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THE ISLAND CLUB
Nicola Harrison
St. Martin’s Press
April 28, 2026
304 pages
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The setting of this book is a tiny island off the coast of California, connected to the mainland by a bridge. It’s a place where the elite society lives, supposedly enjoying themselves at “the club”, throwing elaborate parties and gossiping. It is set in the mid 1950s, the era of perfect housewives, commuting husbands.
There are 3 main characters: Milly, Sylvia and Adele. As in any good book, they are all harboring Secrets, with a capital S. The three women developed a fast friendship and a strong bond. They became very supportive of each other.
For the older reader, it’s a trip down memory lane, remembering how things were, how housewives were limited to taking care of their families with no financial independence or career opportunities. For the younger reader, it’s an opportunity to learn how the role of a female in society has really come a long way since the 1950s.
But, paradoxically, as much as things change, the more they stay the same. Even though women have many more choices now, they still want many of the same things. A good relationship with a partner, the best for their children and a comfortable life.
Tennis plays a big part in the story. As a young pre-teen, I took tennis lessons which I enjoyed. It makes me wonder why I never continued.
After a bit of a “fluffy” start, the book settled into a solid storyline with a few surprises along the way.
As always, I enjoyed the author’s comments at the end……indicating why and how she chose to write the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher.
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