Review: Uncharted

Title: Uncharted (On the Island #1.5)
Author: Tracey Garvis-Graves
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: July 2nd 2013
Source: Netgalley & Penguin Group

★★★★★

Five stars.

Owen Sparks is fed up with his way of life. Sure, his business is doing well. But he's become tired of people always asking him for money as though he's entitled. The fast world of business and finance has taken its toll on him, and he just wants to get away from it all. And so, he does. To an uncharted island in the Maldives, where it's just him and the elements, and life is good. While on the mainland for supplies, however, his world gets turned around when the beautiful Calia comes into the picture, along with her brother. Love, heartbreak, and complications are all just around the corner, and his decisions ultimately affect two crashed passengers from Chicago. He comes to their door, to share his story....

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This novella is the perfect answer to the question that I know I asked: "So what did happen after On the Island was over?" The beautiful imagery and descriptions that Tracey Garvis-Graves used in On the Island continues to enchant in Uncharted. The reader revisits landmarks and locations from the island with different eyes, and gives a whole new perspective from a person who voluntarily and happily lived on the island that meant nothing but death and sadness to TJ and Anna.

The author has a great way of balancing her steamy romance scenes with class. The scenes are never crass or vulgar, just lovely and flowing with the rest of the plot. The characters are all well written and described, and (much like TJ and Anna) you cannot help but to become attached to them.

This book is told from Owen's perspective for most of the story, although TJ and Anna do have a few chapters in between. I am completely satisfied with this ending to a great romance, and liked learning the back story of a few of the island's features (such as the shed).

While I do think that fans of On the Island will enjoy this bonus read, I do have to stress that you need to read On the Island first. It may make sense to a degree, but I promise you that you'll appreciate it more if you read TJ and Anna's story first.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group for my copy of this book.