Storyline Rating : 3/5 stars
Brief Summary from Goodreads :
Hot, sandy beaches. Clear blue ocean. Gorgeous people. Private islands are playgrounds for the wealthy and glamorous.
Sophie Montgomery is decidedly not wealthy or glamorous. A college dropout and owner of a struggling business, she can’t remember the last time she had free time, much less taken a vacation.
But when Sophie’s best friend lucks into a free trip to billionaire’s paradise Emerald Island, Sophie has no choice but to go.
What was supposed to be a bonding trip for two girlfriends takes a turn when Sophie meets a handsome but mysterious man. Who is he? What does he want with Sophie? And will what happens on Emerald Island stay on Emerald Island, or will Sophie’s life be forever changed?
My Point of View :
Copy given by author for an honest review
It’s my first time receiving a copy of book from an author for an honest review! It’s an honor to be approached and asked to review a book, because I know it can be difficult for other people to read your work and critic your writing.
So, the book…….it’s a fairly light romance (does not include any heavy themes like death, rape…etc.) and quick read (I finished it in one sitting). The story goes pretty much the way the synopsis/blurb indicated. Sophie dropped out of college due to her father’s fatal heart attack and as years pass, Sophie begins to struggle with her online-turn-physical boutique business. She couldn’t remember the last time she went on a vacation, so when Kristen (her BFF) invited her to go to an ALL PAID TRIP to Emerald Island, she decided to take a chance and said yes. There, Sophie meets a mysterious handsome man, who turns out to be the owner of the island!
I can’t say I love the book, but it’s an okay-story where you won’t stop reading after first few pages and label it as DNF – trust me when I say I have experience in reading books where I stop reading after the first chapter because the story is not promising as the synopsis indicated. The story is written fairly well – it flows from one chapter to another despite having some parts of the story not explained thoroughly.
First off, there were names/characters briefly mentioned that I would love to know more about. I mean if their names are there in the book, that must mean they are/were important people in the main character’s life. There’s a mention of a Jason, who I assume is Sophie’s ex boyfriend. He must have hurt Sophie a lot because Sophie do not want to even think about him. Another name mentioned but was not elaborated would be Oscar, who I think is one of Sophie’s close friend (a gay one) aside from Kristen. He was mentioned somewhere near the end of the book when Sophie was interacting with the gay Danish designer. I would love to know if they have kept in touch or something. These very minor characters may not seem important but I believe readers would understand Sophie even more, as in what makes her who she is today before meeting the mysterious handsome billionaire.
The romance progressed pretty fast. I didn’t realize Sophie was already crushing on the mysterious man until it was mentioned explicitly (there are times when you read a romance and know the characters are in love without being told). I was still in the mind set where Sophie sort of hate the mysterious man for making her feel unworthy of such a luxurious vacation. So, I think the relationship between the hero and heroine could be improved.
Overall, it’s an okay read if you are looking for a light romance or a quick read.
P.S. The blurb on Goodreads mentioned “If you’re a fan of Fifty Shades of Grey, Meredith Wild or Kendall Ryan, you’ll love Emerald Island…….”, which I don’t think is true…..because it’s nothing like the dark, erotic FSoG.
Favorite Quote : None from this book.
A Brief Reverie of Romance 