Really enjoyed the second book in the series, continuing the story of the inhabitants and visitors to Tuga (Welcome to Glorious Tuga). We find out what happens to Charlotte (who arrived to do research on the turtles and then began to look after all the animals) and her mum (with whom she has a difficult relationship), along with all the other inhabitants on the island. It's a gentle, interesting story about life and relationships, and has a perfect ending.

Island Calling returns to Tuga de Oro where Charlotte’s mother Lucinda turns up from London! It’s the perfect summer read- I love the islanders and I'm looking forward to the final chapter of this trilogy!

Island Calling - Francesca Segal - 4⭐️

The newest read from Francesca Segal a beautifully written escape into paradise—with a lot more going on beneath the surface.

Following on from Book One, we are back in Glorious Tuga de Oro with Charlotte, the Vet who has stolen the remote islanders hearts. After making a life for herself and finding love on the island, nothing could go wrong. That is, until her controlling mother arrives in a storm of high society and designer labels.

Thoughtful, emotional, and quietly powerful, the story explores the precious relationship between mothers and daughters and left me asking, can we really shed our past?

Slower in pace but totally worth it for the gorgeous writing and deep themes. Perfect for a reflective summer read 💭🌺

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this Arc, Island Calling is out now!

A real pleasure to be back on the island of Tuga. Best to read the first book before this one as it is a sequel but a very warm and welcome one which was great to read. Got to know the islanders in more depth and what the island community is really like.

Wish it were real as I would love to go!

This is book two in the series about vet Charlotte Walker, who is working on the extremely remote island of Tuga de Oro. This time round her mother has arrived to escort her home - is Charlotte ready to leave island life and her new friends behind?

I really like the setting of Tuga, the descriptions are beautiful and full of detail, and it has plenty of colourful inhabitants, both human and animal! I love the pace of life and reading about the trials they face living so remotely.

A lovely escapist book, perfect for the summer.

Island Calling s another delightful trip to the island of Tuga. There is something so beguiling about this island and its inhabitants, wonderfully brought to life by the author.

In this second book in the trilogy, vet Charlotte is very much part of island life after 14 months living there. But her peaceful existence is turned upside down when her overbearing mother Lucinda turns up unexpectedly, keen to get Charlotte back to London and to what she perceives as “real life”.

Charlotte and Lucinda’s relationship is not the only mother/daughter relationship focused on in this book - as we are reintroduced to the island’s residents, we learn more about the dynamics of this tight-knit community and the complex relationships within it.

This series is the epitome of escapism in book form - Tuga is superbly brought to life and you can almost feel the sand between your toes and smell the sea, whilst at the same time being reminded of the complexities of remote living. With a cast of characters you will take to your heart, and a generous helping of humour in amongst the drama, this is such a delightful series and the perfect summer read! I can’t wait for book 3!

How I long for a life on the island of Tuga!

This sequel takes you back to Tuga de Oro, to reunite with vet Charlotte Walker who is nearing the end of her stint caring for animals on the island. She's happy to live a blissful life until her mother arrives and causes chaos all round.

Her intention is to get Charlotte to return to England, back to her career, and back home where she belongs. Will she go or will she know that there's more her on the island than she thought?

A great return to the island, and I'm looking forward to reading the final instalment.

These books are an absolute tonic. Francesca Segal has created a fictional place that feels both welcoming and safe and I loved being back on Tuga de Oro.

The arrival of Charlotte’s mother Lucinda certainly ruffles some feathers, not least Charlotte, who is mortified by her mother’s arrival. I found Lucinda’s reaction to the island and its habitants a source of humour throughout.

Motherhood, in particular the relationship between mothers and daughters is one of the main themes of this second instalment. The dynamics of Charlotte’s relationship with her mother are revealed to us, some old wounds are opened and new truces are formed. This is contrasted against Marianne’s relationship with her young daughter Annie; natives of Tuga de Oro, whose lives couldn’t be further removed from the Walker’s glamorous London existence.

It was a joy to read and I experienced all the emotions. One minute I was laughing out loud and then the next minute I was sobbing over a golden coin turtle called Gloria Gaynor. I am already looking forward to the next book in the trilogy but I’m sad to think it will be my last visit. We all need a bit of Tuga de Oro in our lives.

Thank you for my copy of this book to read and review.

I absolutely loved Glorious Tuga so I was really excited to see a follow-up.

This was just as good as the first book, warm story with lovely characters, beautiful setting and descriptions that made you feel as if you were there.

I would recommend reading the first book before this one.

When Charlotte’s mother Lucinda arrives from England in a mission to ‘rescue’ Charlotte from Tuga there are many cringeworthy moments. Charlotte is determined to leave but her mother’s presence is humiliating and stifling.

I cannot express how much I would love to visit Tuga and meet all these wonderful characters. It’s just as well it is fictional or the amount of impending tourists would destroy the unique features of this amazing place.
Anyway. Brilliant location, characters and plot. This book is an absolute winner.
5 stars
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to have read this book ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.

