Big Island

by Emily O’Beirne

At a summer journalism course for teens in Tasmania, privileged Samira, from a conservative, political family, and over-achiever country girl Alex bang heads.
While covering a news story together, their fiery clashes turn into first love. But when things fall apart, they’re left hurting.
A year later, they discover they’re both interning for the same university student paper. Awkward isn’t even the start of the tension between them. One thing that hasn’t died is the attraction between them. Still bruised and battling expectations from friends and family, can they be brave enough to repair what broke them?
An opposites attract, young adult lesbian romance about finding a way to fight for your future.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Queer, LGBT, Second Chance

354 pages, Paperback

Published May 3, 2022

Reviews

[Della B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samira will do anything to get out of Brisbane for a couple of weeks this summer. Her friends are off on exotic family vacations and with a little push from her uncle, Samira signs up for a journalism course in Tasmania. Alex is always on the periphery looking in with her family, friends, school and basically life in general. She hides herself in her school work and now the journalism course she is taking. Meeting Samira may be the best thing to ever happen to Alex as her little lesbian heart speeds up every time she sees her.

Hands down, O’Beirne writes the best YA novels out there, in my humble opinion. She has a deep understanding of what makes teenagers and new adults tick which she brings to every story. The teenage angst and adult pathos rings true in every book, including Big Island. We are seeing Samira and Alex’s world through their youthful eyes and limited life experiences. The year that passes quickly in the story brings the growth they will both need to leave the nest and start their lives based on their decisions.

O’Beirne has your attention from the first sentence and does not relinquish it’s power until the very end. Her writing is so exceptional that it becomes lost into the storytelling ether. There is absolutely nothing in your way to detract from the story and characters. This is the epitome of great writing.

If you have never read one of her novels, I suggest starting with Big Island. If you are familiar with O’Beirne then you cannot miss out on her latest. I highly recommend Big Island for your reading pleasure.

I received an advance review copy from Ylva Publishing and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[John Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Tasmania based first romance between Samira and Alex. Samira is visiting for the summer from Queensland to both attend a journalism course and to get away from her controlling politician father. Besides discovering they like each other, both are dealing with heaps of family issues and preparing to leave home, Alex for uni in Melbourne, Samira to follow up on her love of journalism someplace other than Queensland. One of the stories they pursue in their course is about dodgy landlords taking advantage of students in Hobart. So a nice slow romance with family and social issues in probably the most LGBTI unfriendly state is Australia. Thanks to Della B for writing a review that brought me to read this. Good one.

[Emily O’Beirne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I wrote it, so....😉❤️

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this one on audio. I liked the narration by Liz Gould. I’m on plan to read more books with Australian settings.

This one was low angst. And a YA setting, two cute girls figuring out their lives. Both girls had problems with their relationships with their parents. Neither was resolved by the end of the book.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

O'Beirne's latest book features MC's Samira and Alex who meet at a summer journalism course. A life of privilege and one of practicality. From an initial spark love looms then life interrupts. We deal with angst, quashed dreams, family drama and friends all at play. I liked how O'Beirne's writing was methodical but not heavy. Her characters were realistic, touching on real life situations and maturing with experience before reaching a HFN end.
Good job.

[Anniek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Are you, like me, building a TBR for summer? Definitely give this cute lesbian YA romance a read!

Samira and Alex meet at a summer journalism course. The book is set in Tasmania, and I don't think I've ever read a book set there before, which was really interesting. I especially liked how we follow the characters over two summers, so we can really see their growth. I liked seeing the build-up towards these characters learning to stand up for what they want out of life and make their own choices.

[Larareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Emily O'Beirne for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


It was amaaazing.

Loved the relationships between the two FMC's they were sooo cute and real. The bickering between them was amazing and so was the tension at the beginning of the book!!!

Samira's story was really great. I enjoyed reading about her relationship with her father and the rest of her family, but I would have wished there was some closure between her and her father, like we got to see Alex and her mother finally talking things through.
I also would have wished to see an epilogue of Samira and Alex in university.

It was a really great book, very entertaining and easy to get through. Really recommend!!!!

