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Liberty Island: A Novel
From the bestselling author of Haven Point comes a sweeping historical novel about the generations of a family that spends summers in a seaside enclave on the rocky Maine coastline, for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Beatriz Williams, and Sarah Blake.
1900: 28-year-old Anna Bradley spends summer days supervising three little girls, including her niece, Julia Demarest, on an island off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. There, the girls run free, pretending to be all the things society says they pirates and rum runners, treasure hunters and Roughriders.
A college graduate determined to remain unmarried, Anna is eager to establish herself independently. Inspired by the summer antics of Julia and her friends, Anna writes "Liberty Island"—a depiction of girls unshackled from the domestic sphere—under a pen name. Young readers are rhapsodic, and it is a runaway bestseller, but it’s not well received by the society matrons in her sister’s circle, who believe that books for girls should prepare them for their future as wives and mothers.
With "Liberty Island" growing in popularity, Anna’s secret is in peril, and when she’s suddenly thrown together with the former object of her affections, she must rethink everything she thought she knew about independence, marriage, and her dreams for her future.
1922: 29-year-old Julia Demarest was once proud of her aunt’s "Liberty Island" books. But as new, bohemian ideas take hold amongst her peers, she has come to see them as quaint, at best. In hindsight, her childhood summers on the island seem like more of an exile than a liberation, and her Boston Brahmin family—particularly her mother, Elizabeth Demarest—like relics of an unlamented past.
But in an effort to break free of expectations, she has ended up alienated from her family and heartbroken when a romantic entanglement with a free-spirited intellectual ends badly. When Elizabeth urgently calls her back to Haven Point, Julia is confronted by all the things she's been trying to escape, and forced to reconsider what truly brings her happiness.
A sweeping saga set in the first tumultuous decades of the twentieth century, Liberty Island is an ode to mothers and daughters, love, friendship, and the ways in which women define freedom on their own terms.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press
1900: 28-year-old Anna Bradley spends summer days supervising three little girls, including her niece, Julia Demarest, on an island off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. There, the girls run free, pretending to be all the things society says they pirates and rum runners, treasure hunters and Roughriders.
A college graduate determined to remain unmarried, Anna is eager to establish herself independently. Inspired by the summer antics of Julia and her friends, Anna writes "Liberty Island"—a depiction of girls unshackled from the domestic sphere—under a pen name. Young readers are rhapsodic, and it is a runaway bestseller, but it’s not well received by the society matrons in her sister’s circle, who believe that books for girls should prepare them for their future as wives and mothers.
With "Liberty Island" growing in popularity, Anna’s secret is in peril, and when she’s suddenly thrown together with the former object of her affections, she must rethink everything she thought she knew about independence, marriage, and her dreams for her future.
1922: 29-year-old Julia Demarest was once proud of her aunt’s "Liberty Island" books. But as new, bohemian ideas take hold amongst her peers, she has come to see them as quaint, at best. In hindsight, her childhood summers on the island seem like more of an exile than a liberation, and her Boston Brahmin family—particularly her mother, Elizabeth Demarest—like relics of an unlamented past.
But in an effort to break free of expectations, she has ended up alienated from her family and heartbroken when a romantic entanglement with a free-spirited intellectual ends badly. When Elizabeth urgently calls her back to Haven Point, Julia is confronted by all the things she's been trying to escape, and forced to reconsider what truly brings her happiness.
A sweeping saga set in the first tumultuous decades of the twentieth century, Liberty Island is an ode to mothers and daughters, love, friendship, and the ways in which women define freedom on their own terms.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press
Audible Audio
First published May 5, 2026
47 people are currently reading
11274 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Hume
3 books337 followersVirginia Hume is a freelance writer and editor. Her early career was spent in politics and public affairs. She lives outside Washington, D.C. with her husband, their daughters, and one under-groomed dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
December 4, 2025
The time period for this book is the early 1900's & the setting is in affluent Boston & Maine. The story goes back and forth between the lives of Anna & Julia. Unmarried Anna lives with her sister's family and is trying to make a name for herself as a writer. One summer she is tasked with watching over her firecracker of a niece, Julia & three of her friends. Julia is a very high-spirited child who absolutely does not want to follow the norms for how a young girl should behave. I absolutely adored this little girl's spunk. She lead her friends on many adventures that were only allowed for boys to do. As a result of numerous arguments between Julia & her brother, their mother decides to have Anna take Julia & her friends to the other side of the island to carry on with their adventures separate from the boys. It is here that Anna comes up with the ideas for "Liberty Island," a book telling of the adventures carried out by 4 young girls. The book is adored by many but is criticized by the "old-fashioned" women of the times, who are appalled that any young girl should be acting like young boys. As Julia reaches her college years, she becomes enthralled with the Suffragette Movement, as well as other liberal social idylls of that time period. She becomes caught in the middle of the lifestyle she was born into and that of those who rebel against that very lifestyle. It takes a few unexpected life-altering situations to occur for Julia to find her footing & realize what is truly important to her. I am always enamored with coming of age stories and stories depicting women with ideas of equality that were ahead of their times. This was a very worthwhile read for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Many thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Want to Read
May 5, 2026*******I will be reading and reviewing this but I am slightly behind on my ARC books. PUBLISH DATE today May 5, 2026. *******
PUBLISH DATE: May 5, 2026
BOOK TITLE: Liberty Island
AUTHOR: Virginia Hume
PUBLISHER: St Martin's Press
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 320
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
PUBLISH DATE: May 5, 2026
BOOK TITLE: Liberty Island
AUTHOR: Virginia Hume
PUBLISHER: St Martin's Press
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 320
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Did Not Finish
April 29, 2026This was a tough decision for me to do but there are too many books out there to read rather than continue a book that I’m just not liking.
I think this book would have worked out much better for me in print rather than audio. I should have known better since this was Historical Fiction. There were many characters and had to make a list. I started to lose interest and sadly decided to DNF at 30%.
I enjoyed Haven Point by this author so I’m definitely interested in reading more of her books, but probably not on audio, especially if historical fiction.
I think this book would have worked out much better for me in print rather than audio. I should have known better since this was Historical Fiction. There were many characters and had to make a list. I started to lose interest and sadly decided to DNF at 30%.
I enjoyed Haven Point by this author so I’m definitely interested in reading more of her books, but probably not on audio, especially if historical fiction.
November 16, 2025
A lovely return to Haven Point
November 9, 2025
Liberty Island
By: Virginia Hume
Pub date: May 5, 2026
Publisher: St. Martins Press
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In the 1900’s Anna is on an island off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. Her focus as watching over three little girls will they enjoy their summer.
She is college educated and decides to write a novel under her pen name. Her book “Liberty Island” has become a bestseller, but high society does not feel the book represents women who should be ready to marry and become mothers.
Things a dual time line forwarding to her nieces story.
I enjoyed that this books is located in Maine, the time period mentioning suffragettes, mother/daughter relationships and beautiful writing.
By: Virginia Hume
Pub date: May 5, 2026
Publisher: St. Martins Press
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In the 1900’s Anna is on an island off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. Her focus as watching over three little girls will they enjoy their summer.
She is college educated and decides to write a novel under her pen name. Her book “Liberty Island” has become a bestseller, but high society does not feel the book represents women who should be ready to marry and become mothers.
Things a dual time line forwarding to her nieces story.
I enjoyed that this books is located in Maine, the time period mentioning suffragettes, mother/daughter relationships and beautiful writing.
May 5, 2026
3.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The cover immediately catches your eye, and I was ready to be swept off to the Maine shore. Once I read the synopsis, I couldn’t wait to dive in. A Maine setting already had me sold, and I went in expecting to absolutely love it. I do think I built it up a little too much in my head, but I still really enjoyed it…just not quite in the all consuming way I’d imagined.
Set across two timelines, the story follows a family of women whose lives are shaped by summers spent on a Maine island. In the earlier timeline, a young woman begins to question what’s expected of her and secretly writes a story that ends up drawing more attention-and pushback-than she ever anticipated. Years later, her niece is navigating her own path, looking back on those same summers with a very different perspective.
At its heart, this one leans into the bond between mothers and daughters, the weight of expectations, and what it looks like to carve out your own version of a life…especially when it doesn’t quite match what others have in mind. There’s a nice contrast between past and present, and I liked seeing how those earlier choices ripple forward.
The cover immediately catches your eye, and I was ready to be swept off to the Maine shore. Once I read the synopsis, I couldn’t wait to dive in. A Maine setting already had me sold, and I went in expecting to absolutely love it. I do think I built it up a little too much in my head, but I still really enjoyed it…just not quite in the all consuming way I’d imagined.
Set across two timelines, the story follows a family of women whose lives are shaped by summers spent on a Maine island. In the earlier timeline, a young woman begins to question what’s expected of her and secretly writes a story that ends up drawing more attention-and pushback-than she ever anticipated. Years later, her niece is navigating her own path, looking back on those same summers with a very different perspective.
