SYNOPSIS

Poe feels distant from her roommate and best friend, Zwe. She’s been caught up with struggling to write a second book after her first became an international bestseller, with a movie deal in the works, and feels like she’s been a terrible friend.

Wanting to be more present, rebuild their relationship, and become inspired to write, she books a getaway for them on an island. After being there a day or so, they’re met with masked gunmen.

What could happen?

RECAP AND REVIEW

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review and the associated opinions are mine.

Release Date: August 26, 2025

This is a romance book told from Poe’s perspective.

Poe is talkative, emotional, witty and always making jokes. She loves writing books, but is experiencing writer’s block after her success, which makes her wonder if she’ll ever write a good second book, or if she’ll be a one hit wonder.

Zwe is Poe’s beta reader and they have known each other for a long time. He helps his parents run their bookstore, and tends to take the methodical approach to situations.

The story follows Poe and Zwe trying to make it safely off the island, while working through their issues, both with each other and within themselves.

The romance between them is a bit nonexistent because of the circumstances they’re in. They also bicker a lot, I think because of pent up emotions. Still, there were times where I saw chemistry between them, and I really believe they’re people who really love and know each other down to their core.

At the beginning the trip, Poe thinks about an almost kiss that happened between them years ago, which Zwe turned down. He and his ex recently broke up, but they’ve been talking again, so she lets it go as best as she can. He also seems to click with the resort’s host, who is responsible for getting them anything and everything they need, including scheduling their days with the activities they want to engage in.

I really loved the first half to three quarters of this book, but certain plot points at the end were a little nonsensical for me to enjoy, and took me out of the reading. I can’t explain without major spoilers. I do appreciate the conversations around gentrification the story brought though.

There’s a twist that I saw coming, but it was fun to see the reveal play out.

At times, Poe and her jealousy got a little annoying because she was a childish about it at times, even if I understood her reasonings. She also brought everything back to her book and writing. Sometimes it worked for me, sometimes it didn’t, like at the end, during a heart to heart she brings it up, though they were discussing something else. Her fears made sense and the revelations she made are important in her journey, but the timing of her saying it was weird to me.

OVERALL

Overall, I give this a 4 out of 5 stars. I really love the beginning of the book, and to me, it made up for parts in the end that I didn’t like. The book ends in happily ever after, so I get why some things happen as they do.

Tropes include: