summer read!

A wonderful story from the beautiful cover the great title I was immediately drawn in.A book I will be recommending perfect vacation read.#netgalley #ecco

I enjoyed this book set on the fictional island of Tuga, which is inaccessible to the rest of the world for over half of the year. Veterinarian Charlotte Walker arrives at the island for a one-year research assignment to study the gold-coin tortoises. However, she also has another motive- information about her father, whom she's never known. Fans of Remarkably Bright Creatures may enjoy this book.

This is a story about community on a far flung tropical island. Charlotte, a young vet from London, travels to Tuga to study the Gold Coin tortoise, she has a secondary motive that relates to a search for her identity. This might be a great book to read on a beach vacation.
There is a lot of back story on a sizable group of islanders, for me it was a little too much. As with any group not all of them were interesting. As can be expected in a novel with community at its heart, things get messy. Unfortunately, the story seemed to lose focus from time to time, I would have liked to know more about the tortoises or spent more of the characters who could carry a compelling story. This felt like an introduction or the groundwork for a series, if that is the case, I would happily pick up the next installment.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book.

I'll be using this title for one of my bookstore's book clubs. It's got a great feel for a summer read. and that cover is so bright and colorful. I really enjoyed this one!

I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover, the intriguing title and the blurb, and I wasn't disappointed. Charlotte is a naturalist who comes to this remote island, closed off from the rest of the world for six months a year, to research turtles-- and perhaps learn something about herself in the process. Part love story, part coming of age story, and wholly original, this book is a charm.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

A fun quirky book by an author I met and had dinner with years ago (she's lovely). In Welcome to Glorious Tuga we follow Charlotte, a studious single woman who has come to the most remote island on Earth - Tuga, an imaginary island - to study a special breed of tortoise and to maybe find out the truth about a father she never knew. We meet a handful of Tuga's colorful residents, Charlotte's two potential suitors, and a menagerie of animals. Charlotte navigates being a fish out of water while caring for the animals and humans on this special isle.

Stars - I loved the world building. The inhabitants of Tuga are partially descended from Sephardic Jews and I enjoyed how the author quietly integrated Jewish and Israeli words and customs (etrog, moshav, haver). Charlotte was an empathetic character.

Wishes - The author often introduced characters with backstories that were a little confusing until later in the novel. Obviously this was on purpose but sometimes it was difficult to follow along and I felt like maybe I had missed something.

I think this is going to be a trilogy and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

A fish out of water story, to a degree, a research vet, Charlotte Walker, running away from home and mother in London to a very isolated island far away, to study turtles, but also to learn whether the secret she's recently uncovered could be true. The ins and outs of the island, its history, its current inhabitants, The novel starts with Charlotte, but it's a multi-character narrative. A fun read, apparently the first in a series, though it didn't quite mesh together for me. Still, I'd read the next one.

Thanks to Ecco and Netgalley for the ARC.