The Island of Hopes and Dreams by Kate Frost #Review

 

Travel to beautiful Sardinia for a summery read. The Island of Hopes and Dreams by Kate Frost was published by Boldwood Books on June 16th.

 
When the beginning of the end is just the start…

Newly single Lola Wild has had her fill of well-intentioned matchmaking friends. Her best friend Mirabel’s hen weekend highlights all that’s wrong with Lola’s life and she knows something has to change.

With Mirabel’s luxurious wedding in Sardinia fast approaching, Lola is looking forward to switching off, spending time with her friends and keeping her non-existent love life off everyone’s agenda.

Meanwhile, fellow wedding guest Rhys Strickland has his own problems. So when a chance encounter brings Rhys and Lola together they decide to help each other out.

To the idyllic backdrop of white sand beaches and azure bays, they bond over shared heartache, and friendship blossoms as they attempt to navigate the hurt and hard truths of past relationships.

Opening up their hearts and embracing change might be the last thing they expected, but what if a holiday of make-believe can turn into something real?

A heart-warming and uplifting story of vulnerability, self-renewal and finding love when you least expect to.

 My Thoughts

With a stunning setting on Sardinia, this is a real escapist read which is perfect for a holiday read.  Lola and Rhys are the centre of this story but there are plenty of other characters who make up the wedding party and who add colour to the events. Lola's friends seem determined to set her up with a new man and ignore her views on the matter. Rhys, a close friend of the groom, is coming to terms with the end of his relationship and has to watch his ex-partner and her new boyfriend. The fact that they are all old friends from university makes the situation complicated for them. It is no surprise when Lola and Rhys decide to enter a fake dating arrangement.  

    There is plenty going on in the story and the dynamics between the families and friends make for both amusing moments. Lola and Rhys grow closer as the story develops and Lola has to re-evaluate what she looks for in a partner. There are certainly alternatives on offer. Rhys too is at a crossroads in his career and taking time out to travel and re-think his priorities.  There is also some interesting tension within the families of the bride and groom's families with them both so different.  The friendships between the characters add warmth to the story which has a hopeful and uplifting mood.

In short: love and laughter 

About the Author

Kate Frost is the author of several bestselling romantic escape novels including The Greek Heart, and The Love Island Bookshop. She lives in Bristol and is the Director of Storytale Festival, a book festival for children and teens she co-founded in 2019.

You can follow Kate here:  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter    |   You tube  |   Website

Purchase links

Thanks to Kate Frost, Boldwood and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources  for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

Check out the rest of the tour!