Rachel Lacey's Desert Island Books
Based on the BBC radio programme ‘Desert Island Discs’, we’ve adapted this idea to ask castaways to list up to eight books, one song and one luxury item that they couldn’t do without on a desert island.
The rules are fairly simple, any type of book can be selected, but we ask that at least half are lesfic. Choices should be justified in a paragraph or two. Any type of music is allowed. The luxury item must be inanimate and of no use in escaping the island or allowing communication from outside.
Other Desert Island Choices
My book choices
Hotel Queens by Lee Winter
This book was like crack for me! I couldn’t put it down and would happily read it over and over. It’s full of sizzling chemistry, smart characters, the absolute swooniest ice queen (yes, I’m totally in love with Amelia Duxton), and a surprising amount of humor. Laughs on a desert island sound important, don’t you think?
Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden
I could pick eight Melissa Brayden books to bring with me to a desert island, because her books are just the perfect comfort read for me, with fun banter, amazing chemistry, and characters I either want to hang out with or fall in love with. Kiss the Girl is probably my favorite though. I do love a rivals-to-lovers story, and Jessica Lennox is perfection in a suit. Plus, the girls at SoHo Savvy are friendship goals! I just loved everything about this book, and I know it would cheer me up while I was stranded.
The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite
I don’t read much historical romance, but this one is an absolute gem. It’s got a lady astronomer, so much art and science, and every sentence is so beautiful that I just want to go back and read it over again. It was a delight to read, and I could pass plenty of time revisiting it.
How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole
This one would be an extra special treat because I haven’t actually read it yet. Alyssa is one of my all time favorite authors, and I absolutely can’t wait to read her first full length f/f romance. A long lost princess falls in love with the private investigator charged with tracking her down – need I say more? The blurb also mentions a fake marriage and only one bed on the high seas, which sounds absolutely amazing.
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
This book was just delightful. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and this one gave me all the feels. I laughed and cried, and there’s nothing I love more than a book that can make me do both. Darcy and Elle are the perfect grumpy/sunshine combo, and the book had just enough fandom references for those – like me – who are fangirls at heart. So swoonworthy!
Write Your Own Script by AL Brooks
I love a celebrity romance, and this one not only has British leads (I’m also a sucker for an accent!) but both heroines are over 40, which was so refreshing to read. I also really enjoyed how Tamsyn and Maggie worked at their differences and actually communicated with each other – petty misunderstandings in a romance are a pet peeve of mine. The chemistry was hot, and the whole story was just delightful. It would be a wonderful distraction on the beach!
The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa
Mia is one of my favorite authors! Her books are so funny and also scorching hot, and while this one has been waiting on my Kindle for a while, I haven’t read it yet, so this would be another brand new book to read on the island. I’ve read enough of Mia’s books to be confident that this would be a solid choice to bring with me, and what better to read while I’m stranded than a romcom?
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Yes, it’s a book about rabbits, but it’s a childhood favorite, and I fell in love with it all over again when I reread it to my son a few years ago. This would be a comfort read, and it’s also a fairly long book, which would be great if I only have eight books to choose from.
My song choice
Well, this is harder than choosing eight books, honestly. It would have to be something by Taylor Swift, but I just can’t pick! Maybe “this is me trying” would be an appropriate choice while I’m fighting for survival?
My inanimate object choice
If I can’t choose something that could help me escape the island, I’d have to pick my sunglasses. My eyes are so sensitive in the sunlight, and I would just be miserable on an island without them.
About Rachel Lacey