Romance Wanderlust: Rent Your Own Island

This is the time of year when those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are either at the beach, or wishing we were at the beach. Of course, this means that if you are lucky enough to get to a beach, you are probably sharing it with many, many other people. But what if you didn’t have to do that? What if you had your own beach? Heck, what if you could rent your very own island? Read on, for the Internet is here to help with that.

Please keep in mind that I have yet to rent an island, nor am I likely to unless my husband manages to turn that broken vacuum cleaner motor that he won’t throw out into some sort of highly marketable clean energy device. So this is neither a review nor an endorsement of any company, individual, or location.

If you Google “Rent an Island” not only will you fail to accomplish anything for the rest of the day, but you will also find an incredible number of islands for rent all over the world. Here are three examples, with scenarios to match. All book titles are made up (by me). All locations are real.  Google at your own risk.

1. Scenario 1: You are billionaire with a mysterious past and a deep need to be recognized and adored by the society that both uses you for your funds and scorns you as being “new money”. You long to reconnect with your old love. You persuade her to join you at your island retreat for a week long bash in luxurious style, accompanied by your guests and your extensive but discreet staff. Champagne will flow, jewels will sparkle and chocolate fondue flow from fountains along the torch lit beach. But will a private moment in a rose-petal sprinkled room in the Florida Keys grant you a happier ending than that of Gatsby and Daisy? Find out in The Key to Her Heart, set on Little Palm Island Resort and Spa.

2. A council of politicians from several countries is meeting to discuss new environmental initiatives. In hopes of winning hearts and minds, your environmental group raises the money to host the politicians for one weekend at Cayo Espanto in Belize, where they will see first hand the wonders you hope they will protect. As the group’s leading expert on the local ecosystem, you are sent on the trip as well – your job is to spend the weekend taking the politicians boating and exploring and educating them about the issues. For the most part, this means answering questions like, “What is this shell called? Can I keep it? It’s so shiny!” But one person takes every opportunity to ask hard-hitting (and annoying) questions. This person is, of course, the most right wing, hotshot, up and coming young aide of the bunch. You can’t stand him and yet you are madly attracted to him. Can lust turn to love despite political differences in Bickering in Belize?

3. After a terrible tragedy befalls you, you just want to get away from the world for a while. You move into a cottage on a “private island in sunny Hvaler,” off the coast of Norway, where you can sit by the fire pit, read, and knit, free from distractions like Wi-Fi and electricity in general. But what about the distraction of the sexy fisherman in woolen sweaters who brings you fresh-caught fish and drinking water and a new book every day? Could love be born again Next Time in Norway?

 

 

Which would you choose? Or do you have your own island to recommend?