Wow! This was one of the edge-of-your-seat psychological thrillers. I kept flipping through the pages and wondering who was telling the truth and who was completely off their rocker. The story being told from the viewpoint of two different characters...Caroline and Aidan. They are as opposite as you can imagine and I found myself leaning toward believing one person over the other based on the quality of their character. But was that a wise decision?

The author does a great job of holding your attention and having you guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had my head spinning. The story is told from two character's points of view and throughout most of the book the recollections of their interactions were so different, I wondered if they even experienced the same events.

Obviously one of them is not a nice person but I had a really hard time determining which one it was. This book was a definite page-turner as the drama and action escalated with each chapter. A Stranger on the Beach is one book you will want to add to your summer beach read list, for sure.

No surprise here you guys, I loved it! Michelle has never done me wrong any of her books – I love her style of writing! It’s so captivating – perfect for a thrilling read. This one was her best yet! Going in on this read blindly was even better than knowing anything about it. So many twists caught me off guard! And the best news? This book just received filming rights! SCORE! Cannot wait to see this on the big screen. One of my favorite reads this summer!

A Stranger on the Beach makes some pretty big promises in the blurb. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite deliver, especially on the claim to keep you guessing. I had most of it figured out from very early on, and the rest fell into place shortly after. Predictability aside, the whole story is just a little too far over the top for my tastes. The sheer number of things that would need to line up and fall into place was just too much, and that includes a convenient hurricane. Convenient for these characters at least. In the end, this one amounted to an eye-rollingly predictable story with unlikable characters and some serious lags in the second half of the book. From that point on, it was just too easy to set aside and too hard to pick back up.

Unfortunately this one did not work for me and it was a DNF. While I was initially drawn into the intriguing beginning, I lost interest in the back-and-forth POV between our heroine and the man she had a fling with. I found them both unlikeable and could not bring myself to care what happened next. I do think this story will be a big hit for readers who enjoy those types of unlikeable characters and multiple points of view that keep the reader guessing what is real and what isn’t. I do appreciate the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

An unreliable narrator. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. In this case, it doesn't. Caroline is beautiful, rich and seemingly untouchable. Aidan is a bartender who has served time for manslaughter. The two get together and mayhem manifests. There were too many inconsistencies within both narratives to support the conclusion. Predictable. Reads like a bad Lifetime Movie.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

A Stranger on the Beach is a masterfully written psychological thriller. The characters, while flawed, are complex and intriguing. The fast moving story is exciting, suspenseful and filled with twists and turns. The conclusion is memorable. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
































plex and intriguing. The fast moving story is filled with tension, suspense and twists and turns. The ending is memorable. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.

While the book has little socially redeeming quality, it was a quick read with many twists and turns. The plot was only partly believable and at times a little hard to follow. The contradictory points of view became interesting when finally I figured out what was going on. Take it to the beach, it will entertain you.

Caroline Stark is planning a house warming party to show off her gorgeous million dollar beach house.She's a bit annoyed at the moment because her husband Jason, may not be able to make it to her party, She's also a bit apprehensive our being alone because she has seen a stranger watching her house. Fast forward to the night of her glamorous house warming party, and realize this is the night that sets off a series of terrifying events. I believe it's best to go into this blind, so that key details are not given away.

What I will say is that I enjoyed the dual pov from Caroline and Adian's version of the same events. Clearly, someone is lying or just plain crazy. But who is telling the truth and who is the one that is psychotic? I'll leave that to you to figure out that question. As I got closer to the end, I had already figured out the big reveal, so there isn't a shocking twist in the ending, but as I was reading I was constantly trying to figure out who's version of events I could believe.

This was one of my anticipated reads for July, and I wasn't disappointed. There were a few things I felt could have been better, so i rate this


A big thanks to Net Galley and to the publisher for access to this advanced title.

