This is the third book in a short series about an imagined community on the Island of St Kilda early in the last century. That is to say, the Island and a community of people lived there but not necessarily the ones involved in this created series. However, despite being fictional, Karen Swan has done so much research into this community and their future lives. The books paint a vivid picture and have deep and clear characterisation.
Each of the first three books in the series are about one of the 3 girl friends and their families. This is Flora’s story. Without giving too much away, Flora leaves the island and ends up in Paris, renowned for her beauty.
I have read the first book but not the second and felt as if I had a few small gaps in my knowledge of what had been going on, so I suggest that, if possible, you read them in order. The fourth episode is due to be published next year and apparently will tie up all the outcomes of the girls’ futures and what happens to them as they establish new lives on the mainland.
Overall, these are some of my favourite books of this decade and I intend to buy them as a set to keep once they are all published. Highly recommended!

A Karen Swan book is always welcome and this one ticks the boxes for me. This book and the other two in the Wild Isle series have been truly wonderful reads. Excellent characters and beautiful narratives making it a heart warming read.

Book three in the Wild Isle series
Set on the island of St Kilda in 1930s, following inhabitants before and after their evacuation of the island
In this third instalment we Flora’s point of view - a headstrong woman who remains true to her family
The author is a master at creating a sense of place, you really feel you’re an inhabitant of the island
It’s ends on a cliffhanger and can’t for book four
Perfect for any historical fiction fan who loves a bit of romance & mystery thrown in
Thanks @swannywrites @panmacmillan & @netgalley for the fabulous read

I really enjoyed the first two books in the series and was excited to read this next instalment The Lost Lover. However, I found Flora’s story less compelling compared to those of Effie and Mhairi. didn’t enjoy Flora’s story as much as Effie’s and Mhairi’s. Much of the book seemed to rehash the events from the previous two and the whole Paris storyline lacked the originality and believability that drew me into the earlier books. There was too much (quite cheesy) romance for my liking and not enough action and character development that I had come to appreciate in the series. Despite these issues, it was still an enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to the final installment, hoping it will provide answers to all the questions and unresolved storylines.

This is the 3rd book in the series and this one is something quite special, This time, the central character is Flora and we return to St Kilda and to a number of the events that marked the lives of Flora and her friends (Books 1 and 2), but we now see the situation from her point or view and we discover what happened to Flora.
The ending is something else! I can’t wait for the next book!

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this gorgeous series and this third instalment was no exception. It was lovely to return to St Kilda and all the wonderful characters that Karen Swan has created; I love the island's atmosphere and the sense of place she conjures up. All Karen's books are so beautifully written with such interesting and often unexpected plot twists. A perfect summer read. Highly recommended.

As a love of this author I always look forward to the next book she writes and this one was yet another great part of an already great series. The third book and a wonderful book it is. This book really is Flora's story and the story as she sees it which is great. The story of small communities, family and living a life a bit different from others.

The characters in this story range from good to bad and this is what makes it interesting and intriguing. There are problems from the past, secrets to be told along with mystery and romance making this yet another great book and series to read. Well written and researched and I believe this is what makes Karen Swan such a great novelist.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

It was really a pleasure to read this third book of the Wild Isle series.

This time, the central character is Flora. We return to St Kilda and to a number of the events that marked the lives of Flora and her friends (Books 1 and 2), but we now see the situation from her point or view and we discover what happened to Flora.

From St Kilda to Scotland and then on to Paris, Flora’s life is a true rag to riches story. But all is not as great as it seems. Flora has suffered a terrible grief when loosing her fiancé James, the press and the police are still digging for details about the factor’s untimely death, and Mary is on the run with Flora’s most precious thing in the whole world.

This was another great read in this series, with strong characters and a little bit of French atmosphere. But I enjoyed especially reading again about the life on St Kilda, a mix of harshness, poverty but also great love for the wilderness of the island and the strong sense of community. Karen Swan’s research is really key to bringing this special place to life for us to discover it.

Eagerly awaiting for the next one because, like many readers, I had a jaw dropping moment at the end and now I really want to find out the rest of the story…

This was another enthralling book in this series, that focuses on three young women who lived on the remote island of St. Kilda and their resettlement on the mainland. This book is Flora’s story, who is known for her beauty and often avoiding household work. The author gave a good portrayal of what life must have been like for the people living in their small community and then the comparison with their life on the mainland. The story is told from Flora’s viewpoint and there were a few surprises that hadn’t appeared in the previous books. There are some heart wrenching moments that had me taking a moment before reading on. There are a number of villainous people that I hope get their comeuppance in the next book. I have read the previous books in the series and I think you would get a greater understanding from reading the whole series. I can’t wait for the next book! I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love Karen's books and this is the 3rd book in the Wild Isle Series which are fab. It is set on the remote island of St Kilda in the 1930s. It follows the stories of the inhabitants before and after their evacuation from the island. The Last Summer sees Effie's POV. This novel covers the same time frame as the previous two novels. However the events are seen from a completely new perspective. new secrets were revealed along the way. an immense amount of research went has into creating this fabulously detailed historical novel. I would recommend to readers of Historical Fiction, who love a little romance and mystery too.