A very enjoyable book. This is part two of a trilogy and I would strongly recommend reading the first part. I had read the first part and still found it difficult to get my head round all the characters. Catherine has been on the island for a year studying tortoises but was becoming more of a vet for the islanders stock. When her mother arrives everything is turned upside down. Island Calling is a gentle warm-heated book if a little sugar-coated.
I look forward to the final part.

whoever is doing the covers for these books needs an extra special mention and pat on the back. they are so cool. and once again this one lends itself so well to the story inside.
we are back. back to the island.and im so glad to be here! and this time we have a mother to add to the mix.
my only problem now is ive heard this is part of a trio and im now worried about if ill get the luck of reading the next one.
the community feel and spirit of this book scoops you up and take you in. we get to see more from the characters we enjoyed from book one and a few more besides. we also get to meet the mother. yes shes come over for her daughter. and she a character indeed.
the character development was really well done and you got to see some true connections and growth.
if you haven't read the first book id advice it purely for the joy of it but it gives enough information for you to come into this one and learn from new.
another escapist read to Tuga. it was good to back.

Second in the Tuga trilogy, this book sees Charlotte thrown for six when out of the blue, her mother arrives on Tuga and turns her whole life upside down. I admit, I found her mother to be a slightly stereotypical posh, rich, accomplished London woman who is horrified by the rusticity of the world’s most remote island and expects everyone to dance to her tune. The book does help shed some light on Charlotte’s childhood and fill in gaps for us, as well as fleshing out some of the supporting cast of islanders from the first book. And I am quite happy in two of the relationships that develop…!

Now if Annie can start being slightly less of a brat to those who love her, even better…

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

It has been a delight to return to Tuga, getting reacquainted with the familiar characters and meeting some new ones as well. I would recommend reading book 1 first , as it does follows on. It’s a fun story, quirky setting, beautiful beaches and plenty of tortoises. Highly recommend.

Reading this is like joining old friends. We rejoin everyone during Island Close, they have had a distress call and there is someone with heart issues that needs to come to land. Walter and the crew brave the stormy waters. When they arrive back at the harbour, to her disgust Charlotte sees her mother and there is nothing wrong with her. That is other than to treat the islanders as though they are her minions.
This is an interesting and entertaining follow on from Welcome to Tuga and I look forward to the next installment.

It was nice to be back on Tuga and reuniting with some of the islanders and learning more about them! The visit of Charlotte's mother added some good depth to the story. But I hated her and she had no redeeming features which made her a little 2D. I also found scene quite upsetting and it felt a little skimmed over. but still interesting! Again a lot of storylines to keep up with but I feel I'm getting to know the characters better!

A very enjoyable read, with an irresistible storyline about family and kindness. A delightful escape . I found the book uplifting and warm.

How wonderful to return to glorious Tuga again and if you loved the first of this trilogy, this will be just the ticket!

Francesca writes in such a wonderful way that appeals to all the senses but it’s the visuals that get me each time. The description of the operation to save the life of an illicit lizard is both fantastically detailed, hilariously funny and a little bit nerve-wracking.

Just as in real-life communities, so it is here in this fictional one with some people you care about more than others and some people you don’t really notice until something happens and you do have to notice them.

I find this form of armchair travel, to a location I would never visit, utterly soothing and am looking forward to finding out what happens when Alex and Annie are reunited in the next book.

Charlotte, whom readers met in the first of the trilogy, Welcome to Glorious Tuga, is having the time of her life on the island. Until her mum arrives, all too ready to drag her daughter – whom she believes to be having an identity crisis – back to England where she belongs. But they’re not the only mother and daughter on Tuga who are finding relations difficult, and that’s putting it mildly.

This second installment in the Tuga Trilogy picks up where the first book left off, continuing the story of Charlotte Walker, a vet and academic herpetologist living on the fictional, remote island of Tuga de Oro. If you haven’t read book one, I’d highly recommend starting there as this is not a standalone. Even having read the first, I still found parts confusing due to the sheer number of characters and island-specific quirks.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It’s a fine story but just dpesnt feel anything special.

The story felt scattered and lacked a clear narrative arc. While Charlotte is still the focus, other characters such Dr. Dan Zekri, Katie the physiotherapist, and Charlotte’s mother Lucinda, float in and out of the story in ways that felt disjointed. Lucinda in particular was difficult to sympathize with, and her presence added more frustration than tension. Honestly she was so rude and condescending to the islanders it was uncomfortable.

The romance between Charlotte and Levi was almost nonexistent, which was disappointing given the setup from book one. The writing style aims for literary depth but came across as meandering and a bit heavy-handed at times. Add to that an abrupt ending, likely because it’s the middle book of a trilogy, and I was left feeling unsatisfied.

That said, the island is portrayed with vivid detail, and the book does capture the peculiarities of life in an isolated, under-resourced community. It is a cosy story but more slice of life novel than a romance.