Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle

Rate this book
A powerful, uplifting story of female friendship and resilience—with just a hint of magic—as three young women whose bond was shattered years before by tragedy rediscover their connection, with the help of a long-lost gift they were meant to share.

Ten years after she left her hometown of Trove Isle, NC, Melody Palmer is back to receive an unexpected inheritance—her great aunt’s thrift store, Hidden Treasures. There, in a glass case beneath the register, Melody spies the long-lost charm bracelet she shared with her high school friends, Liz and Bri, and her younger sister, Alyssa. After a devastating prom night accident, it disappeared, and the girls’ friendship evaporated with it. Slipping the bracelet on her arm for safekeeping, Melody soon finds herself crossing paths with her former friends once more.

While Melody fled, Liz has stayed in Trove Isle, helping with her parents’ business instead of pursuing her photography goals. Guilt still weighs on her after that fateful night when they lost Alyssa. For Bri, the consequences were even more stark. After spiraling into self-destruction, Bri served four years in a women’s state prison and is about to be released—but can Trove Isle ever feel like home again?

Yet despite everything that’s changed, the promise that the bracelet once held—of adventures, achievements, love, and lifelong friendship—hasn’t quite faded.

And together, they might yet find a way to reconcile their pasts and futures, one charm at a time....

Audible Audio

Published May 21, 2024

64 people are currently reading
21569 people want to read

About the author

Annie Rains

43 books1,496 followers
Annie Rains is a contemporary romance author who writes small town love stories set in fictional towns on the coast of North Carolina. Raised in one of America's largest military communities, Annie often features heroes who fight for their countries, while also fighting for a place to call home and a good woman to love. When Annie isn't writing, she's spending time with her husband and 3 children, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.

If you enjoyed the Hero's Welcome series, don't miss the short wedding story for Kat and Micah (Welcome to Forever). Get it here for FREE: https://www.instafreebie.com/free/aTSl1

For other books and happenings, sign up for my newsletter on my website: www.annierains.com


Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
141 (25%)
4 stars
234 (43%)
3 stars
130 (23%)
2 stars
32 (5%)
1 star
6 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
Profile Image for Shelley's Book Nook.
514 reviews2,004 followers
February 22, 2024
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog


This is my third read by Annie Rains Through the Snow Globe was a four star stunner and The Finders Keepers Library has its place in the world. The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle was a great book about female friendship with a touch of magical realism thrown in and that's where Annie Rains shines. I loved the North Carolina setting as I have spent a lot of time in the state and it brought back memories of my time there.

This is a tale of loss as there are two deaths but it is also about forgiveness and second chances. These women are far from perfect, one runs away from her problems, one is a recovering addict and ex-con and the last has a pretty bad panic/anxiety disorder. After nine years they finally get their acts together and decide to lean on and help each other. I mean isn't that what friends are for? I am glad these friends were reunited and that Aunt Jo got her wish and let her magic do its job. There is a touch of romance for a couple of the women but it isn't front and center, they all want to work on themselves, their family ties and their friendship and I was so happy that was the main focus of the book.

Aunt Jo's shop, Hidden Treasures, sounds like a dream to me, I love thrifting and checking out vintage items, especially those from my childhood. I really liked the idea of the charm bracelet in this story, I have one myself and I love it because each charm represents a time in my life or a part of my personality. I knew exactly how these ladies felt about their special piece of jewelry and I think that is part of the reason I enjoyed this one so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
Profile Image for Cara.
555 reviews1,002 followers
June 1, 2024
The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle written by Annie Rains was a beautiful story of womanhood, sisterhood, forgiveness, second chances, loss, love, and a tad touch of magical realism thrown in. After reading this book, I want to pack my bags and take a mini vacation to Trove Isle, North Carolina. I am beyond grateful to live in one of the most beautiful states, North Carolina truly has the most mesmerizing, beautiful beaches and Trove Isle sounds like a peaceful place to take a vacation. I didn't expect to cry reading this book, but let me tell you, the tears were flowing. This book was so beautiful, but it was also heart breaking at times. The concept of the friendship bracelet was truly powerful, inspirational, and deeply moving. Friendship can be a hard concept to write about, the ever lasting affect a person can have on you, the happy moments, the hard moments, but Annie Rains wrote this friendship story so beautifully, but Annie also wrote how messy friendships can be. In my opinion, this book deserves an infinity star rating, but you know, that's impossible. I smiled, I laughed, I cried, I shuddered with shaky breaths hoping for the best for this group of friends. I can't recommend this book enough, if you love stories about friendships, please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book immediately.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND KENSINGTON BOOKS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!