[Sue Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

alex and samira, two young teenagers about to start a summer of journalism, to give them a taste to see if they like it but before the summer is over these two will become an item and then crash spectacularly

a year later with a summer intern again doing journalism alex and samira find themselves working together and though its a frosty start things between them thaw

but samiras world is totally different from alex's her father is a politician and always saying stuff without thinking and samira is just trying to get her own life together

can alex and samira come together before they start uni or are they destined to alway not understand each other

an interesting read about first loves and how they overcome their own obstacles

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet YA, f/f romance, set in Australia. Samira and Alex meet during a two week summer journalism course in Tasmania. Samira is from Brisbane and her father is a successful businessman and conservative politician. Her uncle who also teaches at the college invites her to stay with him. It is a change for her learning to navigate transit, cook meals and even do laundry. But mostly she loves the course and makes good friends while doing it. Alex is bright, driven and local. Even though their time together is brief, there are budding feelings between the two.

Fast forward another year and Samira is back visiting her uncle again and volunteers as an intern for the college paper. And of course she runs smack dab back into Alex. Alex is working for the paper before heading to university in Melbourne. A year older, and both with more experience they easily fall back into their previous friendship. There are some good extras issues going on. Alex’s home life is difficult as the dad and brother work weeks at a time in the mines and mom is distant. Samira has ignored applying for college as her father wants her to stay in Queensland so he can use her as a prop for politics and business deals. And I love that they are investigating real issues for the paper.

I’m new to the author and was blown away at how well the story flows. The kids are age appropriate in behavior and actions. There is very good communication and a good sense of friends beyond the pairing. The romance is closed door and goes slowly from kissing to wanting more. And I love how both girls have to speak up for themselves, respectfully for what they want. Recommend for 9th grade and up. This was published May 2022 and I received a copy from Ylva Publishing via NetGalley. (4.5 Stars)

[Yves V.H. [Slow reading]]

DNF at 21% . This is too slow for my liking and not to mention that 19% of what I've read so far only talks about journalism; I don't even get crumbs of the romance it supposed to have. I checked the other reviews and it seems like it's not going to get any better. So yeah, DNF 😕

[kirsten s · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an ARC in exchange for a 100% honest review so here we go


I loved this book, Now it is classed as YA but it is written in a way that it feels like an adult book without the language or topics found in an adult book.

I absolutely love the main characters, the way they are so different background wise yet struggle with similar issues and the way they are portrayed in this book is one of the best I have ever seen.

Thank you to netgally and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book

[Misha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big Island: 4.5/5
- A lot of character work with each of the MCs dealing with a lot of issues with their university choices, families, and shitty parents.
- Lots of journalism detail so great for learning about that field at a student level
- Cute romance that is not the main content, but is one of several things these girls need to figure out.

[Carol Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting!

Samira and Alex don’t get off to the best start when they first meet on a journalism course during the summer. When they discover they are working together a year later, there is an atmosphere but their attraction to one another still lingers. Working together brings them closer once again, presenting opportunities for them to pursue their feelings for one another if they can find the strength.

Such an exciting adventure with two very different characters who just belonged in one another’s lives. They were both ambitious, but approached situations differently and provided a great balance in both their careers and personal lives that drove their decisions about each other. There was so much to learn and discover, about one another but also the profession they were dedicating their lives to. Samira was so infectious, wanting to do her best and go above and beyond. For the most part she succeeded, but at those times she needed grounding, Alex was there as a support and mentor. For Alex, Samira was a reminder not to be so serious about everything, to try and have faith in trying things differently.

The contrast of how they met to where they ended up provided great opportunities to get to know them both and be with them as they grew personally and professionally. Unexpectedly ending up back in one another’s lives didn’t come without drama. Because they had a past, they had baggage they’d either tried to avoid or needed to deal with before either of them could really entertain what could really be possible between them, and they both assessed this situation and handled it very differently.

I really enjoyed the drama and tension woven into the sweeter moments of this story, and really believed in everything Samira and Alex were fighting for to get the future they both had worked so hard for. A great romance about young adults discovering themselves and reaching for what they want without hesitations.

[Niki.reads.rainbow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big Island is a story told in two parts. In first part we meet Samira, a daughter of a politician with conservative views, and Alex, a daughter of not so wealthy parents, but she’s determinated to go for her dreams and become a journalist.

They meet during a journalist camp, and go from rivals to friends to something more. However a small misunderstanding between them causes Samira to return back home being angry and Alex and them not continuing to communicate with each other.

The second part is set one year later, when Samira is invited back to work in a student paper during summer. They meet again and get a second chance to work things out.

Alex and Samira are really strong characters. They both know what they want and they go for it. Both also don’t go along with their parents. Samira’s dad doesn’t see, what he’s doing wrong, and Alex’s mom doesn’t know, how to talk to her, so Alex thinks she doesn’t care for her.

