[I received a free, electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Visiting Frick Island is like going back in time. No cell service, no internet, no alcohol. They don’t even have enough kids to keep a school full; the kids take a ferry to the mainland for school.
Piper and Tom Parrish met in high school, fell in love, and got married all on Frick Island. But just a year into their marriage, Tom’s boat goes down during a storm. While the boat is found, Tom’s body is not. Piper refuses to believe he’s not coming home. She doesn’t even go to the memorial service those on the island planned.
Then one day, Tom was just… back.
At least for Piper. And because the islanders loved the young couple and were trying to help Piper in her grief, they went along with it, pretending that Tom was really there, right beside her.
Anders is a young reporter. On his first trip to Frick Island to cover their annual cake walk, he’s captivated by Piper. But she turns him away because, obviously, she’s married. Anders returns to do a story on how the island is disappearing due to climate change. That’s when he overhears the islanders talking about Piper and Tom. The situation – a whole island pretending a dead man is still around – is a story on its own. But then someone mentions that Tom’s accident wasn’t really an accident.
Review
This was a fascinating story, richer than just the invisible husband piece, although that piece was satisfying on its own. I enjoyed the characters – the prickly islanders, Piper, and Anders. The invisible husband plot was rounded out with threads about Anders’s job and family, about the island’s present and future struggles, and a few flashbacks of interchanges from before Tom’s death.
I got a kick out of the end. There were some nice twists to the story. I was captivated by all of it, waiting to see what Anders might uncover in the end.
If you are intrigued by the idea of an island of people going along with a grieving widow who thinks her dead husband is still with her, I encourage you to pick this one up so you can enjoy the whole story. (Some language.)
Rating: ♥♥♥½*
*♥♥♥½ = Good+