Item: Island Detour
Author: Gina

Island Detour (The Sunrise Island Series Book 1) by Maria Imbalzano | #BookReview #AuthorGuestPost #ContemporaryRomance #Humorous | @GoddessFish @mariaimbalzano @Mariaimbalzano_author

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.

Book Details

Island Detour (The Sunrise Island Series Book 1) by Maria Imbalzano | #BookReview #AuthorGuestPost #ContemporaryRomance #Humorous | @GoddessFish @mariaimbalzano @MariaImbalzano_author

Island Detour by Maria Imbalzano
Series: The Sunrise Island #1
Published by The Wild Rose Press on February 19, 2024
Genres: Contempoary Romance
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 283

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.

Source: Goddess Fish Promotions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt from Island Detour

It wasn’t long enough before Max and Ben ushered Sophie to the fishing boat. She inhaled huge breaths of salt air, hoping the oxygen would perform some magic on the dull throb in her head.

“I know you’re going to find this hard to believe,” she started hesitantly, “but I don’t know how to fish.”

“What a surprise.” Max didn’t even bother to moderate his sarcasm.

Sophie’s scowl fell on his back as he and Ben gathered up rods and reels, a tackle box, and cartons of what she could only assume contained live bait. He had been sniping at her for days. Ever since Andy had asked her to cover for him as director. It was as if she had caused Andy’s accident intentionally, just to take over his job and keep it from Max.

She followed them onto the dock and into the boat, wishing she had brought her bottle of aspirin to dull the pain of this ill-conceived trip.

She sat on the bench, quiet as a church mouse, as Max steered the boat out toward the ocean. Her eyes betrayed her as they were drawn to the muscles in his back and shoulders, stretching and straining with each movement. His tawny, bronze skin glistened with a layer of sunscreen and ocean mist. A work of art. His jaw was square and tight, his cheekbones chiseled. Soft, wavy brown hair blew straight back from his forehead, giving her a bird’s-eye view of one very gorgeous man. Oh, so easy on the eyes. Too bad he wasn’t as easy on the nerves.

Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Easy Info & Purchase Links for Island Detour

Island Detour (The Sunrise Island Series Book 1)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Imbalzano, Maria (Author)
English (Publication Language)
283 Pages - 02/19/2024 (Publication Date) - The Wild Rose Press, Inc. (Publisher)

Island Detour (The Sunrise Island)

Imbalzano, Maria (Author)
English (Publication Language)
314 Pages - 02/19/2024 (Publication Date) - Wild Rose Press (Publisher)

If the above link does not take you to your country’s Amazon page, please let me know, and I’ll gladly get a link for you.

Using my link does not change the price you pay. Amazon pays me a minimal amount out of their share. Every penny helps to support this blog.

BookBub

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Thoughts on Island Detour

Check out this charming tale, “Island Detour,” by Maria Imbalzano, the kick-off of The Sunrise Island series. It’s a contemporary romance that will sweep you away to the picturesque Florida Keys.

Imagine being falsely accused and taking refuge in a temporary teaching gig in paradise. That’s the predicament Sophie Kearns finds herself in after a rough patch at Princeton Prep. But her getaway isn’t all sunshine and cocktails, especially when she clashes with Max Heaton, the marine biology teacher who’s as hot as the Florida sun but just as prickly.

Max is on a mission to establish an environmental research institute at the school, and he’s convinced Sophie’s there to rain on his parade. Yet, despite their differences, there’s an undeniable spark between them that neither can ignore.

One of the highlights of the story is watching Sophie, the prim and proper Lit teacher, attempt outdoor activities like kayaking and fishing. It’s hilarious and heartwarming all at once, adding a delightful layer of humor to the narrative.

Imbalzano has infused each character with vibrant personalities that leap off the page. And the humor that threads throughout the story makes it a breezy, enjoyable read from start to finish.

When you turn that final page, you’ll find yourself eagerly anticipating the next adventure in The Sunrise Island series. With its mix of romance, humor, and captivating characters, “Island Detour” sets the stage for more escapades in this charming setting.

