The Resort is a typical, island thriller with twists and turns, but I loved the dual perspectives of the two main characters. Ochs' debut novel is reminiscent of a locked room mystery thriller, this time taking place at a scuba diving resort in Thailand. We move through the story with the perspectives of the Permanents who live and work on the island/resort and the tourists. To me, the twist at the end was the best part, but I enjoyed the journey to get there. This would make a great beach read thriller for any upcoming vacations!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC!

The Resort by Sara Ochs is a typical thriller. I knew pretty early on in this story who the murderer was and had an idea of how this would play out. For someone who reads a lot of thrillers, this wasn’t anything special. We follow Cass and Brooke, two ladies who are at a Thai resort. Cass has been living and working there for two years. She is a dive instructor and has become part of a tight group of friends. Brooke is an influencer who is there to chase a story she wants to write. She has started getting close to Cass. Not too long before Brooke arrived on the island, a tourist had been murdered. Then half of Cass’s dive class gets murdered and no one knows who to trust anymore. I had trouble staying focused on this story. It didn’t hold my attention very well. The world building is nicely done. I felt like I was at the beach. I think, for me, the story lacked suspense and mystery. The characters aren’t that interesting or fleshed out. This is a 3/5 star read. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me access to an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Publication date February 6th, 2024. This review will be found on Instagram and Goodreads indefinitely.
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Yay. Yet another thriller that turns mental illness and trauma into a shitty plot device. And add on an aggressive anti-pharma stance (Xanax doesn’t do 90% of what this book claims unless you don’t take it right). Oh and also random rape story arc that results in vengeance against women but idiocy with men.

Just why? Why is it so hard for anyone to take an hour to research mental health? I’m so sick of these books.

Cass came to the Koh Sang Resort to escape her past and stayed, making friends along the way. Now, newly engaged to another ex-pat, she thinks her life is figured out. Brooke came to the resort for very different reasons. Together, they get thrown into chaos as a body is found.

This thriller was an interesting one. Here's what I liked:

The location. I really enjoyed the exotic location and I thought the author did a really great job with building those settings into the story itself.

The twists. This one has a lot of them. There were times that I honestly didn't see some of them coming. The characters are all built out well but you still can't trust them which is fun.

All in all, this was a good thriller, especially if you're looking for one set in vacation setting.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the gifted copy!

I had no idea this would be such an engaging novel with all the twists and turns. This is definitely the kind to dive in without reading any reviews or summary even as it has exciting settings and keeps you guessing at every point of the plot. I enjoy unreliable narrators and this has two of them to keep the readers on their toes.

Hiding from her past, Cass has made a home for herself among the expats at Koh Sang Resort in Thailand. When Cass starts getting threatening notes, she fears her past is coming back to haunt her. A recently arrived travel influencer, Brooke has gotten close to Cass and her friends but she has her own secret agenda for being on the island. After two accidental deaths on the island, Cass and Brooke begin to wonder if the two cases are connected.

Ochs' debut novel is a run-of-the-mill vacation thriller, a slow-burn mystery that ends with plenty of action and some unexpected twists. Although Cass and Brooke were decent narrators with an intriguing connection between them, neither were particularly likeable. The other expats, on the other hand, felt underdeveloped and forced. However, the hot topic of conversation about The Resort is the controversial epilogue. You'll either love it or hate it. Personally, I thought it detracted from the book.

I wasn’t 100% sold on The Resort when I started it. This is a slowwwwww burn. Luckily it’s full of incredibly interesting, untrustworthy characters that are suspicious as hell, so there’s enough to make you want to keep going. And you should keep going.

Without getting into spoiler territory, as things are revealed, this story gets weirder and weirder. Some of the character’s motivations are straight up bizarre. It was hard to see how this would all come together. But I’m so glad they all ended up on this island because the climax of this book is straight-up 90s action motive - in the best way. It’s over the top and ridiculous and just so damn fun to read. That, plus the epilogue saves this book from being just another run-of-the-mill thriller.

