enjoyed this, the third episode of Karen Swan's Wild Isle series, the most of the series so far. We get yet another re-telling of the story of a group of close-knit friends who are part of 1930 evacuation of isolated Scottish island, St Kilda, this time through the eyes of Island beauty, Flora Macqueen. We learn a little more about what happened in the final days in each volume as different characters come to the fore.
Tourists James Callaghan and Edward Rushton are both smitten with Flora, who despite her bare feet, and unfamiliarity with exotic footstuff such as sandwiches has a 21st century vocabulary which allows her to spar with her suitors on the island using the expressions such as "patriarchy* and "metrics". We know from the earlier books that it is James who wins her heart and who she is to marry rather than be resettled with the other islanders.
The book opens with Flora performing at the Casino de Paris and is mostly a flashback as to how and why she got there.
I recommend this book, it does work as a stand alone but I would certainly read the other volumes first. I look forward eagerly to the next volume and that the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC copy.

This is the third book in the saga and concentrates on Flora.
Flora falls in love with a visitor to St Kilda and they plan to marry. However before they can do that he dies on an expedition leaving Flora alone and pregnant.
Flora ends up in Paris where she is an overnight sensation but home is always at the back of her mind and events start to catch up with her.
Is she in danger and what about her friends?
Who can she trust?

Another wonderful read again, this time featuring Flora who falls in love with James Callaghan. Set on St Kilda we see events from Flora’s point of view in the months before and after the evacuation of the community.

Again the hardness of life on St Kilda provided such a magnificent setting and the sense of friendship was a major pull for me in this book. The three women who feature in this and the two previous groups are strong and capable and each have a dream of what their life will be like. Flora is the beautiful one, with a talent for singing and is kind and attentive to her friends. She falls in love with James but circumstances tear them apart and Flora finds her move to the mainland very different than she had imagined.

I loved the opportunities that came to her and she finds herself with a new life in Paris, away from family and friends. The mystery at the centre of all of the books weaves itself back into Flora's life . There is romance, tragedy, friendship and longing in this one and I have loved being back with these woman and their lives.

Another page turner, a historical romance which pulls you in and wont let you go !!!
Brilliant. !!

The Lost Lover is the latest in the Wild Isle series and tells the story of Flora - one of the trio of friends who see their lives change dramatically ahead of the evacuation of St Kilda.
Having read the first two in the saga I was keen to pick up the third and hopefully read to a dramatic conclusion - but Karen Swan expertly weaves Flora's tale to keep us guessing.
The first half of the book deals with Flora's version of events the summer before the evacuation as she meets handsome strangers Edward Rushton and James Callaghan and gets caught up in a love triangle. However, the plot thickens as the days of the St Kildans start to countdown to leaving the island and multiple tragedies befall the friends and family around them.

Flora's beauty ensures that once on the mainland she is spotted by a showman and she gets whisked away to the bright lights of the city. Once there she must decide what she really wants and who she really is.

I really enjoyed the story although I must admit it did take me awhile to get into it, probably because I was trying to remember what had happened in the previous two books. As always, Swan's characters seem to jump off the pages and become real and I found myself wondering what was happening when I had finished reading! Looking forward to the next one!

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance release copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Another great book from this author, great storyline and characters. I would recommend to others.

Flora MacQueen's story in the Wild Isle series is heartbreaking and tragic.

While I did enjoy reading how her life progresses after the evacuation from the island, having read the previous book The Stolen Hours in the series,it felt around the 50% was a re-read. Which is good for someone who is reading it as a standalone.

This is the third book in a series that I have already enjoyed, so that said, it was good to reconnect with the characters, I did find that there were quite a few events from the previous two books woven into the storyline, but I still enjoyed it and it was a good reminder of previous plotlines. The author once again leaves us with a cliff hanger ending wanting more!

Fantastic third book in the series. I don't think it matters if one hasn't read the other two previous novels in the series as they stand alone as from different voices. I did wonder at first as some of the scenarios were repeated from the previous books. However Flora's story pulls the reader in and leave one wanting more to know what happens next. Based on the island of St. Kilda as it was evacuated in the 1930s and follows Flora to the mainland and ultimately Paris. An enthralling read.

