The Island Escape by Kerry Fisher

Synopsis

Can one woman’s marriage survive her best friend’s divorce? Veronica Henry meets Erica James in this summer’s must-have read.

Octavia Shelton thought she’d have a different life. One where she travelled the world with an exotic husband and free-spirited children in tow.

Instead she’s married to safe, reliable Jonathan, and her life now consists of packed lunches, school runs and mountains of dirty washing. She’s not unhappy. It’s just that she can barely recognise herself.

So as Octavia watches her best friend’s marriage break up, it gets her thinking. What if life could be different? What if she could escape and rediscover the person she used to be? Escape back to the island she visited years ago? And what if the man she used to love was there waiting for her?

Review

This is the first book I have read by Kerry Fisher and it was so easy to get stuck in, I managed to read it in one day. 'The Island Escape' was not the book I was expecting. Having not read the synopsis since it was delivered to my kindle, I was expecting a book about a few girls escaping on holiday for some sea, sun and sand. However, the island part only took up a small part of the book and only kicked in during the last half of the book, and it focused more on the two main characters lives and relationships in Britain. That said, if you read the synopsis, then you wouldn't be surprised. Will I ever learn my lesson? 

This book alternates the view of Octavia and Roberta, which was really great to read, and you got to know each of them and understand their relationships to eachother and their partners. The opening chapter is so unexpected with where it is set, that it had me hooked from the get go.

Roberta was at times insecure and lovely, but at other times spoilt and infuriating. 

She decides to buy a 3 bed 3 bathroom house for her and her daughter based on her temperamental ex-husband's payments, and her business which she has only just started. The payments from her husband were not legally ordered, and knowing how Scott was, why would she buy a house she couldn't afford without his payments being officially a set amount ordered by courts/some legal system that he can't weasel out of when he's unhappy? Why not buy a smaller 2 bed house that would allow some manoeuvrability in the payments when it's all sorted and allows for some room for her brand new business to grow, then she can upgrade?   I realise she is fully entitled to the money as she helped build the family money, but I'd personally look for some security before taking on a bigger mortgage than needed.

This shows Roberta's personality a lot I feel, she isn't one to worry about money, because she's never really had to, and is often disdainful of Octvia's husband and his penny pinching ways. I don't dislike Roberta, she has gone through a lot, and like most people has good and bad points, but at times I just didn't understand her.

I really felt for Octavia, she seemed to be trying so hard to please everyone but struggling trying to keep up and have some time for her. Her husband was so unsupportive and at times selfish, I don't  know how she put up with it, and it's little wonder what happens later in the book happens. Roberta and her seemed to drift apart towards the middle, Roberta too in love with her new friends, Brenda (despicable) and Nicole (who I quite liked), however towards the end they come through for eachother and it was lovely seeing them reconnect.

I really found this book compulsive reading, eager to find out what was happening next with Kerry’s writing which was inviting and down to earth.I am definitely looking forward to reading future books from her, and really must check out her first book ‘The School Gate Survival Guide’ soon!

Order on Amazon now!

Published by: HarperCollins UK, Avon
Gratefully received from the Publisher for review.