So that’s the main point of my review, I suppose - you’re going to want to DNF this probably, but don’t give up on it. It’s worth it, I promise! What a wild book.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the ARC. The Resort is out 2/6!

Love love loved it!!!!
This mystery is mixed with a bit if romance and some laugh out loud moments. The group of characters in this book all come from different parts of the world to escape their past for a new beginning in a beautiful Thai resort. This book is so well written I felt like I was sitting in a lounge chair watching the drama unfold in real life!
When a few guests turn up dead, the writer sends you on a journey to find the truth. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, BAM, another curveball! I can’t wait to see what Sara Ochs writes next!



Thank you so much NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and RB Media for my advanced copy and the chance to review it honestly.

If you’re looking for the perfect beach read (and I mean perfect beach thriller, because that’s the ultimate beach read for me), The Resort has got you covered. Set on a beautiful tropical island just off the coast of Thailand, Koh Sang Resort seems to be the get away that everyone needs- even us, the readers. Right from the get-go, you know that both of the main characters are hiding things from their pasts, including possibly murder?! I loved the dual POV between Cass and Brooke, and how the author would have them causally slip in statements that had me go “Wait… what?!” I wouldn’t say that the ending is a complete plot twist, but it had me guessing enough until the end that it always kept the book interesting. And same with the pace- like any good thriller, it never slowed, and I had trouble putting it down. It had this Minnesotan girl wishing I was currently over in Thailand myself, despite any potential murderer(s). Overall, a great book if you like thrillers and beach reads!

I love a vacation thriller! As a debut novel, I felt it was tense and well written. It kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what these unreliable narrators could possibly get into.
Welcome to paradise! We hope you survive your stay!
3 rules:
1. Leave the past behind.
2. Always be careful of who you trust.
3. If someone discovers who you really are, run.
A mysterious woman, Cass, carries her secrets with her like a backpack and decides to leave her old life behind and move to a remote island in Thailand...a party island. She becomes a dive instructor alongside permanents. Brooke is a travel influencer vacationing. They are suspicious of each other, as well as some expats, who have claimed the island as their own and suspicious of everyone.
When a dive student is found dead, that is not the first mysterious death that has clouded Cass. A woman fell to her death from a cliff...then more people died suspiciously. Will Cass's secrets catch up with her? There is a killer on the island that is looking for justice.
Several twists are revealed, but a lot of characters will have you going back to rethink what you read. Other than that this is an atmospheric mystery while enjoying the beach on this secluded island.
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Paradise is just an illusion.

At least at this resort, it is and it’ll make you think twice about running off to a faraway place or even just booking your next vacation.

This story had so many twists and turns that it had my mind churning and jumping with all the red herrings. So well done there. I can’t say I liked most of the characters, except for Cass, and even then, not knowing her big secret made it hard to totally empathize and connect with her. It is a slow burn, but there’s a lot going on and the ending makes it all worth the wait. Sort of like a roller coaster with one last drop that gets your heart pumping before depositing you safely back at the boarding station.

The Resort is a good suspenseful, resort-based thriller. It's a dual POV and alternates between Cass and Brooke, the main characters who are both on an island off the coast of Thailand. The resort looks beautiful, but there are so many mysteries going on and being hidden on this island. The beginning was a bit slow, but after that, this was a fast-paced thriller. There are so many secrets and lies that start to unravel pretty quickly in the story, and we realize that Cass and Brooke are trying to get away from their past. There are also some deaths happening on the resort and the two main characters are trying to figure out what happened. Overall this is a good mystery read, the twist at the end landed quite well, and I didn't see it coming. If you like thrillers full of secrets, friendships, mysteries, lies, and intrigue, then you need to read this.

I usually don't read thrillers but I decided to give The Resort a go. Although the suspense and drama started on the first page, I couldn't stay interested in the book. This is just not my type of book. I am thankful to the author, Sara Ochs, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Slow burn thriller with many twists and shocking connections. A surprising ending I feel I should have send coming lol - well played.

Thank you for this opportunity. Will definitely add author to my reading wish list reads.

