With The Jewel of the Isle, Kerry Rea (The Wedding Ringer; Lucy on the Wild Side) has written a hilarious romp sure to appeal to fans of Christina Lauren. After the death of her beloved father, uptight doctor Emily Edwards decides to fulfill his dream of visiting Isle Royale National Park, Mich., an isolated place that "can only be reached by ferry or seaplane." Emily is not exactly outdoorsy, so she hires a guide from the only outfitter available on short notice. Fleet Outdoor Adventures was essentially a two-man show run by brothers Caleb and Ryder. But Caleb was the outdoor enthusiast. Ryder just handled the marketing, and he hasn't had the heart to do even that since Caleb died. Desperate for money, Ryder can't turn Emily down, and he must have picked up some of his brother's outdoor skills by osmosis, right?
When Emily and Ryder witness a shocking crime perpetrated by one of their fellow ferry passengers, they end up on the run through the deep forests of the national park. Hilarious shenanigans abound as they try to survive the wilderness and the criminals on the hunt for them. But Emily and Ryder also realize they share a deep grief, which bonds them as they race back toward civilization.
Touching in its exploration of sadness and loss, and laugh-out-loud funny as the inept explorers struggle to make their way through one of the most remote national parks in the United States, The Jewel of the Isle is fresh and perfect for those who enjoyed the Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum movie The Lost City. --Jessica Howard, freelance book reviewer and former bookseller