The Island Villa by Sarah Morgan: Book Review

The Island Villa pairs family drama with romance as two women travel to Corfu for the wedding of their mother. This book is also known as Summer Wedding.

From The Publisher:

Celebrated romance author Catherine Swift has topped the bestseller lists for decades, though her personal story hasn’t been quite so successful. Three failed marriages have left her relationship with her daughters strained, but that’s about to be rectified. Engaged yet again, Catherine is counting on this wedding to be what finally brings them together as a family, and she’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Adeline doesn’t know what’s worse—that her mother is getting married a fourth time, or that she’s being guilted into witnessing the train wreck at Catherine’s luxury villa in Corfu. It brings back the pain of her parents’ split, of her mother’s infidelity and the baby that was the result. Not that she blames her half sister, Cassie, but then she’s never made an effort to know her, either.

Cassie, on the other hand, is thrilled by her mother’s news. After her own father died in a tragic accident, she admires Catherine’s resilience. She’s equally excited about meeting the mystery groom, and at the prospect of spending her summer in Corfu, where she can process a secret of her own she’s been keeping from everyone.

As Cassie and Adeline arrive on the island, they each have very different expectations of what this week will bring—they haven’t been entirely honest with their mother about their lives either—but in the lead-up to the wedding, all will be revealed, for better or worse.

My Thoughts:

If you’re looking for a book full of family drama and secrets, look no further. Sarah Morgan weaves a story full of sacrifice, relationship issues and challenges. This book has a different feel than any of the author’s previous books. I missed the author’s use of humour which I’ve come to appreciate. This book’s story is much more intense and dramatic.

The story is told from multiple perspectives. Catherine is a best-selling author of romance about to be married for the fourth time. She invites her two daughters who are estranged half-sisters. Adeline is the older of the two women and she doesn’t want to come to observe yet another wedding of her mother. Her relationship with her mother has been stressed since her mother sent her to live with her father when Catherine marries another man and has another daughter. Cassie is the younger of Catherine’s daughters and has a close relationship with her mother and can’t wait to meet her mother’s fiancee.

When the sisters are introduced to the groom-to-be, they are both devastated. Family secrets are gradually revealed. Romances involving each of the sisters are folded into the story and were appreciated.

I felt the book was a bit too long and took much longer to get into than any other book I have read from this author. Having said that, I enjoyed the book once I settled into it. The central characters are well-written with interesting backstories. The message behind the book is a good one.

I listened to the audiobook version of The Island Villa which I borrowed from my local library. Imogen Church narrated this book and does a good job of providing a voice to the multiple characters in the book. I did listen to the book at a slightly higher speed than my normal. I have no problem recommending the audiobook version to those that enjoy this format.

Some of the Other Books I’ve Reviewed From Sarah Morgan:

Beach House Summer

The Summer Seekers

Family For Beginners