13 October 2023

I read my first Catherine Cooper book in 2021 when participating in the blog tour for The Chateau and fell in love with this author’s glamourous settings. I am reading one of her books every year. Last year I reviewed The Cruise and now I escaped with The Island. I have a copy of The Chalet sitting on my TBR pile which I need to make some time for soon.

If you are not familiar with the author, then you can expect a gripping thriller with an amazing setting. All her books transport you to beautiful destinations with amazing scenic descriptions that will leave you feeling that you visited these wonderful places. If you are looking for an escape read, then you won’t go wrong reaching for one of Catherine Cooper’s books.

The author successfully transports you to an island in the Maldives when you open this book. The story features two timelines 1990 and the present. Each chapter shares new information about the characters. The Island is an intriguing read about rich twins, their privileged lives and the impact their choices had on other people. While this book has a slow start, you will soon find yourself engrossed and unable to put it down.

Malia is an influencer, but she does not have an impressive following, yet. An exclusive invitation to a luxury resort in the Maldives would go a long way to increasing her followers. Malia is not sure how she got added to the guest list, but she plans on taking full advantage of this rare opportunity. But when the Wi-Fi goes down and people start dying, while a raging storm keeps everyone trapped on the island, Malia is eager to go home. The luxury of the hotel is not enough to make her feel safe.

This book brought the Maldives to me. I loved the detailed description of the food and food presentation. I was curiously turning the pages to find out what was coming next.

The characters in this story are full of surprises. Not all of them are good. I shared Malia’s doubts about these people. Henry, the spoiled rich kid, who saw himself as better than everyone else, was a huge disappointment. The way he stood up for Ophelia when he knew she was not a nice person left him annoying me. As for Ophelia, how can anyone be that cold and selfish? Xander was so concerned with what Henry would think that he never considered how badly he treated Ashley. Sadly, he did not receive any sympathy from me. Claire made me smile with her constant diva comments. She added a lighter side to the story. Araminta was difficult to place, initially, she seemed to fall flat – it was as if she didn’t have a personality at all. That changed towards the end of the book. The only character I felt bad for was Ashley. She was innocent in this story.

This was yet another great read from Catherine Cooper. The graphic detail about the food left my mouth watering while turning the pages. Whether you are new to this author or not you will find her books to be a fabulous escape. If you are looking for a glamorous thriller that is full of surprises, then you will not want to miss this book. You should note that by the time you reach the end of this story, you might want to head to the Maldives to experience the amazing food and water sports.