I decided to not finish this book. I felt very disengaged from the story. There were a lot of characters and they all sounded the same. The plot just didn't seem to have much happening.

Such a great and twisted read. Couldn’t put it down, had to pace myself. Love John’s writing style, this only excites me to read more by him!

I am normally not someone who likes stories with too many twists but with this author I always make an exception.

You have a backpacker’s hostel in Venice Beach, the lives of many strangers colliding and a whole heap of secrets. Some of these secrets were fun to see unravel and others delivered its intended shock value.

I enjoyed this but can definitely see how the author’s writing improved with more recent books like The One and The Passengers

Recommended for holiday reading on the beach with a cocktail in hand.

Another solid book by John Marrs. He’s always a solid read and a go to author. Thank you for the free copy!

I love novels by John Marrs and this was kept me entertained the whole way through. I loved reading and guessing what would happen next. Definitely a recommended read.

Unfortunately, this was really hard for me to get into. I didn't finish it after about 10%. It took me forever to even get to that point. The way it was formatted, I had a hard time following.

The Vacation by John Marrs is a bit overwhelming as it challenges the reader to follow the stories of eight guests who are staying at a hostel in Venice Beach, California. Naturally, all of these strangers have secrets, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to protect them.

While I raced through the book thanks, at least in part, to the short chapters, I did struggle a bit with keeping the ever-shifting perspectives straight in my mind. Undoubtedly, this is a solid read, though not my favourite from this author. 3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC.

3.75⭐️

This book was pretty interesting and not at all what I was expecting (I usually go into books blindly). I liked the concept of this book a lot though. With so many characters, there were times I was getting a little confused and getting people’s stories mixed up though. Overall, I liked the revelations that came out at the end of the story. Made my rating a little higher! Additional points too that they mentioned multiple times one of my favorite movies of Leonardo DiCaprio which is The Beach, a very unknown movie that was based on a book. I think this might be a book that I would want to reread because I feel like I missed things and I would enjoy it more the second time around. Definitely a huge perk of this is that there are short chapters!!

DNF @34% - I’m a huge John Marrs fan, but for some reason I just couldn’t get into this book… I may attempt to pick it back up later on, but for now it’s a DNF..

I think what I struggled the most with was the characters and understanding who was who, it took me awhile to remember each character, but at that point I was just so lost and confused with the story…

I will read anything this author writes, but I’m bummed I couldn’t get into this one as of now.

When nine strangers come together at a hotel in LA, all with different reasons for their west coast trip. Each has secrets that they are trying to protect but the past never stays burried.

This is a reprint/republication of an existing novel written by this author that is now published under a different name. The chapters are short, making it ones of those books where you tell yourself just one more chapter to find out what happens next.

The Vacation by John Marrs

* Thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for providing an ebook in exchange of a honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

John Marrs really is becoming one of my favorite authors! I really like all the different caracters and how their stories were all connected in a way. It was the perfect summer thriller, with the california/beachy vibes!

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The Vacation did an excellent job at taking seemingly random characters and weaving them together intricately. While some had their own story to tell, others were entertwined in another character's story which made the outcome interesting. I appreciate how each character had an "ending" and we didn't have to wonder how anyone turned out.

I enjoy books with an ‘ensemble’ type cast of characters and plots and this book definitely had that! And despite there being a number of characters, each had interesting storylines with enough action, twists/turns, and surprising connections.

I enjoyed this quite a bit. The characters all seemed realistic and believable, and I became invested in nearly all of their stories. It was cool to see how some of them intertwined. It kept me constantly guessing and the way the chapters ended in crucial spots made it hard to put the book down!

I was super bored with this one. Felt like the characters made terrible decisions and I just didn't like reading this as a pastime.

All of this author’s books are so layered and complex. This one has many characters and it’s all centered around a hostel in Los Angeles. As their stories unfold, you don’t really know who is good or bad. Definitely recommend this one!

John Marrs has a talent for crafting intricate and suspenseful narratives. With its well-developed characters, engaging plot, and thought-provoking themes, the novel is a must-read for fans of the genre. It is a book that not only entertains but also offers a deep dive into the darker aspects of human nature.

There are a LOT of characters to keep up with in The Vacation, and shifting timelines to boot. Continues to get grimmer and darker as it goes on.

I couldn’t get into the story just as I thought. Not disappointed but need more depth, I think. I can't remember when was the last time when I read a book in which the whole plot was 100% equal to what was written in the blurb and nothing more. There was no surprise there, no resolution to any of the plot threads and the whole story was blatantly predictable and painfully dull.

Really enjoyed this one. It was my first book from John Marrs and I’m looking forward to reading others!