This is the first book Iv read by Libby Page and I very much enjoyed it. I loved the description of Island life and getting to know the story of Lorna and her Brother. Brought up in an abusive home, and then parting with Jack, this story tells of loneliness, bringing up a child all on her own and hardship with no family to turn to.
Then facing the Island again and trying to build relationships, it’s about forgiveness and truths and love. The setting and characters make this a very enjoyable read and il def be looking at Libby’s other books. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved Libby Page's The Lido, and found this book even more readable. It's an evocative story of Lorna's return to an island where she and her bother grew up with abusive parents. Alice, her daughter is a teenager and flings herself into getting to know long lost cousins.
There is bleakness, but there is hope . Emotions run high but always dealt with by Libby with gentleness and undestanding.
A truly lovely book. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read this.

I love Page's books. they are always very uplifting, well written. Great for summer reads. I love the people and relationships in it, it injects a good amount of hope. If you like contemporary fiction, feel-good books, this author is a good one to go to.
Thanks a lot for the copy.

I love it when a book that looks quite fluffy turns out to be absolutely fantastic and that's definitely the case for this one. The characters are all flawed but so fascinating and lovely, I cared about every single one of them. The story is quite moving and heartfelt but fun and entertaining.

While its not going to give you any moments that you didnt see coming, you will root for a happy ending from the first page. :)

I can't recommend this book enough. The Island Home' is the perfect read to curl up under a blanket with!

Set in the stunning scenery of the Isle of Kip, the book tells the story of sisters-in-law, Lorna and Alice, who begin to form a friendship when Lorna returns to the island she grew up on. 'The Island Home' encompasses the importance of community, friendship and knowing your own worth and is such a wonderful, wonderful book.

My only niggle was that one particular relationship seemed to develop very quickly, which wasn't believable to me. However, the characters were likeable, flawed and relatable, and I felt myself being drawn in to caring about them all and their small community.

I've already lent my copy of the book to my mum and can't wait to recommend it to my library customers too.

I have loved Libby Page's previous two novels and so was looking forward to reading The Island. It is written in Libby's trademark style full of joy, hope and compassion and it was a perfect escapist and uplifting read. The Island is told from two perspectives, that of of Lorna who is returning, with her daughter, to the tiny Scottish Island she left almost two decades ago and her sister in law Alice who still lives on the island. It is a beautiful and empathic book, the author portrays a real sense of place and community and I was transported to the island setting. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review a digital ARC.

A wonderful, heartwarming book - I absolutely loved it! I was excited to see that there was a new novel by Libby Page as I so enjoyed her others. The Island Home is another poignant, well-written and very readable story, a perfect book to escape into during these unsettling times.

It’s easy to relate to the main characters - Lorna, who has not visited the island for over 20 years because of her difficult childhood,, and Alice, married to Lorna’s brother Jack, who loves the island but whose future there is threatened. I was engrossed in both of their stories and the sense of community on the Island of Kip. I loved the friendship between the women on the island, their yoga classes and how they looked after each other.

The book was a joy to read. Thank you very much to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Island Home - Libby Page

Well Libby Page has well and truly gone and done it again! I really enjoyed the feeling of community from the characters and the descriptions of the island made me feel as if I was actually there. Libby Page hits upon a few tough topics, however they are done with such heart and tact. I felt that this quote from towards the end of the book really summed up my feelings throughout my reading, "It was wonderful. But also awful. And painful. And confusing. And hard, really hard. But yes, at times it was wonderful.' I honestly adored this book and it truly gave me all the feels.

Whenever I pick up a novel by Libby Page I know I’m going to be treated to some beautifully descriptive and warm writing, a story about lovely people and the connections they make that make their lives better, and a strong sense of place. The Island Home gave me all of this and more in the most gorgeous island setting on the remote Scottish Isle of Kip.

After having read The Lido and The 24-Hour Cafe, both of which feel very London-centric, The Island Home felt like a bit of departure for this author. What was the same, though, was the slow-burn build of affection that eventually made me care deeply for every character.