👯"Sisters get mad at each other, but it never changes the fact that we are family. Family sticks together. You are stuck with me, forever."👯

👀"If you are trying to avoid someone, best bet they will be the first person you see today."👀

💎"Find you a man who makes you feel like you have happened upon your lost treasure of Atlantis."💎

Melody Palmer, Alyssa Palmer, Bri Johnson, and Liz Dawson were the very best of best friends, they did pretty much everything together, from staying up all night at sleepovers talking about boys, growing up together, and sharing families with each other. Melody, Alyssa, Liz, and Bri were on their way to one of the most memorable nights of their lives, prom night when tragedy strikes. This group of friends were involved in a car accident when something darted in front of their car and caused them to swerve off of the road. Alyssa was ejected from the car, Liz had her nose broken by an air bag, Melody suffered a concussion from her head banging against the window, and Bri broke her spine in three places. After the car accident, Melody ran away for nine years, Bri is an ex con and a felon serving time in prison, and Liz now has panic attacks and suffers from anxiety following the car accident that night. When this group of girls were growing up, the had a friendship bracelet between all of them, but everyday the bracelet was passed around by them, each adding a different charm to mark their lives. When Melody returns to Trove Isle after nine years, she inherits her great aunt's thrift store, Hidden Treasures Thrift Store after her great aunt suddenly passed away.

There were two men who I loved the most in this book, Christopher West and Matt Coffey. They were literal gems when this group of women came back to one another trying to figure out what happened that awful night in order to put the pieces of their lives back together again. Matt was there that night the accident happened, but ever since he's been keeping an eye on Liz. Matt is also a cop in Trove Isle so he definitely knows when something is amiss. Christopher was the crush that Alyssa had, but he never reciprocated those feelings towards Alyssa. When Melody returns, Christopher tries to get on good terms with Melody, but as the spend time together, secrets and truths are uncovered. I adored watching Melody and Liz go from basically blaming each other, to acting like adults and having an actual conversation about what happened. It was also super sweet of Liz and Melody to visit Bri in prison until her release date keeping her up to track on them possibly repairing their friendship. It was so hard not to cheer these characters on knowing what they went through and how hard it must have been facing those hard truths that destroyed your friendship. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and hug these women because of the pain that was brought upon them.
Profile Image for Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while).
2,642 reviews2,472 followers
June 1, 2024
EXCERPT:There, on a plastic jewelry display, was a charm bracelet that looked impossibly familiar. The piece was a mixture of rose, yellow and white gold, braided together loosely like the one she and her friends had once shared. Except the bracelet she remembered only held one heart-shaped friendship charm. This one held several charms.
Melody blinked the sting from her eyes. There was no way that this was the same bracelet Alyssa had gifted their little quartet of friends right before high school graduation. Once upon a prom night, that charm bracelet was lost in a car accident - along with so much more.


ABOUT 'THE CHARMED FRIENDS OF TROVE ISLE': Ten years after she left her hometown of Trove Isle, NC, Melody Palmer is back to receive an unexpected inheritance—her great aunt’s thrift store, Hidden Treasures. There, in a glass case beneath the register, Melody spies the long-lost charm bracelet she shared with her high school friends, Liz and Bri, and her younger sister, Alyssa. After a devastating prom night accident, it disappeared, and the girls’ friendship evaporated with it. Slipping the bracelet on her arm for safekeeping, Melody soon finds herself crossing paths with her former friends once more.

While Melody fled, Liz has stayed in Trove Isle, helping with her parents’ business instead of pursuing her photography goals. Guilt still weighs on her after that fateful night when they lost Alyssa. For Bri, the consequences were even more stark. After spiraling into self-destruction, Bri served four years in a women’s state prison and is about to be released—but can Trove Isle ever feel like home again?

Yet despite everything that’s changed, the promise that the bracelet once held—of adventures, achievements, love, and lifelong friendship—hasn’t quite faded. And together, they might yet find a way to reconcile their pasts and futures, one charm at a time . . .

MY THOUGHTS: The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle focuses on four childhood best friends torn apart by tragedy. The surviving three each feel a burden of guilt, and each in their own way, runs away. Where they had been sisters, not of the blood kind but the kind you make with your heart, they are now strangers; strangers, but still with a connection that binds them together.