At its heart, this one leans into the bond between mothers and daughters, the weight of expectations, and what it looks like to carve out your own version of a life…especially when it doesn’t quite match what others have in mind. There’s a nice contrast between past and present, and I liked seeing how those earlier choices ripple forward.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An absolutely lovely summer read. I adored this cast of women.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Pleasantly surprised! I received this ARC from Goodreads. It started out really slow and I was so bored by the pompous, wealthy people. But about halfway in, it became quite engaging. The historical plot lines emphasized the struggles women faced before they won the right to vote, and how little aspiration most women were allowed within the constraints of Victorian society and into the early 20th century. Recommended for those who love historical fiction.
November 27, 2025
Advance copy for review thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.
What a lovely book. Warm and satisfying, with threads that follow through the story. I really enjoyed this book.
The only challenge that I had, and it's important to know before you start, is the beginning. For about the first third, I did like the characters but I had trouble keeping everything straight. I don't at all mind (and in fact prefer) timeline jumping, so it wasn't that, it was more that many characters were referenced and looking back I realize that some I wasn't meant to totally know yet and some I had forgotten so I spent the first third a little lost.
But then...either the introductions died down or I finally got it figured out but whatever happened, it was wonderful after that. I loved the characters. I appreciated reading about a time period that I haven't read a lot of fiction in before. Despite the absolute mountain of historical fiction around the world wars especially WWII, I've not come across a lot from the late 1800s / early 1900s, and particularly about the experience of women's suffrage slowly moving through the nation. Of course, we look back now and it's hard to believe that anyone would have been against it, but a lot of people were. Different people, within families, people you wouldn't expect. It was fascinating.
The book is about a family (and the surrounding characters) that summers in Maine. Growing up, the girls in the family went to a place dubbed Liberty Island to have adventures, and the aunt of these girls wrote a fictionalized book about them that, at the time, was quite scandalous. Girls, having adventures? Being involved with anything so immoral as playing imaginary pirates and treasure hunters? [Clutches pearls.] The timeline switch is between these girls as children and them as early 20s adults, plus all the relevant family / friends / lovers surrounding them. The author does a masterful job (though confusing, a little, at first, see above) of slowly revealing the relationships at play, how things would play out for the adults, and the true motives behind actions.
Despite it not being an epic family saga in length, it felt a bit like one in reading, in the best possible way. We see such character development, and so many changes over the years thanks to the timelines. I finished the book enthralled with the family, and also wishing to visit Maine in the summer.
What a lovely book. Warm and satisfying, with threads that follow through the story. I really enjoyed this book.
The only challenge that I had, and it's important to know before you start, is the beginning. For about the first third, I did like the characters but I had trouble keeping everything straight. I don't at all mind (and in fact prefer) timeline jumping, so it wasn't that, it was more that many characters were referenced and looking back I realize that some I wasn't meant to totally know yet and some I had forgotten so I spent the first third a little lost.
But then...either the introductions died down or I finally got it figured out but whatever happened, it was wonderful after that. I loved the characters. I appreciated reading about a time period that I haven't read a lot of fiction in before. Despite the absolute mountain of historical fiction around the world wars especially WWII, I've not come across a lot from the late 1800s / early 1900s, and particularly about the experience of women's suffrage slowly moving through the nation. Of course, we look back now and it's hard to believe that anyone would have been against it, but a lot of people were. Different people, within families, people you wouldn't expect. It was fascinating.
The book is about a family (and the surrounding characters) that summers in Maine. Growing up, the girls in the family went to a place dubbed Liberty Island to have adventures, and the aunt of these girls wrote a fictionalized book about them that, at the time, was quite scandalous. Girls, having adventures? Being involved with anything so immoral as playing imaginary pirates and treasure hunters? [Clutches pearls.] The timeline switch is between these girls as children and them as early 20s adults, plus all the relevant family / friends / lovers surrounding them. The author does a masterful job (though confusing, a little, at first, see above) of slowly revealing the relationships at play, how things would play out for the adults, and the true motives behind actions.
Despite it not being an epic family saga in length, it felt a bit like one in reading, in the best possible way. We see such character development, and so many changes over the years thanks to the timelines. I finished the book enthralled with the family, and also wishing to visit Maine in the summer.
May 7, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley.
4.5 ⭐️
“All the hand-ringing in the world will not keep girls from reading what they wish.”
Anna, a college graduate determined to prove herself as a scholar and independent woman, has found herself the chaperone of her young niece, Julia, and her friends as they adventure as pirates, treasure hunters, and more on a little island off the coast of Maine. Encouraged by a friend to send in a story for a paper, Anna uses the girls’ play as inspiration. When her writing takes off, Anna harbors her secret in order to protect the girls’ haven that contradicts everything the judgmental matrons of society believe little girls should be putting their efforts towards. Years later, adult Julia is living during the suffragette movement, war, and the rapidly evolving ideals of her peers. Struggling to find her place between the sanctuary — or purgatory? — of her childhood preserved in literature and the modern intellectual scene insisting she throw off all societal constraints, Julia finds herself isolated from her family and the little girl whose imagination launched a revolution in children’s literature that wasn’t simply moralizing. Both women will have to come to terms with what is important: to be right or to be a light.
I am not a typical historical fiction girly, especially of the eras this book falls in. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved (or detested) the characters and their respective journeys. Anna immediately captured my interest with her enthusiasm for protecting Julia’s whimsical and defiant nature, and I loved her eventual concession & understanding of the goings on around her. Julia’s POV was a harder sell for me in the beginning because I was so annoyed with her at times, but I greatly appreciated her growth throughout the story.
The writing, while it felt slow in the beginning, picked up once the scene was set and I had a hard time putting it down. Some of the uber intellectual jargon was off putting at times but I understand that was completely the point haha. The narration was well done, I just wish there was a little more differentiation between characters.
I was very satisfied with both Anna & Julia’s endings, and felt the emotional highs and lows along with the characters. I wish I could read “Liberty Island” and experience Jumaru for myself! This was my first read from Virginia Hume, and I’m now convinced that I need to read “Haven Point” and further enmesh myself with the Demarest women.
Finding the balance between progressive thinking and understanding or coming to terms with one’s roots can be a challenge for any of us who struggle with what is versus what could be, and I felt that this book handled holding these two things at the same time well. After reading, I think we can all recognize who the heroine of this novel truly is.
“You don’t need to look to anyone else for answers, Julia. The fact is, you are meant to love. You are made FOR love. All you need to do is let out the dark.”
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this advance audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.
4.5 ⭐️
“All the hand-ringing in the world will not keep girls from reading what they wish.”
Anna, a college graduate determined to prove herself as a scholar and independent woman, has found herself the chaperone of her young niece, Julia, and her friends as they adventure as pirates, treasure hunters, and more on a little island off the coast of Maine. Encouraged by a friend to send in a story for a paper, Anna uses the girls’ play as inspiration. When her writing takes off, Anna harbors her secret in order to protect the girls’ haven that contradicts everything the judgmental matrons of society believe little girls should be putting their efforts towards. Years later, adult Julia is living during the suffragette movement, war, and the rapidly evolving ideals of her peers. Struggling to find her place between the sanctuary — or purgatory? — of her childhood preserved in literature and the modern intellectual scene insisting she throw off all societal constraints, Julia finds herself isolated from her family and the little girl whose imagination launched a revolution in children’s literature that wasn’t simply moralizing. Both women will have to come to terms with what is important: to be right or to be a light.
I am not a typical historical fiction girly, especially of the eras this book falls in. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved (or detested) the characters and their respective journeys. Anna immediately captured my interest with her enthusiasm for protecting Julia’s whimsical and defiant nature, and I loved her eventual concession & understanding of the goings on around her. Julia’s POV was a harder sell for me in the beginning because I was so annoyed with her at times, but I greatly appreciated her growth throughout the story.
The writing, while it felt slow in the beginning, picked up once the scene was set and I had a hard time putting it down. Some of the uber intellectual jargon was off putting at times but I understand that was completely the point haha. The narration was well done, I just wish there was a little more differentiation between characters.
I was very satisfied with both Anna & Julia’s endings, and felt the emotional highs and lows along with the characters. I wish I could read “Liberty Island” and experience Jumaru for myself! This was my first read from Virginia Hume, and I’m now convinced that I need to read “Haven Point” and further enmesh myself with the Demarest women.
Finding the balance between progressive thinking and understanding or coming to terms with one’s roots can be a challenge for any of us who struggle with what is versus what could be, and I felt that this book handled holding these two things at the same time well. After reading, I think we can all recognize who the heroine of this novel truly is.
“You don’t need to look to anyone else for answers, Julia. The fact is, you are meant to love. You are made FOR love. All you need to do is let out the dark.”