Michele Campbell delivers a creepy beach story sure to keep your head spinning.
One thought I had in the beginning was; "Who the F runs off and bangs the first bartender the see after discovering their husband has a mistress?!?!?!"
Well lets introduce Caroline Stark. She is a 43 year old beautiful wife and mother, who from the outside looking in appears to have it all. Her husband Jason is a hedge fund manager. These people are very wealthy, and definitely enjoy all the fine things life can offer. Caroline is planning on throwing a joint house-warming/ Jason's B-day party. Caroline wants to showcase her interior design skills at the new beach house they built and designed. This my friends is where we insert Aiden. You see the Stark's new beach front mansion in located on the same land that once belonged to Aiden's family. Aiden is a handsome specimen in-deed; but one with a very checkered past. As Caroline discovers her husband's infidelity she all but runs into Aiden's arms.
Now this is the point in the story I thought I was losing my freaking mind. I mean just each chapter was like whip lash and BOY did I eat it up. This story's chapters alternate between Aiden & Caroline telling their tale; and they could not be farther from the others. It was amazing reading what they each thought was happening. Clearly one is lying, and possibly clinically insane, but the question is; who?
If I thought the chapters leading up to the finale were good, well hold on tight because this ride is far from over!
This was an page turner for the year! Michele Campbell just sunk her claws in until the very end!

Caroline Stark is proud of her new gorgeous beach house, carefully designed for vacationing and showcasing her perfect family. But that perfect life is crumbling around her. At a party debuting the home, her husband of 20 years, Jason, shows up with another woman. Her daughter, Hannah, is off at college now and doesn't need her. When Caroline, spots Aidan Callahan, a local bartender, watching her from the beach outside her home, she wonders if he's casing her house. Then Aidan is the bartender at her party. But as her marriage falls apart around her, Caroline finds herself turning to the much younger Aidan for support. They have a one-night-stand; then Caroline thinks there's a chance she can reconcile with Paul, her husband. But Aidan is obsessed with Caroline, calling her constantly and following her everywhere. Suddenly Caroline doesn't feel safe. She jokingly told Aidan to get rid of her husband, but she meant it as an anger-fueled joke. But will the obsessed younger man see it that way?

I'd heard a lot of excited buzz about this one and was looking forward to reading it, but--unpopular opinion time--this one wasn't one for me. I kept waiting the entire time for the book to excite me or draw me in, but I found it irritating and predictable. (I know! I'm sorry!) I figured out immediately how things were going to play out and then read it hoping I was wrong. I was not.

The shtick in this one is that it's told from both Caroline and Aidan's perspectives. We get most of the same events filtered through each of their lenses. It's clear early on that we're dealing with unreliable narrators. Either one or both of them are not telling us the whole truth. The problem with this is that it's also really freaking repetitive. I don't want to hear the same thing told to me twice, with a bit of a twist. I also didn't care for Caroline. She's annoying. The woman did not make smart decisions, and she couldn't even find the breaker box in her own home. I'm sorry, even if you're "not handy," be able to manage basic things. (I may have some pent up anger against Caroline to deal with.)


"There was a stranger on the beach. He was standing in front of my house, staring at it like he was casing it to rob. Sometimes fate sneaks up on you. But Aidan Callahan didn't sneak up on me. He was brazen. He stood there in the middle of the sand, staring up at my brand-speaking-new beachfront house, looking like he was up to no good."


As for Aidan, we have to hear about a million times about a previous violent incident involving his best friend. I don't know why. I was just over the repeating of things, in all forms. Aidan's brother is the Chief of Police in the small town where Caroline has built her beach house, and he's basically struggling to rebuild his life. I definitely felt more sympathy toward him, but also annoyance, because his obsession toward Caroline was just that, an obsession, and nothing good was going to come from this. From any of this! Just go home, dude, and stay out of trouble. She is so not worth it.


"Caroline. She was his good-luck charm, come to rescue him, and he loved her for it. Hell, he plain loved her, as she sat there laughing, her skin glowing, tendrils of golden hair curling around her face."


About 3/4 through the book, the perspective changes a little and things picked up a bit, but by then I was too irritated to be truly glad. I had also guessed everything from the beginning and this shift did nothing to alter that or surprise me, so yes. Sigh. There's definitely some drama in this one, but it felt forced to me. Oh, the power goes out just as you arrive at your beach house on the run? Wow!

Anyway, most people really love this book, and so take my bad mood review with a grain of salt. Hopefully you will love it much more than me! 2.5 stars.

A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell was spellbinding and captivating right from the start. A psychological thriller full of surprises and unexpected twists and turns! A woman who thought she had it all. Caroline has the husband and lifestyle she always dreamed off, but things are not always what they seem. When everything begins to collapse around her, she turns to Aiden for one night. It means nothing…to her and everything to him. Suddenly more than her dreams are at stake.

A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell had me engrossed from start to finish. Told mainly in dual point-of-view, how will it all end?

Happy reading!

