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The Best Reads for Your Emerald Isle Vacation

Posted On Monday, April 10, 2017
The Best Reads for Your Emerald Isle Vacation

Everyone needs a few good reads to tuck into their beach bag this season. What better way to relax on the beach or in your Emerald Isle rental than with a book that's actually set in Emerald Isle? If you're like me, you love reading books about the places you visit or vacation—while you're actually there. The scenery comes to life and it motivates you to further explore the setting, scenes and landmarks found within the book.

If you're looking for two of the best books to read whether you live or vacation in Emerald Isle, North Carolina—then look no further! We've got them. Both of these books are by local Emerald Isle resident and author, Tom Gill. Start with The Bridge and then follow it up with the newest release and sequel, Return to Emerald Isle. Come along on the coming-of-age journey of main character Kirby Smith as she first experiences Emerald Isle as a teenager and then returns to it seventeen years later to find comfort, peace and answers to some of life's toughest questions.

The Bridge

Gill's stories take you to places on Emerald Isle and beyond, including the Crystal Coast, New Bern and Wilmington, so you'll gain local insight into the area and start to feel right at home as you follow Kirby's adventures and misadventures along the way.

Get a glimpse inside each of the stories below, then go ahead and get a copy of each to add to your beach bag.

The Bridge

A touching love story, The Bridge reveals how a family tragedy—kept hidden for fifteen years—ends up wreaking havoc when it is finally revealed. An automobile accident at the Langston Bridge foreshadows events to come when high school sophomore Kirby Smith sets off on an intoxicating summer vacation at her grandparents’ home in gorgeous Emerald Isle, North Carolina. A budding track star and honor student, Kirby is looking forward to practicing for her driver’s license exam on the barrier island. But even more exciting than that is the boy she noticed at the end of last summer…a boy she’s been dreaming about all year. Sparks fly when the two young people get together. But when Kirby innocently stumbles on a shocking secret, readers are taken back to another time, revealing heartrending events that have been concealed for years. A poignant tale of love, loss, and forgiveness, The Bridge speaks to the sacrifices that our military families make in service to the country.


Return to Emerald IsleReturn to Emerald Isle

Kirby is lost. During every major moment of her life, she always had her husband and high-school sweetheart, Sam, by her side. Ever since they met at the age of fifteen, the two were inseparable. Then, Lieutenant Colonel Sam Fontaine is killed during a test flight. Kirby is destroyed. Sam was her soul mate. How can she live when half of her is gone? Kirby and her teenage son, Journey, return to their family on Emerald Isle in North Carolina. Kirby must navigate a future without her husband. As the young widow struggles to live without being shackled by grief, Journey begins exploring the island. Both mother and son will find surprising friends and begin the difficult healing process. While Journey has his own adventures with wildlife on the island, Kirby becomes caught in a love triangle with two handsome men. Is she ready to reopen her heart to love?

Book Signings with Author Tom Gill

You can stop by Caribsea in Emerald Isle on Friday, April 14, 2017 from 2-4p.m. to meet the author, get your copy of his latest work (and get it signed!) and discuss his latest projects. He is also doing an additional book signing on Sunday, June 4, 2017 at Barnes and Noble in Jacksonville, NC from 1-5p.m.

Where to Get Your Copy

You can find The Bridge and Return to Emerald Isle locally at Emerald Isle Books, Dee Gee's Gift and Books, Atlantic Beach Book Mart, and at other Crystal Coast retailers. The books are also available on Amazon both in print and digital formats, on Create Space, or you can contact the author directly. Don't forget to look up his books on Goodreads, too, where you can add the books to your reading list, read reviews and share your thoughts.

Happy Reading!

Do you have The Bridge and Return to Emerald Isle on your beach reading list?

The Best Reads for Your Emerald Isle Vacation Pin