Review: Island Time by Georgia Clark
Thank you Atria Books for my early copy! All thoughts are my own.
This was my second Georgia Clark novel and I’ve learned she’s really good at created a diverse cast of characters that the reader can relate to in one way or another. I was swept away by the setting of Island Time, which really was the star of the book, but also loved a central sapphic love story in this contemporary family drama.
Synopsis:
“The Kellys are messy, loud, loving Australians. The Lees are sophisticated, aloof, buttoned-up Americans. They have nothing in common…except for the fact that their daughters are married. When a nearby volcano erupts during their short vacation to a remote tropical island off the coast of Queensland, the two families find themselves stranded together for six weeks.
With only two island employees making up the rest of their party, everyone is forced to question what—or who—they really want. Island Time is a sumptuous summer read that dives deep into queer romance, family secrets, ambition, parenthood, and a bird-chasing bromance. This sexy, sun-soaked paradise of white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush rainforest will show you it’s never too late to change your destiny.” —StoryGraph
What I Liked:
The Setting—The setting is a character in itself and it’s absolutely magical. As a white American, I’ve been learning a lot about colonialism and the atrocities Indigenous peoples faced. Though this book was set in Australia, I appreciated how the colonization of Australia was brought to the reader. You can tell the author wrote this when she was homesick because the beauty and respect for the land jumps off the page.
The Bird’s Eye View Tone—There was something also Liane Moriarty-ish in the tone. It’s written in third person but for some of the book I felt like I was looking down and observing this group on the island.
The Commentary on Passions—As someone who has always had big goals, I liked seeing flawed characters struggle with how to move forward with family planning and leaving the careers and lives they’ve built in service of that. There were so many elements of Matty’s story that I could relate to. I also thought the different journeys to motherhood that were highlighted served this as well.
What Didn’t Work:
Very Slow Start—This is long for a contemporary fiction/romance. The second half of the book flew for me but it took a bit to get into it.
Classified Incorrectly Genre Wise—I really wouldn’t call this a Romance or a RomCom. It has elements, but there are so many different characters and not really a central love story. This is nitpicky, but I think avid Romance readers would be confused picking this up. Which is a bummer because I want more sapphic love stories being published! I do this it would make a remarkable film though. It’s more of a family Rom/Com/Dram, which is so important to see represented.
Character Authenticity: 3.5/5 Steam Rating: 0/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Content Warnings:
(All are pretty minor and just mentioned) miscarriage, addiction, alcoholism, pregnancy, infidelity