Big Island is full of emotions, and it portrays the life of teenagers so well. I loved Reaction time last year and I love this one even more. I definitely recommend it, if you’re looking for a good sapphic story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25/4,5⭐️

Tropes:
-second chance romance
-first love
-opposites attract

TW: emotional abuse, homophobia, misogyny and outing

First of all, thank you NetGalley for the ARC

“Big Island” by Emily O'Beirne is a second chance young adult lesbian romance book that takes place in Tasmania.
It’s the first book that I read by this author but surely not the last.

I absolutely adored Samira and Alex. I liked their relationship and they were fantastic MCs. The book's journalism aspect was very engaging and the overall story was very interesting.

[Kelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gah I can't say enough about this book! I will say I'm not a huge fan of the title but I did love the story. I love that we got to meet Samaria and Alex and then see how they interact a year later. It was also fun to see how they blossomed from the year before, both knew they were different but then a year later we get to see them both fully changed. Each of them more mature and had relationships that they grew from. I feel like it definitley made them closer. It was just such a feel good story and I loved it.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t really get in to it till the mains are more on the same page together, about 20% in.
This book may be classed as Y.A. But that shouldn’t be a barrier to anyone else reading it. The mains are young adults, with issues that affect young people, but not only young people. I’m significantly older than the mains but can identify with many of the issues. That to me is also the secret of a good book. I can identify with the characters. I may not have exactly the same issues but the writer writes in such a way I believe and empathise with their challenges.
The romance is sweet, and when they make up I was a wee bit emotional. That connection is what elevates it to 3.5. Good job!

[Tempe Luvs Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be a YA novel, but it can be easily enjoyed by any age group because the issues the young girls faced are timeless.
Samira, from Queensland, spends the summer in Tasmania, staying with her uncle who set her up with an internship in a summer journalism course.

The story was of these two girls from different backgrounds, each awkward in their own way, who found attraction and worked around insecurities to form a relationship. I believe the author did such a great job of presenting the real and authentic awkwardness and fragile confidences of young people. I found it kind of adorable to watch the classmates tackle their assignment and form their opinions of each other’s abilities.

Samira had ambitions and dreams but was always stifled by her father, a successful businessman who was involved in conservative politics. He had demands on her time. She felt that he shot down her dreams because he needed her to enhance his political image. Basically, she felt ignored.

In this journalism internship she met Alex, who always felt like a misfit. She was from working class family and had her own issues of feeling insignificant and the lack of compassion, feeling ignored by her mother.
Being a year shy of going to university, there is attraction, but also the awkwardness, miscommunication and finally a tentative, awkward relationship that included some kissing.
Samira returned the following summer to rejoin the program and we observed how immaturity was dealt with because of how the lack of communication at the end of the previous summer caused misunderstandings and hurtful feelings.

I liked how the story switched between each girl’s perspective as we learned their feelings for each other and opinions of whatever was happening around them relating to the issues they dealt with.
Especially interesting was that each had another relationship over the past school year and we learned the differences in how differently the relationships were handled or not handled because of awkwardness and the lack of experience in dealing with such issues. I found that to be very insightful.
The story also beautifully touches on the issues of coming out, family dynamics, friends and the empathy and support needed.

The book has no sexual activity other than kissing, roaming hands and a possible insinuation of more. I really enjoyed this novel and congratulate the author on how well she made the YA world real to me.

My thanks to Ylva for the arc and my honest opinion.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 ⭐️

maybe this book just wasn’t for me, but I have read a lot of YA sapphic romance books, and this just didn’t hit the mark. The writing felt extremely juvenile for a YA book, and the plot was both fast paced but also extremely slow. I know that is contradictory, but if you’ve read a book like this, then you’ll get it. I thought their initial breakup was poorly written and honestly didn’t make sense. And then when they see each other again a year later, I felt like the story focused more on their journalism job that it did their relationship.

I did like the dual POV and that they both were unapologetically themselves around each other.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

[Rosie Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy of Big Island by Emily O’Beirne.

From the start, you get two different family dynamics. Samira is dealing with being part of a conservative, political family with her Dad always saying and doing the wrong things, expecting her to pick up the pieces. Alex, a country girl who has to deal with her Mother showing more affection and attention to her siblings, whilst she fades into the background. Two girls, meeting during a summer journalism camp where they have to work together. Their fiery clashes soon turn into crushes, and then love, until things fall apart and they are both left hurting and yearning for each other. Fast forward a year, and they are both at the same university student paper. Having to work together again, means they have to work through the hurt and pain caused by each other a year prior. The attraction is still strong, and they have to work through it if they want to reconnect again.

