The Oak Island Book Club

by Cameron Kent

Author Cameron Kent has just released his latest novel, The Oak Island Book Club. Set on the coast of North Carolina, it’s the story of two lost souls who change their lives through a two-person book club. Nicole Shepherd is trapped in an abusive marriage, where her only escape from her misery is reading. Drew Endicott used to be a bestselling author until tragedy sent him plummeting into a reclusive life where his only companions are books and bourbon. A chance meeting at a bookstore in Southport, North Carolina launches a conversation about their mutual
love of the written word. What starts out as just a few innocent text messages about “what’s next in your stack?” evolves into a long distance book club with just two members. As they read the same novels and discuss in late-night texts what life lessons they derive from the characters and stories, they both begin to lift themselves up from the depths of their difficult lives.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club

322 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2023

About the author

Cameron Kent has published six novels: The Road to Devotion, When the Ravens Die, Make Me Disappear, The Sea is Silent, and Mayor Molly. His new book, The Oak Island Book Club, was released in December and landed on Amazon’s Best Seller list.
The Road to Devotion was selected for Winston-Salem’s “On the Same Page” community reading event in 2011 and The Sea is Silent was selected for the 2019 “Blue Ridge Read” by the Alleghany County Arts Council.
His other writing credits include four films which have aired on NBC, HBO, Lifetime, and at the American Film Institute. He’s also written a Christmas musical, Welcome to Virginia, which has been performed at community theatres across the country.
In his spare time, he loves running, guitar, golf, and is active in Habitat for Humanity.
He is originally from Alexandria, Virginia, and a 1979 graduate of Wake Forest University.

Reviews

[KellyJ1028 · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 ⭐️ I can’t begin to give a review that reflects the true pleasure it was reading this book
This book was absolutely one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read. It was full of friendship, love, the hope of starting new and heartbreak.
This was a beautifully written book, with characters that came to life on every page. I loved the “bookish” quotes at the beginning of each chapter and the love of reading & books woven throughout the book.

I found this book in a Barnes & Noble in Winston Salem, I’ve never read anything by the author before but I’m so glad I found this one. It truly touched my heart .

[Taylor Raynor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected find! We read this book as a book club and chose it because it was about a book club. After reading the summary, I was worried it would be too sad and hard especially with a tragedy and abusive marriage. Those issues are so difficult and heavy but the book focuses more on the book club and the positive things that come through that. I’m local to the area of the book and had fun hearing the locations talked about. It was also fun to read about all of the books title and authors and definitely wrote some of them down!

[Phil Everhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first few pages I knew this was going to be something that would be difficult to put down. Mr Kent weaves the characters lives together in such a subtle yet meaningful way that you immediately feel the connections and the possibilities that await in the next chapter. And each chapter drew me in deeper and deeper to the relationships that are so artfully developed. There are a lot of layers here and each chapter peeled back another to reveal even more depth within each of the characters. The ending is masterfully orchestrated and brought together all the finely woven threads into a thrilling finish. I would say so much more but I do not want to do anything to spoil the fantastic adventure that awaits you when you pick up "The Ocean Isle Book Club"

[Lauren (IntuitiveReading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cameron Kent does it again in this book! I love his writing style and his storytelling ability is wonderful! His books always suck me in and keep me engaged in the story. His characters are so real and the emotional roller coaster he takes you on is always worth the ride in the end. There was some content in the book that was hard for me to read personally, but I absolutely loved the overall storyline. Highly recommend.

[Debbie Mauldin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was prepared for any easy breezy beach read and not much more. I was pleasantly surprised. The story line and characters were engaging. I liked the family dynamics explored in the book. This had a Gran Torino and A Man named Otto vibe.

[Tracy Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put this book down. Excellent read!

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. I was hooked from page 1. Loved all of the literary quotes and references.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very hard to get into this book. The beginning was tediously descriptive. I found myself skipping over large chunks of what I'm sure the author felt as necessary text. The overall plot was actually pretty unique and interesting. I adored the relationship between Victoria and Drew. It was the writing style that bothered me. Cut out the filler fluff and it would have been much better. I realize it's a book club, but the name dropping books and authors was a little annoying . And really didn't feel as organic as it could have been. The jarring ending. I feel like it took forever detailing what was going on and then it all wraps up nicely in what 5 or six pages? I don't really know the pages but it seemed bizarrely quick. I'd be willing to read the author's other books just to see if they're all like this one. He was our local newscaster and seemed to be a genuinely great person, so I'm willing to give it another chance.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just finished The Oak Island Book Club, and now I’m sitting with that post-book haze where you savor the story before doing anything else.
Then what happened?
I liked the characters so much, that I hate to give them up.
Will they miss me as much as I will miss them?
What can I read next that will pull me into the story with such emotion, and connection?
How can I move on?