I absolutely loved this book and read it far too quickly! Although it does go over a lot of the story already told in previous books it was still lovely to be back this time with Flora. The ending was perfect although the cliffhanger does make me wish I had the next book to read immediately!

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC

I couldn't wait to get back to the thrill of the lives of the St Kildans and their epic move. I've been hooked on this series since the first book.
Each book is the story of a different resident on the isle, told in their point of view. This means in many ways, each book can be read as a standalone, but, if you have read the other two, there is a deeper understanding of the relationships of the characters and their emotions.
This time, the story is told from Flora's perspective. Flora is the eye-candy on the isle but pretty much unaffected by it, unless outsiders come to visit, and are stunned by her natural beauty.
A visit from another rich family, spurs on an unlikely romance between her and one of holiday makers, with a promise to return, and make her his own.
But an unexpected surprise, followed by tragedy, and a huge move from the isle to the mainland means that Flora's beautiful future has been snatched from her.
Her looks continue to catch the eyes of all and sundry, leading her to end up in Paris as a star performer in a theatre show, where more secrets are uncovered.
There were highs, then lows, then highs, followed by another cliffhanger, with excitement and frustration in equal parts!
I wanted a happy ending, but equally I am now sure there will be another story to follow, because (please, Karen Swan!) we can't be left not knowing!
I loved this next book. Even though we hear the same story, at the beginning, it is both a refresher for those who have read the first two, and another dimension to add to what we already know.Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

Oh my goodness, what a story. I loved the previous two books in the series and have been looking forward to the release of this one. It was such a good read and had me on the edge of my seat anticipating what would happen. These stories have focused on three friends who grew up on St Kilda, their stories begin at a time of change on the island as they become women and their way of life changes dramatically. Each book tells the story of a different friend, Effie, Mhairie and Flora all in the same time frame but from each girl's perspective; this is Flora's story, the beauty of the trio. They are beautifully written and provide a fascinating insight into a way of life which no longer exists.

These books are romance stories but with so many great characters and twists they are much more too. There is drama, mystery and intrigue too. I thought this was the last in the series but I was wrong and I now desperately need to know what happens next.

I am a fan of Karen Swan's books but I think the Wild Isles series may be her best. Do read them but start from the beginning, these books definitely need to be read in order to get the full impact of the story unfurling.

I had been eagerly anticipating the next instalment in this series on St Kilda and it absolutely did not disappoint. The only disappointment was that I read it too quickly! This time it’s Flora’s turn to take centre stage and the twists and turns of her experience both on the island and then her first year off it were just incredible to read. From the cliffs of the furthest reaches of Scotland to having her name up in lights in Paris- it was fascinating. I love Karen Swan’s writing, you feel totally immersed in the story and the characters feel utterly authentic. I’m so pleased that (according to the ending) there are more novels from this series to come. Thank you!

Another spellbinder from Karen Swan. The storylines continue to intertwine with the three characters Mhairi, Effie and flora with the emphasis on Flora. Life on St Kilda is well drawn and the adaptation to life on the mainland demonstrated how lives changed and the beauty that is Flora sacrificed herself to survive . Swan skilfully brings together the plot lines but leaves us with a cliffhanger. Is there more to come ?

The story begins on the beautiful island of St Kilda, with Flora and her family living in poverty. When tourists arrive on the island, she is fascinated by Edward, and hoping to escape the drudgery of her life is persuaded to leave with him.

Although this is the third book in the series and features characters from previous books, it can also be read and enjoyed as a standalone story. Fiona discovers that the glamorous life in Paris she was promised was an illusion, her spirit and determination see her through.

A romantic love story, with heartbreak and tears, I found this a compelling read.

The Lost Lover is the third instalment of Karen Swan’s Wild Isles series. This book is Flora’s story; the eldest girl of one of the larger St Kilda families evacuated to the mainland at their request. The first section is re-told narrative from her perspective, before moving on to her story once she arrives on the mainland - very much a coming of age story.

