Today I'm on the Blog Tour for the fantastic Island of Secrets by Rachel Rhys* I was kindly gifted an e-copy from the publishers. You can check all those taking part on the poster below.
1957: Iris Bailey is bored to death of working in the typing pool and living with her parents in Hemel Hempstead. A gifted portraitist with a talent for sketching party guests, she dreams of becoming an artist. So she can’t believe her luck when socialite Nell Hardman invites her to Havana to draw at the wedding of her Hollywood director father.
Far from home, she quickly realizes the cocktails, tropical scents and azure skies mask a darker reality. As Cuba teeters on the edge of revolution and Iris’s heart melts for troubled photographer Joe, she discovers someone in the charismatic Hardman family is hiding a terrible secret. Can she uncover the ugly truth behind the glamour and the dazzle before all their lives are torn apart?
About the author:
Rachel Rhys is the pen-name of a successful psychological suspense author. She is the author of the Richard & Judy Club pick, Dangerous Crossing and the best selling A Fatal Inheritance. Rachel Rhys lives in North London with her family.
My thoughts?
The story is set in Havana in 1957 to a backdrop of political instability, corruption and the family at the centre of the story, the Hardmans are not all they seem to be.. Hollywood Director, Hugh Hardman's wife died on his yacht in mysterious circumstances and he is marrying again. His gangster friend has offered his beautiful house as a venue.
After a chance meeting with Nell Hardman, Iris finds herself invited to be the official portraitist at the glitzy wedding. After some wrangling with her folks and boyfriend she finds herself in another world. She's staying at the guest house with two other "employees" the photographer and the gossip columnist who is writing about the wedding. Everything is colourful and bright, sunny and exotic and Iris is enthralled by it all. However, even she realises all is not as it seems with the family, their host and what happened in the past..
She also finds she has feelings for Joe, the photographer although he seems to be involved with someone. She just can't stop thinking about him... She also has a few moments where she finds she has to be assertive and make a stance as well as ultimately make her own choices for her future happiness.
I absolutely loved the storylines, setting and plucky Iris. So recommend.
No comments:
Post a Comment