Island Apart, Steven Raichlen
Island Apart, Steven Raichlen
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Island Apart

Author: Steven Raichlen

Narrator: Susan Boyce

Unabridged: 6 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/05/2012

Synopsis

Claire Doheney, recovering from a serious illness, agrees to house-sit an oceanfront mansion on Chappaquiddick Island in Martha's Vineyard. The New Yorker book editor hopes to find solace, strength, and sufficient calm to finish a biography of the iconoclastic psychotherapist Wilhelm Reich. The last thing she expects to find is love. Then she meets a mysterious man the locals call the Hermit. No one knows his real name or where he lives. Quite by accident and to their mutual surprise, Claire and the stranger discover that they share a passion for cooking. As Claire gets to know the Hermit, she finds rare qualities in a man most people have long since dismissed as an outcast. As Claire comes to appreciate this tiny island, with its colorful inhabitants, she experiences healing, redemption, and a happiness she hasn't known for years … until she discovers what drove the Hermit into seclusion. Will his terrible secret bring them closer together? Or drive them apart forever? The clock is ticking. Can Claire make peace with her disaffected daughter, callous ex-husband, and cynical boss? Can she let love into her life once more before it's too late? Told by a New York Times bestselling author and international TV host with a keen eye for Chappaquiddick's extraordinary natural beauty, Island Apart has it all—romance, history, travel, crime, lovemaking of exquisite intensity, and cooking scenes so vivid, they'll make your taste buds ache with hunger. Funny, tender, engaging, poignant, and ultimately triumphant, Steven Raichlen's novel is a smart love story—not to mention a terrific beach read.

About Steven Raichlen

Steven Raichlen is an award-winning author, journalist, and television host. He has written more than two dozen books, including the international blockbusters The Barbecue Bible, How to Grill, and the New York Times bestselling Planet Barbecue. Each month, hundreds of thousands of visitors converge on his websites. He and his wife, Barbara, divide their time between Chappaquiddick, Massachusetts, and Coconut Grove, Florida.

About Susan Boyce

Susan Boyce is the award-winning narrator of over 140 audiobooks. She performs in variety theater, is one half of the song-and-dance team of Jones & Boyce, and holds a degree in theater and biology. She can be heard in phone trees, in computer games, and as the voice of the pink “Care Bear.” She lives in St. Augustine, Florida, and summers in Greenville, Maine.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Patty on June 13, 2012

Island Apart By Steven Raichlen My " in a nutshell" summary... Claire goes to Martha's Vineyard to recover from a very serious illness...she meets the Chappaquiddick  hermit...entanglements ensue! My thoughts after reading this book... Heaven on earth...that describes this one.  Who knew the barbecue king......more

Goodreads review by Meg - A Bookish Affair on August 06, 2012

4.5. This book is amazing! Let me just give you a little taste of what you're in for with this book: "We're all wounded in some way," he said. "It's not what you have that makes you beautiful. It's what you've lost and still managed to go on living without." How perfect is that quote? You may want to......more

Goodreads review by Anne on September 28, 2012

I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did. There are enough detailed reviews of the plot that I won't do it again here, I'll just summarize my main issues: - The author really has an awkward narrative style. It jumps from essentially lecturing about historical facts to a paragraph a......more

Goodreads review by Diana on July 23, 2013

ISLAND APART has been on my wish list since last year, and when I saw the audiobook at the library, I snatched it up. The cover screams “light beach read,” but I was thrilled to discover that it went much deeper. Colorful characters, a magnificent setting, and an unusual love story made this book a......more

Goodreads review by Jeanne on July 02, 2012

Island Apart is a love story, cookbook, history lesson, gazetteer, and visit to the psychologist all rolled together. Add a dash of the literary publishing world and read slowly. This isn't a fast-paced book, but I read it in an evening. All the bits of and pieces Raichlen throws in tend to slow dow......more

Quotes

“Much more than a promising first novel by a formidably talented writer; it is a literary achievement of the first order…a heartfelt, redemptive, and irresistible novel. Raichlen handles this complex tale of romance, family, illness, and dark secrets with intelligence, grace, and abiding tenderness.” John Dufresne, author of Requiem, Mass 

“Steven Raichlen presents a kaleidoscope of personalities with insight and compassion, while reminding us that good food, prepared with love, may not heal all wounds, but it can’t hurt and it often helps. A splendid beach read!” Mary Doria Russell, Pulitzer Prize nominee and author of Thread of Grace and Doc

“Steven Raichlen has written a magical novel about a magical place.  He deftly captures the subtleties, oddities, and beguiling charm of Martha’s Vineyard and Chappaquiddick. Take this literary ferry.  You’ll enjoy your stay.” Lucia St. Clair Robson, New York Times bestselling author

“Rich in character, incident, and mouthwatering food. A triumphant fictional debut.” William Martin, New York Times bestselling author

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