Holy guacamole! WOW.

Can I just say that I read this book in a day and the entire time I was truly trying to figure out who the bad guy was. I consider myself an expert in reading thrillers/mysteries and being able to pick up on what is going to happen and who the culprit is. BUT Michele did such a phenomenal job with this book that the entire time I was literally going back and forth on my thoughts. THE ENTIRE TIME! That has never happened to me..

I really didn't know what to expect but Michele writes a gripping story that makes you root for both the outcast cutie bartender who is just barely getting by and the scorned rich wife who just wants to be loved and live a life well lived. Your feelings won't let you pick one over the other, I'll tell you that!

The biggest thing I loved about this book is how Michele writes the perspective from both Aidan and Caroline's perspective. Not only that, but it shows two completely different perspectives which forces you to figure out who is lying and whose reality is real. Never have I read a book that makes you rush to finish just so you can find out what's real and what's not. THEN you get to the end and there's a huge plot twist (as if my heart could take anymore!)

SO PHENOMENAL!! Truly can't rave enough about this. Read this today!

A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell is a classic example of the age old belief that there are always three sides to every story: My side, Your Side, and a version somewhere in the middle. This book details the life of Caroline Stark whose storybook marriage is suddenly facing a crisis and possible separation. She sees a handsome stranger on the beach near her house, but then continues to bump into him and eventually hooks up with him for a one night stand. However, he doesn’t view their relationship in quite the same way. Caroline then becomes entangled with a possible stalker, while facing an uncertain future with a tumultuous marriage.

This book is like Body Heat meets Fatal Attraction with a little ‘unreliable narrator’ action thrown in there…this book will definitely keep you guessing until the end!!

Thank you to author Michele Campbell, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Certain books come to mind whenever that little voice whispers in your ear “well, I didn’t see that coming”…and A STRANGER ON THE BEACH is one of those books.

Author Michele Campbell subtly spools out this psychological thriller at just the right pace, introducing multilayered characters that are sheer perfection and masterful twists that even the most astute reader will not see coming until the many narrative threads are finally joined together for a surprising reveal. Even if you are quick enough on the uptake to see the bombshell coming you will still be hooked by this captivating tale.

Slowly exposing the chinks in the armor of a seemingly perfect marriage and the result of an apparent eruption of violence, the author utilizes an uncanny knack for skillfully relating this combination murder mystery/personal drama via different narrators whose veracity and motives are all in question.

This is a deliciously addictive read about marriage, the nature of guilt and innocence lead the reader to a stunning conclusion that will take more than a few days to fade from memory.

3.5 Stars!

Oh my goodness! I’m honestly not sure where to start with this review. There’s so much to enjoy about A Stranger On The Beach and one teeny wee complaint.

Told in two perspectives - those of our main protagonist, the rich socialite Caroline Stark, and down-on-his-luck barman, Aiden Callahan - we’re launched into a tale of a woman scorned and mistreated, blindsided by the events that are happening in her marriage, seeking comfort where she can, who soon finds herself in a situation she’s not quite prepared for.

But not everything is what it seems at first blush, and neither Caroline nor Aiden have the same perspective on any of the events. In fact, their accounts vary wildly. And I love that because, well, unreliable narrators are my jam!

So who’s telling the truth? Is it Aiden, who believes that everything he’s doing is for a woman that he loves, who loves him, and who he’s seeking to protect? Or is it Caroline, who believes that Aiden is a crazy stalker who’s reading too much into their brief fling and is now targeting her and her family?

Where it fell a little flat for me was with some of the dialogue. It felt a little dumbed down in parts, mostly when it came to interactions between characters. I suspect that Ms. Campbell was trying to make the voices authentic to their age range, but they occasionally came off as a little bit stereotypical. Because of that, I had a little bit of trouble connecting with or caring for certain characters.

That said, the mind-boggling twists and turns more than made up for it and the ending was most definitely one worth waiting for.

