Sorry but these narrators were not for me. I would have loved to listen to this but I just could not

I loved the cover which drew me in right away, and made me excited to read this gothic suspense. It was slow burn and just the right balance of tension, and I loved the setting in the South of France.

I listened to the audiobook format and really enjoyed it! I felt like this pulled me into every aspect of these con artists that work on the beach resort

.*many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio and Harper perennial for the gifted copy for review

Ali never really felt like she fit in...until she met Sean. Swept up in a world of excitement in mystery, Ali finds herself pulling con after con with Sean. It becomes clear that Sean will never see her as an equal; tired of constantly being underestimated, she flees her perceived safety with Sean and set out on a con of her own. She can do this...can't she? Will the guests at a luxury holiday home learn of Ali's true identity as she becomes close to them or will she be able to act as a caterer for the duration?

I really enjoyed this one. The narrator kept me poised an interested, even in the midst of a reading slump. I wasn't on the edge of my seat by any means, but I liked getting to know all of the interesting and unique characters. They were all just different enough that I didn't struggle to keep them separate in my mind, as I sometimes do with audiobooks. A light and fun read, definitely recommend.

Secrets, lies, and sunshine.
I love a book that is full of backstabbing, scamming, double dealing, and threats of murder, and I love it more when it plays out in gorgeous getaway locations across Europe with big money thrown around like chump change.
This audiobook sat in my app for a while as I hadn't heard anything about it, and once I finally gave it a listen I was hooked. As an American, there's always that extra allure to listen the British lilt. This story moved quickly, had plenty of heart-racing moments, and was satisfying in the end. I'd pick up a book or audio by Sabine Durrant again.

I really enjoyed this book that was a bit of thriller mixed with drama. I thought it was a very clever plot and the narration was outstanding.

I do think the cover portrays the book as a lighter read (more like a Janet Evanovich book) than the content inside.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great beach-read thriller. Lots of people behaving badly. A major plot twist I didn’t see coming until right before it happened, and a satisfying ending. It was a quick read but enjoyable.

Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant

They are con artists. When they try to scam a woman in France, their con goes wrong and she must escape. I don’t want to give anything else away; I think it is best to go in blind like I did.

This was my first book by this author and I really liked it. It is a suspenseful story with an exciting plot and some unexpected twists that kept me enthralled and guessing right to the very end. The characters are flawed and very dysfunctional.

What I loved the most about the book was the setting. It’s set in a beautiful house in the South of France and now I just want to pack my suitcase and spend the rest of the summer there.

The audiobook was narrated by Sofia Zervudachi who did a great job!

Thank you @NetGalley @harperperennial and @harperaudio for my copy of Sun Damage.

𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦!

I loved this book so much! It was intense, suspenseful, addictive and impossible to put down. I loved the setting, the characters, the pace, it’s the perfect summer read!

Thank you Harper Books and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

𝗦𝘂𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 by Sabine Durrant released yesterday August 1, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

This was a fun fast paced book! I enjoyed the twists and the chase. I love a good con story and this one was great! The synopsis of this book makes it seem like a "and then there were none" type of story, but it really isn't that. The setting of the tiny village with a house full of rich people was a great place to put our protagonist who is never comfortable in her skin. This was a fun ride.

Alli works cons with her mentor Sean. They meet Lulu on the beach in the South of France. The dominos start to fall. Alli will find herself hiding in plain sight, pretending to be someone she is not. Will she be found out? When should she call the police about a crime she witnessed? What should she do when this gig is over? Who is guessing her secret? This was well done on audio and I loved the twist that caused a paradigm shift for our sketchy narrator.

Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have some mixed feelings about this book.
Was it unenjoyable? N0. Did I love it? Also, no.
I do think this story explores some interesting topics: I was intrigued by our main character's backstory/childhood and how that influenced her decisions as a teen/young adult and into present day. The relationships of the individuals our main character is surrounded by were fun to learn about, especially through the lens of finding out information that can be advantageous in the future. It was interesting to explore the mind of a con artist, what details the focus on, how they think, how they can use what they say/how they say it to influence those around them.
The constant low-level of suspense and the anxiety of our main character are palpable and keep you at the edge of your seat.
But for some reason, this book just wasn't exciting. All the energy and intrigue this story possesses feels like it fizzles out instead of exploding.
I don't think this is an unenjoyable read. I'd recommend the audiobook specifically as the narrator is great. I just wanted more. What I felt like the reader gets is middle of the road.

SUN DAMAGE is a deliciously juicy and entertaining thriller where everyone has a secret. Durrant’s writing propels the tale forward at a fast pace. All the while still adding just the right amount of moments to take stock of everything happening.

What makes this book so good is Lulu, or at least the Lulu that shows up as the caterer. Her constant struggle with who she was, who she is now, and who she wants to be allows the reader to identify with her. There are such wonderful scenes where she is candid and introspective. But, let’s be honest, when she is grifting, this character shines. The interactions of these nine guests are pure gold.

The author has created a thriller showcasing characters busting with secrets, lies, and questionable actions. Their presence adds to the tension and the pure fun of reading this novel. So, sit back and enjoy the ride.

This was a good twisty, mystery. I really like the writing and would check out this author again. I liked how it was written in past and present and you had that deeper dive into the characters.

I really really wanted to like this, but for some reason it just did not interest me as I hoped. I both appreciated the main character's candor, and felt turned off to the book by it. While I love the narrative voice being frank about what she does and why, there seemed to be little emotion behind her actions.
I'm not saying a character MUST be emotional or MUST be relatable, but it felt like the non emotional mc could have been written a little differently to draw us in a bit more.
The end was good, fitting for the story, satisfying and true to the characters, but I struggled through the majority of this book.
Thank you to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Included in this post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuK1YXsg6mw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise was fun and exciting. Two con artists are working the France summer scene, coning people out of their money until they find a woman that will change both of their lives forever. The setting was beautiful, making me want to visit France one day The plot was still lacking the thriller atmosphere I was expecting but it was still a good read.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Harper Audio for giving me a copy of the audiobook.

A summery twisty thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. You can literally feel the heat as the tension rises in the story.

SunDamage by Sabine Durant publishing aug 2023. Allie and Shaun are con artist. When a con goes too far Allie runs to take over the conned life. A con is like love : we see what they want and we give it to them. Everyone is doing a con.

Sun Damage tells the story of a grifter named Ali. She was raised in the foster care system, and you can’t help but root for her. She partners up with a conman named Sean, and they con their way throughout Europe… until a con goes wrong in southern France and a woman ends up dead.

Instead of reporting it, Ali runs. She looks so much like the woman, that she takes her place. Is it a long con? Or is Ali (now Lulu) becoming a better person?

Sun Damage is the perfect summer read - and is available August 1. I read this in 2 sittings. It was a little predictable and ended with a nice little bow (drives me nuts when that happens 😂 everything can’t be a happy ending all the time!)

I wouldn’t call this a thriller, but it did have a fun twist at the end. A solid 4 star quickie read to take with you on a pool day!

Unfortunately, I’m not loving this one so it’s going in the not for now pile. I don’t love the writing and I’m having trouble getting into the story. Maybe I’ll try picking it up again another time.