BOOK REVIEW
Book: Escape to Jekyll Island: Gem of the Golden Isles Series Book One
Genre: Cosy Romantic Mystery
Author: Sandy Malone
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: Stavyah Vatsarah
Life changes drastically in Sandy Malone’s Escape to Jekyll Island. After Hurricane Maria devastates her life in Puerto Rico, Tally Davis is back on Jekyll Island. This is a new professional beginning that drags her back into the orbit of people and memories she’s never quite left behind. Jekyll Island is no longer just a backdrop, and soon Tally finds out what home means to her again.
The book’s greatest strength is Tally. She’s capable and determined, but her narration is especially engaging because she has a wonderfully candid sense of humor. And the line that nails her professionalism is, ‘Everything has to be perfect. We have one chance to get this right.’ It also makes for a compelling heroine, for her devotion to her work is never a plot contrivance.
Weddings With Personality
Much of the novel’s flavor comes from the wedding-planning aspect. It’s not an easy job; Tally’s first big wedding is on Jekyll Island, and Malone makes the behind-the-scenes work surprisingly entertaining. Welcome baskets, flowers, guest arrangements—you name it, Tally’s got to see trouble coming before it becomes a disaster. Especially telling of the book’s irreverent humor is her own description of the situation as a possible ‘clusterfuck.’
Malone also notes the absurdity often associated with elaborate weddings. Annabelle continues to add to the already carefully thought-out celebration, and this process leads to some comedy moments. Tally’s reaction to the bride’s Icelandic bachelorette trip is especially funny as she points out that it’s ‘a Caribbean destination wedding that was moved stateside’ after a trip to another continent. These details give the novel a pleasing lightness, yet none of its characters ever feel disposable.
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Love and Community
In the close-knit world of Jekyll Island, Tally and Mitch’s romance thrives. Their shared past lends the relationship an effortless familiarity while their adult lives add a new dimension. Their conversations are inherently warm, and the community surrounding them adds another layer of affection to their story. The novel is strongest when it lets their relationship develop through the mundane and avoids turning every moment into melodrama.
The island community itself is one of the most enjoyable pleasures of the book. Malone has created a community where neighbors know each other and care about each other, where personal relationships matter. Small events can be memorable due to the personalities involved. The humor in the book shines in these moments, and the prank involving Etah and a crab is a particularly strong example of the playful spirit that runs through the story.
Suspense in the Spell
The novel, while romantic and comedic on the surface, also introduces a darker source of conflict. Tension surrounding Tally’s past slowly begins to build as she starts her new life. Malone pulls off the switch nicely, ramping up the suspense without sacrificing the warmth that suffuses the rest of the novel. The contrast between the idyllic island setting and the problems Tally faces drives the story.
One of the best things about this book is Tally’s commitment to being prepared for any wedding disaster. ‘Don’t jinx us, Tally,’ Isabelle commands, with the memorable warning not to count your chickens before they hatch. That little exchange is so typical of the tone of the novel. But real jokes lie underneath, along with a real sense of the pressure Tally puts on herself to make it all work.
A New Beginning
There are places where the novel could have used some tighter exposition. A little background is overexplained, and a few of the developments seem a little convenient. These are minor reservations, however, and they do little to detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
Ultimately, Escape to Jekyll Island works because it features a likable heroine and a fun professional world. Tally’s story is as much about the rebuilding of a life as it is about the loss of one. The warmth of the novel is summed up by its final gesture toward a future where Tally can finally feel that she has found her place again.
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