Book Review - The Island Retreat by Cathy Kelly

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Title: The Island Retreat

Author: Cathy Kelly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 26th February 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Six guests. One week to uncover their secrets.

Rose Talisman is pinning it all on a fresh start.

Five years after her career as a therapist ended in one catastrophic instant, she is opening a retreat in Corfu. The understated, luxurious Villa Artemis is surrounded by wild pines and sea views.

Just six guests. One week. Time for Rose to help them face their secrets – and move forwards.

But Rose has staked everything on the retreat. It has to work – or she loses it all. And people’s secrets have a way of revealing themselves in ways no one expected.

Nobody’s past is staying hidden for long…

Will that include Rose’s, too?

It's been a long while since I last read a Cathy Kelly novel, and having just finished The Island Retreat I have no idea why I left it so long. 

I was totally and utterly fascinated by The Island Retreat.  I loved Rose's approach to therapy and how she is trying to help the six guests on this debut retreat in Corfu. 

All the guests are all so different, but they definitely need help, whether they realise it or not, and some of their stories really did get under my skin. 

And I loved the setting of Corfu, and the nearby town of Xanthe (even if I initially kept reading it as Zante, which of course is another Greek Island).  Rose, Adriana and Christos have created a wonderful hotel and retreat and their yoga instructor is rather tasty! 

But at the same time it is clear that Rose is hiding something from her past, which has stopped her from having relationships, and that someone is now threatening to expose.  Some of the past secrets are really hard to read, but the author deals with difficult subjects with sensitively and it all felt authentic. 

I found that when I wasn't reading this, my mind was on the characters, and hoping they would all get the resolutions they deserved.  

Thoroughly enjoyed this story and I have made a mental note not to leave it so long between Cathy Kelly novels in future! 

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.