Maggie Blackbird

Today, award-winning author Maria Imbalzano is guesting. She’s talking about her latest release Island Detour, book one in The Sunrise Island Series, a contemporary romance. Be sure to read my review. And don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.

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Why Maria Chose Key West as Her Setting:

Key West is one of my happy places. My husband introduced me to it when we were dating, and we’ve been going down there yearly for thirty-seven years (not that I want to date myself). We own two time shares at the Banyan Resort on Whitehead Street, across from Truman Annex. They are situated in old Captain’s homes from the mid-1800’s, and have two huge banyan trees out front. (The Banyan Trees are not in this photo).

Behind the homes are two pools, a hot tub, a tiki bar, and lots of palm trees and other flowering plants.

 It’s a little paradise just one block from Duvall Street—the heart and soul of the island—which runs one mile from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Open-air bars with live music, sidewalk cafes, pubs, restaurants, art galleries, jewelry shops and casual clothing boutiques populate this entertaining street where people-watching is a must.

If we’re not lazing by the pool, or walking the palm-tree lined streets with gingerbread mansions and tin-roofed conch houses, we kayak, bicycle, or shop—taking a break for a pina colada, marguerita, or mojito.

Every night at sunset there is a party of sorts at Mallory Square where jugglers, musicians, and acrobats perform during the magic hour.

This irreverent island blends history, beauty, cultural diversity, the arts, architecture, and marine activities to make it a perfect setting for a romance novel.

While my book takes place on an imaginary island in the Keys, I used parts of Key West to describe the island. The characters also go to Key West on occasion to let loose.

The reason for choosing the Keys was also because I had selected a year-round environmental school as the setting for this book, so I needed a place that would be warm year round. The Florida Keys is the perfect setting due to its subtropical climate and the fact that they are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

There’s nothing more romantic than sunsets, moon lit skies, warm breezes, wafting palm fronds, or a table for two at a sidewalk café.

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Title: Island Detour
Series: The Sunrise Island Series, book one
Author: Maria Imbalzano
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 19, 2024
Length: 283 pages

Some detours are worth the trouble…

Blurb: Falsely accused of wrongdoing at a Princeton Prep school, Sophie Kearns accepts a temporary teaching position at an environmental school in the Florida Keys to wait out her suspension. The time away is meant to be an anxiety-free escape, but her clashes with the hot but arrogant marine biology teacher, Max Heaton, are anything but tranquil.

Max is determined to start an environmental research institute at the school, but he suspects the gorgeous new Lit teacher, who lacks even the most basic outdoor skills, is there to hinder that dream. Yet, something about her tames the demons from his past, and he can no longer ignore the fire she’s lit inside him.

Goodreads | Amazon

It wasn’t long enough before Max and Ben ushered Sophie to the fishing boat. She inhaled huge breaths of salt air, hoping the oxygen would perform some magic on the dull throb in her head.

“I know you’re going to find this hard to believe,” she started hesitantly, “but I don’t know how to fish.”

“What a surprise.” Max didn’t even bother to moderate his sarcasm.

Sophie’s scowl fell on his back as he and Ben gathered up rods and reels, a tackle box, and cartons of what she could only assume contained live bait. He had been sniping at her for days. Ever since Andy had asked her to cover for him as director. It was as if she had caused Andy’s accident intentionally, just to take over his job and keep it from Max.

She followed them onto the dock and into the boat, wishing she had brought her bottle of aspirin to dull the pain of this ill-conceived trip.

She sat on the bench, quiet as a church mouse, as Max steered the boat out toward the ocean. Her eyes betrayed her as they were drawn to the muscles in his back and shoulders, stretching and straining with each movement. His tawny, bronze skin glistened with a layer of sunscreen and ocean mist. A work of art. His jaw was square and tight, his cheekbones chiseled. Soft, wavy brown hair blew straight back from his forehead, giving her a bird’s-eye view of one very gorgeous man. Oh, so easy on the eyes. Too bad he wasn’t as easy on the nerves.

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The setting got me.  The Florida Keys?  I’m in.  As stated in the blurb, Sophie is on suspension.  I really felt for her when learning the reason why.  She’s not the type of gal to sit around and feel sorry for herself, so when a former acquaintance offers her a job teaching at his environmental school she says yes.  Not to get sidetracked, but I loved the concept for this school.  Heck, if I was in school again, I’d want to attend this one.

Anyhoo, the strait-laced Sophie takes her friend up on the offer and she’s transplanted to a place where she’s a fish out of water, literally.  Because she knows nothing about fishing.  Or camping.  Or swimming.  Or kayaking.  Everything she must know because this is part of the curriculum at the school for the students.  What a fun place!

Sophie’s character arc impressed me big time.  Not that she really needed one.  But being at the school brought forth everything that she could be, but was too strait-laced to be.  And there are many people to thank for this.  Such as the staff she befriended.  Her friend who gave her the position.  And Max.

Yes, let’s talk about Max.  I must admit it took me a long time to warm up to him.  I get that he had his share of problems, but does that give him the right to treat Sophie like a barnacle stuck on his behind?  I thought that was rather cruel of him and childish.  I get that he was handsome, so sparks flew between the pair, but it takes more than sparks to get something off the ground.  Max doles out a few crumbs here and there to Sophie to prove he’s a good guy.  And his apology warmed me to him.  But it was going to take more than that, Max.

There is a bit of mystery to it as well:  the big “who framed Sophie” that I loved.  It made me wonder who did almost cost her a chance at a big promotion.  Remember, this lady is all about teaching and ambition.  But her desire to teach outdoes her ambition.  She’s not a lady after prestige.  She’s all about creating the best environment for students.  I can’t say enough how much I adored this heroine.  She is every lady’s best friend.  Just a great character.

And her arc is my favourite.  I enjoyed watching Sophie learn everything about the outdoors through her stubbornness and persistence.  She really came into her own.  As I stated before, the time off did her good, because it allowed her to rethink her goals in life.

The dialogue is excellent.  The secondary characters are a fun crew.  And the description put me in the Florida Keys.  Same for the pacing.  Excellent.

My only quibble is Max.  Even at the end, Sophie had to keep being the one to call truces or initiate talks between them.  I felt like Max still had some maturing to do.  There is a second book on its way, so maybe he will.

Now I did check the reviews at Goodreads, and I seem to be in the minority about Max, so take what I said with a grain of salt.  Maybe it’s just me?  LOL. Anyhoo, the author is very talented and the book is a great read.  Do yourself a favour and get a copy.

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Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states.  Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband–not far from her two daughters and granddaughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at http://mariaimbalzano.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter.

Awards: Maria is a member of New Jersey Romance Writers and has received many honors and awards for her work including the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award, the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers Award, The NEST (National Excellence In Story Telling) Award, the Carolyn Award, Book Buyers Best Award, The Stiletto Reader’s Choice Award, Long & Short Reviews Book of the Month Award (3rd Place for Book of the Year), and Still Moments Magazine Reader’s Choice Award.

Follow Maria: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads | Amazon

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