The Island: A Novel

This was a great read. A little slower start than a lot of her other books. Highly recommend!! Great beach read with an extra kick.

Great story, but much of what she wrote could have been condensed.

I chose and liked this book due to its setting. I love books that are set at the beach, any beach. Each of the main characters in this book were in a difficult place in their lives, some more difficult than others. The change in each character was welcoming and I appreciate the author's ability to give them this change in their own way.

Love her work. You get to know the characters. Every book is truly a different (and great) story. I look forward to each one.

I've read 5 books by Elin Hilderbrand, and this one was my least favorite by far. I didn't like the characters....they were all a hot mess! The Mom didn't know who she wanted to be from day to day. The oldest daughter was a mental case. The youngest daughter sounded like she was messed up from childhood on and somehow becomes this really loving person in a month. India somehow raised 3 boys with a crazy husband and then wants to have an affair with some woman student of hers that's like 30 years younger than her...ugh! I didn't like that they spent all day smoking and drinking. The house they were staying in sounded awful...it sounded like it needed to be torn down and rebuilt. I mean it has bats living in it! How about some windows with screens on them? I get wanting to get away from it all, but these are wealthy people, and they did $60,000 in repairs to the house and still had bats and crappy beds and furniture! It was a slow read for me and just okay. I'd put this at the bottom of my Elin Hilderbrand list.

I enjoy Elin Hildebrand books. Good reading. Keeps my interest. Enjoying the book.

This is only the third book I've read by Elin Hilderbrand but she's quickly becoming one of my favorites. The Island centers around four women - two sisters, their mother and aunt. One of the sisters, Chess Cousins, has recently broken off her engagement and received some pretty disturbing news. That's when her mother, Birdie Cousins, begins planning their trip to the family house in Tuckernuck Island, just off the coast of Nantucket Island.The book was a bit hard to get into at first but one you get into you will discover a beautiful story. I feel each person can grow to identify with one (or more) of the women in the book and the trip each takes while staying at the summer home. At first they all come together to help Chess through her problems, but it quickly becomes clear they all needed this trip in one way or another. They all have very different, yet very similar emotions they need to work through and everyone can identify with that. While at Tuckernuck, all four gain a much clearer understanding of who they are in their roles - sister, mother, ex-fiance, lover, widow, divorcee - but also who they are as women, within themselves and how they will face the world.Each character is developed nicely and is provided with a voice of her own, you will find yourselves cheering for the characters during their triumphs, wanting in on their secrets and hoping they will find the love, happiness, and peace they each deserve. Elin provides a moving story, told from each of the main characters' perspectives, all the while keeping the reading light enough for it to be enjoyable in an afternoon cozying up in the couch with a hot cocoa while longing for the beach.[...]

The Island by Elin Hilderbrand was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The setting of Tuckernut Island was most interesting and I liked the fact that the ladies in the book were depicted as real women with histories. I could identify with the sisters - both sets. Birdie was a woman who was stronger than she had once thought she was. She was the mother to her daughters who at this particular time needed her desperately. She was able to dissolve a thirty year marriage which could not have been easy. Her sister India had managed to overcome her husband's suicide and go on to be successful in her life. The younger women were facing reality as well. The best part was that they did have each other. I liked the fact that they could yell and scream at each other and still remain family. That is easier said than done. Of course, I always prefer a book with a happy ending and the author gave us one in this book. That always makes me happy. The island was described quite well. The house sounded quaint and wonderful. I liked the beach and ocean scenes. Also I enjoyed having people in the story who we were meant to dislike. That is always a good thing for me in a book (of fiction.) The younger sisters Tate and Chess had some growing up issues that they had to face, I thought, even at their age. Chess especially needed to step up and do what was right and not just dump things on her Birdie but then again Birdie needed to say to Chess, maybe it's time for you to fix your own problems. Again, easier said than done. I did like this book and I read it all the way through and will be looking for more books from this author.

Another of Elin’s books that I love. This was the only one I hadn’t read, and was so excited to find it. Wonderful story as usual, loved the characters and the beautiful location of Tuckernuck Island. Can’t wait for her next book, I’ve read them all…twice.

Another excellent read by Elin Hilderbrand.Great story about sisters am?nd family. Enjoyed it from start to finish.Highly recommend.

A little slow at the beginning than couldn't stop reading! Introspective and realistic. Would like to visit Tuckernuck! Suitable as summer reading

I enjoyed following the stories of the four main characters, who were all likeable, flawed, real and interesting. The sense of place was also a highlight of the book. My first read of this author - will download more on my kindle ASAP

J'ai lu ce livre pendant des vacances sur le Bassin d'Arcachon, et c'était un vrai plaisir de partager l'intimité de Chess, Birdie, Tate et India à Tuckernuck pendant que j'écoutais le bruit des vagues de l'océan. Soleil et sable chaud, complicité entre femmes, vie sauvage (comme au Cap-Ferret!), émois amoureux, tous les ingrédients pour une agréable lecture d'été sont réunis dans ce roman qui se lit facilement (en anglais pour moi), et qu'on quitte à regrets. Je ne connaissais pas Erin Hilderbrand, mais ses livres feront désormais partie de ma bibliothèque de vacances!