Isola: Reese’s Book Club: A Novel by Allegra Goodman 

Reese’s Book Club Pick • A Gripping Historical Survival Saga Inspired by a True 16th-Century Story

In Isola: Reese’s Book Club: A Novel, bestselling author Allegra Goodman (Sam) delivers a sweeping, unforgettable tale of love, betrayal, resilience, and defiance.

Heir to a fortune, young Marguerite de la Rocque is orphaned and left at the mercy of her volatile guardian, who squanders her inheritance and forces her to join his dangerous expedition to colonize New France in 1541. When Marguerite dares to fall in love with her guardian’s secretary, the punishment is swift and merciless: she, her lover, and her devoted nurse Damienne are abandoned on a remote, windswept island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence — known as the Isle of Demons.

Alone in a frozen wilderness with nothing but faith, courage, and each other, the three women must battle starvation, illness, wild animals, and the brutal elements. What unfolds is an epic story of survival that tests the limits of the human spirit and the bonds of love and loyalty.

Rich with historical detail, emotional depth, and Goodman’s signature warmth and wisdom, Isola is a powerful celebration of a forgotten heroine who refused to be broken. A Reese’s Book Club selection and national bestseller, this masterful novel is perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Four Winds, and stories of extraordinary women who rewrite their own fates.