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About Maria Imbalzano

Maria Imbalzano

I was born in Trenton, NJ , in the heart of Chambersburg, the Italian section of town. My father was a barber and my mother, a State employee, who also taught me to jitterbug at the tender age of four. We loved to dance in the living room while watching American Bandstand. Hardly star material, but I was driven nonetheless. The product of a Catholic School education, I learned the basics, and took for granted I would be successful doing something, even if it entailed cutting hair. I attended Rutgers University as a psychology major, but after three years decided I liked political science better. My first job led me to Manhattan where I worked as a paralegal for four years before attending Fordham University School of Law. There I learned to think like a lawyer, write like a lawyer, and speak like a lawyer, all while living like a pauper in the city of my dreams. Living in New York City, albeit on a tight budget, allowed me to indulge my love of ballet, art museums, and theater. Did you know you could walk into a theater after intermission and no one checks your ticket? I enjoyed the second half of many plays as well as ballets.

My love of reading dates back to my childhood when I would borrow at least four books from the library every week. During the summer, I would sit in the house and read, until my mother, totally frustrated, would send me outside to play and lock me out. I always found my way back in. However, I must confess, I hated to write. In every English and writing class throughout college, I dreaded trying to be creative. As a friend from law school so aptly put it, “The reason why we’re here is because we don’t have a creative bone in our bodies.” I agreed.

Despite my dislike of creative writing back then, I embraced legal writing, and was first published in Volume 5 of the Fordham International Law Journal. My article was entitled “In re Mackin: Is the Application of the Political Offense Exception an Extradition Issue for the Judicial or Executive Branch?” I would advise you against reading it, for you will surely fall asleep.

Following law school, I returned to central New Jersey and took a job at a local law firm where I have been a partner for many years. My area of practice is divorce, and while emotions run high and clients are living through the worst time of their lives, I find the practice very satisfying. In addition to litigation, I have added mediation and collaborative divorce to my repertoire, which are much more civil ways of dealing with issues in family law cases.

In addition to practicing law and raising two daughters, I’ve been working towards my second career. Memoranda of Law and Legal Briefs, although fascinating, pale in comparison to writing romance/women’s fiction. So how does one transition from divorce lawyer by day to romance writer by night? That’s the beauty of having two distinct passions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Guest Post

Are You More Like Sophie or Maddie in “Island Detour”

First, let me give you some background on these two characters. Sophie is the main character (the heroine) and Maddie is a secondary character (although she will star in her own book in this series). The book takes place at Sunrise Island School in the Florida Keys, a semester-away experience for high school students who want to learn about the marine environment and conservation.

Sophie is a buttoned-up English teacher at the prestigious Valen School in Princeton. She has been nominated to become the Chair of the English Department and has her sights set on becoming the Head of School in the future. During the summer she runs an academy for teachers to learn cutting-edge methods of teaching. She spends most of her time in the classroom, her office, or the library.

Due to a social media post, Sophie is suspended while an investigation ensues. She takes a temporary position at Sunrise Island School while she waits to be reinstated. All of the teachers there are expected to participate in water sports, dives, camping trips and fishing along with the students. Unfortunately, Sophie doesn’t know a kayak from a rowboat and has no experience scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, or camping. She also doesn’t know how to swim.

Being a fish out of water, leads her into huge conflicts with the hero, Max, who doesn’t trust her motives for being at the school.

Maddie, on the other hand, is an expert scuba diver and boater. She fits in well in the school environment, even though she’s a New York City woman with plenty of grit and sass. She lives to be noticed and always looks amazing in her white shorts and tank tops, her perfectly highlighted blond hair, and tight and toned body. While she loves high heels and designer clothing, she placed all her city possessions in storage when she took the job at Sunrise Island School.

With Master’s degrees in art as well as ocean science, she was offered the art teacher job immediately when she applied to the school. She’s charismatic and fun and the kids love her. A bit of a flirt with her male colleagues, it’s all in fun as is her impulsiveness. There’s no way she’s not jumping into new experiences with both feet.

So, who are you more aligned with—Sophie or Maddie?