On Fire Island by Jane L. Rosen #bookreview #womensfiction #contemporary #romance

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Title: On Fire Island

Author:  Jane L. Rosen

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: May 23, 2023

Page Count:  318

My rating: 3 1/2 stars

About the book:

A book editor spends one last summer on Fire Island in this sparkling and surprising new novel from the author of A Shoe Story.

As a book editor, Julia Morse lived and breathed stories. Whether with her pen to a manuscript or curled up with a book while at her beloved Fire Island cottage, her imagination alight with a good tale, she could anticipate practically any ending. The ending she’d never imagined was her own.

To be fair, no one expects to die at thirty-seven. So when the unthinkable happens to Julia, rather than following the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, she chooses to spend one last summer near those she loves most.  

As she follows her adoring, novelist husband Ben to their—unexpectedly full—home on Fire Island, she discovers the ripple affect her life has had on the trajectory of so many: her baseball loving, young-at-heart neighbor who believes it’s best not to go it alone, two bright-eyed teenagers eager to become adults, and her best friend who must shake off heartbreak for a new chance at love.

With poignant comedy and insight, On Fire Island is an ode to the stories all around us and to the brightest types of loves…for the people closest to you and the places that shape you.

On Fire Island by Jane L. Rosen is a contemporary women’s fiction title that comes with a side of a supernatural twist to it. The story in On Fire Island is narrated by the main character who happens to pass away shortly into the novel.

Julia Morse spent her life being a book editor and marrying the man of her dreams which she met through her job. Ben had written a novel and turned it into Julia’s publishing company where Julia read it and fell in love with the story and later after meeting the author of that story.

Julia and Ben were married and had a wonderful life together but one that ended way too soon when Julia found out she was terminal. At thirty seven Julia wasn’t ready to let go of her life when she died so instead of passing on into her next she chose to stay one last summer on Fire Island and look over Ben and all of their friends and family.

Knowing that the main character in On Fire Island by Jane L. Rosen is actually dead as she narrates the novel one is pretty safe to assume this is an incredibly emotional tale with grief at the forefront. The other characters in the story do go through a lot of healing after their heartache though and of course some character growth along the way too. I did enjoy On Fire Island once I settled into to it but with this unique perspective it did start off rather slowly for me so when finished I rated this one at three and a half stars and will give this author another try.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:
JANE L. ROSEN is an author and Huffington Post contributor. She lives in New York City and Fire Island with her husband and three daughters. She often takes inspiration from the city she lives in and the people she shares it with. In addition to her writing she has spent time in film, television and event production and is the cofounder of It’s All Gravy LLC, a web and app-based gifting company.