On the Island

I was recently looking for a fun end of summer read, when this book was suggested to me by numerous people.  It was exactly what I was looking for, action packed with a realistic beautiful love story.  

Thirty year old Anna is getting ready to run straight from her less than glamorous life to the Maldive Islands to be a tutor to 16 year old T.J Callahan.  T.J who is recovering from cancer treatment convinces his parents to let him stay behind and travel with his new tutor.  In route their seaplane pilot has a heart attack causing the plane to crash and stranding both Anna, and T.J on a deserted island.  This unlikely pair must ban together to survive in paradise.

I have to give so much credit to Tracey Garvis Graves for her research and believability in this scenario. I was on the edge of my seat and every challenged face was scary and heartbreaking in many respects but also really helped me as the reader bond with both characters.  I caught myself cheering for them, and feeling their despair in so many moments.  I really felt like a third person experiencing the island with them and that blew me away.

I will say this does evolve into a love story between Anna and T.J but there is nothing torrid about it and time progresses on the island allowing T.J to really grow into a man before that even comes into play.  It was so much fun watching Anna fight her growing attraction as the years pass and he turns from a cancer surviving teen, into a Island man and her partner in a lot of ways. There is a scene that started the heat between them and once started never let up.

The man in my dream moaned when I kissed his neck. I slid my leg between his and then kissed my way from his jaw down to his chest. He put his arms around me and rolled me onto my back, bringing his mouth down to mine. Something about his kiss startled me, and I woke up.
T.J. was on top of me. We were on the blanket under the coconut tree where we’d laid down to take a nap. I realized what I’d done and wriggled out from underneath him, my face on fire. “I was dreaming.”
He flipped onto his back, breathing hard.
I scrambled to my feet, then went down to the water’s edge and sat cross-legged on the sand. Way to go, Anna. Attack him while he’s asleep.
T.J. joined me a few minutes later.
“I am completely mortified,” I said.
He sat down. “Don’t be.”
“You must have wondered what the hell I was doing.”
“Well, yeah, but then I just rolled with it.”
I looked over at him, my mouth hanging open. “Are you insane?”
“What? You’re the one that said I was adaptable.” Yes, and apparently quite opportunistic.

These characters are sweet and full of fight and survival.  I loved them and also loved watching them grow.  The action was exciting and the passion was hot.  I totally recommend picking up a copy and falling in love On the Island.