Title: The Jewel of the Isle
Author: Kerry Rea
Where to buy: Amazon (affiliate link)
Genre: Rom-Com
Would I recommend: If you like a fast-paced stories with likable main characters, insta-love, and a happily ever after, this is for you!
Synopsis:
Two very indoor people rough it on a remote island after getting swept up in an archaeologist’s hunt for a famed jewel in this dazzling new adventure rom-com by Kerry Rea, author of Lucy on the Wild Side.
If Emily Edwards knows one thing, it’s that you don’t go to a remote island by yourself. Ever the type A personality, Emily doesn’t want to hike around an unfamiliar island, but she’s determined to fulfill her late father’s national park bucket list, starting with Isle Royale National Park—home to wolves, bears, and hundred-year-old shipwrecks. She has no choice but to hire a tour guide, and there is only one that isn’t booked solid.
Ryder Fleet, co-owner of Fleet Outdoor Adventures, wouldn’t call himself a wilderness expert, and he definitely doesn’t know how to find true north. But when his dormant adventure guide business suddenly finds life again after a random inquiry, Ryder somehow finds himself on a ferry to Isle Royale with a very beautiful, no-nonsense woman. What this woman doesn’t know is that his brother Caleb, who died two years ago, was the outdoorsman of their business, while Ryder just did the marketing. But how hard could it be to hike up a few mountains?
Pretty difficult, actually, when murder is involved. Emily’s perfectly planned trek turns disastrous when she and Ryder witness a brutal crime and are suddenly forced to evade a group of archaeologists on the hunt for a jewel. As they spend nights together too close for comfort, they realize their shoddily built fire isn’t the only thing that’s kindling, and that they must trust each other if they want to escape the island with their lives—and hearts—intact.
Emily Edwards’ father passed away unexpectedly without accomplishing the things on his bucket list, including visiting every national park in the country. Emily plans to scatter his ashes a little at a time when she visits each of the parks he hadn’t seen. But after being dumped by her outdoorsy boyfriend, Emily knows she isn’t prepared to take on a national park alone. After all, there are all sorts of potential hazards out there Maybe even bears. So sensible Emily does the sensible thing: she hires the only available tour guide she can find.
Ryder Fleet has been wrestling his own demons. He blames himself for his brother Caleb’s death, and when there’s a chance to buy back Caleb’s boat for his sister-in-law, Ryder jumps at it. But he’ll have to take a job for Fleet Outdoor Adventures to make enough money to cover the cost of the boat. Problem is, Ryder hadn’t actually worked that much (cough cough, ever) as a guide.
After a rough start, Emily and Ryder strike out into the wilderness of Isle Royale. Ryder knows Emily is hiding something, even if he doesn’t know what, and Emily quickly figures out Ryder isn’t the experienced guide she thought she was hiring. But when they witness a murder over a priceless gemstone of legend, they suddenly find themselves on the run from a killer.
This is a cute story about two people in a situation neither of them are prepared for. Our characters’ initial meeting is pretty humorous. Along the way, there are some misunderstandings that are more comical and some that seem hurtful enough that they might derail any possibility of romance. The tension runs high, with more than one jam that I wasn’t sure Emily and Ryder would get out of. These things made it pretty easy to keep the pages turning!
The romance between Emily and Ryder was skewed pretty heavily toward insta-love, although you’ve probably heard it said that sharing intense situations can draw people toward each other much faster than might otherwise happen. And there are some pretty spicy on-page scenes. I guess I should know by now to expect that in rom-coms. But even if I take that as a given, it’s still not my favorite. I mention it in case it’s not yours, either.
The Jewel of the Isle is a fun, quick read. It isn’t one that will make it to my permanent collection, but that’s okay. If you’re looking for a romance with likable main characters, lots of tension, and a happily ever after, you should pick this one up!
Disclaimer: Thanks to Berkley for a review copy. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.