So, if unreliable narrators, drawn-out suspense and mega-twists are your jam, A Stranger On The Beach is a quick, thoroughly enjoyable read that you should definitely pick up.

My thanks to Michele Campbell, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read A Stranger On The Beach in return for my honest review.

This is the first book I have read from this author, but the title and cover caught my attention. The story flows nicely and is very easy to read. I did find the writing style quite simply, making it an easy beach read. Although the characters were simplistic, I did get invested in the story-line to the point of determination on finding out who was lying. The book is written in each of the perspectives of the two main characters, most times with opposing telling of the same story. I did like the storm aspect and the added thrill it provided. I recently read that it may be optioned for a movie and I feel like it would be better seen on the screen than it was as a read.

A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell provides two perspectives to events and leaves the reader to sort out the he said/she said to find the truth. Caroline is an up and coming interior designer getting back into her field when her husband shows up at the housewarming of their new beach house with another woman. The crumbling marriage is front and center for public display when a certain “stranger” she met on the beach plays more of a role in Caroline’s life. This is a delicious quick summer read. I highly recommend it. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the book but it wasn't my favorite. I would give it 3.5 stars. I absolutely loved the author's previous books. I found it a little confusing at times. Aidan and Caroline were experiencing their interactions completely different than each other. It was obvious one of them was delusional, but which one??? From the start I knew one of them was lying. With all the twists and turns and very unreliable narrator, I had a feeling what was going to happen. It became very predictable. The characters were hard to like, especially Caroline. I never warmed up to her. She made bad choices from the start and always seemed to justify them. I'm still not sure what to believe about Aidan. He surely isn't the brightest star in the sky. When the truth about everything was finally revealed it wasn't that shocking.

The book was definitely entertaining and had me questioning everything that was happening between Aidan and Caroline. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Struggling a bit to figure out what to say about this book.
What I liked:
The overall mystery and way things worked out in the end is great. In some ways, the methods the author used for telling the story with alternating views of the same situation from both Caroline's and Aidan's points of view was clever and created suspense.

That said, what I didn't like:
Oh my word, Aidan was an immature hotheaded weirdo. I couldn't warm to his character at all, it didn't seem realistic in the slightest. Even though I thought the alternating POVs was clever, it overall didn't work for me and actually confused me a lot of the time. I couldn't figure out how the exact same situation was SO COMPLETELY different in each POV. Not just in their heads, but the way things played out. It took me over half the book to figure out what was going on, and then when I did, it made the entire book totally predictable and I knew where it was going (and I was right). I know the author was trying to create suspense, and I applaud her efforts in the attempt, it was just clunky and awkward to me and seemed like a forced situation of unreliable narrators, not an actual unreliable narrator if that makes any sense. It was like the author was deliberately trying to fool the reader rather than the other characters in the story, and it just seemed manipulative rather than a unique plot device.

Overall, if you like a good psychological thriller and don't worry too much about logic and picking apart details, this one is a decent summer read.

So many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the wonderful box, ARCs, and finished copy!

Whew…this book was something else! I have mixed feelings about The Stranger on the Beach, which completely goes against the grain of many of the reviews I’ve seen thus far. This book starts out not at all like a Suspense novel, instead, feeling like a domestic, Real Housewives drama. Then, all of a sudden, I was completely and utterly confused, “What is going on with these narrators?”

As the story edged on, I had an idea of where things were going. One of the narrators had to be cuckoo. It could only end in one of two ways, with the narration being what it was. Based on my experience reading Thrillers, it makes sense to choose the least likely or craziest outcome in predicting the conclusion. Though I was sure I had the ending figured out, I have to give major kudos to Michele Campbell’s writing style. Through this book, she shows us just how easily manipulated readers can be while in the hands of an author. At the beginning of the story, I was anxious and absolutely dreaded reading from the perspective of one of the characters. I was endlessly creeped out and was ready for a big fallout of some kind. As the story changed gears and I figured out the dual narration, I realized I had been completely fooled. I was impressed by Campbell’s ability to convey exactly what she hoped to achieve.

