Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

"After a fierce storm, a woman, Rowan, washes ashore on the remote island of Shearwater. Dominic Salt and his children, the only inhabitants, rescue her. When she wakes, she's immediately suspicious, since she only came to the island after receiving a desperate email from her husband, the head of the science team that's supposed to be on Shearwater, cataloguing and studying the massive seed vault there. The tension grows as Dominic explains that all the comms equipment is broken, so there's no way to call for help. Rowan is trapped until the last boat arrives, five weeks away. This was a suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat, compelling thriller, but McConaghy expertly crafted a dramatic and deeply moving tale of loss, devotion, loyalty, and love."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros: You know something shifty went down, and McConaghy’s great at keeping up the suspense/I white-knuckled the last twenty pages. 

Cons: Claire was more of a suggestion, and though I wanted to know more, her mystery became an integral part of the story. 

Full Review: 

Dominic Salt has been doing his best to raise his three children, Raffe, Fen and Orly, alone, on the remote and isolated island of Shearwater. Its main function is a research base, home to a massive vault that contains basically every seed of every plant that exists in the world. The problem is, the water level is rising, and it won't be long before the vault and its precious cargo are completely submerged. 

One night, after a violent storm, a woman washes ashore. She's battered and broken, but with the help of the Salt family, she survives. Her name is Rowan, and though she doesn't reveal her reason for coming to the island, we soon learn that her husband, Hank, is the leader of the research team, and his last communication was a desperate email saying he was in danger and to send help. 

The fact that the radio and all communications equipment have been destroyed only makes matters worse. There's no way for Rowan to return to the mainland, and the ship that will come to take the Salt family and the remaining seeds is five weeks away. Rowan is essentially trapped with these people, and it's obvious that something strange and most likely terrible happened, and no one is giving her straight answers.

There's palpable distrust between Dominic and Rowan, but as time passes, Rowan grows fond of the children, especially the youngest, Orly. His optimism and inquisitiveness are infectious, and she often accompanies him on hikes to explore the beauty and wonder that this small corner of the world holds. 

As her feelings for the children grow, it's only natural that Rowan finds herself drawn to Dominic too. When Hank left for the job on Shearwater, he and Rowan's marriage was strained, and though she's determined to find out the truth about her husband, she can't help but be drawn to Dominic and his family. She even starts helping with their last job of gathering up the seeds that are to be shipped to the mainland when the final boat arrives. By that time, though, she's pieced together the possible puzzle of her husband's fate, and when the truth is revealed, well, it's definitely not what I was expecting. 

This was an immersive, intense, and deeply emotional read about family, love, loss, lies, and the way we see the world. In a way, it made me realize you can either view the world as already doomed and burning, or you can believe that there will be light at the end. This was a great read and one I would highly recommend.