June 2019

THE ISLANDERS by Meg Mitchell Moore is a great summer read to add to your reading pile. The book features three characters whose stories weave together. One of them is an author, Anthony Puckett, and he brings a storyline about books and the world of publishing to explore, which is so well done (Anthony’s dad is a mega bestseller whose shadow he walks in). Joy is a single mom who owns a café called Joy Bombs, where she serves whoopie pies. Her business is threatened by a food truck that has made its way onto the island and is cruising the streets. Lu is a mom who stays home reluctantly with her two young sons. She has a hidden life that will be such fun for readers to delve into.

The novel is set on Block Island. Meg wove in a lot about the geography of the island into her storytelling, making it a character of sorts, and it made me want to take a trip there. She captures the frenzy of summer life and alludes to the quiet that winter brings. Summer is a time for locals to work to provide for winter. The ferry comes and goes, bringing vacationers and shuttling them back to real life. For each of these characters, this summer will be one of taking their lives in new directions. There are lots of secrets that are unfolding. There is also a lot of what I call “real life” in this book.

Meg is a talent who you are going to want to keep your eye on. Trust me on this; read her work now! And for book groups looking for a lighter read, this one would be a lot of fun. Oh, and there is a whoopie pie recipe for those of you who want to try this baking treat.