Anne of a Different Island

By: Virginia Kantra

Narrated by: Will Collyer, Kathleen McInerney

A woman learns to be the heroine of her own life in this heartfelt novel inspired by Anne of Green Gables by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.

She believed life could follow a plotline—until the story she was living unraveled.

Anne Gallagher has always lived by the book. Anne of Green Gables, that is. Growing up on Mackinac Island, she saw herself as her namesake: the same impulsive charm, the same wild imagination, even the same red hair (dyed, but still). She followed in Anne Shirley’s fictional footsteps, chasing dreams of teaching and writing, and falling for her very own storybook hero.

But when a string of real-life plot twists—a failing romance, a fight with the administration, and the sudden death of her beloved father—pulls her back to the island she once couldn’t wait to leave, Anne is forced to face a truth no story ever prepared her for. Sometimes, life doesn’t follow a script.

Back in the house she grew up in, Anne must confront her past and the people she left behind, including Joe Miller, the boy who once called her “The Pest.” It’s time to figure out what she wants and rewrite her story to create her own happy ending. Not the book version. The real one.

Critic reviews

"Virginia Kantra’s masterful reenvisioning of beloved novels from our youth will have readers cheering. Fresh, delightful, and funny, the perfect, contemporary homage to Anne of Green Gables."—Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of Look on the Bright Side

“Full of wisdom, love and longing, Anne of a Different Island is the perfect tonic (or cordial!) for readers seeking romance and hope, and a wonderful homage to the spirit of Anne Shirley herself.”—Natalie Jenner, USA Today bestselling author of Austen at Sea

"This charming modernization of a children’s classic is sure to suit readers of Kristan Higgins or Carly Fortune and should have nostalgic appeal for Anne of Green Gables fans."—Library Journal

Fun premise, but felt too try hard

I really wanted to enjoy this book. It has a lot of positive elements in its favor. I'm a fan of the Anne of Green Gables series, have been to Mackinac Island and visited Chicago many times. Thankfully the narration is pleasant, which helped a lot. If you go in with lower expectations, some of the more grating details and hokey plotlines might be easier to overlook. Anne comes off as manic, a bit desperate, and kind of annoying, which I found off-putting. Then again, she's supposed to be young (24) and came of age during covid, and I'm a 51 year old Gen Xer, so maybe I just don't get it or have the lived empathy for that stage of life.