However, this was the type of book that leaves readers with mere pages to read and the dread it will not be wrapped up effectively. Honestly, I’m still uncertain of my feelings regarding the ending. My questions were answered but I somehow feel slightly unsatisfied. I think I needed more, more pages, more explanation, more … something. Despite my mixed feelings on this novel, it was compulsively readable, downright addictive, and anxiety-inducing.

Though I’m giving this a middle-of-the-road rating, I think it’s a must for your summer beach bag, with five-star reviews galore. Good news, The Stranger on the Beach released yesterday, so you can start reading today!

Caroline's marriage is falling apart. She meets a rough looking stranger on the beach and decides to eventually bring him home with her. Is this the worst decision she has ever made? Will it put her family in danger?

I love Michele Campbell and all of her books. "A Stranger on the Beach" is no exception! I didn't figure out what was going on until about 85% of the way through the book! With every chapter I was like what the hell is going on here! I loved it. This has been one of my favorite reads of the year!

Campbell has a flair for keeping readers on the edge of their seats, and this book follows right along that path! I love her writing style. At first, I thought this book may be the boring cliche of cheating husband, pissed off wife, but it was so much better!

Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an early copy of #AStrangerontheBeach for review!

Campbell does a good job of keeping the reader in the dark on this one. Told by two different narrators who have two completely different views of the same situation, leaves the reader pondering. Is Aidan an unreliable narrator? Is Caroline really as innocent as she seems and what exactly is going on with Jason?? This book started out so strong, but lost some momentum at about the halfway point. While I had it figured out from the get go, it is filled with some good twists and turns, making it an entertaining fast paced “beach” read!

Caroline Stark is living the dream life. Well, until her husband shows up late to their housewarming party... and with another woman. As Caroline's marriage falls apart, so does her fancy life. When Caroline meets a stranger on the beach, Aiden, they have a brief fling. It's clear from the start that Aiden's feelings are stronger for Caroline than hers for him.

Told with the alternating points of view of Caroline and Aiden. Caroline's POV is first person, while Aiden's is third person. It's clear their stories don't match, but which one is lying is not clear. An entertaining unreliable narrator psychological thriller.

This is the second book I've read by Michele Campbell, and I enjoyed this one slightly more than She Was the Quiet One. For avid readers of domestic suspense, A Stranger on the Beach isn't too hard to figure out. Still, it was a fun, fast-paced read. Suspenseful and exciting.

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you like psychological thrillers you don't want to miss this book! Just when you think you might have somethings figured out, WHAM! another monkey wrench is thrown into the mix. This story is very compelling and pulls you right in until you can't stand anymore. Excellent job! I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Net Galley.

When I first started this book, I automatically assumed this was going to be a stalker/domestic violent plot. I was completely wrong. Caroline annoyed me. After her husband left her, she played victim and ended up having a one night stand that was nothing short of a part of her master plan. A plan we don’t find out until the very end of the book. There wasn’t much of a back story with the Russian and Jason, Caroline’s husband, until the end. We really didn’t know if he was in business with the Russians or if he really was having an affair. His whole character was a bit lost for me and had no connection with him. I loved Aidan’s character. At one point I almost thought he had a double personality the way the author told his views. Needless to say, I’m so happy how this ended for Aidan. The last sentence that finished the book was very abrupt. I felt like it need a little more to close it off.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Caroline Stark’s beach house was suppose to be her getaway for her family. But after a very public scandal of her husband and his possible mistress attending their housewarming party, Caroline’s money is gone, and there’s a stranger on the beach outside her house who is always watching.
After her husband drains their bank accounts, she turns to Aidan, the stranger/bartender, for comfort. After a brief and desperate fling that means nothing to Caroline and everything to him, Aidan’s infatuation with Caroline, her family, and her house becomes more and more destructive. But who is manipulating whom in this deadly game of obsession and control? Who will take the blame when someone ends up dead…

Seeing both Caroline’s and Aiden’s points of view was so thrilling. Right from the begging you get a sense that one of them is not truthful with the events and I spent the whole book trying to figure out who’s version was altered. Michele masterfully and creatively withholds the true details of the events until the shocking ending! My mind was blow! I did not see the ending coming at all. This whole novel was highly suspenseful and I can’t wait to see how the movie will turn out! This is a must read summer thriller! Go get your copy, today is Pub Day!

