Let me start off by saying: WOW. Just WOW. I did not expect to fall in love with the story and the characters.On the Island isn't a book that I would pick up and start reading on my own. I saw some reviews by bloggers that I know and trust and figured I'd give the book a go. When I read the blurb, I hesitated. A romance between a 30 year old and a 16 year old? How can this author make this relationship NOT skeevy and icky? By writing a beautiful story about two people who fight for survival and find love in the least likely place.Anna and T.J.'s relationship from teacher and student to lovers was written in such a wonderful way that it felt natural and that to have them keep their relationship platonic wouldn't work. Their relationship changes over a span of years. It's not immediate. It's a gradual change that takes place as T.J. transitions from boy to man. The entire time Anna does not cross that line until the line crossing became inevitable.Once I started reading On the Island, I could not put it down until I'd finished the book. I was engrossed from page one. The writing is so vivid and detailed that I felt like I was on the island with T.J. and Anna. I was on the edge from start to finish. I had no idea how the book would end. T.J. and Anna had serious obstacles to face and I wasn't sure if they would be able to overcome them. Their journey and their struggle felt real and I was rooting for them from beginning to the end.What really worked for me and kept me in the story was the changing POVs between Anna and T.J. Normally this would drive me crazy but it completely worked in this book. With this type of plot and the situation that the characters were in, as the reader, we had to know what was going on in their heads.On the Island is one of my favorite reads this year. I am so glad that I decided to read this book. It was the best way to spend a Friday afternoon. I recommend you read this book. Do not let the premise deter you. It's a beautifully written story about finding love where you least expect it.
