On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Length: 346 pages
Published: August 2012

This month's book club genre was a beach-themed read. My book club, Richly Read selected On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves. I was really looking forward to reading something light for the summer. 

On the Island is the fictional story of 30-year old Anna Emerson who is hired to tutor 16-year old T.J. Callahan over the summer because he had fell behind in his studies due to his cancer diagnosis. While in remission, his parents plan a summer vacation and fly ahead to a tropical island where Anna and T.J. are to follow a few days later. As luck would have it, Anna and T.J.'s plane crashes and they are shipwrecked on an island somewhere in the Maldives and presumed dead for several years. The crux of the plot is about Anna and T.J.'s struggle for survival and their complicated relationship that develops during the time they're stranded. 

This book could easily be filed as chick lit. It is an easy, fast read. I finished it in about 4 days. This is Graves' first novel, so there are definitely some areas for improvement, but overall the writing is pretty solid. There are not many errors. And she does a good job of conveying the emotions of her characters. I, personally, did not enjoy the plot. I found it to be a little unbelievable. However, the purpose of this book was to escape reality for a bit during the summer, and it did accomplish that. 

Recommendation: If you're looking for a light read with some conflict but not too much heaviness, this may just be the book for you! Visit your local library and borrow a copy today. Thank you to the Fort Worth Central Library for this loan. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.