The Island in Bramble Bay – Victoria Walker

Maggie and Charlie – both have chosen to work or live on a deserted island off the coast of Dorset, but is either there for the right reason? Maggie must certainly feel strongly that her reasons are valid, in that she is the one choosing to live on the island. A stone’s distance from the mainland – but we are not specifying the size of the stone. Just being separated by that body of water – it could be 10 metres or 10,000 metres; you are still cut off.

My first impressions of Maggie are that she has given a lot of thought to this career move, and she is fully prepared to give it her all. As to why she has chosen this bold move on a personal level, we are initially none the wiser, but she does evoke pain – I feel she has been hurt on a personal level.

Charlie seems a little gruff and guarded at first. He clearly loves the island and he may have been hurt from more than one angle – from a romantic perspective and by something someone has done either to or from the island.

Both Maggie and Charlie are introduced to us, the readers, in a somewhat broken form. I just hope that somehow being on the island together will instigate some kind of healing, although I should imagine that the first step towards healing, is actually recognising that there is an issue. I’m not convinced, during these first chapters, that our intrepid heroes have actually made that distinction yet.

As for the island, I must confess that it reminded me to an extent, of Brownsea Island in Poole harbour, where I spent many days on Brownie outings in my youth. Reading this book evoked many happy memories of those days, together with the not so happy memories of being bitten (it felt like to within an inch of my life, to ten year old me) by insects, leaving the most impressive (in terms of size, redness and itchiness) souvenirs.

The island does sound remote, but it also feels as though it has something special to offer to those who grow to love it. Can Maggie and Charlie find the panacea to their distinct personal issues, in this wonderful place?

I have tried not to give too much away, but regardless of what may or may not happen (or have happened in the past) to Charlie and Maggie, you cannot fail to be blown away by the descriptions of this beautiful Brownsea-esque island (akin to Brownsea, it even has its own population of red squirrels!) Just take 5 minutes out of your day, close your eyes and take yourself off to the island, breathing in the sounds and smells. You will invariably feel better for it. We all deserve this kind of place and Victoria Walker’s intelligent, fun loving writing has gifted us Bramble Bay.

Please use the link below the buy this blockbuster book for yourself, and to have the opportunity find out more about the magical Bramble Bay.

Purchase Link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Bramble-Bay-Victoria-Walker-ebook/dp/B09X4MDK6D/

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