Landlocked during the dog days of summer, books set on islands surround me. Andrea Lee’s Red Island House graces the blue couch. At the library, my hold, Marisel Vera’s The Taste of Sugar, has arrived. I yearn to learn about picturesque locales hugged by water, vibrant places with their own people, culture, and stories, which led me to the genre of historical fiction. In order of publication date, I’ve compiled a list of seven historical novels unfolding, mostly, on islands around the world and covering almost two hundred years.