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this advance audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
****Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced eArc in exchange for my honest opinion****
3.5 Stars but won't round up for this one.
The ONLY thing that brought this book down for me was the absolute blast of a firehose in the face of character introductions. For about the first 20% of this book I was like "wait.. who?" It really would have benefitted having perhaps a family tree or a cast of characters that I could flip back to and go ahh okay now I know who you are talking about. Because the Clarissa, Lillian ,Rhinelander, Serena, Judith, Nora, Graham, Jerome, Elizabeth, Anna, Julia, William, Maudie, Louisa, Ruthie, Pelham, Mina, Bess ET AL was way to many characters to be thrust upon me at the very beginning. Even the greats of literature Brandon Sanderson and George R. Martin who normally have a very large cast of characters you are introduced slowly to each one.
Anna's POV was the most difficult to acclimate to simply because of all the name dropping in the beginning. I swear I'll need to go back and re read the first 20% to know what actually happened. I did enjoy hearing about Julia's antic's as a child some of her wild acts definitely made me laugh. I liked how both Anna and Elizabeth forged their own paths even with constraints against them. When Elizabeth finally stood up to Lillian I was like well the flower has some thorns after all! I Anna and Mr. Lockwood were so well suited for one another, very sweet summer moments between the two of them.
Julia was a likeable and relatable character. Growing up more conservative and fighting against it while at Haven Point, then leaning more liberal when going to college, moving away from home but seeing the eventual return back to love of family was heartwarming to see. I think the book portrayed her and Mina's "friendship" quite well. How Julia came to realize with both Pelham and Mina that they coveted her ties to family but wanted her to cut them off just to be as miserable as they both were.
"Leaves far too much to people's decency, and most aren't so decent"
Was a quote from the book describing socialism which was gaining popularity throughout the book. I think that describes it perfectly. I had to stop and reread it so I could remember to put that in this review. Louisa was one of two of the MVP's of Julia's POV and was a north star for Julia. She gave very sound advice and was a great friend. In addition to Louisa, Michael was my favorite. As soon as her was introduced to the story I KNEW he was end game. He has bounds and leaps of golden retriever energy and I could feel it through the pages. All the things he did for her made me smile and clutch the book to my chest. Such swoon worthy love.
This would be a great summer read, I almost wish I could have read it on the beach of some beautiful lakeside retreat just complete the picture the story unveiled.
3.5 Stars but won't round up for this one.
The ONLY thing that brought this book down for me was the absolute blast of a firehose in the face of character introductions. For about the first 20% of this book I was like "wait.. who?" It really would have benefitted having perhaps a family tree or a cast of characters that I could flip back to and go ahh okay now I know who you are talking about. Because the Clarissa, Lillian ,Rhinelander, Serena, Judith, Nora, Graham, Jerome, Elizabeth, Anna, Julia, William, Maudie, Louisa, Ruthie, Pelham, Mina, Bess ET AL was way to many characters to be thrust upon me at the very beginning. Even the greats of literature Brandon Sanderson and George R. Martin who normally have a very large cast of characters you are introduced slowly to each one.
Anna's POV was the most difficult to acclimate to simply because of all the name dropping in the beginning. I swear I'll need to go back and re read the first 20% to know what actually happened. I did enjoy hearing about Julia's antic's as a child some of her wild acts definitely made me laugh. I liked how both Anna and Elizabeth forged their own paths even with constraints against them. When Elizabeth finally stood up to Lillian I was like well the flower has some thorns after all! I Anna and Mr. Lockwood were so well suited for one another, very sweet summer moments between the two of them.
Julia was a likeable and relatable character. Growing up more conservative and fighting against it while at Haven Point, then leaning more liberal when going to college, moving away from home but seeing the eventual return back to love of family was heartwarming to see. I think the book portrayed her and Mina's "friendship" quite well. How Julia came to realize with both Pelham and Mina that they coveted her ties to family but wanted her to cut them off just to be as miserable as they both were.
"Leaves far too much to people's decency, and most aren't so decent"
Was a quote from the book describing socialism which was gaining popularity throughout the book. I think that describes it perfectly. I had to stop and reread it so I could remember to put that in this review. Louisa was one of two of the MVP's of Julia's POV and was a north star for Julia. She gave very sound advice and was a great friend. In addition to Louisa, Michael was my favorite. As soon as her was introduced to the story I KNEW he was end game. He has bounds and leaps of golden retriever energy and I could feel it through the pages. All the things he did for her made me smile and clutch the book to my chest. Such swoon worthy love.
This would be a great summer read, I almost wish I could have read it on the beach of some beautiful lakeside retreat just complete the picture the story unveiled.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Liberty Island starts out slowly. I wouldn’t say idyllic, because both Anna and her niece Julia feel constrained by the proper society they belong to, but besides Julia’s rather nasty grandmother Lillian, both are living in relatively good circumstances despite all the rights women were deprived of at the turn of the twentieth century.
During the earlier timeline, Anna is an unmarried woman living with her sister Elizabeth and her husband Jerome, and helping to care for her niece Julia. After their father’s remarriage to a woman nothing like their free-spirited mother, Anna observes what she sees as complacency and acceptance in her sister and is concerned about how precarious her circumstances as an unmarried woman are, until she experiences two things-her niece’s new refuge with her friends on Liberty Island where they are free from society’s expectations, and a burgeoning crush on Harley Lockwood.
Several decades later, Julia’s irrepressible spirit has become diminished in her search for acceptance and a place to belong, and she overlooks several people who accept her for who she is to seek out relationships with people who seem dashing and rebellious, with potentially heartbreaking consequences.
Julia was a delight as a child, so it was hard to read her storyline as an adult at times, when she so desperately wants Mina’s friendship and the love of Pelham. As a reader it was easy for me to see that Mina and Pelham didn’t care about her for her, they just wanted to mold her into someone who fit their own needs, and made her doubt her choices and herself. Meanwhile her friends Louisa and Michael were steadfast and supportive.
it took quite a ways into the book before Hume really started exploring the nuances of these two women and what they learn about Elizabeth, and what Julia learns about her sister in law Pauline, and that was the point where the book got so much more interesting. I feel like it’s hinted at earlier with how Julia and Louisa choose to be involved in the suffragette movement, but this is the point where the reader can see the different ways women had to work within the constraints of society and their marriages to protect themselves, their daughters, and their friends.
While Anna and Julia are relatively forthright and often speak their minds, Elizabeth is an unexpected revelation who shows that small and strategic acts often go unnoticed and unappreciated.
It’s not that the first part of the book is bad, it just seems like it builds up really slowly to the interesting revelations about the three women. I would recommend reading it with the even though it takes quite a bit before it’s really engaging.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
During the earlier timeline, Anna is an unmarried woman living with her sister Elizabeth and her husband Jerome, and helping to care for her niece Julia. After their father’s remarriage to a woman nothing like their free-spirited mother, Anna observes what she sees as complacency and acceptance in her sister and is concerned about how precarious her circumstances as an unmarried woman are, until she experiences two things-her niece’s new refuge with her friends on Liberty Island where they are free from society’s expectations, and a burgeoning crush on Harley Lockwood.
Several decades later, Julia’s irrepressible spirit has become diminished in her search for acceptance and a place to belong, and she overlooks several people who accept her for who she is to seek out relationships with people who seem dashing and rebellious, with potentially heartbreaking consequences.
Julia was a delight as a child, so it was hard to read her storyline as an adult at times, when she so desperately wants Mina’s friendship and the love of Pelham. As a reader it was easy for me to see that Mina and Pelham didn’t care about her for her, they just wanted to mold her into someone who fit their own needs, and made her doubt her choices and herself. Meanwhile her friends Louisa and Michael were steadfast and supportive.
it took quite a ways into the book before Hume really started exploring the nuances of these two women and what they learn about Elizabeth, and what Julia learns about her sister in law Pauline, and that was the point where the book got so much more interesting. I feel like it’s hinted at earlier with how Julia and Louisa choose to be involved in the suffragette movement, but this is the point where the reader can see the different ways women had to work within the constraints of society and their marriages to protect themselves, their daughters, and their friends.
While Anna and Julia are relatively forthright and often speak their minds, Elizabeth is an unexpected revelation who shows that small and strategic acts often go unnoticed and unappreciated.
It’s not that the first part of the book is bad, it just seems like it builds up really slowly to the interesting revelations about the three women. I would recommend reading it with the even though it takes quite a bit before it’s really engaging.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 6, 2026
3.5 ⭐⭐⭐✨
Happy Publication Day!!
When I first began this story, I wasn't sure if it would be for me. The snail's pace of the early chapters had my mind wandering. However, somewhere around the halfway mark I began to feel immersed in both timelines. The novel ended up delivering on several fronts including historical events such as women's suffrage and the collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre in 1922. Also, putting familial expectations for girls and women under a magnifying glass was central to the story as were relationships between mothers and daughters. The danger of assumptions and how they can cause distance and riffs is also examined which I appreciated because it made it easy for the narrative to shift gears once it got moving.
