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Embracing Island Life: Story Three of the Block Island Saga
She thought having a baby would make her life perfect… but now all she wants is a break.
Jackie Swanson is struggling. Between sleepless nights, a distant spouse, and a growing sense of dissatisfaction, she wonders if this life was meant for her. When an unexpected injury sidelines her husband, mounting bills force them to seek refuge at the Willowside Inn on Block Island, where only her sister's love can heal the wounds life has created.
Her sister, Joanie Wilson, thought running a bed-and-breakfast would be a breeze, but dipping reservations are complicated by planning a wedding, tiptoeing around their icy mother, and navigating her best friend’s grief.
Amid the chaos, Jackie seeks solace in the comfort of old and new friends and finds purpose in helping a fellow mother start a new business. When her husband heals, it is time to return to their ordinary life. But she is torn between her love for her family and this new life she has created.
Will she embrace island life or return to the place she longed to leave?
Join Jackie, Joanie, and Carly in Embracing Island Life, the third and final installment of The Block Island Saga. If you enjoy heartwarming stories about sisterly love, friendship, and charming small towns, you’ll love E.D. Hackett’s Embracing Island Life.
Jackie Swanson is struggling. Between sleepless nights, a distant spouse, and a growing sense of dissatisfaction, she wonders if this life was meant for her. When an unexpected injury sidelines her husband, mounting bills force them to seek refuge at the Willowside Inn on Block Island, where only her sister's love can heal the wounds life has created.
Her sister, Joanie Wilson, thought running a bed-and-breakfast would be a breeze, but dipping reservations are complicated by planning a wedding, tiptoeing around their icy mother, and navigating her best friend’s grief.
Amid the chaos, Jackie seeks solace in the comfort of old and new friends and finds purpose in helping a fellow mother start a new business. When her husband heals, it is time to return to their ordinary life. But she is torn between her love for her family and this new life she has created.
Will she embrace island life or return to the place she longed to leave?
Join Jackie, Joanie, and Carly in Embracing Island Life, the third and final installment of The Block Island Saga. If you enjoy heartwarming stories about sisterly love, friendship, and charming small towns, you’ll love E.D. Hackett’s Embracing Island Life.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2026
About the author
E.D. Hackett
23 books124 followersE.D. Hackett is an only child who always wanted a sister. You'll find themes of sisters and mother-daughter relationships in almost all her novels, where she concocts complex relationships wrapped in forgiveness. Edy lives in New England, where the beaches, lobsters, and quirky cafes are characters of their own.
She has two children (three if you count the dog), and in her spare time, she dreams about living in Ireland.
Edy is an Enneagram Two (The Helper) or maybe a 5 (The Investigator) and is growing a book coaching side hustle (The Story Keeper Book Coach) to help aspiring authors navigate the indie publishing world.
She has two children (three if you count the dog), and in her spare time, she dreams about living in Ireland.
Edy is an Enneagram Two (The Helper) or maybe a 5 (The Investigator) and is growing a book coaching side hustle (The Story Keeper Book Coach) to help aspiring authors navigate the indie publishing world.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 15, 2026
Endless turmoil!
This novel takes the reader on a seesaw of emotions (in addition to my own range of opinions about the story!) similar to what new mom Jackie is experiencing.
Jackie’s feelings about her baby, her husband and her extended family remain confused as she juggles family duties against a desire for freedom from responsibility and a measure of independence. She is quite an emotional character (although she hides this under her blankets) who looks for support from her husband, Chris, while he adopts a very laissez-faire attitude to their difficulties, usually being unaware of her inner discontent.
Joanie is equally uncertain regarding the future success of the inn, and tends to judge Jackie, rather than giving her the practical support she originally, and continually, offers. Perhaps, if one wants to understand the underlying emotional causes of the sisters’ insecurities, one needs to look at their upbringing.
The reader also gains a sense of being confined and unable to breathe freely in Newport, as opposed to a perception of release in the atmosphere of Block Island, beginning with the sea-breeze on the ferry.
An enjoyable story although at times I wanted to shake some level-headed ‘life-management’ skills into a few of the characters 😊! It was also difficult to recall details of the backstory since it’s been a while since reading Book 2.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This novel takes the reader on a seesaw of emotions (in addition to my own range of opinions about the story!) similar to what new mom Jackie is experiencing.
Jackie’s feelings about her baby, her husband and her extended family remain confused as she juggles family duties against a desire for freedom from responsibility and a measure of independence. She is quite an emotional character (although she hides this under her blankets) who looks for support from her husband, Chris, while he adopts a very laissez-faire attitude to their difficulties, usually being unaware of her inner discontent.
Joanie is equally uncertain regarding the future success of the inn, and tends to judge Jackie, rather than giving her the practical support she originally, and continually, offers. Perhaps, if one wants to understand the underlying emotional causes of the sisters’ insecurities, one needs to look at their upbringing.
The reader also gains a sense of being confined and unable to breathe freely in Newport, as opposed to a perception of release in the atmosphere of Block Island, beginning with the sea-breeze on the ferry.
An enjoyable story although at times I wanted to shake some level-headed ‘life-management’ skills into a few of the characters 😊! It was also difficult to recall details of the backstory since it’s been a while since reading Book 2.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 18, 2026
I was pulled into the story from the start. I got a great insight into what motherhood was like. Jackie and Chris were a realistic couple, and the difficulties they face are real and sensitively portrayed. Bella is a very cute baby.
Jackie and Joanie’s relationship as sisters is well shown.
The book is full of the ups and downs of life and I really enjoyed it. It’s emotional, happy, sad, thought-provoking, and heartwrenching.
It’s a shame that Embracing Island LIfe is the last novel in the Block Island Saga. I’m eager to find the first two books, as I felt fully immersed in this one.
5 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Jackie and Joanie’s relationship as sisters is well shown.
The book is full of the ups and downs of life and I really enjoyed it. It’s emotional, happy, sad, thought-provoking, and heartwrenching.
It’s a shame that Embracing Island LIfe is the last novel in the Block Island Saga. I’m eager to find the first two books, as I felt fully immersed in this one.
5 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The final episode of this series immediately draws you in to the story. The way Jackie is struggling with motherhood is relatable, especially with the transition from a working woman earning an income. The move to Block Island becomes inevitable, relying on her sister Joanie almost against her will. But Joanie is very busy, without the headspace to cope with her apparently difficult sister. The way the sisters learn to be with each other and other family members is well written, exploring honest communication, forgiveness and what a family actually is. A lovely read!
I received an ARC from the author via BookSirens, but my opinion is given voluntarily.
I received an ARC from the author via BookSirens, but my opinion is given voluntarily.
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May 15, 2026I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the third book in The Block Island Trilogy, by E.D. Hackett. I thoroughly enjoyed all three books. You really got to know and understand the main characters Carly, Joanie, and Jackie. They are very relatable in both their strengths and their struggles. When a read a book series, I frequently finish feeling unsatisfied, as there seems to be much unfinished business. By the time I finished “Embracing Island Life” I felt as if these three women, who I came to like and admire, were in a good place, and I could leave them, safe in the knowledge that they would be okay.
This is the third book in The Block Island Trilogy, by E.D. Hackett. I thoroughly enjoyed all three books. You really got to know and understand the main characters Carly, Joanie, and Jackie. They are very relatable in both their strengths and their struggles. When a read a book series, I frequently finish feeling unsatisfied, as there seems to be much unfinished business. By the time I finished “Embracing Island Life” I felt as if these three women, who I came to like and admire, were in a good place, and I could leave them, safe in the knowledge that they would be okay.
June 11, 2026
I Love These Characters!
Already invested in the Block Island cast, I had to know how their story continued. E.D. Hackett did not disappoint. Joanie and Matt, Jackie and Chris, Carly, and even Joanie and Jackie's mom grew in this story. The themes of postpartum depression, injury recovery, wedding, and business stress, and we can't forget the controlling mother of grown daughters all work together to keep the story intense and moving. Spoiler alert. It all comes together for a happy ending.
Already invested in the Block Island cast, I had to know how their story continued. E.D. Hackett did not disappoint. Joanie and Matt, Jackie and Chris, Carly, and even Joanie and Jackie's mom grew in this story. The themes of postpartum depression, injury recovery, wedding, and business stress, and we can't forget the controlling mother of grown daughters all work together to keep the story intense and moving. Spoiler alert. It all comes together for a happy ending.
August 9, 2026
Life is tough for Jackie: a new baby, post natal depression, no job and a husband who seems to work every daylight hour and comes home exhausted. When Chris breaks his ankle and is set to be off work for 10-12 hours, she reaches breaking point. With no income, they are forced to sublet their apartment and move to Block Island where Joanie can give her some support.
September 17, 2026
I have missed Block Island and realized I forgot to leave a rating for this third and final book!! Joanie, Carly, and Jackie will always have my heart. 🥹 (Don’t miss out on this trilogy!! It’s so good!!)
Review of advance copy received from Author
Embracing Island Life
I loved this final book in the series. I had been looking forward to this one and hoped that I would be invited to be one of the ARC readers. ARC readers are given a pre-publication of the book. Each person agrees to give an honest review.
The writing in this book pulled me in right away. Sometimes I was happily remembering cuddles with babies. Sometimes I was sobbing remembering my own postpartum depression days after my first child was born. Jackie’s was really difficult.
The book is so well-written and accurate that each complicated issue that popped up , whether it was baby-blues or facing the dynamics of prior mother-daughter situations were told in a way that made me cheer for each step toward reconciliation between a mom who really did try to do the best she knew how in raising her girls. Chris and Jackie faced and fought through the kind of things that make or break marriages and highlighted the importance of honest communication.
Each of these books Edy has written is amazing and i absolutely recommend this book along with her other books. I think that this the kind of book you read more than once to pick up anything you may have missed, at least I do. Give it a try. You won’t be sorry.
I loved this final book in the series. I had been looking forward to this one and hoped that I would be invited to be one of the ARC readers. ARC readers are given a pre-publication of the book. Each person agrees to give an honest review.
The writing in this book pulled me in right away. Sometimes I was happily remembering cuddles with babies. Sometimes I was sobbing remembering my own postpartum depression days after my first child was born. Jackie’s was really difficult.
The book is so well-written and accurate that each complicated issue that popped up , whether it was baby-blues or facing the dynamics of prior mother-daughter situations were told in a way that made me cheer for each step toward reconciliation between a mom who really did try to do the best she knew how in raising her girls. Chris and Jackie faced and fought through the kind of things that make or break marriages and highlighted the importance of honest communication.
Each of these books Edy has written is amazing and i absolutely recommend this book along with her other books. I think that this the kind of book you read more than once to pick up anything you may have missed, at least I do. Give it a try. You won’t be sorry.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews