The Island Wife

A passionate, well-written story of love on the 1878 Scottish coast, Stirling's novel centers the small cattle farm owned by Vassie Campbell and worked by her and her daughters while her drunken, feckless husband runs a fishing boat with their two sons. Their marginal, labor-intensive life is disrupted by the coming of new owners to the larger, adjacent farm, Fetternish. First is the invasion of sheep, led by the shepherd Michael Tarrant, handsome and enigmatic, who immediately captures the passions of sensual Biddy and intellectual Innis Campbell. Then come the lairds themselves, the Baverstock brothers, one of whom is soon captivated by beautiful Biddy and the land itself, so removed from squalid, civilized Edinborough. And there's the youngest sister, Aileen, not right in the head, who communes with fairies and hides a secret with the power to destroy the family. While it all sounds formulaic, in Stirling's capable hands the story develops a rare complexity and atmosphere. She permits no certainty of love triumphant; events are more likely to be ruled by other vagaries of fate, like cattle illness or headstrong stupidity. Her characters are complex people with strains of stubborn foolishness, appetite or shortsightedness to balance their more reasonable qualities. The exceptions to this are both men; the silent, long-suffering minister and the girls' father, Ronan Campbell, whose lazy selfishness hides only a deeper, brutish nature. The Scottish coast is a character in itself and the book is richly fleshed out with details of the daily work, complex motivations and differing social perspectives of the characters. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Their father seems to be in a constant drunken state. Their younger sister Aileen seems to have physically and mentally stopped maturing five years ago when she turned ten. Their two brothers are always looking for a quick rich scam. Only their mother serves as a positive role model. Yet life on the island of Mull off the coast of Scotland in 1878 was pleasant enough for sisters, Biddy and Innis. However, everything abruptly changes when a newcomer, shepherd Michael Tarrant, arrives. Both sisters want him for themselves and a sibling rivalry breaks out between them. However, Biddy, being prettier than Innis, catches Michael's immediate attention, but its is Innis, the deeper of the duo, who falls in love with the Incomer. With the rivalry turning acrimonious, it would seem that none of the participants in this skewed triangle will find lasting happiness. THE ISLAND WIFE is a well-written historical romance by one of the sub-genre's top writers, Jessica Sterling. The novel is charming due to several intriguing sub-plots that add depth while neatly tying into the main story line. The three prime characters and the support cast add much local flavor to an already superb tale. The esteemed Ms. Sterling has created a pure gold experience for the historical romance audience.Harriet Klausner