This thrilling debut gets all the stars from me. Kept me up past my bedtime to read all the way through to the end. And was it ever worth it! One of the best Epilogues I have read in quite some time. The setting is a resort on Koh Sang, a fictional island in Thailand. Two POVs deliver most of the narrative: Cass the dive instructor and Brooke of @BrookeaTrip social media pages. The two have forged a vacation friendship, but unexplained deaths on the island are stirring things up. Secrets are coming to the surface. What part do "The Permanents," the resort staff members, play in the sinister happenings? This was a surprisingly creative debut and a fun way to visit a warm vacation destination. I'll tell you one thing: when I travel abroad in the future, I will view the staff on excursions with a bit of a different lens. There may be more going on than we can see on the surface.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

"The Resort" by Sara Ochs unfolds against the backdrop of the Koh Sang Resort, a captivating tropical paradise that serves as the stage for suspense and mystery. The narrative kicks off with Cass's hidden past, injecting anticipation into the story, while the exploration of the expat community known as the Permanents adds depth by unraveling the characters' concealed histories. Notably, the inclusion of an influencer character breaks away from stereotypes, offering a fresh perspective that enriches the overall narrative.

However, as the plot develops, its complexity becomes convoluted, making it challenging to fully connect with the characters. The intricacies surrounding the mysterious deaths on the island could have been streamlined for a more immersive experience. The narrative occasionally feels disjointed, and uneven pacing hinders the natural flow of the story. Despite the suspense maintaining reader engagement, the resolution of the mystery may leave some yearning for more depth and clarity. The conclusion feels rushed, leaving loose ends that prevent a comprehensive resolution. Nevertheless, "The Resort" by Sara Ochs provides an escape into a world of intrigue and suspense, with its lush setting and diverse characters creating a unique atmosphere for mystery enthusiasts. The influencer character adds a distinctive layer, yet the underexplored character relationships leave a part of the ending's impact feeling incomplete. Fans of the mystery genre may find the novel appealing, though those seeking richer character dynamics might be left wanting.

AUDIOBOOK: The narration on the audiobooks adds a great layer of suspense and intirgue to the story. I thought the narration was clear and helped increase the pace of the plot.

<b>Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an advanced listeners copy of this book. </b>

Cass has come to Koh Sang to completely leave her past behind. While there, she befriends a group of ex pats called the Permanents, who provide her with the family she is craving. But a tragic death occurs, followed by another, and soon everything the Permanents have built threatens to come crashing down around them.

First, let me say that last chapter got me and got me good! I’m still thinking about it hours after I finished the book, and I really think it’s one that will stay with me for a long time.

The story is a good one, filled with lots of tension and secrets, and some nail biting terrifying moments near the end. Ochs is a good writer, able to nail writing from two different character perspectives, and keep the suspense up. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #SourceBookLandmarks for the book #TheResort by #SaraOchs. This book is focused around a resort and people hiding from the world. It has murder, corruption and secrets that lead up to a surprising twist ending.

Koh Sang, a remote island in Thailand is where the guests come to get away from it all and dive and all of the residents are there because they are running away from something in their past and each of them is hiding a secret. Cass is a newly engaged dive instructor whose family died in mysterious circumstances. Brooke is travel influencer newly arrived on the island. Before Brooke arrived, a young tourist was murdered and now another tourist, Lucy, has arrived and is asking questions. Shortly after Lucy’s arrival she too is found dead. Now with multiple murders on such a small island and a limited pool of suspects, Cass’ past is about to be uncovered. However, just when you think you know who did it, the story twists again.

This thriller took a bit to get into but then I was hooked. I thought I knew who did it, but then I kept changing my mind and I’ll be honest I only figured it out because by the end I had accused everyone in my head. The novel alternates between Cass and Brooke’s POV and their backstories added an extra dimension to their characters that I enjoyed. I went back and forth between the audio and the book depending on where I was at the time and the narrator was great. This one was a fast and fun read and I had no idea it was a debut but I look forward to her next one!

4.25 star

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC to review

What started out as a slow read picked up in the middle and I didn’t see the ending coming. I enjoyed it!