Melody has physically fled Trove Isle and made a life for herself in Charlotte. There she has a career as an events planner and . . . and not much else. Liz has fled life. She doesn't appear to have any close friends, no longer drives, and works in her mother's bakery. Bri has completely gone off the rails after becoming addicted to pain killers following the accident. Turning to crime to support her addiction has resulted in a jail sentence.

Melody's return to Trove Isle following the death of her Aunty Jo and a bequest from her is the turning point in the lives of the three women who were once the closest of friends.

Told from Melody's and Liz's points of view, the story examines the path of friendships, with a side-serving of romance and magical realism. Is it possible, after years apart and living vastly different lives, to reconnect and pick up a friendship where it left off?

This is my first novel by Annie Rains. I loved the depth and emotion she put into her characters - these are no cardboard cutouts! There is an emotional tug-of-war as Liz and Melody dance around one another, alternately reaching out and pulling back, neither wanting to hurt any more than they already are, neither quite willing to fully trust the other.

The Charmed Friends of Trove is the ideal read if you want a story about friendship, forgiveness, and learning to trust again. While I didn't get all the 'feels', I did enjoy the story and will read this author again.

⭐⭐⭐.8

#TheCharmedFriendsofTroveIsle #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Annie Rains is a contemporary romance author who writes small town love stories set in fictional towns on the coast of North Carolina. Raised in one of America's largest military communities, Annie often features heroes who fight for their countries, while also fighting for a place to call home and a good woman to love. When Annie isn't writing, she's spending time with her husband and 3 children, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle by Annie Rains for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Profile Image for Carrie.
3,576 reviews1,699 followers
May 10, 2024
The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle by Annie Rains is a contemporary story of friendship and healing but also with a touch of romance to it too. The story in The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle is told by changing the point of view between the characters.

It’s been ten long years since Melody Palmer left her hometown of Trove Isle, NC and she hasn’t looked back, until now. Melody gets a call from her great aunt’s lawyer that Melody has inherited her her great aunt’s thrift store, Hidden Treasures. Melody hopes to be in and out of the town quickly and is determined to sell when she runs into her old friend, Liz.

Ten years ago Liz, Bri, Melody and Melody’s young sister, Alyssa, were all the best of friends and swore their friendship would be forever. However, on their prom night the girls suffered a horrible accident that took Alyssa’s life leaving the rest devastated and struggling to deal with the loss. Now Liz fights her anxiety every day, Bri has ended up in prison and Melody only wants to run as far away as she can yet again.

Annie Rains is an author I’ve read many times before and always enjoy returning back to time and again. The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle immediately grabbed my attention with and I found this one hard to put down. I’m a softy for a character with anxiety so I immediately felt for Liz but the more I got to know Melody I also really enjoyed getting to know her too. This was one full of character growth that kept the pages turning and in the end I rated this one at four and a half stars.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Profile Image for Katie B.
1,733 reviews3,175 followers
May 22, 2024
3.25 stars

A tragedy on prom night changed the lives of best friends Melody, Liz, and Bri. Melody fled her hometown of Trove Isle about ten years ago, leaving everyone and everything behind. She’s now come back for a brief stay to sell the thrift store she inherited from her great aunt who just passed away. Small town, so Melody is bound to run into people from her past, including her former friend Liz.

At the core, this is a story about friendship but it also delves into romance and things like grief and mental health issues. I liked the characters’ storyline arcs but the endings were rushed. Just because you have a strong hunch where things are headed, as a reader you still want it to play out and not glossed over. A rather big question remains in my mind about the thrift store and its driving me nuts that no explanation was provided as to what I assume would be an interesting legal issue.

I won a few advance copy in a Goodreads giveaway. I hope more edits are made prior to publication because there are some inconsistencies regarding Liz’s parents and the timeline of their trip.

A decent read but I didn’t love it as much as the author’s Somerset Lake series.