Both characters have their difficulties and struggles of coming out, to their friends and to their families. Both of them have to learn how to deal with that and how the reactions of their loved ones will be, some more supportive than others, and one father who thinks it can be used to help him with his publicity. Alex has a complicated relationship with her mother, whilst Samira has a complicated relationship with her father. Alex has her brother, Sam, who she confides in and Samira has her Uncle Micah, both Sam and Micah help throughout the tough situations and times Alex and Samira have to deal with, reminding them to be themselves and do what they believe is the right thing to do.

Both girls have such a fun, dynamic set of friends that they make through journalism as they try to make a difference in the community. There are always moments of banter and the group is funny and shares their love for each other in their own quirky way.

This book isn’t a normal romance book, it shows that sometimes you get things wrong and that sometimes you don’t understand how to express emotions properly when you’re scared. Alex and Samira’s relationship isn’t easy, and they push each other and bicker and say things they don’t mean, but they still love one another and just have a more difficult time expressing it, but that doesn’t mean their feelings change. They try to push each other to reach their best potential and to not give up or be scared to be themselves. Both are good, strong journalists even if they don’t believe in themselves.

The romance was very cute and cheesy, which is sometimes just what you want in a romance book! I did really enjoy this story, however for me personally I just didn’t find the journalism part as interesting as I was hoping too. That is just a personal opinion and doesn’t take away anything from my enjoyment of the romance that blossomed between Alex and Samira.

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows Samira and Alex, two girls who couldn't possibly be less alike, two girls whose paths wouldn't cross, not ordinarily. But during a journalism camp, and an assignment that forces them to work together, something changes. It becomes apparent just how true the saying 'opposites attract' really is.

But with fiery starts, often come fiery endings, and now it's been a full year. A year of heartache and healing from the burnt out, fast paced love affair that they shared that one summer.

A lot can change in a year...but a lot can also remain the same. In their time apart, the expectations placed upon them by their family and their friends still loom overhead, and they will do almost anything to make sure that they don't let their loved ones down.

When they both walk into the same internship for the same university paper, old wounds begin to reopen and, suddenly, the everything that they'd do to keep their loved ones happy might be too much.

How can they work together when the wounds they caused on another the year before have yet to even scar? More importantly, how can they keep it all professional - for the good of their work, and their hearts - when those same burning, passionate feelings come back to life with a force to be reckoned with?

Big Island is my first read of Emily O'Beirne's books, and so I went in relatively blind. All I really knew was that the main story was sapphic, and that was far more than enough for me.

Despite not knowing what exactly it was that I was expecting writing style or story wise, I can safely say that any subconscious expectations were passed without a doubt.

O'Beirne's writing is impeccable - the way that the characters felt so personable, so real, almost like they were a friend of yours rather than just words on a page is a magical quality that not many writers manage to achieve.

The storylines never felt contrived or too over the top, instead they felt real, but not to the point where it felt like you couldn't escape reality within the story.

Overall, this was a wonderful story with beautiful characters and development, realism built into every facet and a certain feel to the writing that made it almost impossible not to enjoy every second of the reading experience.

It would be remiss of me to give Big Island anything less than a 4/5 stars! ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily O'Beirne and the publishers for this e-ARC. I can't wait to read more of O'Beirne's work.

[Akilesh Sridharan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a crazy lover of queer novels, I was able to read only one book this month. Nevertheless, I loved it.

Yes, this lesfic is a story of two teens Samira and Alex, and their family, bonding, friendship, and love dynamics. All the more, it is more about making it big in the field of journalism.

Samira is from Queensland. She goes to Tasmania to attend a short summer journalism course, recommended by her only uncle Micah — brother of her dead mother.

In the two-week programme, Samira makes friends with her batch mates, and attracted towards awkward Alex, a local girl from the island, who is skilled and talented in what she does best — investigative journalism.

During those two weeks, they slowly get to know each other. While Samira has come out to her family, Alex is still a closeted queer girl. Both get intimate and make out and kiss — Alex's first — but eventually they part away due to some unavoidable, bitter circumstances.

The story then travels a year later when Samira is back to the island — this time for a full-fledged summer journalism internship. Now Alex is a political editor, while Samira works in a different department as a reporter.

