The Summer Island Swap
by Samantha Tonge
The protagonist of The Summer Island Swap expects to go on a luxury vacation with her younger sister. She’s worked herself to the bone and is looking forward to being pampered in a five-star hotel, but her sister pulls a massive prank on her. Instead of the vacation of her dreams, they travel to a private island that forces its “guests” to work. They have to scrounge around day to protect endangered species and conserve cleanliness. Instead of deep-soaker tubs, they had cold outdoor showers. Instead of hot stone massages and facials, they have sunburns and sore muscles. Who in their right mind would trade cabana boys and cocktails for insect-infested shacks and compost toilets? Had this happened to me, I would have hopped on the first boat back. And my sister would receive an equally massive prank in return.
However, I’m not the main character of this novel, and she decides to stay. She stays because the director of the island retreat, a scruffy, grumpy conservationist, insults her pride and suggests she wouldn’t be able to handle the tough work anyway. Naturally, she makes it her mission to prove him wrong. And, as you might expect, because this is a saccharine-sweet, unrealistic beach read, she falls in love with both the man and his island. Again, had that happened to me, I would never exchange proper hygiene and access to indoor plumbing for an opinionated conservationist with a bad business head.
However, I’m not the main character of this novel, and she decides to stay. She stays because the director of the island retreat, a scruffy, grumpy conservationist, insults her pride and suggests she wouldn’t be able to handle the tough work anyway. Naturally, she makes it her mission to prove him wrong. And, as you might expect, because this is a saccharine-sweet, unrealistic beach read, she falls in love with both the man and his island. Again, had that happened to me, I would never exchange proper hygiene and access to indoor plumbing for an opinionated conservationist with a bad business head.