Oak Island, NC is one of my favorite places, so the setting caught my eye.
Some people I know, know the author, so they recommended the book.
And I loved it.
I feared for Nicole. I ached for Drew. I liked Victoria and her Grandmother so much.
I enjoyed the many conversations about books. We’ve read many of the same ones.
I also made a list of the ones I haven’t read.

Time to move on. Sigh

[Susnunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicole is trapped in a marriage full of control and domestic violence. Her main escape is sewing, reading, and going to her friend’s beach house when her husband goes sailing for the weekend. There she meets Drew who is also an avid beach reader and grieving the death of his wife and daughter and they form a friendship and book club and start to enjoy life as they have not in a long time. However Nicole’s husband has no intention of letting her have any friends, hobbies or life that doesn’t fully cater to him and at all costs. Lovely story of the process of grief, self evaluation and confidence and love with a few twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

[Meg Thrash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read many beach-type books - a few a year maybe - but this one appealed to me as it is by a North Carolina writer who loves Pat Conroy! I have been to Wilmington but not to Oak Island and I enjoyed the setting. I was a bit frustrated with the characters and some of the situations were implausible, but they all pulled out the moxie towards the end and it made for a satisfying conclusion.
I loved all the book references, of course. And there is some humor! I will try another one of his books.

[Jordan Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ADORED this read! I'm a seasonal Oak Island local (if I'm allowed to call myself so), and I loved being able to read something so "close to home". Kent has created such a captivating story with multiple intricate, carefully thought-out plot lines that all intersect seamlessly. The characters are so raw and real that you truly start to feel like you know them personally. The inclusion of real places from Oak Island and the East Coast was lovely to see as well. Kent weaves this multi-faceted story together beautifully and I believe it's a new summer favorite of mine!

[David Yamane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely not a genre I read much in, but this was written by a local (to me) TV news celebrity, so picked it up at one of his bookstore events. This is a beach read set in the context of beach reading that I read (some) at the beach. I really didn't like the two protagonists at the start, but the characters' behaviors were fully explained along the way. As befits this genre, all was resolved neatly (if somewhat quickly) at the end in a satisfying manner.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story of two people finding each other during their own tragedies. Their mutual love of reading helped see them through tough times and brought them together. I love how Kent starts every chapter with profound quotes from other authors that relate to Nicole and Drew. Also, I'm more than a little tickled that I found a new to me author to read in the very same Wilmington bookstore that he mentions in the story. My first time in Old Books store, and this was one of my grabs!

[Melissa Zelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book perfect for someone who enjoys reading as has several characters that are working through their own issues and how they are able to relate to one another. Throughout the book are many references via quotes and conversations to other books making it a bibliophile's dream read.
Our book club had the opportunity to have the author, Cameron Kent, zoom into our meeting and can say it was a great experience for all of us. Looking forward to reading more of his novels!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been awhile since I’ve given a 5 star review but I loved this book & every minute of it! It captivated me immediately, allowed me to build a huge reading list with the titles & authors mentioned throughout & it felt as if I was reading something that was written by Nicholas sparks - a compliment as he’s my favorite author. Completely recommend this book!

[Karen Eisner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started off a bit slow. Then it picked up. Cameron Kent does a great job introducing new characters I to the story. I like the back and forth on the characters lives and how he transitions between chapters.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed that this book was written by an NC author - and it was fun to see call outs to towns I've been to while reading the story. it's an easy read and would be a perfect solution for a summer beach read if you are in search of one!

[kjhudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Makes you think about decisions you’ve made, reflect on your past and think about your future. Wonderfully written. I found myself hoping for a happy ending for many characters in this book. From tragedy comes valuable lessons, strength and hope.

[Deb P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The two main characters in "The Oak Island Book Club" grabbed me right away. I rarely read a book in which I don't know how things will turn out, but this one kept me reading until the last page. Readers of personal tragedies will really connect with this story. Highly recommended.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. I so enjoyed the NC references throughout.

[Terry Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good romance without being sappy

[Cheryl Sams · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Carol Lovingood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tragedy meets luck, then meets books, and a lively teenager. Heartwarming story of friendship...

[Pat Gwyn]

If you like books and the way they connect people then this is a book for you

[Julie Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent summer read from a local author

[Cindy Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storyline. Thought provoking. Fabulous location setting.

[Martha Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful summer read. Book club selection. Watched the author on TV for many years. His second career is going well too.

[Catherine Mallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a good flow. I especially loved the supporting character Victoria and her impact on Drew.

[Allison Loizos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent plot and characters!