Seamus Damp is an aging American-born writer who retreats to a remote island off the coast of Ireland to escape to a monastic life. But his troubled past is always near, and his estranged relationship with his son is fraught with heartbreak. When a young woman who carries her own heartache-filled past comes to the island on a solitary spiritual and hiking adventure, she and Seamus discover an unusual bond and together attempt to find a way to heal their hearts and erase their collective sorrows. During a harrowing coastal storm, the young woman seeks refuge at Seamus' door. A night of conversation while the wild weather rages begins their journey toward a mutual understanding of their personal stories of betrayal, death, and emotional hopelessness. Eventually, the young woman helps Seamus through health emergencies, and emergencies of the heart -- old and new -- as she, too, attempts to discover her own way toward an emotional breakthrough on a beautiful yet rugged, wind-swept island where solitude is its greatest gift. The Islander is part of The Shortish Project, celebrating short novels at theshortishproject.com. FROM OUTPOST19 BOOKS AND THE SHORTISH PROJECT. Winner Literary Fiction—National Assoc. of Independent Writers & Editors Winner, Pencraft Award NYC Big Book Award-Winner (Novella) Winner—PenCraft Summer Fiction Prize, 2024 Paris Book Festival Honoree Page Turner Awards Finalist Hawthorne Prize Finalist Readers' Choice Award, Finalist "Unputdownable...a melancholic, solemn, and remarkable short novel that captures in beautiful lyrical style the interaction between two people. The writing style is impeccable." — International Review of Books " The Islander is a poignant and thought-provoking work of fiction that delves into themes of grief, healing, and companionship...impactful...compelling." — Literary Titan Review " (The Islander) reveals beauty in people and places that don't always get a second look. In that respect, The Islander shares some themes with novels by Elizabeth Strout and Fredrik Backman. It asks about what we owe each other, how we should grieve, and what we owe to each other when we are grieving. It left me with a sweet ache for the characters and an urge to go camping in Ireland." — Windy City Reviews " The Islander excels in a simple, rugged perspective of life and self that contrasts the experiences and perspectives of father and son and the lives each touches. (The novel's) reflection of psychological depth and literary strength will attract a wide audience." — Midwest Book Review ***