**4.5-stars**
Caroline and Jason Stark have been married for 20-years. Like most couples, their relationship has had its ups-and-downs. Lately, more down than up.
With their only child, Hannah, recently off to college, and Jason traveling a lot more for work, Caroline focuses most of her energy on building her dream house in the Hamptons.
After the lavish beach house is completed, Caroline decides to throw a house warming party, inviting all of their rich and influential friends. Unfortunately, Jason tells Caroline he is stuck at a 'work thing' and will be unable to attend. She's saddened by this news, as she was really hoping to reconnect with him and show off the beautiful home, no small accomplishment. Then in a jaw-dropping turn of events, Jason does arrive at the house...with ANOTHER WOMAN!!!
As you can imagine, the proverbial shit hits the fan.
Days after wallowing in it, Caroline gets herself up, out of the house and straight to a popular local watering hole. Once there, she recognizes the guy behind the bar. He was actually the bartender provided by the catering company on the night of her ill-fated house warming.
Instead of cowering in embarrassment, she decides to embrace it and proceeds to flirt with him all night whilst getting elbows deep in some vodka sodas.
Enter Aidan Callahan. Young and handsome with a troubled past. What could go wrong?
For his part, Aidan seems to like Caroline a little too much. Before she knows it, he is everywhere. She can't get rid of him but is this your typical stalker behavior or is it more?
Alternating between Caroline and Aidan's perspectives, this book is so full of twists and turns, you won't know who to believe. The truth is hidden in here somewhere but you'd be hard-pressed to discover it! This story is so gripping, so chilling; a true tale of suspense.
I loved the format of this. I think Campbell's choices in the development of this story were close to perfection. For the first 3/4 of the book, you are getting that twisted back-and-forth perspective and then suddenly...the main event.
The the final 1/4 follows new perspectives of the investigators called in to discover the truth. I thought this was unique and really well played.
In the end, I was satisfied with the conclusion. The one small criticism I had was that once you got to the investigation portion of the story, with the evidence put forth early on, it's pretty clear what actually happened. I am not sure too many people will be fooled at that point but regardless, really well written, great characters, fast-paced, gripping; I really, really liked it!
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. Michele Campbell is definitely one of my go-to authors. I love her storytelling. If you haven't read any of her books yet, this is definitely a great one to start with and perfect for summer fun!!

This is my third novel by Michele Campbell and I have given the other two books 3 or 4 crowns. I wanted to see how I felt about this novel to determine if this is an automatic read author for me. I am happy to say, I think it is!

This was an intriguing book in that it had two vastly different perspectives and it was practically impossible to tell who, if either one, was reliable. I did guess the end at about 80% through but it was very well done.

A story of deceit and manipulation; lust and greed; this had it all. I highly recommend this book.

4.0 out of 5 starsFast paced read!
July 23, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
This was a very fast paced thriller that kept me guessing until the end. I did have a bit of trouble keeping some things straight but that was quickly corrected once I got their voices in my head. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion

The this is the first book I've read by this author and WOW!! It was really interesting told by different b. You had to pay attention because you weren't sure who was telling the real story and who was imagining things. It kept me guessing until the end because everybody seems a little cuckoo. LOL!! Absolutely will be reading more by Ms. Campbell.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

This book was so fantastic! I have not read a great book in so long and this one hit the spot! You spend most of the time reading this book having no idea what will happen next and i love that feeling!