This time the summer starts on a sticky wicket as the power dynamics had shifted, and they're not anymore equals. However, gradually, the old flames are rekindled and both Samira and Alex cannot avoid each other, both professionally and personally.

As the days progress, they share more freely their future plans and about their funny richy family in case of Samira and a middle-class sentimental family in case of Alex.

However, both hold some secrets to themselves for the fear of losing each other. Will they two achieve what they have dreamt of? Will they have a successful college life? Read it to know it.

Apart from Samira and Alex, I loved the politician father of Samira with his antics and her weird granny. In Alex's case, her brother Sam was very likeable and her father is good emotional man. However, I just loved her mother's character, an unemotional, silent woman who knows her child is not like others but distances herself from her due to her noncommittal approach, which we can relate to many Indian moms.

What will I tell about their friend's circle — matured and responsible yet raucous and go-getters.

Overall, it is a smooth ride of a novel, even though I felt it is too lengthy for this light-hearted premises. Give it a try, and you won't be let down.

[M the avid reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teen love angst and drama in Tasmania (4.5 stars)
I've read everything published by the author to date and always appreciate how accurately characters are written, particularly those in their late teens and young adult years without resorting to stereotypes. With each book - and this one is no exception - O'Beirne manages to be a fly on the wall observing teens and adults beyond their behavior, burrowing into their thoughts and feelings, and dictating it onto the page in a way that's often illuminating reading. Even knowing that her books are not geared to my specific age demographic, I look forward to reading each one because the storytelling is top notch and the characters are refreshingly real: distinct and complex in their makeup, with interpersonal relationships heavy with history and/or affected by insecurities and assumptions that color communication between them, be they friends, lovers, colleagues, or family.
There is humor in the book as well as drama and some angst. The setting of Tasmania Australia is lovingly portrayed with its mix of tourist draws and the places the locals flock to; it may entice a reader to hop a flight to see it in person for more than the penal colony attractions the island is best known for. The ending is fitting to the story's trajectory but some of the many plot threads felt to me off balance where they received a lot of attention on the page initially to introduce and develop, but their resolution by comparison was more abbreviated. They were not central plot threads but the way they tapered off at their end was noticeable to me and left me wondering about a few things that could be covered in a follow up story at some point with a time jump. It's a minor issue and my only criticism of the story. I recommend it and all other stories by the author.
I received an advance reading copy of this story from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[fanboyriot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read For:
Idiots in Love
Family Drama
Happy Ending
Second Chance
Good Friendships

Such a good summer read. The characters were all amazing, the romance was a great mix of ‘idiots in love’ and a ‘slow burn’ that worked so well for Alex and Samira. The setting was lovely and gave off the perfect summer vibes.

Alex worked through finding out who she is and gaining genuine confidence in herself. Learning how to use her words. I really related to her in that way, she often said something a little too bluntly or just didn’t understand why people didn’t always see her point. She didn’t mean things to come off as rude but it just kinda happened.

Samira worked on standing up for herself. Breaking away from the demands of her family (her dad mostly) and doing what she wanted and believed in. She learned a lot of independence and good life skills like being able to cook for herself and even do her own laundry while she stayed with her uncle.

Basically, this book had great character development with both of the main characters.

I loved the wholesome moments Samira had with Micah. He was so sweet and I really enjoyed reading how he was constantly there for his favorite niece and how he was able to show genuine interest and support with what she was doing in her life. Especially when her dad showed no interest unless it helped with his image.

I really enjoyed this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the author/publisher for this e-book copy in exchange for an honest review.

(Switching, Third Person POV)
Spice: 🌶️ (mentioned)

Rep: Lesbian MCs

⚠️ Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Homophobia
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Outing, Cursing, Classism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent, Abortion, Sexual content, and Grief

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samira comes from a conservative and powerful political family, and has a controlling father. So, she is desperate to get away from her relatives in Brisbane, signing up for a summer course on journalism taking place in Tasmania.

There she meets, and (majorly) conflicts with, Alex who has a very different set of family issues, but is also planning her escape. In Alex's case, that means heading off to University in Melbourne.

Soon enough, as they begin working on stories together, the duo find that the initial heat of their arguments is matched only by their equally intense level of attraction to each other. But in the end, the expectations of others - alongside their own fears and inhibitions - win out and the two go their separate ways.

Only to encounter each other once again a year later when they are both found working on their campus paper. Not surprising the tension can be cut with a knife. So things are decidedly awkward...