The first timeline begins around 1900 with the character of Anna who spends her summers supervising three girls including her niece Julia on an island off the coast of Maine. The girls run free pretending to be all the things society tells them they cannot treasure hunters, rum runners etc. Anna is 28 and has no immediate plans to marry so she is looking for a sense of independence. Which leads her to write stories based on the girls' island adventure under a pseudonym and it becomes successful. Her sister's matronly friends are not impressed with the books and fear the ideas they will put into girls' heads. The second timeline takes place in the 1920's with Julia as an adult looking back on her childhood running wild on Liberty Island as being antiquated and quaint. Her new bohemian lifestyle keeps bumping heads with the way she was raised, and she has to do some serious soul searching to find out who she is. She is called back to Haven Point by her mother and has to come to terms with hard truths and find a new direction.
I loved the idea of these girls having an island to run, play, and pretend, but what I loved even more was that this gift was arranged for them by the adult women in their lives who realized the need. When my children were young and grumpy I would often say, "Go outside and get some dirt on you it will make you feel better." The outdoors hits a reset that humans need, and I liked seeing these girls get to cut loose.
Cassandra Campbell's narration was fantastic as always. The list of characters is extensive, and she gave each one a little something different making it easy to identify who was speaking.
Despite the slow start I ended up enjoying the last half of this novel a lot. I wonder if I'd feel differently about the first half now that I know everyone better. This might be one I revisit at some point.
*Now Available*
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC and ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Happy Publication Day!!
When I first began this story, I wasn't sure if it would be for me. The snail's pace of the early chapters had my mind wandering. However, somewhere around the halfway mark I began to feel immersed in both timelines. The novel ended up delivering on several fronts including historical events such as women's suffrage and the collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre in 1922. Also, putting familial expectations for girls and women under a magnifying glass was central to the story as were relationships between mothers and daughters. The danger of assumptions and how they can cause distance and riffs is also examined which I appreciated because it made it easy for the narrative to shift gears once it got moving.
The first timeline begins around 1900 with the character of Anna who spends her summers supervising three girls including her niece Julia on an island off the coast of Maine. The girls run free pretending to be all the things society tells them they cannot treasure hunters, rum runners etc. Anna is 28 and has no immediate plans to marry so she is looking for a sense of independence. Which leads her to write stories based on the girls' island adventure under a pseudonym and it becomes successful. Her sister's matronly friends are not impressed with the books and fear the ideas they will put into girls' heads. The second timeline takes place in the 1920's with Julia as an adult looking back on her childhood running wild on Liberty Island as being antiquated and quaint. Her new bohemian lifestyle keeps bumping heads with the way she was raised, and she has to do some serious soul searching to find out who she is. She is called back to Haven Point by her mother and has to come to terms with hard truths and find a new direction.
I loved the idea of these girls having an island to run, play, and pretend, but what I loved even more was that this gift was arranged for them by the adult women in their lives who realized the need. When my children were young and grumpy I would often say, "Go outside and get some dirt on you it will make you feel better." The outdoors hits a reset that humans need, and I liked seeing these girls get to cut loose.
Cassandra Campbell's narration was fantastic as always. The list of characters is extensive, and she gave each one a little something different making it easy to identify who was speaking.
Despite the slow start I ended up enjoying the last half of this novel a lot. I wonder if I'd feel differently about the first half now that I know everyone better. This might be one I revisit at some point.
*Now Available*
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for providing an ARC and ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I went into Liberty Island really wanting to love it. The setting, the dual timelines, the focus on women finding their independence—it checks a lot of boxes for me, especially in historical fiction. And while I can absolutely see why this book works for so many readers, it ended up being more of a mixed experience for me.
The story follows two timelines—Anna in 1900 and her niece Julia in 1922—both shaped by their summers on a small island off the coast of Maine. There’s a strong emphasis on what freedom looks like for women during that time, and how that definition shifts depending on where you are in life.
Anna’s storyline was the strongest part of the book for me. I loved the concept of her secretly writing a bestselling book about girls living freely while she herself is navigating the very limitations she’s pushing against. There’s a quiet rebellion to her character that felt believable for the time period, and her perspective carried a lot of the emotional weight of the story.
Julia’s timeline didn’t hit me the same way. Her story is more reflective, looking back on those childhood summers with a different lens, but it felt slower and harder to stay connected to. I understood what the author was doing—showing how ideas of independence evolve—but it didn’t fully land for me in the same way Anna’s did.
The setting is beautifully done. You can feel that early 1900s coastal Maine atmosphere throughout the book, and it adds a lot to the overall tone. It’s immersive without being overly descriptive, which I appreciated.
That said, this is definitely a slower, more character-driven story. There were moments where it felt like it dragged, especially with some of the miscommunication between characters. It’s one of those recurring frustrations where a lot of tension comes from people not saying what they actually mean, and that’s not my favorite device.
I listened to this on audio, and Cassandra Campbell’s narration really helped carry the story. She does a great job differentiating between characters and timelines, and her delivery made it easier to stay engaged, even in the slower sections.
Overall, I’d rate this 3.5 stars. It’s well written, thoughtful, and has a lot of elements I typically enjoy, but it didn’t fully pull me in. If you love generational stories and slower-paced historical fiction focused on women’s lives, this will probably work really well for you—it just didn’t quite hit that mark for me.
3.5 rounded to 4
The story follows two timelines—Anna in 1900 and her niece Julia in 1922—both shaped by their summers on a small island off the coast of Maine. There’s a strong emphasis on what freedom looks like for women during that time, and how that definition shifts depending on where you are in life.
Anna’s storyline was the strongest part of the book for me. I loved the concept of her secretly writing a bestselling book about girls living freely while she herself is navigating the very limitations she’s pushing against. There’s a quiet rebellion to her character that felt believable for the time period, and her perspective carried a lot of the emotional weight of the story.
Julia’s timeline didn’t hit me the same way. Her story is more reflective, looking back on those childhood summers with a different lens, but it felt slower and harder to stay connected to. I understood what the author was doing—showing how ideas of independence evolve—but it didn’t fully land for me in the same way Anna’s did.
The setting is beautifully done. You can feel that early 1900s coastal Maine atmosphere throughout the book, and it adds a lot to the overall tone. It’s immersive without being overly descriptive, which I appreciated.
That said, this is definitely a slower, more character-driven story. There were moments where it felt like it dragged, especially with some of the miscommunication between characters. It’s one of those recurring frustrations where a lot of tension comes from people not saying what they actually mean, and that’s not my favorite device.
I listened to this on audio, and Cassandra Campbell’s narration really helped carry the story. She does a great job differentiating between characters and timelines, and her delivery made it easier to stay engaged, even in the slower sections.
Overall, I’d rate this 3.5 stars. It’s well written, thoughtful, and has a lot of elements I typically enjoy, but it didn’t fully pull me in. If you love generational stories and slower-paced historical fiction focused on women’s lives, this will probably work really well for you—it just didn’t quite hit that mark for me.
3.5 rounded to 4
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Historical fiction set in two timelines, the years immediately before and after the turn of the twentieth century and the WWI years and its aftermath, in Boston, Casco Bay (Maine), and Washington, DC.
The main storyline is about a family, the Demarests—and friends of that family—who summer on an island in Casco Bay, Maine, breaking with the tradition of Boston Brahmins, who usually summered in Newport, Rhode Island. I will say at the outset that I found the rapid introduction of so many characters quite confusing and it took me a long time in the book to keep the characters straight. I also found the characters rather two-dimensional, but the story was compelling.
This multigenerational story is a tale about the women’s suffrage movement and women’s desire for self-determination, and it traces the development of thinking women’s roles in society. That development is traced through grandmother Lillian’s beliefs that women have only a proscribed place in the home, to her daughters Anna and Elizabeth, who are navigating changes in society while being under the influence of their mother, and finally to Elizabeth’s daughter Julia, who is a rebel and refuses to accept the old way of thinking about a woman’s place in the world.
Elizabeth, trying to give her daughter more choices than she had, allows Julia and her friends to row to a small nearby island they dub Liberty, where they frequently camp out and have imaginative adventures. Her sister Anna, who at first glance is the more progressive, shunning marriage until later in life, misreads her sister’s intentions, thinking she is just trying to keep the spirited Julia, with whom Anna has a close relationship, out of her hair.
As I alluded to before, while I did think the story was good and I never found my interest flagging, the confusion with the characters at the beginning was somewhat off-putting, and I never really felt the characters were as fully developed as they could have been. A solid, engaging read, if somewhat flawed. Three-and-a-half stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Ms. Hume for providing me with an ARC of this lovely novel, with an expected release date of May 5, 2026.
The main storyline is about a family, the Demarests—and friends of that family—who summer on an island in Casco Bay, Maine, breaking with the tradition of Boston Brahmins, who usually summered in Newport, Rhode Island. I will say at the outset that I found the rapid introduction of so many characters quite confusing and it took me a long time in the book to keep the characters straight. I also found the characters rather two-dimensional, but the story was compelling.
This multigenerational story is a tale about the women’s suffrage movement and women’s desire for self-determination, and it traces the development of thinking women’s roles in society. That development is traced through grandmother Lillian’s beliefs that women have only a proscribed place in the home, to her daughters Anna and Elizabeth, who are navigating changes in society while being under the influence of their mother, and finally to Elizabeth’s daughter Julia, who is a rebel and refuses to accept the old way of thinking about a woman’s place in the world.
Elizabeth, trying to give her daughter more choices than she had, allows Julia and her friends to row to a small nearby island they dub Liberty, where they frequently camp out and have imaginative adventures. Her sister Anna, who at first glance is the more progressive, shunning marriage until later in life, misreads her sister’s intentions, thinking she is just trying to keep the spirited Julia, with whom Anna has a close relationship, out of her hair.
As I alluded to before, while I did think the story was good and I never found my interest flagging, the confusion with the characters at the beginning was somewhat off-putting, and I never really felt the characters were as fully developed as they could have been. A solid, engaging read, if somewhat flawed. Three-and-a-half stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Ms. Hume for providing me with an ARC of this lovely novel, with an expected release date of May 5, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read a free advance digital review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
This novel is set in different periods in the very late 19th century and early 20th century. It’s set in an island in Casco Bay, Maine, Boston, New York, and Washington, DC. Its focus is on social restrictions and expectations for women, with one aspect being the struggle for women’s suffrage. Sounds didactic, doesn’t it? But it isn’t. There is a broad cast of well-drawn characters, with the most appealing being Anna, who ends up pseudonymously writing a series of books about adventurous girls on a Maine island that is based on her summers spent with her sister’s family, especially her niece, Julia. Then, Julia grows up and we learn about the young adult life of a woman who struggles with the expectations many have for a woman of her well-to-do class, and with her own adventurous nature.
The book is well written, there is a vivid sense of time and place, and the characters are either relatable or suitably detestable. There will definitely be an audience of readers who enjoy and appreciate the book. It just wasn’t for me. There was just way too much time spent on people misunderstanding each other because of their failure to simply say what they were thinking or ask questions. This is a common trope, and one that irritates me no end. I was also bothered by the odd anti-socialist attitudes spouted by several characters, including Julia. They seemed so simplistic, and most of the critical statements they made could be applied to just about any -ism and any fanatical adherent to an -ism. I don’t think it was at all necessary for the plot to get into this topic to get into this, but there it is. Finally, it was just too romance-y for my taste. I picked the book mainly because of the Casco Bay setting (since that’s where I live), but I should have been warned off by the description’s comparison to Beatriz Williams, a writer of historical fiction whose work I have tried and disliked. So, really, this is on me, and my rating reflects my reading tastes more than the quality of the writing.
This novel is set in different periods in the very late 19th century and early 20th century. It’s set in an island in Casco Bay, Maine, Boston, New York, and Washington, DC. Its focus is on social restrictions and expectations for women, with one aspect being the struggle for women’s suffrage. Sounds didactic, doesn’t it? But it isn’t. There is a broad cast of well-drawn characters, with the most appealing being Anna, who ends up pseudonymously writing a series of books about adventurous girls on a Maine island that is based on her summers spent with her sister’s family, especially her niece, Julia. Then, Julia grows up and we learn about the young adult life of a woman who struggles with the expectations many have for a woman of her well-to-do class, and with her own adventurous nature.
The book is well written, there is a vivid sense of time and place, and the characters are either relatable or suitably detestable. There will definitely be an audience of readers who enjoy and appreciate the book. It just wasn’t for me. There was just way too much time spent on people misunderstanding each other because of their failure to simply say what they were thinking or ask questions. This is a common trope, and one that irritates me no end. I was also bothered by the odd anti-socialist attitudes spouted by several characters, including Julia. They seemed so simplistic, and most of the critical statements they made could be applied to just about any -ism and any fanatical adherent to an -ism. I don’t think it was at all necessary for the plot to get into this topic to get into this, but there it is. Finally, it was just too romance-y for my taste. I picked the book mainly because of the Casco Bay setting (since that’s where I live), but I should have been warned off by the description’s comparison to Beatriz Williams, a writer of historical fiction whose work I have tried and disliked. So, really, this is on me, and my rating reflects my reading tastes more than the quality of the writing.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the early eARC of this book.
This book has two ambitious women as the main characters, Anna, a "spinster" sister and her niece, headstrong Julia. The story is told in alternating chapters in two timelines- during the 1900s and 1910s. In the first half of the book, it is difficult to keep straight and actually took me a second to realize that "old" Julia was the same girl as the young precocious girl talked of in the previous chapter. There are so many characters, and so many timelines that I found myself flipping back to chapter titles and previous references often to keep track of who was who.
The 1900s story is told of Boston society that summers on Haven's Point, a small island community. The 1910s story is told in Boston, and eventually Washington as Julia and her college friends grow up and fight for woman's suffrage and right to work. Anna has always been a believer in woman's rights, the fight for the vote, and the importance of career over marriage. Many of the characters in the book are in both storylines, which adds to the confusion. Because the book is set early in the century, the language it is written in is old, proper, and plodding, which affected my pace of reading, and being able to be absorbed into the story.
However, half way through things really start to improve, you get used to the who's who of characters and things start to flow a bit easier. The last 40% I read in one sitting, the characters were enlightened (the author really makes their growth obvious, kind of bashes you over the head with it) and you are invested in the happily ever after. I liked the characters, I liked the evolution of both Anna's and Julia's characters and the explanations of the times and societal propriety.
The beginning of the book is a bit dry and confusing, but the end gets a rhythm, a bit more excitement and you see the characters grow, so I did wind up enjoying it. It seemed a much longer book than it is. 3.5 stars.
This book has two ambitious women as the main characters, Anna, a "spinster" sister and her niece, headstrong Julia. The story is told in alternating chapters in two timelines- during the 1900s and 1910s. In the first half of the book, it is difficult to keep straight and actually took me a second to realize that "old" Julia was the same girl as the young precocious girl talked of in the previous chapter. There are so many characters, and so many timelines that I found myself flipping back to chapter titles and previous references often to keep track of who was who.
The 1900s story is told of Boston society that summers on Haven's Point, a small island community. The 1910s story is told in Boston, and eventually Washington as Julia and her college friends grow up and fight for woman's suffrage and right to work. Anna has always been a believer in woman's rights, the fight for the vote, and the importance of career over marriage. Many of the characters in the book are in both storylines, which adds to the confusion. Because the book is set early in the century, the language it is written in is old, proper, and plodding, which affected my pace of reading, and being able to be absorbed into the story.
However, half way through things really start to improve, you get used to the who's who of characters and things start to flow a bit easier. The last 40% I read in one sitting, the characters were enlightened (the author really makes their growth obvious, kind of bashes you over the head with it) and you are invested in the happily ever after. I liked the characters, I liked the evolution of both Anna's and Julia's characters and the explanations of the times and societal propriety.
The beginning of the book is a bit dry and confusing, but the end gets a rhythm, a bit more excitement and you see the characters grow, so I did wind up enjoying it. It seemed a much longer book than it is. 3.5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
I chose to request an advanced reader copy of this book mostly because I love any book set in Maine and I love an intergenerational family saga centered around women's relationships. This book was a slow start for me (WAY too many characters introduced in the first two chapters alone) but did start to pick up and ultimately I found a lot I enjoyed in it.
I really liked both of our main characters Anna and Julia, and the different ways they both were finding their place in the world, advocating for themselves and women's voices and freedoms, and also figuring out various relationships - friends, family and romance. I don't typically read about either of the time periods this book was set - late 1800s Boston/Maine society and late 1910s/early 1920s literary/young set figuring out their beliefs in the US around various movements including Socialism, Freudianism and other ways of pushing back on generations before them. The author clearly did SO much research, reading her author's note at the end I had such appreciation for how seriously she took her work. I love learning about the ways women have fought for freedom in any era, and thought the author did a good job of depicting how different women used their unique personalities to advocate in different ways (some more overly than others).
I do think perhaps there were just too many characters in this book, and I never felt the author really captured the setting in Maine like I was hoping for. I liked that there was some romance and wished there had been a bit more depth/lead up especially in one storyline but it was still rewarding. I think readers who enjoy Beatriz Williams may be drawn to this story, or anyone looking to learn more about this time period and loves generational stories that focus on mother/daughter and sister relationships.
I chose to request an advanced reader copy of this book mostly because I love any book set in Maine and I love an intergenerational family saga centered around women's relationships. This book was a slow start for me (WAY too many characters introduced in the first two chapters alone) but did start to pick up and ultimately I found a lot I enjoyed in it.
I really liked both of our main characters Anna and Julia, and the different ways they both were finding their place in the world, advocating for themselves and women's voices and freedoms, and also figuring out various relationships - friends, family and romance. I don't typically read about either of the time periods this book was set - late 1800s Boston/Maine society and late 1910s/early 1920s literary/young set figuring out their beliefs in the US around various movements including Socialism, Freudianism and other ways of pushing back on generations before them. The author clearly did SO much research, reading her author's note at the end I had such appreciation for how seriously she took her work. I love learning about the ways women have fought for freedom in any era, and thought the author did a good job of depicting how different women used their unique personalities to advocate in different ways (some more overly than others).
I do think perhaps there were just too many characters in this book, and I never felt the author really captured the setting in Maine like I was hoping for. I liked that there was some romance and wished there had been a bit more depth/lead up especially in one storyline but it was still rewarding. I think readers who enjoy Beatriz Williams may be drawn to this story, or anyone looking to learn more about this time period and loves generational stories that focus on mother/daughter and sister relationships.
May 6, 2026
Liberty Island feels like a beautiful reprieve—a return to softer, simpler days before adulthood layered on its responsibilities and the constant hum of encumbering technology. In that quiet space, relationships are allowed to breathe, to deepen, to unfold with an unhurried richness that feels increasingly rare. Liberty Island reminds us how connection once grew: lived out loud, in person, with (mostly) face to face interactions instead of emojis and memes sent over the internet. There is a gentle invitation here to linger, to rediscover the kind of presence that allows both love and self-understanding to take root. As we read, something in us slows down enough to notice not only the world around us, but our own hearts and beliefs.
Within that stillness, a deeper narrative emerges—one that follows women across seasons of life as they learn what freedom looks like for themselves. Real life shifts, expands, and, as new information is learned, we contradict what we once believed to be true. Through curious introspection, a quiet but persistent question arises: is our identity shaped by what others see, what they expect of us, by who we long to become, or by who we already are? This book is a sweet illustration of an ever-unfolding balance between external perception and internal truth, where each woman claims the authority to define herself on her own terms.
This book evokes the age old adage: is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Hume answers it beautifully.
My children and I shall go outside to play pirates and have a picnic lunch today in honor of Liberty Island.
Spice: 0/5 🌶️
Gore: 1/5 🩸
Big thanks to Macmillian Audio, St. Martin Press's, and NetGalley for the ARC! Macmillian's library of audiobooks is truly stunning!
Within that stillness, a deeper narrative emerges—one that follows women across seasons of life as they learn what freedom looks like for themselves. Real life shifts, expands, and, as new information is learned, we contradict what we once believed to be true. Through curious introspection, a quiet but persistent question arises: is our identity shaped by what others see, what they expect of us, by who we long to become, or by who we already are? This book is a sweet illustration of an ever-unfolding balance between external perception and internal truth, where each woman claims the authority to define herself on her own terms.
This book evokes the age old adage: is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Hume answers it beautifully.
My children and I shall go outside to play pirates and have a picnic lunch today in honor of Liberty Island.
Spice: 0/5 🌶️
Gore: 1/5 🩸
Big thanks to Macmillian Audio, St. Martin Press's, and NetGalley for the ARC! Macmillian's library of audiobooks is truly stunning!
May 5, 2026
***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
This is a dual-timeline story, with one timeline taking place in 1900, and the other in 1922. In the 1900 timeline Anna Bradley spends summer days supervising her niece Julia Demarest & 2 other young girls on an island off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. There, the girls run free, pretending to be all the things society says they cannot: pirates and rum runners, treasure hunters and Roughriders. Inspired by their antics, Anna writes "Liberty Island" under a pen name. It is a huge bestseller, even if it isn't well-received by the society matrons in her sister's circle, who believe books for girls should be to prepare them for their future as wives and mothers. In the 1922 timeline, Julia is now 29-years-old, where she was once proud of her aunt's books, now she feels they are outdated and quaint. In an effort to break free of expectations, she has ended up alienated from her family and heartbroken when a romantic entanglement with a free-spirited intellectual ends badly. When she is urgently called back to Haven Point, Julia is confronted by all the things she's been trying to escape, and forced to reconsider what truly brings her happiness.
This was a slow burn for almost the entire book. Because the chapters were alternating between the voices of Julia and Anna, and there were several characters introduced right at the beginning for each timeline, I did have a hard time keeping the timelines straight. There were a few points where the storyline took off momentarily and things got interesting, but otherwise, it just seemed to plod along. Overall, a solid 3 out of 5 stars.
This is a dual-timeline story, with one timeline taking place in 1900, and the other in 1922. In the 1900 timeline Anna Bradley spends summer days supervising her niece Julia Demarest & 2 other young girls on an island off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. There, the girls run free, pretending to be all the things society says they cannot: pirates and rum runners, treasure hunters and Roughriders. Inspired by their antics, Anna writes "Liberty Island" under a pen name. It is a huge bestseller, even if it isn't well-received by the society matrons in her sister's circle, who believe books for girls should be to prepare them for their future as wives and mothers. In the 1922 timeline, Julia is now 29-years-old, where she was once proud of her aunt's books, now she feels they are outdated and quaint. In an effort to break free of expectations, she has ended up alienated from her family and heartbroken when a romantic entanglement with a free-spirited intellectual ends badly. When she is urgently called back to Haven Point, Julia is confronted by all the things she's been trying to escape, and forced to reconsider what truly brings her happiness.
This was a slow burn for almost the entire book. Because the chapters were alternating between the voices of Julia and Anna, and there were several characters introduced right at the beginning for each timeline, I did have a hard time keeping the timelines straight. There were a few points where the storyline took off momentarily and things got interesting, but otherwise, it just seemed to plod along. Overall, a solid 3 out of 5 stars.
May 10, 2026
Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing an ALC
The only thing that lowered my rating was how quickly the book throws a huge number of characters at you. For the first 20% I kept thinking, “Wait—who is that?” A simple family tree or cast list to flip back to would have helped a lot. Being introduced all at once to Clarissa, Lillian, Rhinelander, Serena, Judith, Nora, Graham, Jerome, Elizabeth, Anna, Julia, William, Maudie, Louisa, Ruthie, Pelham, Mina, Bess, and more was overwhelming. Even authors known for large ensembles—like Brandon Sanderson and George R. R. Martin—typically ease readers in more gradually.
Overall, this is a great summer read. I almost wish I’d read it on the beach at a lakeside retreat to match the atmosphere the story creates.
This historical novel unfolds across two timelines: the years around the turn of the twentieth century and the World War I era and its aftermath, set in Boston, Casco Bay (Maine), and Washington, DC.
The multigenerational arc focuses on women’s suffrage and the push for self-determination, tracing shifting ideas about women’s roles. It begins with the grandmother, Lillian, who believes women belong strictly in the home; moves to her daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, as they navigate changing expectations under their mother’s influence; and culminates with Elizabeth’s daughter, Julia, a rebel who refuses to accept the old rules.
Overall, I found the story engaging throughout, but the early character overload was a drawback, and I never felt the cast was as fully developed as it could have been. Still, it’s a solid, enjoyable read—just not without flaws.
The only thing that lowered my rating was how quickly the book throws a huge number of characters at you. For the first 20% I kept thinking, “Wait—who is that?” A simple family tree or cast list to flip back to would have helped a lot. Being introduced all at once to Clarissa, Lillian, Rhinelander, Serena, Judith, Nora, Graham, Jerome, Elizabeth, Anna, Julia, William, Maudie, Louisa, Ruthie, Pelham, Mina, Bess, and more was overwhelming. Even authors known for large ensembles—like Brandon Sanderson and George R. R. Martin—typically ease readers in more gradually.
Overall, this is a great summer read. I almost wish I’d read it on the beach at a lakeside retreat to match the atmosphere the story creates.
This historical novel unfolds across two timelines: the years around the turn of the twentieth century and the World War I era and its aftermath, set in Boston, Casco Bay (Maine), and Washington, DC.
The multigenerational arc focuses on women’s suffrage and the push for self-determination, tracing shifting ideas about women’s roles. It begins with the grandmother, Lillian, who believes women belong strictly in the home; moves to her daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, as they navigate changing expectations under their mother’s influence; and culminates with Elizabeth’s daughter, Julia, a rebel who refuses to accept the old rules.
Overall, I found the story engaging throughout, but the early character overload was a drawback, and I never felt the cast was as fully developed as it could have been. Still, it’s a solid, enjoyable read—just not without flaws.
May 9, 2026
Liberty Island took awhile to really take off but once it did, I wanted it to keep going.
Anna has recently graduated college and is eager to prove herself as a scholar and an independent woman so it wasn’t in her plans to have to chaperone her niece Julia and her friends on a little island off the coast of Maine, but on this isolated island, the girls are free from the societal expectations put on them and they can play pirates, explore, and be raucous. Their unchained way of life inspires Anna to write it down and so “Liberty Island” is penned. Society absolutely isn’t ready for it and so Anna stays anonymous.