Profile Image for Susan.
1,504 reviews206 followers
May 19, 2024
THE CHARMED FRIENDS OF TROVE ISLE is a wonderful novel about letting go of the past and making amends. Of rediscovering what it’s like to be in love again, friendship and coming to terms with loss. I read THE CHARMED FRIENDS OF TROVE ISLE straight through because the story is an easy read with engaging characters, a drama-filled plot, and a believable storyline. Keep the tissues close by, trust me! I look forward to reading more from Annie Rains. Liz deals with some heavy situations, and several shocking revelations change everything for her. Hang on to your seats, trust me!! THE CHARMED FRIENDS OF TROVE ISLE is not my first book by Annie Rains and it surely won’t be my last!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Fresh Fiction. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

You can see my full review at:

https://freshfiction.com/review.php?i...
Profile Image for Keri Stone.
765 reviews111 followers
August 30, 2024
This is a sweet book of a group of friends who experienced terrible trauma together and how it changed their lives and friendship. But when circumstances bring them back together, a special charm bracelet brings back shared memories and an opportunity to reconnect. They each need to heal on their own though before they can fully mend their friendship and move on with their lives.
Profile Image for Desiree Reads.
809 reviews46 followers
September 14, 2024
THE GOOD:
A sweet tale of friendship, heartbreak, and healing.

THE BAD:
Sometimes a little too “light”. The choice of the one of the group who was lost seemed a bit off, but I guess it makes sense for the choices her sister makes.

CONCLUSION:
A good beach read. Recommended.
Profile Image for Addie Yoder.
1,089 reviews89 followers
March 21, 2024
I started this book and Finders Keepers Library around the same time and was a little nervous about how the stories would be similar. But to my happy surprise, they diverged quickly and in great ways. Charmed friends is the story of three high school friends connected by tragedy. They each handle their loss in drastically different ways. When life brings them together years later, they sort through their stuff and rekindle their connections. It was a friendship story. It is a family story. It has some romance and the small town love that we adore from Annie. I have loved seeing her grow in her writing and in these different stories. It's comforting and exciting all at once.
109 reviews3 followers
May 8, 2024
This is not my usual genre but it was really cute. If you are looking for a quick beach read I would recommend
Profile Image for Vickie.
2,243 reviews74 followers
July 25, 2024
This is a book that I plan to recommend to all of my reading friends because it is fun to read, entertaining and with a depth of wisdom that was eye-opening at times. It is the story of friends who go their separate ways after a tragic accident and when Melody’s aunt Jo dies, she returns to town and meets up again with Liz, a former BFF who has been irreparably damaged by the accident and cannot move forward. Melody doesn’t want to be back in Trove Isle, NC, but she decides to stay long enough to clean out her aunt’s secondhand store called Hidden Treasures. There is some mystery involved, a friend in prison with letters back and forth between Bri and Liz and all kinds of multiple layers about family relationships, broken friendships and romantic relationships that need to get off the ground. This book is so wonderfully written that it stole my heart and tucked it away inside its pages. The characters are realistically portrayed and easy to identify with. I think my favorite character is Aunt Jo, the deceased lady who plays a big part in the story as her wisdom, love and giving spirit live on after her in Melody, Liz and other folks in the small town. I think I would have really liked to meet Aunt Jo and hang around her store just to hear her stories and her wit. There is a lot to like about this book, including a fast pace with a charming setting, friendly characters and a plot that reveals the changes in heart in the characters at just the right pace. With themes like going home, finding love, recognizing what real friendship is and forgiveness, this book offers something for everyone who enjoys books with heart and hope. This is women’s contemporary fiction at its very best!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255. “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Profile Image for Ola.
19 reviews
April 4, 2024
This is a great story about old friends finding each other again. And while the premise seemed promising, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The first half or so was really promising, however the second disappointed me. Not only the pace quickened, making the character development for Liz and Melody feel a bit out of order (and also the development in relationship between Liz and her younger sister), I was also disappointed with how the book dealt with Liz's mental problems. They affected her and her behavior pretty strongly, only for them to disappear all of the sudden, with the explanation that Liz "overcame her fears/anxiety". As a person who deals with anxiety and panic attacks in her life, I feel like this type of representation hurts people like myself by making it seem like it's something that you can just overcome if you want to which is certainly not the case.

Overall, it wasn't a bad story but I just think there are some things that could've been done better.

A big thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Amy Patterson.
193 reviews11 followers
November 4, 2024
I really liked this book! I think the first half was on track for a 5⭐️ read but the second half slowed down and didn’t quite hit 5, but it was absolutely a 4⭐️ for me! I really enjoyed watching the progression of the friends and seeing them grow and gain so much through the story! It would make a super cute feel good movie
Profile Image for Kim.
1,735 reviews149 followers
May 21, 2024
Meh. These were not good friends at all despite what they tried to tell each other. Liz and Melody were both doormat types and poor Bri was stuck in prison for most of the book. The prison emails were odd too. Everyone catering to Liz and her problems felt fake. Just couldn’t get into this.
Profile Image for Deana.
109 reviews2 followers
September 20, 2024
Thank you Goodreads and #BetweenTheChapters for a copy of this delightful book in exchange for a review. I was excited to read this one as I truly enjoyed Through The Snow Globe and while I liked the premise of this book and it was a quick, easy read, it was not quite as good. Initially I really liked all of the characters and found myself pulling for Liz. However, as the book progressed, she started to feel a bit like a child and towards the end was more like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I did enjoy watching Rose mature and the friendships blossom as well as the forgiveness for Bri. I would recommend this book for a light-hearted book about the perils of childhood friendships.
9 reviews
June 30, 2024
The synopsis printed on the back of the book made me think this was a book about women’s enduring friendships with each other, but it is much deeper than that. There are several interconnected big ideas within the topic of the girlfriend bond.

When I started reading, I didn’t really like the main character because she was presented as very self-absorbed. It took a little while to understand why that was so pervasive.

There is a family tragedy that threatens to break the bonds of family and friendship, leading to plenty of additional ruptures in the lives of those close to the family. Desertion, anxiety, depression, abandonment issues all come in to play, related to feelings of guilt following the tragedy.

Trove Isle is home and that’s where the book is set and although ten years have gone by and life has moved on, one of the friends inherits a thrift shop from a special aunt that had the uncanny ability to see into people and heal them. And she still does.

The friends had a shared charm bracelet while growing up together, then it was lost. Upon getting into the thrift store for the first time, the bracelet is miraculously found by the niece, the new store owner. This is the first clue that this bracelet is a representation of something much bigger. The idea behind the bracelet is to let it inspire and empower the wearer to do something beyond the ordinary.

The girls reunite at home in Trove Isle as women. While sharing the newly found charm bracelet, they love each other, encourage each other, get irritated with each other, and have the power to hurt each other as friends do.

The author uses the charm bracelet to let these friends believe that its extraordinary powers are propelling them forward, when they are actually finding that power within themselves. They don’t deny a higher power, and though religion isn’t a theme, I felt God’s grace calling them home in a variety of ways. This is a thoughtful, insightful story broaching on bigger issues. It is relatable and true to the human experience.
Profile Image for Becky.
355 reviews
July 2, 2024
A book about friendship, through good times and bad times.
Profile Image for Sue Em.
1,812 reviews122 followers
May 18, 2024
After that night ten years ago, they all were scarred. And so was their friendship. Now Melody has come back to Trove Island after the death of her aunt Jo. With a touch of magical realism, the story touches your heart and reaffirms your faith in the power of friendship. Like it's title, it's just charming. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
30 reviews3 followers
April 19, 2024
I was thrilled to receive this advanced copy and the storyline was intriguing. Unfortunately, the book fell a little flat for me personally. I’m sure it is just the genre of the book compared to my usual read. It was a little too cutesy to me, even though the backstory had plenty of grit. The main characters interactions had more passion than the proposed romances, which frustrated me a bit.

Overall, a decent beach read, but it doesn’t prompt me to pick up any other reads from this author, which is always what I seek to do.
Profile Image for Barb.
354 reviews2 followers
May 31, 2024
I needed something light hearted to read as I've been hitting the heavy reads lately and I thought this would fit the bill. It was ok, it was fine but in all honestly I'm not really a fan of most light hearted reads. That doesn't mean I don't like ANY light hearted reads, but I think I need more than what most offer.

Writing was ok. Story was incredibly predicable (which is one thing that drives me nuts with light hearted reads I guess). I mean, did anyone think Melody

And of course, everyone gets the guys, except for our poor prisoner Bri. She was the one I really wanted to know more about and we really didn't get to. The characters were so so. No one I really loved. And let me just say, the Rose character was annoying AF. I compare her to Buffy's little sister, Dawn who just about ruined the series for me.

I was going to rate this a 3, but the more I reflect, I don't think I can. There are so many good light hearted reads out there, this one was just mediocre for me at best.

