Island Detour - Maria Imbalzano

Falsely accused of wrongdoing at a Princeton Prep school, Sophie Kearns accepts a temporary teaching position at an environmental school in the Florida Keys to wait out her suspension. The time away is meant to be an anxiety-free escape, but her clashes with the hot but arrogant marine biology teacher, Max Heaton, are anything but tranquil.

 

Max is determined to start an environmental research institute at the school, but he suspects the gorgeous new Lit teacher, who lacks even the most basic outdoor skills, is there to hinder that dream. Yet, something about her tames the demons from his past, and he can no longer ignore the fire she’s lit inside him.

My Review

Island Detour is an opposites attract love story. I'm not sure that you could get two more opposites than Max and Sophie, or at least on the surface. They have plenty in common and have similar values when they get to know one another.

There are some romance novels where there's a little bit of misunderstanding that could be solved by simply communicating. Then there are books like this, when I could have burst into the pages, given them both a good shake and shouted 'just talk to each other!' Every time they came close to understanding one another, one or the other would make an assumption or get the wrong end of the stick. I think that this is one of the most frustrating romances that I've ever read. That of course meant that I was completely invested and wanted to know what was going to happen between them.

Some of the things that Sophie and Max were upset or worried about, I didn't really understand. But it was important to them. I don't really understand the way that American private schools work, I actually wasn't sure how old the students were (high school? University? I don't know) but that didn't really matter, this wasn't about them.

Sophie and Max ultimately made a great couple, both encouraging each other to be the best they could be. A great read.

Bio

Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states.  Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband--not far from her two daughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at http://mariaimbalzano.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter.