Deserted

Blazing Islands #2

by Anna Castor

After a brutal storm shipwrecked their catamaran, college graduates Camilla and Adela wash up on a deserted tropical island together while their three friends are nowhere to be found.

They meet the former Navy SEAL Dominic and his five friends who also strand on the island after their catamaran sunk to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

Camilla and Dominic team up to trek through the jungle in search of Raven, Hailey and Liv. Camilla is instantly drawn to the burly brute, and set her sights on him as she needs the distraction to forget about the past twenty-four hours and the life she left behind in Hawaii.

Dominic has a tortured soul and being cooped up with others in a forced proximity isn’t helping him as he struggles with PTSD after his last mission in the jungle. He tries hard to ignore the bubbly Camilla floundering in her tiny string bikini, enticing him to throw caution in the wind.

After spending time together in the harsh wilderness, they discover that they have more in common than they ever held possible as the ghosts of their pasts come back in full force to haunt them.

Will Camilla be able to entice Dominic while protecting her heart from falling for the handsome former SEAL? Can Dominic keep his head in the game since he is the only one of their group that actually knows how to survive the island?

And will they be able to find Raven, Hailey and Liv since time is running out?

This action & adventure romance series is about letting go of the past, forgiveness, and finding inner strength to surrender to love and survive the island.

There's a Happy For Now in each story in this series, however, some might consider the books having a cliffhanger since there is a suspense story throughout the series about the three missing girls and they will only partly resolve it in this second book.

Please note that this work of fiction is intended for mature audiences only. Please do not buy if strong sexual situations and explicit language offend you.

Genres: Steamy, Contemporary

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 19, 2022

About the author

Hi there! Click the FOLLOW button if you'd like to be in the loop about Anna's new releases!

Author of the Iron Vikings MC series, Moore Family series, Blazing Islands series, Lucky Irish series and the Winter Peaks series. Anna loves to write strong heroines and dominant alpha males 🥵 in heartfelt and steamy romance series. She has a soft spot for motorcycle romance series and big family romance series.

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Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Deserted" is the second book in a series of survival after a shipwreck on a small island. Two groups have landed here after a massive storm. Three of five women are now accounted for, and six men arrived after seeing the women's campfire. This story follows Dominic and Camilla, who go off together into the jungle to look for the missing women. She freely admits her intense attraction to him, but he is a bossy, unhappy man. She has her own issues with loss and sorrow. While on their trek, they confide in each other about their lives and terrors and find an intense sexual and spiritual connection. They return to the others with bananas, but other people are missing. More adventures ensue, but this couple is firmly bonded. Again, my main complaint with this book is that the author does not address footwear and food immediately. Otherwise, the writing is very good at describing this couple's inner struggles and sexual adventures.
I received an advance review copy for free and left this review voluntarily.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deserted is the second installment in the Blazing Islands series by Anna Castor. This romance novel is exciting, fast-paced, and full of steam. This book focuses on the budding romantic relationship between Camilla and Dominic, two fractured souls shipwrecked on a deserted island.

With dual points of views, readers can enjoy a good rounded understanding of both characters and their tragic pasts. Upon meeting, there is an instant attraction between Cami and Dom. Their sizzling chemistry quickly heats up and sparks fly. We get to delve deep into their pasts and how they cope with their trauma. Being on a deserted island forces them to be more vulnerable and connect on a deeper level. There is a great blend of character development, backstory, action, romance, and steamy scenes.

I am so excited for the third book in this series (I think it’s going to be MMF!)

Tropes: Adventure romance, survival romance, age-gap
Heat: 3/5

[Suze82 · Rating 4 out of 5]

trauma
Trauma comes in many different ways end everybody tries to cope with the repercussions in different ways: Camilla lost her twin sister and tries to subdue the pain by leading shallow relationships, Dom as a former Navy Seal suffers from PTSD. Being stranded on a deserted island seems to be the cherry on top, but it turns out it´s just what they need to heal: Dom falls back into "serve and protect" mode and once again finds a purpose in life and for Camilla the former soldier turns out to be a saviour in more ways than one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kristine L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dominic and Camilla are two of the 11 people who were shipwreck on a small island. They decide to go off into the jungle to look for the missing women. They are attracted to each other and while out together they talk and start to bond as a couple. When they return to the group they find others gone but they brought back some foods. I enjoyed this couples story with their emotional struggles and their intimate escapades. Enjoyed the story and plan to read the first story that I missed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steamy hot, stubborn, add attitude, tragedy and loss with a cherry on top. This is the second book in The Blazing Island series and we get to see Camilla and Dominic’s story. Being stranded on the island after a brutal storm Dominic has found his sense of purpose to help, protect and find the missing girls. Camilla suffering from loss sees something in Dominic and is drawn to him creating the perfect balance they these two needed. Anna does not disappoint and I can’t wait for the next in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Krissy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 4.5 stars. Received as an ARC and leaving my honest review voluntarily. A continuation on the story arc but with focus on Dominic and Camilla' story which was hot and sizzling. Both characters have so much pain they are covering up with walls to keep everyone out so it's no surprise they are drawn to each other. This story focused more on the attraction and beginning of their relationship and less on the main story arc so it felt a bit drawn out to me. That said, the build up and play of chemistry and bond between the different characters kept me glued to the pages. Can't wait for the next book!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Blazing Islands series. 5 men and 5 women on two separate catamarans survived a major storm and washed up on the island. All 5 men and 2 women are followed in this story. We focus on Dominic and Camilla. He's bossy, arrogant and suffering from PTSD, and went on this trip on the advice of his therapist. Camilla lost her twin sister about a year ago and uses 'no strings attached' sex as an escape from her pain. A beautiful story of new love, pain, joy, friends, strength and so much more.

[Sherry Hays · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very good read.
The story flowed really smoothly and was well written.
The chemistry between the couple was romantic.
Loads of intrigue and suspense.
I would recommend this book to others.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A light easy read which was very enjoyable. The story was well written and I will certainly look for any further books written for these characters. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rhonda Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in this series that follows 11 shipwrecked individuals as they try to survive and find there way off the island. This one focuses on Cami and Dom as theu grow close and learn more about each other.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Terra Oenning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this left off at book one and let me tell you it doesn't disappoint either. We get to learn more about Dominic and Camilla both have suffered so much and learning to come to embrace each other and help each get better and finding love, but will they find her other friends still missing? To be continued.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suzanne Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deserted is book 2 in this new series from this author. After being washed up on an unknown island afyer a bad storm Adela and Cami meet a group of male friends also washed up. The guys help the girls search for their missing 3 friends but get more than they bargain for along the way. Letting go of emotional baggage and letting down your defences helps Cami and Dom open up to each other. Great series, looking forward to book 3 in the series.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

Camilla and Dominic’s book is next and this story had me just as much as hooked as book 1 did.

I cannot wait to get the rest of this series and hopefully they will find Raven and I am looking forward to see who the other girls will get.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deserted is the 2nd of 6 planned books in this series. This book focuses around Dominic and Camilla, and takes place during the same period of time as "Wrecked". The other characters are definately included throughout the book, but the preponderance of the story revolves around Dom and Cami.

Dominic comes off to others as a Grumpy, standoffish, a$$hole. With this book though we get a better picture of the real him, under the guards he has put up to keep the world at bay. Following a terrible childhood where he was left to watch over his younger sister (Ginny), he joined the Navy SEALS and found a brotherhood that was desperately needed. That was destroyed, along with his sanity, when their last mission went sideways and the team barely survived deployment. Since his return stateside, Dom has struggled with PTSD symptoms (night terrors, ED, high alert readiness, flashbacks, etc.). He went from isolating in his home for weeks to now being marooned on an island with constant company - he can not escape. That has to be uncomfortable for him. Not to mention his concern about having an episode in front of everyone and appearing "weak".

While Dom guards with gruffness, Cami uses her body as a way to avoid dealing with unpleasant thoughts and emotions. She recently lost her sister to cancer, and escapes in meaningless sex to stop herself from feeling too much. She also had a terrible fight with her father, and now worries she won't be able to make it right. Cami tried to seduce Dom into making her "forget" but he turned the tables on her and made her talk about it instead. While it was not comfortable, it was a positive thing in the big picture. If Dom could get that comfortable with his PTSD issues he would recoup much of his lost sense of control.

These two head-strong people make a great couple. It takes a strong person to stand up to a dominant nature. They play to eachother's strengths, but also seem to sense just what they need when they're struggling too. I hope as the books progress we get to see more of this couple and how their relationship grows during their time on the island.

I received this as an ARC and voluntarily wrote this honest review. I plan to continue reading the remainder of this series, and I highly recommend it to others. Actually, recommend all of Anna Castor's writings, she is quickly becoming one of my new favorites! Happy Reading 📚

[WaterLillyBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I discovered this book and was excited about the premise. I went and read the first book, and while I enjoyed the plot, the execution was lacking for me. The same goes for book 2, in my opinion. I understand there needs to be some leniency in fiction from the truth, but this one took some liberties. Camilla and Dominic have an instant connection. They both have their tragic pasts. He has intimacy issues supposedly brought on by PTSD, but then being trapped on a deserted island and three of the girls still missing, he finds that he can be intimate with Camilla (and does it a lot even in huts where all their friends can hear).

Dominic compares his recent graduate school girlfriend as matching "the endurance and survival of his former teammates." his former teammates being Navy Seals. I just don't see that. I also have a hard time with them finding someone after days of being alone with a broken leg, with the bone exposed, and she seems fine and able to make jokes like nothing is wrong.

Some editing issues were noticed. Tense issues (found versus find and such), there was a phrase "I need to deeds" on that story which may be lost in translation since her characters say "eh" a lot. Also, the phrase that bothered me in book one came back in this one, and she describes the main female character's lips as "fat."

Continuity problems, in one chapter, she discovers the name "Ginny" tattooed on his chest, and he tells her it is his sister's name. But then, a few chapters later, she is surprised to find out he had a sister.

I will not be reading any more in this series.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my own opinion and was not influenced by anyone.

This series has pulled me in. Deserted is book 2 in the Blazing Island series. 5 women and 6 men are all caught in a storm while out on the water and shipwrecked. Some of the women are missing. In Deserted Camilla and Dom set out to retrieve suitcases and check part of the island.

Both Camilla and Dom are tough on the outside. Camilla is fun loving where Dom is gruff. These two couldn't seem more different but they both carry a profound sadness and use their shells to protect themselves.

These two are quickly drawn to each other and find they can share their problems with each other. There isn't a lot of action in the book. It is more character driven. Watching them open up and develop a true relationship is written well. You care about the couple as well as the others on the island. I recommend Deserted. It has great characters that you will come to care about

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 2 of the Blazing Islands series and in this book, the main relationship focus is on Dom and Camilla, who both are broken and need to be fixed.

As per book 1, these two groups were shipwrecked o a deserted island after a storm hit.

Both these characters have so much pain and trauma that are hidden behind the walls they have built to protect themselves. This commonality brings these 2 tortured people together.
This book focuses on the beginning of their story and the sexual attraction between these two was off the scale.

Dom and Camilla head into the jungle to search for the other missing girls and are able to open up to each other on the journey. The chemistry around these two kept me turning the page.

The group come back together and the outcome will be addressed in the next instalment.

Can't wait for book 3 which is out in April.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blazing Islands is a series of books about five women and six men who have been shipwrecked during a storm on a deserted island. Adela and Jack fell in love in book one. This is Dominic and Camilla's story. Dom served as a SEAL and suffers from PTSD from his last mission. Camilla is still grief-stricken over the loss of her sister. She is no meek miss but she can't resist his dominant ways. Opening up and sharing their stories with each other turns their mutual attraction into something much deeper.

The realities of being shipwrecked on a deserted island are really ignored or glossed over but I am enjoying this steamy romance series so much that I don't even care how unrealistic it is. The characters are likeable, the romances are hot, and the story is interesting. I can't wait to see what happens next with these castaways. 4.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy Cami && our sexy brute Dom!! What a story it was. I loved how these two broken souls came together to help each other heal. I enjoyed their banter && how Cami but Dom in his place! She’s so strong && confident, I couldn’t get enough of her. I also loved that she brought out another side to Dom && that he opened up to her. They think it’s the island that made them but I think it’s who they are! They found someone who could understand the pain && grief they were going through. I couldn’t get enough of this story && I’m so glad they finally found another one of the girls. Can’t wait to read book 3 && hopefully find the last missing friend! Definitely recommend this series. It’s sexy, has great banter, strong women, && sexy men!!

*I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

[Jenn M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot, Spicy, Quick Read!!!!

This is book 2 in the Series. It’s a standalone, but to truly appreciate the context of the story, I highly recommend that you read the first book Wrecked. This book starts off when Dom and Cami venture off to find her friends. Dom is a big, Alpha type man who struggles with demons from when he was a Navy Seal. Cami is struggling from her own trauma and together, they help each other start their journeys towards healing.

The book continues this great story, is packed with lots of sizzling, steamy scenes and leave you wanting to read more! I can’t help but recommend this book!!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Leanne Bryson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two separate groups, 5 women, 6 mens, shipwrecked on an island and what happens to them. This story follows Dominic and Camilla who have decided to go try to find some of the missing women. Camilla is attracted to him, but he's a bit of an alpha-hole. But chemistry is chemistry. The book has some sizzle, steam, some twists and turns. It was hard to connect with these two characters. But, since both books are available on KU, you can binge-read the entire series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patricia Kieffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deserted (Book 2) by Anna Castor

Another great read, love this second book. Just as good as the first, so I have to say this series is a home run. I again highly recommend this book, it is a page-turner. They are looking for the three missing women on the island. They are building huts and working well together. Adela and Jack are hitting it off and spending a lot of time together. I can not wait for book four to read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Judy Gittleson Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dominic and Camilla are just two of the eleven people shipwrecked on a deserted island. Three of the women are still missing so they go off to search. The characters open up to relay well done backgrounds, bringing them closer together and showing their strength and determination. The storyline has vivid locales, deep emotions, entertaining situations and revelations. Loved the relationship they build and the banter. Great additions for this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharon Holroyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this is book 2 in a series. A group of girls are shipwrecked on an island but land in different places. A group of guys also get shipwrecked and meet up with 2 of the girls. This is about survival, facing demons and a whole lot of lust. What is not to like
Fabulous series, really should be read in order to make sense

Only bad thing is I have to wait til next year for book 3

Loved this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[DENICE · Rating 4 out of 5]

CAMILLA AND DOMINIC

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Camilla and her four friends are stranded on a deserted island with six men who became stranded from the same storm. She is with her friend Adela. She and Dominic become lovers and the adventures begin as they share their sad stories and come to terms with their newfound love. This story shows how allowing people to help you can get you back into the right mental state. This story makes you want to read the next in the series.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one better than the first one! like how it had a narrator but also a dual point of view. I was living for the spice in this one. I don't usually love the falling in love fast stories but the setting in this series is perfect for it. This book finalized my investment into the other characters stories. I'm desperate for Reed's story!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

More spice than the first book in this series, but not a whole lot going on with these characters otherwise. Both MCs are dealing with past trauma (him/PTSD; her/sibling death) and the majority of their dialogue together is just the same emotional conversation about it on repeat. At this point, I’m only committed to the series out of curiosity for how the interconnected plot will play out.

4/5 🌶️

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camila and Doms story, after being shipwrecked on the island the groups meet together but some are still missing. A story of survival, desires and more book 2 in the series. Engaging read and can't wait for more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sammye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the Blazing Islands series is entertaining, fast paced, and steamy. Camilla and Dominic are two broken people who meet and heal each other. It’s very emotionally dramatic and romantic. The plot is very well developed and the characters are likable and relatable. It’s a great story. *this was a complimentary copy and this is my honest review*

[Baygirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and had a lot of realistic emotional content in the characters. Dealing with loss is hard and confusing for people experiencing it and people who are there to support. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of these books.

I received a free copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.