This is certainly not a pacy read, rather one to read slowly and savour. One or two scenes made me so emotional that I was almost moved to tears, and these are the moments that stand out to me as typifying Libby Page’s wonderful skill as a writer.

With thanks for the gifted e-copy in exchange for this honest review.

Another wonderful book from Libby Page. The storyline follows Lorna a single Mum who fled a tiny island in Scotland for London to escape her parents but left her brother and close friend behind. Move forward to adult Lorna who has her own daughter Ella who found through Facebook the Scottish side of the family. They then track up to Scotland for Lorna’s parents funeral not knowing what reception they will get. A must read to discover the different relationships and interactions that go on within the family and extended community family. Thanks Libby, her publisher and NetGalley.

I really wanted to love this book but sadly there was just something missing for me. I loved the descriptions of the Isle of Kip and the community there but I struggled with the narrative style. The book was told from the perspectives of 2 characters, Alice and Lorna. I didn’t like the first person narrative and I felt that both characters were quite similar and not strong enough individually to carry this style off. The plot was heartwarming but I just couldn’t get into this book sadly.

I love books set on islands! The Island Home is the story of Lorna, who left her childhood home for the mainland when she was just 18 and never went back, having barely any contact with her parents, brother or friends for the next twenty years. She has built a life for herself and her daughter Ella in London where she works as a deputy headteacher. There's always just been the two of them, a small life but a safe one. Now, she is returning to the island where she will meet her brother Jack for the first time in years and also her sister-in-law, Alice, and her niece, Molly, who she has never met.

Sometimes island settings can be used to create a sense of claustrophobia, sometimes they can seem wild or isolated. The feeling I got from Kip though was that it was a beautiful and welcoming place of sanctuary. When Lorna was young it had not seemed a safe place, but she is warmly welcomed back into the community. This actually makes her feel quite unsettled having mostly bad memories and uncomfortable associations with the island.

I loved reading about all the different kinds of connection in the book. The connection to family and to friends old and new, the connection to the past and the connection to place. Libby Page has created a community full of wonderful characters who are so grounded, welcoming and supportive. For all the story unfurls gently, it's not without some mystery, intrigue and drama.

The Island Home is quietly compelling and often poignant. It's a beautifully written story of second chances and new beginnings.

⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️
Rounded up to 4 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Libby Page for the eARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

A heart-warming read, certain to bring a smile to your face (and a tear to your eye).

Narrated over alternating chapters by likeable characters Lorna and Alice; Lorna, who left the remote Scottish island of Kip when she was eighteen, now only returning after twenty-two years (accompanied by Ella, her teenage daughter) for the funeral of her parents; and Alice, the sister-in-law Lorna has never met, until now.

Libby Page has painted a beautiful, detailed picture of the Isle of Kip, in a colourful, rich, vivid palette; the landscape, the erratic weather conditions, all so realistically drawn, I almost feel as if I’ve visited in person.

I thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to the diverse, motley crew of characters, and the real sense of a close-knit community with an unbreakable spirit. The ending is quite predictable, but satisfyingly so.

The Island Home is a story about love, family and forgiveness but most importantly, friendship.

A sad but also heart-warming story about a brother and sister who are reunited following the sudden deaths of their parents.

Twenty-two years ago, after a difficult childhood, Lorna Irvine (18) escaped the tiny, remote Scottish island of the Isle of Kip, leaving behind her parents and younger brother, Jack, and she hasn't been back since. She's now a deputy head teacher at a primary school in east London and has a 13-year-old daughter, Ella.

Her brother is now 36 and married to Alice with a 14-year-old daughter, Molly. The siblings haven't spoken in all that time, despite Lorna sending letters and there's lots to do to repair their relationship.

Their daughters, Ella and Molly, get on well and Lorna quickly makes friends with Alice and other people on the island but struggles to connect with Jack. Things are tense and strained and there's still a lot of resentment and heartache on both sides. They each have different memories of the past, especially as Jack was only 14 when Lorna left.

As the engaging story progresses, we learn more about all the lovely people on the island and find out why Lorna walked away from her family, and there are various mishaps and events along the way!

The island sounds like a great place to live, with its strong community and friendships, but also a rather insular and bleak existence at times. Everyone knows each other's business and the balance of the island is very delicate – things can quickly go wrong, like on nearby Caora Island where the community declined as people left for the mainland and, when the school closed, all the families moved away. Only a few hardy islanders were left, and they ended up having to be evacuated by boat in the 1930s.

Overall, I really enjoyed this thought-provoking, touching and emotional read and it gave an insightful look into sibling relationships and life on a small Scottish island. The setting was very realistic, and I could just picture the island and its inhabitants, with a strong sense of community and solid friendships.

Lorna left her island home twenty two years ago. She lives in London with Ella, her teenage daughter & has always kept herself to herself. When she finds that Ella has been in touch with her cousin Molly & that her parents have died within a few days of each other she finds herself persuaded to go back to Kip after all these years. She is apprehensive as to how she will be received. Her brother Jack does not offer much of a welcome, but Alice, his wife is very welcoming & Ella & Molly are soon best pals. Can Lorna ever make Jack understand why she had to leave? And can she ever come to terms with her mixed feelings about the island that was once her home?

Much of the story is fairly predictable but I could totally forgive that for the lovely spell the Isle of Kip drew the reader into. Written from Lorna & Alice's point of view it gave the reader an insight into both women. This was an enjoyable summer read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I cannot rate this book highly enough! What a superb read, from start to finish. Rarely am I so emotionally engaged with a text, but in this case, I found myself transported with the characters to their world and moved to tears at various points as their tales unfurled. I found the whole story enthralling and believable with excellent characterization, narrative, and scene-setting. Even where breadcrumbs were laid for the tale to be predicted Libby Page somehow delivered even more. Bravo.

This was the first book of Libby Page's that I have read. It will certainly not be the last!

What a tale! This author made me really feel like I was on the island. I was surprised by how it moved me and I sat in tears a couple of times. Would highly recommend to others, it was a joy to read!

I am so glad that I was able to review this book by Libby Page. It was a delightful story about Lorna & her daughter as they return to the Island of Kip for a holiday, where they meet Alice & Molly. Libby explores the feelings & experiences of being a single parent, of being a local, a newcomer and a resident of the Island. I won't say too much as I don't want to spoil the story for new readers, but it bought me to tears. I highly recommend this book it would make a good holiday read.
Libby is a good writer who explores human emotions very well in different settings as she also did in The Lido, which I also enjoyed. I look forward to her next book.

This was the first book i have read by Libby Page, and i really enjoyed it. It was such a beautiful read. I loved how it was written and told by two different women and their viewpoints. The scenic setting really got my imagination going and how beautiful the Island is.

Lorna left the remote island of Kip 20 years and didn't look back. If it was up to her she would never return however her daughter is desperate to get to know her extended family. Returning for a funeral is hard at the best of times but especially when Lorna has no idea what reception she will receive when she steps off the ferry.

Following Lorna and her daughter Ella from Paddington Station to the Sleeper train to the small island of Kip Libby Page creates a real sense of place. I could almost smell the busy train station and hear the seagulls overhead when the pair arrived at their final destination. On more than one occasion I was shivering with cold from the changeable Scottish weather. This meant it was a very immersive read and it was like I was right there with each of the characters. I love the cover of The Island Home and as you know I often skim read the synopsis as I like to go into books relatively blind. I thought this was going to be a light beach read but it wasn't remotely like that 'excuse the pun'. Heavy issues were dealt with throughout. Lorna moved away from somewhere everyone knew her to the anonymity of London and I was compelled to find out why. Fractured family relations are always fascinating and then combine this with the intricacies of a close knit island community you have a guaranteed page turner.