Escape from Hanalei by Everett Peacock

A coconut arrives on Trish’s frozen front steps, a gift, a message, a dare, from her sister. “Come to Hawaii.”

It’s a hard message for her to ignore.

Trish flies to her sister’s home, a place of color and music, where even Poi, the little mixed-breed dog, surfs the clear waves. From the beginning, Trish feels the island’s seduction as it lures her in with its beauty, its people, and its hidden magic. With each day she spends there, each one filled with the island’s colorful characters, including a ship’s captain who collects bikini tops and an out-of-place geologist attempting to get the island folk to cooperate with his research, it becomes harder and harder for Trish to think of returning to her frozen little home.

The island calls. But is this a call to which she is willing to listen? Or will she return to her old life, so far away from the ocean’s song?

 

As with all the books by Mr. Peacock that I’ve read, this one has all the ambiance, the resonating beauty that places the reader right in the middle of Hawaii. That’s something that I always enjoy in his novels, the complete submersion into the island landscape. The ocean, the sand, the flowers, they all join together to become another character in the novel.

The protagonist, Trish, as well as the rest of the colorful characters in this book, are wonderfully entertaining to follow on their lives. Trish, in particular, as she adjusts to the change from her life in a freezing home to being surrounded by the island’s colorful life, keeps the reader interested, wondering if she’ll return to her previous life or stay on the island.

There are many laugh-out-loud moments, as with all of this author’s books and you’ll definitely wish you could teleport right to the scenes he describes. I can easily recommend this one for all of you who are looking for a relaxing and inspiring read.