Author: Shona Knight

Series: Desert Island Duet

First Published: 28 June 2025

“Zee, if had it my way, I’ll always be the one saving you, not the other way around.”

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Shona for sending a copy my way!

For fifteen years, Darla has been stranded, alone, on a deserted island. But when three strange men crash-land there, she watches from the trees, terrified they’ll be just as cruel as the last men who came.

But these men are different. They laugh, they share, they’re kind to the wildlife. And despite every instinct telling her to stay hidden, Darla finds herself drawn to them. She begins helping in secret, leaving food and small gifts, until the line between fear and curiosity begins to blur.

When she must choose between staying hidden or saving their lives, the answer is clear. And soon, they awaken something inside her she thought had died long ago… hope.

But Darla knows all too well, paradise can turn deadly in an instant.
She’s survived alone this long… but can she survive letting them in?

When I saw Shona Knight’s next book was going to be a dark, gender-swapped Tarzan retelling with a why choose romance that is set on a deserted island, I was like, sign me up! I need this in my life. And boy, let me tell you, Stranded did not disappoint!

For the past 15 years, Zee has been stranded on a deserted island. Her days are endless survival mode, fighting to maintain her mental state in isolation. When three men crash land on the island, Zee hides in the shadows watching. She won’t reveal herself until she can guarantee they aren’t as cruel as the last men who graced the island. In the shadows, Zee assists them in finding food while also setting little tests to see if they are dangerous, but West, Bower, and King are different. They laugh and pass every little test she throws their way. Zee knows she should stay away, but she can’t help but be drawn to them. Things can turn deadly quickly on the island, but can Zee survive the hope they spark?

Zee is a survivor. She’s been stuck on this island since she was in her early teens and has somehow kept herself alive and sane. Honestly, I don’t know how she does it. Her tenacity is incredible. She learns new skills to keep her mind active and sets goals to keep going. As her relationships develop with the guys and storms keep them trapped inside, we get the feeling that Zee hasn’t had the time to process her trauma and what she’s had to do to survive. I hope Zee gets the chance to leave the island and find out what she wants to do when she’s not in survival mode—even if the prospect of departing her home is terrifying.

Amidst the fight for survival, moments of lightheartedness exist; for instance, Zee’s pet lemur, Mo-Mo, likes to steal fruit. I adore Mo-Mo. He might be my favourite animal companion. Despite his thieving ways, he does care. Also, to keep herself sane, Zee talks to herself and the inanimate objects around her, so we get a running commentary from her, which is hilarious.

Romance is also quite sweet, which is something I appreciate in Shona Knight’s work. I am a dark romance fan, but I prefer when the dark elements are external factors rather than present in the relationship. I adore how supportive and protective the guys were of Zee right away. There are some tense moments as the guys, King in particular, reach that overprotective territory. But Zee quickly reminds them that she is more than capable—having survived this long—and she doesn’t need to be coddled. There are some teething moments as the guys go from competing for Zee to agreeing to all date her. They each can bring something different to their relationship. I ate this up! King is your stern, stoic protector. His strength gives Zee the chance to let go of her need to be on alert all the time and she can rest. Bower is our golden retriever and joker. He does what he can to keep Zee smiling and adds some levity to her life. West is our cinnamon roll hero. He’s soft and sweet, always checking in to make sure Zee is feeling okay. I love their growing dynamic. I am interested to see how it will develop in Hunted.

And then we have Reece, who we don’t see too much of. He’s West and Bower’s business partner and best friend. He has a severe fear of flying, thanks to a childhood incident, which is why he wasn’t on the plane. There is a handful of chapters from his POV where he’s using all his resources to find his friends. It was so sweet that he faced his fears to find his friends. Did this lead to a massive reveal that sparked hundreds of questions? Yes. I am sure his relationship with Zee will develop in the sequel and I can’t wait.

My mind was flip-flopping all over the place, trying to figure out why they’re stranded and who was responsible. Zee believes she is the one these people are after, but West, King and Bower all have compelling reasons they believe their plane was targeted because of them. I have my suspicions about who’s responsible, especially after the big reveal on the beach. I just don’t know their motivations and am excited to dive into Hunted to see if a) my guess was correct and b) why they did it.

If you love the sounds of a Tarzan retelling, which is also a why choose romance with a heavy dash of suspense, Stranded is the book for you. A massive bonus is that the sequel, Hunted, is now out, so you can binge this duet and find out what happens to Zee, King, Bower, West & Reece.