Thanks to the Publi and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed reading this book.

This is the story of Flora, who after meeting and falling in love with James, gets engaged soon after. Then, an accident occurs and she receives bad news, or is it?

Afterwards, she has another issue to deal with, when the people are forced to move from St Kildar. Things get tough for her family, as her father has an accident. Flora is given an opportunity to change things, but in doing so, she has to overcome various hurdles as she gets used to her new surroundings and way of life.

But can she forget her past or will hidden secrets be revealed?

I recommend this book.

The Lost Lover is book 3 of the Wild Isle Series by Karen Swan. It is set on the remote island of St Kilda around 1930. The series follows the stories of the inhabitants before and after their evacuation from the island. The Last Summer was Effie's POV, in The Stolen Hours we heard Mhairi's story and in this third installment the island's beauty, Flora gets her say.

I loved being back on the wild and rugged island of St Kilda. This novel covers the same time frame as the previous two novels. However despite the overlap, the events are seen from a completely new perspective so didn't feel repetitive in any way. In fact, new secrets were revealed and it helped remind me of parts of the story I had forgotten.

Karen Swan is a master at evoking sense of place and it's obvious that an immense amount of research has been put in to create this fabulously detailed historical novel. Swan also has a talent for creating engaging characters that leap off the page. I particularly enjoyed Flora's character development throughout this novel.

This is definitely a book I would recommend to readers of Historical Fiction, who love a little romance and mystery too. It could work as a stand-alone novel but i feel it's better to read the first two books in the series beforehand.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for inviting me to read this book and for providing me with a digital ARC.

I loved The Last Summer, and I was really disappointed when I didn’t get on with The Stolen Hours, so I am delighted to say that I really enjoyed The Lost Lover. The mystery of what happened that final night on St Kilda continues to deepen, even as some more secrets are revealed. Like the previous books we get a glimpse of the final year or so on St Kilda, but in this book much of the action moves to Paris. Flora and James make a likeable couple, though the ending felt a little abrupt. I am looking forward to the next book already; I only wish it wouldn’t be such a long wait!

Thank-you very much to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this eArc.

This series is something quite special, the base story being told from the different points of view adds to the enigma around what happened on the day of the emigration and helps build the whole story gradually. The ending is something else! I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you Netgalley

The third in the wild isles series by Karen Swan and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Always best to read in order. Based around Flora and her relationship with James the book starts out on St Kildans but ends up in Paris with a change in lifestyle and secrets are revealed. I can’t wait for the next one, hoping there is, as the story remains unfinished. Thanks to Karen and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

Oh my gosh this was just fantastic! I’m so invested in this series and while it took me a while to remember who was who and who was romantically involved with who. (Effie and Sholto were a distant memory!) it was so well crafted and plotted that once I’d settled in I was happily back in their world.
That twist at the end! Oh my word. Fabulous.

The third in this fantastic series from Karen Swan based in St Kilda. I love how they have all been written from a different woman’s perspective so the first part was familiar events from an alternative perspective, whereas the second part felt fast paced.
I would highly recommend reading them in order but it is also a standalone novel. I just can’t wait for the 4th now!

Flora McQueen is the most beautiful girl on St Kilda and is very aware of it. All the men who visit the island fall at her feet. She knows that she is destined for better and to leave the island. We meet her and her friends in the year prior to the evacuation to the mainland and follow her trying to adjust to the change of lifestyle once she gets there. I read for escapism and am willing to bend reality but parts of this story were beyond my limits.
I was eager to get stuck into this book as I have really being enjoying the series so far. In saying that this wasn't my favourite but I feel that as I have read them in quick succession I found this one a bit repetitive. Despite this still can't wait for the next instalment. Thanks to pan McMillan and netgalley for the arc in return for my honest review

This is the third in the series. It’s a historical fiction book set on the island of St Kilda when it was still inhabited and it deals with the move to the mainland of all the inhabitants. I didn’t know about this and it was very interesting to read about their way of life which was exceptionally hard. The author seems to have researched it very thoroughly. That’s just the backdrop and this story is about the romance between one of the islanders and a member of the aristocracy with all the challenges that brings. It takes us to sumptuous homes in England and Paris - a real contrast to the life on St Kioda. I think it would be best to have read the previous books which I had, but it would probably still be enjoyable even if you haven’t.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't appreciate that this book was part of a series as it stands alone well and I didn't feel like I was missing any back story. It was an engaging, charming read but finished quite quickly. I would have liked it to go on longer.