Profile Image for Marte Haga.
607 reviews17 followers
June 5, 2024
2,75-3-ish undecided

The book centers around three ex-best friends, a friendship that was broken on prom night due to a fatal accident. As a result of the accident one of them left town, another ended up in trouble and in prison and the third stayed and got stuck working in her mother's bakery rather than fulfilling her dreams. The book starts off with the first girl, Melody, returning to her home town after the passing of her aunt. The aunt has left her a thrift-store and her plan to stay for a week to sort it out, ends up becoming a longer stay with mending of relationships with her friends and father. Oh, and at the center of this narrative is this charm bracelet that the girls used to share, which was lost and now magically showed up in the thrift store. And ... Well, I would have liked the whole story a lot more without this (excuse me: stupid) bracelet. It just made the sweetness and gooeyness all too much for me.

Another thing that annoyed me was how it seemed that Melody was wrong for wanting to leave and live her life somewhere else than in her small town. It seemed to me that I as a reader was supposed to share this option, as if that was the only good choice.

Not a bad book, but just too much sweetness, too much goodness and too much of trying to be deep without succeeding (in my opinion). This also struck me as somewhat immature, even though the characters are in their late twenties and their actions weren't really that juvenile, the whole book still seemed more like a YA book and just didn't manage to engage me. At times the writing was a bit repetitive and tended to over explain things that didn't need explaining, and at times elaborating simple things that could easily have been stated in one sentence.

Some themes for the book: greif, loss, healing, friendships, coming home
Profile Image for Jennifer Lara.
1,150 reviews5 followers
May 23, 2024
The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle by Annie Rains is a story of friendship, healing and finally finding home again. Ten years ago, Melody Palmer left her hometown of Trove Isle after a tragic accident. Now she returns when she learns she has inherited her great aunt’s thrift shop, Hidden Treasures. There she discovers a charm bracelet that was lost so many years ago. A bracelet she shared with her sister, Alyssa, and her two best friends, Liz and Bri. While Melody fled, Liz stayed behind, working in her parents’ bakery, putting her dreams aside. For Bri, the consequences of that tragic accident led her on the road to self-destruction and a prison term. As she is set to be released, can Trove Isle feel like home again? Can Melody, Liz and Bri find peace about the past and look to a brighter future?
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with an adult twist, The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle is a story of friendship, healing and resilience. The story runs the gambit of emotions from anger to grief to love and tears. I loved the characters of Melody, Liz and Bri who were all relatable and worthy to cheer for as they dealt with the moment that changed their lives forever. I also loved the secondary characters of Rose, Liz’s little sister, Matt, Liz’s love interest, and Christopher, Melody’s love interest. The romance is subtle and did not overpower the story of the three friends. Overall, I loved this story and devoured it quickly. If you love strong female characters, a small town setting with a story of healing, forgiveness and friendship, I highly recommend The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle.

The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
Profile Image for Darla.
4,855 reviews1,248 followers
May 15, 2024
The bracelet is just symbolic. And it'll be there to remind us that we have each other to lean on, in case we forget once we're out there in the world. And to remind us to keep doing things to make us feel alive.

Four friends (Liz, Melody, Bri, and Alyssa) were on their way to the prom and tragedy strikes. Nine years later, can the three who are left (Liz, Melody, and Bri) find forgiveness and a way forward? Liz, Melody and Bri are all carrying the baggage of that prom night disaster. Can the charm bracelet they shared bring them back together once again? This is my favorite from Annie Rains yet and here is why:

💎Great-aunt Jo's thrift store, Hidden Treasures, is truly like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Will Melody see it for the gift it is or consider it a burden?
🧁The Bitery. What a great concept for a bakery. Liz feels chained to the family business when she would love to be pursuing photography.
🤴All the men in this book are wonderful role models. Love Chris and Matt -- the young men who woo Melody and Liz with such patience.
👧Bri is finishing up a prison sentence. Liz emails her daily and visits weekly. The Trove Isle folks plan a small party upon her release. Love the support and encouragement that Bri is shown!
🤗The charm bracelet is the special sauce that will warm your heart. I'll let you discover its 'charms' for yourself.

