3.5 stars rounded up -- a very interesting historical fiction read set on the Galápagos Islands!

In 1929, Dore moves to the island from Germany with a man that is not her husband. She thinks this is an escape from her suffocating marriage and her despair over not being able to have children, but Frederich quickly becomes a different man on the island, leaving her feeling more isolated than ever.

Nearly one hundred years later, Mallory is a scientist returning to the island and her former mentor/lover Gavin. She is circumspect about her real reasons for returning, and is quickly enthralled by the discovery of Dore's personal journals and the previously untold account of the earliest settlers of the Galápagos Islands.

A really interesting novel based on some true events -- I only wish we had a bit more of the penguins!! But loved the discussions about ecological sustainability and the role of humans to help protect vulnerable species and habitats.

Thank you to NetGalley + the publisher for this ARC!

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and this is a great example of why that is.

Floreana is a split-perspective/timeline novel set on Floreana Island in the Galapagos. Mallory returns to help build nests to revive a vulnerable penguin population and by chance discovers hidden journals written by Dore Strauch, a woman who moved to this then-remote island with her companion back in 1929.

Sometimes I fantasize about "living off the grid," but it remains just that--a fantasy, because I have no real skills that would ensure my survival. This provides a hint of what that might be like (and it's definitely not sunshine + rainbows). There are some truly detestable characters in here, and a few reveals I didn't necessarily see coming.

I was surprised to find out that much of this was actually based on something that happened in real life! The author did an amazing job reimagining what may have happened, and I loved the immersive and vivid imagery. It's a hauntingly beautiful tale of self-discovery + the emotional journeys of two different women's lives, a century apart from one another.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the arc! Although I typically don't lean towards historical fiction, the intriguing description, cover and title of this book piqued my interest, and I'm happy that I decided to give it a chance. This captivating novel will appeal to both fans of historical fiction and those who enjoy romance and stories of self-discovery. It skillfully intertwines themes of love, secrets, and deception across two timelines, all against the breathtaking backdrop of the Galápagos Islands. A gem I highly recommend!

There's something magical about stepping into different times and seeing the world through the eyes of people from the past.

I read this everywhere—during meals, on walks, anytime I could. I just couldn't put it down.

The story is about the strange history of Floreana Island in the Galapagos. It starts with Friedrich Ritter, a German doctor who arrived with his companion Dore Strauch (there's some saucy backstory here), who had multiple sclerosis. Together, they built a successful garden and thrived on the island - but Friedrich turned out to be a bit of a douchebag, IMO.

Floreana is best known for the mysterious disappearances that happened in the 1930s, especially that of an Austrian baroness who arrived shortly after the Wittmers. The baroness was a bit of a hoot in this book - I found myself scoffing at her antics, often.

Loved this so much!

Really impressive and immersive writing. Felt like a really good to read by the pool for the summer.

This book was transporting. The characters came alive for me and were compellingly complex. I also really appreciated the vivid imagery achieved through this book’s landscape/environment descriptions.