Release date: June 14, 2022

This is a book I requested on NetGalley and then promptly forgot about. Weeks later I got a notification saying I had been approved, so needless to say, I had no idea what this book was about when I started. I figured it was just a cute rom-com because that is most of what I request.

In reality, Island Time is a story about two very different families stranded on a small island after a tsunami, forced to come to terms with their differences.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 65%. I think this novel did not know what it wanted to be. The tone was silly and light while the plot is filled with drama and really tough topics. Together, I had a very hard time connecting to this story and these characters.

There was a lot of detail in a writing style that I did not enjoy very much. The characters all seemed like caricatures. On top of this, there were soooo many POV switches. I was honestly super into the daughters’ stories and would have loved to read just about them. The jumping definitely contributed to my inability to connect here.

I really wanted to finish this, and I love the queer discussions and rep, but I just could not do it.

Rating: ★★

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.