Years later, adult Julia is living during the suffragette movement, war, and the rapidly evolving ideals of her peers. Struggling to find her place between the sanctuary — or purgatory? — of her childhood preserved in literature and the modern intellectual scene insisting she throw off all societal constraints, Julia finds herself isolated from her family and the little girl whose imagination launched a revolution in children’s literature that wasn’t simply moralizing.
As I said, the earlier chapters were slow moving but once we got to adult Anna, I was locked in. Her desire to see the suffrage movement come to life and how it directly tied to the wild antics she saw in her youth were very well done. I keep watching the people around her get closer and closer to figuring out her secret.
Liberty Island will be published May 5, 2026 and I received an advanced copy to Netgalley in exchange for my review.
Anna has recently graduated college and is eager to prove herself as a scholar and an independent woman so it wasn’t in her plans to have to chaperone her niece Julia and her friends on a little island off the coast of Maine, but on this isolated island, the girls are free from the societal expectations put on them and they can play pirates, explore, and be raucous. Their unchained way of life inspires Anna to write it down and so “Liberty Island” is penned. Society absolutely isn’t ready for it and so Anna stays anonymous.
Years later, adult Julia is living during the suffragette movement, war, and the rapidly evolving ideals of her peers. Struggling to find her place between the sanctuary — or purgatory? — of her childhood preserved in literature and the modern intellectual scene insisting she throw off all societal constraints, Julia finds herself isolated from her family and the little girl whose imagination launched a revolution in children’s literature that wasn’t simply moralizing.
As I said, the earlier chapters were slow moving but once we got to adult Anna, I was locked in. Her desire to see the suffrage movement come to life and how it directly tied to the wild antics she saw in her youth were very well done. I keep watching the people around her get closer and closer to figuring out her secret.
Liberty Island will be published May 5, 2026 and I received an advanced copy to Netgalley in exchange for my review.
February 2, 2026
What good would that do? becomes the quiet reflection of Liberty Island, a story of women’s roles and resistance across a multigenerational family spanning the late 1800s and early 1900s. With strong female characters, the story traces a powerful evolution in thinking: from Lillian, the grandmother’s rigid belief in a woman’s prescribed place, to sisters Anna and Elizabeth, who carefully navigate the changing environment with inner resolve, and finally to the youngest, Julia, openly rebellious and unwilling to accept the limits imposed on her.
The novel introduces a wide cast of characters that is confusing at times, though Anna and Julia emerge as its emotional anchors. Alternating as narrators of their personal struggles, aha moments, and growth, the story was much clearer and engaging.
At its core, Liberty Island is a story of women’s suffrage and self-determination. It delves into relationships: between men and women, mothers and daughters, sisters, and friends bound together by shared constraints and divergent dreams.
Hume’s writing is often strikingly beautiful, filled with thoughtfully crafted analogies on the progress of women and personal growth. I found this novel prompted my own reflections alongside the characters while cheering for the subtle yet defiant tone. It captures the complexity of a time when women’s expectations rarely extended beyond home and family and embraces the courage to imagine something more.
Thanks to the author Virgina Hume, St. Martin’s Publishing Group, and Goodreads giveaways for an advanced reader copy. I look forward to more of Hume’s work.
The novel introduces a wide cast of characters that is confusing at times, though Anna and Julia emerge as its emotional anchors. Alternating as narrators of their personal struggles, aha moments, and growth, the story was much clearer and engaging.
At its core, Liberty Island is a story of women’s suffrage and self-determination. It delves into relationships: between men and women, mothers and daughters, sisters, and friends bound together by shared constraints and divergent dreams.
Hume’s writing is often strikingly beautiful, filled with thoughtfully crafted analogies on the progress of women and personal growth. I found this novel prompted my own reflections alongside the characters while cheering for the subtle yet defiant tone. It captures the complexity of a time when women’s expectations rarely extended beyond home and family and embraces the courage to imagine something more.
Thanks to the author Virgina Hume, St. Martin’s Publishing Group, and Goodreads giveaways for an advanced reader copy. I look forward to more of Hume’s work.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 ⭐️
This is a dual timeline novel with one timeline being 1900, and Anna is caring for niece Julia and two other girls on an island. She encourages them to act as freely as possibly and takes inspiration from them to write a children’s book entitled “Liberty Island.”
In the other timeline, in late 1910s/early 1920s, Julia is older and making her way in the world. She is caught between her younger ways and what society expects from her (being a lady and marrying well). She is also involved in the women’s suffrage movement.
I appreciated this novel and the lens it shined on the women’s suffrage movement, societal expectations, and that it gave some historical aspects (communism, Margaret Fuller, philosophical differences during that time).
This has all the early 1900s New England vibes. This would be fantastic to read while on vacation there!
I really think this could have used a family tree or character list to reference. I read this over a course of several days, and, while I could keep the main characters apart, I often needed reminding of how all of the women were connected, especially as there were multiple generations involved. The romance pieces were a little too obvious, and the entire novel unfurled as I expected, so there were very few surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advance Reader Copy. My review is completely my own.
It publishes May 5, 2026.
This is a dual timeline novel with one timeline being 1900, and Anna is caring for niece Julia and two other girls on an island. She encourages them to act as freely as possibly and takes inspiration from them to write a children’s book entitled “Liberty Island.”
In the other timeline, in late 1910s/early 1920s, Julia is older and making her way in the world. She is caught between her younger ways and what society expects from her (being a lady and marrying well). She is also involved in the women’s suffrage movement.
I appreciated this novel and the lens it shined on the women’s suffrage movement, societal expectations, and that it gave some historical aspects (communism, Margaret Fuller, philosophical differences during that time).
This has all the early 1900s New England vibes. This would be fantastic to read while on vacation there!
I really think this could have used a family tree or character list to reference. I read this over a course of several days, and, while I could keep the main characters apart, I often needed reminding of how all of the women were connected, especially as there were multiple generations involved. The romance pieces were a little too obvious, and the entire novel unfurled as I expected, so there were very few surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advance Reader Copy. My review is completely my own.
It publishes May 5, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lovely historical fiction/ romance set in the waning days of the 19th C and early 20th C as women’s rights were emerging. Told against the background mainly of Boston and Maine, where a family spends their summer, this book delivers a lovely story of mothers and daughters.
The book alternates in time and POV. Anna Bradley spent her summers on Liberty Island caring for her nieces one of whom is Julia Demarest who occupies the other POV. Anna has written a popular children’s series of books, Liberty Island, but wishes to remain anonymous. Fiercely independent she has chosen not to marry until her past returns. Julia goes off to college and becomes involved in women’s organizations especially the right to vote. She goes on to cultivate bohemian ideas which alienates her from her family. And she sees the Liberty Island books she once adored as quaint and out of touch. But she too is independent and doesn’t want to settle for just anything. The book examines women’s coming of age at a time when America was coming off the Gilded Age and WWI and their desire to be different from their mothers.
This book is magically written. It flows in a gentle and tender course. Its character driven but location plays into the tone and atmosphere. I loved Julia. She was striving to be so modern but still struggled to separate from her roots. Her romance with Michael was sweet.
If you’ve read Beatriz Williams or even Sarah Blake’s The Guest House, this is a good book to check out.
The book alternates in time and POV. Anna Bradley spent her summers on Liberty Island caring for her nieces one of whom is Julia Demarest who occupies the other POV. Anna has written a popular children’s series of books, Liberty Island, but wishes to remain anonymous. Fiercely independent she has chosen not to marry until her past returns. Julia goes off to college and becomes involved in women’s organizations especially the right to vote. She goes on to cultivate bohemian ideas which alienates her from her family. And she sees the Liberty Island books she once adored as quaint and out of touch. But she too is independent and doesn’t want to settle for just anything. The book examines women’s coming of age at a time when America was coming off the Gilded Age and WWI and their desire to be different from their mothers.
This book is magically written. It flows in a gentle and tender course. Its character driven but location plays into the tone and atmosphere. I loved Julia. She was striving to be so modern but still struggled to separate from her roots. Her romance with Michael was sweet.
If you’ve read Beatriz Williams or even Sarah Blake’s The Guest House, this is a good book to check out.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved Liberty Island by Virginia Hume for its cozy feel and theme of strength among women, mothers and daughters.
The book features the point of view of Anna, an independent woman in 1900 who spends the summer supervising her niece and a few other little girls at an exclusive East coast island, who become the inspiration for a series of children's books called, "Liberty Island." The other point of view is that of Julia, the niece, who is coming of age in 1922 and finding her way in the world of woman's suffrage as it competes with her traditional upbringing that expects her only to marry and become a mother. A recurring theme of the book is that of women reconciling societal and family expectations with their own desires.
I liked seeing how strong women were portrayed in the book; they don't have to come off as bold or brassy to show they are strong - a woman with quiet strength, like Elizabeth, who is Julia's mother and Anna's sister, is powerful in her way; she could sit back, say a few well-placed and well-timed words while still making an impact. I especially appreciated how Julia and Anna came to notice this by the end of the story.
