“Full Moon Over Madeline Island”, by Goodreads author Jay Gilbertson, is a fun read!
This is the third of what many of his fans hope is a nice long series of Madeline Island books. The first two are “Moon Over Madeline Island” and “Back to Madeline Island”. Our terrific MORE library system has all of the books and you can also get your own copy directly from the author or from the usual sources. Especially at this time of year, when it's cold and snowy and icy in our neighborhoods it's just wonderful to be transported to beautiful Madeline Island. By the way, if you just dropped in from Mongolia or Los Angeles or... Madeline Island is real. You can go there and you should. In the summer! I will not promise that you'll run into Eve or Ruby. Or Lilly, Sam, Johnny, Howard, or even Rocky – they're all pretty elusive until you open the cover of this book. Then they leap into life and you'll be swept away with them.
And these characters do move along quickly. I would be exhausted living at their pace, I tell ya. First there's the apron making – the business that supports Eve, Ruby, Lilly and Sam. It's a whirlwind of colorful fabric, whirring machines and sassy talk. So I'd be kinda tired after a day of industrial sewing with these girls. But it must be the great air off Lake Superior that gives these ladies extra energy, because they barely slow down! Eve and Ruby are running the Ducky Derby, which is being held to provide some much-need funds for Toad Hollow – the safe-house for pregnant teenagers who need a second chance. This shelter was opened by Eve & Ruby and is near and dear to Eve, as you know... Well! You would know if you've read either or both of those previous books, my dears. I'll just say that rain and a malfunctioning tractor, driven by a to-tall-y inexperienced Ruby, make for a more exciting event than Eve had in mind!
But before we get to the Derby, Helen and Ryan reappear. Helen is Eve's daughter who'd been given up at birth, found again and was recently married to Ryan in a ceremony held on Madeline Island. There's a lot more to that story, too. Family relationships are a tangled web for this group of islanders. I was turning back to re-read more than once! I hasten to add that this is likely due to the speed at which I read the book, not the lack of clarity in the writing. The central focus of the book is the opening of Toad Hollow and what it means to the clients. Publicity for the safe-house results in national attention and the Ruby's Aprons in-box overflows with stories, questions and requests for help. Maybe Toad Hollow and its punk RN manager, Alice Anne/Ali will show up in future books? We can hope; she's a great character. As are Johnny and Howard, neighbors of Eve and Ruby. They provide most of the much-needed comfort and heavy lifting needed by our intrepid band, many times in the form of homemade pizza and some nice wine. All enjoyed with a view of that gorgeous Lake Superior.
There are a lot of cameo appearances in the book. If you're “local” you'll recognize the Larry Meiller show, Hay River Pumpkin Seed Oil, Louie's Finer Meats, Starr's Sister Salon and lots of Eau Claire locations, Vanceburg, Bessie Smith (ok, not local!), KAXE, Salad Girl dressings, and ducks. Not the “quack-quack” kind; the “vroom-vroom” kind – the amphibious truck used in WWII by our troops and now used on Madeline Island and dozens of other places. There's a ghost too, as if there weren't quite enough going on! Lots of yummy food is consumed – these people need the energy! You'll want to dig into re-creating some of those dishes. More recipes soon Jay?
Trust me. You'll have fun reading this book and, if you're like me, you'll want to go back and re-read the first two books in the series and you'll want to vacation in that cottage! As I mentioned earlier, all of the books are available in the MORE library system and the usual retail outlets.