Sunset Island (Friends Book 1)

Fast paced and easy to read. You get invested in the characters very quickly. Will definitely be reading more from this author.

“Despite all the pain, you were blessed with a great love. Savor that. Cherish that. It’s not something everyone gets to experience—a great love.” “I’ve been very fortunate, really. I’ve been loved all my life, despite so many people having left me behind before I was ready to say goodbye. So don’t feel sorry for me.”+ • + • + • +Definitely not the story I was expecting after reading the description… but like, wow, was this a really, really, really good book!!

This is the First Book I believe written by AJ and I wish I had read it prior to reading many of her other books. This is a wonderful story of love, loosing love, rebuilding your idea of happiness and then letting yourself experience the wonder of falling in love once again. The setting is an Island owned by the main character and a woman who has always believed she was straight. The loss of a partner, friends helping friends and the realization that like all good things, Love can happen more than once in a life time is the basis for this wonderful read.I have been a fan of AJ Adaire's writing since I read her "It's Complicated" book. Her writing is descriptive and characters are just that - Great Characters. You can just close your eyes and imagine the scenery, the lust in their eyes and their passion in each and every one of her love scenes. The relationship begins slowly with much care in describing the inner feelings of each of her characters. You won't be disappointed with thisending either and hopefully do what I did and simply download another AJ Adaire book and begin to enjoy another great read!

If you want a simple, fun, easy to read book that makes you feel good about relationships and life then this book, and others by this author, may hit the mark. This book (and the two others I read in the series) have excellent characters that you fall in love with quickly. However, the books are not really exciting. There is no conflict, no real problem, and never any serious fear that the couples in the book won't "make it." Instead what you get is relationships that are perfect. Everyone communicates perfectly. Everyone explains their feelings perfectly. Everyone makes everyone else happy 90 percent of the time.A fun, breezy read for a rainy Sunday that you can finish in a couple hours. A great read if you've had a tough day or week or month and just want something light hearted and fun. If you are looking for romance there are just a couple, light scenes. This might be a bummer since the conversation is all detailed in the extreme but then romantic scenes are quickly glossed over. If this book had more in-depth romantic scenes it would be a serious redeeming factor. But I can't stress enough that the characters are lovable and it is a fun, light, romantic read.

I was able to read this book in one day, not because it's a short story or novella (it's 261 pages according to Amazon) but because it held me captive and I didn't want to stop reading.The story itself is not unique but the story teller tells it so well. There are two main protagonists, Ren Madison and Dr. Lindy Caprini and a nice cast of supporting characters. Please read the author's blurb/synopsis for a preview of the story. What I enjoyed most were the well developed characters, great pacing, and something that has become so all important to me and other readers, great editing!I believe AJ Adaire has done a remarkable job on her first book. I also believe new publisher Desert Palm Press has put forth a fine example of their high standards. Kudos go to both. There will be a short story and a sequel coming later this year featuring these same characters and some of their friends mentioned in Sunset Island. I am looking forward to more from AJ and I am hoping that the same quality can be maintained in her future endeavors.Do yourself a big favor.....buy and read Sunset Island because it may well be one of the nicest books you'll read this year!! At an enticing price of $5.99 how can you go wrong!!!!

This is a pleasant book to read, and I especially like the lack of fighting between the characters. Ren Madison is co-owner with her brother, Jack, of an inn on Sunset Island in Maine. During the off-season, she pursues her work as an artist.Her sister-in-law Marie puts her in touch with Professor Lindy Caprini, who needs an artist to illustrate her book. Lindy comes to the island to stay for a year so they can collaborate on the book. She is heterosexual, but we soon learn about her thoughts and feelings as she journals her experiences. A main theme of the book is Ren's adjustment to the death of her partner, Brooke. Some books use a lot of meanness to prolong the story - this is not one of them.

In the realm of the lesbian romance one is typically led down a formula driven path of girl in turmoil, girl meets straight girl, love is explored, and arm in arm the couple walks happily toward the sun-kissed horizon. Having read several books, novellas and short stories in this genre, it all became so mundane however I decided to try once more on this new author hoping for a new perspective. What a lovely surprise! In a world where we are becoming more receptive of diversity, particularly homosexuality, it is refreshing to have a main character that is not in hiding, ashamed of her sexuality, a character that could possibly be a role model for younger readers starting their journey into being comfortable in their own skin. Sunset Island contains well thought out characters. Ms. Adaire has a knack for introducing you to new friends. I had wished to have been invited to some of the parties. I found myself standing in the kitchen - one eye on the meal I was preparing - one eye on my phone reading page after page not wanting to put it down until I was finished with the book. Upon reaching the ending, how disappointed I was to know I would not be with these new friends again. Kudos to this new author! Job well done!

This is the first book in the Friends Collection.AJ writes this book like Ren paints her pictures. Takes a sketch and then fill in the colours, this is what we find with the characters that are so well described. Ren an artist who has it all money, an island, an inn and a successful business. The only thing she hasn't found is love after the loss of her partner. Lindy comes to live with her to write a book and Ren does the artwork. We are slowly brought through the story where both main characters open up to each other through her own unique way.Ms Adaire has managed to show us the sorrow, pain and love that these characters have for each other. With a cast of other well formed characters. Her brother Jack, Wife Marie niece Laura and her best friend Mallory.This book can be read as a stand alone story or as part of the Friends collection. I would suggest that you read the books as they were published so that you can follow this intriguing story.If this still does not wet your appetite then I would suggest you should buy this book just to find out how to make a delicious P & J sandwich,.

The fact that it took forever for Ren and Lindy to realize they where meant to be together made this book definitely worth reading. The tears flowed from early in the book to the end.

This is a love story - I know that may sound obvious but this one is very romantic. Ren and Lindy have been working together long distance for a while on Lindy's book. Ren is still recovering from losing her partner in an accident a few years before. They decide to work together for a year on Ren's island cut off (mostly) from other contact. The story follows their journey of self discovery and growth, realisation that there is love after loss and that you can find yourself even later in life. The creativity they share is lovely to read about and if anything I just wish the author would have given us more of them as a couple than we got - that's a small thing though and my only reason for giving it 4 stars and not 5. This isn't the book for you if you want lots of steamy love scenes - they do appear but quite late on in the book and in the context of the relationship between the two main characters. But if you like a good old fashioned romance where you are literally willing the characters to open their eyes and have the courage of their convictions - then this is the one for you - its really a 4 1/2 stars for me. its well worth a read.

This was a well thought out, well edited novel with great pacing and extremely good for a first novel.The two main characters Ren and Lindy are of an age that would appeal to any reader. The characters are well developed and the relationship is given time to evolve from friendship built up over many months. The author touches on a few subjects, such as loss of a loved one, coming to terms with your sexuality and family relationships with great thoughtfulness and sensitivity. In fact the author kept you so involved in their story that it only took a couple of evenings to read the book and it certainly was not short. I am really looking forward to reading further work by AJ Adaire.

I enjoyed the book but only gave three stars in my review, the reason for this is, I thoughtthe characters lacked depth and because if this the story took a long time to establisheda understanding of their characteristics.