I didn't realize this author had written a previous book sharing some characters, but I will definitely go back and read that one, too.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The book features the point of view of Anna, an independent woman in 1900 who spends the summer supervising her niece and a few other little girls at an exclusive East coast island, who become the inspiration for a series of children's books called, "Liberty Island." The other point of view is that of Julia, the niece, who is coming of age in 1922 and finding her way in the world of woman's suffrage as it competes with her traditional upbringing that expects her only to marry and become a mother. A recurring theme of the book is that of women reconciling societal and family expectations with their own desires.
I liked seeing how strong women were portrayed in the book; they don't have to come off as bold or brassy to show they are strong - a woman with quiet strength, like Elizabeth, who is Julia's mother and Anna's sister, is powerful in her way; she could sit back, say a few well-placed and well-timed words while still making an impact. I especially appreciated how Julia and Anna came to notice this by the end of the story.
I didn't realize this author had written a previous book sharing some characters, but I will definitely go back and read that one, too.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 30, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me a free copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
A quiet and absorbing coming of age/dual timeline historical fiction story that definitely swept me away.
Now, I will say, it did take me just a bit to really get into it, but by the time I started part 2, I was completely immersed in the stories of these women.
The backbone of the story, for me at least, was Julia. We alternate between her POV in the 1910s-1920s, and her aunt’s POV around the turn of the 19th century, where we see Julia as a rambunctious little girl, when rambunctious little girls were *not acceptable*.
The “past” sections were primarily set on the Maine Island that inspired Julia’s Aunt Anna’s published stories, while in the “future” we experience Julia figuring herself out in her young adulthood during the tumultuous times of women’s suffrage, WWI, and Prohibition.
And, of course I, a huge romance lover, was definitely living for the lurve stories. 😍
But what really got the tears flowing were the relationships, especially with Julia’s mom and best friend, and oh…I was definitely sobbing in the kitchen…again. 😭
Audiobook notes: Cassandra Campbell was a wonderful narrator, moving seamlessly through characters and time periods. Her delivery and voice definitely had me transported to the time periods (I definitely feel this was assisted by the writing style, as well). Definitely a fabulous audiobook to get absorbed by.
What this book is giving:
✅ Historical Fiction
✅ 1898-1922
✅ Maine Island
✅ Coming of Age
✅ Women Ahead of Their Time
✅ Love & Relationships
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5
A quiet and absorbing coming of age/dual timeline historical fiction story that definitely swept me away.
Now, I will say, it did take me just a bit to really get into it, but by the time I started part 2, I was completely immersed in the stories of these women.
The backbone of the story, for me at least, was Julia. We alternate between her POV in the 1910s-1920s, and her aunt’s POV around the turn of the 19th century, where we see Julia as a rambunctious little girl, when rambunctious little girls were *not acceptable*.
The “past” sections were primarily set on the Maine Island that inspired Julia’s Aunt Anna’s published stories, while in the “future” we experience Julia figuring herself out in her young adulthood during the tumultuous times of women’s suffrage, WWI, and Prohibition.
And, of course I, a huge romance lover, was definitely living for the lurve stories. 😍
But what really got the tears flowing were the relationships, especially with Julia’s mom and best friend, and oh…I was definitely sobbing in the kitchen…again. 😭
Audiobook notes: Cassandra Campbell was a wonderful narrator, moving seamlessly through characters and time periods. Her delivery and voice definitely had me transported to the time periods (I definitely feel this was assisted by the writing style, as well). Definitely a fabulous audiobook to get absorbed by.
What this book is giving:
✅ Historical Fiction
✅ 1898-1922
✅ Maine Island
✅ Coming of Age
✅ Women Ahead of Their Time
✅ Love & Relationships
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don’t recall ever trying as hard to love a book as I tried with this one. Something about this premise, the cover, the atmosphere, and the time in American history drew me in. It was also beautifully written and wonderfully narrated with SFC’s at the helm. I was extremely fortunate to receive both an ARC and ALC, so my experience of this story was immersive.
The first chapter really captured me, but then I found myself listening and re-listening / reading and re-reading latter chapters. At first I blamed my squirrel brain, but later realized that it was probably a combo of my remarkably flexible attention span and the book's intellectual density being out of sync. There were many characters and so much was going on, that it took me out of the story at times. I never fully clicked with anyone or any of the plots. I recommend reading or listening when distractions in life are few. I recommend this one to those who like quiet atmospheric reads with multiple characters, layers of subplots, and dual timelines. And if you enjoy Cassandra Campbell’s narrations like I do, she brings this book to life.
I would like to read more by this author, though, so overall I can say I was left feeling generally positive about the experience. So for this reason, I am upgrading this 3.5 rated book to a 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
The first chapter really captured me, but then I found myself listening and re-listening / reading and re-reading latter chapters. At first I blamed my squirrel brain, but later realized that it was probably a combo of my remarkably flexible attention span and the book's intellectual density being out of sync. There were many characters and so much was going on, that it took me out of the story at times. I never fully clicked with anyone or any of the plots. I recommend reading or listening when distractions in life are few. I recommend this one to those who like quiet atmospheric reads with multiple characters, layers of subplots, and dual timelines. And if you enjoy Cassandra Campbell’s narrations like I do, she brings this book to life.
I would like to read more by this author, though, so overall I can say I was left feeling generally positive about the experience. So for this reason, I am upgrading this 3.5 rated book to a 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1900 - Anna watches over 3 young girls on an island off the coast of Maine. They name their island Jumaru, for each of their names. These girls have imaginations and energy to dream of being pirates, treasure hunters digging up holes everywhere and one of Teddy's RoughRiders. Anna's independent spirit leads her to writing a book for children under a pen name, which becomes very popular.
1922 - Julia, having been one of the girls on the island under Anna's watch, is now 29 and bit of a free-thinker and still as spunky as she was a child. She has no desire to be a society wife as her grandmother and parents wants her to be and certainly no desire to marry who she is expected to marry. As she is summoned back home, she only wants to find the freedom she once had back on Jumaru.
Will her family squelch the spirit in Julia or will she find a way to break free.? So much happens to hurt Julia, but she is strong and determined.
The book starts with a LOT of on names, so Reader take notes. It does seem slow to build the story, but I will say I loved Julia from the beginning and even more so as the story unfolds.
Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio for advanced copies of the e-book and audiobook. I really enjoyed pairing the audio with the book!
**And a special thanks to St. Martin's Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy of the book - always a treasure to receive early!
1922 - Julia, having been one of the girls on the island under Anna's watch, is now 29 and bit of a free-thinker and still as spunky as she was a child. She has no desire to be a society wife as her grandmother and parents wants her to be and certainly no desire to marry who she is expected to marry. As she is summoned back home, she only wants to find the freedom she once had back on Jumaru.
Will her family squelch the spirit in Julia or will she find a way to break free.? So much happens to hurt Julia, but she is strong and determined.
The book starts with a LOT of on names, so Reader take notes. It does seem slow to build the story, but I will say I loved Julia from the beginning and even more so as the story unfolds.
Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio for advanced copies of the e-book and audiobook. I really enjoyed pairing the audio with the book!
**And a special thanks to St. Martin's Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy of the book - always a treasure to receive early!
May 6, 2026
Liberty Island by Virginia Hume is a story about family. It takes place at the family summer home in Maine. Growing up, the young girls in the family wanted to have adventures like the boys. So the girls Aunt finds a little island right off the coast of Maine right in view of the family summer home. The girls dubbed their special place Liberty Island. Liberty Island was the place to have adventures. The same Aunt of these girls decided to put her writing skills to work and wrote a series of books based on the girls adventures. At the time, the stories were somewhat out of the norm because young girls didn’t have ‘adventures’ like the boys did. The girls played imaginary pirates and treasure hunters.
The book switches timelines between these girls as children and them as young adults. The author does a great job with the characters of the girls. They are ‘adventurous’ smart, captivating, loving, caring as well as rich and deep. The secondary characters are well done too. I especially loved the Aunt. She was brave and didn’t let the social mores of the day stop her for fighting for women’s equality. The settings are beautifully descriptive especially of Liberty Island and the family summer home. You can smell the Atlantic Ocean, feel the sun, see the trees and hear the water lapping at the shores of the island.
The story felt like a family saga but shorter and without the heaviness. I really enjoyed the story. It was definitely memorable. Well done.
The book switches timelines between these girls as children and them as young adults. The author does a great job with the characters of the girls. They are ‘adventurous’ smart, captivating, loving, caring as well as rich and deep. The secondary characters are well done too. I especially loved the Aunt. She was brave and didn’t let the social mores of the day stop her for fighting for women’s equality. The settings are beautifully descriptive especially of Liberty Island and the family summer home. You can smell the Atlantic Ocean, feel the sun, see the trees and hear the water lapping at the shores of the island.
The story felt like a family saga but shorter and without the heaviness. I really enjoyed the story. It was definitely memorable. Well done.
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