‘The Island of Doves’: predictable, but enjoyable light read

‘The Island Of Doves” already has received praise from author Kristina Riggle who calls it 'unforgettable” and author Susan Gregg Gilmore who says, 'It was simply gorgeous.”

I agree on both counts and would add captivating and impassioned.

'The Island of Doves” shares the story of two women in the early 1800s.

Magdelaine Fonteneau defies society's ideas of how women should behave by becoming a fur trader after her husband and both her sisters die.

As a wealthy and powerful woman, she wants to somehow redeem the loss of her sisters by opening her home on Mackinac Island to those who need protection and a new life.

Susannah Fraser is living a dream life in Buffalo, N.Y. She lives in the finest mansion and is married to one of the wealthiest and most powerful of men.

What those on the outside don't know, though, is that her husband, Edward, is a monster and her home is a prison. Susannah is completely cut off from the outside world with no family or friends to confide in. Then, one day she meets a nun who offers her an escape from the world of abuse. She takes the chance at freedom on Mackinac Island.

Even though I found 'The Island Of Doves” to be a bit predictable, the vivid characters and scenery depictions held my interest.

Author Kelly O'Connor McNees certainly knows how to place readers in the time and setting of her story and make them feel a part of the characters' lives.

I felt the physical pain and debilitating fear of Susannah, the determination of Magdelaine and the kindness of each of the strangers in Susannah's path to freedom. The descriptions of the remote Mackinac Island make me want to visit and hide away there myself.

In the end, Magdelaine and Susannah help each other.

Susannah finds ways to encourage Magdelaine and Magdelaine reminds Susannah of her own strength.

I particularly loved this quote from Magdelaine:

'You did escape him. You're stronger than you think you are. Real strength isn't in the fight. It's in the enduring, the going on even when it seems like all hope is lost.”

Most of the characters in this novel had personal battles. They needed strength to face them and the perseverance to find hope and forgiveness on the other end.

By the end, I was left feeling hopeful for each of the characters and their future.

Read more reviews by Stacie Gorkow at Sincerelystacie.com