Struggled through the first half of this one, and somewhat skimmed the second half because I wanted to know what happened and see if I’d feel any more connection there. The book is truly in two parts, and in the end you at least get some clarity on the second part of the book. However, I still have no idea what was true and what wasn’t in the first half of the book, so that feels like a bit of a waste of reading.

It’s difficult to review this without letting any spoilers loose, but I’ll try. The author, switching between the two main characters, each telling their point of view concerning the same events, keeps the reader guessing throughout the book. Added to these wildly different interpretations of reality are lies and fantasies. The reader must untangle all this to find the truth of what really happened.

I enjoyed reading this and recommend it for a light, entertaining read.

Note: I received an advance copy of the ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC digital copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review. Well played Michele Campbell...I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful novel.

Aidan spots Caroline on the beach just below where her beautiful new home sits. Their eyes meet and they engage in a brief conversation. Who set the stage for this encounter, Aidan or Caroline or was it purely serendipitous?! Be ready for a roller coaster ride with suspense around every turn and lies spoken with confidence that will have you wondering just who, or are any of these characters being honest.

I know we all say that we did not see it coming but in this book, I did not see the twist coming! Another very well written novel by Ms. Campbell. You will not be disappointed.

Caroline is having a really bad day. Her husband, who travels a lot as it is, has just told her he can't be bothered to attend their own housewarming party because he is too busy with work. Then, when he surprises her and shows up at the party, he brings his new Russian girlfriend and demands a divorce. Then, she finds out all of their money is gone from their accounts. It is at this very moment that an attractive townie starts paying attention to her, and things rapidly get worse from there. The story is told from multiple perspectives, but mainly Caroline, and the townie, Aidan.

The premise of this book definitely intrigued me. I love domestic suspense thrillers where it's clear things aren't quite as they seem and you don't know who is trustworthy. However, the reader hears two versions of nearly every event in the book, first from Caroline's, and then from Aidan's perspective. This was a bit of a drag at times, since the depiction of events are so, so different it tends to strain credulity. I also found some of the dialogue a little off and stilted (like when the main character spills her drink at the bar and says "drat", yeah, no one says "drat", especially not when they're trying to pick up a man at a bar). This book had a great theory but stumbled a bit in execution.

*Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for this honest review*

Anyone know of that old saying that there are three sides to every story, his, hers and the truth? That is exactly what the psychological thriller A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell brought to mind. The story is told from dual points of view of the same happenings that often vary greatly from one another and leaves the reader grasping for the truth.

Caroline Stark thought she was living the perfect life, wealthy and happily married. But just as Caroline is putting the finishing touches on her dream beach house she finds out that it seems her husband is cheating on her. In a moment of spite Caroline finds herself flirting with a hot bartender and taking things farther than she expected in her search for revenge. Caroline only expected a one night stand but Aiden has his eyes on so much more.

A Stranger on the Beach is perfect for those that are fans of unreliable narrators and total uncertainty while you read. All throughout the book as soon as you think you know what is happening the story flips and has you questioning what is real and what isn’t. With plenty of twists and turns along the way this one certainly kept me guessing all along.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Caroline is a rich, uptown lady with a brand new beach house on Long Island. Aiden is a small-town guy, with a troubled past just trying to make ends meet. What happens when they meet becomes a confusing and wild tale for the reader.

Sucked in by the premise, I found the cover exciting, and the title screamed at me to read the book.
As I held my breath, excitement coursed through me as I tried to get into the meat of this novel that is being heralded as the “Thriller of the Summer” by critics. Unfortunately, I must respectfully disagree.

Consequently, I had the hardest time reading this novel. The differing perspectives of Caroline and Aiden were the most confusing thing I have ever read. However, I still ended up guessing the ending after the first time the author spoke as Aiden.

The story was too recognizable, the protagonist is too unlikable, and the only person I cared about was Aiden. His naivete and relentless search for someone to love was only too familiar. I feel as though I have read this story many times before, but in different settings.

I badly wanted to love this book, but I didn’t, regretfully, I couldn’t get past the writing style and the predictability of the plot. As such, I award A Stranger on the Beach 3 out of 5 stars.

Stranger on the Beach started very slow for me and it almost ended up a DNF which is not my style.

Despite it being a slow start for me, I keep going to see the outcome.

A few chapters away from the end really drew me in with a few plot twist but ultimately lost me again at the last chapter.

I’d still give this book 3 stars for keeping me guessing.