Spotlight & Giveaway: Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra

Posted January 22nd, 2026 by in Blog, Spotlight / 17 comments

Today, HJ is pleased to share with you Virginia Kantra’s new release: Anne of a Different Island

 

Spotlight&Giveaway

 

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.

 

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt from Anne of a Different Island 

The dock was almost empty.
Motor vehicles were banned on Mackinac. There was a police car, of course. An ambulance, a couple of fire and util- ity trucks, and the snowmobiles we rode in winter when the roads became impassable for bikes.
But today, only a single carriage waited to take guests to the inn. A flatbed dray was being loaded with plastic-wrapped shopping totes, pallets of groceries, and cartons of summer merchandise. For the next few weeks, the island still belonged to the islanders. There was no waiting fleet of bicycle porters, strapping luggage to their handlebars with bungee cords. No line of horse-drawn taxis. No welcoming committee.
No Mom.
I grabbed my rollaway bag and bumped down the gang- way, shivering a little with grief and cold.
A cream-colored dog with a heavy coat left the knot of workmen waiting around the freight ramp and approached, waving its fluffy tail.
“Well, hello,” I said. “Whose little girl are you?”
The dog bumped its head—warm, soft—against my fingers and then stuck its nose in my crotch.
“Honey! Heel.” That voice . . .
The back of my arms prickled. I dropped my hand.
That guy, there, his long, rangy body obscured by heavy boots and a bulky jacket, a faded cap over his thick brown hair. A dark beard covered half his face, but I recognized him. Joe Miller, my father’s former apprentice and the bane of my childhood existence.
“Is that your special pet name? Or her actual dog name?” I asked.
“Dog name.” Was it possible he colored slightly under the beard? The dog left off sniffing me and trotted over to him. “My sister named her.”
He had a half sister, I remembered. Hannah? Hailey? She must be in her teens by now.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
His deep brown eyes met mine. “Could say I came to meet you.” My jaw must have dropped, because his mouth curled in a near smile. “I’m picking up some windows for a job on Bogan Lane.”

Excerpt. ©Virginia Kantra. Posted by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.
 
 

Giveaway: One copy of ANNE OF A DIFFERENT ISLAND by Virginia Kantra, U.S. only

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and post a comment to this Q: What did you think of the excerpt spotlighted here? Leave a comment with your thoughts on the book…

 


 
 

Meet the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra’s lifelong love of stories led her to write over thirty novels about strong women, messy families, and the journey to find yourself. Her books, including Meg & Jo and Beth & Amy, contemporary retellings of Little Women, have received numerous awards as well as starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and praise in People and USA Today.

Virginia is married to her college sweetheart, who keeps her supplied with ideas, caffeine and cocktails. They make their home in North Carolina, where they raised three amazing children. Like the witches of Oz, Virginia believes firmly in finding the power that was inside you all along.

Discover more at VirginiaKantra.com
 
 
 

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17 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra”

  4. Laurie Gommermann

    Love the original Anne Of Green Gables books and movies. Looking forward to reading Virginia’s new take on the story.
    I’d like to learn more of Anne and Joe’s past history. I visited Mackinac Island when I was in 2nd grade. I’m looking forward to a return visit.
    Thanks for the chance to win Anne Of A Different Island.

  11. psu1493

    Loved the original Anne of Green Gables books and this sounds like a modern version of it and I love it.

  12. Patricia B.

    I enjoy some of the contemporary remakes of classic stories. Mackinac Island is the perfect place for this remake. I enjoyed the excerpt. It introduces us to the island and the two main characters, three if you count Honey. I look forward to reading this book.