The Island Club: three women in the 1950s, the game of tennis and a friend that will change their lives forever

The Island Club by Nicola Harrison is a story of friends among life struggles and secrets. 1956, Balboa Island, off the coast of California, is a place where life was perfect, at least on the surface. The lives of three women begin to fall apart, however,  their friendship and the game of tennis helps them build something stronger. Milly Kinkaid had hoped moving to Balboa would save her troubled marriage. She believed the move would help incentivize her husband to get home from work on time; but now sometimes he barely comes home at all. Sylvia Johnson is the society matriarch, and along with her husband, has become pillars of their community. Her new business venture, The Island Club, is a place where members could swim, play tennis, and dine in style. When she learns that her husband makes a financial decision that threatens everything. Adele Lambert is the standoffish loner on the island and lives in fear that her past would be revealed. 

I was eager to start this book as it was described as “unputdownable” and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. However, I found myself putting this book down often. I could not relate to any of these women, especially Milly. Milly is a mother with young kids. How do you not ask your four, almost five, year old child if they need to go to the bathroom and expect them to go when they need to. One, you are in a new place, did they even know where the bathroom was? Two, so what if a teenager was “watching” the kids, it is still your responsibility to check on your kids! The constant mentions of Elvis was annoying. I got it. It is 1956 and Elvis was the new and hot in music. Overall, the story is well written and I am just not the audience for this story. However, if the story intrigues you, I recommend checking out The Island Club.  

The Island Club is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Crossing the Line: a forbidden sports romance

Crossing the Line by Nicola Marsh is the first book in the Worlds Apart series. Mia Cresswell is tired of being good. Being known as the geek doesn’t equal fun. While at home at her dad’s tennis academy on spring break, Mia is determined to be bad and she wants the hot new Aussie player to help her do it. Kye Sheldon comes from a troubled past. His attendance at the Cresswell Tennis Academy is his last chance and he can’t afford to mess around. However, he meets Mia and he cannot get her off his mind. What starts off as a secret spring break fling becomes something more. Will they be willing to risk it all for love? 

Crossing the Line is a fast paced sports romance. From the opening chapter to the closing scene, I could not put this book down. I loved Mia and Kye together. Kye has a bad boy reputation but he hides a deeply hurting spirit and Mia helps him overcome his personal and professional demons. I’m not a big fan of tennis so I do not know the ins and outs of the sport; however, the scenes involving tennis lingo doesn’t bog down the flow of the story. There are great romantic scenes, spicy love scenes and a heartwarming grand gesture. It was a fast read and great for an afternoon of reading. If you enjoy sports romances, you may enjoy Crossing the Line. 

Crossing the Line is available in paperback and eBook