Thank you to Kensington and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Fernanda Granzotto.
686 reviews131 followers
May 27, 2024
*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

I didn't think I would like this book so much, but right from the beginning I was able to identify with the characters and some of the things they were going through.
This book really gave me the vibe of romance movies that take place in small towns, but even though this book has romance (but it's not even remotely the focus of the book) and it takes place in a small town, so it has all the dilemmas and questions that we normally see in this type of story (gossip, everyone knows each other, everyone is friends, everyone helps) I still felt that the author here managed to bring a much more serious and adult tone to the book, I felt that the characters in this book, in addition to healing from traumas and fears, I felt that they were also maturing, because of what happened to them in the past they were trapped and only now are they able to move on and become adult women. So I really liked this feeling of seeing the characters growing in this direction.
I do recommend this reading, at first it can be a little difficult but after halfway through I read it all in 1 day.
80 reviews
June 12, 2024
I enjoyed this book!
First, after never winning anything in My life and never winning a give away on Good Reads, i won two books in one week. I'm sure that's probably it for life for me, but so worth it!
Not only did I win this book! But the Main character has My first name. It's kind of Fun to read my name over and over again while reading the story. I also grew up with a girl who had the exact first and last name of the Main character Again Nice.
Trove island is so familiar. Who of us has not been there. I connected with it because it is so much like a place I once lived. I understand what the characters who live here feel, the salt air, the light, the whole atmosphere. It was like going Home for a bit.
The characters have a strong friendship but like so many of us have experienced, it suffers suddenly and unexpectedly. Every person involved is affected in their own way. Each has their own mountain to climb. We root for each and every one of them. And we identify. My very favorite character in the story Is Aunt Jo. She is Unique and wonderful. There is an element of Magic in Jo and in the struggle but it is the kind of magic we all feel. Is it Magic or Is it just life? This was such a good read!
Profile Image for Debbie.
58 reviews
July 31, 2024
It’s been 10 years since Melody Palmer has been back to this small town of Trove Isle. Her Great Aunt has left Melody her Thrift Store bringing back Melody to connect with her 3 friends from high school of years past. 10 years ago on their Prom night a tragic accident changed these 4 friends lives forever affecting each one differently. Liz suffered from extreme anxiety, Bri ended up in state prison, Alyssa, Melody’s sister, ended up dying in the accident and Melody fled from the small town. While Melody was cleaning and organizing the thrift store she found a mystical charm bracelet that had disappeared on that Prom night. Each charm meant something to them such as love, adventure and friendships.

As each friend learns to deal with the past of that tragic eventful Prom night each friendship grows stronger again with love, forgiveness and trust. Through this time past and present charms are found throughout and added to the charm bracelet.

This is my first book that I’ve read from this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. It follows through the past to the present the 3 remaining friends where strong friendships are formed again. Annie Rains shows you what it means to be in a true friendship. She also shows you the tragic hardships each character goes through from the past developing the lasting friendships by overcoming these obstacles. There is also strong support from other love interests in the story giving it a taste of romance. I will definitely be reading more of Annie Rains’s books in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers in letting me read this book and allowing me to leave an honest review.
1,707 reviews14 followers
May 22, 2024
Ms. Rains has written a wonderful tale of true friendship, moving on after tragedy and forgiveness. Liz and Melody were best friends in high school until a car accident changed their lives forever. Bri is a fourth friend who also experienced the accident and her pain caused her to make choices that cost her four years of her life. Unfortunately Alyssa, didn’t make it and their coping methods lead them to drift apart.
Melody left town and has only returned because her aunt left her a thrift store. She intends to sell it, but finding the charm bracelet they lost that fateful night leads her down a journey she never expected. Liz has become afraid to do anything, even though she wants to follow her dreams. Bri is counting down until she comes home.
As the friends reconnect they also face fears and learn how to move past the tragedy of what happened when they were in high school. The addition of Liz’s sister, Matt and Christopher helped make the characters more realistic. I loved how much Liz grew throughout the book.
I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.
Profile Image for Rosie Trzewik.
877 reviews8 followers
June 6, 2024
A beautiful heartwarming story of four BBF’s whose life’s were changed the night of their Prom in a horrific car crash. Three survived but each dealt with the loss of Alyssa differently. Melody was her older sister and ran away, Bri got hooked on pain killers due to the injuries she sustained and winds up in jail, lastly Liz the driver suffered panic attacks and is in a rut due to her many insecurities. Nine years have passed and Melody returns home, her Aunt Jo has passed away and left Melody her beloved store. Hoping to sell it and skip town before anyone sees her wasn’t happening in the small town. Plus the store is a mess! A thrift store, that wouldn’t sell for much in the condition it is in. As Melody starts to clean and organize she finds their lost charm bracelet. Eager to show Liz her find begins the journey of growth, second chances and what is important in life.
I truly enjoy reading Annie Rains books. Yes life isn’t always easy or perfect, but trust the author to find that HEA. Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine and mine alone. #TheCharmedFriendsofTroveIsle #AnnieRains
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.