Beverly Whitfield (left) and Lionel Martijn (right) pose with the first book of the trilogy
THE HAGUE--The Ocan Foundation office recently welcomed author Beverly Whitfield, who visited to present her newly-published debut novel “The Island Remembers”.
Whitfield is no stranger to Ocan Foundation. In 2018, the proud Saban shared her inspiring life story in Ocan’s popular Spotlight series, motivating many across the Netherlands and the Caribbean. She left Saba at just 13 to continue her education on St. Maarten, later studying on Curaçao before moving with her family to the Netherlands.
When the author informed Ocan of her upcoming publication, she was invited to The Hague to speak about her new work. Ocan Director Lionel Martijn, MSUS, accepted a signed copy on behalf of the foundation.
“The Island Remembers” is a lyrical love story about memory, longing and the courage to return home. Set partly on Saba, the novel captures the bittersweet experience of those who left the island for education and opportunity, often leaving behind family, friends, and first loves.
Although fictional, the story reflects the real-life experiences of many from the Caribbean diaspora. It also carries an empowering message for women in midlife, reminding them that love, renewal, and second chances remain within reach.
Whitfield’s second book is expected to be released in October 2025 and she plans to launch the third instalment of her trilogy on Saba on February 14, 2026 – Valentine’s Day. Notably, she is the first Saban to publish both a romance novel and an internationally released book.
Before becoming an author, Whitfield built a career in finance, first on Curaçao and later in Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district. Today, she has reinvented herself as a personal coach for women navigating midlife and weight challenges. She also contributes to her family’s thriving restaurant and catering business and is developing the Midlife Body Wisdom e-book series to support women during menopause.
At Ocan, Whitfield shared her personal motto: “Later is now”. With this new chapter in her life, she hopes to inspire other Caribbean women to embrace change and pursue long-held dreams.
“The Island Remembers” is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book formats, with a hard-cover edition to follow. A free sample chapter can be downloaded at
www.beverlywhitfield.com.