Although this book could be read as a stand-alone, the threads which are woven through the three books are worth building from book 1. I was expecting this to wrap the storylines up but it ends on another cliffhanger - nevertheless I enjoyed it as much as the others. The complexity is reminiscent of Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters series and I now can’t wait to see what comes next!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this DRC in exchange for an honest review.

OH MY WORD!!!

I had been eagerly waiting for the next installment of the St. Kilda series, and this did not disappoint! I had to abandon the book I was reading so that I could devour this one! This time it was Flora´s story, and it was breathtaking, and the ending........oh! Did not see that ending coming......does this mean there´s another installment to come....I certainly hope so!!!

Utterly captivating, engrossing, gripping your heart and mind throughout. Can´t recommend this series enough!

My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.

What a wonderful story. Having loved the first two books in the series, I couldn’t wait to read this one and it did not disappoint. I found myself exclaiming out loud in parts and imagining the lives of the islanders. This is a fantastic book that tells the drama of the lead up to the evacuation of St Kilda and how the islanders cope on the mainland, along with a massive helping of romantic drama that leaves you desperate for a happy ending.

Continuing the stories of the girls of St Kilda at the time of the evacuation in 1930s, this is Flora's story. The eponymous lost lover is Edward who Flora meets on St Kilda when he visits with wealthy friends. She is led to believe he has died when on an Arctic exploration vessel so after leaving St Kilda is persuaded to use her beauty and singing skills to perform in a revue in Paris...a very alien environment for a girl brought up on St Kilda! I was completely absorbed by this book and can't wait for the next book as their story is not over yet.

This is the third book in the tale of St Kilda's but is written in such a way to enable it to be read as a standalone. While this is great for new readers and will make it a fantastic novel for them, it means that a huge amount of the novel is a rehash for those of us who follow the books. I know it is told from a different point of view but for me, too much of the story was the same. I enjoyed the bit in Paris, but I'm afraid it just wasn't enough. I was disappointed as I was really looking forward to the next chapter in the saga

Thanks to Pan MacMillan and Netgalley for a review copy of this novel. Karen Swan adds another wonderful addition to the Wild Isle Series and proves once again her undoubted skill at evoking a true sense of place and time in all her novels that just draw in the reader completely. The story in this offering revolves around Flora, the beauty of St Kilda whose spirit and manner draw in anyone who meets her, much to the disapproval of Mathieson, the factor and the reverend. Still she carries on, enjoying the time with her close friends Mhairi and Effie as they look forward to the opportunity to earn money with the arrival of summer boats and the rich tourists it brings. This particular summer brings two young men, Edward and James. One flamboyant and handsome, the other quiet and taciturn, but with a manner about him that Flora finds irritating at first, but eventually compelling. But Edward sets about wooing her with flare and determination and soon she’s bewitched by his presence and all the glamour he represents and shows her. She has long yearned to escape the dreary life of the island and it’s this yearning that draws her on board Edward’s sailboat and to a decision she knows might change her life. But the night on the boat leads her in an entirely different direction and to James. James becomes more than a hope of escape, he becomes the person she loves most in the world. But there is so much they have to endure before they can be together and their ability to weather the terrible storms that they both face may not be enough.

I’ve loved all of Swan’s novels and each one has its own particular space and idea that drives it with incredible research and detail woven in so seamlessly and beautifully I can only admire and enjoy her talent. This novel possesses all those qualities as does the other two novels in this series. I became completely won over by Flora as I was by Effie and Mhairi in the other two stories and as the threads from the general narrative are woven back into Flora’s story I didn’t feel as though it was a repeated narrative. Small little revelations that each story contains contribute to the overall picture of the key events that occurred during the St Kilda evacuation and will ultimately create a great denouement. I had thought it would occur in this novel so I do have to say I was disappointed to discover that it hadn’t and that it ended on a cliff hanger, but it does give me an opportunity to inhabit this world once again in the next offering in this series. Highly recommended.