This is a sweet YA romance, and smoothly draws in wider issues of how families, society and friends (not necessarily in that order) impact a person's choices and shape their views - and how this, in turn, directly affects the level of non-conformity they are willing to engage in. A fun and interesting read.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review

[Alexa Steli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,25/5
I did not expected to be this disappearance.

But like ,just not for me.This book had like 70% jurnalism ,something I realized while reading that even tho it's pretty interesting it bores me soo much.15% of the book was friendship and family issues, and those 15% that left was the romance for me.And I don't mind books where the romance isn't the main plot if it's done well,which in this case it wasn't. Because I was 50% in the book,and I seriously believed that they could be friends but I couldn't feel anything more for them or between them .

It's fine making a book that doesn't involve in romance,but that's the thing,it felt like everything was revolving around the 2 mcs and their feelings that have to grow for eachother, and putting so much work around the plot that will get them together it didn't leave any actual good moments between them,or anything else that may have feel more than friendship, it felt forced reading about their own feelings.

And honestly, both of them are so immature, it was painful to read,they were just pissing me off more times than I can count.

Strictly my opinion, and I will still keep reading from this author's work beacause it's still very enjoyable, and I know that there are some books from them that I will love more than this one.

[Jessica Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📰🕵️‍♀️📱🇦🇺⛺

Loved this YA romcom that is set in Tasmania, Australia. It's always great to read something that is close to home. It feels more relatable.

I loved this book because we have two strong female lesbian main characters, Samira and Alex, who are both going through a lot, both with themselves and their families. I loved how they both bonded over their love of learning journalism and find each other.

The book starts a year earlier in part one of the book, where the two meet and grow an attraction to each other, but then leave at the end of the summer on bad terms. Part two is a year later when a lot has happened with each of the girls. Both have grown emotionally and had more sexual experiences which weren't all that good. They connect again and have that cute second chance at love.

I loved how the journalism itself highlighted well-known issues, such as homelessness, racism and politics.

It was a cute, light-hearted book about second-chance love and it was very well done.

Thanks to Netgalley and Emily O'Berine for the copy of the ebook. This review is left voluntarily.

[Faith Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Emily O'Beirne, NetGalley, and Literally PR for the ARC.

I really enjoyed reading this book- I'm a big fan of queer coming of age novels, and this one was no exception. I enjoyed seeing the relationship build between the two MCs, as well as their relationships with their families. The struggles between Samira and Alex were relatable, as well as their struggles with their families. I found myself relating to both of them in different ways, despite being 12 years older than the characters.

From a craft perspective, this book was well written and the writing flowed beautifully. The vocabulary was neither too flowery nor too simple; it was easy to get lost in the story.

One criticism I have is the ending- while it does end in a happy for now as romance novels do, I wish we could have seen more past the reconciliation and decision to stay together. I wanted to see Samira and Alex reuniting in Melbourne for university, or see them a few years later after graduating. I want to know what their future holds!

Overall, this is a 3.5/5 star read, rounding up to 4 stars.

[Emm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via NetGalley.

Samira and Alex couldn't come from more different families. Samira's father is a politician with controversial beliefs. Alex's father works away and her mother is distance.

However, the girls get off to a rocky start when they find themselves in the same summer journalism class. Flash forward to a year later, and they once again find themselves working side-by-side at a University paper for the summer. Working this closely the realise their attraction to one another still remains.

It's such a wonderful adventure with two characters coming from different backgrounds and seeing them coming into their own and how they simply fit into each other's lives.

There were parts that seemed dragged out, and a little on the slow side to develop. But it worked, you just have to push past it. I noticed in this book, that a couple of different times, the author calls a character by the wrong name.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a wonderful summer read.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

An opposites attract, second chance sapphic romance set in Tasmania.

Big Island follows our two main characters, Samira, a young girl from Queensland who travels to Tasmania for a summer journalism course to escape her conservative and political father and Alex, a headstrong girl from country Tasmania who is trying to deal with her distant family.

I love reading books that are set in Australia especially places that I live or have visited before so I was excited to pick up this one. The pacing was quite slow but focused primarily on the development and growth of the characters which I think served the story well.

Overall, Big Island was an easy read and I enjoyed watching the characters grow over the two summers they spend together.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for providing me with copy of this e-ARC.

Rep: Lesbian, Sapphic Relationship

Content Warnings: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Outing, Abortion (mentioned)

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