Gillian's Island

A Romantic Misadventure

By: Cara Malone

Narrated by: Nym Kingsley

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…

Scarlet Day, the magnetic lead singer of the all-female alt-rock band The Scarlet Begonias, is on the cusp of fame. Their first album just launched and they’ve landed a dream gig – performing on a luxury sapphic cruise to the Galapagos. To top it all off, during their first set on deck, she makes a connection with a mesmerizing woman in the crowd.

Robin Barry is a solo traveler on a couples cruise, which has the potential to be painfully awkward. A veterinary researcher intent on focusing on the wildlife rather than the women, her plans change abruptly when she meets the sultry starlet. Couples massages, indulgent meals and island-side adventures turn the cruise into a once-in-a-lifetime tropical fling – until fate announces it has other plans.

A cataclysmic storm forces the passengers to abandon ship, stranding them on an uninhabited island with few supplies and no means of calling for help. With tensions rising and food dwindling, Scarlet and Robin are at odds about what to do next. Can their blossoming romance weather the storm, or will it fade along with the hope of rescue?

From bestselling author Cara Malone comes Gillian’s Island, a story of two women caught between the turmoil of survival on an untamed island and the unpredictable currents of the heart. Immerse yourself in the lush, sun-soaked Galapagos Islands and spend some time with fan-favorite couples from Trail Magic, the Fox County Forensics series, Lakeside Hospital and more, and fall in love all over again with a new couple too in this standalone sapphic adventure.

©2024 Cara Malone (P)2025 Cara Malone

Immersive island adventure

I really enjoyed this “romantic misadventure,” as it’s billed. Our poor main characters, Scarlet and Robin. Just when they find each other onboard the ship, it sinks. The rest of the book is about the passengers and crew surviving on an island. Even though it’s about survival, the story is still pretty low angst. There is plenty of drama, though. As much as you’ll love Scarlet and Robin, you will absolutely loathe the antagonist. Oh, how I hated her. I very much liked seeing characters from other Cara Malone series, particularly for me, Raven and Kit from Trail Magic. I loved that book. This book is narrated by Nym Kingsley. They did a terrific job.

Excellent Story with Some Sizzle

Cara Malone always does such a great job with character development, especially in developing a heel character, one that makes your blood boil in a short period of time. She does exactly that in this story. A sapphic cruise turns into a struggle for survival when the ship hits rocks during a storm and goes down. Everyone escapes on lifeboats and ends up stranded on a deserted island. It becomes a true battle of egos, trust, and trying to get rescued.

During the initial cruise, Scarlet and Robin hit it off and quickly fall for each other. When they get stranded, their relationship grows deeper as they long to get back home. There are some tender, loving moments along with some real heat. This was a really enjoyable listen. Nym Kingley did a fantastic job with the narration, giving each character a different voice, making it easy to distinguish who was talking. She added to the enjoyment of the story. Another great story from Cara.

Gillian’s Island

I loved the voice of the narrator. The best!!! Her soft demeanor goes along well with the story. I would love to listen to her in more and more stories.